31/07/2014 BBC London News

Good evening, I'm Asad Ahmad. There is anger in Tower Hamlets after the

borough's Mayor, is anger in Tower Hamlets after the

borough's decided to fly the Palestinian flag from the Town Hall.

But ply flying the flag led to criticism within the borough and on

the outside. Some of the ophnion the outside. Some of the ophnion

that the Mayor is showing sport for the Palestinian organisation. An

accusation he denies. In a single tweet, the Tower Hamlets

Mayor, dragged an East London borough, into the controversy of the

Gaza conflict. He tweeted a photograph of the Palestini`n

Gaza conflict. He tweeted a photograph of the Palestinian flag

flying at Town Hall. Explaining it is a move in solidarity with Gaza

and in support of a ceasefire and peace. Overnight, the flag pole was

vandalised and removed, igniting vandalised and removed, igniting

fears that tensions could spill over in the borough. Jewish leaders,

in the borough. Jewish leaddrs, accused the Mayor of Effectively

siding with the Palestinian group, Hamas, that controls Gaza. Hn

siding with the Palestinian group, Hamas, that controls Gaza. In a

statement it was said: It is totally inappropriate. And destructhve of

inappropriate. And destructive of relations between the communities

that make up our capital city. But tonight, the Mayor defended his

actions, saying it is a humanitarian, not a politic`l

statement. We have a large constituencx.

We have a large constituency. 260,000 people in the borough. A

constituency that feels strongly that the violence should cole

constituency that feels strongly that the violence should come to

constituency that feels strongly that the violence should cole to an

end. And the suffering of ordinary folks

should come to an end it is our solidarity with the people of that

region. Also in your constituency, xou

region. Also in your constituency, you have

a Jewish community as well, did it cross your mind that flying the

Palestinian flag would upset your community? I am grateful th`t we

community? I am grateful that we have a diverse community in Tower

Hamlets. I have a good relationship with the Jewish community.

You haven't now, though, have you? I have visited the synagogue in

Whitechapel a number of timds. have visited the synagogue hn

Whitechapel a number of times. I believe that the decent people, the

like`minded people will see the need for the violence to come to an end.

More than 2,000 miles away, the suffering of Palestinian falilies is

in no doubt. But home support among Israelis to defend itself from

militant attacks is bolstering. militant attacks is bolsterhng.

Senior politicians condemned the protest as unhelpful flag w`ving

Senior politicians condemned the protest as unhelpful flag waving as

international efforts continue to persuade Hamas and Israel to agree

to a ceasefire. This is gesture politics that

to a ceasefire. This is gesture politics th`t gets

This is gesture politics that gets you nowhere, playing up to one side

of the community, dividing the whole of the community.

Do you think that the flag will be back? I hope not.

This is a borough used to gdtting This is a borough used to getting

head lines for the wrong re`sons. This is a borough used to gdtting

head lines for the wrong reasons. 24 hours later, an allegations, and

controversial head lines ag`in. hours later, an allegations, and

controversial head lines again. Are controversial head lines ag`in. Are

you going to put the Palestinian you going to put the Palestinian

flag back up? If it is supposed to be back up it should be, if that is

the wish of the people of the bore rough.

A public inquiry has opened into the death of the former Russian

spy, Alexander Litvinenko, who was poisoned in central London

The former Russian intelligence officer, fell`out with his own

government and came to Britain, gaining political asylum here.

He died aged 43, after drinking tea laced with the radioactive hsotope,

Gatwick Airport is bringing in dozens of

its own staff to deal with luggage handling ` to avoid a repeat of

the delays experienced last weekend when some passengers had to wait for

The baggage handling firm, Swissport,

claims the problems arose when some aircraft arrived "off`schedtle"

It is meant to be relaxing, your two weeks in the sun or city break.

It is meant to be relaxing, your two weeks in the sun or city brdak. But

it comes unstuck when you have to it comes unstuck when you h`ve to

wait five histories for them it comes unstuck when you have to

wait five histories for thel to wait five histories for them to

shift the luggage from the plane to the baggage belt `` shift.

That was the night Mayor for these passengers last weekend it happened

last month too. Some fear it will happen again.

The airport is about to havd happen again.

The airport is about to have one happen again.

The airport is about to havd one of The airport is about to havd one of

the busiest weekends of the year. All that the passengers card about

is what is being done to ensure this does not happen again.

You want to deliver the bags within less than 55 minutes. For 95% of the

passengers that is true even last weekend. We expect it to be the same

this weekend. If it goes off track, we will step in and shore the

operation up. Gatwick's image has taken a dive as

it bids for a new runway. Btt the airport insist it is is not their

fault. The problems were down to Sweatport, one of the world's

biggest backage handling firms. It admits it could not cope last week

but call it is a one`off and says it is taking on more staff. A bit late

for Richard Sergeant, a sportsman who travels the world. Stranded for

five hours on Sunday as there was no`one to get his wheelchair to the

airport. The biggest thing for me was the

lack of freedom. I did not have the feeling of freedom to be able to

move around. I was bursting for the toilet. I could not get that freedom

and get that space. Monarch, will have more than 16

Gatwick flights, it recently ended its contract with Sweat pords

Gatwick flights, it recentlx ended its contract with Sweat pores it is

its contract with Sweat pords it is one of the busiest times of the

year. The airline has promised no more baggage nightmares.

People in four areas of London ` who repeatedly commit crimes

while drunk, will be forced to wear ankle

while drunk, will be forced to wear ankld tags

For the first time in Britahn, a pilot project is giving several

courts the power to ban offdnders from drinking alcohol in order to

Here's our Political Correspondent, Karl Mercer.

Could this, an alcohol sniffing ankle tag, be the answer to this? We

could be about to find out in ankle tag, be the answer to this? We

could be about to find out hn South could be about to find out in South

London. With people being found guilty of crimes when drinking

guilty of crimes when drinkhng alcohol, now in line to be tagged.

It is a zero tolerance. So one drinks, it fires off. One drink, it

drinks, it fires off. One drink it is detected.

It is that simple, the device measures levels every half `n hour.

measures levels every half an hour. A simple drink and the person could

be back in trouble. . It monitors if that person is

drinking again. If they drink, even if it is a glass of beer or wine, he

will be in breach, back before the court and could face a custodial

sentence. We have looked at the graph over the

last few days, it shows continuous alcohol! This programme expects that

150 people could be tagged for as long as four months at a tile.

150 people could be tagged for as long as four months at a time. If

they drink they could be gohng to they drink they could be going to

prison. We know that half of recorddd crime

is related to alcohol. This is a way of breaking the link between going

out, getting plastered and committing acts of violence. So to

that extent we support it. But we think it is not the only answer

The idea comes from America. The American scheme that runs a firm

there, does the scheme also. There is not a human right to drink

alcohol, so we find the argument, alcohol, so we find the argument,

that it is inhumane or not being consistent with human rights to be

counter to the fact that thd communities expect to be safe.

The pilot scheme is going on until next summer and it is expected that

there will be more of these. That's it from me. Now let's get the

weather forecast from Sarah. Another sunny warm day for us? Well as we

head into August, things ard head into August, things ard

changing. Through the day tomorrow, sunny spells but a risk of `

changing. Through the day tomorrow, sunny spells but a risk of a few

showers and more to come through the course of the weekend. Lookhng

showers and more to come through the course of the weekend. Looking at

course of the weekend. Lookhng at the satellite image, there is cloud

filtering in from the north and the west. In that cloud there are one or

two showers to be seen. Mainly to the north of London. For

most of us staying dry for the overnight period. The winds are

light. A little more comfortable, the temperatures down to 16 Celsius

in the middle of town. So, Friday starts on a largdly

in the middle of town. So, Friday starts on a largely dry

note. Through the day a chance of one or two showers cropping up. The

odd one around but between drier weather around too. Temperatures

about 24 Celsius. Sunshine on Friday, now an outlook for the

London weather for a couple of days. Rain for Saturday. Now to John who

will take you through Rain for Saturday. Now to John who

will take you through the national forecast across the UK.

Hello there. You may have to find ways of occupying the children. A

lot of rain for some, not so much for others. That was the way in July

but overall whelmingly warm. Not as warm as last year but it continues

the run of months with higher than average temperatures. The eighth now

in a row. On to August, a few showers around. That is across the

north and the west. Lots of