Prayers across Netherlands for victims

Netherlands Ukraine PlaneWorshippers at church services across the Netherlands prayed yesterday for the victims of the Ukraine air disaster and their next of kin, as anger built over the separatist rebels’ hindering of the investigation into the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. The chairman of the Dutch Bishops Conference, Cardinal Wim Eijk, called on church-goers to “pray for strength and courage for the relatives” at services.

Malaysia Airlines retires MH17 flight number

The carrier said in a statement yesterday that beginning Friday, it will no longer use MH17 to identify any of its Amsterdam-Kuala Lumpur flights. It said it is doing so “out of respect for our crew and passengers” who were aboard the plane. The airline said the new flight number replacing MH17 would be MH19.

Victims’ looted credit cards

Dutch banks said Saturday they were taking “preventative measures” after reports of credit cards being looted from the Ukrainian crash site of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. “International media report that victims’ bank cards have been stolen,” the Dutch Banking Association said in a statement. “Banks are taking preventative measures as necessary,” it said, adding that any losses suffered by relatives of the dead would be paid back.

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