18/07/2014 BBC News at One

Nine Britons are now known to be among 298 people who died

when a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet crashed in Ukraine.

There's international shock and anger as suspicion continues to

fall on pro-Russian separatists for shooting down the airliner.

Tributes to the dead, as stories begin to emerge

of some of those who died on Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.

It is an absolutely appalling, shocking, horrific incident that

has taken place and we have got to get the bottom of what happened.

We'll be live in Russia with the latest on the investigation

Israel prepares to significantly widen its ground operation in Gaza

Peers debate controversial proposals to allow doctors to help terminally

3,000 lightning strikes in two hours as storms hit the UK.

The Met Office warns of a heatwave for parts of England.

How councils are not using their powers to stop homes being

An investigation's launched into the finances of this Kilburn

Good afternoon and welcome to the BBC News at One from

Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands from where Malaysia Airlines flight

Four hours later, the plane crashed in eastern Ukraine, and

though it's not yet been confirmed the suspicion is that it was shot

down, possibly by pro-Russian separatists, though Moscow and

289 people died, among them nine Britons.

In a moment we'll be reporting on some of those who died

in the crash and we'll be live in eastern Ukraine.

But first, Nick Childs on the morning's developments.

The chilling tell-tales of an air disaster in the midst of conflict.

Whose consequences are reverberating around the world.

The scene of devastation has also been a bitter battlefield.

It brings a dreadful new dimension to an ongoing crisis.

Accusations have been flying and emotions boiling over.

As international calls grow for a thorough investigation.

We ask all respective governments to participate in this investigation

and to support the Ukrainian government to bring to justice all

these people who committed this international crime.

The moment of deadly impact. The Ukrainian government

and their Russian backed separatist opponents have been pointing

the blame for this at each other. In this amateur video, incredulous

onlookers are already talking of the plane being shot down.

TRANSLATION: I express my condolences on

behalf of the Russian Federation. I want to underline that this

tragedy would not have happened if this land was in peace or

at least combat operations had not been resumed.

It is obvious that the state on whose territory this happened

bears the responsibility for this.

A carpet of condolence outside the Dutch embassy in Kiev.

Most of the victims of this huge tragedy were Dutch but among

the many nationalities it is now thought there were also nine

Britons. Many of those aboard were heading to an Aids conference in

Australia. For the Netherlands it is a tragedy on an international scale.

We have to get to the bottom of what happened and how this happened. We

have to find more information. On the ground, the pro-Russian

separatists have been pushed back by the government. There have been

growing charges of heavier Russian weaponry reaching them. Russia

denies this. The speculation has focused on this missile system as

the weapon that may have brought down the plane. It is in the

Ukrainian and Russian arsenals but most theories centre upon it being

in rebel hands. It would almost certainly have to be supplied from

Russia. The smaller systems that we have seen in rebel hands in recent

months are not capable of reaching our line at that alter -- altitude.

At the crash site a search and recovery operation is well under

way. Human cost of this is already painfully clear but what the

political and diplomatic impact of this tragedy will be, for good or

ill, in a crisis that has already involved Ukraine and the

international community, is less clear.

The stories of some of those who died on Flight MH17

As many as 100 were researchers, health workers and activists

travelling to an international conference on Aids in Australia.

An Australian family lost relatives on yesterday's flight and also on

the Malaysia Airlines flight that went missing in March. Among the

nine Britons was

Glenn Thomas, who worked for the World Health Organisation in

Geneva. Two others, John Alder and

Liam Sweeney, were Newcastle United fans on their way to see

their team play in New Zealand. to die tributes for the passengers

and crew. Beyond the wise and wherefores of the disaster are 295

personal tragedies, 295 grieving families. It has emerged that among

the victims was Lee Sweeney, a Newcastle United fan heading to New

Zealand to watch the team with his friend John -- Liam Sweeney. They

have been involved with the club for a long time. People would know them

in the community. Another of the Britons on board was Glenn Thomas.

He was working at the World Health Organisation. He was one of dozens

of delegates on the flight on the way to an International aids

conference in Australia. He was a wonderful person, a great

professional and more than that, a wonderful human being. If it is

confirmed it will be a terrible loss for all of us. This mobile phone

footage posted on the internet apparently shows the moment before

take-off. The familiar routine of boarding a plane. Just hours later,

everyone on the flight was dead. The crew perished along with the

passengers. One of those on the staff list, a 41-year-old, was only

on board after swapping a shift with the colleague at the last minute.

Most of those who died were from the Netherlands. This man was going on

holiday with his girlfriend. He stopped before boarding to take a

photograph of the airliner and posted it on Facebook with the

message, if the plane disappears, this is what it looks like.

The finger of blame is being pointed at pro-Russian separatists. What is

the Kremlin saying? They have blamed Ukraine and said that it is Ukraine

who has to be held responsible for the crash because it happened on

their territory, there is space. The reaction from the Russian Federation

was a bit limited, apart from condolences from Vladimir Putin and

the call for Ukrainian responsibility. It was the phrase

from their Foreign Minister saying that Russia is ready for open and

proper investigation, international investigation, and ready to support

it. There will be much more coming up throughout the programme.

There are still no answers this afternoon as to why

Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 came down over Ukraine yesterday.

The plane's flight path took it over Donetsk in the troubled region

of eastern Ukraine, a route some airlines had chosen to avoid.

This scene of utter destruction is where the investigation will begin.

It is likely to be a complex process. Experts will want to take a

close look at the wreckage but while the inquiry is being led by Ukraine

the area is controlled by pro-Russian separatists submitting

access could prove difficult. It is vital that they do because the state

of the wreckage and the way it has fallen they are made provide

valuable clues about what happened. Experts said is likely it was

destroyed by accident. If you had binoculars you would have been able

to tell because even at 33,000 feet, it is pretty high, but it is an

average sort of cruising height, it is a dot in the sky and if you

happen to have some missiles and an itchy trigger figure you might not

look too carefully. Later the wreckage may be taken away for

further investigation. Some may be reassembled like these pieces of the

flight alone up over Lockerbie in 1988. It is believed the aircraft

was hit by a powerful surface to air missile. A Russian design weapon

enveloped during the Cold War for shooting down fighter planes. If it

was then the deputy should help to identify who was responsible. They

will be looking for fragments going through the structure. What sort of

pattern, direction. Ideally they will want to find these fragments

and perhaps find fragments of the missile at Dell. -- itself. They

will also be keen to find the black boxes. There have been unconfirmed

reports they have been found by separatist forces and one may be on

the way to Moscow. That is likely to raise concerns that key evidence

could be tampered with. There are calls for the inquiry to be handed

over to an independent team. The Prime Minister chaired a meeting

of the government's emergency Our political correspondent Iain

Watson is outside Downing Street. What emerged from the meeting? The

Prime Minister has called this incident appalling and horrific and

said, if as seemed likely that the plane was brought down, those

responsible must be held to account. Several things were decided. Britain

is calling for a special Several things were decided. Britain

is calling for a meeting of the UN Security Council this afternoon.

They wind an independent investigation, that is the main

focus and we are already despatching a accident investigators to Kiev.

We'll also need Russian agreement. Cameron is seeking to speak to

Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama and the UN Secretary General. We are

also sending a team of police officers to help the repatriation of

British and Dutch bodies, victims of this incident. That lives lost in an

incident, it is becoming clear from the meeting, political implications

could be very found and long-lasting.

There's more information on this story online.

There will be continuing coverage on the BBC news channel.

Israeli troops, backed by tanks and warplanes, have pushed into Gaza

as part of a ground offensive that began yesterday evening.

The Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this morning that

Israel was prepared to significantly widen the ground operation.

24 Palestinians died overnight, including a five-month-old baby.

Israel's military says the purpose of the ground attack is

to target tunnels dug by Hamas along the border.

Heavy fighting was also reported further south in Rafah, from where

It began with the heaviest barrage so far. Shells and rockets fell

throughout the night. The Israeli military moving to a new phase.

throughout the night. The Israeli With a stirring message from their

commander, the army moved in in tanks and on foot. The Israelis say

they want to destroy tunnels used by gunmen to sneak into Israel.

TRANSLATION: My expansion of the ground operation.

But a new phase begins a new wave of casualties. More desperate scenes at

the hospital this morning. He wails that his two nieces were killed, his

brother 's daughters. This five-year-old was alive but her hand

was fractured and possibly her skull. They hit our house, says her

father. We had 70 or 80 people inside looking for

father. We had 70 or 80 people inside century and then they

us. Other people are on the move. Gravely ill patients were rushed to

this Gaza city clinic late last night. Their hospital was under

fire. It is too dangerous to stay, too dangerous to leave them. There

was dark smoke and inhaling such smoke is too dangerous. For me and

for them. So I had to leave. Why is the hospital? EXPLOSIONS

While we talk a salvo of Hamas rockets is fired from the building

nearby. How, I wonder, can this be helping? Heave me a human being that

I hit you, put you in the corner and I ask you not to respond, just sit

there. -- give me. We went to see the hospital for ourselves. The

border is just across a nearby field. Israel says rockets were

fired from the hospital itself, a claim the Palestinians deny. The

staff and the patients save this hospital was hit many, many times.

The first time was a week ago and by last night it is simply becoming

unbearable. It seems pretty clear that the Israelis don't want anyone

staying in this part of the Gaza Strip. Yesterday's talk of a

cease-fire is already a distant memory. If anything, things are

getting worse. Paul Adams, BBC News, Gaza. We can talk who is live

in Gaza and in a moment to Chris Morris who is on the Israeli border.

Paul, Hamas say Israel will pay a high price for the invasion but it

is Palestinian casualties that are rising. That's right. It is fighting

talk but the figures speak for themselves. It's been about 17 hours

since the Israelis started their operations on the ground inside the

Gaza Strip. In that time according to the Palestinian health Ministry,

the Gaza health ministry that is, some 24 people have been killed.

Another three children have been hit. This is the third time in three

days that a group of children from the same family have been hit to the

north of here. In that time one Israeli soldier has been killed in

the start of the ground operation. 267 Palestinians, we believe, and

two Israelis have been killed since this operation began and on top of

that we believe in excess of 20,000 Palestinians are on the move in

various parts of the Gaza Strip. Chris, on the Israeli border,

preparations seem to be going on to extend the ground action. It is a

possibility on the border. Throughout the day we have heard

bumps of outgoing fire into Gaza. The Israeli Prime Minister Mr

Netanyahu has said there could well be an escalation. Why is that? He

has already said you cannot take out tunnels and hidden rocket launching

sites from the air and you cannot do it with a limited ground invasion

either. Let me show you where we are, across their are the

Palestinian towns. We know there have been Israeli forces on the

ground in those two towns and it is possible many more will be going

across in the coming days. How long this will last we don't know. The

last time the Israelis went into Gaza in 2008-2009, it lasted for

three weeks and resulted in the deaths of 1400 Palestinians and 13

Israelis. Chris Morris and Paul Adams in Gaza, thank you very much.

The time is 1:19pm. Our top story this lunchtime: Nine

Britons are confirmed dead in the crash of a passenger plane in

Ukraine with 298 people on board. And coming up -

3,000 lightning strikes in two hours across the UK - with the

highest temperatures of the year Later on BBC London, heading for

Glasgow. We catch up with the Reading man bowling for Commonwealth

glory. And tipping the scales: Can a new project helped cut

The House of Lords is debating controversial

proposals to change the law to allow what is being called "assisted

The bill proposes that doctors should be allowed to prescribe

a lethal dose to terminally ill patients who wish to die -

The patient must be judged to have fewer than six months to live.

Our political correspondent Ben Wright is in Westminster.

What have the peer 's been saying? The red benches and the public

gallery here are packed. Around 130 peers have asked to speak in today's

debate, a huge number and evidence of how much interest there is in

this context, highly emotive issue. There are protests happening

this context, highly emotive issue. Parliament. Supporters of the bill

are chanting "we want choice" and their opponents chant "we want

life." The Lord has put this bill forward. They have demanded

Parliament must address the issue of assisted dying. The current

situation leaves the rich able to go to Switzerland. The majority reliant

on amateur resistance. The compassionate are treated like

criminals. There are no safeguards in respect of undue pressure, and

many people caring so much for those they leave behind dying earlier and

alone, because they fear implicating their loved one in a criminal

enterprise. It is clear from speeches that Lord Falk Anah has

support. The speech is being made at moving and very powerful -- Lord

Falconer. Others find his proposal a horrific prospect. Baroness Finlay

is a crossbench peer and president of the BMA and an expert in

palliative care. In her view the bill would be a step towards

euthanasia. This is about licensing doctors to

supply lethal drugs to some of their patients

and helping them to commit suicide. However long their life really

might otherwise have gone on for. I have seen the strongest people,

including politicians and senior doctors be the most

vulnerable when facing dying. Vulnerable to coercive influence,

vulnerable for their fears. The debate will run until around 8pm

this evening. But even this Lord Falconer's bill passes the House of

Lords it's very unlikely it will clear the House of Commons within

this Parliament. The Prime Minister is opposed to this measure on

assisted dying. I would say that politically this issue of assisted

dying certainly is now picking up pace. Bank you very much.

Four in ten adults in England could be offered cholesterol-reducing

drugs to protect them against heart attacks and strokes.

It comes after the health regulator NICE recommended

statins should be extended from high-risk to low-risk patients.

But some doctors fear the move could do more harm than good.

A warning, this piece by our health correspondent Dominic Hughes has

For years, cholesterol-lowering statins, the

most prescribed drug in the world, were being offered to people at

Now the medicines watchdog in England NICE is recommending that

offered even to those patients at low risk, arguing that prevention

It is why we use vaccines and immunisation, to prevent disease, it

is why we use drugs to lower blood pressure to prevent heart attacks

and kidney disease and it is why we are using statins now in this new

guidance, to reduce the number of deaths,

heart attacks and strokes for people, when they can be prevented.

NICE estimates that extending the use of statins would mean

an additional 2.5 million people in England may end up being

prescribed drugs, costing the NHS about ?52 million a year.

NICE believes that could potentially save as many as 4,000 lives a year.

Some are uneasy at the prospect of otherwise healthy people taking

Almost every man of about 60 years of age, and every

woman above 65 eligible for me that is putting statins into the

I think we are medicalising a condition that is normal ageing.

Doctors union has rejected the guidelines.

Nice insists its findings are based on the most

The argument reflects broader concerns about the medicalisation

A leaked government report into claims that hardline Muslims

tried to infiltrate schools in Birmingham is said to have found

evidence of "coordinated action" to introduce what it describes

And in the last few minutes Birmingham

City Council has published its own findings into the allegations.

Alex Forsyth is outside the Council House in Birmingham.

There are two reports out today, although one of them is a leak. Do

they come to the same conclusions? Broadly, yes. This all started with

an anonymous letter that claimed there had been a plot by some

hardline Muslims to take over some schools in Birmingham. Five schools

were placed into special measures by Ofsted and denied any wrongdoing.

There was a number of wider investigations. One of those was

commissioned by the Department for Education and findings were due to

be published in the next few days. The Guardian newspaper claims it has

seen a leaked draft copy. It says it has found evidence of a sustained

uncoordinated agenda to impose a hardline string of Islam on

children. It says this was an intolerant agenda and it appears to

be a deliberate attempt to convert secular state schools into faith

schools. As you say, in the last few minutes we have also been given a

copy of the report by Birmingham City Council into this affair. It

also found that some individuals were trying to impose Islamic

principles on some schools in an inappropriate way, but did not find

any evidence of an organised plot to take over schools. So there are some

are differences between the conclusions. What they agree on is

something has gone wrong in the schools in Birmingham and the

question is how to resolve patent power to stop it happening here or

elsewhere in future. Thank you for joining us.

Lightning struck more than 3,000 times in two hours in the UK

as storms moved across the country overnight and this morning.

The Met Office has issued a heatwave alert for southern

England and the Midlands, with temperatures set to climb

Here is our correspondent, Joe Black. They have been bathing in

this light in Cheltenham since the 30s. Back then some protection

didn't seem such a concern. That all these years later and despite all

the warnings not every swimmer was wearing sunscreen today. -- sun

protection. I wouldn't put it on before I got in the water but would

not laze around in the sun after. It is a personal decision whether you

would or not but I just choose not to. When the temperatures rise Ian

Barton and his team are on the lookout. If they think people are

burning up they intervene. We notice if they have problems with sun they

go red and we will suggest to them to cover up and get out of the sun

for a bit and put on some cream and obviously drink lots of water during

the day. Already temperatures are soaring across the South, South

East, East Anglia and here in the Midlands, with some place is

expected to reach highs of over 30 degrees -- places. The advice from

experts on how to cope in a heat wave isn't exactly new but it's an

important message nonetheless. People will find it hard to

recognise the signs of overheating and older people living on their

own, it would be good if people can check up on family members, friends

and relatives, who might be struggling in the heat and might not

have remembered some of the simple ways that they can keep cool in the

hot weather. Our travel plans may also be affected. This lunch time

network rail is introducing speed restrictions on parts of the rail

network, disrupting some services into this evening's rush and beyond.

On the beach here in Southwold sun-worshippers continued to soak up

the heat. Last night's thunderstorms came and went but forecasters say

there are plenty more to come. Joe Black, BBC News. Plenty more to

come. And here for more detail is John Hammond with the weather

forecast. The atmosphere is in a volatile

state. Heat and humidity generating these storms. We saw some last night

and you have sent in your photos. This was the shot taken from Bath.

These were the lightning strikes in Sussex. These storms have been

moving northwards through the early hours. You can see how much

lightning there was. It wasn't raining everywhere because some

places avoided the storms and that is a taste of what is to come this

weekend. There will be torrential downpours in some places and others

of avoiding it entirely. The storms are still rumbling across parts of

Scotland and still catching some showers as well. In between some

sunshine in northern parts of Scotland, although the east coast is

notably cooler than the rest of the country, just in the mid teens here.

Those other storms across central Scotland. One or two are developing

with high-temperature is across the heart of England. They could be

intense but localised. A lot of sunshine across central and southern

areas and temperatures already reaching 30 degrees, racism in day

and an oppressive day. High humidity. It is deceptively quiet

but don't be fooled because another clump of storms will come out of

France. They will be more widespread and up through the heart of England

and parts of Wales as well. -- and intense day. It will not be easy

sleeping because of the heat but also possibly could have the thunder

and lightning. This clutch of storms moves its way northwards through

other parts of England and Wales and into parts of southern Scotland,

grazing Northern Ireland. Then it brightens up across the southern and

central areas and then we could well see some more storms developing late

on in that a particularly. We could see is intense downpours. Getting

the detail of this will not be easy, such is the volatility of the

atmosphere at the moment. But the storms could well cause some serious

issues locally. That has prompted The Met office to issue an amber

warning. Be prepared. There could well be problems with the storms,

torrential downpours depositing several inches of rain in a short

space of time. Other places will avoid the storms entirely. The plume

of storms moves up to the north-east and many other places will see some

brightness but again high humidity and further thundery downpours could

develop. Keep your eye on the forecast over the next few days as

it will change by the hour. Thank you for joining us. A reminder of

the top story this lunch time: nine Britons are confirmed dead in the

crash of a passenger plane in Ukraine with 298 people on board.

That's all from us this lunch time but they will be continuing coverage

throughout the