05/01/2012 World News Today

This is BBC World News Today, with me, Zeinab Badawi. Britain's

foreign secretary William Hague is the latest senior western

politician to visit Burma. Is the international community moving too

soon and too fast to embrace its military-backed government?

message is, well, if you want those sanctions, those restrictive

measures, as we call them, lifted, then it's very important to show

that you are completing this process of reform. We believe now

that you are sincere about it. President Obama announces nearly

half a trillion dollars' worth of cuts to the US defence budget - and

a plan to refocus America's military effort.

We'll be strengthening our presence in the Asia Pacific, and budget

reductions will not come at the expense of this critical region.

Also coming up, the woman photographer who captured the

Golden Age of Hollywood. We look back at the life and career of the

renowned American photojournalist, Eve Arnold, who has died there the

age of 99. And the player on the London riots

last year opens in the suburb but where the unrest began. We talk to

the play's writer. Welcome. William Hague is in Burma.

He is the first British Foreign Secretary to visit the country

since 1955. It is being seen as the latest sign that the country is

open to reform. After meetings with the Burmese government, he met the

pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. She told the BBC that reforms

in Burma are not unstoppable and will only succeed if the powerful

military accepts the changes. Her party, the National League for

Democracy, had just received official recognition as a political

party in advance of the forthcoming by-elections.

These are brighter Burmese Days. A country so long isolated, now

opening to the world. Today, the first visit in half a century by a

British Foreign Secretary. He pressed the reforming President to

free more political prisoners. The president did not speak publicly,

but privately promised more reform. The president said to me in those

words that the progress of democracy is irreversible. The

words are there, but we also need to see action to release other

political prisoners and see free and fair elections. Then the world

will believe it. It is a long way from all of this. Brutal crackdowns,

shootings and disappearances. Journalists banned. It really is

extraordinary to be able to come back here and work openly as a

journalist in Burma. The most profound change that I sense is

that the essential dynamic which drove Burmese life for so long,

fear, is fading away. Change here is hugely driven by regional

realities. The Burmese have long depended on China for investment.

But the fear of being dominated by that powerful neighbour has

prompted opening to the West. With a young population, Berman needs

the prosperity only political stability can bring. The opposition

leader Aung San Ms Suu Kyi, when we first met nearly 20 years ago, now

talks warmly of the country's president, or words unthinkable in

the old days. The most important thing about the president is that

he is an honest man. He does not make big promises that he would be

incapable of keeping. It has been 17 years since I sat in his room,

listening to you speak of hope. There have been many false dawns

since then. Can we really believe that what is happening in Burma now

will end in real democracy? I have always said that hope should be

joined to endeavour. We can only hope if we work very hard to

realise your hopes, and we have been working hard over the last 23

years. This is why we have the right to hope. Will it happen in

your lifetime that we will see a full democratic election? You s, I

think there will be a full democratic election in my lifetime,

but I do not know how long I am going to live. But if I live out a

normal lifespan, yes. Tonight, the opposition leader met the Foreign

Secretary. On all sides now, there seems to be the sober political

calculation that the days of isolation much be banished forever.

Joining us now is David Williams from Indiana University in the US.

Do you think Western leaders like William Hague are putting too much

faith in the words of the Burmese President? I hope they are not

putting any faith in his words, I hope they are putting faith in

actions. There have been baby steps, but that is more than we have had

for decades. It is good that they are engaged. What kind of pressure

should they be applying? Are they doing it? They are playing a

pragmatic game. The president wants warmer relations with the West to

counterbalance China, and he wants no longer to be regarded as a

pariah nation. The only way to do that is to be able to warm up to

people like the UK and the US. This visit is a kind of pressure.

Looking at the role of Aung San Suu Kyi, it is seen as a barometer of

how far the reforms in Burma are going. But she is not the only

indicator. People ought to look elsewhere in the country as well,

for instance the ethnic tensions in parts of Burma? The ethnic tensions

are critical. Aung San Suu Kyi is concerned about them, but she is

not out there. Sometimes it is not the forefront of her concern. We

will never see real democracy unless we address that. How far do

you think these reforms that are being suggested by the military-

backed government are directed towards and elite, particularly in

Rangoon? I think they are. The president is going to talk to the

ethnic groups, and maybe we will see progress on that. But right now,

they are moving around little bits of power inside Rangoon. There is

some liberalisation, but we are far from a multi-party democracy.

more do you want to see being done? William Hague has talked about the

release of political prisoners. That is important. Sometimes it can

come to dominate the other issues. Round-table negotiations with all

the ethnic groups in the same room is critical. William Hague's

pressure can play a role in causing that to happen. Economic changes

are critical. We have seen almost none of those. As a result,

economic power remains with the military. Finally, we have to see

free, fair and monitored elections. You talked about the international

career she's need to maintain pressure on the military-backed

government. The international community does not act or speak

with one voice. No, and that is unfortunate. I think they are

speaking more with one voice now than in the past, because everybody

seems to be saying yes, there is progress and that is good, but

there is not nearly enough and we should push harder. Japan, the US

and UK are all pushing hard. Now a look at the other news. A

series of bombings in Iraq targeting Shia Muslims has killed

at least 71 people, including 44 in one city. It came hours after bombs

in the capital, Baghdad, killed at least 27. Sectarian violence has

increased recently after an arrest warrant was issued against the Sony

vice-president. In Egypt, the trial of the former

president Hosni Mubarak has heard from the prosecution that it wants

a case against him with an uncompromising call for him to be

sentenced to death by hanging. Mr Mubarak is accused of ordering the

killing of demonstrators during last year's protests which forced

him from power. Chinese airlines are refusing to

pay a carbon emissions charged to fly in Europe. The EU introduced

the fee on January 1st as part of its emissions trading scheme,

meaning that airlines now need to by pollution credits, but the

Chinese aviation Transport Association says its members will

not be forced into paying the fee. The British government is expected

to publish the findings of a review on Friday into the risks posed to

women by breast implants made up by a French manufacturer. The French

government has already recommended a 30,000 French women should have

the implants removed. The authorities there are also

investigating claims that the French company has exported in

plans for men. It is not known whether they were manufactured

using the same sub-standard silicon. A new year, and a new defence

strategy for the US. President Obama has announced defence cuts of

$450 billion, saying that US forces would be leaner, but would maintain

their military superiority. The overall defence budget will still

be bigger than the next 10 countries combined. Mr Obama said

the US will strengthen its presence in the Asia-Pacific region and

continue to invest in what he called America's critical

partnerships, including NATO. The Pentagon, the seat of American

military power, learning to adapt to this country's changing economic

fortunes and a changing world. America is turning the page and a

decade of war that started with the attacks of September 11th. The last

US soldier finally left Iraq in December. In the coming years, they

will withdraw from Afghanistan as well. But President Obama, in a

rare appearance at the Pentagon, insisted that this was no retreat.

Yes, the tide of war is receding, but the question that this strategy

answers is, what kind of military will we need long after the wars of

the last decade are over? Today, we are fortunate to be moving forward

from a position of strength. As I made clear in Australia, we will be

strengthening our presence in the Asia-Pacific. Budget reductions

will not come at the expense of that region. For America, the

future lies in the Pacific. American soldiers will soon be

based in Australia. There will be fewer of them in Europe. The US

wants to counter the rise of China, reassure its allies in the region

and maintain access to trade routes by land and sea. The overall number

of US ground troops will be cut. Washington may long longer be able

to fight two ground was at the same time, but it insists that it

remains ready for all challenges. For some, the cuts do not go deep

enough. Others worried that they undermine American power. I think

America's potential enemies will see the stated strategy change as a

sign of weakness. But whether that is seen as a true weakness over the

long term will be what capabilities the American military continues to

have. President Obama will also face criticism from Republicans in

this election year. They will accuse him of being weak on defence.

That is perhaps why he came here in person, to show that he and his

generals are on the same page. In the UK, a panel of legal and

medical experts has called for assisted suicide to be legalised

for people who are terminally ill and likely to die within a year.

Campaigners for assisted suicide commissioned the report. The bid

it'll Medical Association refused to take part -- the British Medical

Association refused to take part. Assisted suicide is when one person

helps another take their own life, as opposed to euthanasia, when the

other person, most often a doctor, end the life. A few countries allow

the practice. In Europe, it is legal in the Netherlands, Belgium

and Switzerland, where the motive of the person helping has to be

proved. Assisted suicide is also allowed in Luxembourg. There, they

failed to get Royal Assent to legalise it, so they amended the

constitution to stop the monarch from blocking it, and it was

legalised in 2009. In America, three states, Oregon, Washington

and Montana, have legalised assisted suicide, but sub-standard

conditions have to be met before it is allowed. Joining us is Dr Evan

Harris, the former Liberal Democrat MP, who is a member of Healthcare

Professionals for Assisted Dying. You know the criticism about these

proposals. Vulnerable people may feel pressurised into ending their

lives. Firstly, it is assisted dying, not assisted suicide. In all

the countries you mentioned, there are strict safeguards. One of the

things from this report is that this should be legalised, subject

to strict safeguards. The person has to be attested to be terminally

ill, not only mentally ill or disabled. They have to have the

capacity to make the decision, and it has to be repeated request.

Thirdly, there must be checks that they are not under duress.

Currently, there are no such safeguards when people who are very

ill refuse, as they are entitled to do, life-saving treatment. Even if

they are not terminally ill, they can refuse life-saving treatment

and therefore kill themselves possibly without any of those safe

guards. In countries which have legalised assisted dying with

safeguards, there are fewer pieces of the vulnerable and those who are

under duress. But you never know for sure. Research has been done,

asking doctors how often they have chosen to end the lives of patients,

which is something called non- voluntary euthanasia. No one is

arguing that that should be legal. In countries like Holland, where

assisted dying is legal, subject to safeguards, there is much more

discussion between patients, families and doctors of what

patients would have wanted and the reports of non- voluntary

euthanasia, where doctors are making decisions on patients with a

capacity, people who are unconscious, is lower than the

reported incidence in this country, where doctors are not allowed to

have the conversation about what the patient would have been wanted.

But you are in a minority, because most of the medical establishment

in the UK are opposed to assisted At least 80% is in favour of

assisted dying with safeguards. We know that certain religious people

supported. We know that it states in America supported. It is likely

that the majority of doctors would agree with the proposition that

people who have the capacity, suffering intolerably and who'll

are terminally ill, should be allowed to have assistance. -- who

are terminally ill. There should be an opt-out for conscientious

objection. I do not accept that the argument would not have majority

medical support. The British Medical Association did oppose this.

They did in other countries until it was legalised as well. There are

so many things that around known. - - are on known. Patients... How do

you know whether a person as less than a year to live? Whenever you

give a prognosis you can only give what I Dr believes is their best

judgment. At the moment it is legal for someone to go took Switzerland

where there are none of these checks, where you do not have to be

terminally ill, and where often people who do not want to die

immediately put are terrified of dying in paint, are earlier. -- go

One word for the other side of the argument. Alex Schadenberg from the

youth and a share Prevention Commission. -- Euthanasia

Prevention Commission. Why do you believe these proposals are

misguided? First of all, to allow Darren -- doctors to be directly

involved in assisting death means that you're giving doctors to cause

the death of a patient. It really does not matter... Even if they say

the rules are watertight, these rules can be changed by anybody.

You just have to open the equation and say it is OK to kill you are

patient. That is completely unacceptable. Especially when you

consider concerns about people with disabilities etc. We cannot go down

that road. Thank you very much indeed. For

technical reasons we could not come to you earlier. At least you had

the last word. Let's return to our story earlier on about the new

Defence Secretary unveiled by Barack Obama in Washington. There

are Foran that and $50 billion worth of cuts to the US military

budget. -- $450 billion. President Obama wants to focus more on the

Asia-Pacific region. We are joined by Philip Hammond, the British

Defence Secretary. Do you believe the United States is turning its

back on Europe by strengthening its role in the Asia-Pacific? Does that

worry you? I do not think it should worry us. It was always inevitable

that the US would refocus its strategic effort on the Asia-

Pacific region, responding to the phenomenal growth of China as an

economic and military power. The message I am getting here in

Washington is that people here value the North Atlantic

relationship. They want to see the Europeans shouldering a greater

share of the burden. They understand working together with us

in areas of greater stability is the to the benefit of both the US

and Europe, and that collaboration will continue. If they cut their

spending, they will expect a major European military power to cough up

more? I have given a speech here this morning with a plate -- blunt

message. The reality is that nobody can coughed up any more. We in the

UK he inherited a huge budget deficit. We have set to work

tackling it. The US is now engaged with a similar process and is

determined to put its defence spending on an affordable and

sustainable footing, as we are doing in the UK. What we have found

in the UK is that responding to what is essentially a budgetary

problem, when we have looked at how we respond to that, we look at a

our strategy, we have come up with a solution which will give us more

flexible, more adaptable, more mobile and more deplorable forces

than we had before. -- employable. Let's take the challenge of budget

necessity and turn it into a strategic opportunity, to rethink

how we do defence in Europe and North America, so that we do get

for every precious pound or dollar of taxpayers' money, the very best

Thank you very much. The renowned American photo-journalist, Eve

Arnold, has died at the age of 99. She captured images of many

celebrities, but her iconic photos of the Hollywood star, Marilyn

Monroe, made her famous around the world. Eve Arnold was born in

Philadelphia, and worked briefly in China. She lived in London for more

than 40 years, where she died just few months before her 100th

birthday. David Sillito looks back at her life.

Marilyn Monroe had good reason to look thoughtful and vulnerable

during these photographs. She had twice taken an overdose and was

drinking heavily. There was only one photographer she trusted, Eve

Arnold. We all used each other. She used me to get -- to help her to

get where she was going, me and hundreds of others. I was unique

only in the fact that she trusted me. Eve Arnold was the first woman

to work with the famous Magnum photographic agency. Born in

Philadelphia, she photographed friends and family and made her

name when Britain's Picture Post published have pictures. She hated

Studios. Her skill was capturing the fleeting intimate moment behind

the glossy the sad. It was this which attracted the attention of

Marilyn Monroe. It was the opposite of the traditional Hollywood

glamour or photograph. producers of the film's were

worried because they kept saying, you're killing the illusion. You

were building -- we're building dreams and you are giving us

nightmares. In the end when they so how much space they could command,

all of that shift it. -- saw. was open hostility to her when she

photographed black Muslim leader Malcolm X. And in her long career

she won praise for pictures of everyone from world leaders to the

dispossessed. Her most difficult subject was Margaret Thatcher, who

she said it tried to control her every move. Good pictures, she felt,

relied on have good relationships. That is what she had with Marilyn

Monroe. She might have appeared innocent and unguarded. But Marilyn

knew what she was projecting. And even Harold was the one she trusted

to protect it. -- projected. Eve Arnold, who has died aged 99. A

play about the August riots has opened in Tottenham. 'The Riots' is

based on interviews with politicians, police, victims and

the rioters themselves. In a moment, we talked to Gillian Slovo. First,

I click of the play and the monologue from the actor, Steve

Toussaint. Those kids were, to all intents and purposes, they were

suicide bombers. In our community they have been imploding as opposed

to exploding. On that Saturday the exploded. Telling these kids, stop

what you're doing, we will give you longer sentences, is like saying to

somebody strap with a bomb, stop or I will shoot. It does not mean

anything. It reinforces their cynicism, they believe.

Steve Toussaint. Gillian Slovo, Newspoll do plenty of people

preparing for this play? I got about 54 hours of interviews which

I had to calm down into a two Our Plaice. Was the one essential

message which came to you? -- was the one central message which came

to you? There were a lot of messages. I have compiled and

narrative of the riots. It is about people wondering what their causes

war. There were quite opposing understandings of that. What was

clear to me is that it started out as legitimate anger by a community

about the death of another black man in police hands, and the fact

there was misinformation. The failure of the police do properly

policed the demonstration that took place. And then as spreading into

other parts of the England, which was partly about people seeing that

the police were not going to do anything else, and going out to get

things free. The authorities talked about playing criminal activity.

Heavy sentences were meted out to those found guilty. There was

undoubtedly a lot of looting and criminality. What the Government

has failed to do is to understand that it you have a society where

there is a significant minority of people who have nothing to lose,

then you will get this kind of behaviour. It should concern us all.

How did it go down when you showed it in Tottenham? It went down well.

The question and answer session was very serious, not angry, but a very

serious discussion about the kinds of things that caused these riots.

And how to stop them in the future. Gillian Slovo, thank you. That is

all from this edition of World News Hello there. We have had some very

windy conditions in the last few days. It is set to change. The

winds will ease. It is set to be a sunny start tomorrow. And actually

won as well. We could see a touch of frost. We could well see frost

in the north. A crisp and sunny start through central and eastern

areas. The cloud will gather from the West. For much of north-west

England, patchy rain later in the afternoon. Lighter wind and

sunshine give rise to 728 degrees in the south-east of England.

Higher in the south-west. A little more cloud through Wales and south-

west England. That could produce light rain. Friday across Northern

Ireland, the winds much lighter, scattered showers. A little more