RAF Lossiemouth’s £100m Poseidon facility named the ‘Atlantic Building’ as base marks double milestone – The Northern Scot

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RAF Lossiemouth marked a double milestone today as its £100 million Poseidon Strategic Facility was officially named as the “Atlantic Building” and a new Standard was presented to CXX Squadron.

With the Atlantic Building as a backdrop and flanked either side by two submarine-hunting Poseidon aircraft, 60 personnel from CXX Squadron formally paraded for the first time since re-forming last year.

The personnel on parade were accompanied by the RAF Lossiemouth Pipes and Drum Band as families, guests and local dignitaries looked on. VIP guests included Bill Robertson, CEO of locally-based Robertson Construction, which built the Atlantic Building.

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Hydro-electric extractions having ‘devastating’ impact on river, says Spey Fishery Board – The Northern Scot

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The Spey Fishery Board states the amount of water extracted to generate hydro-electricity is having a “devastating” impact on the river.

A report published today shows 90% of the water taken from the Spey comes from the top 13% of the river.

This water is then diverted to Fort William or the Tay.

The upshot, says the report, is that the natural flow in the Spey can be reduced by up to 24% at Boat o’ Brig, near Fochabers, and by up to a massive 61% at Kingussie.

Roger Knight is the director of the Spey Fishery Board’s director, which manages wild salmon and sea trout fishing in the Spey catchment area.

He says: “In the 1940s hydro-electricity was considered to be cutting-edge technology and a crucial source of power, particularly in rural parts of the Scottish Highlands.

“That technology, though, is 80 years old and such impoundments and abstractions would not be permitted under present-day environmental standards.

North East drug dealers caught with 73,000 ecstasy pills in house – The Northern Scot

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A pair of North East men caught with more than 73,000 ecstasy tablets in a house have been jailed.

Connor Holmes (24) and Scott Roddie (29) from Aberdeen distributed class A drugs across the world.

In December 2018, two parcels addressed to Holmes from the Netherlands were intercepted and found to contain 8.2kg of MDMA powder.

The police subsequently raided his home and recovered 73,366 tablets worth at least £733,660 and £8500 in cash.

A day later a further parcel, addressed to Holmes, containing cocaine, heroin, and more MDMA was recovered.

Both Holmes and Roddie pleaded guilty to being involved in the supply and importation of controlled drugs when they appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh in March last year.

At the same court today Holmes was sentenced to two years and three months.

Meanwhile, Roddie was jailed for six years and three months.

Their convictions were welcomed by both police and prosecutors.

Detective Inspector Tom Gillan said: “From the address in Aberdeen, Holmes and Roddie were able to receive and distribute illicit drugs, with a street value of around £1.3million on an international scale.

“The men made use of the dark web and cryptocurrencies to support their criminal market place and used the UK postal system to distribute the drugs.

“This is an example of a targeted investigation which disrupted a developed and sophisticated criminal model, based in the North East of Scotland.”

Meanwhile, Gerry McLean from the National Crime Agency said: “These two men were responsible for the global distribution of class A drugs on an industrial scale.

“It is only right that they spend time behind bars.

“Holmes and Roddie thought that they could evade law enforcement by using the dark web and cryptocurrencies, hiding behind computer screens, and tricking our postal service into facilitating their dirty work.”