08/09/2012 BBC Weekend News

French police investigating the killing of a British family in the

Alps start searches at the couple's home in Surrey.

As forensic teams move in, the police say the inquiry will be long

and complex. French prosecutors confirm more

details about how the victims were killed.

TRANSLATION: Each of the four people who died suffered two shots

to the head. A new Health Minister calls the

existing laws on assisted dying ridiculous and appalling.

No controversy this time, Oscar Pistorius storms to gold in the 400

metres. And can Andy Murray win his first

Grand Slam title? He books a place Good evening.

French and British police investigating the shooting of a

family in the Alps have spent the day searching the couple's home in

Surrey. As the forensic work was going on, prosecutors in France

confirmed that each of the victims was shot twice in the head. More

than 40 French police officers are working on the case helped by

detectives here in Switzerland and in Italy. Our first report tonight

is from Tom Symonds. The focus of an international murder

investigation now rests on the smart suburban house where the al-

Hilli family lived. Perhaps inside answers will be found to the

questions who carried out the seemingly cold-blooded murder of

four people and why? The family house is almost being

treated as a scene of crime itself. Taped off by the police, a tent

over there, hiding the entrance and inside British search officers

working through each room. If police have a lead, they are not

saying, but they are certainly focusing on Mr Al-Hilli's personal

affairs. Last night, senior French police officers arrived in London

to meet officers of the Surrey force, handling the case in the UK.

This afternoon, there were hand shakes and warm words.

TRANSLATION: What I can tell you is our co-operation is very good and

the British police are make an effort in human and technical terms.

I thank the British police for its great support.

I want to place the emphasis on the victims of this tragic incident and

Surrey Police working with our French colleagues are ensuring that

all those who need support will get the support specifically Surrey

Police deployed specially trained family liaison officers both here

in the UK and abroad in France. They will support family members

who have travelled to France to be with the two surviving daughters.

With no clear eyewitness accounts a much more complicated investigation

is required. The French prosecutor has said all members of the al-

Hilli family will be questioned. They will have to examine the

family's finances, the BBC was told Saad al-Hilli was involved in a

property dispute with his brother. Something the brothers denied. And

British police directed by a French senior officer will be looking at

Mr Al-Hilli's friends, business contacts, computer and phone

records. At the house, throughout the day, well-wishers have brought

flowers as these murders continue to shock on both sides of the

English Channel. In France Relatives of the two

girls who survived the shooting have arrived in France to be with

them. Four-year-old Zeena al-Hilli is being looked after by the French

authorities. Her seven-year-old sister, Zainab remains in a

medically-induced coma in hospital. From Annecy our correspondent, Jon

Kay, reports. On this Alpine campsite there is one abandoned

caravan. The al-Hilli family left their pitch for a day-trip, but

never return. Police have finished searching their vehicle, looking

for anything that could explain why the parents were shot dead in front

of their children. After such an extraordinary crime,

what strikes you here is just how ordinary this setting is, a family

campsite. Inside the awning you can see a little girl's pink bicycle.

Inside the caravan a DVD of cartoons.

The oldest daughter, seven-year-old zab ab, is -- Zainab is still in

hospital. Her little sister, Zeena, who is only four, wasn't physically

hurt, but is being cared for by psychiatrists. It is three days

since their parents and what is believed to be their grandmother

was shot dead in their car in a remote forest lay-by. Two relatives,

a man and a woman have now arrived in France to support the young

sisters. But it might be sometime before they are allowed to see them.

TRANSLATION: The local prosecutor said the aim was for the girl to be

back in the the arms of their family. But he said that would have

to be done sensitively and without compromising the investigation. He

added that for security reasons he could say no more.

The police are are investigating whether the family was deliberately

targeted and new details suggest the killer was determined and maybe

professional. "we know the victims were shot in

the head twice", he says. But a hired hitman is just one of

many possibilities and tonight, this investigation is becoming

wider. The authorities now looking beyond this part of rural France,

not just to to Britain, but also to Switzerland and Italy, checking

border records and camera footage The Ministry of Defence has named a

soldier who died from injuries sustained in Afghanistan as

Guardsman Karl Whittle. The 22- year-old was from the Queen's

Company, 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards and had been wounded in

Helmand Province, last month. His family said that Karl was the

Syrian activists say government air strikes have destroyed a main

pipeline supplying water to the city of Aleppo during a day of

intense bombardment. Government forces were also reported to have

regained control of a barracks in the city. Activists say about 100

people have been killed in the latest violence across the country.

The British Medical Association has repeated its opposition to changing

the law on assisted dying. It comes after a newly appointed Health

Minister described the laws on assisted suicide as "ridiculous and

appalling". In a newspaper interview, Anna Soubry said people

seeking help to die should not have to go abroad. Our political

correspondent, Robin Brant, reports. It was the case of Tony Nicklinson

who suffered from locked-in syndrome that brought ed suicide

into the spotlight. A few weeks ago, he lost his bid to change the

murder laws which could have allowed doctors to allow him die

without facing prosecution. Days later he died of natural causes.

Anna Soubry doesn't support the changes his family want. But days

into her job, the Health Minister Some Britons have gone to clinics

in Switzerland to get help to die. It is a criminal offence to assist

a suicide in the UK, but prosecutors look at it case by case.

The Department of Health said Anna Soubry's remarks were her personal

views, but another new Health Minister echoed her opinions.

There is a case for looking at reform. This is an individual

decision of conscience. There is not a Government policy on it, but

I certainly think that we should debate it. The positives and

negatives about reform, but I certainly personally think there is

a case for looking at this. The Ministry of Justice said there

were no plans to change the law. The doctors' organisation, the BMA

reiterated its view that they should not help to kill patients.

The issue has been debated four times by British parliaments and on

every occasion it was rejected on the grounds of public safety.

Some Tories promised to fight any review. The MP Mark Pritchard told

the BBC to expect a row. The new man in charge, the Health

Secretary, wouldn't have wanted his first few days to be on the area of

helping the ill to kill themselves. The courts made it clear that it is

for Parliament to decide and the pressure maybe building for another

review of the law. A search operation has been taking

place to find a boy who was swept into a river in county Durham.

Colin Dodds is thought to have fall noon the river this -- fallen into

the the river this afternoon. In the last full day of competition

at the Paralympics, Oscar Pistorius won gold. His only individual gold

medal of the Games. Oscar Pistorius's nickname is the

Blade Runner. But he has been named the Blade Xainer. Next to him was

Alan Oliveira who beat him. It was a last night of competition

and the South African was waiting for his first individual gold medal.

He lost at the shorter distances but this was at the 400 meters.

Nobody was going to take this title off him. Oscar Pistorius was back

to his best. After Olympics and Paralympics, at last he was a

London 2012 individual champion. The perfect ending to the Games to

the best known Paralympian, over at Aquatics Centre, there wasn't a

finale that another of the crowd's favourites was hoping for.

Ellie Simmonds went into the 100 meters freestyle as the under dog.

The American post add world record time in the heats, if Ellie

Simmonds was to have a chance, she knew she would have to swim faster

than before. She did, but it wasn't enough. Ireland took more than a

second off the world record. Silver for Ellie Simmonds to go

with her two golds and a a bronze and the 17-year-old will be back

for more in Rio. David Stone was the only Gold

Medallist today. Stone defended the road race title he won in Beijing.

That was Britain's eighth cycling gold of the Games. Less than half

the 17 won four years ago, but ahead of any other country. There

was disappointment for David Smith. He had to settle for silver.

Britain have slipped from second to third in the med medals table.

In the six weeks since the Olympic opening ceremony, eleven million

tickets have been sold and four million people visited the Olympic

Park. But the process of dismantling some of the buildings

is about to begin and it is not a small task. There are 200,000

temporary seats. Robert Hall has been taking one last look.

It has been a festival which drew us all in. A celebration of sport,

of cultures and of music or of just a celebration.

This weekend, the prommen add are - - prom promenades are packed, but

the curtain is coming down. Out on the park, visitors are

navigating their way between venues which will change or disappear

altogether. The giant stadium has yet to

acquire new owners, but it will remain a key venue for athletics.

The two river bank arenas will be dismantled. They were never

intended to be permanent structures. The velodrome, that will combine

with the BMX track to form the Velopark, a new centre for local

and national cycle training. And the basketball arena, known

around the world as the Giant Mattress, that that will disappear

to be used elsewhere. From the beginning we knew this was

a long-term project. The Games have been like a punctuation mark on

this route and now the Legacy Corporation will be working hard to

get this open and in phases from next summer. Before all that, the

goodbyes. Michael Stratford, born in 1948, the year of the last

British Games is one of the 70,000 volunteer Games makers. He believes

many of his colleagues will find it hard to return to life outside the

Games bubble. There will be some lonely people

after this experience. They will have very little - it is actually

people who are out of work. If we can just harness these people,

they're here. They are doing a fantastic job. We should be able to

harness them. All too soon, the park will fall

silent to be reborn as part of the Olympic legacy. Those who are part

of the Olympic family take with them experiences which will long

outlive the London flame. Sport now and for a full round up

of all the day's action, here's Karthi Gnanasegaram at the BBC

Sport Centre. Thank you very much.

Andy Murray is into his second Grand Slam final of the year after

beating Tomas Berdych at the US Open. It will be the fifth major

final of Murray's career as he attempts to add a first Grand Slam

title to his Olympic Gold medal. Andy Swiss reports from Flushing

Meadows. It was a day which began with a tornado warning at Flushing

Meadows. Wimbledon eat your heart out! While the rain did relent for

Andy Murray, this would be a battle against the elements as much as

Tomas Berdych. The wind was ferocious. One early point had to

be replayed after Murray's cap blew off and the storm clouds were

circling the British number one. Tomas Berdych powering to the first

set 7-5. Was another Murray Grand Slam dream about to be blown away?

Murray came roaring back taking control of the second set in style.

The conditions were boardering on farcical, the court invaded by

equipment, but Murray kept his focus and before long it was 1-1.

After struggling with the win, Murray was harnessing it. His

opponent had no answer. Murray raced to the third set and took the

lead in the fourth. The match seemed as good as over. Out of

nowhere, back came Tomas Berdych to Norse a tie-break. Finally, Murray

was through. The relief was plain to see. A fifth Grand Slam final

for Andy Murray and after a gold medal winning summer, what a golden

opportunity for that elusive major title.

Murray will face face face Novak Djokovic.

Action from Scotland's World Cup qualifier against Serbia follows

this programme on BBC Scotland, so please leave the room for a moment

if you don't want to know the result from today's game. Well,

Scotland missed the chance to get their Brazil 2014 campaign off to a

winning start after playing out a goalless draw. Craig Levein's side

were booed off at Hampden Park and the pressure is now on them to win

Tuesday's match against Macedonia. England head to Sri Lanka later

this month aiming to retain their World Twenty20 title, but today's

match against South Africa won't have filled them with confidence.

England suffered a heavy seven wicket defeat in the first game of

the Twenty20 series. They set a modest target of 119 runs for

victory which South Africa passed comfortably with an over to spare.

Lewis Hamilton will start tomorrow's Italian Grand Prix on

pole position ahead of McLaren Thank you very much.

Well, that's just about it. Good evening.

Big changes coming up next week, but it is quiet out there at the

moment. A bit of mistiness forming as we go into the night across

parts of the of the West Country. Basically, a dry and quiet night.

Rural spots are getting down into single figures, but for most towns

and cities, temperatures down to 11 Celsius to 15 Celsius. A bit of fog

and it will be a fine start with sunshine to come across central and

eastern parts of the UK. Further west, thickening cloud and rain

spilling in across Northern Ireland as we head towards lunch time and

that will be making its way into western parts of Scotland. Some

brightness hanging on further east. Some rain pushing across the Irish

Sea, knocking on the door of Cumbria. For West Wales, we will

see the cloud thickening. A few showers ahead of the possibly,

but most of central and Eastern England will have a fine and warm

day. For the closing ceremony, I am hopeful the showers will stay away.

There is a risk, but it should stay dry.