LONDON - A British parliamentary committee recommended Friday that the government permit an expansion of Heathrow Airport, rather than allowing the construction of a new airport east of London. Heathrow is one of the world's busiest airports, and expanding it has long been a contentious political issue in Britain. The aviation industry has lobbied for a third runway for years, but opponents say the plan would damage the environment, worsen noise pollution in the city and lead to a loss of homes.

By Dasha Afanasieva LONDON (Reuters) - Pupils at a London school so close to Heathrow airport that it sometimes seems descending planes might land in the playground have found a novel way to fight the roar of jet engines. Hounslow Heath infants' school has erected four igloo-like adobe domes in its grounds, of a type normally used in earthquakes and emergency zones, to muffle the noise.

Spanish construction group Ferrovial, owner of London's Heathrow airport, said Tuesday its net profits plunged 43 percent in 2012 after major one-off gains the previous year. "The 42.9 percent decline in net profit is attributable to the extraordinary gains obtained in 2011," which totalled just over one billion euros, it said in a statement. "A significant portion of that figure did not represent a cash inflow since it was attributable to the revaluation of Heathrow Airport Holdings," Ferrovial said.