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Germany to Russia: Allow Access to Site; Grief First, Then the Lawsuits; Bodies Being Removed From MH17 Crash Site; U.S. Russian Relations May Get Colder; Russia Bans Entry of Some Americans; A Nation in Mourning

Aired July 19, 2014 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: We have much more straight ahead in the NEWSROOM and it all starts right now.

Hello again, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. We'd like to welcome our viewers from around the world. Here are the top stories we are following in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Armed rebels interfering at the crash site of a Malaysian plane blown out of the sky. Their leader denying accusations today that they removed bodies and destroyed evidence. But Ukraine isn't buying it. Why they believe Ukraine believes Russia was involved in taking down that plane.

Plus, new details on the 298 people on board. Among them, a Malaysian actress, her husband and baby, in all, 80 children were on board. A sister of one victim says she just wants to break down and die.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I keep going through, like calm stages where I just want to deal with everything and get it out of the way, but then every other minute, I just want to break down and die because I don't -- I don't know how to do this without him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Meanwhile, bloodshed as a battle between Israel and Hamas intensifies. Israeli troops firing on animals they say are carrying bombs. What a spokesman for their military is telling our Wolf Blitzer. Welcome to our viewers in the U.S. and around the world.

Families mourn those lost in the Malaysia Airlines disaster, we are hearing claims and counterclaims now. The leader of pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine say his forces didn't shoot down that plane from the sky. This comes as Ukraine's prime minister repeated today he believes, quote, "someone well-trained," end quote, fired a missile at Flight 17.

Malaysia Airlines has just issued their latest list of the 298 people from 12 nations now on board. That plane that was shot out of the sky over Eastern Ukraine. We have learned that among the victims, 80 children were on board, as well as top HIV/AIDS researchers, students, a real estate agent, and a vacationing family. Dutch authorities have sent a team of at least 80 police to visit with families and gather DNA, dental record, and other information as they try to then identify the bodies and the remains.

International observers at the crash site say they heard gunfire and explosions near the scene today. Our team on the ground says they are seeing bodies being loaded into military vehicles. The Ukrainian government is accusing pro-Russian rebels of removing at least three dozen bodies and destroying evidence.

Access to the crash site of flight 17, those who should have it, don't. At least not fully. Instead, reports of looting, bodies being removed, evidence destroyed. Our Chris Cuomo, co-host of CNN's "NEW DAY" is at the one of the crash sites. Chris, what is the latest there because of the debris being scattered, there are several crash sites, right?

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR, CNN'S "NEW DAY" (via telephone): That's right, Fred. I mean, it's hard to define it. I think that the perimeter has been set, again, by the unsophisticated people who are looking at it, something like 26 square kilometers, which I guess mathematically makes some sense given it came down from 30,000 feet and that might be, you know, a reasonable range, but that is also a huge amount of area to cover.

We are now leaving the scene as it's getting let's hot there. The militia leaving, the Ukraine representatives are coming in which is good because they actually got the body out, but it also creates a huge -- because there is ongoing warfare here. Bodies loaded on to trucks. That's why I didn't want to show it on TV.

The family of loved ones out there to see, you know, their relatives dealt with that way but the luggage was taken also. This was really a last time, Fred, that this scene will be in any way intact for investigators. They are going to have to rely on photographs and video for media like us more than the scene itself.

WHITFIELD: That is fascinating. Chris, we are going to check back with you because I know our connection is not superb right now. We will check back with you in a moment, but we get the gist of that especially looks like the journalists are playing a pretty pivotal role in the investigation phase because once the investigators have access to the debris fields.

They may not be able to assess based on the remnants that are still there because of things that have been removed, as Chris was saying. These photographs that are being taken are going to be very important documentation for the investigators in the long run.

Ukraine's prime minister says he knows for sure that missile was brought down and how it was located in an entirely different area. In fact, controlled by pro-Russian rebels. CNN's senior international correspondent, Ivan Watson, spoke exclusively to the prime minister.

So Ivan is joining us live now from Kiev. Give us more about that interview and what was unveiled. IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Frederica, the Ukrainian government continues to point the finger, not only at the rebels in Eastern Ukraine that it's been battling and engaged with in a deadly conflict the past three months, but also against the Russian government, which it accuses of arming and training and sporting those rebels. The Ukrainian prime minister told me that he thinks there is a high probability that the missile system that is believed to have been used to shoot down Malaysian Air Flight 17 was supplied to the rebels again he claims by the Russian government.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARSENIV YATSENYUK, UKRAINE PRIME MINISTER: What we know for sure is that this missile system was located in the area that is fully and entirely controlled by Russian-led terrorists. That this is not Russian-led drunk terrorist who pressed the button. This is someone well trained. Someone who knows how this Russian machine works.

Someone who has experience, and we together with the international community will find out all responsible for this international crime, and those who supported them. This is the crime against humanity and the building of International Criminal Court is very big.

WATSON: Is your government right now negotiating with the separatists for access to the crash site?

YATSENYUK: We sent a number of rescue teams to the crash site and they arrived yesterday. They were allowed to investigate the crash site only for one hour and then separatists, Russian-led terrorists, claimed that if they don't leave the crash site, they're going to make them hostages. After the MH17 disaster, this became an international conflict, a global one.

WATSON: And as a result, what would you like to see from western allies in the wake of this disaster?

YATSENYUK: Joint, strong, bold and decisive action against terrorists and those who support and supply them.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: Fredricka, it's important to note that a leader of the rebels from the self-declared separatists Donetsk Peoples Republic, who also called himself a prime minister is denying many of these accusations. He, today, expressed, quote, "Great pity for the innocent victims of this undeclared war and went further claiming that the Ukrainian government has made no requests thus far for access to the crash site, to the crash zone.

And it's also very important to note that the fighting continues about a little bit more an hour as drive from where the plane went down, artillery report has been held in a rebel-held city and the U.S. government claims that five Ukrainian soldiers were killed there the last five days and more than 20 wounded.

And on Friday, at least 16 Ukrainian civilians were killed in that city. Of course, a reminder that this plane went down in what is an active hot and dangerous war zone.

WHITFIELD: Ivan Watson, thank you so much for bringing that to us. Appreciate it.

So nearly 300 people perished in that crash. We are learning who they are. Their stories coming up.

But, next, their families want action right now. What lawmakers in the U.S. might be able to do that could make a big difference.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Members of the Congress are calling the shoot down of Flight 17, an act of terror and they want whoever did it to pay. Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin saying, quote, "Whoever did it should pay a full price. If it's by a country, either directly or indirectly, then it could be considered an act of war."

Let's bring in CNN aviation analyst, Attorney Arthur Rosenberg, and CNN political analyst, Josh Rogin who writes for "The Daily Beast." Good to see you both. Josh, to you first, why are members of Congress pushing so hard for this to be classified as an act of terror?

JOSH ROGIN, "THE DAILY BEAST": As we have seen with past civilian aviation disasters of this kind, the litigation over these things can last years, if not decades. And they often become issues of diplomatic contention between the two countries involved. So these people, especially the Americans who were victims of this tragedy have members of Congress who represent them and they will want to exert their rights.

And I talked to several members of Congress who want to make sure that those rights are protected and, furthermore, that the U.S. Justice Department aids these people in that litigation. So it's important to establish what kind of action this was and it's important to establish the chain of custody for the evidence and this will all become fodder for the legal and diplomatic wrangling that is sure to come.

WHITFIELD: Arthur, we understand that the victims represent the 12 nations and we understand one was an American citizen and dual citizen. Does this assist what the U.S. in what it needs to move forward with this classification act of terror or even potentially lead to lawsuits or the freezing of Russian assets?

ARTHUR ROSENBERG, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: The way to look at this is really two parts to this. There is the claim, the potential claim for terrorism and the best example of that would be Lockerbie and Pan Am 103 and Libya's involvement and that ultimately was resolved politically with Libya paying a lot of money to the families of the victims.

The other side of that is the claim of the families, the lone American and everyone else against Malaysian Airlines and that is covered under the Montreal treaty. That treaty basically will provide up to about $170,000 for these families without having to prove fault. It's a form of strict liability. Beyond that, the families are going to have to show negligence. Now negligence against Malaysian Airlines, in my professional view here, is manifest. What was this plane doing at 33,000 feet flying over a war zone against the backdrop just one month before, four planes, two military cargo planes had been shot down with missiles, a helicopter, a fighter airplane. All they had to do was extend the flight a little bit, fly south around the Black Sea.

WHITFIELD: But apparently weather may have been a reason as to why they didn't do that. That customarily would have been the route but because of weather, it meant that they had to fly a little further north and maybe that is why Malaysian authorities were quick to come out this morning to say that they actually followed a route that was set up by the National Aviation Authorities approved by euro control and used by hundreds of other aircrafts.

ROSENBERG: Except airlines like Quanti, British Airways and Air France and Korean Airlines had been flying well south of Crimea into the Black Sea to get to the same area where this plane was going.

WHITFIELD: On that same day?

ROSENBERG: Yes, on the same day. They had actually instituted that procedure a month before, if not longer than that. Without punting this, Malaysian Airlines was playing a form of Russian roulette by flying over a war zone. It just made no sense. It exposed those families to an untold danger and it just should have never happened.

WHITFIELD: Josh, you want to respond?

ROGIN: I talked to Senator Mark Kirk on Thursday and he urged the Obama administration to press the FAA to change its regulation so that American airliners won't fly over these contested areas and it should also be noted that the legal culpability, according to senators --

WHITFIELD: I think U.S. Airlines have made it clear they have a rule in place and not flying over hostile areas so this is pertaining right now to international carriers over international jurisdictions.

ROGIN: That sort of is like closing the barn door after the horse is already bolted.

WHITFIELD: I guess my point is what leverage would the U.S. have when we are not talking about U.S. carriers?

ROGIN: The U.S. can set the example and hope other international carriers follow along and so they can avoid similar situations.

WHITFIELD: Arthur?

ROSENBERG: This is actually controlled by the International Civil Aviation Organization. They actually, on international flights like these, all of the main carriers describe to this and part of the United Nations. They have the authority to declare a no-fly zone, which actually was in place here up to 32,000 feet. But given the backdrop of four planes that were shot down by these rebels in the month leading up to this accident.

WHITFIELD: Military planes.

ROSENBERG: What was the ICAO doing or thinking? No flights over this war zone should have been authorized and the bottom line is Malaysian Airlines is responsible for the safe operation of the aircraft and the people on board and they just dropped the ball here. As did every other airline that was flying over this war zone on that day.

WHITFIELD: It sounds like you're saying those aviation authorities to allow to permit that kind of flight plan would be culpable too then?

ROSENBERG: Maybe. Maybe.

WHITFIELD: Arthur Rosenberg and Josh Rogin, thanks so much to both of you. Appreciate it.

ROGIN: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, another big story that we are following today. The conflict between Israel and Hamas, it's getting more violent by the minute. Why the situation went from prayers of peace to bloodshed within weeks?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Now to the latest on the fighting between Israeli and Hamas. Palestinian officials say more than 300 people have been killed inside Gaza. Israeli says a rocket from Gaza killed an Israeli man today and wounded four other people. Israeli has focused on tunnels saying Hamas is using to get inside Israeli. They say they have found 13 tunnels so far and have been using explosives to close them up. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to travel to Qatar this weekend in an effort to stop all of this fighting.

It seemed like there was some hope in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict in recent weeks. Pope Francis had a joint meeting with Israeli and Palestinian leaders and whatever ground they gained has apparently now disintegrated. I ask CNN's Fareed Zakaria what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FAREED ZAKARIA, CNN HOST, "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS": It looked the place was calm in some way and you hadn't had much progress on the peace process, that Israeli was booming economically and because of the wall that they had built, there wasn't much terrorism and there was, in fact, virtually none. What we have realized is the absence of the peace process leaves two things.

One, a great deal of frustration on the Palestinian side, enormous frustration. There is a whole generation of Palestinians who have been born and grown up under Israeli occupation who feel that they're never going to get their own state.

On the other side in Israel, you have had a feeling that we tried, we made two, three offers, depending on how you count it, and it's over, we are done and we are going to have to deal with this -- we are just going to kick this can down the road.

There were extreme elements within Israel who relished that prospect. So in a strange way, you had a very dysfunctional situation. You just put a lid on it, but under the lid, the caldron was boiling.

WHITFIELD: The U.S. participation in what takes place this point forward between Israelis and Palestinians, will it be impactful?

ZAKARIA: The U.S. still retains a very special role there. I commend Secretary Kerry in particularly for having made heroic efforts there. It a very rare situation. On CNN a couple of days ago, I heard the leading Palestinian negotiator sing the praises of the United States, its diplomatic efforts. This is an Arab foreign minister or leading Arab statesman who feels so warmly and strongly about America's positive leadership role.

We know that Israeli regards the United States as its closest ally. Where do you find the United States having that much leverage with both parties? That is partly something built by this administration, but previous ones as well, but it's now time to use it. You know to try to find ways to get to the final status stocks. Everybody knows what this is going to look like. You know? Everybody knows that you're going to have to end up with a two-state solution. Let's start talking about that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Fareed Zakaria, thanks so much. You can watch "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS" tomorrow at 10 a.m. Eastern, right here on CNN.

All right, back to our other top story today, the plane shot down in Ukraine killing everyone on board. The blame game has just begun with Russia right in the middle and how Moscow is responding today and who is being banned from the country. Next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Today a pro-Russian separatist leader in Ukraine held a news conference and denied that Russians shot down the mh17 airliner. Ukraine is blaming them of destroying evidence at the crash site which is now an international crime scene. CNN's Chris Cuomo is in Ukraine. He spoke to us from the crash site earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN CO-HOST, CNN "NEW DAY": This is the worst combination of circumstances. You know, this is our job and right now it's actually very valuable because if photographers weren't here preserving the scene with their pictures, I don't think that investigators would have too much to work off of because it's changing so quickly here because of it being contaminated and uncontrolled.

I think the media presence here is actually helping by shining a light on the situation and creating some international pressure and in a situation that just should not be this way. There are two points that are really important. The first one, Fred, we are showing you the tail section of the plane, OK? This live shot is really about what we are not showing you.

So much of this is still so raw and unpreserved. I've never seen anything like it a couple of days into a tragic scene like this. We throw that word around, tragedy. This is the definition of it. Bodies are starting to be moved as you reported. You're 100 percent right, but it's taking so long and we don't know where they are being taken and how they are being handled and there are still many that are out there.

This is an ongoing civil struggle here. I know people don't like that term because of all the political overtones of whose fault this is, but the local militia or whoever you want to call them who is here, they are using their weapons firing in the air to move photographers. They are very much into the show of force.

The law is pretty clear. Ukraine should be in charge of what is going on here. But the problem is Ukraine is not in charge of this part of the country. There is no Ukraine presence here. There is no Ukraine military or Ukraine police. It's just the local militia. So you have this circumstance that needs so much dire attention, Fred.

And you used the right word, dignity. The people who lost their lives and their possessions and family back home needing that closure none of it is happening and it just doesn't has to be this way -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: We are looking at the images of body bags being moved to the side of the road and talk to me about what kind of temperatures we are dealing with there and the decomposition of remains that are scattered about and how this further contaminates the criminal investigation, if you will, as well.

CUOMO: Criminal investigation is going to be compromised, it just will. You have to hope the rational for what happened to the plane is so obvious it doesn't need to be bore out in the forensics. People definitely have taken things from here. I don't know if they moved them somewhere else and catalogued them but, unfortunately, I've been at crash sites like this before.

You do see the personal effects of people the trappings of their lives and cell phones and wallets and none of the valuable things are here and only things that are destroyed and unvaluable except to the families, which is why they need to be preserved. The temperatures are a problem. I think everybody's common sense will dictate when it's hot outside and you're dealing with people who are no longer alive you're going to have a problem.

It could be addressed. This is not the middle of nowhere. We are remote, but they have a way to dealing with this. There are farms in the area that have refrigeration, but they are not showing respect and control.

WHITFIELD: What about the people who live on the farms? Are they staying away or have they also been by this area? Are they trying to assist or at least observe what is happening?

CUOMO: We spoke to some miners who volunteered to come and look for bodies. They are not qualified to do that, but they were willing to do it and they wanted to help. There are many good people here who are caught up in a military situation. I have seen, on our ride out here, I haven't seen trees stripped by artillery the way they are around here in a long time.

It reminds me of the Balkans. Really heavy shelling is going on. The checkpoints people are dug out in trenches and they are laying there. This is an active warfare going on here. That just complicates it further because people are afraid to come out.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right, and since my conversation with Chris Cuomo, we did learn that some Ukrainian authorities did arrive on that scene, Chris told us a little bit later, along with some local miners trying to move some of the bodies, but still unclear where those remains have been taken.

Relations between the U.S. and Russia were pretty cool before Flight 17 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile and now things could get noticeably colder. Russia was released a list of Americans it is banning coming into the Russia. This comes just three days after President Obama announced new U.S. sanctions against Russia over the conflict in Ukraine. President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin talked about those sanctions on Thursday and yesterday, Nr. Obama described the conversation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Time and again, Russia has refused to take the concrete steps necessary to de- escalate the situation. I spoke to President Putin yesterday in the wake of additional sanctions that we had imposed. He said he wasn't happy with them and I told him that we have been very clear from the outset that we want Russia to take the path that would result in peace in Ukraine, but so far at least, Russia has failed to take that path.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Correspondent Diana Magnay is in Moscow and CNN foreign affairs reporter, Elise Labott is joining us from Washington. Good to see both of you, Ladies. So Diana, to you first, is this ban announced today a direct response from Putin to President Obama's comments about these U.S. sanctions?

DIANA MAGNAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A response to the U.S. sanctions certainly. But it's really a response to the fact that the U.S. had broaden the so-called Magnitsky lists, which is a list of Russian citizens banned from traveling to the U.S. So Russia in term in its symmetrical fashion has put 12 Americans on its own Guantanamo list it's called.'

Names who are involved Russia says either with what they consider to be human rights abuses at Guantanamo Bay itself or who are involved somehow in torture of detainees in Russia's eyes at Abu Ghraib prison. Russia putting people on this list and positioning itself as a vanguard of human rights possibly to keep allies like Germany on the side who are having their own problems with countries like the U.S. At the moment as a result of this spying scandal. Russia isn't really the one who can champion human rights so interesting it is trying to on this instance.

WHITFIELD: So Elise, how much worse does this make the relations between U.S. and Russia because it's been very icy lately anyway and this seems it's taking it up a few more levels.

ELISE LABOTT, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS REPORTER: I don't think the sanctions really do anything to aggravate relations. They were already pretty bad. At the same time, it's really what U.S. officials cause a deflection of Russia's possible implications of anything involving the investigation. Sam Power and President Obama pointing the list towards the Russians in terms of not actually saying they are responsible, but they have implications for the support for their separatists.

They say as the evidence comes forward, as this happens, President Putin is not going to be able to keep deflecting this. He has to have some responsibility. I do think that relations between the west and Russia are going to heat up as this investigation plays out.

President Putin will not be able to sure shirk his involvement in these separatists and why Secretary Kerry today spoke with Foreign Minister Lavrov calling for an immediate cease-fire and saying Russia needs to put the pressure on the separatists to allow an independent investigation and allow those access into the crash site.

WHITFIELD: Diana, what country really would have any leverage over Russia?

MAGNAY: Well, there is no one really who Mr. Putin to like to admit does leverage over him. As I mentioned, Germany is an important one because Germany has such big business interests with Russia and also key in blocking tougher sanctions against Russia. But four German citizens were lost in that plane so Germany plays a big role and popular opinion in Russia is very much behind Mr. Putin and it has been really since the annexation of Crimea.

But you can sense a bit of a shift and even in front of the Dutch Embassy, there have been flowers laid out and people asking for forgiveness. There is a sense, even amongst people here, that Russia is somehow implicated in this and needs to change its story -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Diana Magnay, Elise Labott, thanks to both. Appreciate it.

Still to come, the rules of war were broken. Not the rules of aviation. That a top Malaysian official's assessment of the take-down of Flight 17. A live report from Kuala Lumpur next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: In a cruel twist of fate, Malaysia Airlines again drawing the focus of the world, just months after the disappearance of Flight 370, the airlines today released a manifest of the passengers on doomed Flight 17. Two hundred ninety eight victims from 12 different countries are believed dead after the plane was shot out of the sky.

Health advocates and teachers and many students and children. A press conference was held today. Kyung Lah joins me from Kuala Lumpur. So Kyung, Malaysia's transportation minister was particularly blunt this morning. In what way?

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Calling this not just a geopolitical disaster, but a humanitarian disaster as well. When think about the names you were talking about, 298 of them and 12 different countries. The transport minister being very, very blunt saying that this is a crime. It is an outrage and he is calling on the international community to help Malaysia gain access to this, what he is calling a crime site. Here is what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LIOW TIONG LAI, MALAYSIAN TRANSPORT MINISTER: The flight and its operators follow the rules, but on the ground the rules of law war were broken. In unacceptable act of aggression, it appears that MH17 was shot down. Its passengers and crew killed by a missile. These cannot go unpunished.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAH: You're talking about the rules in the air. That is what he was specifically talking about, Fredricka. What is he saying is that international airlines had traversed this space hundreds of times and not had any problems -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Then it just seems unimaginable what Malaysian Airlines is going through. Two unspeakable tragedies in a matter of four months. It would seem almost certain that this would cripple the airlines. Is that the discussion that is happening there?

LAH: Certainly, a lot of people are wondering about that and whenever you get near anyone who is connected to Malaysia Airlines, that's exactly the question that everyone poses. They all say it is too soon to know that answer. One thing we should point out is that Malaysian Airlines itself is clearly saying they understand that people are concerned.

If you're holding a ticket to get onto a Malaysia Airlines, the airline is saying over the next five days if you have a ticket, regardless of whether or not that is a refundable ticket and if you're flying sometime this year, they will give you your money back because they do understand this is a stain on the company and they want to keep customers so that the airline doesn't cave.

WHITFIELD: Even though it is a government-owned and controlled airline. Kyung Lah, thanks so much from Kuala Lumpur.

Now family members and friends are remembering their loved ones on that flight. We will have some of their stories next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The cities we know and love around the world are a mix of old and in new. Historic museums and cobble stone streets mixed with fuel-efficient petroleum, but what will the cities of the future look like? It's the focus of a special CNN Money today at 2:00 Eastern Time. Rachel Crane gives us a preview of what is popping up.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD CRANE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): What if you could build the perfect city from scratch? What would it like? Around the globe, developers are trying to answer the questions. In Songdo, South Korea, it's a $35 billion pre-planned smart city that uses nomadic tubes to transport trash.

In the desert of Abu Dhabi, Masdar City is a $19 billion oasis to sustainable energy. It recycles 80 percent of its water and replacing cars with electric pots. In Japan, a $592 million town called Fujisawa will soon have smart street lights with motion sensors that create an invisible security network.

Each house will also be solar powered and the capability to stay off the grid for up to three days. Many of these massive projects have been government-funded, but increasingly money is coming from private organizations. Fuji is powered by Panasonic. The answer is mixed so far.

Thirty three thousand have moved into Songdo and Fujisawa will only build 1,000 homes. They have recorded economic and scientists teaming to build a satellite campus. The hope is the masses will follow the brains. In each case, these custom built towns seem to be more laboratory than final product and each looking into the future to see what tomorrow's generation will need. One thing seems clear the world's major cities aren't going anywhere but these pop-up cities may very likely show us all how to live better.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RONALD SCHANSMAN, GRANDFATHER OF MALAYSIA CRASH VICTIM: You know, as a parent, you just hope that none of your children or grandchildren go before you and now it has happened. It is the first time it has happened in our family. We always want to live our children out but this time, it didn't work, unfortunately.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: That was the grandfather of victim, Quinn Lucas Schansman expressing the pain over losing his grandson and losing any child for that matter. In all 298 people were on board Malaysia Flight 17 including one American. More than half were from the Netherlands, a nation in mourning.

And that is where we find CNN's Erin McLaughlin. She's in Amsterdam talking with relatives and friends who are trying to come to grips with this tragedy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He posted this to his Facebook account moments before he and his girlfriend boarded MH17 for their summer holiday. He joked this is what the plane looks like in case it goes missing. A reference to Malaysian Flight 370. Hours later, MH17 disappeared from radar and crashed in Eastern Ukraine. A photograph of Shildera and Nilt Stole now sits outside her flower shop.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Lovely girl.

MCLAUGHLIN (on camera): Are you going to miss her?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. And we all.

MCLAUGHLIN (voice-over): The irony not lost on many here that they are now laying flowers at the shop where they used to buy them. In nearby Rotterdam a similar scene. Outside the Chinese restaurant, Asian Glories, I'm told of the moment he learned three family members weren't coming home.

(on camera): When you came to that realization, what was going through your mind at that time?

HUCK CHUAN, VICTIMS' COUSIN: Yes. Everything -- that you lost someone you never expected to. So no words for that.

MCLAUGHLIN (voice-over): The restaurant was the life work of his cousin, Jenny Lo and her husband, Shun Fan. He says their 30-year-old son is struggling to cope.

CHUAN: You build up this restaurant in 20 years. All of the flowers and all of the comments on the internet and always looking for the business and this was their vacation.

MCLAUGHLIN: Another family was also on vacation aboard Flight MH17. Upcoming Deejay Daryl Gunawan was on his way to Vietnam. His close friend and fellow Deejay said he could have been one of the great's.

JOHNY WALIAM, VICTIM'S FRIEND: He was one of the greatest upcoming deejay producer.

MCLAUGHLIN: But that wasn't enough for him. He wanted to give back.

WALIAM: He said, I want to help people, so he was going to study for doctor to help people. I think if you think like that, it's already different level of being human being on this planet.

MCLAUGHLIN: The florist, the restaurateurs, the deejay, some of the Dutch passengers who were killed. This country mourns them all. Erin McLaughlin, CNN, Amsterdam.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: We have much more straight ahead in the NEWSROOM and it all begins right now.