Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 23 Jul 2014

1. MH17: CRASH EVIDENCE 'TAMPERED WITH

The first bodies recovered from the crash site in eastern Ukraine where Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was shot down are being flown to the Netherlands today for identification. Of the 298 killed, 193 were Dutch. Up to 100 bodies are still missing as evidence emerges that the crash site was tampered with. The plane's black boxes have now arrived in Britain for examination.

Missile that downed MH17 came from Russia, investigation rules

2. GLASGOW READY FOR GAMES CEREMONY

As many as one billion people worldwide were expected to watch the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, broadcast tonight from Glasgow. The ceremony, involving 1,200 people and said to have a uniquely Glaswegian and Scottish feel, was due to begin at 9pm UK time.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Ten Commonwealth stars you may have heard of – pictures

3. MAJOR AIRLINES SUSPEND ISRAEL FLIGHTS

Airlines including EasyJet, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Lufthansa and Air France have suspended flights to Israel amid fears caused by the shooting-down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine last week. The EU aviation safety agency has recommended Tel Aviv be avoided.

Israel calls US ban on flights to Tel Aviv a 'prize' for terrorists

4. UK STILL SELLING ARMS TO RUSSIA, SAY MPS

A report by four Commons committees has found that more than 200 export licenses allowing British weapons to be sold to Russia are still in place, despite David Cameron’s claim that the UK government has imposed an absolute arms embargo against the country in response to its actions in Ukraine.

5. TAIWAN AIR CRASH: DOZENS FEARED DEAD

Dozens are feared dead after a passenger plane crash landed in Taiwan. The domestic TransAsia Airways flight crashed near Magong airport on the island of Penghu. It is thought the plane, carrying 54 passengers and four crew, was attempting an emergency landing. Initial reports said there were just seven survivors, with 51 dead.

6. UN WARNED OF GAZA 'WAR CRIMES'

The UN's top human rights official has claimed that war crimes have been committed in Gaza during Israel's ground offensive. Navi Pillay told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva: "There seems to be a strong possibility that international law has been violated, in a manner that could amount to war crimes." Tel Aviv says the body is "anti-Israel".

Gaza: Al Jazeera blames Israel as bureau comes under fire

7. COSTA CONCORDIA ON FINAL JOURNEY

Cruise ship the Costa Concordia is being towed to the port of Genoa where she will be scrapped, two-and-a-half years after she capsized after hitting a reef off the Italian island of Giglio, killing 32 people. The Costa Concordia was re-floated last week and is being kept upright by giant buoyancy chambers.

Raise the Concordia! PR helps cruise company bury the past

8. PEACHES 'ON HEROIN' WHEN SHE DIED

The inquest into the death of Peaches Geldof has heard that the 25-year-old mother of two had begun taking heroin again in February of this year, two months before she died. She had previously overcome her addiction but had struggled to come off methadone. After her death police found "importation quality" heroin in her house along with needles.

Peaches Geldof 'had been a heroin addict', inquest hears

9. GEORGE HARRISON TREE KILLED BY BEETLES

A memorial tree for former Beatles guitarist George Harrison, planted in Los Angeles where he spent his final days, has been killed by an infestation of beetles. The sapling, planted in 2004, three years after Harrison’s death, had grown to ten feet in height. Authorities say a replacement tree will be planted.

10. HOT TICKET: GILBERT & GEORGE SHOW

A new exhibition by artist duo Gilbert & George, Scapegoating Pictures for London, has opened at the White Cube gallery, Bermondsey. A series of large-scale photomontages depict the influences of technology, paranoia, religion and drugs on contemporary London. "Brilliant," says The Independent. Until 28 September.

Gilbert & George – reviews of Scapegoating Pictures show