09/08/2012 BBC News at One

Accused of killing a British businessman - the wife of a former

top Chinese politician goes on trial. Gu Kailai doesn't contest

the charge of poisoning Neil Heywood, in a case that's rocked

the Chinese political establishment. The Ministry of Defence apologies,

after it admits keeping body parts and tissue samples of some soldiers

killed in Afghanistan, without telling their families.

We owe a huge apology not families involved here and those who will

now be feeling stressful even if it doesn't affect them.

Another blow for the UK economy. New figures show the gap between

exports and imports is at its worse since 1997.

Usain Bolt will tonight try to become the first man to defend the

100 and 200m titles. Keri-Anne Payne hopes to add to Team GB's

medal tally in the women's 10k marathon. Boxer Nicola Adams is

assured of gold or silver in the first ever Olympic women's boxing

final this afternoon. Four time boxing world champion, Ireland's

Katie Taylor, is going for her country's first gold medal this

afternoon On BBC London - The Mayor calls for all school children to

play sport for two hours a day, as And after people power cleaned up

after the riots, a new way of Good afternoon. Welcome to the BBC

News at one. The murder trial of the wife of a prominent Chinese

politician, accused of killing a British businessman, has ended

after one day. Gu Kailai did not contest the charge hand will be

sentenced at a later date. She had been accused of poisoning her

business partner Neil Heywood last November, in a dispute about money.

His death triggered a political scandal, which saw Gu Kailai's

husband, removed as the Communist Party chief in Chongqing. Our

correspondent, John Sudworth, sent this report. Appropriately perhaps

for a case that has engulfed China in a storm of scandal, a typhoon

has blown in. Two British diplomats greeted by a scrum of rain-soaked

foreign journalists are the only outside observers given access to

the trial. Inside, as Chinese TV cameras give the world the first

glimpse of the defendant, on the face of it, the case appears simple.

Gu Kailai, a 53-year-old Chinese lawyer is charged with murdering

her British business partner Neil Heywood. But lurking in the

background, it is Gu Kailai's powerful husband who gives it such

political significance. Bo Xilai was one of China's 25 most senior

poll significances. He spearheadded a campaign to promote old Communist

vam use. Neil Heywood's death at this hotel was initially recorded

as a heart attack. Despite his business connections to the

powerful family, there was nothing to arouse suspicion. But when

evidence that he had been poisoned later emerged it prompted serious

questions about corruption and cover up at the highest level of

Chinese politics. So while Gu Kailai faces criminal trial, her

husband's fate hangs in the balance. As always in China, what goes on in

this court is as much about the politics as it is the facts of the

case. Gu Kailai may well be guilty of course, her appearance here is a

clear indication of two things: That the Communist Party wants the

case swiftly resolved and her conviction suits its interests.

Reports from inside the court say Gu Kailai appeared calm and in good

health. She thanked the court for treating her fairly, this man says.

Few will be surprised the trial ended so quickly, but questions

remain - will Gu Kailai escape the death penalty? Will Bo Xilai

himself be charged and have the family of a murdered man been given

justice? Army officials are contacting some

families of servicemen and women who were killed in Afghanistan

after it emerged that body parts and tissue samples of soldiers were

retained by the Ministry of Defence without their relatives' knowledge.

Officials say proper procedures for informing relatives were not

followed in a small number of cases. Our security correspondent Frank

Gardner is at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital. What's the

reaction been to this then? Well, of course, it's a very unpleasant

shock for a lot of families up and down the country to know that

behind me in this leafy suburb of Oxford human body parts were being

stored without the consent of their families. That's at the John

Radcliffe Hospital who were acting under the auspices of the MoD as

part of a forensic investigation into deaths. Tissue samples were

also held by what's called the special investigations branch, the

royal military police in Wiltshire. The total number of faxilies or

individuals involved is 30. -- families or individuals is 30. But

some will be wondering if it's their son involved here. The Army

has issued a statement, the assistant chief of the scepbl staff

said this earlier today. In line with the law an autopsy takes place

when an body is recovered. A number of those tests take place allover

the -- all over the UK. We're pretty clear that we've captured it

now, 30 service personnel involved and you're right, we owe a huge

apology not families involved here. And those who will now be feeling

stressful even if it doesn't affect them.

To put it in perspective, around 422, I believe, servicemen and

women have been out in Afghanistan since operations began. There the

numbers are relatively small but still this should never have

happened. It's oversight rather than conspiracy. I don't think it's

part of a plot to frof it from the body parts. Nobody's suggesting.

That but it's a scandalous oversight and it's really more of

an administrative error that they're looking into. The urgency

is to contact the families and reassure them this has been taken

care of and it will never happen again.

Here at the Olympic Park, all eyes will be on the stadium behind me

later today, as the world's fastest man, Usain Bolt, aims to become the

first man in history to defend his titles in the 100 and 200m. He

cruised through to this evening's final, but still faces stiff

competition from his fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake. After no

medals for Great Britain yesterday, Team GB's hoping to get back into

winning ways. Our sports correspondent, James Pearce now

reports. London in the sunshine, these are the kind of images of the

capital broadcast around the world which the organisers had hoped for

when they first made plans to hold this swim right in the middle of

the city. Large crowds, as always, and a British favourite for them to

support. Keri-Anne Payne won silver in Beijing. She started the race

with every chance of going one better here. In the athletics

stadium, Paralympian Oscar Pistorius's chances came to an end.

The South African team-mate's fall during the opening heat of the four

by 400m relay, meant he was waiting on the track with nobody to hand

him the baton. The British team finished second and vantsing to the

next round. -- advancing to the next round. It's prit qui good.

Loved the atmosphere. We're tired, do you know what, for the finals

hopefully we can do better. Once this morning's session finishes

many of the spectators will go into the Olympic Park and try to reserve

some of the best spaces around the big screen because the race thaerve

wants to watch takes place at 8.55pm. Can Usain Bolt add to his

long list of achievements? No man has ever successfully defended the

Olympics 200m title. He qualified for the final with ease. Another of

the biggest stars of these Games is Marco Loughran. His competition has

finished, two gold medals won. In little more than three days' time

these Olympics will be over and the world's best athletes are already

starting to pass judgment on the overall skpoorpbs. Have you enjoyed

these Games? Yeah. They're definitely one of the best ones

I've been to. Everything's just really convenient. They really did

an outstanding job on just helping out the athletes. Back at open

water swimming, the competitors were having enough problems just

working out which were their personal refreshments. But Keri-

Anne Payne was still up with the leading group.

Let's get the latest on how Keri- Anne Payne is doing. Dan Roan is in

Hyde Park now. Well, it's a fantastic atmosphere,

as you can probably see, here on the banks of the serpentine here in

Hyde Park. If our cameraman pans round, you may be able to seat

thousands of people who have took the opportunity to come here today.

The open water swimming, 10k marathon of swimming,if you like,

is one of the few events at the Olympics, which you don't require a

ticket for. It's similar scenes to those we saw just two days ago,

when alstern BrownLee of Team GB won the triathlon, the swimming

component was also here in the chilly, murky waters of the

serpentine. The crowds are back today. 15, 20 deep in some places.

Let's show you live pictures now. Keri-Anne Payne is Team GB's big

hope in this. She's doing well. All of the swimmers are within around

20 seconds of each other. She's in the leading pack. It's exactly

where she likes to be, at the lead of the group of swimmers. On paper

she has a very good chance. She was world champion in 2009 and 2011.

She had a Silver Medal in Beijing four years ago. We still have quite

a long way to go. They are just over halfway. They are on the

fourth of six laps. It should finish in 40 minutes from now, this

race. There's a certain degree of pressure on Keri-Anne Payne.

Britain hasn't had a great swimming Olympics. If she can win gold today

it would make up for was gone on in the pool in the Olympic Park.

the pool in the Olympic Park. Who knows, there could be more by

the end of today. Among the Britons going for gold is Nicola Adams, who

will try to become the first Olympic women's boxing champion.

Our sports correspondent, Andy Swiss is at the Excel Arena where

Swiss is at the Excel Arena where that bout will take place. Can she

do it? Yes, welcome to the excel arena. It's quiet at the moment.

Come 4.30pm this afternoon the decibel count here will be going

through the roof, because that's when Nicola Adams will be emerging

for her final. As you say, trying to become the first female boxing

champion in Olympic history. She looked impressive in her semi-final

yesterday against Mary come of India, a five times -- Mary Kom of

India, a five times world champion. It looks a pretty tough fight on

paper. She came through in some style. The bad news is in the final

she's up against the very best in the business, the world number one.

The Chinese beat Nicola Adams in the World Championships earlier

this year. Nicola Adams called her her arch nemesis. Nicola Adams is

the under dog, but fans will be willing her to the Gold Medal.

Katie Taylor is also trying to get' Gold Medal as well. That's right no

Gold Medals yet for Ireland in these Olympics. Can Katie Taylor

change that? She is a sporting superstar, a household name in

Ireland. She carried the flag for them at opening ceremony. Certainly

there were thousands of Irish fans here yesterday cheering her on in

her semi-final, where she again proved she is one of the very best

in women's boxing. There'll be thousands more Irish fans here this

afternoon to cheer her on and thousands more back in Ireland

watching on giant screens in all the major cities. The eyes of a

nation will be on Katie Taylor. She'll be confident she can deliver

that first Gold Medal of these Games for Ireland. Thank you very

much. With me here is Natasha Jonas, who was the first British boxer to

compete in the Olympics. Very nice to see you here. Tell us first of

all about the reception you got when you stepped into the ring.

was unbelievable. Obviously Katy had a lot of fans in there as well.

There was a lot of my family and friends and obviously, it was

generally people who had come to support women's boxing. It was

immense. I felt so proud to just walk out at that moment. I think

they measured the noise levels, it was one of the highest if not the

highest at any of the Olympic venues. It must have been

extraordinary to hear? It was. It gave me a boost. It showed in the

performances of both of us at the time. When we thought we just

didn't have anything left, the crowd give us a big cheer and it

pushed us on. You were making history that day on Sunday. What

has this done for your sport because there are people out there

who are not comfortable watching women box. Already, me coach from

me home club has had numerous calls about young ladies in particular,

who want to take up boxing. That's what the Olympics is all about, you

know, the motto was to inspire a generation and hopefully that's

what we've done. With prot motion that we've got, you know the crowds

that we've pulled in, the excitement, we've had drama you

know, that's what it's all about. What about Nicola Adams? Do you thi

she can do it? She's getting gold or silver, but will it be gold?

believe 100% today is Nicola's day and she will go on and do what

she's destined to do, win a Gold Medal. She's been unlucky before in

the World Championships getting two silvers. This time I think it's

Nicola's time. She's worked hard. She's bigger, better, faster,

stronger in the gym. Today's her day. She's up against the best of

the best. But the home support surely that will help carry her

there, you just can't help but want to perform in front of the crowd

that's behind you. So yeah, best of luck. Thank you. Members of the

equestrian team for dressage go for individual gold. Joe Wilson is

We are talking individual freestyle dressage today. Riders are allowed

to choose their own routines and music. There is a strong element of

choreography to today's competition. Unprecedented success for Britain's

dressage team. They took gold a few days ago and those three riders and

those three horses are in action today. So, of course, optimism

especially surrounding Charlotte Dujardin. The competition is

underway. We don't like to disturb the horses, but a short time ago,

inside, I spoke to the Chief Executive of British dressage,

Amanda Bond. Who was excited. We have got our fingers crossed,

but we have a chance. We had three riders in the top five at the end

of the team competition. We had the top placed individual in Charlotte

Dujardin. So yes, she was in Gloucestershire at harp bury a

month ago and pulled a 90% score, not a dry eye in the house. We're

hoping she is going to do a bit of that againpm. And that's the

routine we are going to see today? That was her run out before we came

here. The music was the same and the routine is the same. It is

going to be really, really exciting. If you are planning your Olympic

afternoon, the first British ride will be this afternoon. Charlotte

Dujardin goes at 3.50pm. She may sound like a princess, but she is a

After a slow start, Australia's Olympic team have finally begun

climbing the medal table, winning another gold this morning.

COMMENTATOR: Australia get the gold. Hungary get the silver and coming

through for bronze were the Czech Republic.

Their K4 kayak team won the 1,000 metre sprint at Eton Dorney ahead

of Hungary in silver and the Czech Republic in bronze. Australia now

has six golds and is ranked tenth in the medals table after being

criticised just days ago for a lack of medals. Our top story this lunch

time: The murder trial of the wife of a

prominent Chinese politician who is accused of killing a British

businessman has ended after one day. Gu Kailai did not contest the

murder charge and will be sentenced at a later date.

And coming up, an unexpected winner at London 2012. The gardens form

ribbons of colour. It is unexpected in a sporting environment like the

Olympics, but they are proving a We take a behind the scenes look at

HMS Ocean and the 20,000 tonne temporary home for troops on the

Thames. We meet one of handball's hidden

heroes who turned her disappointment to triumph for the

sport. The UK economy has suffered another

setback after new figures show that exports have slumped. The UK trade

deficit has widened to a record level in June after trade slowed

between Britain and the rest of the world, not just the eurozone

countries. Let's speak to our business correspondent, John Moylan.

Put this in context for us, John. How bad are the figures? Our trade

figures matter because if we are going to get out of the recession,

we need to be selling more goods and services abroad. Consumers here

aren't spending. Our companies are holding on to cash and not

investing. We need to sell more abroad. The figures suggest we are

not successfully dwg that -- doing that. So between May and June, our

total exports fell by 5%. There was a modest fall in our imports as

well which suggests that we are not buying. All of which means that the

trade deficit, the difference between imports and exports widened

to its highest level on record. Now, for economists today in the City,

that is making them think that it will become much harder for Britain

to get out of recession. Thank you very much.

80 police officers are involved in the search for 12-year-old Tia

Sharp who went missing after a visit to her grandmother's house in

south London last Friday. Yesterday, her grandmother's boyfriend Stuart

Hazell was questioned by police, but he was not arrested. Well, our

correspondent Ben Ando is in New Addington. Ben.

Yes, indeed, well here at Tia Sharp's grandmother's house which

is where she was staying when she disappeared, her grandmother, left

around about an hour ago accompanied by a friend. Her

boyfriend, Stuart Hazell, who was questioned by detectives yesterday

evening is understood still to be here. Also here is Tia's stepfather,

who has come out of a couple of times this morning and has spoken

to journalists and he is very emotional.

Just leave it off, please. Just Well, there is no question this

morning, the search has been stepped up. We have police with

dogs in woodland near here. We have teams of officers, many from other

forces who were on stand by in London to help with the Olympics,

but who have been drafted into this investigation. They are searching

and sifting through bins. Once they are given the clear, the bins can

be taken away, the bins which should have been collected on

Tuesday, weren't collected on the instructions of the police, on top

of that, we have garages being searched. Some of the garages are

opened by force when the police are told they are abandoned or can't

trace the owners, the others are being opened with consent as the

police look across this estate. The operation will take one or two days

to complete the searching of the bins and the garages. On top of

that, detectives are liaising with police from other forces including

Dorset and Cumbria where girls of similar ages went missing, but were

found days later. Syrian President, Bashar Assad, has

appointed his Health Minister as the new Prime Minister to replace

the one who defected earlier this week. Meanwhile, the government and

rebels are both insisting that they are in control of the Salaheddin

neighbourhood in the city of Aleppo which has been the scene of fierce

fighting in recent days. Edinburgh will be lit up tonight in

a rather unusual way as the city's International Festival gets

underway. Hundreds of people in special suits that light up will

run around Arthur's Seat one of the city's most famous landmarks. Our

Scotland correspondent, James Cook, is in Edinburgh. James.

Yes, welcome to the busy, bustling sometimes bonkers Edinburgh

Festival. Not one festival, but several. We are at the Fringe, but

tonight, the more high brow international festival gets

It seems there is no escape from sport this summer. Even here in

Edinburgh m. This is speed of light, the performance which will open the

international festival this evening. The artists call it a a a fusion of

art and sporting endeavour. We are working with 4,000 hill

runners. We have worked with a Hollywood choreographer and we are

able to make patterns appear and disappear in the dark landscape.

On the sunny streets of the old town, the Fringe has been underway

for a week. Since the official festival began in the 40s it han

upstaged by -- has been upstaged by its rowdy cousin.

We have been in capital cities over the world and this is fantastic.

Just walking the street and seeing different performers, it is

interesting, so yes. With the Tour de France and now the

Edinburgh arts festival, it is fantastic.

This year, the international festival is drawing the crowds.

This hall usely holds live stock, not live theatre. The director says

using bigger venues paid off with an 8% rise in ticket sales.

We're having a fantastic year. It is probably due to the Olympics and

the general euphoria and it is probably due to the fact that there

is no show on earth like Edinburgh's festivals in August.

The audiences are coming to see performances like. A modern version

of Shakespeare's Macbeth. It is in Polish.

There really is something for Yes, and 3,000 artists from 47

nations are performing at the International Festival. The

audiences are expected to be drawn from more countries than that. The

organisers say it does have Olympian aspects. It seems wherever

you are in the United Kingdom this year, you can't escape the Olympics.

Thank you very much. More now on the Olympics and one of

the things that visitors to the park have been pleasantly surprised

by is the flowers and the landscaping. From woodlands to

meadows to flowers beds, it has been an ambitious project to

regenerate what was once an area of urban wasteland. Here's Clive Myrie.

They have become as popular here as Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah, the

agapanthus and paper daisies and pineapple lilies. It is hard to

believe these were fashioned from land from industrial use. The soil

had to be washed in giant machines, cleansing out cyanide and other

poisons. Two-and-a-half years later, the head gardener told me all the

effort had been a first for the Olympic movement.

I think this is the first Olympic Park in the modern era that's been

designed with the gardens in mind. I think it is nice to have it. It

softens the hard edges of the buildings and the stuff we have got

around and also it gives an area for the people to come down and

have a little time of quiet relaxation in a beautiful area.

But maintenance is tricky to avoid the crowds, all the gardening has

to be done at night. We have got 30 guys who come on at

night, at 1am, with torches and we have a list of work that they need

to complete every night and they found mowing difficult, putting the

stripes in! In the dark. LAUGHTER

The gardens form ribbons of colour, greens and oranges, unexpected in a

sporting environment like the Olympics, but they are proving a

massive hit here. What a beautiful setting.

It is clever. It is just so clever. The foliage and the shapes and the

flower sizes, it is amazing. Just how they have arranged them

all. They provide a setting for the river, for the stadium. They are

just a framework and they are beautiful to walk through, aren't

they? The gardens are intended to be as much a legacy of 2012 as much

as the sports arenas, these gardens long enduring after the athletes

have gone. A beautiful day today, we are

seeing fair weather cloud developing, but that shouldn't

spoil things too much. It will be a warm day here. A warm

day really across many parts of the Country this afternoon with

sunshine. The reason we're getting the warmth and the sunshine is

because we have got a huge area of high pressure over the UK with that,

we are getting hardly any wind and that has been a problem for the

sailing at Weymouth and Portland. There maybe just a gentle breeze

picking up this afternoon. If we get a sea breeze though, with the

high humidity, we could drag in mist and fog as well. It is a risk

as we led into the afternoon. Later in the afternoon in the south-west,

most places will be dry with sunshine. There is just the small

chance of a shower developing over the higher ground. It should be dry

in Wales. Some warm sunshine here and more cloud filtering into

Northern Ireland. It could be thick enough to squeeze out one or two

light showers. More cloud in the north-east of Scotland. That will

peg back the temperatures. Brighter and warmer elsewhere. Through the

afternoon, in Northern England, we can look forward to lengthy spells

of sunshine. It will feel warm out there. Sunny spells through the

Midlands towards the South East of England where temperatures are

hitting the mid-20s. A lovely afternoon. It will stay that way

into the evening as well. The finals of the beach volleyball. 200

meters in the stadium behind me and of course, Team GB's men are taking

part in the hockey semi-finals. A pleasant evening and still some

warmth around. Overnight, well, it stays dry and we will have clear

spells. Like last night, a bit of mist and fog forming. Humid in

Northern Ireland and south-western parts of England and warmer than

last night in London. And just ideal conditions tomorrow for the

canoe sprint finals. Maybe just a little bit more breeze developing

in the afternoon for the sailors and still really warm in the

afternoon for the cycling, BMX finals.

We start off sunny tomorrow. Mist and fog soon burning off and fair

weather cloud developing like today, but for most of us, the winds will

be light. So it will feel warm when the sunshine comes out.

Temperatures tomorrow like those of today. In the south the mid-20s or

so. Cooler towards the north-east of the UK with the breeze. That

will drag in a lot of cloud on Saturday into Eastern Scotland and

north-east England. Sunshine elsewhere. Temperatures building.

Watch out for showers coming into Wales and the south-west. A windier

day on Saturday. The winds easing down on Sunday, but those showers

that are in the south-west on Saturday could get all the way

towards London on Sunday. Watch One a reminder of our top story:

The murder trial of the wife of a prominent Chinese politician who is

accused of killing British man Neil Hayward has ended. Gu Kailai did

not contest the charge. The Ministry of Defence apologises

after it admits keeping body parts and tissue samples of some soldiers

killed in Afghanistan without telling their families.