04/08/2014 BBC News at One

The moment - one hundred years ago today - that Britain entered the

First World War, is being marked, in events on both sides of the Channel.

with dignitaries from across the Commonwealth - as those that

In Belgium the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge join world leaders

the fact that the presidents of Germany and Austria are here today

and other nations, then enemies, are here, too, bears testament to the

power of reconciliation. Thousands of balloons have also been

released in the colours of the flags of the countries,

which fought in World War One. I am at Glasgow Cathedral where the

first national service of commemoration has been held

particularly remembering the contribution of Commonwealth

countries. I am at the military cemetery where the families of

British and German soldiers killed in the battles around mons will

attend a moment of reconciliation. Lights Out - homes and businesses,

across the UK will turn off their lights,

leaving a single candle, to mark We'll be live in Liege and Glasgow

in a moment. A desperate search

for survivors after an earthquake Good afternoon

and welcome to the BBC News at One. One hundred years to the day

after Britain and Belgium entered the First World War, events to mark

the anniversary have been taking The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge -

along with representatives, from around 50 countries - have been

in the Belgian city of Liege, for a ceremony to honour those,

who resisted the German advance. In a speech Prince William said we

salute those who died to give us our freedom.

Services of remembrance are also being held, at Glasgow Cathedral,

Good afternoon? Good afternoon. 1400 people came to this service at the

Cathedral this morning led by Prince Charles, attended by senior

politicians as you would expect and crucially representatives of many

Commonwealth nations. Our correspondent reports on the service

in Glasgow and also the commemorative events in Belgium.

RELIGIOUS MUSIC. A day for reflection about a terrible war

which although it lies beyond the scope of human memory now, had

consequences which are still felt a century later. It was a war which

touched every continent, and from every continent in Glasgow Cathedral

the leaders of the many nations which stood alongside Britain in

1914 and which are now part of the Commonwealth, came to remember. We

meet because on a summers day like this one, 100 years ago the world

changed. Our nations and peoples found themselves in a war the like

of which had never before been seen. RELIGIOUS MUSIC. A century later the

sheer scale of the losses suffered during the First World War is hard

fully to comprehend. Approximately 1 million people from Britain and the

Empire lost their lives. Most of the fighting, most of the casualties

occurred on the battlefields of Europe. MILITARY MUSIC. Belgium was

the first point of impact, invaded by German forces on this Day 100

years ago. To the city of Liege, stoutly defended by the Belgian

forces, came many of Europe's present-day leaders. Among them is

the German head of state. He was thankful for the invitation

he said, and there was contrition for Germany's completely

unjustifiable invasion of Belgium as he put it and for the conduct of

German troops. Prince William spoke about reconciliation. The fact that

the President of Germany and Austria are here today and that other

nations, which were enemies, are here, bears testimony to the power

of reconciliation. In Liege they released balloons. In Glasgow a

candle was passed to young people, symbolising hope for the future. And

in the south coast port of Folkestone, where hundreds of

thousands of young soldiers had their last sight of Britain before

embarking for the Western front, Prince Harry opened a memorial arch

in memory of those that did not come home. Tonight the day 's solemn

commemoration will move to Westminster Abbey, and a moment

which will be shared across the country as lights are dimmed, an

echo of the remark made this night a century ago by the then Foreign

Secretary Sir Edward Grey that the lights are going out across Europe.

The final lamp will be extinguished here by the grave of the unknown

soldier at 11 o'clock, midnight in Birmingham, the moment 100 years ago

when the United Kingdom entered the war. Four years of warfare, and

untold tragedy were to follow. Hundreds of thousands of young men

lost their lives during the great War. Their deaths still touch their

families today. As Robert Hall now reports. In the shade of spreading

pines David Wooding and his daughter have reached the end of the journey,

around them, the men of the Middlesex Regiment lost in the

fighting around mons. The last resting place of his great uncle.

This is a special day when the whole nations remembers the carnage of the

First World War. It adds to the emotion of the moment. You feel

pride and respect, not just for him but for so many hundreds of

thousands of other people who gave their lives for us. It is humbling.

Thereon more than 500 graves in this cemetery, where former enemies live

side-by-side -- there are more than 500. Great crosses for the German

graves contrasting with the white stone from their British and

Commonwealth counterparts, among the early burials that of 17-year-old

John Parr. John Parr had volunteered for military service at 14, when war

was declared his regiment was one of the first to set off for France. In

late August, 1914, as German forces grew closer, he was one of two men

sent out to find a missing unit. He was the first British combat

casualty in Western Europe since Waterloo. Historians are still

arguing about how he died. An officer 's report dated August 22

notes that cyclists were sent out. British and German records mention

no casualties during the period. When he went out they were 11 miles

further south than the point where everybody thinks he was killed, and

the Germans were miles further north. He could not have been in

contact with the German cavalry patrol. I have heard from Berlin,

one of my sons chums... Whatever the truth, the army appears to have lost

him for several months, this lady has one of the desperate letters his

mother wrote to the War office. Later today she will come here to

the quiet glades, she says she is honoured to represent the family of

John Parr. I have a photograph of me, holding hands with his granny, I

feel like I am now taking her, by the hand, to her son 's grave. We

will probably never know what happened to John Parr, enemy action,

panicking villager, but today, one young man swallowed by a cataclysmic

war be remembered. A number of events taking place in Belgium

today, in a moment we will speak to Robert, but first let's go to

Matthew Price who has been following the commemorations in Liege. The

sort of service which really reflects how extremely important

Liege is in the history of the First World War. A very sombre ceremony

which took about one hour, and a wreath was laid. There was silence

and gun salute, one young girl from the city walked into the Plaza

behind me in front of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the king

and queen of Belgium and the German and French presidents and assembled

others, releasing a white balloon. Which signified they said, peace and

reconciliation. Asking a young person from Liege to do it, a symbol

of the passing of the collective memory of what happened. This was a

city really which stood in the German military 's way, they thought

they would push through Belgium very quickly indeed. They met fierce

resistance here. 100 years ago tomorrow morning, the Battle of

Liege began. The Germans thought it could" quickly, it did not, it

lasted the best part of two weeks -- end quickly. The Belgian military

put up a much bigger fight than expected, the Duke of Cambridge,

reflected on that, talking about the immense suffering and the sacrifice

he called it that Belgium had made. From the German president also words

really in condemnation of his own country, those 100 years ago, their

flagrant disregard for international law and norms. Quite political here

at times as well but the focus on the commemoration and the memory.

STUDIO: Thank you for joining us. Robert, a sense of what we can

expect from where you are later? The service will reflect St Symphorien

itself, it was given to the German forces, with the condition that they

bury enemy soldiers as well as their own with honour. And they did.

Former enemies lying here side-by-side, that will be reflected

in the service this evening. Attended by the Duke and Duchess of

Cambridge and Prince Harry, and those of the family members that

life here. You saw a couple of those in my report. The service will be a

mixture of music from Britain and Germany, readings including

eyewitness accounts from the men that fought and died. And a formal

moment of remembrance at the end. Let me read you something from

Prince William is forward, he writes the bravery and the selflessness

shown by service men is at the heart of the commemoration. We mark

sacrifice and the eternal thread of dedication and valour which connects

our predecessors with their counterparts today, we will remember

them. Robert, many thanks, and Matthew. Back in Britain, attention

turns to night to a request from the Royal British Legion for people up

and down the country to turn off their lights in a massive act of

remembrance between 10-11 PM. A lot of public buildings will be taking

part as well including for example Blackpool Tower, and the Eden

Project in Cornwall. The dedication of a war memorial in

Project in Cornwall. The dedication this morning. This is for

celebration and remembrance. Hundreds came to the service, and to

night many of them will light a candle in their homes in further

tribute. It will give so much comfort to the people around that

lost members of their family in various conflicts, maybe from the

First World War, even other conflicts which have followed. At

the start of the First World War the Foreign Secretary was heard to

remark the lamps were going out across Europe, so tonight everybody

is being encouraged to switch out their lights in a home and light a

candle and leave it late for one hour, to mark the exact time of the

start of World War I. My father was in that... He didn't die, he came

home which was rare. We will put a candle in the window in his memory.

It's wonderful. Beautiful. Moved to tears. Interesting to show the

pupils those pictures, giving them the names makes it very real on an

individual basis, rather than talking about a huge event of people

that they do not know about. At the North Wales memorial arch, a special

sound and light show will be on display, and that beacon of light,

Blackpool Tower will also plunge into darkness as the busy resort

pauses to reflect. At Westminster Abbey there will be a light on the

tomb of the unknown soldier which will be extinguished at 11pm, time

war was declared. The Royal British Legion hope millions of people will

pause in their homes tonight for one hour of near darkness, to remember

one of the darkest times in our history. All of us, where ever we

live, has an opportunity today to remember the war that cost so many

lives. From Glasgow Cathedral, back to you. Thank you for joining us.

There will be more coverage throughout the afternoon on the BBC

News Channel and on BBC Two from 6:30pm. Mums in Belgium was the

scene of the first major engagement between Reddish and German forces

and there will be a service there later this evening. At Westminster

Abbey a candlelit vigil will be held to mark the exact time Britain

declared war. It is 1:16pm. Our top story at lunch time: The moment 100

years ago today that Britain entered the First World War is being marked

in events on both sides of the Channel. And still to come: I will

be to quit the police. A businessman set up his own toll road to get

round traffic delays. Looking back at the London athletes

who added to Team England's medal on the final day

of the Commonwealth Games tally. And commemorating the anniversary

100th of the start of First World War the - Londoners are to

encouraged rediscover the thousands Medical staff in Gaza say,

a child has been killed and 30 people wounded, in an Israeli

air strike on a refugee camp. The shelling is reported to have

happened, just minutes into a seven-hour

truce, announced by Israel. The Prime Minister, David Cameron

has spoken this morning, of an Just minutes after the ceasefire

began, carnage in Gaza. They desperately search through

the rubble for any survivors. At least one child died and more

than 30 other people were injured. Palestinians say the house was

hit by an Israeli air strike. This

in a neighbourhood that was supposed The Israeli military

is yet to comment. It is continuing military operations

in the southern town of Rafah. Yesterday,

ten people died here after an Israeli missile landed close to

the entrance of a UN school. International condemnation followed,

the UN describing it But Israel accuses Palestinian

militants of turning civilian areas Israel says it is now safe

for Palestinians to return to some A quarter

of the population here have fled But most Palestinians don't want

to go back, saying that they fear Israel now says it is close to

destroying a network They have been used by Hamas

militants to stage attacks There are also signs that Israeli

soldiers are leaving Gaza, but that Martin Patience, BBC News,

Gaza city. Our middle east correspondent,

Bethany Bell is in Jerusalem. How real a cease-fire is this, do

you think? It is quite limited. It is only taking part in certain

places in Gaza. As we know the Israeli army is continuing its

offensive in the area of Rafah in the South. Now, that is close to the

Egyptian border and that is an area that has traditionally been used to

try and smuggle weapons in in the past, and it may be that the Israeli

army is trying to prevent that happening in the future to prevent

Hamas from rearming. Also there is some speculation here that Israel

may be considering some type of unilateral withdrawal from Gaza

without a negotiated cease-fire agreement. But few here are

expecting that the fighting will end soon. In fact there is enormous

pressure on Israel to try and come up with some sort of negotiated deal

with Hamas. There are delegations and a diplomatic track still

ongoing. Israel has not ruled that out. But there is enormous tension

here. In fact, this morning injuries we also had an incident that police

are calling an attack on a bus, a digger overturned a bus in an

ultraorthodox neighbourhood of the city and police shot the driver,

they say, in order to stop the incident from going on. But there

have been casualties and the Israeli media is reporting that at least one

person has been killed. Francois Hollande talking about the slaughter

of civilians in Gaza. How is Israel responding to the continued

criticism of the shelling near a UN school yesterday? The Israeli army

said that they were targeting three Palestinian militants near that

school. They say they are looking into this incident. Israel is

clearly aware of the enormous international pressure on it, in

terms of the incidents at schools. There is also an enormous

international pressure to try and stop this fighting diplomatically

speaking. At the moment Israel says it is not going to take part in

talks in Cairo but it has not closed the doors to that either. But at the

moment few people here are expecting this fighting to end any time soon.

They believe that the Army will continue with what it is doing. If

any bell, thank you very much. A rescue operation is underway in

China, after a strong earthquake, struck a remote area of Yunnan

province, in the south west of the country, killing around 400

people. The country's president, has called for "all-out efforts" to

find survivors, as he dispatched thousands of troops, to the disaster

region. Our correspondent John This morning help finally arrived

at the epicentre of the earthquake. Poor visibility and bad weather had

for almost 20 hours stopped the Once airborne the extent

of the quake's lethal destruction was clearly visible

in this remote mountainous region. Surveillance camera footage showed

the moment it struck at 4:30pm in the afternoon on Sunday,

a time when many people would have On the first tremor everything shook

seven or eight times, this man said. Our house collapsed almost

as soon as we got out. Thousands of rescue workers,

soldiers and medical staff have been drafted

in, but progress on the ground has been badly hampered by disrupted

communications and blocked roads. Offers of help, if needed,

have come from Washington and the United Nations, although it

is access that's the problem and at this stage China appears to have

all the manpower it needs. The authorities are also sending

large quantities of tents, Compared to the 2008 earthquake

in neighbouring Sichuan province which claimed almost 70,000 lives

this disaster is smaller in scale, although relative comparisons are

meaningless for the hundreds of and the many thousands made

homeless. From the air,

China's real vulnerability is clear, with older buildings lying collapsed

between the new multistorey China's Southwest is one

of its most earthquake-prone regions but also one of its poorest

and it is that combination that A plane is due to leave Kharkiv

in Ukraine later today, with more remains,

from the crash site of Flight MH17. Over the weekend,

forensic investigators visited a new area of the site, despite

heavy fighting in the region. The recovery effort is being slowed,

by military action, between pro-Russia separatists

and Ukrainian government forces. Fighting around the insurgent

stronghold of Donetsk, left at least More than 100 British

and other European nationals, have arrived in Malta today,

after being evacuated from Libya. HMS Enterprise following increasing

violence in the Libyan capital. More than 200 people have

been killed in fighting, between rival militias

in the last two weeks. A businessman from Bath,

has found a novel way to get round the delays caused by work to repair

a road near his home. He's built his own toll road,

though fields to avoid the route. Mike Watts is hoping to recoup

the cost of building the road, by Good morning! Drivers heading into

Bath today paying a fee for a short cut through a farmer's field. But

when the official diversion stretches the 14 miles, for many it

seems like a small price to pay. It saves me 40 minutes in a day on a

journey I have to do so it is worth every penny for me to be able to say

that amount of time in my day, basically. But they will need a lot

more cars to come through here. A local businessman came up with the

idea down the local pub and spend ?150,000 of his own money building

it. We have got to get 150,000 cars over this road in five months. How

many people per day? 30,000 a month, 1000 cars a day. Today there

was a slow but steady stream. A landslip closed the road past here

in February, turning a ten minute trip into a one-hour long ordeal.

I've just paid my ?2 and rather than go on a 14 mile diversion I can go

on this little toll road, the only problem is you have to do it in

first gear because it is really steep and the surface is just

gravel. This local pub had its local trade choked off when the landslip

fell and they now say they are so pleased they are offering toll road

users a discount. He's looking to get retrospective planning

permission. But the local people and businesses this enterprising new

road has brought relief from months of motoring misery.

Marine scientists have for the first time explored

an underwater mountain, known as the Hebrides Terrace Seamount,

Researchers sent a remotely-operated vehicle to the

site, and found it to be "densely colonised, and species-rich".

Our science reporter Victoria Gill reports.

To reach the Hebrides Terrace Seamount researchers used a

submarine tethered to their research vehicle. This enabled them to film

life at depths of more than half a mile, exploring this extinct

undersea volcano. What you can't tell from this footage is that the

vehicle is actually tracking up the steep slopes of a mountain that is

higher than Ben Nevis, but is completely submerged. When the deep

ocean currents hit the slopes they stir up and release nutrients, and

that's what makes this such a rich and valuable marine habitat. So the

scientists expected to find life, but didn't expect quite so much. We

were surprised about how much diversity of life was there. We

found over 100 species, even at a course level using cameras back and

see over 100 types of different species. If we had taken samples we

probably would have found several thousands. At these depths we find

new species all the time. But the researchers say this environment is

already changing. Our oceans are becoming more acidic primarily

because of carbon emissions. Such a change in ocean chemistry could

dissolve coral skeletons, and that could mean this was a first and last

snapshot of an ancient and unique marine environment.

Time for a look at the weather. Here's Nick Miller.

Fine weather for the centenary services and so far so good for the

start of another week of summer but if you think the summer weather is

getting back on track and you have got some sunshine today think again

because we will see some rain at some stage this week and some of

that will turn out to be very heavy. We will see that in a moment.

But first to today and the satellite picture and cloud image, that of

cloud in Northwest got them still delivering some rain. The cloud has

developed in South Wales and southern parts of England, squeezing

out a few showers, hit and miss but if you catch one it could be heavy

and maybe a rumble of thunder. But most of us will not and maybe just

see a dark cloud in the distance and the sun will reappear. If you catch

a shower it should not last too long. They are well scattered across

the southern half of England and Wales. A few will pop up further

east later this afternoon. This is the picture at 4pm. Between the

showers warm sunshine and temperatures in the warmest spots in

the East of England approaching the mid-20s again. But as you can see

there is a lot of fine and fairly warm weather around this afternoon

but the cloud in north-west Scotland still delivering some rain. The

breeze will deliver some warmer days in eastern Scotland, around 20

Celsius. Into this evening the showers that had developed slowly

fade but as the night goes on more come back into south-west England,

South West Wales, Northern Ireland and south-west Scotland and a few

heavy ones here. Elsewhere under clear skies it will turn out to be

quite cool, particularly in the countryside and across the northern

half of the UK so the Scottish blends will be close to freezing as

Tuesday begins. So, a bright and fresh start for many of us in the

morning but as you can see there are some heavy showers from the word go

in the West and some of these will move across Wales, north-west

England and Scotland. The Met office is warning of some particularly

heavy slow-moving and thundery downpours developing in Northern

Ireland tomorrow. Driest in the east and warmest here too but a bit more

cloud compared with today. I started with the forecast saying rain on the

way. This is what I meant, on Tuesday night and into Wednesday

this developing area of low pressure turns wet on Tuesday night across

southern parts of the UK, and during Wednesday it will lift northwards.

But some of us could have a very soggy start to Wednesday so we will

keep you updated. Brighter skies from the south as the day goes on.

And a brake on Thursday but stores and showers around. More rain

affecting some of us on Friday in the south-east, and possibly on

Friday turning more humid. So it is a changeable week of weather. More

rain coming. Keep up-to-date with the forecast where you are with BBC

weather online. Thank you for joining us. A reminder of the top

story this lunch time: The moment 100 years ago today that Britain

entered the First World War being marked on both sides of the Channel.

In Belgium the juke and Duchess of Cambridge joint world leaders for a

service of remembrance. -- the Duke and Duchess. The fact that the

presidents of Germany and Austria are here today and other nations

then enemies are here too is testimony to the power of

reconciliation. That's all from us