19/10/2013 BBC Weekend News

The SNP leader says a "yes" vote for Scottish independence would be a

mark of national self-confidence. Alex Salmond tries to reach out

beyond his party's traditional supporters with less than a year to

go to the referendum. If not us, then who? If not now, then when?

Friends, we are Scotland's independent generation and our time

is now. Also in the programme:

Tensions in the Cabinet emerge tonight as Nick Clegg criticises the

Government's free schools policy. The hunt for the parents of a

four-year-girl discovered in a Roma camp in Greece.

Ten skydivers and their pilot are killed in a plane crash in Belgium.

And a world record price for the violin that was played as the

Titanic went down. Good evening. The leader of the

Scottish National Party has said a vote for independence would be an

act of national self-confidence and self-belief. Alex Salmond was

speaking at the SNP's Conference in Perth, with less than a year to go

until the independence referendum. He also revealed that the Scottish

Government's blueprint for independence would be published next

month. 11 months to go and the independence

debate is hotting up. In the cake shop next to the conference, they

are turning over the issues, pondering which way to vote. Will

Scotland say "yes" or "no" next September? It turns out Alex Salmond

is off the cakes, apparently he is on a health kick. My diet is a bit

like the cause of Scottish independence. We have travelled a

substantial way but we have still got a job to do! No, his mind is on

the main course, a White Paper setting out the vision for

independence. It would be published on 26th November and it comes with a

challenge. So here is the deal, Prime Minister. We'll publish the

White Paper, then you and I must debate, Prime Minister to First

Minister. Mr Salmond said bread-and-butter issues will win the

referendum. Let us pledge that never again will wages of the lowest-paid

in Scotland fail to keep up with the cost-of-living. Alex Salmond knows

the "yes" campaign is struggling in the polls so he made this appeal to

voters outside the hall. Independence is not at its heart

about this party, or this administration, or this First

Minister, but about fundamental democratic choice for Scotland, the

people's right to choose Government of their own. They were delighted,

but they don't need convincing. Alex Salmond hopes that the debate about

independence is about to enter a new phase. He knows the White Paper

could be crucial and he hopes, he hopes that it could turn the tide.

It's emerged tonight there are serious tensions in the Cabinet over

the issue of free schools in England. The Deputy Prime Minister,

Nick Clegg, has expressed what's been described as "strong

differences of opinion" with his Conservative coalition partners.

With me now is our political correspondent, Iain Watson.

What more can you tell us? Nick Clegg is giving a big speech on

education policy later this week. We have seen extracts from that speech.

He will commit the Lib Dems to imposing the National Curriculum to

free schools. At the moment, they have discretion over what to teach.

Beyond that, he will say that these schools must employ qualified

teachers, teachers that are in the process of being qualified and they

should adhere to certain standards on school meals. He's argued for

these changes in Cabinet but he's been backed by Michael Gove. His

allies say that Nick Clegg doesn't understand the nature of free

schools. The Liberal Democrat Leader's intervention comes after a

week of bad publicity for free schools. The resignation of an

unqualified teacher in a school in Westminster. The Government would

say the free schools policy is helping parents choose schools

rather than the other way around. They are committed to continuing

that policy. We will see a divergence of Lib Dem and

Conservative policy in 2015. Police in Greece are trying to

identify a four-year-old girl with blond hair, who they believe may

have been snatched from her parents. They found her in a Roma settlement

last Wednesday. DNA tests show she's not related to the couple she was

living with, at the camp near Farsala. Police believe the child

may be a victim of abduction or child trafficking.

Four-year-old and possibly a victim of international trafficking. It was

her blond hair and pale complexion that alerted police to Maria. She

stood out in the Roma camp in central Greece where she was found

during a routine police sweep. The couple claiming to be her parents

changed their story several times and produced papers that said they

had six children in the space of ten months. After DNA analysis showed no

link with Maria, they were arrested, charged with abduction. The

four-year-old is now being cared for by a charity whose director fears

that she may have been trafficked. She was either taken in maternity or

abducted for begging, or later for prostitution, or even worse, for

selling for other purposes. You must have been shocked when you heard

what was happening? Shocked when you see a child being exposed like this.

Around 300,000 Roma live in Greece, often in poor conditions.

Authorities say several other cases of unusual-looking children in

settlements have been reported now. There have long been allegations of

children sold into Roma communities here. But the lawyer for this couple

has told me that Maria was given to them by a woman who could not care

for her, that she was not abducted and they are distraught from their

legitimately adopted child. Kate and Gerry McCann say this case has given

them hope that their daughter, Madeleine, may be found alive six

years after she disappeared in Portugal. And the sister of another

British toddler, Ben Needham, says this shows they shouldn't give up.

It is a big step for us. Cases like this prove that it can happen and

they can be found and there can be positive outcomes. It gives us great

hope that one day this will be Ben. An international appeal about Maria

has prompted over 5,000 calls here. But for now, exactly what happened

to this little girl remains a mystery.

Ten skydivers and their pilot have been killed in a plane crash in

southern Belgium. Witnesses say the aircraft suddenly lost height just

after take-off and came down in a field.

These are the first images that show the torn and twisted wreckage of a

light aircraft lying in a field just 200 metres from a residential

neighbourhood. It had crashed minutes after taking off, 40 miles

south-east of Brussels. Ten civilian parachutists and a pilot were killed

instantly. They must have known for some minutes they were in trouble.

One eyewitness described seeing the plane fly over him with pieces

falling off it. The wing was found almost a mile from the scene of the

accident. There are reports four of those on board were spotted

desperately trying to escape the plane as it began losing height. It

felt so -- fell so quickly they had no time to open their parachutes.

The aircraft was similar to this one. Usually, the perfect platform

from which to skydive. No names or nationalities of the dead have been

released. The Belgian Prime Minister has sent his sincere condolences to

the families of the victims. The Government has defended its

high-speed rail project after claims that it could lead to huge financial

losses for parts of the United Kingdom. The BBC has obtained

figures from a Government-commissioned report

suggesting areas away from the planned line could lose hundreds of

millions of pounds every year. It's the railway line which the

Government boasts will boost Britain's economy by ?15 billion a

year. But the report in which that claim was made is facing accusations

of playing down the economic impact of the line on some areas. So, while

the report told us the prize for the winners, like Greater Manchester,

West Yorkshire and Greater London, it didn't tell us the cost to the

losers, in places like Aberdeen, Cambridge and Bristol. Campaigners

say that omission shows the report overstated the benefits of HS2. We

are not surprised that the Government has tried to downplay the

negatives on HS2. They have done it time and time again. We think now is

the time for them to stop, look at the reality of the situation and

cancel HS2. The report's author, KPMG, say the negative impact HS2

might have on some areas was reflected in maps included in the

report. Although without the detail revealed by these figures. Ministers

point out that HS2 will account for just a quarter of transport

investment over the five years from 2015. All of this investment that we

are looking at is to serve the whole of the United Kingdom, to make the

United Kingdom a place where we attract investment so we get jobs

from other countries into this country. The campaign against HS2

has so far been concentrated around the areas affected by its

construction. But these figures could widen the opposition to parts

of the country that the line won't go anywhere near.

The violin played to calm passengers as the Titanic was sinking has been

sold at auction in Wiltshire for ?900,000, a world record. It was

reported to have been found at sea a week after the disaster in 1912,

strapped to the body of the ship's bandmaster.

At ?80,000... The violin that's as much about myths as music. Said to

be the Holy Grail of Titanic memorabilia. As one of the

instruments that played on as the Titanic floundered, it became part

of its legend. Its owner was Wallace Hartley, who inspired his fellow

band-members to carry on their music to calm the passengers. As the

Titanic went down, his courage ensured he and his violin would

become integral players in the ship's legacy. ?250,000... That is

why whilst some have questioned the violin's authenticity, it didn't

take long for the numbers to start climbing. Bidders in the room were

soon left trailing by the serious money on the phones. Up-and-up it

went... For the second time... Until this? At ?900,000, going... A new

world record from an anonymous buyer believed to be British. It is the

iconic instrument everyone knows that the band went down playing.

?900,000 is a world record for any Titanic item.

When you add in buyer's premium and VAT the price paid for this will be

over ?1 million. This is an instrument of history.

With all the sport, here's Ollie Foster at the BBC Sport Centre. Many

thanks. There were 27 goals in the eight

Premier League matches today. You can see them all on Match of the Day

straight after the news, but if you want to know the results, then keep

on watching and listening for the next minute or so. Arsenal are now

two points clear at the top of the table after a 4-1 win over Norwich,

Mesut Ozil got two goals. Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey also

scored. Norwich remain in the bottom three.

Here are all today's results, Chelsea are up to second in the

table after they beat Cardiff 4-1. Everton beat Hull 2-1. Manchester

United let in a late goal at home to Southampton for a 1-1 draw.

Liverpool drop to third in the table after a draw at ten-man Newcastle.

Stoke-West Brom was goalless. Gus Poyet's first game in charge of

bottom club Sunderland finished with a 4-0 defeat at Swansea and Sergio

Aguero scored twice as Manchester City saw off West Ham 3-1 to go

fourth. Celtic are four points clear at the

top of the Scottish Premiership but they had to settle for a draw

against Hibernian at Easter Road. They were 1-0 down and heading for

their first league defeat of the season until substitute James

Forrest scored a sensational equaliser with about 15 minutes left

to play. There were also wins for Aberdeen, Motherwell, Kilmarnoock

and St Mirren. To Rugby Union's Heineken Cup. The

pick of European matches was in Wales where Cardiff Blues stunned

Jonny Wilkinson's European champions Toulon.

A rock star welcome but Cardiff Blues were only ever expected to be

the support act. Toulon are a rugby super group after all, setting the

rhythm, Jonny Wilkinson. Two penalties put the French club in

front. All the while, conditions were become less hospitable for the

European Champions. Leigh Halfpenny is used to the rain. He kicked

Cardiff level. The Welsh club had lost their first match in this

competition and put bodies on the line to prevent a repeat. Toulon

emerged from the storm with a slender lead, all of it provided by

Wilkinson. The Blues were three behind with three minutes remaining

when Gareth Davis received the ball. He got Cardiff over the line to a

famous and crucial win 19-15. The Munster red used to be a warning,

abandon hope all ye enter here. Having built the lead on steel, they

found time and space for something more ornate. Conor Murray picked out

Murphy and there was no way back. Munster finished 26-10 winners.

The British-trained Farhh won the Champion Stakes at Ascot today and

has now been retired with the five-year-old going straight to

stud. The Godolphin stallion won by a neck landing ?1.2 million. Today's

meeting was Britain's richest race day - with over ?3 million in prize

money. Defending world champion Jorge

Lorenzo will start on pole for tomorrow's Australian MotoGP, with

fellow Spainard and Championship leader Marc Marquez second and

Valentino Rossi third. Many thanks. That is it from us.

Before we go, a reminder that Alex Salmond will be one of Andrew Marr's

guests at 9.00am tomorrow morning on BBC One. From all of us for now,

good night. Good evening. If you were dodging

the showers today, you will have to do the same tomorrow. Some thundery

downpours