The Air France jet which went missing over the Atlantic sent 24 error messages minutes before it crashed, French investigators say.Investigators also said the plane's autopilot was not on, though they do not know if it had been switched off or was not working. Weather experts said there was no evidence storms the plane encountered were "exceptional" for the season. The Airbus A330 vanished en-route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris on Monday. Officials do not know what triggered the plane's problems, but it was flying through an area of thunder storms and turbulence.
The Air France jet which went missing over the Atlantic sent 24 error messages minutes before it crashed, French investigators say.
Investigators also said the plane's autopilot was not on, though they do not know if it had been switched off or was not working.
Weather experts said there was no evidence storms the plane encountered were "exceptional" for the season.
The Airbus A330 vanished en-route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris on Monday.
Officials do not know what triggered the plane's problems, but it was flying through an area of thunder storms and turbulence.
The Air France jet that crashed last week into the Atlantic carrying 228 passengers and crew, transmitted 24 error messages, including that the autopilot had been disengaged minutes before it disappeared.In the Airbus A330's last minutes, automated radio transmissions logged a catalogue of failures, beginning with the disengagement of the autopilot and ending with a drastic drop in the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the plane, consistent with either the breakup of the aircraft or a rapid descent.As investigators continued to search for wreckage from the worst aviation disaster in a decade, the focus of the inquiry appeared to be upon the reliability of an air-speed sensor called the Pitot tubes. Air France had ordered that they be upgraded more than a year ago but the work had apparently not been carried out on the stricken plane.
The Air France jet that crashed last week into the Atlantic carrying 228 passengers and crew, transmitted 24 error messages, including that the autopilot had been disengaged minutes before it disappeared.
In the Airbus A330's last minutes, automated radio transmissions logged a catalogue of failures, beginning with the disengagement of the autopilot and ending with a drastic drop in the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the plane, consistent with either the breakup of the aircraft or a rapid descent.
As investigators continued to search for wreckage from the worst aviation disaster in a decade, the focus of the inquiry appeared to be upon the reliability of an air-speed sensor called the Pitot tubes. Air France had ordered that they be upgraded more than a year ago but the work had apparently not been carried out on the stricken plane.
Search crews have found two bodies believed to be from the missing Air France flight which disappeared over the Atlantic with five Britons on board, Brazil's air force have said. All 228 people on board, including 12 crew, a baby and seven children, are thought to have perished in the world's worst aviation disaster since 2001.The discovery comes on the day French investigators said the communications system on flight AF 447, which was en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris last Sunday, transmitted 24 error messages ahead of the flight's disappearance and its autopilot was not working.Colonel Jorge Amaral, a spokesman for the Brazilian air force, said two male bodies were recovered from an area where the jet is believed to have crashed.They were picked up roughly 400 miles northeast of the Fernando de Noronha islands off Brazil's northern coast, he said. He added that a suitcase containing a plane ticket for the flight was also found.
Search crews have found two bodies believed to be from the missing Air France flight which disappeared over the Atlantic with five Britons on board, Brazil's air force have said.
All 228 people on board, including 12 crew, a baby and seven children, are thought to have perished in the world's worst aviation disaster since 2001.
The discovery comes on the day French investigators said the communications system on flight AF 447, which was en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris last Sunday, transmitted 24 error messages ahead of the flight's disappearance and its autopilot was not working.
Colonel Jorge Amaral, a spokesman for the Brazilian air force, said two male bodies were recovered from an area where the jet is believed to have crashed.
They were picked up roughly 400 miles northeast of the Fernando de Noronha islands off Brazil's northern coast, he said. He added that a suitcase containing a plane ticket for the flight was also found.
A presidential candidate and a former defence minister have been shot dead by soldiers in Guinea-Bissau who accused them of plotting a coup.Baciro Dabo, a minister and a contender in the election due to be held this month, was killed at his home. The authorities say he resisted arrest but allies insist he was asleep with his wife when he was shot. Former Defence Minister Helder Proenca and two of his guards were also killed in the unstable West African country.
A presidential candidate and a former defence minister have been shot dead by soldiers in Guinea-Bissau who accused them of plotting a coup.
Baciro Dabo, a minister and a contender in the election due to be held this month, was killed at his home.
The authorities say he resisted arrest but allies insist he was asleep with his wife when he was shot.
Former Defence Minister Helder Proenca and two of his guards were also killed in the unstable West African country.
Nine Peruvian police officers seized by indigenous protesters in Bagua have been killed during a rescue bid which freed 22 others, officials say.A further seven were still missing after the military moved to free them from protesters angry at plans to drill for oil and gas on ancestral land. The hostages were taken on Friday during clashes which left at least 22 tribesmen and 11 policemen dead. It was not immediately clear how the new deaths occurred.
Nine Peruvian police officers seized by indigenous protesters in Bagua have been killed during a rescue bid which freed 22 others, officials say.
A further seven were still missing after the military moved to free them from protesters angry at plans to drill for oil and gas on ancestral land.
The hostages were taken on Friday during clashes which left at least 22 tribesmen and 11 policemen dead.
It was not immediately clear how the new deaths occurred.
North Korea's recent actions were "extraordinarily provocative" and the US does not mean to "reward" them, President Barack Obama has said.Mr Obama was referring to North Korea's latest nuclear and missile tests. "We are going to take a very hard look at how we move forward on these issues," he said. The UN Security Council is discussing tightening sanctions against Pyongyang, which is believed to be planning a long-range missile test this month.
North Korea's recent actions were "extraordinarily provocative" and the US does not mean to "reward" them, President Barack Obama has said.
Mr Obama was referring to North Korea's latest nuclear and missile tests.
"We are going to take a very hard look at how we move forward on these issues," he said.
The UN Security Council is discussing tightening sanctions against Pyongyang, which is believed to be planning a long-range missile test this month.
Troops in the Philippines have seized a separatist camp and killed 30 rebels on Mindanao island, the military says.The army said its soldiers found large caches of weapons and ammunition when they entered the base at the end of days of fighting. However, the rebels of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are reported to have denied the military's claims. Hundreds have died and many thousands have been displaced on Mindanao since peace talks foundered in August 2008. The military spokesman, Lt Gen Jonathan Ponce, said bodies were found inside concrete bunkers near the town of Guindulungan which he described as a "bomb factory".
Troops in the Philippines have seized a separatist camp and killed 30 rebels on Mindanao island, the military says.
The army said its soldiers found large caches of weapons and ammunition when they entered the base at the end of days of fighting.
However, the rebels of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are reported to have denied the military's claims.
Hundreds have died and many thousands have been displaced on Mindanao since peace talks foundered in August 2008.
The military spokesman, Lt Gen Jonathan Ponce, said bodies were found inside concrete bunkers near the town of Guindulungan which he described as a "bomb factory".
Campaigning has ended in Lebanon, a day ahead of Sunday's crucial election that pits the ruling Western-backed coalition against a Hezbollah-led bloc.Analysts predict a close result between the US-backed 14 March alliance, which has a small majority in parliament, and its rivals, backed by Syria and Iran. Thousands of Lebanese expatriates have flown home to vote. Some 50,000 security personnel have been deployed to prevent violence, although none has been reported so far.
Campaigning has ended in Lebanon, a day ahead of Sunday's crucial election that pits the ruling Western-backed coalition against a Hezbollah-led bloc.
Analysts predict a close result between the US-backed 14 March alliance, which has a small majority in parliament, and its rivals, backed by Syria and Iran.
Thousands of Lebanese expatriates have flown home to vote.
Some 50,000 security personnel have been deployed to prevent violence, although none has been reported so far.
Two detained aides to radical cleric Sufi Mohammad have been killed during a militant ambush in Pakistan's Swat valley, the country's military says.The pair, arrested on Friday, died when rebels attacked a convoy transporting prisoners to Peshawar, officials said. The men - Muhammad Alam and Ameer Izzat Khan - were senior aides to Sufi Mohammed, the father-in-law of the Taliban leader in the Swat valley. The army said one soldier was also killed in the attack. Military officials said suspected Taliban rebels ambushed the prisoner convoy en route to Peshawar early on Saturday. There was a gun battle between rebels and security forces, with at least one report suggesting the convoy was hit by a roadside bomb.
Two detained aides to radical cleric Sufi Mohammad have been killed during a militant ambush in Pakistan's Swat valley, the country's military says.
The pair, arrested on Friday, died when rebels attacked a convoy transporting prisoners to Peshawar, officials said.
The men - Muhammad Alam and Ameer Izzat Khan - were senior aides to Sufi Mohammed, the father-in-law of the Taliban leader in the Swat valley.
The army said one soldier was also killed in the attack.
Military officials said suspected Taliban rebels ambushed the prisoner convoy en route to Peshawar early on Saturday.
There was a gun battle between rebels and security forces, with at least one report suggesting the convoy was hit by a roadside bomb.
At least one person has died in a blast at a police building in the Pakistani capital Islamabad, reports say.The explosion comes just a day after a bomb attack on a mosque in North-West Pakistan, in which 38 people died.
At least one person has died in a blast at a police building in the Pakistani capital Islamabad, reports say.
The explosion comes just a day after a bomb attack on a mosque in North-West Pakistan, in which 38 people died.
Senior police official Bin Yameen said three other people have been injured. One is said to be in a serious condition. The bomber detonated his device in the building's courtyard after being shot by officers as he ran towards them. The attack occured at 8.30pm local time. The police station housed an emergency call centre. "It was a suicide attack," said police officer Ihsan Ullah. "A man walked up to a police helpline centre, the security tried to stop him but he exploded himself, killing one and injuring three others."
Senior police official Bin Yameen said three other people have been injured.
One is said to be in a serious condition.
The bomber detonated his device in the building's courtyard after being shot by officers as he ran towards them.
The attack occured at 8.30pm local time. The police station housed an emergency call centre.
"It was a suicide attack," said police officer Ihsan Ullah.
"A man walked up to a police helpline centre, the security tried to stop him but he exploded himself, killing one and injuring three others."
