Monitors try to secure Ukraine plane crash site
International monitors moved gingerly Saturday through fields reeking of the decomposing corpses of the victims of a Malaysian airliner shot down over rebel-held eastern Ukraine, trying to secure the sprawling site in hopes that a credible investigation of the disaster can be conducted.
Amid wide calls for an international investigation, doubts arose about whether the evidence was being compromised before inspectors ever reach the scene.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed in a phone call on Saturday that the sides should enter talks and stop fighting.
France and Ukraine warn over plane crash site obstructions
The French and Ukrainian presidents said on Saturday that any obstruction preventing international investigators reaching the crash site of flight MH17 will "not be tolerated".
Following a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko, President Francois Hollande said the two had agreed "on the importance of establishing the facts" of what happened to the Malaysian Airlines plane, which crashed in the rebel-held east of Ukraine on Thursday, killing all 298 on board.
"To this end, no obstruction to the work of the international observers from the ICAO (the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization) will be tolerated," they said in a statement released by the Elysee palace.
Pro-Russian separatists hindered access to the crash site on Saturday, with international monitors trying to access the scene met by Kalashnikov-wielding militias who allowed them access to only the outskirts of the field.
Russia has 'one last chance'
Russian President Vladimir Putin has one last chance to show he is serious about helping rescuers recover the bodies of the victims of the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, the Dutch prime minister says.
"He has one last chance to show he means to help," said Mark Rutte minutes after what he described as a "very intense" conversation with the Russian leader.
"I was shocked at the pictures of utterly disrespectful behaviour at this tragic spot," he said, referring to allegations that bodies of the passengers, including 193 of his countrymen, were being dragged about and allowed to rot at the scene.
"Once we have the proof, we will not stop before the people are brought to justice. Not just the people who pulled the trigger but also those who made it possible. I think the international community needs to step up its efforts in this respect."
Malaysians angry MH17 victim of Ukraine-Russia conflict
The ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine have seemed distant to most Malaysians. But when a Malaysian Airline aircraft crashed on July 17, that conflict hit very close to home.
American and Ukrainian authorities believe the plane was shot down -- a casualty of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Both governments have pledged full cooperation in the investigations into the crash. But will that be enough to appease the anger of Malaysians after the loss of 43 of their fellow citizens?
Many Malaysians, including politicians, are angry. 298 people, including 43 Malaysians, have become innocent casualties of the conflict that has now taken on even greater geopolitical significance.
Singapore Airlines Apologizes Over Ukraine Remarks
Singapore Airlines apologized Saturday over social media remarks it posted after the Malaysian jetliner was shot down that were taken by many as being insensitive.
After the Malaysia Airlines plane went down over Ukraine with 298 onboard Thursday, postings on Facebook and Twitter from Singapore Airlines claimed that its flights do not fly across Ukrainian airspace. The remarks drew the ire of many Malaysians, with some taking to social media themselves.
"A post starting with condolence (and) then, stating your planes are diverted and not using this airspace anymore would have made (you) sound less heartless!" Joannica Dass wrote on Facebook.
Others, however, felt many were overreacting to Singapore Airlines' remarks, and said the carrier was merely trying to get a message across to its customers.
"I don't think their comment was to advertise or boast their flight routes as much as it was to ease the tension of the hundreds of passengers that are scheduled to fly out to other countries over the next few days," Karishma Sharma wrote on Facebook.
On Saturday, Singapore Airlines apologized and tried to clarify its remarks.
"We are aware of that our Facebook and Twitter update on Friday morning may have come across as insensitive to some. The post was in response to many requests from our customers who had asked for information about our flight routes for their upcoming flights with us," Singapore Airlines said in an email to The Associated Press.
"We recognize that the information could have been better communicated and we sincerely apologize if it had offended our customers and anyone else in the online community," it said.
MAS releases passenger manifest, relatives asked to contact airline
Malaysia Airlines is appealing to the family members or friends of those on board MH17 to contact the airline.
They are advised to contact Malaysia Airlines' Family Support Centre at +603 7884 1234 (in Malaysia).
Alternatively the family or friends may call the numbers below in their respective countries:
Netherlands (Malaysia Airlines Amsterdam office): +31 20 521 6252
Australia (Malaysia Airlines Sydney office): +61 2 9364 3534
Indonesia (Malaysia Airlines Jakarta office): +62 2 1522 9705
New Zealand (Malaysia Airlines Auckland office): +64 9 306 3930
United Kingdom (Malaysia Airlines London office): +44 20 7341 2060
Germany (Malaysia Airlines Frankfurt office): +49 69 1387 1980
Philippines (Malaysia Airlines Manila office): +63 2 889 1863
As of July 19, 2014, 5pm, the table below shows the latest number of passengers and their nationalities:-
Why the Nationality of on the manifest states the Country instead?
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