03/09/2014 World News Today

This is BBC World News Today with me Alice Baxter.

Has Russia paved the way for a peace deal in Ukraine?

Ukraine's president says he's reached an agreement with

Vladimir Putin for a ceasefire process - the US president calls

It is a brazen assaults on the integral tree of Ukraine, a

sovereign nation. Unravelling the web -

we'll have a special report on the investigators trying to track

down the Islamic State leaders. the former partner of

Francois Hollande pens a tell-all book, and it's not very flattering

for the French president. After 100 days in office, we take a

look at what India's prime minister Russia's President Vladimir Putin

has proposed a peace plan for eastern Ukraine which he says

could be agreed by Friday. Mr Putin said he and the Ukrainian

president Petro Poroshenko were "close" on their thinking about a

ceasefire between government forces Meanwhile, President Obama has been

talking tough on a visit to Estonia. He said NATO members had to send

Ukraine an unmistakeable message of support in the face of what he

called a brazen assault on their Our Europe Editor, Gavin Hewitt,

reports from the Estonian capital, President Obama being greeted in

Estonia, 100 miles from the Russian border. Hanging over his visit, the

conflict in Ukraine, with the president following closely the

reports on the cease-fire. But he was named Mission to reassure the

Baltic states, wary of the Russia and its actions in Ukraine is a

former Soviet republic. Many people are ethnic Russians, and

President Putin has his admirers. He is very clever. We have not had

this He is very clever. We have not had

I like him as a person and his politics.

TRANSLATION: And honourable person and a smart politician.

President Obama told the people that more American forces were on the

ground carrying out training and more NATO aircraft in the sky. So,

in practical terms, NATO is proposing setting up a radical

action Force, but could come to places such as this in 48 hours,

with equipment already have. In a major speech, President Obama gave

the Baltic states this guarantee. If you ever ask who will come to

help, you will know the answer. The NATO alliance, including the Armed

Forces of the United States of America, right here now.

Then the president turned to Russia's actions in Ukraine.

It is a brazen assaults on the territory of Ukraine, a sovereign

nation. The challenges that most basic principles of the system. That

borders cannot be re-drawn at the barrel of a gun.

Overnight in Ukraine, there was further shelling around Donetsk. But

there were reports that Ukrainian president and President Putin had

agreed on a plan that might just lead to a cease-fire, with the

possibility of the two sides launching a peace process later this

week. The BBC's Steve Rosenberg is

in Moscow. President Putin says that they are

close in thinking on a cease-fire. He has also spoken of a plan. Do we

know what those terms? According to the peace plan, both

sides in the conflict, the Ukrainian army and the pro-Russian militants,

would halt offensive operations. There would be a prisoner exchange

and international observers on the ground. Petro Poroshenko has

welcomed it, he has welcomed what appears to be the start of a peace

process, but Ukraine's Prime Minister has denounced it. He says

that Russia's real plan is to destroy Ukraine. But tonight the

feeling here is that Vladimir Putin is very much in the driving seat in

any negotiation, because despite the very tough words we heard from

President Obama and his scathing criticism of Russian aggression,

America does not want to go to war with Russia over Ukraine and neither

does NATO, neither does European Union, and Vladimir Putin knows that

very well. Earlier President Obama has

expressed his condolences to the family of Steven Sotloff,

the second US hostage to be murdered He said that the United States would

not be intimidated, after IS showed the beheading of the American

journalist. Like James Foley, Steve's life stood

in contrast to those who murdered him so totally. They make the claim

that they kill in the name of religion, but it was Stephen who

loved the Islamic world. The killers claim that they defend the

oppressed, but it was Stephen who risked his life to tell the story of

Muslim men and women demanding justice and dignity. Whatever these

murderers think they will achieve by killing Americans like Stephen, they

have already failed. A failed because, like people around the

world, Americans are reports that why this barbarism. We will not be

intimidated and the horrific acts will only make as Unite and take

action. Those who make the mistakes of harming Americans will learn that

we will not forget and that our reach is long and that justice will

be served. Let's take a broader look now

at President Obama's stance Kurt Volker is a former US

ambassador to NATO, now Executive Director of the McCain Institute

for International Leadership, We will talk about resident Obama's

stands on Ukraine soon, but we will talk about what he was saying about

this second tragic killing and the stamps on IS. -- the position on

IS. But he was criticised last week for not having a strategy. Does he

have a strategy now? Based on what we have heard, we do

not know. We not have heard of it. There are elements that need to be

put together. The first is a clear goal. I believe that this goal needs

to be the destruction of Islamic State and solidarity three --

against this. It has not been said by the President that that is his

old yet. They also need to talk with regional

players. We need to bring in the states that have the capacity and

had in some extent been supporting extremist groups in Syria to make

sure that they are working against IS. That would be Turkey, Jordan. We

need a regional coalition with some European allies in order to isolate

them. And then, we will need direct US military action on both sides of

the Iraq and Syria border and we will need support on the ground by

local forces that are there, the Iraqi armed forces, the Free Syrian

Army. They will have to do work to help support those forces.

Vladimir Putin was very clear that in order to defeat the barbarism of

Isis, they need to be a response from the Muslim world to isolate the

cancer. We know that the US has deployed more troops, not in a

combat role, but for security at the embassy. But the key question is

whether this will galvanise others into deeper involvement, as you say,

not just in Iraq, but is well in Syria?

That is right and that is the important question. Speaking about

this earlier, the Pentagon leader was talking about strikes against

Isis in terms of delivering humanitarian support, suppressive

fire in order to deliver that support. We're not talking yet about

strategic terms. I think we need to get to that point and it could be a

changing events, but we have not seen that yet.

We should talk about Ukraine. Obama launching a verbal force against

President Putin, talking that country 's borders could not be

redrawn at a barrel of a gun. Are these hollow words? Would they

really go to war against Russia? Let's look at it from a few paces

away. In response to Ukraine, good things being done. There is a

commitment of securing the borders of the Baltic states, building on

what has been done in the past. But that all very good steps. But if the

issue is Russia and Ukraine, shouldn't NATO been doing something

about Russia invading Ukraine? And we do not have anything on the table

yet. I do think that Ukrainian 's help. Ukraine is fighting back

against Russia on its territory. They have the troops, tanks,

artillery, moving across the board. Ukrainian 's help to fight against

this. You say that there is nothing on the

table, but we have just heard from President Putin putting forward a

peace plan that he hopes could be agreed on Friday?

Right, Vladimir Putin is a master of playing Western governments and

public opinion. He knows that there are several governments who would

rather not take difficult decisions about pushing back militarily inside

Ukraine. So now he is giving them a process that they can have some hope

in in order to defer any decision-making at NATO. So rather

than taking the steps that up to be done, they will say that they can't

possibly do something that will upset this delicate political

process. Meanwhile, I don't have any illusions that the goals in Ukraine

have actually changed. Well, the BBC has learnt that a team

of international investigators paid for by the British government are

trying to compile evidence against Islamic state fighters who

are carrying out these atrocities - evidence which could eventually be

used to prosecute them But how likely is it that they

will be brought to justice? As the list grows longer

of apparent atrocities by Islamic State fighters,

will anyone be held to account? We have learned that, throughout

this year, a team of international investigators with extensive

experience in war crimes, funded by the British Government, has been

compiling evidence for prosecution. The BBC has been given the first

exclusive access to their work. For their own safety, they have

asked to remain anonymous. We are after the highest levels

members of the IS, because these members are just as responsible as

those who kill with their own hands. Indeed,

those leaders are more responsible. On the ground in Syria and

in the neighbouring countries, the investigators say they have

numerous sources feeding back information and original documents,

building up a picture of the Some sources are even

inside its ranks, Vary rarely do we get documentation

such as this which is the actual minutes of an Islamic

State provincial level meeting. This kind of thing is gold dust to

us, because it shows the clear chain of command that controls everything

that happens in the region. This is the command structure

of Islamic State as compiled At the top is

the self appointed caliph. Below him four councils, the most

important the military and security. This one plus four structure is then

duplicated throughout all the provinces where Islamic State

has a presence. Now they're starting to put senior

names to them, joining up a web. They conclude that Islamic

State is far more organised What we are witnessing is the

process of nation-building, that includes the provision of services

looking after the population. There was a military element,

of course, but the Islamic State is So where do British jihadists

fit into this picture? When they cross into Syria, they get

assigned specific roles within IS. So far, no-one appears to

have reached the upper ranks. By and large, they are given

low-level tasks, because the British people tend to arrive with no

battlefield skills, so it is believed that they are better off

providing support services, because they are unlikely to have

the religious and military skills Inside these boxes

in the basement of the investigation team's headquarters is

the hard evidence that they say points to the leaders of Islamic

State responsible for some of They believe it will be ready to

take to prosecution by the end But arresting well protected leaders

in the conflict will be almost impossible,

and there is another problem. Even when the prosecution files

are complete, there is no court Now a look at some of the day's

other news: The British nurse who contracted

Ebola in the outbreak in West Africa has been discharged from

London's Royal Free Hospital. William Pooley, who's 29,

had been treated in a special isolation unit, and was

given the experimental drug ZMapp. There are five women in the Japanese

cabinet after a major reshuffle. They include Yuko Obuchi, who's

become the head of the powerful Last year, Prime Minister Shinzo

Abe set a target to increase the A judge in the United States has

sentenced a white man who shot dead an unarmed black woman who knocked

on his door late at night to 17 years in prison. He said he feared

for his life when he shot the 19-year-old in Detroit. A jury

rejected his claim of self defence. Pop star Gary Barlow has taken to

Twitter to say sorry for being involved in an aggressive

tax avoidance scheme, even The Take That frontman, who's had

13 number-one singles in Britain, apologised to fans

and anyone else who was offended He says a team

of accountants are working to settle The parents of Ashya King have

been reunited with their five-year- old son at the hospital in Spain

where he is being cared for. Ashya,

who's seriously ill with a brain tumour, was taken against medical

advice from Southampton Hospital by Brett and Naghemeh King last

week. They were freed

from custody last night after the British authorities abandoned

their attempts to extradite them. Jon Kay sent this report

from Malaga. The case against the couple was

dropped last night after a review of the evidence.

How angry are you about all this? I wouldn't say angry,

I'm just missing my son so much, and my heart is aching for my son.

Anger can't come in at the moment because I have just

got these feelings. I have got to see my son's face.

Southampton General claimed today that doctors had been trying to

support the family while they arranged foreign

treatment for Ashya, and were very concerned when his parents suddenly

took him from the hospital. That is why they alerted the police.

I can understand that they were upset, yes.

I don't think it is ever in a child's best interests to be

taken from a place of safety when the risks of being taken out

were known and without anyone within the medical profession knowing that

they were leaving. I told them over and over again...

The Kings claim they had told doctors they were planning to take

Ashya to Prague for treatment, but they admit they did not tell them

they were going to Spain that day. I couldn't tell them when,

because otherwise they might have stopped me.

I was in fear. Tonight they are still many

questions about what has happened to this little boy in the course

of the last week, but right now, his parents' only concern is

spending time with him once again. India's new Prime Minister,

Narendra Modi, has completed The right-wing nationalist leader

was swept to power in May with the A powerful orator who loves using

social media, Mr Modi had promised to bring good

days to India during his campaign. His latest foreign visit

has taken him to Japan. India's new leader is on a drive to

attract greater foreign investment for the Indian economy, his meeting

with the Japanese leadership one in a series of high-profile

engagements, as he attempts to put Large numbers of Indians voted

for Narendra Modi but the massive mandate brought with it huge

expectations, so how has Mr Modi Here is a look at how he has

dealt with some key issues. India's economy is growing again,

at its fastest in two years. There is a buzz in the marketplace,

which is good news Demand for his exquisite saris has

finally picked up after years There has been a positive shift in

the business because the willpower The customer is able to spend more

because they understand the economy is going to give back to

them in some way, and we have seen Women's safety has been

a key concern after an increase Mr Modi used a key Independence Day

speech to press for changing Men have placed

so many restrictions on their daughters, questioning them about

what they are going, but do you dare The person committing

a rape is also someone's son. It started with a diplomatic coup,

an icebreaking handshake, and Mr Modi invited Pakistan's leader,

Nawaz Sharif, to his inauguration. Three months later,

relations between the two rivals Hostilities along the border,

differences over Kashmir, followed He hasn't deviated from

the script of the BJP, the Hindu nationalist script where we are not

going to meet you as equals, and we're not going to be soft, we are

going to be the big, tough guys. Critics allege that there has been

growing religious tensions since the new Government took over,

and it's ignoring the plight There are fears that under Mr Modi,

an unabashed Hindu nationalist, They say revenge is

a dish best served cold, and with President Francois Hollande

still suffering painfully low approval ratings with the French

public, the last thing he would have wanted

is a new book by his former partner Valerie Trierweiler detailing

their acrimonious break-up. The book, called Thank You For

This Moment, is being serialised One extract details how

the President tried to stop his former partner swallowing

sleeping pills after Ms Trierweiler discovered he was having an affair

with the actress Julie Gayet. This is what

Ms Trierweiler has to say. I grab the little plastic bag

which has sleeping pills in. I reach out to pick them up,

I swallow what I can. I don't want to live through

the coming hours. Let's cross to Paris now

and speak to the journalist She works as a columnist

for the Daily Telegraph. Thanks for joining us. As that

extract suggests, this is a no holds barred kiss and tell book isn't it?

I guess it came as a complete shock to the President? He found out on

Tuesday. How damaging is this for a President who is already suffering

pretty low poll ratings? It is very damaging because it comes a few days

after there has been a Cabinet reshuffle and what are supposed to

be a great shift in policy is to get better results. It is also damaging

because what she is saying in effect is that he lied to her, he lied to

others, and in France, even if we say that we like politicians'

private lives to remain private, in reality we are more and more

interested because we feel... So in many ways it could not have come at

a worse time for President Hollande. This is also a serious problem for

him because as well is being embarrassing, revealing problems

about their dramatic relationship, etc, Valerie Trierweiler also takes

a swipe at his socialist credentials, saying he does not

really like the poor. There is also an extract where she claims he

bombarded her with text messages while meeting with the US President

and Vladimir Putin. None of this really speaks very well of his

credentials as a socialist President, does it? I must say that

the excerpts about her family, she comes from a working-class

background, and she says that during a family reunion, he met extremely

disparaging comments about the way her family looked, and that is, I

think, the most damaging of all, because he is very famous for having

campaigned and saying he did not much like the rich, but it turns out

he did not much like the poor either. She says she's very winded.

She says he speaks to also so people over the heads of his advisers and

the fact that he text message to her, it speaks of someone who cannot

bring himself to have complete resolution over anything. He dropped

her after an affair but was trying to have several dates and keep them

throughout, which is also something which does not look terribly good

right now or indeed at any time. But a lot of people see this simply as

the writings of a woman scorned. Do you think the President has a right

to be angry about the book? He went after her, she is a journalist, he

knew perfectly well that she felt insecure throughout the seven or

eight years they were together. If he did not expect something like

this I think it was pretty naive of him. How do you expect... Oh, I am

afraid we are out of time. This is a story we could keep talking about

but for now, thanks for joining me. You have been watching World News

Today. Up next, the weather, but for now, goodbye.

Hello. Over the next few days, the weather is set to like the last few

days. A lot of client. Light wind, but some breaks in the cloud and

some sunshine at times. The