23/07/2014 BBC News at Six

The first bodies from the Malaysian airline crash in Ukraine arrive

In a day of sombre ceremony, the remains of some

40 coffins are given military honours on a day

It is a very important day for the people here and all the people. They

want their children back. We'll be live in the Netherlands,

and looking at a row brewing here The US Secretary

of State flies to the Middle East, as the UN warns of possible war

crimes in Gaza An inquest into as the UN warns of possible war

crimes in Gaza. An inquest into the death of Peaches Geldof hears

how she died of a heroin overdose. And I'm at Celtic Park in Glasgow,

as the city prepares to host the 20th Commonwealth

Games. The Opening Ceremony

is just hours away. The Queen will officially declare

the Games open, with more than one billion people expected to tune

in from across the Commonwealth This morning the Queen's baton ended

its journey here, Labelled a yuppy ghetto, the row

over the lack of affordable homes in a luxury project backed by the mare

and the mystery of allegations that the Met police fly spy planes over

London. Good evening,

and welcome to the BBC News at Six. A sombre official ceremony

in the Netherlands has greeted 40 coffins containing remains

from the victims of the Malaysian The Dutch have held a day

of national mourning, and the investigation into the

disaster is moving into a new phase, as British experts examine the

plane's black box flight recorders. In a moment,

our Europe Correspondent Matthew Price will have the latest

from the Netherlands, but first, Daniel Sandford saw the planes take

off in Eastern Ukraine. They died when Flight MH17

was shot out of the sky. Today, in simple wooden coffins,

the first 40 victims left Ukraine. It's an attempt by

the Ukrainians to give some dignity to the departure of the passengers

and crew of Flight MH17, whose lives were brutally cut short, in a war

which has nothing do with them. The victims were being taken to

the Netherlands for identification, before being returned to

their families. But first,

there was a minute's silence. Nobody yet knows whose relatives

are in these coffins. They could be Dutch, Malaysian,

Australian, Indonesian or British. They could be from Germany, Belgium,

the Philippines, We need to remember that for each

of those victims' bodies, there are grieving families,

grieving friends, and for each of those victims' bodies there is a

life that has been needlessly lost. As international investigators

cautiously examined the scene of the tragedy this afternoon, the shooting

down of two Ukrainian fighter jets just a few miles away was a reminder

of the dangers of working here. And as the first victims' bodies

left for the Netherlands, it is worth remembering that dozens

are still missing in the charred Out of a sweltering sky they flew

back in. With the Dutch Air Force, and the Australian. Two countries

who lost so many. This was not the return anyone

imagined. The Last Post. And a country fell

silent. One by one, they brought them out.

Yet to be identified. Here, perhaps a holiday-maker, once excited about

their trip to distant shores. Here, maybe someone on a business

trip. A student, on a gap year. 40 coffins, 40 body bags.

And so many more yet to fly out of Ukraine.

In towns and city, they marked the return. This has affected so many

here, and elsewhere round the world. It's very black day for everybody.

Especially for people from this part of the country. A lot of people

were, I think, 80 or 90 people come from this part of the country. There

are so many innocent people has been killed by political idiots.

Terrorists. That make us very angry. And then, with full honour, the

convoy set off. Some, the Prime Minister said, would be identified

quickly. With others, it could take months.

Outside the airfield, hundreds watched. Thes heres heading north,

where the grim task of going through each coffin will begin. Many more

will follow this route in the coming day, watched by a nation shattered

and grieving. This, though, brings no closure. It only makes each and

every death more real. And here it is almost as if that

silence that was held at Eindhoven air base behind me is rippling out

across the country, because there are hundreds, thousands of people

lining the route, as those cars are driven north, and they are falling

silent as the cars pass, they are standing on bridge, on overpasses,

on cycle lanes along the roads, the cars on the other side of the

motorway are pulling to a halt in respect, and watching as those first

40 coffins drive past. I think it is a measure of quite how affected so

many people in the Netherlands have been by this disaster.

David Cameron has said the government will look carefully at

all outstanding arms export licences to Russia, to make sure they comply

with an arms embargo announced in March. There've been mounting

questions over why more than 250 licences are still in place, given

concerns that Moscow is supplying weapons to the rebels in Ukraine.

David Cameron is also under fire over a ?160,000 donation to his

party from the wife of a former member of President Putin's

donation to his party from the wife of a former member

Our deputy political editor James Landale reports.

David Cameron wants tougher sanctions against Moscow, and those

he calls President Putin's crone Chrises but today whizz asked why

Britain is still selling arms to Russia and the Tories are still

taking cash from Russian businessmen. Back in March the

policy was clear The UK will now, with immediate effect, suspend all

licences and application processing for licenses,

licences and application processing Russia. But today, a committee of

MPs said that military kit is still being exported to Russia, in all

more than 280 licenses worth ?132 million for things like rifles.

Night sights and missiles. The Government said some was for

civilian use, others for Brazilian warships being fitted out in Russia.

I believe that we have been consistent with the terms of the

arms embargo we set out which was aimed at Russian armed forces, but

we will look carefully at all outstanding licenses and make sure

that is the case, course if it is not the case we will act swiftly.

But MPs said this wasn't good enough and have written to the Prime

Minister asking who the weapons are for? They can't be brushed off for

the Brazilian navy, they can't be brushed off for the Government has

tried do for clay pigeon shooting. Anybody who looks at that 14 page

list, which was published in our report today, can only come to one

conclusion, this includes a significant amount of serious

military weaponry. But David Cameron is not just facing questions about

arms sales to Russia. He has also been asked about donation to his

party by wealthy Russian, particularly some who attended a big

fund-raiser at this private club in west London earlier this month. Top

of the auction list was the chance to play tennis with David Cameron,

and Boris Johnson, a prize that was won by a wealthy Russian. He paid

more than 160,00 pounds for the privilege, her husband was once a

minister in Vladimir Putin's Government but has backed the

opposition since he was sacked. And they are not alone, since 2010

Russian born businessmen have given the Tories more than ?1 million, all

within the rules. But Labour, said Mr Cameron has questioned to answer.

He has got to explain why he thinks that is the right thing to do and

tell us what background check he's done personally, because I think

otherwise, people in this country will conclude that when he attacks

President Putin he wants to have his caviar and eat it. The Tories said

they wouldn't be giving the money back, but the questions haven't made

Mr Cameron's aim of toughening sanctions against Russia any easier.

An inquest into the death of the TV presenter Peaches Geldof has heard

how she died of a heroin overdose after losing

At the hearing, her husband said she'd started taken heroin again

in the months before her death, after being on the substitute drug

It was her husband Tom, who found Peaches Geldof, and who today gave

the inquest a harrowing insight into her years of heroin addiction.

An addiction she even lied to him about.

There is no way I'm going to beat this.

The hearing was told the 25-year-old broadcaster tried to

come off heroin, but two months before she died she'd

In the inquest, her husband Tom was asked if she was a heroin addict.

The coroner then asked about her lies over weekly drugs test.

Tom Cohen also told the hearing of seeing Peaches flush heroin down

a toilet here, and of discovering her body surrounded by a needle,

burnt spoon and knotted tights - the kit of a heroin addict.

The hearing heard that Peaches probably hadn't intended to kill

herself, but that she had taken exceptionally pure heroin.

In another room, her baby son Phaedra was found alone,

Sir Bob Geldof wasn't at today's hearing, but spoke recently

I'm walking down the road and suddenly out of the blue,

there's an awareness of her, and you know, I buckle.

The coroner today referred to Paula Yates Peaches' mother, who died

from heroin 14 years ago, asking if history was repeating itself.

He said no-one will ever know why Peaches went back to the drug,

but it was a decision that cost her her life.

The family of an Asian student who went missing seventeen years ago,

and who was eventually found dead, say they've been told they were

spied on by undercover officers from Scotland Yard.

It happened as the family of Ricky Reel were campaigning

for the police to treat their son's death as murder.

Ricky Reel, a university student was 20 when his life ended.

This was the last time he Wes seen alive, caught alone on CCTV on a

night out in Kingston in south-west London in 197. Just before this he

had been with some friend and they had been attacked and racially abuse

by two white men. A week late Ericy's body was found in the River

Thames. The police said his death was probably an accident. His family

campaigned for it to be treated as murder.

Now, his mother says she has been told by a senior officer that on

five occasions in the late 90s undercover police spied on her, as

she campaigned for justice for her son.

This was happening at time when we were feeling very low. The family

was really torn apart. And I just sort of feel what were they trying

to do, to see how Groved we were? This was the time we should have

been left alone. -- grieved. To grieve for our son instead of being

spied on. The family and their supporters were

highly critical of the rigour of the police inquiry. There were two

investigations, neither of them established how he died. Meanwhile

officers with gathering intelligence on his mother. Earlier this year it

was Cop confirmed the parents of the murdered black teenager Steven

Lawrence Steven Lawrence were spied on by the police. The Scotland Yard

unit monitoring the Lawrences was called the SDS. The same unit was

gathering intelligence on Ricky Reel's mother. Campaigners are

horrified. I think they need to ensure there isn't more spying on

families like that, and the first real gesture that needs to take

place is for the police to come open and explain who these officers were,

and exactly what their remits were. Tonight, no comment from Scotland

Yard which is currently subject to an inquiry into undercover policing.

The senior officer heading that inquiry criticised the force, he

didn't name any families, but he said information had been kept after

being gathered by undercover officers.

It was information which served no purpose in preventing crime, or

disorder. The first bodies from the Malaysian

airline crash in Eastern Ukraine And coming up the stage is set

for the Commonwealth Games - I'll The opening ceremony is about to get

underway. Businesses say it's

a scandal that so few crimes And a personal view

on how to end the capital's housing crisis - the call to stop companies

buying up land Israel may be committing war crimes

in Gaza, according to the UN Human Rights Commissioner, by not

doing enough to protect civilians. Navi Pillay also condemned Hamas for

indiscriminate attacks on Israel. It came as the US Secretary of

State John Kerry said mediators had made some progress in efforts to end

the fighting between the two sides. Gaza's health ministry says 678

Palestinians have now been killed 32 Israeli soldiers have been

killed over the same period. Flights from a number of airlines to

Israel's main international airport remained suspended - and within

the last hour the American authorities have extended their

restrictions for another 24 hours. Our Middle East correspondent

Quentin Sommerville sent this A cloud of smoke means another

Israeli air strike in Gaza city. Here the ambulances never stop and

stretcher follows stretcher. At least two people were killed and

many injured including children when a shell landed near a mosque just

after noon. TRANSLATION: God protect us, we are dying at nobody is

checking on us. The world, please protect us, please stop this

aggression. In Israel another soldier's funeral, this four Max

Steinberg, who was killed in an assault against Hamas. As the losses

mount the crowds of mourners grow here. Israel is united in its

support for the war. Tens of thousands came to pay their

respects. And Page Steinberg came to remember her brother. As your little

sister I've always thought the world of you but I never thought I would

be standing with this many people who understood how incredibly strong

you are. Words cannot express how proud I am of the man he became. And

Israel is counting the costs in other ways. At the country's main

airport there was a lot of waiting and plenty of worry. Dozens of

flights were cancelled here after a rocket attack by Hamas. The Hamas

rocket landed about one mile away and did not actually hit the airport

but the militants have scored a huge victory. Israel says the world is

submitting to terrorism and it should be Hamas rockets that are

grounded and not passenger aircraft. John Kerry's plane was one that

managed to land in Israel, pushing for a cease-fire he is trying to

unite the Arab world and reach an agreement with Israel. In the

occupied West Bank he met the Palestinian President. So we will

continue to push for this cease-fire. We will continue to work

with President Abbas and others in the region in order to achieve it.

And I can tell you that we have, in the last 24 hours, made some

progress in moving towards that goal. But it seems progress to a

truce isn't moving fast. While the offensive in Gaza continues with

terrifying force. Now, the opening ceremony for the

Commonwealth Games gets underway in Welcome to Celtic Park where later

this evening the Queen will officially declare the Commonwealth

Games open. will parade through here during an

opening ceremony that we're promised will surprise, delight and be

uniquely Glaswegian and Scottish. In fact it's such a closely guarded

secret that I'm not allowed to show you any of the stage behind me. But

more than a billion people are expected to tune in. Lorna Gordon

reports on what we can expect from It contains a message to the

Commonwealth from the Queen. This pattern has travelled the globe for

almost a year but its journey is almost over. Alaska's cap next macro

games are costing nearly ?500 million but politicians have united

behind them because of the positive effect they think the event will

bring. The atmosphere in Glasgow is extraordinary. People are going

around with smiles on their face and you can actually touch the positive

atmosphere. It's not a day to talk about the referendum or politics, it

is a time to celebrate that for seven days Glasgow will be in the

world spotlight. Competitors from 71 Commonwealth countries and

territories will be participating in a city transformed. The Duke and

Duchess of Rothesay were touring the venues today and enjoying a flavour

of the action to come. More than 1 million tickets for the Games have

been sold and there has been a last-minute dash for those remaining

or uncollected. The opening ceremony and 100 meter finals. They must be

considered Golding tickets. I don't know, I hope my daughter appreciates

it! Organisers say they are not worried about empty seats. Most of

the sports, for example netball, you cannot get tickets for love nor

money. We have a mechanism in place to make sure the few seats that may

be empty field by members of the public at the time. Some events will

be open to all. The cyclists from Swaziland finding their rhythm ahead

of the road race. We are somewhere over here coming up to St Vincent

Street. This is down, what is the street called? Buchanan Street. Are

you trying to work out the route? We are a little bit lost. Glasgow is

celebrating. There are parties aplenty this evening. This is the

city's moment to shine. These can next macro games come at an

important time for Scotland, in less than two months Scotland will vote

on a referendum for independence. For the next few days though the

focus will be on the sport and putting on a good show rather than

politics. All the sporting action gets

underway tomorrow with key events in 4,500 athletes and para-athletes

from 71 nations and territories will 17 sports over the next 11 days.

Among them will be familiar faces from the London Olympics as well as

some new stars of the future. Natalie Pirks has been talking to

some of the athletes tipped for The events are familiar, the face is

well-known, but this is no Olympics Mark two. For so long considered the

poor relation organisers are adamant this smorgasbord of sport will

showcase some of the world's best athletes. England's team was

officially welcomed to the Athletes' Village, and amongst them the

megawatt smile of history maker. Nicola Adams's fast fists catapulted

her to stardom in 2012. She has just made history X Mac with women's

boxing finally on the menu here she told me she now wants to repeat the

trick. It would mean the world to me. Just the thought of being able

to be the first female to make history in the Commonwealth Games,

I've already done it in the Olympics and it is just a really nice

feeling, especially because I'm so passionate about boxing and sport.

Passion won't be lacking tomorrow either when Poster boy Michael

Jamieson looks to win one of the Scotland's first medals in the pool.

The Olympic silver medallist is racing in his hometown. It is going

to be brilliant. We don't often get the chance to represent our home

nation. The Scots are a small but very proud nation. This is a huge

event for the city and for Scotland as a country. The country's home of

football is ready too, transformed and known for the world-renowned

atmosphere. Come Sunday over a thousand athletes will experience

the famous Hampden Park raw, Mo Farah, Usain Bolt, although in a

blink and you'll miss it relay role. For some, the Commonwealth Games

medal is the last missing piece of the jigsaw. His blistering turn of

pace left the rest but dust. How quick will it be? David Rhodesia's

800 meter win was one of the best of all time. That's the world record!

It will be a highlight. The only Championships medal I'm missing is

the Commonwealth Games. It is going to be exciting and I'm looking

forward to a good race. The city is basking in the heat of late summer.

Glasgow now believes the athletes will deliver a Games as golden.

So Glasgow is just hours away from hosting what's being called

"Scotland's biggest ever sporting party".

ready for this moment for years now and people are arriving from right

across the Commonwealth to enjoy the party.

I've been out hearing from SMX biting -- some excited spectators.

It's all about the Big G - Glasgow, the Games, and it looks

like plenty of people want to be part of it. They are pouring into

to soak up the atmosphere and even the weather is playing ball.

fabulous and the weather and everybody is smiling and happy.

Everybody seems buzzing because of the Games so it is good to see

things coming together just because it has been so long.

been seven years since Glasgow secured

Those in tourism say it has drawn in hundreds of thousands of people and

see the whole city has dissolved into a festival of fun and

going forward in terms of tourism it is the people that are on show.

Many have come from all corners of the Commonwealth, rugby fields have

been turned into pop-up campsites to accommodate them.

about 34 hours flying to get here, so excited to be here and to

some kind of famous faces. I'm sure we'll be able to pick

them out in the parade at the Opening Ceremony. Definitely, it is

bringing everyone together, so it is good fun.

atmosphere. You cannot get better than a field full of volunteers and

eventually there will be spectators here as well. It will be a big

as they are called, will be the friendly faces of these games,

making sure that spectators and athletes alike enjoy Glasgow's big

It has been so hot in Glasgow, is it going to last?

Perfect for the opening ceremony. It has been 26 to Greece in Glasgow and

still warm this evening. It looks like it will be dry and they will be

lots of sunshine. It has been hot elsewhere in Scotland, the hottest

day of the year so far and in Northern Ireland. Similar

temperatures across southern England which has sparked one or two

thundery showers travelling west moving into the West Country and

into South Wales and lingering overnight in Devon and Cornwall. One

or two thundery ones consuming here, although it will be bright

elsewhere and it will be a warm night and we will see low cloud and

misty weather coming back into the central belt coming onto the

Pennines. Not so much through the Midlands and the low cloud will be

burned back towards some of the North Sea coasts. Lots of sunshine

elsewhere but the cloud will look rather menacing in the south-west.

Again, here we could pop off one or two thundery downpours, particularly

in the afternoon. Mainly Devon and Cornwall but cannot rule one out as

far across as Hampshire and Sussex but lots of places will be dry

across the South, 27-29? again, almost as warm as that further north

and another one day for Northern Ireland. The odd shower fought

manner and Tyrone. Should be driver Scotland, the mid-20s for the first

day of competition will stock cooler around the North Sea coasts, mind

you. Similar picture on Friday, bit of a great start and some low clouds

near the North Sea coasts and the north-east. Very warm and sunny and

one or two showers in Scotland but later in the day across southern

England as well. Things will change in the weekend. In between the high

pressure we get a weather front pushing south-eastwards across the

whole of the country with high pressure building behind leaving us

with a northerly breeze. That means they will be some sunshine in

between a band of heavy and thundery showers and it will be notably

fresher with temperatures not as high as today.