Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 04 April 2015 | 16.15
Hardline Somali al Shabaab extremists who have carried out an armed raid on a university in eastern Kenya are responsible for a catalogue of deadly terror attacks in the region.
With the raid in Garissa the latest, here are some of the other atrocities committed by the group:
Guests flee the al Shabaab attack on the Maka Al-Mukarramah Hotel
March, 2015: At least 24 people, including six militants, were killed during a siege at the Maka Al-Mukarramah Hotel in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu.
February, 2015: A suicide attack at the Central Hotel in Mogadishu killed 25 people and wounded 40 others. Government officials were meeting in the hotel at the time, and Mogadishu's deputy mayor and two legislators were among the dead.
1/9
Gallery: Terror Attack At Kenyan University
A siege by militants at a university in eastern Kenya has ended after four gunmen were killed. At least 147 people have been killed, with 79 confirmed as wounded
Somalia's al Shabaab terror group has claimed responsibility for the pre-dawn attack, which began when many students were sleeping
Five people have been arrested in connection with the massacre of 148 people at Kenya's Garissa University, as the al Shabaab terror group threatened more bloodshed.
The arrests, confirmed by the Kenyan interior ministry, come after a reward of £148,370 was offered for the capture of alleged mastermind, former teacher Mohammed Mohamud.
At least 148 people were killed and 79 hurt as Somalia's al Shabaab extremists targeted Christians, some praying at a lecture hall.
The hall was one of the first sites the gunmen targeted.
That suggested the masked attackers, who were strapped with bombs and armed with AK-47s, planned their operation extensively, said students.
Video:Timeline: al Shabaab Attacks
They claimed many victims were forced to phone their parents and urge them to call for Kenyan troops to leave Somalia - before they were shot.
Others appeared to have been killed by knives in the attack in eastern Kenya, near the Somali border.
But some students were freed, apparently because they were Muslim.
The 12-hour siege ended with four gunmen killed and one suspect arrested.
Video:Footage Emerges From Kenya Massacre
The militant group has struck Kenya several times in recent years including at the Westgate Mall in Nairobi in 2013 where 67 people were killed.
Al Shabaab said the attack was in retaliation for Kenya sending troops to Somalia in 2011 to fight the militants and stabilise the Mogadishu government.
They warned of "another bloodbath" in a "long and gruesome war", saying in an emailed statement: "Not only are you condoning your government's oppressive policies by failing to speak out against them, but are reinforcing their policies by electing them.
"You will, therefore, pay the price with your blood."
Written By Unknown on Jumat, 03 April 2015 | 16.15
Hardline Somali al Shabaab extremists who have carried out an armed raid on a university in eastern Kenya are responsible for a catalogue of deadly terror attacks in the region.
With the raid in Garissa the latest, here are some of the other atrocities committed by the group:
Guests flee the al Shabaab attack on the Maka Al-Mukarramah Hotel
March, 2015: At least 24 people, including six militants, were killed during a siege at the Maka Al-Mukarramah Hotel in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu.
February, 2015: A suicide attack at the Central Hotel in Mogadishu killed 25 people and wounded 40 others. Government officials were meeting in the hotel at the time, and Mogadishu's deputy mayor and two legislators were among the dead.
1/9
Gallery: Terror Attack At Kenyan University
A siege by militants at a university in eastern Kenya has ended after four gunmen were killed. At least 147 people have been killed, with 79 confirmed as wounded
Somalia's al Shabaab terror group has claimed responsibility for the pre-dawn attack, which began when many students were sleeping
After exhausting and contentious talks, Iran and six world powers have agreed on a framework for a deal that would curb Iran's nuclear programme.
The apparent breakthrough came after talks were twice extended beyond a 31 March deadline to reach an outline for a deal.
Speaking at the White House, President Barack Obama called it a "good deal" that would address concerns about Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called it a "win-win outcome".
The deal needs to be finalised by the end of June.
John Kerry (2nd L) and others watch a tablet in Lausanne as Mr Obama speaks
Among some of the key points to the pending deal was Iran's agreement to halt construction of any new uranium enrichment facilities for 15 years, US Secretary of State John Kerry said.
Iran would also reduce its current number of centrifuges from 19,000 to 6,104, and all enriched uranium would be capped at 3.67%, which is standard for civilian nuclear power.
Video:Obama Announces Iran Deal
Iran also agreed to reduce its current stockpile of low-enriched uranium from 10,000kg to 300kg for 15 years, Mr Kerry said.
The top US diplomat called Thursday's breakthrough a "critical milestone" in the quest to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
He added, however, that many technical details needed to be worked out ahead of the 30 June deadline for a final accord.
Western powers have been working to reach a deal that would stop Iran from developing the capacity to build a nuclear weapon, in exchange for easing international sanctions that are crippling its economy.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said an end to the nuclear-related sanctions would be "a major step forward" for the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Video:'True Dialogue Can Solve Problems'
"We have stopped a cycle that was not in the interest of anybody," Mr Zarif said from Switzerland.
"I hope that at the end of this process we will all show that through dialogue and engagement with dignity we can in fact resolve problems, open new horizons and move forward."
According to the framework agreement, the sanctions would only be lifted after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had verified that Iran took all agreed steps.
Mr Obama hailed the breakthrough as "historic".
"It is a good deal - a deal that meets our core objectives," he said.
Video:3 March: Israeli PM Warns Of Threat
"This framework would cut off any pathway that Iran could take to develop a nuclear weapon."
Preempting critics of the pending deal, the President added: "If Iran cheats, the world will know. If we see something suspicious we will inspect it."
The American leader also spoke by telephone with Mr Netanyahu, perhaps the sharpest critic of the diplomacy with Iran.
The Israeli prime minister told Obama a deal based on the agreement "would threaten the survival of Israel".
Iran has said its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.
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Video:Footage Emerges From Kenya Massacre
Video has emerged of the massacre at a university campus in north-eastern Kenya in which 147 people were killed by Islamist extremists.
It shows students running for their lives and hiding behind bushes as bullets whistle through the air.
Four masked al Shabaab gunmen rampaged through Garissa University College at dawn on Thursday in the group's deadliest attack in the country.
They were eventually killed by security forces 13 hours later after a lengthy gun battle.
The suspected mastermnd of the attack, Mohammed Mohamud
The attackers, who were strapped with bombs and armed with AK-47s, singled out non-Muslim students and gunned them down without mercy, survivors said.
They took dozens of hostages in a dormitory as they battled troops and police before they were hit by gunfire and exploded, according to Interior Minister Joseph Nkaissery.
1/9
Gallery: Terror Attack At Kenyan University
A siege by militants at a university in eastern Kenya has ended after four gunmen were killed. At least 147 people have been killed, with 79 confirmed as wounded
Somalia's al Shabaab terror group has claimed responsibility for the pre-dawn attack, which began when many students were sleeping
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The militants, who have links to al Qaeda, have in the past vowed retribution against Kenya for sending troops to Somalia
]]>
The militants shot dead dozens before setting Muslims free and holding Christians and others hostage at Garissa University
]]>
Survivors said the masked attackers singled out non-Muslim students and gunned them down
]]>
He said most of the victims were students, but two security guards, one policeman and one soldier were also killed.
At least 79 people were wounded on the campus, which lies 145km (90 miles) from the Somali border. Some were flown to the capital Nairobi for treatment.
One suspected extremist was arrested as he tried to flee, Mr Nkaissery told a news conference.
One survivor, Collins Wetangula, told The Associated Press he was about to take a shower when he heard gunshots coming from a nearby dormitory, one of six on the campus.
"All I could hear were footsteps and gunshots. Nobody was screaming because they thought this would lead the gunmen to know where they are," he said.
He added: "The gunmen were saying, 'Sisi ni al-Shabab'" - Swahili for "We are al Shabaab."
Video:Militants Kill Dozens In Rampage
He said he heard the attackers arrive at his dormitory, open the doors and ask if those inside were Muslims or Christians.
"If you were a Christian, you were shot on the spot," he said. "With each blast of the gun, I thought I was going to die."
He said fortunately soldiers then arrived and took him and around 20 others to safety.
Another student, Augustine Alanga, said the attack began at about 5.30am as morning prayers were under way at the university mosque, where worshippers were left alone.
At least five heavily-armed gunmen opened fire outside his dormitory, sparking panic, he told AP. He said some students remained indoors but scores of others fled with the attackers firing at them.
Police say the massacre may have been masterminded by Mohammed Mohamud and are offering a large reward for information leading to his capture.
Video:Nov 2014: Al Shabaab Bus Massacre
Also known by the names Dulyadin and Gamadhere, he was a teacher at an Islamic religious school, or madrassa, and claimed responsibility for a bus attack in Makka, Kenya, in November that killed 28 people.
A spokesman for Somalia-based al Shabaab said the college attackers were members of their al Qaeda-linked group.
Al Shabaab has been blamed for a series of attacks in Kenya, including the siege at the Westgate Mall in Nairobi in 2013 that killed 67 people, as well as other violence in the north.
The group has vowed to retaliate against the government for sending troops to Somalia in 2011 to tackle militants staging cross-border raids.
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Video Of Massacre At Kenya University Campus
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Video:Footage Emerges From Kenya Massacre
Video has emerged of the massacre at a university campus in north-eastern Kenya in which 147 people were killed by Islamist extremists.
It shows students running for their lives and hiding behind bushes as bullets whistle through the air.
Four masked al Shabaab gunmen rampaged through Garissa University College at dawn on Thursday in the group's deadliest attack in the country.
They were eventually killed by security forces 13 hours later after a lengthy gun battle.
The suspected mastermnd of the attack, Mohammed Mohamud
The attackers, who were strapped with bombs and armed with AK-47s, singled out non-Muslim students and gunned them down without mercy, survivors said.
They took dozens of hostages in a dormitory as they battled troops and police before they were hit by gunfire and exploded, according to Interior Minister Joseph Nkaissery.
1/9
Gallery: Terror Attack At Kenyan University
A siege by militants at a university in eastern Kenya has ended after four gunmen were killed. At least 147 people have been killed, with 79 confirmed as wounded
Somalia's al Shabaab terror group has claimed responsibility for the pre-dawn attack, which began when many students were sleeping
]]>
The militants, who have links to al Qaeda, have in the past vowed retribution against Kenya for sending troops to Somalia
]]>
The militants shot dead dozens before setting Muslims free and holding Christians and others hostage at Garissa University
]]>
Survivors said the masked attackers singled out non-Muslim students and gunned them down
]]>
He said most of the victims were students, but two security guards, one policeman and one soldier were also killed.
At least 79 people were wounded on the campus, which lies 145km (90 miles) from the Somali border. Some were flown to the capital Nairobi for treatment.
One suspected extremist was arrested as he tried to flee, Mr Nkaissery told a news conference.
One survivor, Collins Wetangula, told The Associated Press he was about to take a shower when he heard gunshots coming from a nearby dormitory, one of six on the campus.
"All I could hear were footsteps and gunshots. Nobody was screaming because they thought this would lead the gunmen to know where they are," he said.
He added: "The gunmen were saying, 'Sisi ni al-Shabab'" - Swahili for "We are al Shabaab."
Video:Militants Kill Dozens In Rampage
He said he heard the attackers arrive at his dormitory, open the doors and ask if those inside were Muslims or Christians.
"If you were a Christian, you were shot on the spot," he said. "With each blast of the gun, I thought I was going to die."
He said fortunately soldiers then arrived and took him and around 20 others to safety.
Another student, Augustine Alanga, said the attack began at about 5.30am as morning prayers were under way at the university mosque, where worshippers were left alone.
At least five heavily-armed gunmen opened fire outside his dormitory, sparking panic, he told AP. He said some students remained indoors but scores of others fled with the attackers firing at them.
Police say the massacre may have been masterminded by Mohammed Mohamud and are offering a large reward for information leading to his capture.
Video:Nov 2014: Al Shabaab Bus Massacre
Also known by the names Dulyadin and Gamadhere, he was a teacher at an Islamic religious school, or madrassa, and claimed responsibility for a bus attack in Makka, Kenya, in November that killed 28 people.
A spokesman for Somalia-based al Shabaab said the college attackers were members of their al Qaeda-linked group.
Al Shabaab has been blamed for a series of attacks in Kenya, including the siege at the Westgate Mall in Nairobi in 2013 that killed 67 people, as well as other violence in the north.
The group has vowed to retaliate against the government for sending troops to Somalia in 2011 to tackle militants staging cross-border raids.
Written By Unknown on Kamis, 02 April 2015 | 16.15
China has called for both sides to compromise in nuclear talks between Iran and world powers, warning that all previous efforts will be wasted if a deadlock continues.
The talks in Lausanne, Switzerland, will drag on into Thursday, the State Department said, a day after negotiators agreed to a one-day extension.
After Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi left the meeting, a rare statement from his delegation said: "It is important to give political guidance to the negotiations ... it is important to narrow down the differences.
"If the negotiations are stuck, all previous efforts will be wasted.
"All parties must be prepared to meet each other half way to reach an agreement."
Video:21 March: Iran's Rouhani Optimistic
Mr Wang was one of three foreign ministers to leave the negotiations in the hands of representatives, with Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and France's Laurent Fabius also departing.
The significance of their absence was not clear.
Iran's foreign minister said earlier he was hopeful Tehran and the six world powers - the US, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China - could begin drafting a preliminary deal after the negotiations were extended.
Mohammad Javad Zarif described the late-night talks as "very good", saying: "We hope to start drafting the text on Wednesday."
Britain's Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said: "We have made some very significant progress over the last few days, but it has been slow going.
Video:3 March: Israeli PM Warns Of Threat
"We decided to break last night. Some of the staff had been working through the previous night. We wanted people to be fresh as we started the last few issues that remain.
"We are now working on them this morning. I'm optimistic that we will make further progress this morning, but it does mean the Iranians being willing to meet us where there are issues that we still need to deal with.
"So fingers crossed and we hope to get there during the course of the day."
Western powers aim to stop Iran from having the capacity to develop a nuclear bomb, in exchange for easing international sanctions that are crippling its economy.
Stumbling blocks related to Iran's enrichment research and the speed of lifting the sanctions are threatening to scupper an agreement.
Video:March: 'Progress' In Nuclear Talks
The aim is to reach an understanding that could serve as the basis for a final accord to be reached by the end of June.
The talks, which have lasted nearly two years, have already been extended twice since an interim agreement was reached in November 2013.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who opposes the negotiations, said the agreement being put together in Lausanne sends the message "that Iran stands to gain by its aggression".
An "unknown number of student hostages" have been taken by masked gunmen who stormed a university in northeastern Kenya, the Red Cross has said.
Four people have been killed, including two security guards, amid heavy gunfire and explosions in a campus being at Garissa University.
At least 29 others have gunshot wounds. Four of these are critical.
A policeman at the scene confirmed there were "many" hostages as "the college was in session".
At least 29 people have been wounded
The Red Cross said "50 students have been safely freed". Some were seen fleeing campus buildings as police arrived.
Kenya Police Chief Joseph Boinet said: "Gunmen forced their way into Garissa University by shooting at the guards manning the main gate at around 5.30am.
"The gunmen shot indiscriminately while inside the university compound.
"Police... engaged the gunmen in a fierce shootout; however, the attackers retreated and gained entry into one of the hostels."
The area has been sealed off and the army called in to try and "flush out" the attackers.
Students reported seeing up to four masked attackers.
The gunmen exchanged fire with security services for several hours, according to the Red Cross.
Grace Kai, a student at a neighbouring college, said there had been warnings of an imminent attack.
"Some strangers had been spotted in Garissa town and were suspected to be terrorists," she said.
"Then on Monday our college principal told us... that strangers had been spotted in our college. On Tuesday we were released to go home, and our college closed, but the campus remained in session, and now they have been attacked."
Kenya's northern and eastern regions, which border Somalia, have been most affected by attacks blamed on al Shabaab Islamists from Somalia.
The militants have vowed to take retribution against Kenya for sending its troops to Somalia.
No group has claimed responsibility for the raid yet.
Written By Unknown on Selasa, 31 Maret 2015 | 16.15
The relatives of the Germanwings victims may have to wait months for their loved ones to be identified, with no guarantees they will all be found, Germany's Bild newspaper has reported.
The head of the Criminal Research Institute at France's National Gendarmerie said it would take forensic teams between two and four months to complete the DNA identification process, according to Bild.
Even then, "we cannot promise that we will be able to identify all of the victims," Colonel Francois Daoust said.
Colonel Francois Daoust said they may not be able to find all the victims
The violence with which the plane crashed into the mountainside in the French Alps last week has severely hampered the identification of the remains of the 150 people on board.
Recovery teams scouring the crash site have said not a single body has been found intact.
Video:New Details Of Co-Pilot's History
Some 78 different DNA profiles have been isolated so far from around 400 body parts, although none have been directly linked to the victims.
Family members have been asked to provide forensic teams with DNA samples to help in the identification.
Investigators are currently working on the theory that the 27-year-old co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz, deliberately crashed the plane.
1/16
Gallery: The Victims Of The Germanwings Crash
American Emily Selke, a recent graduate, was on the plane with her mother Yvonne. Raymond Selke has described his wife and daughter as 'amazing people'. Pic: Facebook
Iranian sports journalist Hussein Javadi was on his way to Austria to cover a football match. A friend said he was 'a kind, loving, caring man'. Pic: Maysam Bizær/Hossein Javadi
The man who has taken a significant early lead in Nigeria's closest-ever presidential election has told Sky News he does not even know the official timetable for any run-off, such is the quiet confidence in his camp.
But the APC's Muhammadu Buhari cautioned an outright win would only happen if the count was "free and fair".
We joined Mr Buhari as the first half of results in the count showed a convincing lead for the former military ruler.
The official tally indicated the opposition leader had built up a two million vote lead on sitting President Goodluck Jonathan with the results in half the states declared.
To win, Mr Buhari needs not only the most votes but at least 25% in two-thirds of Nigerian states to avoid a run-off.
Video:Nigeria Poll: Ballots Being Counted
But this is the fourth attempt by the former general at claiming the presidential prize and he has accused the ruling PDP Party of rigging the vote in all three previous contests.
This time has been no different he said, although he told us he remained optimistic that the attempts to manipulate the ballot would be fruitless and the outcome would still be favourable for his party.
He is not alone, however, in his concerns about rigging.
The British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and his American counterpart John Kerry issued a joint statement warning that there were "disturbing indications that the collation process - where the votes are finally counted - may be subject to deliberate political interference".
If the second half of the results appear to diverge dramatically from the estimates made by independent observers, there will be mounting calls of skullduggery.
Video:Violence Disrupts Nigeria Election
The 72-year-old challenger admitted to being a little tired after an election campaign which saw him visit 35 out of the country's 36 states as well as travelling to London to talk to British opinion-makers.
He spoke passionately about his desire to restore morale amongst his countrymen and women, crackdown on Nigeria's rampant corruption and rout Boko Haram.
He has repeatedly tried to lay to rest the ghosts of his past on the campaign trail after obtaining a reputation as a hardline military ruler when he first took up the presidential reins in 1983 after the army ousted the elected leader in a coup.
He himself was deposed in another coup two years later and jailed.
Since then Mr Buhari says he has undergone a dramatic conversion from military dictator to democracy-lover.
Video:Nigeria Goes To The Polls
It was the fall of the Soviet empire - achieved without the "firing of one bullet" - which he attributes to his dramatic political change of heart.
Now though, with Nigeria's soldiers largely demoralised and complaining of poor pay, few weapons and little leadership, and a violent extremist insurgency in the north, suddenly his military background is becoming a positive asset.
Mr Buhari said: "With my background as a military man, we have to restore morale, with retraining and reorganisation.
"I am confident the military will respond favourably to me.
"Nigeria has the capacity to deal with Boko Haram.
Video:January: How Boko Haram Operates
"Nigerians are being killed in their hundreds every day and our (current) leadership sleeps soundly.
"I assure you that wouldn't happen under my leadership."
An official from Mr Buhari's camp told us on the way out: "We don't want Goodluck.
"We tell our supporters to wish us the best of luck instead."
The smiles seemed to suggest they believe they have both the luck and the votes to clinch this contest.
Urgent diplomatic talks are being held in a bid to reach a nuclear deal with Iran, with a deadline to secure an agreement fast approaching.
Significant differences reportedly remain between the two sides meeting in the Swiss town of Lausanne.
For nearly a week the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China have been trying to break the deadlock in negotiations aimed at stopping Iran from having the capacity to develop a nuclear bomb, in exchange for an easing of international sanctions that are crippling its economy.
But stumbling blocks of enrichment research and the speed of lifting sanctions is threatening to scupper an agreement that could end a 12-year standoff between Iran and the West over Tehran's nuclear ambitions and reduce the risk of another Middle East war.
All sides say an agreement is possible but uncertain
Meetings are being held in an attempt to try and bridge the remaining gaps by the deadline of midnight local time on Tuesday (11pm UK time).
The aim is to reach an understanding that could serve as the basis for a final accord to be reached by the end of June.
All sides say an agreement is possible but uncertain.
It is unclear what missing the 11pm deadline would mean for the talks which have lasted nearly two years and been extended twice since an interim agreement was reached in November 2013.
Most of the parties have indicated they do not want another extension, although they have also said the interim agreement will remain in place until 1 July, suggesting talks could continue.
Meetings are being held in an attempt to try and bridge the remaining gaps
As talks resumed on Tuesday, the spokeswoman for the US State Department tweeted: "Long day ahead."
On Monday night, Secretary of State John Kerry admitted: "There are still some tricky issues.
"We are working very hard to work those through. We are working into the night."
The six powers want more than a 10-year suspension of Iran's most sensitive nuclear work.
Tehran, which denies it is trying to develop a nuclear weapons capability, is demanding a swift end to sanctions in exchange for temporary limits on its atomic activities.
Iran says it wants nuclear enrichment only for energy, science, industry and medicine.
The world's nuclear nations
But many countries fear Iran could use the technology to make weapons-grade uranium.
There is a sense of added urgency with the US Congress warning it will consider imposing new sanctions on Iran if no agreement is reached this week.
In turn, US President Barack Obama has threatened to veto any sanctions moves by the Republican-dominated Congress.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who opposes the negotiations, said the agreement being put together in Lausanne sends the message "that Iran stands to gain by its aggression".
Iran said the key issue was lifting sanctions quickly.
The country's nuclear negiotiator Majid Takhteravanchi said: "There will be no agreement if the sanctions issue cannot be resolved.
Written By Unknown on Senin, 30 Maret 2015 | 16.15
Saudi-led airstrikes have destroyed every fighter jet in Yemen and forced Houthi rebels out of government air bases, a Saudi military leader has claimed.
A coalition of 10 countries began bombing Yemen on Thursday, targeting the Shia rebels and allied troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Saudi Brigadier General Ahmed bin Hasan Asiri said the aerial campaign had also "devastated" all known Scud missile launching pads in the Arab state.
The international airport in the rebel-controlled capital Sanaa was disabled and 15 pro-rebel troops killed.
A military helicopter pictured at Sanaa International Airport
The Houthis began their offensive in September, seizing Sanaa, and holding President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi under house arrest.
The rebels later took control of the government and forced Mr Hadi to flee the country.
Video:Yemen President On Houthi 'Puppets'
Mr Hadi accused Iran of being behind the Houthi offensive as leaders at an Arab summit in Egypt agreed to create a military reaction force in the Middle East.
Arab League chief Nabil al Arabi said the Saudi-led offensive would continue until the rebels "withdraw and surrender their weapons".
Egyptian officials said the planned reaction force would be made up of 40,000 elite troops, backed by jets, warships and tanks.
It raises the prospect of a regional conflict pitting Sunni Arab nations against Shia powerhouse Iran.
1/15
Gallery: Yemenis Flee As Rebels Bombed
Houthi fighters on the tarmac at the airport in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa
Inside the airport, people get ready to board flights out of the country
Technology offers the hope that the Germanwings plane disaster will never happen again, experts have told Sky News.
Systems are already in place to fly unmanned planes from the ground, but they are currently only used in the military sphere.
French prosecutors have said that the captain of the Germanwings plane was locked out of the cockpit as Andreas Lupitz sent the Airbus A320 into a mountain in the French Alps.
In 2009, Honeywell was awarded a patent for a fly-by-wire system that could take control of a plane's cockpit controls and remotely pilot a commercial plane to prevent "unauthorised-flight" and maintain "stable flight".
It has been suggested that the system or others like it could have helped prevent not only the Germanwings disaster but also the disappearance of MH370 if there had been a way to alert ground staff to an on-board emergency.
Video:Pilot Said He Would 'Do Something'
Mischa Dohler, Head of King's College London's Centre for Telecommunications Research, told Sky News: "We have all the technology in place so the aircraft can talk to the ground directly or via the satellite link, so that is all possible. It's just a question of cost.
"At the end of the day, you just need to pay for the infrastructure or a data plan, in the same way as you might pay for your mobile phones.
"The airlines have to decide whether they are willing to invest that money to add that extra real-time safety to airplanes."
Video:Plane Crash: Special Report
David Cummins, Head of Flight Operations at UMS Aerogroup and an expert on unmanned aircraft, said: "We not at the stage where we are talking about autonomous systems that will operate and look after the aircraft.
"We are talking about automated systems where ultimately man, an operator, will always be in the loop."
He told Sky News there are systems in existence that could keep a plane safer without requiring one to be controlled from the ground.
Video:Airbus Video On Anti-Terror Doors
"We need a number of years (before) we will ever see the first unmanned commercial aircraft but there are checks and balances that can be put into play.
"You can look at collision avoidance - the Germanwings is an example - there is technology that exists and is in place that could help.
"There's also sense-and-avoid systems on aircraft that will also be the pilot's eyes on an aircraft. So there are a number of steps we can take.
Video:Was Crash Planned Or Impulsive?
"We are years away from doing it, but the technology exists and its about putting the time and effort and ultimately the finance.
"What the aviation industry is very good at is not knee-jerk reaction. You've got to remember that this is still an incredibly safe method of travel."
More details of the final moments of Germanwings Flight 4U 9525 have emerged as investigators find the DNA of more than half the victims of the crash.
A summary of the transcript of recordings from the voice recorder on board the aircraft reveals co-pilot Andreas Lubitz began the descent after the captain left to cockpit.
In the transcript, published by German newspaper Bild, the captain apologises to passengers for a delay on leaving Barcelona.
He then tells Lubitz he has not had time to go to the toilet before departure, to which the co-pilot replies he can go "at any time".
After completing mid-flight checks for landing, Lubitz then tells the captain, named in reports as Patrick Sondheimer, that: "You can go now."
Video:Co-Pilot's Motives 'Not Relevant'
Minutes later the captain leaves the cockpit, saying: "You can take over."
The click of the cockpit door closing can then be heard.
But shortly afterwards there is a loud bang, believed to be the sound of someone trying to enter the cockpit, followed by the captain shouting "For God's sake, open the door!"
There are then repeated blows to the cockpit door, thought to have been made by an axe or crow bar.
An automated warning triggers in the cockpit as the plane continues to descend, saying: "Terrain. Pull up."
Video:Plane Crash: Special Report
The pilot can then be heard shouting: "Open the damn door."
The right wing of the aircraft then clips a mountain and the final sounds are those of passengers screaming, Bild reports.
French officials say the plane's black box voice recorder indicates Lubitz locked the captain out of the cockpit of the Airbus jet and deliberately crashed the plane.
Investigators have so far been unable to find the aircraft's second black box which would provide technical flight data on its final moments.
All 150 people on board the Germanwings plane, which was flying from Barcelona to Dusseldorf, were killed in the crash in southern France on Tuesday.
Video:Airbus Video On Anti-Terror Doors
French prosecutors said the DNA of 78 people of those on board have been identified.
But investigators have described the difficulty of the search for victims and the second black box as "unprecedented" because of both the mountainous terrain and the violence of the impact.
"We haven't found a single body intact," said Patrick Touron, deputy director of the French police's criminal research institute.
"We have slopes of 40 to 60 degrees, falling rocks, and ground that tends to crumble.
"Some things have to be done by abseiling. Since safety is key, the recovery process is a bit slow, which is a great regret," he added.
Video:Is Pilot Testing Rigorous Enough?
Mr Touron added: "In catastrophes, normally around 90% of identifications are done through dental records", but in the case of Flight 4U 9525, DNA would most likely to play a greater role than normal.
Lubitz had been given a sick note on the day of the crash, but the note was never submitted to Germanwings.
Dusseldorf University Hospital said he had been evaluated at its clinic in February and on 10 March, but did not comment on why he was being treated because of patient privacy laws.
Police found medicines for the treatment of psychological conditions during searches of the 27-year-old's home in Dusseldorf and officials told the New York Times he had sought treatment for vision problems.
Written By Unknown on Minggu, 29 Maret 2015 | 16.15
Single candles placed discreetly in neat gardens indicate expressions of sympathy in the pretty German town of Montabaur.
Had it not been for the droves of camera crews however - you would hardly notice that this was the home town of co-pilot Andreas Lubitz.
In the shops and cafes you can hear people speaking quietly about the media presence in this little, part-medieval place but there's not much conversation about him.
"Do you think the outside world will associate us with him?" asks one shop assistant who prefers not to be named and studiously avoids mention of THAT name.
The town's mayor too chooses not to utter the word "Lubitz".
Video:Co-Pilot's Hometown In Shock
In a brief statement, Edmund Schaaf said: "Our hearts and minds go to all victims and their relatives. We ask the media to respect the privacy of the family. There will be no further statements."
Montabaur is dominated by a striking castle painted yellow. It overlooks the attractive hillside town which feels as though it can't wait to shake off winter.
These are the streets that Lubitz walked. These are the shops and bars where he spent his time and money. He grew up here and they know him but they're deeply reluctant to discuss him.
Video:Is Pilot Testing Rigorous Enough?
Cafe waitress Simona Nardelli offers the slightest glimpse of the man she served regularly.
"He was just a normal guy. He drank his cappuccino. Nothing else."
She's more keen to talk about the media presence.
Video:Plane Crash: Special Report
"Its sad there is so much journalistic interest in the family now," she said.
Technology offers the hope that the Germanwings plane disaster will never happen again, experts have told Sky News.
Systems are already in place to fly unmanned planes from the ground, but they are currently only used in the military sphere.
French prosecutors have said that the captain of the Germanwings plane was locked out of the cockpit as Andreas Lupitz sent the Airbus A320 into a mountain in the French Alps.
In 2009, Honeywell was awarded a patent for a fly-by-wire system that could take control of a plane's cockpit controls and remotely pilot a commercial plane to prevent "unauthorised-flight" and maintain "stable flight".
It has been suggested that the system or others like it could have helped prevent not only the Germanwings disaster but also the disappearance of MH370 if there had been a way to alert ground staff to an on-board emergency.
Video:Pilot Said He Would 'Do Something'
Mischa Dohler, Head of King's College London's Centre for Telecommunications Research, told Sky News: "We have all the technology in place so the aircraft can talk to the ground directly or via the satellite link, so that is all possible. It's just a question of cost.
"At the end of the day, you just need to pay for the infrastructure or a data plan, in the same way as you might pay for your mobile phones.
"The airlines have to decide whether they are willing to invest that money to add that extra real-time safety to airplanes."
Video:Plane Crash: Special Report
David Cummins, Head of Flight Operations at UMS Aerogroup and an expert on unmanned aircraft, said: "We not at the stage where we are talking about autonomous systems that will operate and look after the aircraft.
"We are talking about automated systems where ultimately man, an operator, will always be in the loop."
He told Sky News there are systems in existence that could keep a plane safer without requiring one to be controlled from the ground.
Video:Airbus Video On Anti-Terror Doors
"We need a number of years (before) we will ever see the first unmanned commercial aircraft but there are checks and balances that can be put into play.
"You can look at collision avoidance - the Germanwings is an example - there is technology that exists and is in place that could help.
"There's also sense-and-avoid systems on aircraft that will also be the pilot's eyes on an aircraft. So there are a number of steps we can take.
Video:Was Crash Planned Or Impulsive?
"We are years away from doing it, but the technology exists and its about putting the time and effort and ultimately the finance.
"What the aviation industry is very good at is not knee-jerk reaction. You've got to remember that this is still an incredibly safe method of travel."
The co-pilot accused of deliberately flying a Germanwings plane into the French Alps apparently sought treatment for vision problems before the crash, according to reports.
Andreas Lubitz, 27, hid a sick note which declared him unfit to work on the day of the disaster before boarding the Barcelona to Dusseldorf flight and flying it into a mountain on Tuesday.
Officials told the New York Times he was suffering from problems with his eyes which could have jeopardised his ability to continue flying aircraft.
The Dusseldorf University Hospital said in a statement on Friday that Lubitz had been evaluated at its clinic in February and on 10 March. The hospital has an eye clinic, but it did not comment on why he was being treated citing patient privacy laws.
German police have found medicines for treating psychological conditions during searches at Lubitz's home in Dusseldorf, according to German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.
Video:Co-Pilot's Motives 'Not Relevant'
"The 27-year-old has been treated by several neurologists and psychiatrists," the newspaper said.
Earlier, a former girlfriend told how he suffered nightmares and once woke up screaming: "We're going down!"
Identified only as Mary W, the woman told Bild newspaper that he had told her last year: "One day I will do something that will change the whole system, and then all will know my name and remember it.
"I never knew what he meant, but now it makes sense.
Video:Plane Crash: Special Report
"At night, he woke up and screamed 'we're going down!', because he had nightmares. He knew how to hide from other people what was really going on inside."
French prosecutors said on Saturday that Lubitz's mental health was a "serious lead" in the inquiry, but not the only one.
Police chief Jean-Pierre Michel, speaking to AFP news agency in Dusseldorf, said: "We have a certain number of elements which allow us to make progress on this lead, which is a serious lead but which can't be the only one."
He added that the investigation has not revealed a "particular element" in Lubitz's life which could explain his alleged actions.
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Gallery: The Victims Of The Germanwings Crash
American Emily Selke, a recent graduate, was on the plane with her mother Yvonne. Raymond Selke has described his wife and daughter as 'amazing people'. Pic: Facebook
Iranian sports journalist Hussein Javadi was on his way to Austria to cover a football match. A friend said he was 'a kind, loving, caring man'. Pic: Maysam Bizær/Hossein Javadi
