Latest news with #Ian
Daily Record
9 hours ago
- Automotive
- Daily Record
Aerospace firm powers up Prestwick with on-site solar energy
More than 1,400 solar panels have been installed on the roof of Prestwick Air Traffic Control Centre, marking a significant milestone in NATS' aim to be a net zero company by 2035. An aerospace firm has taken a giant step on the road to becoming a carbon zero company - by installing solar panels on their Ayrshire HQ. Ayrshire Live previously told in November how NATS Prestwick were given the green light to generate a chunk of their electrical needs from solar energy. Now more than 1,400 solar panels have been installed on the roof of Prestwick Air Traffic Control Centre, marking a significant milestone in NATS' aim to be a net zero company by 2035. The array went live on 28 April and has already generated over 128,000 kWh of renewable electricity - and expected to deliver around 600,000 kwh annually. The Prestwick Centre provides vital air traffic control services across Scotland, northern England and out into the North East Atlantic to more than a million aircraft per year and will receive approximately 10 per cent of its total electricity needs from the rooftop solar panels. Having already reduced electricity use across all NATS sites by 40 per cent since 2006, this marks the first phase of an extensive renewable energy rollout at the Prestwick site. The second phase, a ground-mounted solar array, is currently under construction following planning approval earlier this year. This will add nearly 800 extra panels, projected to generate a further 400,000 kWh of clean electricity per year. NATS has progressively increased its annual procurement of renewable electricity since 2018/9 and together with other emissions reduction targets it has been recognised as one of Europe's Climate Leaders for five years running by the Financial Times & Statista, topping the list in 2024. This special report names just 600 European companies that have achieved the greatest reduction in their Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions. Ian Lane, Carbon Manager, NATS, said: 'This is a big step forward in our plan to reduce indirect emissions from electricity use which makes up around half of our overall CO2 emissions. The results in the first month alone show the real potential of on-site renewable energy generation.' This was the second large-scale solar installation by NATS. In July 2024, 2,600 panels were fitted to the roof of its Swanwick air traffic control centre in Hampshire, producing 590,000 kWh of renewable energy so far. By the end of 2025, installations across roof, ground and adjoining land will take the count to 12,000 panels, generating up to 21 per cent of both centres' energy. Ian continued: 'While the solar installations are a vital part of our energy transition, we are also focused on improving overall energy efficiency and removing gas from our operations. This is an essential part of our transition to becoming a carbon negative company by 2040.'
Daily Maverick
10 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Listen: A team of journalists at gunpoint (Libya, Part 3)
We follow the harrowing story of Aliou Candé — a 28-year-old farmer and father from Guinea-Bissau — whose dream of a better life ended in one of Libya's brutal migrant prisons. The Libyan Coast Guard is doing the European Union's dirty work, capturing migrants as they attempt to cross the Mediterranean into Europe and throwing them in secret prisons. There, they are extorted, abused and sometimes killed. An investigation into the death of Aliou Candé, a young farmer and father from Gineau-Bisseau, puts the Outlaw Ocean team in the crosshairs of Libya's violent and repressive regime. In this stunning three-part series, we take you inside the walls of one of the most dangerous prisons, in a lawless regime where the world's forgotten migrants languish. Episode highlights Host Ian Urbina is detained, beaten and brought to a secret prison jail. He believes he is going to die. And still, he knows this is only 'a sliver of what the migrants we are covering go through'. Ian learns his team is being held in the same facility. They make proof-of-life videos as their respective governments intervene to get them out. Ian reflects on Western privilege and the lottery of birth. He, unlike Candé, gets to go home. He also gets to report what he saw: a war on migration. A war with an army, a navy, and an air force. A war likely to spread as more poor, desperate migrants risk it all to reach safer shores. DM
Irish Independent
12 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Family fulfil Ian Bailey's last wish to have his ashes spread in west Cork
The memorial was led today by Mr Bailey's sister, Kay Reynolds, who said her brother adored the area above all others and his family felt it was appropriate that his final resting place should be by Roaringwater Bay. "We wanted to do right by Ian," she explained. "He absolutely loved west Cork with a passion. There was the (European Arrest) warrant which meant he could not leave the country but he said he would not want to be anywhere else. "It was very appropriate that this is where we spread his ashes. It is something he wanted. It came up in conversation with him." His family said he spent the bulk of his adult life in the area around Schull and it had inspired much of his prose and poetry. Mr Bailey collapsed and died from a heart attack while out walking in Bantry on January 21, 2024. The Manchester-born journalist and poet was the chief suspect in the Sophie Toscan du Plantier (39) murder investigation. Ms du Plantier, a French film executive, had tried to flee from an intruder at her home but was caught and savagely beaten to death on December 22/23, 1996. Mr Bailey had reported on the killing for Irish, British and French newspapers before becoming a Garda suspect. Ms Reynolds said she believes the stress her brother was under from being wrongly associated with the crime for almost 30 years took a toll on his health. "Without question - I don't think there would be any doubt about that,' she said. "He had been quite fit until the last couple of years. It finally got to him. He was not taking care of himself but it was all to do with the pressure. It had been relentless for almost 30 years. It took its toll on him. "There were times he did not help himself. I think if he had kept quiet it would have been better but that was not Ian's style. "He had nothing to hide and he would not hide. He confronted his challengers face on." Ms Reynolds said her brother was a hugely talented journalist - and regularly obtained details on stories that other journalists did not. She said she believes his abilities as an investigative journalist most likely brought him to Garda notice because of the information he obtained about the case. "Garda felt there were things that only somebody involved in the crime would have known. I don't think that helped,' she said. "But as a family we never thought that he had done this. That was Ian's style of journalism - in Gloucester he did stuff about GCHQ that other journalists didn't. He thought outside the box. "I think that was what happened there and became his downfall. That is how he became a suspect. "From the moment he told us - he phoned us to let us know we would start to see things in the paper about him - we never doubted him that he had been involved in this." Ms Reynolds stressed that her family have enormous sympathy for the du Plantier family and what they have gone through over the past 29 years. "This is not to forget that a very young mother was brutally murdered. I feel so sorry for the family because of the misguided belief that Ian committed the murder they have just had so many years of torture,' she said. "I just wish them peace around this. Hopefully the cold case will throw up something that will be of help to them.' The ceremony was attended by around 40 people including members of the legal profession who had worked with Mr Bailey, journalists and local friends. Mr Bailey, a freelance journalist, 'New Age' gardener and wood turner, collapsed and died while out walking on Barrack Street in Bantry. He was pronounced dead before he could be transferred to Bantry General Hospital with his collapse coming just weeks after he had suffered a series of heart attacks. Mr Bailey died just one week before his 67th birthday, having been warned before Christmas that he needed to get stronger before doctors would proceed with planned bypass and stent surgery. His remains were cremated in a private ceremony at the Island Crematorium in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, with the arrangements handled by an undertaker from outside west Cork. Ms Reynolds is Mr Bailey's next of kin and gave evidence in 2015 during his High Court action for wrongful arrest against the State as to the impact on her brother of the French arrest warrant and his inability to leave Ireland even to visit his dying mother. Mr Bailey's long-time solicitor, Frank Buttimer, who attended the memorial service, said he remained convinced that Mr Bailey "had nothing whatsoever to do with this crime". He also said he was convinced that being wrongly associated with the crime for so many years "was a major factor in his ill health'. Award-winning Irish film director Jim Sheridan (74) produced a Sky TV documentary, 'Murder at the Cottage,' on the Toormore killing. He got to know Mr Bailey during the years of its production. The documentary series was launched in 2021, the same year as a major Netflix series on the murder. Mr Sheridan has previously insisted that all his research led him to believe that Sophie was killed by someone she knew. "I genuinely believe the answer to the murder will be found in France,' he said. "My conclusion is that in many ways Ian Bailey has been punished for this crime. He has been marked down as a killer for over 25 years and found guilty in a French courtroom, so he has suffered, even if he never faced a jury in a criminal case." Mr Bailey was arrested twice by gardaí in 1997 and 1998 for questioning in respect of Sophie's murder. He was released without charge on both occasions and has vehemently protested his innocence for the past 27 years. No one has ever been charged in relation to Sophie's death in Ireland. Mr Bailey sued eight Irish and British newspapers for libel in 2003 after claiming he was branded as the murderer. He also took an action - which he lost - against the State for wrongful arrest in 2014/15. After an eight year French investigation, he was prosecuted for Sophie's murder at a Paris trial in May 2019 and convicted of her murder. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison - but had to be tried in absentia after he refused to attend the French hearing which he dismissed as "a show trial" and "a mockery of justice". Mr Bailey warned the Irish Independent in April 2019 that he was "being bonfired". The French failed on three separate occasions since 2010 to have Mr Bailey extradited to France. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) studied the Garda case file but ruled out any charges in 2000/2001 citing lack of evidence. A Garda cold case review is currently underway and has continued despite Mr Bailey's death. The Garda investigation into Sophie's death has been open and active over the past 28 years. It is planned that a revised and updated file will be submitted to the DPP. The campaign group which secured the French prosecution of Mr Bailey for Sophie's murder vowed to continue their campaign to secure justice for the mother-of-one despite his death 18 months ago. ASSOPH, the association for the truth about the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, vowed that they will continue to campaign amid hope that "new elements" will finally reveal the precise circumstances of the death of the French film executive in the early hours of December 23, 1996. Sophie was battered to death as she apparently tried to flee from an intruder at her isolated Toormore holiday home - running over fields before her clothing snagged on barbed wire allowing the killer to catch her. ASSOPH claimed that Mr Bailey had "taunted" the police over the past three decades - and claimed that the Irish judicial authorities never wanted to extradite him to France despite three attempts to do so since 2010. "On January 21, 2024, Ian Bailey passed away, 27 years after the horrific murder committed in Ireland against Sophie Toscan du Plantier, born Bouniol," they said. "The Paris Criminal Court sentenced him in absentia on May 31, 2019, to 25 years in prison for murder. "Despite this trial and France's repeated requests for his extradition, Ian Bailey remained free, never facing charges from the Irish justice system. "With Bailey's death, Sophie's family and our association will never be able to obtain a confession from Ian Bailey. "We continue our efforts for truth and justice. An investigation is underway in Ireland, and we are confident that the discovery of new elements, the hearing of new witnesses, and the revelation of possible complicity will enable Irish police to close the case, years after the murder."
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
WIA's Ian Fletcher is back - and he's no longer the BBC's Head of Values
As Hugh Bonnevilee brings back the much-loved mockumentary character at the 2026 World Cup, writer John Morton says this is Ian's 'biggest opportunity yet to get things right' He spent many years as the BBC's Head of Values but WIA's Ian Fletcher has now found himself a new role - at the heart of global football. In time for next year's World Cup the character, played by Hugh Bonneville, is to become Director of Integrity, building on the skills he developed at the London Olympics. His move to join the Twenty Twenty Six Oversight Team, based in Miami, is the basis of a new six-part series for BBC1 and iPlayer, from the team behind W1A and Twenty Twelve. Next year's FIFA World Cup tournament, hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico, will see 48 countries taking part at 16 venues spread across North America. Announcing the new project, Ian Fletcher said: "I'm thrilled at the prospect of joining the Oversight Team in Miami for this unique event. And in terms of the Integrity role, to borrow a soccer analogy, this is a rare opportunity to set out your own goals and then score them on the global stage.' As Paddington and Downton Abbey star Bonneville, 61, reprises his role as the jargon-obsessed boss, he will be joined by a new cast of characters including The Day of the Jackal's Nick Blood and The Inbetweeners' Belinda Stewart-Wilson. The show's writer and director John Morton said he was delighted that Ian was on his way back to the screen. 'I wasn't sure what Ian Fletcher had been up to recently. The last I heard he was still recovering from a serious Mindfulness Course in Somerset. So, it's great to hear that he's made it back and has re-emerged in his natural habitat at the centre of a well-known institution, but now on the world stage and facing his biggest opportunity yet to get things right. 'I'm thrilled and hugely grateful to the BBC for giving me the chance to follow him again, this time all the way to Miami, and I literally can't wait to see what happens.' BBC comedy boss Jon Petrie said: 'We'll miss Ian's invaluable contribution to the BBC as Head of Values but how could he resist getting the call-up to be a part of one of the most expansive and ambitious sporting events in the world? We wish him, and the team, all the best.' Executive producer Paul Schlesinger added: 'It's 15 years since Ian Fletcher's journey started with the run-up to the London Olympics and we are delighted the BBC has given John another chance to capture the universal comedy of people trying to organise something really big in a room, but this time with an outstanding international cast.' The rockumentary W1A was last seen in 2017, with the series revolving around Fletcher - formerly the Head of the Olympic Deliverance Commission in his role as the BBC's Head of Values. His task at the Corporation was to clarify and re-define the core purpose of the BBC across all its functions and to position it confidently for the future. He was previously flanked by Jessica Hynes, who won a Bafta for her role as BBC Brand Consultant Siobhan Sharpe - Head of Perfect Curve. Other stars to feature regularly included Monica Dolan (senior communications officer Tracey Pritchard) and Jason Watkins as director of strategic governance Simon Harwood and Sarah Parish as Director of Better Anna Rampton.
Daily Record
a day ago
- Daily Record
Detectives close major Edinburgh road to reconstruct alleged hit and run
Police will close a busy stretch of Queensferry Road overnight this week as part of an investigation into the alleged hit-and-run that killed Ian Harrower. A major Edinburgh road will shut as police carry out a crash reconstruction linked to a fatal incident that claimed the life of a much-loved grandfather. Queensferry Road will be closed in both directions between Drumbrae North and Clermiston Road North from 10pm on Thursday, June 19, until 1am on Friday, June 20. The temporary closure is to allow officers to carry out a collision reconstruction as part of ongoing enquiries into the crash, which took place on the A90 on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Emergency services were called to the late-night incident, involving a Kawasaki motorbike and a Peugeot 306, at around 11.15pm. The motorcyclist, 61-year-old Ian Harrower from Rosyth, Fife, was pronounced dead at the scene. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. The car involved in the crash allegedly fled the scene before police arrived. Police appealed for help to trace the Peugeot involved and a 31-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with road traffic offences two days after the incident. His devastated family later paid tribute to the grandfather, describing him as a 'true and loyal friend to many' who would 'never be forgotten.' In a statement released by Police Scotland, they said: "Ian was a much-loved son to Elizabeth, brother to Elaine and dad to Lewis, Kim and Owen. He was a loving husband to Norah and stepdad to Gavin, and a very much missed grandad to Brooke and Taylor." Images from the scene in April showed a heavy emergency presence, with officers and paramedics at the site and a large cordon in place. Local Megan Purdie, 20, said at the time: "I saw the ambulance and the cars, and it's quite disturbing to know that happened right outside. I've never really liked living near the main road, but there's only so much you can do. "It's terrible, I didn't actually know someone had died. I have seen quite a lot of ambulances going past the house recently, it's quite worrying to live here." Sergeant Paul Ewing added: 'We would like to thank the public for their assistance with our investigation and our thoughts remain with the family of Mr Harrower. Anyone with any further information is asked to contact 101 quoting reference 4274 of 8 April, 2025.' Motorists are advised to avoid the area during the overnight closure, with diversions set to be in place. Police Scotland added: 'We thank the public for their patience and understanding."
