Afghanistan Goes To The Polls In Historic Vote

The Front Runners In Afghanistan's Elections

Updated: 1:29pm UK, Saturday 05 April 2014

Here is a guide to the leading contenders in the Afghan elections.

Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai

Known in Afghanistan as Doctor Ashraf Ghani, the American-trained anthropologist returned to his home country after the Taliban were ousted.

He had previously spent more than 25 years abroad during the turbulent years when Afghanistan came under Soviet control, descended into civil war and then was taken over by the Taliban.

During that period he worked for the United Nations and World Bank in the US, Denmark and in south and east Asia.

On his return he held various government posts, including finance minister.

He went on to take part in the disputed 2009 presidential election campaign when he won 4% of the vote, but was beaten by Hamid Karzai.

Mr Ghani is among the strongest backers of a disputed security deal which will keep US troops in Afghanistan beyond 2014.

But he has provoked controversy by picking ethnic Uzbek former warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum as a running mate.

Zalmai Rassoul

A relative of Afghanistan's former royal family, Zalmai Rassoul is seen as an establishment figure.

Although originally a doctor, he became involved in politics when representing the deposed king in 1998 on a body that played a key role in the future transition of the country after the end of the Soviet period.

He held roles in national security before being made Hamid Karzai's foreign minister, often accompanying the president on trips abroad.

Critics say that, if elected, Mr Rassoul would lack the strength and independence to make a break from the old administration, which many have accused of corruption.

But a number of foreign correspondents have said that despite serving for more than a decade in government, he remains untainted by the allegations that have dogged Mr Karzai's tenure in power.

He is comfortable dealing with those at home and abroad, speaking Dari, Pashto, English, French and Italian, among other languages.

He is also the only leading candidate with a woman as one of his vice-presidential running mates. 

Abdullah Abdullah

A former ophthalmologist-turned-fighter against Soviet forces in the 1980s, Mr Abdullah dropped out of a run-off against Mr Karzai in the 2009 election, saying he was concerned about electoral fraud.

He rose to take roles in government in the post-Taliban period having previously been an adviser to Ahmad Shah Masood, a leader in the Northern Alliance.

But he was abruptly dismissed from his role as Afghanistan's foreign minister in 2006 - a role he had previously held in the Northern Alliance when it fought alongside the American-led invasion of the country following the 9/11 attacks.

Mr Abdullah's base of support is the ethnic Tajik community whose rights and cause, although he is half-Pashtun, he has championed.

He spent some of the period during the Soviet-backed regime in Pakistan.

He took part in the 2009 election after registering as an independent candidate.

Other candidates are:

Abdul Rasul Sayyaf: A former warlord with ties to al Qaeda. An MP in the new parliament.

Mohammad Daud Sultanzoy: A former pilot and talk show host who is known for encouraging women to vote.

Qutbuddin Hilal: Former deputy prime minister with links to controversial mujahideen figure Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.

Gul Agha Sherzai: Another former mujahideen member but later governor of two Afghan provinces during Mr Karzai's time.

Hedayat Amin Arsala: A prominent economist and politician who has held several high-ranking government posts.

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Do Not Get Sick, Top Doctor Warns Patients

One of Britain's most senior doctors has warned people not to get ill because the situation in the NHS is so bad.

Sir Richard Thompson, President of the Royal College of Physicians, told Sky News a funding crisis is putting doctors under so much pressure it is putting patients at risk.

When asked where things were headed, Sir Richard said: "I'd rather not think about it. It's already (a) tremendous strain. When people ask me what's going to happen I say don't get ill."

He also warned the health service is "underfunded by billions".

Sir Richard told Sunrise the NHS is "between a rock and a hard place", having to cope with an increasing population at the same time there is a shortage of doctors and nurses.

"The workload is going up at the same time money is being taken out of the NHS," he said, adding some smaller hospitals were already under "tremendous strain" to try and keep going.

"Because nurses and doctors are rushed they know that they can't produce good care."

Sir Richard claims doctors are missing patients' vital signs

Sir Richard added: "If you're not able to give an optimum time to looking after patients, the right number of staff looking after them, there must be some damage."

In an earlier interview with the Guardian, he claimed some doctors are facing caseloads during one shift of up to 70 patients - far more than the maximum 20 regarded as necessary for proper care.

Sir Richard said: "You try standing on your feet for seven hours trying to be on the ball, thinking of the various complications, being nice to patients, for seven hours. It's absolutely destructive.

"Not everyone has 70, but most people are looking after well over 20.

"If you've got over 20 it becomes impossible. The care gets thinner and thinner. It means the consultant can't see the patient as much or indeed as early as they should do, so obviously the standard of care is going to fall."

Sir Richard accused the coalition of cutting the NHS budget despite repeated pledges, including from Prime Minister David Cameron, to protect it from the austerity programme.

"In spite of what weasly words people at the top say, money's been taken out of the NHS," he said, citing the £2.8bn that has been given to social care in the past three years.

As a result, he claimed: "The NHS is under-doctored, under-nursed, under-bedded and under-funded. There are too few doctors to do the increasingly large job to a high standard, and safely, and compassionately."

A Department of Health spokesman responded by saying: "Patient safety and care is a priority for the Government and it is right that we have high expectations for our NHS.

"While the NHS is one of the safest, most efficient healthcare systems in the world we should never shy away from trying to improve standards for patients."

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Missing Plane: Ship Detects Signal In Ocean

A patrol ship searching for the missing Malaysian passenger jet has detected a pulse signal in the Indian Ocean, Chinese state media is reporting.

Xinhua news agency says the signal discovered by Chinese vessel Haixun 01 has a frequency of 37.5kHz per second - the same as that emitted by black-box devices.

A Chinese air force plane has also spotted a number of white floating objects in the search area, according to Xinhua.

Malaysian government sources have confirmed to Sky News that a vessel has detected a signal, but that its origin remains unknown.

The suspected location of the black box

Sky News understands the Malaysians were informed of the development by the Chinese government a few hours before the news emerged.

Australian defence minister David Johnston said he was optimistic about the development but added: "There have been many false leads and we should treat this news with caution."

Even if the signal is from the black box, Mr Johnston said, it could take weeks to recover it.

The apparent signal was detected approximately 1,000 miles (1.6 kilometres) northwest of Perth 10 hours after news channels in China reported that the three Chinese vessels looking for MH370 had relocated to a new search area north of that designated by Australian authorities.

Radar expert Professor David Stupples told Sky News: "If there has been a signal received, it could be the black box or it could be something extraneous.

"I don't know anything (else) that puts out the 37.5kHz signal."

Prof Stupples said he would remain "sceptical" until further evidence emerged.

He added: "My worry is the range. If this is in 2,000-3,000 metres of water, the range of the pinger is one to two kilometres (1,000 to 2,000 metres) at best.

"My recommendation would be to move the ships with the pinger locators very much closer to this, first of all to confirm this is the signal, and then two or three ships around it to do triangulation to fix the location."

Search teams are facing a race against time to find the black box, which a month after the plane went missing is likely to be running out of battery.

It comes after Malaysia's transport minister denied "extraordinary" claims the country was complicit in the disappearance of flight MH370.

In an interview with Sky News on Friday, Mayalsia's main opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said the investigation had been "clearly suspect" and alleged "complicity by authorities on the ground".

HMS Tireless submarine has arrived in the search area

But speaking at a news conference, acting transport minister Hishammuddin Hussein said: "Let me touch on some unfounded allegations made against Malaysia.

"These allegations include the extraordinary assertion that Malaysian authorities were somehow complicit in what happened to MH370.

"I would like to state for the record that these allegations are completely untrue.

"As I've said before, the search for MH370 should be above politics, and so I call on all Malaysians to unite, to stand by our armed forces as they work in difficult conditions thousands of miles from home, and to support all those who are working tirelessly in the search for MH370."

It was also revealed at the news conference that British nuclear submarine HMS Tireless had entered the search area.

The vessel was expected to play a crucial role in the quest to find the plane's black box, which could hold the key to solving the mystery of what happened.

"I spoke via telephone to the British Secretary of State for Defence, Philip Hammond, regarding the nuclear submarine HMS Tireless," said Mr Hussein.

"I hereby confirm the submarine is now in the search area and helping in the search operation."

Up to 10 military planes, three civilian jets and 11 ships have been scouring more than 1,000 square miles of sea off the west coast of Australia.

More follows...

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Briton Shot Dead In Rio De Janeiro Carjacking

A British man has been shot and killed in an attempted carjacking in Brazil, where he was working as an oil worker.

Peter Campsie, from Montrose, in the Scottish county of Angus, was shot dead after his Lexus was intercepted by two gunmen in Rio de Janeiro.

The 48-year-old was on his way home to the city of Macae, north of Rio, after a business meeting when the attack happened on Wednesday.

Gunmen shot Mr Campsie twice as he attempted to flee from the scene in his vehicle, Aberdeen's Press And Journal newspaper reported.

It is understood the operations manager died at the scene of the attack, which took place in Rio's Niteroi municipality in the late afternoon. The gunmen fled empty-handed.

Mr Campsie had been working for Diamond Offshore Drilling International and had lived in Brazil for 16 years.

He shared his home in Brazil with his wife and 10-year-old daughter. He also had two sons, siblings and family in Scotland. 

A statement to the Press and Journal issued by his family said: "He was a man who loved life and and brought so much joy and laughter to those around him.

"Wherever Pete went, the good times followed. A darkness has fallen on us all as we try and make sense of why Pete had to die in the prime of his life.

"He was a loyal friend and father, brother and son who cared deeply about making sure everyone got the best out of their lives. Our anchor has been pulled away so cruelly."

A spokeswoman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "We were made aware of the death of a British national in Brazil on April 2.

"We stand ready to provide consular assistance to the family at this difficult time."

News of the carjacking came as federal troops were sent on to the streets of Rio de Janeiro by Brazil's government to tackle crime.

The city is one of the main hosts for this summer's World Cup Finals and is also set to hold the Olympic Games in 2016.

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Missing Plane: Malaysia 'Concealing Information'

The Malaysian government has been deliberately concealing information about missing flight MH370, the country's main opposition leader has claimed.

In an interview with Sky News, Anwar Ibrahim cast doubt on official accounts coming from the authorities in his country and accused ministers of a "betrayal of trust" over their handling of the crisis. 

Mr Anwar said it was "not only unacceptable but not possible, not feasible" that the plane had not been sighted by Malaysia's sophisticated Marconi radar system immediately after it changed course.

He claimed the radar would have instantly detected the jet as it travelled east to west across "at least four" Malaysian provinces.

Mr Anwar said the MH370 investigation has been "clearly suspect"

He told Sky: "There is no reason as to why they are not able to detect the flight movement.

"If you can allow this to happen, then it is a betrayal of the people's trust. You can not rely on an incompetent ministry to decide on our own security.

"They will have to explain. If they can't, they will have to tell us why this vital piece of information has been concealed from the general public and international community.

He added: "The system is opaque in the sense that they are used to a very compliant media, compliant judiciary, which will only question at the behest of the ruling establishment.

"When the information is available why not cooperate with international authorities and release it?

Mr Ibrahim, who personally knew the pilot of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777,  has called for an international committee to take over the Malaysian-led operation, saying "the integrity of the whole nation is at stake".

He indicated it was even possible that there was "complicity by authorities on the ground" in what happened to the plane and the 239 people on board.

His claims came as Australian authorities launched the underwater phase of the search - but they admitted time is running out to detect pings from the plane's black box recorder.

Mr Anwar said the way the MH370 investigation was handled was "clearly suspect".

"One fact remains. Clearly information critical to our understanding is deemed missing. I believe the government knows more than us," he said. 

Mr Razak met with Mr Abbott at an airbase near Perth

Mr Anwar said it was "baffling" that the country's air force had "remained silent", and suggested that it "should take three minutes under SOP (standard operating procedure) for the air force planes to go. And there was no response".

Mr Anwar's comments follow a pledge made by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and his Australia counterpart Tony Abbott that no effort would be spared to give the families of those on board the answers they need.

The two countries are heading multinational efforts in the Indian Ocean in the hunt for debris to solve the mystery of the jet.

Mr Razak, whose government has been harshly criticised by some victims' families for giving sometimes conflicting information about the flight and for the slow pace of the investigation, described the search as a "gargantuan task".

But he insisted there would be no let up for the sake of the victims' families.

He said: "We owe it to the grieving families to ... give them comfort and closure to this rather tragic event and the world expects us to do our level best.

"We want to find answers. We want to provide comfort to the families and we will not rest until answers are indeed found."

Mr Abbott said Australia was "throwing everything at it" to find the plane, which disappeared on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8.

No trace of the jet has been found almost four weeks after it vanished.

Although Australia is coordinating the ocean search, the investigation into the tragedy ultimately remains Malaysia's responsibility.

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Skydiver's Dramatic Near Miss With 'Meteorite'

A skydiver narrowly avoided serious injury after what has been described as a meteorite hurled past him.

Anders Helstrup jumped from a small plane along with other members of Oslo Parachute Club in Norway.

Moments after his parachute opened, he could feel that something was not quite right.

It was only when he watched back the footage from his helmet camera that he spotted what looked like a stone passing close by.

He told Norwegian news website nrk.no: "When we stopped the film, we could clearly see something that looked like a stone.

"At first it crossed my mind that it had been packed into a parachute, but it's simply too big for that."

He contacted the Natural History Museum in Oslo to try and find out what it was.

A search is now on for the object. Pic: nrk.no.

"The film caused a sensation in the meteorite community," he said.

"They seemed convinced that this was a meteorite, perhaps I was the one who was the most sceptical."

Geologist Hans Amundsen told nrk.no: "It can't be anything else.

"The shape is typical of meteorites - a fresh fracture surface on one side, while the other side is rounded."

He added the footage from the skydive in 2012, which has only just been reported in Norway, captures for the very first time a meteor in "dark flight", the portion of its fall to Earth when it does not emit light.

Asked for his opinion on the probability of capturing such an event, Mr Amundsen told nrk.no: "It's certainly much less likely than winning the lottery three times in a row."

The search is now on to find what fell from the sky on that day in the county of Hedmark.

A website has even been set up to try and get to the bottom of it.

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Schumacher Showing 'Moments Of Awakening'

Formula One ace Michael Schumacher is showing "moments of consciousness and awakening," according to his agent.

The 45-year-old has been in an induced coma since suffering a serious head injury in a skiing accident in the French Alps resort of Meribel in December.

"Michael is making progress on his way. He shows moments of consciousness and awakening," Sabine Kehm said.

"We are on his side during his long and difficult fight, together with the team of the hospital in Grenoble, and we keep remaining confident."

Earlier this week, Ms Kehm told German newspaper Bild: "There are signs that give us encouragement."

The paper also quoted her as denying reports Schumacher's family are building a special medical facility to help care for him at their home.

Schumacher was reportedly travelling at speeds of up to 60mph when the accident happened, and is thought to have been saved by his skiing helmet, which split on impact.

The racing legend's chief doctor said last week that it was unlikely he would ever fully recover from the accident.

Doctor Gary Hartstein wrote on his blog: "As time goes on, it becomes less and less likely that Michael will emerge to any significant extent."

Schumacher left motor racing last year after a disappointing three-year comeback following an earlier retirement from Ferrari at the end of 2006.

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Missing Plane: Race To Find MH370 Black Box

The latest underwater phase of the search for missing flight MH370 is a "desperate move" with limited chance of success, experts have claimed.

Marine salvage and radar experts laid out the scale of the challenge facing search teams, after Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston announced plans to use black box pinger locators deep under the southern Indian Ocean.

Speaking on Sky News, radar expert Professor David Stupples said the pinger locators would be able to cover just 150 square miles a day, in an overall search area of around 87,000 square miles.

A pinger locator can detect signals from the flight recorder

Marine salvage expert John Noble told Sky's Ian Woods the latest phase of the search suggested authorities were getting "desperate" in their search for the plane.

He said: "It's a desperate last-minute move because they know the pinger is going to run out within the next few days and if they don't give it a go now they'll never find it using these techniques."

Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston told a news conference: "The Australian Navy and the Royal Navy have today commenced a sub-surface search for emissions from the black box pinger from Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

A pinger locator being towed by Australia's Ocean Shield vessel

"Using the towed pinger from the US Navy on Australian defence vessel Ocean Shield and a similar capability on HMS Echo, the two ships will search a single 240km (149 miles) track converging on each other."

As the extensive search wears on, Malaysia's opposition leader has accused the government of deliberately concealing information about the missing plane.

Anwar Ibrahim, who personally knew the pilot of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777, called for an international committee to take over the Malaysian-led operation, saying "the integrity of the whole nation is at stake".

The hunt for wreckage is relying on the plane's black box recorders emitting pings that can be detected by equipment on board the ships.

But the battery-powered recorders stop transmitting about 30 days after a crash.

With the clock ticking down since MH370 went missing on March 8,  Mr Houston acknowledged time is running out for search crews.

He said: "The locater beacon will last about a month before it ceases its transmissions - so we're now getting pretty close to the time when it might expire."  

Locating the data recorders and wreckage after the devices stop working is possible, but incredibly difficult.

The area the ships are searching was chosen based on hourly satellite pings the aircraft gave off after it vanished from radar on its route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board.

Ships with helicopters on board have been helping with the search

That information, combined with data on the estimated speed and performance of the aircraft, had led them to that specific part of the ocean, Mr Houston said.

Because the US Navy's pinger locator can pick up black box signals up to a depth of 6,100m (20,000ft), it should be able to hear the devices even if they are lying in the deepest part of the search zone - about 5,800m (19,000 ft) below the surface - if it gets within range of the black boxes.

But the task for search teams is hampered by the size of the search area and the fact the pinger locator must be dragged slowly through the water at just one to five knots, or one to six miles per hour.

Royal Navy submarine HMS Tireless is assisting with the search and has powerful equipment that could detect a black box at up to 10 miles away - but it can only operate to a depth of around 400m.

Finding floating wreckage is key to narrowing the search area, as officials can then use data on ocean currents to try and backtrack to the spot where the Boeing 777 entered the water - and where the data recorders may be.

For relatives of passengers on flight MH370, the agonising wait goes on

Despite weeks of fruitless searching, Mr Houston said he hadn't given up hope something would be found.

"I think there's still a great possibility of finding something on the surface," he said. "There's lots of things in aircraft that float."

The search area has shifted each day, as the investigative team continues to analyse available radar and satellite data while factoring in where any debris may have drifted due to ocean currents and weather.

Mr Houston said: "I think we've probably got to the end of the process of analysis. And my expectation is that we're into a situation where the data we've got is the data we've got and we'll proceed on the basis of that."

He said it was unlikely that any additional pinger locators would join the search any time soon as they are in limited supply.

Although Australia is coordinating the ocean search, the investigation into the plane's disappearance ultimately remains Malaysia's responsibility.

Australia, the US, Britain and China have all agreed to be "accredited representatives" of the investigation.

Four Australian investigators are in Kuala Lumpur to help with the investigation and ensure that information on the aircraft's likely flight path is fed back to search crews. 

The two countries are still working out who will be in charge of the analysis of any wreckage and flight recorders that may be found, Mr Houston said.

On Thursday, the HMS Echo reported one alert as it searched for sonic transmissions from the missing plane's flight data recorder, but it was quickly discounted as a false alarm, the search coordination centre said.

False alerts can come from animals such as whales, or interference from shipping noise.

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Girl Gets Stuck In Drain After Dropping Phone

Firefighters have rescued a 16-year-old girl who became stuck in a storm drain while trying to retrieve her mobile phone.

Ella Birchenough tried to pull herself out of the hole in Dover, Kent, but panicked when she became wedged.

Tim Richards saw Ms Birchenough stuck up to her waist while he was driving home from work and pulled over to help.

"It's not the type of thing you see every day. It was pretty weird," he said.

"She was more concerned about getting her phone back rather than getting herself out of the drain.

"My mum knows her mum and she went to call on her. She was a bit panicky thinking Ella was going to sink, but when she came down to see she saw the funny side."

Ella Birchenough said she "wasn't really even stuck"

Recounting her ordeal, Ms Birchenough said: "I was talking to somebody and I went to put my phone in my pocket and it fell down the drain.

"I thought to myself, 'I'm not leaving this' and I jumped down to get it. I wasn't really even stuck, I just needed somebody to help lift me out but my mum got all panicky.

"When they pulled me out I ran straight home and jumped in the bath. I think it was just water but I wasn't taking any chances."

A Kent Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "A teenage girl was released by firefighters from a storm drain where she had become stuck in Eaves Road, Dover.

"Crews then made the scene safe. The girl was uninjured."

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Deported Yashika Bageerathi 'Very Frightened'

Teenage student Yashika Bageerathi has said she is "very frightened" after landing in Mauritius following her deportation from the UK.

The 19-year-old spoke to the headteacher at the school she attended in north London after she was interviewed by police at the airport.

She is now believed to be looking for somewhere safe to stay in her home country.

Ms Bageerathi's removal from Britain went ahead after a last-ditch attempt to secure an emergency injunction failed on Wednesday evening.

She was put on an Air Mauritius flight at Heathrow, despite more than 175,000 people signing up to a petition calling for the government to halt the deportation.

Lynne Dawes, headteacher at Oasis Academy Hadley in Enfield, north London, said the school was keeping in contact with the A-level student and that the immediate concern was to find her a safe place to stay.

Ms Dawes said the student was feeling "low" and said: "She's feeling the lowest I have heard her be for quite a while. She was also very subdued."

She confirmed four security guards had accompanied Ms Bageerathi on the flight.

The headteacher also said the school was still working to ensure she would be able to complete her A-levels.

Ms Bageerathi had been trying to claim asylum after arriving in the UK with her mother, sister and brother in 2011, saying that a relative had been physically abusive.

She had been held alone at Yarl's Wood immigration detention centre in Bedfordshire since March 19 and had already had two late reprieves from deportation after airlines apparently refused to fly her home.

A spokesman for the Oasis charity, which runs the academy, said they were supporting the family, as well as the student, who he described as "very frightened".

He added: "Yashika's mum is very upset understandably, she's very emotional and she's very worried. Worry is the overriding feeling."

Immigration Minister James Brokenshire told MPs earlier this week that he would intervene only in "exceptional" cases, and this did not fall into that category.

He said Ms Bageerathi's case had been through the proper legal process and resulted in a Home Office decision that she does not need protection from violence or persecution.

The rest of her family are still in Britain, although her mother is due to be deported at a later date.

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Smog Health Problems Spark Leap In 999 Calls

Paramedics say they have seen a rise in the number of patients with breathing problems, as record levels of air pollution lead to warnings about exercising outdoors.

London Ambulance Service said it had received 14% more 999 calls from people with asthma, lung problems and heart conditions, while West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed it had experienced a noticeable spike in emergency calls.

A poll of asthmatics by the charity Asthma UK also found about a third had suffered an attack as a result of the smog, while 84% had used their blue reliever inhaler more often than usual.

Air quality is expected to improve on Friday and Saturday. Pic: Defra

Air pollution has reached record levels in Harrow, northwest London, and Rochester, Kent, with high levels also recorded elsewhere in the country.

Public Health England has advised adults and children with lung problems, as well as adults with heart conditions, to consider reducing strenuous physical exercise, especially outdoors.

The poor air quality is due, in part, to dust from the Saharan desert whipped up by a large storm in north Africa.

Some of the dust has appeared as red speckles on car windscreens and other outdoor surfaces after being deposited by rain.

The smog has shrouded many of Britain's most famous landmarks

However, many of the health fears surround particulates - the tiny chemical particles emitted by diesel-powered cars and industry that can be inhaled deep into the lungs.

Combined with other pollutants including nitrogen dioxide and ozone, these can cause breathing difficulties.

Asthma sufferers and patients with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), a condition which inflames the airways, are particularly vulnerable and may notice their symptoms get worse.

Even those without breathing problems say they have been coughing, wheezing or suffering with sore eyes.

Air pollution reached record levels in parts of London and the South East

Doctors at the Acute Medical Unit in Solihull, near Birmingham, told Sky News there had been a "slight increase" in the number of people coming to them with respiratory problems.

They include Jason Irving, who suffered an asthma attack and was receiving treatment at the unit.

He told Sky News: "I travelled into work as normal this morning and as I was walking in, my chest and my throat were tightening and I was struggling for breath.

"I sat down and occupational health at work had to call an ambulance.

Karen Lytton is treated by a doctor at Solihull's Acute Medical Unit

"I think it could well be to do with the poor air quality."

Karen Lytton, a COPD patient who was also receiving treatment at the centre, added: "It's like when you hold your breath until you can't hold it any longer and then try to breathe again."

The effects of the smog have been felt beyond London, including in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, where a haze hung over the seafront.

Cyclist Karina Da Silva said she was worried about the impact the pollution could have on her health.

People with respiratory problems have been urged to avoid outdoor exercise

"It's odd because I can't see the sea. It's impossible," she said.

"My daughter says her eyes are very itchy and she coughed a little in the morning."

It is not just people whose health is affected by the pollution, with fears contamination may affect penguins at the town's Sea Life Centre.

Christine Pitcher, who helped empty, scrub and refill the animals' enclosure, said: "The penguins have quite delicate air sacs which is how they breathe and any bit of dust or debris on those can make them a little bit sick.

"Obviously we don't want that to happen, especially as we have a couple who are nesting at the moment."

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Airlines Warned To Avoid Crimea Airspace

Airlines have been warned to avoid the airspace over Crimea after it voted to split from Ukraine and was annexed by Russia.

The European Aviation Safety Agency said there were "serious risks to the safety of international civil flights" after Russia said it intended to take over air traffic control over the peninsula.

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Yashika Bageerathi 'To Be Deported Tonight'

Mauritian student Yashika Bageerathi is being driven to Heathrow and will be deported tonight, her school has told Sky News.

The 19-year-old's headteacher Lynne Dawes has said her pupil - whose removal from Britain has sparked a national debate - is due to be deported at 9pm.

A spokesman for Ms Bageerathi's school Oasis Academy Hadley in Enfield, north London said she was "very distresed and worried".

She is being taken from Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire to Heathrow, where she is expected to be put on an Air Mauritius flight at 9pm.

The school spokesman said: "She is on her way in the van but I really hope we can keep her here.

"We're encouraging everyone to tweet Air Mauritius and to phone them to stop this."

Ms Bageerathi received a last-minute reprieve from deportation last month after British Airways refused to fly her home.

The campaign to keep her in the UK has drawn more than 175,000 signatures to an e-petition in support of the promising maths student who is due to sit A-level exams. 

Campaigners are angry that the 19-year-old is being separated from her mother, who is facing deportation at a later date.

Both their asylum cases - claiming they are fleeing a violent relative - have failed.

James Brokenshire, the immigration minister, told MPs he would intervene only in "exceptional" cases - and this one did not fall into that category.

He told MPs that her case had been through the proper legal process and resulted in a Home Office decision that she does not need protection from violence or persecution.

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Air Pollution: 10 Things You Need To Know

By Martin Jefferies, Sky News Online

People with lung and heart problems have been warned to avoid strenuous activity as air quality falls to its lowest possible level across parts of the country. We look at what is behind the increase in air pollution and ask just how serious the problem is.

:: What is causing air quality to drop?

The poor air quality levels sweeping across much of England and Wales are caused by a combination of dust blown in from the Sahara desert and harmful emissions from both the UK and Europe.

Light winds have allowed this cocktail of natural and man-made pollutants to linger in the skies above the country.

:: What is in the air?

As well as dust and sand particles from the Sahara desert, traffic pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter - combined with the ozone created when sunlight reacts with NO2 and VOCs - cause air quality to worsen.

Although these pollutants can cause air pollution close to where they are emitted, they can also travel long distances, with emissions from mainland Europe adding to the current problems in southeast England.

The dust falls to the ground when it rains, leaving a fine residue on car windscreens and other outdoor surfaces. 

Vehicles and industry are the biggest contributors to air pollution

:: What are the health implications?

Air pollution can cause runny eyes and noses, as well as coughs and sore throats, but the effects can be more serious among the very young, the elderly and those with existing lung or heart problems.

Dr Keith Prowse, former chairman of the British Lung Foundation and an honorary medical adviser, told Sky News: "People with asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) should make sure they have their reliever inhalers with them, and those who use preventer inhalers may have been told to double their dose.

"The best advice is not to go out when pollution levels are high and not to take part in strenuous exercise."

Face masks are a common sight in many parts of the world

:: Will people need to start wearing face masks?

Worsening air pollution in places like China has made face masks a must-have accessory for many people.

However, Dr Carol Cooper, a London GP, said: "A good piece of advice is not to bother. They're not generally very effective and wearing one can actually make breathing more difficult.

"Wearing a face mask in somewhere like southeast Asia is more of a cultural thing than a medical one."

Dust from thousands of miles away in Africa is adding to the problems

:: How does sand from the Sahara end up in the UK?

"There are currently strong dust storms across the Sahara and because the winds in the upper atmosphere are blowing in a southerly direction, this is sending the dust and sand particles over western Europe and into the atmosphere over England and Wales," Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said.

"The reason we've seen the orange deposits is because of recent rainfall. Any rain clears the dust from the upper atmosphere, bringing it down to lower levels, and as the water evaporates it leaves behind the orange dust.

Airports are not expecting the Saharan dust to cause significant problems

:: Is the dust likely to cause any disruption to flights?

Many air passengers will remember the chaos caused by the volcanic ash cloud generated by the eruption of Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull in 2010.

Flights were grounded across the UK and Europe amid fears dust could cause engine damage.

However, a spokesman for Nats, the British air traffic control service, said it was "not aware" of any likely disruption to flights, while a British Airways official added: "We are not expecting our customers to be affected in any way."

London and the South East are among the areas worst affected

:: How is air pollution measured?

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) measures air quality on a scale of one to 10, with each number given a different colour to visualise the extent of pollution on a map of the country.

London and the South East, including East Anglia, Essex and Kent, are currently coloured purple, indicating "very high" levels of air pollution, whereas the North, Scotland and Northern Ireland appear green, suggesting levels are much lower.

Beijing, in China, has battled with smog for many years

:: How does air pollution in London compare to other countries?

London appears way down a World Health Organisation (WHO) list of the most-polluted cities in the world, with similar pollution levels to other major cities such as Budapest and Dusseldorf.

The capital is around 13 times less polluted than the city with the worst air quality - Ahwan in southwestern Iran - and has air seven times cleaner than that of Delhi, although it lags behind places such as Munich, Tokyo and Canberra.

Pollution is measured by the average number of tiny particles in the air per cubic metre.

Smog descends on Christmas shoppers in London's Regent Street in 1962

:: Has air quality not been improving in the UK?

There has been a marked improvement in urban air quality over the last two decades.

In 1993, air pollution was at moderate or higher levels for roughly one day in every six. Using the same methodology, that figure is now around one in every 36.

There has been a huge drop in the amount of carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide in the air, but although pollution at the roadside has shown signs of long-term improvement, it has remained relatively stable since 1998.

In February, the European Commission launched legal proceedings against the UK over claims it is years late reaching agreed EU standards.

Smog hangs over many of central London's most famous landmarks

It says levels of toxic gas nitrogen dioxide remain "excessive" and are contributing to respiratory problems and premature deaths.

:: How long is this latest bout of air pollution like to last?

Air quality is expected to return to higher levels by the weekend, helped by outbreaks of rain in the West that will effectively wash away dust and other contaminants from the atmosphere.

However, Ghaffar said: "Rain is only a brief relief from the dust in the atmosphere. A change in wind direction is needed to stop the flow of particles blowing through and from Thursday, that is what we can expect."

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Chainsaw Embedded In Tree Surgeon's Neck

A tree trimmer is lucky to be alive after an accident sent a chainsaw blade several inches into his neck and shoulder.

James Valentine, a 21-year-old from Pennsylvania, was part of a crew pruning trees on Monday afternoon when his chainsaw suddenly kicked back and the blade sliced into him.

His co-workers brought him down from the tree and he was taken to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.

"Just a freak accident, could happened to anybody," he said in an interview from his hospital bed.

"Seeing the blood squirting out was crazy."

Emergency workers removed the motor of the saw, but left the blade in Mr Valentine's neck and shoulder to prevent additional blood loss, said Christine Toevs, the trauma surgeon who operated on him.

James Valentine speaking from his hospital bed

"He was appropriately upset, but his death was not imminent," said Dr Toevs, who serves as medical director of the trauma ICU at Allegheny General Hospital.

"He didn't lose control, he wasn't crying uncontrollably, and he was holding still as best he could."

When he was admitted, Mr Valentine was still able to speak.

"He didn't say very much except to say his name was James," Dr Toevs said.

"We certainly don't ask him 'How do you feel about having a chainsaw stuck in your neck?'."

Fortunately for Mr Valentine, the blade missed his carotid artery and most of the damage was to his shoulder muscle.

He is expected to make a full recovery and might be released from hospital soon. He will, however, need several weeks to completely heal.

Mr Valentine works for Adler Tree Service in Gibsonia.

Dominic Migliozzi, the owner of the company, called the rescue "amazing".

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Smog Shrouds Cities As Desert Sand Blasts UK

Air quality is expected to plummet to its lowest possible level in parts of the UK today, as the country continues to feel the effects of desert sandstorms.

The elderly, people with lung problems and adults with heart conditions have been told to avoid strenuous physical activity, as plumes of dust blown in from the Sahara and deposited by rain send air pollution soaring.

London and the South East, including parts of East Anglia, Kent and Essex, are expected to be worst hit.

However, high pollution levels are expected to spread across much of England and Wales during the course of the day.

The bright red colour shows the dust heading towards the UK

A spokesman for the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the effects will be felt anywhere south of a line stretching from Merseyside to The Wash.

It will be the second day in a row the country has been hit by heightened smog levels.

On Tuesday, Defra recorded "high" to "very high" air pollution levels across East Anglia, parts of southeast England and around the Humber.

The agency spokesman told Sky News: "The high level of air pollution this week is due to a combination of local emissions, light winds, pollution from the continent and dust blown over from the Sahara."

Speckles of 'Sahara dust' on a car windscreen in London

Many in the country have woken up over the last few days to see a thin level of red sand coating cars and streets.

However, unlike the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud of 2010, which caused airports across Europe to shut down amid fears dust could cause engine damage, air traffic controllers said they were "not aware" of any likely disruption to flights.

A spokesman for the Met Office said: "A large amount of sand and dust was swept up by storm winds in the desert, around 2,000 miles away in northwest Africa.

"The airborne particles were blown north to the UK, where they combined with our warm air and were deposited during showers."

Forecaster Paul Hutcheon added: "We usually see this happen several times a year when big dust storms in the Sahara coincide with southerly winds to bring that dust here.

"More dust rain is possible during showers expected later this week."

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), air pollution is the world's most serious environmental health risk.

It found pollution, ranging from cooking fires to car fumes, was linked to seven million deaths in 2012 - roughly one in eight.

Rising smog levels are linked to dust blown from the Sahara

The biggest pollution-related killers were heart disease, stroke, pulmonary disease and lung cancer, the WHO said.

England is not the only place to be hit by increased smog levels recently.

Last month, Paris imposed a day-long driving ban after pollution particles in the air exceeded safe levels for five straight days.

Air quality is expected to return to higher levels by the weekend.

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Pupil, 12, Dies After School Wall Collapses

A 12-year-old schoolgirl has died after a wall collapsed on to her at an Edinburgh school.

Emergency services were called to the accident at Liberton High School, Gilmerton Road, in the south of the city, shortly before 10am.

Ambulance staff treated the girl at the scene, but she was pronounced dead.

Her parents are thought to have been informed.

Parents of children at the school were informed by text message an incident had taken place, and asking them to collect their children.

A policeman outside the comprehensive school where the pupil was killed

Questions are being raised over the cause of the accident.

Students are believed to have voiced safety concerns about the wall that collapsed in the school's PE block.

And Edinburgh City Council has previously been prosecuted for "serious safety failings" at the same school.

Shailesh Shrestha, who has a son at the school, said: "I was in a meeting when I heard what had happened and have come in to collect my son.

"It is concerning that this has happened. You just don't expect this kind of thing to happen inside a school."

Councillor Nick Cook, who represents the Liberton/Gilmerton ward, said: "Our thoughts are first and foremost with the family.

"But serious questions need to be asked as to how this incident managed to come about."

A spokesman for Police Scotland said: "Police in Edinburgh responded to Liberton High School after a wall within the building collapsed, injuring a female pupil at 10am.

"She was treated by ambulance staff on the scene, but was pronounced dead."

He added: "Inquiries into the full circumstances surrounding this incident are on-going and we are working alongside our relevant partner agencies."

A spokesman for Edinburgh City Council said: "A pupil at Liberton High School has sadly died following an incident at the school.

"Senior education staff and health and safety officers from the council are at the school providing support to staff and pupils."

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Twitter: "Awful news from Liberton High. My thoughts and condolences with family & friends."

It has also emerged the city council was fined £8,000 in February after a girl at the school was seriously injured when she fell more than 16 feet as teachers tried to free her from a broken lift.

The student, then aged 15, needed hospital treatment for three fractured vertebrae, bruising over her lower back, and a sprained wrist.

The authority was fined at Edinburgh Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to breaching Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, according to the Health and Safety Executive.

The comprehensive school serves the south of Edinburgh and has 65 staff and 650 pupils.

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Hillsborough Tragedy 'Seared Into Memories'

By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent

The Hillsborough Inquests jury will be expected to reach "significant and critical" judgements on on how each of the 96 disaster victims died, the coroner has said.

Formally opening the inquests, Lord Justice Goldring told jurors who had just been sworn in that in addition to the deaths more than 400 were treated in hospital.

He said: "The disaster is seared into the memories of the very many people affected by it, most notably of course the families of the 96 people."

Lord Justice Goldring

The day began with inquests' barrister Christina Lambert QC reading aloud to a silent courtroom the names of those who died. It took her six minutes.

Hundreds of relatives listened as the coroner told members of the jury: "We shall consider the experience and deaths of each one of the 96 individuals.

"That is something we must never lose sight of during the course of these inquests.

"As part of your task you will ... have to consider the circumstances of their deaths ... whether opportunities were lost that might have prevented the deaths or saved lives."

The coroner said the inquest would comprise 10 sections including a detailed analysis of the emergency service preparation for the day of the disaster and a jury visit to the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield.

A virtual reconstruction of the changes made to the stadium will be shown on screens around the courtroom.

The inquest hearing has seen pictures of crush barriers at the ground's Leppings Lane End, where the Liverpool fans were killed.

The coroner has described how one crush barrier in the relevant terraces was removed prior to the fateful FA Cup semi-final on April 15, 1989.

Lord Justice Goldring pointed out how planning for the 1989 match was modelled on the previous year's semi-final, at which a number of fans had survived crushing.

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Full Transcript Of Last Contact With MH370

A transcript of the final conversations between the control tower and Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been released.

MAS 370 (Kuala Lumpur to Beijing)

PILOT-ATC RADIOTELEPHONY TRANSCRIPT

Departure from KLIA: 8 March 2014

ATC DELIVERY

12:25:53 MAS 370 Delivery MAS 370 Good Morning

12:26:02 ATC MAS 370 Standby and Malaysia Six is cleared to Frankfurt via AGOSA Alpha Departure six thousand feet squawk two one zero six

12:26:19 ATC ... MAS 370 request level

12:26:21 MAS 370 MAS 370 we are ready requesting flight level three five zero to Beijing

12:26:39 ATC MAS 370 is cleared to Beijing via PIBOS A Departure Six Thousand Feet squawk two one five seven

12:26:45 MAS 370 Beijing PIBOS A Six Thousand Squawk two one five seven, MAS 370 Thank You

12:26:53 ATC MAS 370 Welcome over to ground

12:26:55 MAS 370 Good Day

LUMPUR GROUND

12:27:27 MAS 370 Ground MAS370 Good morning Charlie One Requesting push and start

12:27:34 ATC MAS370 Lumpur Ground Morning Push back and start approved Runway 32 Right Exit via Sierra 4.

12:27:40 MAS 370 Push back and start approved 32 Right Exit via Sierra 4 POB 239 Mike Romeo Oscar

12:27:45 ATC Copied

12:32:13 MAS 370 MAS377 request taxi.

12:32:26 ATC MAS37..... (garbled) ... standard route. Hold short Bravo

12:32:30 MAS 370 Ground, MAS370. You are unreadable. Say again.

12:32:38 ATC MAS370 taxi to holding point Alfa 11 Runway 32 Right via standard route. Hold short of Bravo.

12:32:42 MAS 370 Alfa 11 Standard route Hold short Bravo MAS370.

12:35:53 ATC MAS 370 Tower

12:36:19 ATC (garbled) ... Tower ... (garbled)

MAS 370 1188 MAS370 Thank you

LUMPUR TOWER

12:36:30 MAS 370 Tower MAS370 Morning

12:36:38 ATC MAS370 good morning. Lumpur Tower. Holding point..[garbled]..10 32 Right

12:36:50 MAS 370 Alfa 10 MAS370

12:38:43 ATC 370 line up 32 Right Alfa 10. MAS 370 Line up 32 Right Alfa 10 MAS370.

12:40:38 ATC 370 32 Right Cleared for take-off. Good night.

MAS 370 32 Right Cleared for take-off MAS370. Thank you Bye.

LUMPUR APPROACH

12:42:05 MAS 370 Departure Malaysian Three Seven Zero

12:42:10 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero selamat pagi identified. Climb flight level one eight zero cancel SID turn right direct to IGARI

12:42:48 MAS 370 Okay level one eight zero direct IGARI Malaysian one err Three Seven Zero

12:42:52 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero contact Lumpur Radar One Three Two Six good night MAS 370 Night One Three Two Six Malaysian Three Seven Zero

LUMPUR RADAR (AREA)

12:46:51 MAS 370 Lumpur Control Malaysian Three Seven Zero

12:46:51 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero Lumpur radar Good Morning climb flight level two five zero

12:46:54 MAS370 Morning level two five zero Malaysian Three Seven Zero

12:50:06 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero climb flight level three five zero

12:50:09 MAS370 Flight level three five zero Malaysian Three Seven Zero

01:01:14 MAS370 Malaysian Three Seven Zero maintaining level three five zero

01:01:19 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero

01:07:55 MAS370 Malaysian...Three Seven Zero maintaining level three five zero

01:08:00 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero

01:19:24 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero contact Ho Chi Minh 120 decimal 9 Good Night

01:19:29 MAS370 Good Night Malaysian Three Seven Zero

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Missing Plane: Pilots' Conversations Revealed

Full Transcript Of Last Contact With MH370

Updated: 12:36pm UK, Tuesday 01 April 2014

A transcript of the final conversations between the control tower and Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been released.

MAS 370 (Kuala Lumpur to Beijing)

PILOT-ATC RADIOTELEPHONY TRANSCRIPT

Departure from KLIA: 8 March 2014

ATC DELIVERY

12:25:53 MAS 370 Delivery MAS 370 Good Morning

12:26:02 ATC MAS 370 Standby and Malaysia Six is cleared to Frankfurt via AGOSA Alpha Departure six thousand feet squawk two one zero six

12:26:19 ATC ... MAS 370 request level

12:26:21 MAS 370 MAS 370 we are ready requesting flight level three five zero to Beijing

12:26:39 ATC MAS 370 is cleared to Beijing via PIBOS A Departure Six Thousand Feet squawk two one five seven

12:26:45 MAS 370 Beijing PIBOS A Six Thousand Squawk two one five seven, MAS 370 Thank You

12:26:53 ATC MAS 370 Welcome over to ground

12:26:55 MAS 370 Good Day

LUMPUR GROUND

12:27:27 MAS 370 Ground MAS370 Good morning Charlie One Requesting push and start

12:27:34 ATC MAS370 Lumpur Ground Morning Push back and start approved Runway 32 Right Exit via Sierra 4.

12:27:40 MAS 370 Push back and start approved 32 Right Exit via Sierra 4 POB 239 Mike Romeo Oscar

12:27:45 ATC Copied

12:32:13 MAS 370 MAS377 request taxi.

12:32:26 ATC MAS37..... (garbled) ... standard route. Hold short Bravo

12:32:30 MAS 370 Ground, MAS370. You are unreadable. Say again.

12:32:38 ATC MAS370 taxi to holding point Alfa 11 Runway 32 Right via standard route. Hold short of Bravo.

12:32:42 MAS 370 Alfa 11 Standard route Hold short Bravo MAS370.

12:35:53 ATC MAS 370 Tower

12:36:19 ATC (garbled) ... Tower ... (garbled)

MAS 370 1188 MAS370 Thank you

LUMPUR TOWER

12:36:30 MAS 370 Tower MAS370 Morning

12:36:38 ATC MAS370 good morning. Lumpur Tower. Holding point..[garbled]..10 32 Right

12:36:50 MAS 370 Alfa 10 MAS370

12:38:43 ATC 370 line up 32 Right Alfa 10. MAS 370 Line up 32 Right Alfa 10 MAS370.

12:40:38 ATC 370 32 Right Cleared for take-off. Good night.

MAS 370 32 Right Cleared for take-off MAS370. Thank you Bye.

LUMPUR APPROACH

12:42:05 MAS 370 Departure Malaysian Three Seven Zero

12:42:10 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero selamat pagi identified. Climb flight level one eight zero cancel SID turn right direct to IGARI

12:42:48 MAS 370 Okay level one eight zero direct IGARI Malaysian one err Three Seven Zero

12:42:52 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero contact Lumpur Radar One Three Two Six good night MAS 370 Night One Three Two Six Malaysian Three Seven Zero

LUMPUR RADAR (AREA)

12:46:51 MAS 370 Lumpur Control Malaysian Three Seven Zero

12:46:51 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero Lumpur radar Good Morning climb flight level two five zero

12:46:54 MAS370 Morning level two five zero Malaysian Three Seven Zero

12:50:06 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero climb flight level three five zero

12:50:09 MAS370 Flight level three five zero Malaysian Three Seven Zero

01:01:14 MAS370 Malaysian Three Seven Zero maintaining level three five zero

01:01:19 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero

01:07:55 MAS370 Malaysian...Three Seven Zero maintaining level three five zero

01:08:00 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero

01:19:24 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero contact Ho Chi Minh 120 decimal 9 Good Night

01:19:29 MAS370 Good Night Malaysian Three Seven Zero

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Chances 'Missed' To Prevent Baby Death

Opportunities to prevent the death of an 11-month-old boy murdered by his mother were missed, an inquiry has found.

A serious case review has concluded Callum Wilson, who suffered broken bones, was blinded and sustained a brain injury, was let down by authorities. He died in March, 2011.

His mother, Emma Wilson, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 14 years in January for his murder.

The report found professionals missed many opportunities to intervene, and could have prevented his death.

The catalogue of failings identified included not sharing key information with other professionals, and not recognising the "potential significance" of bruising and scratching on a baby.

Donald McPhail, chairman of Windsor and Maidenhead Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB), expressed "collective regret" the risks to Callum were not identified and action taken to protect him.

More follows...

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Missing Malaysia Plane: 'Truth Will Prevail'

Learning Lessons From Missing Flight MH370

Updated: 9:23am UK, Saturday 29 March 2014

By Ian Woods, Senior Correspondent

The small consolation that should come with every airline crash is that the knowledge gained from the tragedy should help prevent it happening again.

But if that were true, we might already know more about what happened to flight MH370.

After the Air France accident of 2009, in which 228 people died when their flight from Brazil plunged into the Atlantic, 120 representatives of the international aviation industry got together to recommend ways to make it easier to find aircraft which crash into the sea. 

None has been implemented.

They suggested that the flight data recorders - the black boxes - should have larger batteries so they would carry on transmitting a beacon for 90 rather than 30 days. 

But bigger batteries mean extra weight and extra cost for the airlines to install them.

They also suggested the recorders should be designed to break away and float to the surface, rather than sink to the sea floor along with the rest of the fuselage.

And that the frequency of the transmission should be altered to boost how far away it can be heard, beyond its current 2,000 metre maximum.

Salvage expert David Mearns, from Blue Water Recoveries, told Sky News: "If you reduce that frequency, the lower the frequency, the greater the range. 

"You go from 37.5khz , to say, 8.8khz as recommended, I think that would increase the range to over 10,000 metres.

"So that's a five times increase in your detectable range and that would help the teams out there now looking for these black boxes."

As for why the recommendations weren't acted upon? 

"It's a very big industry. It's an international industry," said Mr Mears.

"It takes a lot of time for these things to work themselves through the regulations; how they would operate, how the pilots would be trained to use them; they have to be implemented on the aircraft, so it takes years for these things to be done."

In an age when we can all track most passenger aircraft on our smartphones and computers, how can a plane still go missing? 

Most, but not all, areas of the world are now covered by the Acars ADS-B system, allowing them to be constantly tracked. Although smaller, older aircraft are not equipped.

There are new regulations being introduced around the world compelling airlines to fit them in all passenger aircraft. 

But in some places the deadline is 2020.  

Mikael Robertsson, the founder of Flightradar24.com, told Sky: "Maybe authorities in these countries don't want to rush or I guess it costs quite a lot of money for airlines to upgrade their equipment on board."

In any case, it appears the system on MH370 was switched off. 

One current 777 pilot told Sky he could not think of a good reason why he would do such a thing. 

And with so many flights criss-crossing vast expanses of water, knowing the plane's last position is crucial to a swift recovery. 

Mr Robertsson said: "I think this is something that should be discussed: How much pilots should be able to turn off, and how easy it should be to turn some systems off?"

The backgrounds of the pilots have been scrutinised to assess the likelihood of criminal or suicidal behaviour. 

Professor Robert Bor is a clinical psychologist who has studied those who fly, and was specifically asked to review an incident involving an American Jet Blue pilot who had a psychotic episode while flying from New York to Las Vegas.

Captain Clayton Osbon left the cockpit and screamed at passengers before being subdued by some of those on board. 

His co-pilot landed the plane safely in Texas. 

Prof Bor and others concluded there were no warning signs beforehand which could have prevented the incident.     

"Every year an airline pilot will have at least two formal medical checks which address not just their physical health but their mental health. Every time they are doing the job they are scrutinised by people."

Pilot suicide is not unheard of, and is considered the most likely explanation for the crash of an Indonesian SilkAir flight in 1997. 

The pilot was heavily in debt - 104 passengers and crew were killed.

Airlines may also be studying how Malaysia Airlines has handled the disaster from a public relations perspective. 

The families of the passengers have gone from grieving to protesting, angry at being kept waiting for news, furious about misinformation, and the final indignity - some of them were told the plane had crashed by text message. 

Crisis management expert Raine Marcus told Sky News: "The communications with the families didn't inspire trust from the beginning.

"If you don't build up trust and goodwill right from the beginning, that has a direct impact afterwards on communications with the families and also directly on your business."

In the months and years ahead, as details emerge of what happened to MH370, there will undoubtedly be calls for lessons to be learned.

And in the meantime millions of us will continue to fly, hoping that our flight will not be one of the very rare ones, which does not have a safe landing.

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Climate Change: Our Way Of Life 'In Jeopardy'

The impact of climate change is likely to be "irreversible" and could lead to wars as extreme weather and poverty cause social unrest, a major UN report has found.

The health, homes, food supply and safety of people in rich and poor countries alike will be affected by global warming, according to a report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

The report said the impact was already being felt and would increase with every additional degree that temperatures rose.

The world is in "an era of man-made climate change" and has already seen impacts of global warming on every continent and across the oceans, the report said.

The report - commissioned by the governments of 195 countries - concludes that flooding, droughts, heatwaves and wildfires will pose a massive threat to humans as climate change worsens.

Greenland is threatened by melting Arctic ice

IPCC chair Rajendra Pachauri said: "Nobody on this planet is going to be untouched by the impacts of climate change."

Experts are warning that in many cases, people are ill-prepared to cope with the risks of a changing climate.

Climate change could massively impact on world food production. Source: WRI

The document, unveiled in Yokohama in Japan after a five-day meeting, gives the starkest warning yet by the IPCC of extreme consequences from climate change, and delves into greater detail than ever before into the impact at regional level.

The White House said it is taking the report as a call for action.

Secretary of State John Kerry said: "Read this report and you can't deny the reality: Unless we act dramatically and quickly, science tells us our climate and our way of life are literally in jeopardy."

Air pollution in Beijing

Food security will be hit by reduced yields in wheat, rice and maize crops, while climate change will also exacerbate existing health problems, and lead to more heatwave-related deaths, malnutrition and disease, the report said.

Increasing numbers of people are set to be displaced by extreme weather events, and the impacts of rising temperatures could contribute to a greater risk of violent conflicts by worsening problems such as poverty.

The report's publication has renewed calls from scientists and campaigners for action to cut greenhouse gases and to help vulnerable people adapt to "already-unavoidable impacts of climate change".

Risk of coastal and inland flooding in UK 'is set to increase'

Vicente Barros, co-chair of the IPCC study, from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, said: "We live in an era of man-made climate change.

"In many cases, we are not prepared for the climate-related risks that we already face. Investments in better preparation can pay dividends both for the present and for the future."

Princeton University professor Michael Oppenheimer, one of the main authors of the 32-volume report, warned: "We're all sitting ducks."

Wildfires are projected to be an even bigger threat

Professor Sam Fankhauser, of the London School of Economics, who is a contributing author to the report, said: "In the UK and the rest of northern Europe, we will need to cope with increasing risks from coastal and inland flooding, heatwaves and droughts.

"The UK and all rich countries must also provide significant support to help poor countries, which are particularly vulnerable, to cope with the impacts of climate change."

The report is the second chapter of the fifth assessment by the IPCC, set up in 1988 to provide neutral, science-based guidance to governments.

The last overview, published in 2007, unleashed a wave of political action that strived but failed to forge a worldwide treaty on climate change in Copenhagen in 2009.

The latest report builds on previous IPCC forecasts that global temperatures will rise 0.3-4.8C (0.5-8.6F) this century, on top of roughly 0.7C since the Industrial Revolution.

Seas will rise by 26-82cm (10-32in) by 2100, it is predicted.

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Police Shooting Video Sparks Violent Protests

Officers in riot gear have clashed with demonstrators in Albuquerque after video emerged of police shooting dead a homeless man.

Police fired tear gas, charged at protesters and made several arrests after the 10-hour demonstration in the New Mexico city on Sunday. 

Albuquerque's mayor, Richard Berry, said the protest had turned from peaceful into "mayhem".

Scores of protesters were arrested

"We respected their rights to protest obviously," Mr Berry said, "but what it appears we have at this time is individuals who weren't connected necessarily with the original protest.

"They've taken it far beyond a normal protest."

The protesters blocked traffic, tried to get on freeways and shouted anti-police slogans.

Gas canisters were thrown outside police headquarters, while rocks were hurled at officers, with at least one injured, according to news reports.

The mayor said the demonstration turned into 'mayhem'

People are angry over Albuquerque police's involvement in 37 shootings, 23 of them fatal, since 2010.

One shooting in particular, that of homeless camper James Boyd in the city's foothills, has outraged citizens.

The March 16 incident was captured on video and followed a long stand-off.

Police released the video, taken from a helmet camera, and insisted the shooting was justified.

The protest began during the day and lasted for about 10 hours

They said they wanted Mr Boyd to move and stop illegally camping in an open space, but he refused to comply and threatened police.

The FBI has opened an investigation.

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