26/11/2013 World News Today

This is BBC World News Today, with me Kasia Madera. Will the United

Kingdom be divided? Scottish MPs lay down the case for independence.

A blueprint is released explaining just how it would work, ahead of a

referendum next year. Opponents say the document is a work of fiction.

France scrambles troops towards the Central African Republic, amid

intensifying violence, and fears the country will implode.

Also coming up: Lebanon's liberal reputation under

threat. We uncover evidence of police intimidation towards gay

people. And until recently, no-one knew this

John Constable oil painting even existed. Just where did museum staff

find it? Hello and welcome. The great debate

about the future of Great Britain is heating up. A blueprint for Scottish

independence has been released, detailing just how Scotland would

operate outside the United Kingdom. The plan would see it collect its

own taxes but keep the pound sterling and stay in the European

Union. Scotland joined England to form the

kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. Since 1999, it has had its own

devolved parliament, which allows it to make laws in a limited capacity.

The Scottish National Party is pushing for independence and

outlined today why Scots should make the move. There will be a referendum

next September. For nationalists, the campaign has

moved into an ambitious new phase. The most significant milestone to

date on the long march to independence and the first detailed

account of the character, shape and spirit of the new nation they hope

will soon be born. An independent Scotland could have the eighth

highest economic output and the 10th highest national income per head of

population in the whole of the developed world.

So what would an independent Scotland look like? It would be a

kingdom with the Queen as head of state. It would join NATO but demand

the removal of submarine-born Trident missiles within four years.

It would keep the pound as part of a sterling zone with the rest of the

UK. This is not a final blueprint for independence. It is simply the

Scottish Government's starting point for an 18 month period of

negotiations after a yes vote. It rests on a lot of assumptions. It

assumes, for example, that the EU will accept Scotland as a

continuing, rather than as a new, member. NATO will accept a

nuclear-free Scotland without Trident. But the UK government will

agree to share the pound was an independent Scotland in a currency

union. -- that the UK government. What is the UK government refused to

share the pound? Then an independent Scotland, Alex Salmond told me, my

refused to share but's National Debtline these things follow as

night follows day. Scotland have indicated they willingness in this

document to accept the financing of some of the massive obligations and

liabilities that have been built up Alistair da and George Osbourne.

That is predicated on the share of assets. You have to share both sides

of the balance sheet. -- Alistair Darling. This is a country of two

national identities interwoven. Many here are genuinely torn. Opponents

of independence say Alex Salmond's blueprint is mere wishful thinking.

He has nothing new to say. He simply repeats the assertions and claims he

has been making for years. He says there will be a currency union but

ignores the fact there would have to be a negotiation and any

negotiation, you do not get everything you want. It takes two to

reach an agreement. The same with Europe. The idea that 27 European

countries will roll over and give him everything he wants is nonsense.

There is a danger in this line of attack. For pro-independence

campaigners see this as a battle between the somewhat promise of a

new start and the fearful caution of the status quo. Might that yet swing

it? Joining me from

Our correspondent joins us now from Edinburgh. Is this a blueprint or

wish list? That is precisely what will be debated from now until

referendum day. Some people believe that today we would see almost the

birth of a new nation, that we would see the excitement, if you like, as

the parents of that new nation, the Scottish First Minister and Nicola

Sturgeon, really revealed what it was all about. It was actually a

much more low-key event. It felt like to business executives trying

to reassure at the launch of some exercise in corporate rebranding. I

think there is a good reason for that. The opinion polls still show

that many Scots are sceptical about the case for an entirely new

country. Therefore, a great big document was produced today which in

one sense said that a great deal would change if this country became

independent and yet rather a lot would not change. It would carry on

having the Queen as its head of state, it would continue to have the

pound is currency, it would try to join the EU and join NATO, just like

the UK. Things like pensions, a cause of such concern, would be

played broadly as they are now. -- paid. At the same ten, the

prospective authors, if you give Scotland the power to make its own

decisions and choices, if, for example, this country could stop

spending money on nuclear weapons and choose to spend it on public

services instead, there are a whole series of goodies laid out before

the electorate. You could have more childcare, you could have fairer

taxes, you could have a series of changes designed to make this more

appealing to that broad mass of Scots who are not yet convinced for

an independent Scotland but are not entirely persuaded against it thank

you very much. Nick Robinson there from Edinburgh. We are going to stay

in Edinburgh because we are joined by David Torrance. David, I know

that one of the books that you have written is a biography of Alex

Salmond. You think he has made the case? Not quite. He has certainly

made more of a case on perhaps he had before. The document he unsealed

this morning with Nicola Sturgeon is certainly competence. It is slickly

produced and he can now say, one of people questions at him, but it is

in this document, look under this section. -- that he unveiled this

morning. Of course, the White Paper does not, and could not, and is

unequivocally that there is more information available Mozilla was

before this morning. One criticism was that Alex Salmond

has made lots of assumptions, that he assumes that Scotland will keep

the pound, that Scotland will stay in the EU. This is not a given.

There are lots of different factors in this. No. And there is very

little in the White Paper that could be asserted as an unequivocal fact

for all those reasons. It is dependent on a yes vote and of

course the opinion polls show that is unlikely. At least for the time

being. It is also predicated on the negotiations that would follow a yes

vote, going relatively well and the SNP heading up those negotiations,

getting everything he wanted on currency, defence and so on. It is

also predicated, certainly on the longer term, the aspirational

elements are predicated on the simply being in government in and

dependent Scotland not just for a term but probably for quite a long

time. -- on the SNP being in government.

What about the basics, this question of child care, something that lots

of people would be very pleased to hear about. Apparently this could be

done now. Why not do it now? Nicola Sturgeon was asked that question

this morning and said, not unreasonably, you need full control

of the economic levers in order to push through something on that

scale. That is half true. Much of it could be implemented at the moment.

But the presence of policy commitments like that childcare

proposal did jar slightly, not just because much of it is already

devolved but also because it seemed a little prosaic. Childcare is very

important but a very prosaic way to see this is the compelling case for

the independence of a nation. Do you think that the economy, how well off

people feel that they are, is that going to be the driving force behind

this? Anecdotally and in terms of opinion polls, that seems to be the

dominant issue. Every see people questioned about independence, that

is what they say. How can we afford it? Would be better off? Or would be

worse off? Economic 's dominated this. It is all predicated on an

independent Scotland performing economically very well and its

citizens be better off than they are now. David, at the moment, opinion

polls suggesting that a round 63% of people who vote would vote to stay

within the UK. What is your, if we are going to take a bit on this,

what do you think is going to happen? I think the opinion polls

will not change very much, not as a result of this white paper.

Certainly not until next summer, when things really kick off. Most

people expect there to be some narrowing in the polls. I think that

is almost inevitable. As many have said, many experts on referendums

and elections, in order to stand any chance of winning a referendum like

this, the side proposing a change, in this case the pro-independence

camp, needs to enter with a pretty commanding lead of around ten

points. They are nowhere near that at the moment. Perhaps the White

Paper will help them turn that around. There is little indication

as yet. David, good to talk to you. To other news now. The French

government is scrambling an additional 1,000 soldiers to the

Central African Republic. They will be part of an African Union led

force that is trying to bring stability to a country that is, in

the words of the UN, descending into complete chaos. 10% of the

population have fled their homes and one million people need urgent food

aid. The current crisis began when rebels ousted the President in

March. Damian Zane reports. There is a desperate situation in

parts of the Central African Republic, with little sign of things

getting better. Tens of thousands have sought refuge in this compound

at a Catholic mission. The aid agency MSF says more security is

needed. Right now, we have hundreds of thousands of people estimated, up

to 400,000 people, that have been reading out in the bush for the past

couple of weeks, completely on their own, without access to clean

drinking water, a difficult time for them to reach the sectors. It is a

difficult situation for them right now. On Monday night, the UN tried

to address that situation and the ambassador from the Central African

Republic echo the warnings of other diplomats. TRANSLATION: The report

of the secretary general latest development on the positions adopted

by the French and Americans, will bring about genocide of nothing is

not understand. We need free, transparent credible elections

within two months but it has been threatened within the great

instability. The president has been unable to

control his former rebel allies. The mainly Muslim and -- Muslim militias

and Christian militias have been attacking each other's communities.

There has also been a rise in sexual violence, torture and summary

executions. Without stability and an end to the law and looting, little

progress can be made. The forces need help. The plan is to bolster

their numbers and give it UN backing. Concerns remain about what

will happen to the people while they wait for more soldiers to arrive.

We're also joined by the BBC's David Chazan in Paris. David, these 1000

French troops, do we know where they're going be deployed? We do not

know exactly where but the main idea is for them to restore security in

the capital and also on the main roads leading to neighbouring Chad

and Cameron saw that supplies can be brought in because the aid agencies

are saying there is a severe hunger problem developing. In terms of

France sending troops there, the French minister was saying that if

France does not do it, nobody else will. Is that your understanding? I

think Franz's uniquely placed among the Western powers to do this, not

only is it a former colonial powers or has a good sense of what the

country is like but it also has thousands of soldiers already in

place in the neighbouring countries. Places like Cameroon and

the Ivory Coast. It has a lot of soldiers also on a ship in the Gulf

of Guinea. So France can get these troops into position very rapidly.

France is warning, and the UN as well, that the country is on the

verge of genocide. Do people back in Paris, back in France, today support

this move? This is the second time that France is sending forces into a

former French colony. -- do they support this move? That is right.

France sent thousands of troops to Mali in January in a move that has

been seen as largely successful. A lot of people feel that France will

also be successful in restoring order in the Central African

Republic. But there have already been some criticism from the

centre-right, the UN party, which is asking why the governing Socialists

are making big cuts in the defence budget but sending troops into

another African country. Some people here in France will be wondering why

the Government has decided to do this at a time when the economy is

struggling and unemployment is rising and there are cuts that the

two be made across the. Having said that, there are a lot of people who

will welcome this intervention. -- there are cuts that need to be

made. We think this is France restoring its historic role.

President Putin has hit back at criticism from the EU which has

accused Russia of putting political and economic pressure on Ukraine not

to sign a trade agreement. He said it should end what he called its

sharp words about Ukraine's apparent turn towards Russia. Big crowds

continue to demonstrate against Kiev's decision. Our correspondent

Steve Rosenberg reports on how Ukraine has been torn between East

and West. At the Kiev Opera, it is a story of

love and bitter rivalry. Two suitors, one fair maiden. It is just

like the story of Ukraine. Two world powers, the European Union

and Russia, have been competing for closer ties with Kiev. At who Ian

Bryce? Ukraine has had a big decision to make. On the one hand,

should it an historic trade agreement with the European Union

that would turn this country very much towards Europe? Or should it

look East and join Russia's economic bloc? The pressure on Ukraine to

decide one way or the other has become huge. That includes economic

pressure. Early this year, Russia banned imports from Ukraine's

largest confectioner. And it imposed trade restrictions on the Ukrainian

companies, a strong hint that Kiev should think twice before distancing

itself from Moscow. The whole world clearly understands that the real

reason for these problems is it as a form of pressure on Ukraine because

of the necessity to make a strategic decision about our future

development. But that pressure has had an effect. Last week, Ukraine's

government announced it had put on hold the association agreement with

the EU. It would concentrate instead on repairing economic ties with

Moscow. TRANSLATION: Over the last year,

trade between Russia and Ukraine fell by 25%. That is a huge blow to

our economy. We spoke to officials months ago on how they would

compensate a but all we got were compensations that Ukraine would

profit medium to long-term. The decision by the government has

sparked anger on the streets. In Kiev, pro-EU protesters have clashed

with riot police. They accused the authorities of dragging Ukraine back

to the soviet union. And they demanded the release from Trail of

-- the release from jail of their former opposition leader. If they

are not willing to embrace European standards and values than they are

not willing to play by the rules of the European Union. These protesters

say they will stay on the streets until the Ukraine government chooses

a different path, one that will lead to Europe.

Now a look at some of the day's other news.

Demonstrators in Thailand's capital Bangkok are continuing to target

government ministries, occupying some and surrounding others, in a

protest against the administration of Prime Minister Yingluck

Shinawatra. An arrest warrant has been issued for one of the protest

leaders in connection with the occupation. Meanwhile, the Thai

Parliament is debating a no-confidence motion against Ms

Yingluck. The protesters say they aim to paralyse the government in a

bid to force the Prime Minister to step down.

Here in the UK, a police officer is to be charged with misconduct in

public office. The officer is accused of falsely claiming to have

witnessed a foul- mouthed confrontation between a senior

member of the Government, Andrew Mitchell, and Downing Street police.

Mr Mitchell, who was alleged to have called police "plebs", resigned over

the affair. In total, eight police officers are facing disciplinary

proceedings. Lebanon, with its vibrant nightlife,

is often seen as one of the more liberal countries of the Middle

East. It has a reputation as being relatively tolerant of gay people in

a predominantly conservative region. But campaigners say they're

increasingly concerned that that is changing. Human Rights Watch says it

has evidence that homosexual men are being subjected to abuse by police,

as Sima Kotecha reports from Beirut. Beirut comes alive under darkness.

It's liberal and modern, lined with bars and clubs, and it is where

masculinity matches stereotypes. But this city has an underground gay

scene that is private yet very much alive. Lebanon became the first Arab

country to declassify homosexuality as a disease but it still has

legislation which could be used to criminalise homosexuals. Beirut is

often thought of as a safe haven for gay people across the Arab world. In

some countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia, being homosexual can lead to

the death penalty. But recently, much has happened here that has

revealed cracks in this city's liberal facade. There have been

claims here that police have been subjecting gay people to intrusive

anal testing. This man, who doesn't want to show his face, says he was

arrested for being gay. He claims doctors conducted an intimate

inspection on him to find out if he had had homosexual sex. It was

really demeaning. It made me feel like I don't have body rights. Eye

was repressed for a long time. I was very resentful and just alone. Human

Rights Watch says even though the government has condemned and banned

this kind of testing, it is still going on. Human Rights Watch is very

concerned about the problem of abuse and ill-treatment against gays and

lesbians, bisexual people, transgender people in Lebanon. The

way they are treated by wider society but also the abuse, the

torture and ill-treatment they are subjected to and kept in cells and

attention. We have documented very serious patterns of abuse and that

needs to end. But some people here insist that homosexuality is wrong.

It is male and female and this is the normal life. Male and female,

not male and male or female and female. Being in jail is not enough.

They should tell them they are doing the wrong thing and they should stop

all of this... Erm... This mistake. It is a mistake, after all. These

sorts of views are in line with the religious teachings of Islam but

there is an argument here that people should move with the times.

Recently we reported on a huge haul of Nazi-looted art which contained

hundreds of previously unknown works by masters. Well, now we can tell

you about another discovery. This oil sketch by John Constable has

been uncovered by staff at London's Victoria Albert Museum. They

didn't find it in some long-lost private collection, but hidden

inside another of his works that belongs to the museum.

With me is Estelle Lovatt, who's an art critic here in London. Thank you

very much for coming to speak to us. It is an incredible story, the

fact that this lovely oil sketch was actually not this covered for so

many years but was inside a different painting. Can you tell us

about how it was found? Yes, his daughter left the V most of his

works, over 600 of them, and the conservation Department there had

removed the backing and they were going to put the painting to be

included in an exhibition, and they found it behind the lining, so this

is an extraordinary find. They did see through an X-ray there was

something there but they were not sure what it was, but to find a

sketch like this. The best thing about Constable was his sky

sketches. He is more of a skyscape used than a landscape is. And it is

so beautiful. They have this lovely white quality called Constable

snows. And we in this country never really appreciated his landscapes.

They were not considered high enough or fine enough to be considered fine

art. So he had to exhibit in France. And for the French to tell us, you

have a great painter on your hands! And he was a great impressionist

because he painted an open air. So this is an extraordinary find and

I'm hoping it will rekindle our love of Constable. It is just remarkable

that for so many years nobody knew it existed, but he was known very

well for reusing his canvases or painting on the other side, so maybe

it is not that unusual to find a Constable like this? There are lots

of things to consider. He was quite a mean man, he had seven children to

bring up, he didn't have much of an income from his very wealthy family

because they disapproved firstly of his being a painter and then they

thought his wife was too young to marry, so they kept his money

limited. But also, he never sold that much. He was a contemporary of

Turner's. And then he turned his hand to portraits but they were

awful. So he never really made a living as and artist. But he made a

good living giving lectures on how to paint beautiful clouds. And we

believe these clouds are in North London, Hampstead. You are

absolutely right, yes. And he took his wife there because she was very

ill. And being 400 feet above the city, he thought this was the

cleanest air in London. And this is going to be at the VNA, so we can

all enjoy it? Absolutely. He is an artist who can work very small or

very big. Thank you for talking us through this remarkable find. A John

Constable that has been found hidden within another of his paintings. A

remarkable story. Thank you. From all of us here, thank you for

watching the programme. Don't forget, you can catch up as there is

much more on our website and you can also follow me on Twitter. From all

of us on the team, thank you for watching. Good night.

Good evening. I think we should be virtually frost free tonight as we

have cloudy skies and milder air spreading across the UK around this

big area of high pressure. A warm front is pushing southwards

introducing milder air at least for a time. But producing outbreaks of

rain as well. Fairly light and patchy, mind you, but it will stay

dull, damp and misty around the south of the UK. Temperatures will

pick up to ten or 11 degrees with some sunshine over the Pennines but

across the South,