Iveco Bus has decided to integrate the production of the electric models Heuliez GX Elec and Iveco E-Way into its French plant in Annonay this year The models were previously only built at the Rorthais site The new E-Way-H2 fuel cell model will also be manufactured in Annonay President of Iveco Bus and currently also President of the ACEA Bus and Coach Division made the announcement at an event on Europe’s industrial strategy in Strasbourg He said Iveco Bus would “electrify its French historic plant in Annonay this year.” The production of the two aforementioned battery-electric buses of the Iveco and Heuliez brands has already been decided the production lines will be designed so that the E-Way-H2 hydrogen bus can also be built there the site will be equipped with a battery assembly line “allowing Iveco Bus to control its entire value chain to best serve its French and European customers.” two each in France (Annonay and Rorthais) and Italy (Brescia and Foggia) and one in Vysoké Myto in the Czech Republic Over 5,000 people are employed at the sites Since the separation of the Iveco Group from its former main investor CNH Industrial the company has also increasingly been offering electric buses “Maintaining competitive production in Europe is a challenge but also an opportunity for reindustrialisation,” said Domenico Nucera “We are rising to the challenge of the energy transition by investing massively in our manufacturing sites in France as well as in Italy and the Czech Republic.” Although Iveco emphasised its own projects and plans to invest 600 million euros (including in a new electric bus platform) it also called for the involvement of other players “Financial support from the States and the European Union will be crucial for this transformation along with enhanced cooperation with public transport operators,” it said ivecogroup.com I agree with the Privacy policy electrive has been following the development of electric mobility with journalistic passion and expertise since 2013 we offer comprehensive coverage of the highest quality — as a central platform for the rapid development of this technology Iveco Bus is set to produce e-buses also in its main French plant of Annonay in addition to the Heuliez Bus facility in Rorthais that has been so far the ‘hub’ for e-bus manufacturing within the Iveco Group The manufacturer also has an ongoing investment plan of 600 million euros in the coming years The manufacturer also has an ongoing investment plan of 600 million euros in the coming years as already announced during Iveco Group’s Capital Markets Day in March The majority will be dedicated to the development of a new zero-emission vehicle platform for the urban and intercity segments in Europe capitalizing on existing plants and the R&D center in France a challenge requiring significant industrial investments for manufacturers aiming to sustain competitive European production of zero-emission vehicles To achieve this, Iveco Bus has decided to electrify its French historic plant in Annonay this year, to integrate the production of the Heuliez GX Elec and Iveco E-Way electric models into its assembly lines, which until now had only been handled by the Rorthais site The lines will also accommodate the production of the new E-Way H2 fuel cell models a unit dedicated to the assembly of latest-generation electric batteries has also been introduced on the site The manufacturer will be better positioned than ever to meet the challenges of the necessary energy transition While manufacturers’ efforts are essential the success of this industrial revolution will require the mobilization of all stakeholders Iveco Bus strenghtens: “Financial support from the States and the European Union will be crucial for this transformation along with enhanced cooperation with public transport operators” “Maintaining competitive production in Europe is a challenge but also an opportunity for reindustrialization,” said Domenico Nucera we can successfully meet these challenges and make the most of the opportunities they present for the reindustrialization of Europe,” concluded Domenico Nucera © Copyright 2012 - 2025 | Vado e Torno Edizioni | All rights reserved | P.I Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The Local Europe ABVästmannagatan 43113 25 StockholmSweden Extremely heavy rains have led to "unprecedented" flooding in several areas of southern France leading to multiple road closures French national weather service Météo France placed six départements in south-eastern France on the highest (red) weather warning due to heavy rains and flooding In Ardèche 600mm of rain has fallen in 48 hours Environment minister Angès Pannier-Runacher said: " We're facing a situation unprecedented in its scale - 600mm of water on the Ardèche [in 48 hours] is unprecedented in living memory “all the calculations and installations designed to prevent flooding have been exceeded” by the rainfall Several other towns have experienced severe flooding La situation est catastrophique à Rive-de-Gier ! Placé en vigilance rouge, le Gier subit une crue remarquable. Vidéo: Kamel SK Sebaa pic.twitter.com/4foLzoquoO 34 other départements were placed on orange alert Pour jeudi 17 octobre 2024 :🔴 6 départements en Vigilance rouge🟠 34 départements en Vigilance orangePour vendredi 18 octobre 2024 :🔴 5 départements en Vigilance rouge🟠 33 départements en Vigilance orangeRestez prudents et informés :https://t.co/JGz4rTUvHP pic.twitter.com/mRviU59hIE Authorities have warned that people should not walk or drive anywhere near a flooded road or waterway particularly if there is a route barrée (road closure) sign The Rhône prefecture closed the A47 motorway on Thursday morning at Givors in the direction of Saint-Etienne/ Lyon Several roads in the département were also closed Autoroute A 47 Givors ! Lien en bio pic.twitter.com/sbZxv0vJwq Numerous other smaller roads have also been closed some due to flooding others because of landslips caused by the heavy rain As for rail travel, SNCF Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes announced on their website that trains running on the Lyon/St-Etienne/Firminy/Le Puy route have been halted since 10am due to worsening weather conditions 🔴 10h37 : la circulation est interrompue toute la journée entre Saint Etienne et Lyon à cause des conditions météorologiques qui ont provoqué d'importantes inondations sur la ligne They advised that people "stay where you are this evening if you can" and that "traffic will not be able to resume until tomorrow Rail traffic was also halted on several lines north and northeast of Toulouse due to "strong winds "In order to ensure the safety of passengers and staff there will be a complete halt to traffic on the Toulouse-Rodez,Toulouse-Mazamet,Rodez-Brive Figeac-Aurillac routes throughout the day (Thursday "No road substitutions will be made available", SNCF Occitanie announced on X on Wednesday How can I find out if my area is affected by rail or road disruption Préfectures and town halls will use local and social media (X/ Twitter of Facebook account) to issue regular advice information about road and school closures If your département is on red alert you should closely follow local media such as local radio stations or the social media or your local préfecture or mairie and follow their instructions if an order is given to evacuate To keep track of weather warnings, you should go to the 'Vigilance' page of Météo France HERE go to the regional SNCF website or Twitter account for updates Météo France has warned that intense rains could continue until the end of the day on Thursday They also noted that in the Alpes-Maritimes and Var départements As for the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and the Hautes-Pyrénées areas the forecasters warned that persistent precipitation could lead to 70 to 100 mm of rainfall the forecasters expected that rain and storms will last until Friday morning in the rest of the south-west Schools and nursery (crèche) centres were closed on Thursday in parts of Ardèche and Alpes-Maritimes Please log in here to leave a comment François Hollande visits IVECO BUS plant in Annonay François Hollande in visita allo stabilimento IVECO BUS di Annonay François Hollande à l’usine IVECO BUS d’Annonay François Hollande besucht die IVECO BUS Fabrik in Annonay During the confinement period, you can access PSG TV Premium for free and enjoy all this season's match videos. 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Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience a former goalkeeper with Paris Saint-Germain between 2005 and 2016 - and currently assistant and goalkeeping coach at the capital club - reveals the secrets behind his charges' stunning form A true Paris Saint-Germain Handball legend with no fewer than 333 matches for the capital club between 2005 and 2016 Patrice Annonay is a name that resonates strongly in the history of the capital club the 44-year-old became a goalkeeping coach at his last club So it was only natural that the Rouge et Bleu icon should return home this summer as goalkeeping coach and assistant to Raul Gonzalez Patrice Annonay and Parisian goalkeepers Jannick Green and Andreas Palicka adapted quickly to say the least; the Danish international currently tops Liqui Moly StarLigue in save percentage (37.13%) Patrice Annonay revealed to us the key to the capital club's defensive efficiency this season: a very special training regime which we use to work on agility and cognitive aspects We throw it before announcing the colour and the player then has to catch it by the nominated colour are used to work on ball speed and quickness I change the objects each time so that they don't have that handball routine and so that they are more effective when they return to classic handball training All this also allows us to modify the timing of parries If the goalkeeper is good with these small objects he's bound to be prepared for the handball." Une publication partagée par Paris Saint-Germain Handball (@psghandofficiel) during the trip to Chartres on Matchday 6 (27-34) The Swedish keeper put in his personal-best performance for Paris "There's a little challenge that's developed among goalkeepers We have two very complementary goalkeepers who get on very well They challenge each other but they often work together." This healthy relationship is one of the keys to Paris' perfect record in the league this season In addition to the good understanding between the goalkeepers the originality and intensity of Patrice Annonay's training sessions are also a major factor The Parisian assistant coach's philosophy is to vary the tone of his sessions so as to always satisfy his two protégés There's always a part where you work quite hard and I like to break it up a bit with a more playful side." the Annonay method has quickly caught on at the capital club and the iconic Parisian No.1 is undoubtedly one of the keys to Les Rouge et Bleus' defensive solidity in the early stages of the season which already owns two tanneries in France one in Italy and a reptile tannery in Louisiana on Thursday said it had acquired the d'Annonay business in the Rhone Valley from its 80 staff for an undisclosed amount "This acquisition is in line with the strategy of.. preservation and development of sources of supplies and know-how related to them," Hermès said in a statement Rival luxury groups such as Chanel and LVMH have been stepping up their investments in recent years in prized leather workshops and artisans as well as accessories specialists to secure supplies luxury brands are boosting vertical integration - owning most of the production chain from the raw material provider to the shop where the product is sold has put pressure on production capacity and on supplies of high quality raw materials leading brands to fight for them and even buy some of them up to secure their needs In Oct. 2011, LVMH acquired control of Heng Long, a crocodile skin tannery in Singapore, and bought in May last year the Roux tannery, a supplier of the luxury group's fashion brands Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Loewe and Celine Chanel bought the Scottish cashmere specialist Barrie Knitwear and the previous month bringing the number of specialist suppliers under its wings to more than a dozen Chanel says it allows its specialist production units, which also include the prestigious embroiderer Lesage and hat maker Maison Michel to work for rival brands to stimulate creativity Torrential rain caused severe flooding in the south of France with cars being carried away in the fast-moving floodwater Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Paris Saint-Germain Handball is pleased to announce the arrival of Patrice Annonay as assistant coach as of the 2023-2024 season The former Red & Blue goalkeeper will be linked to the Club until June 2025 The former French international joined Paris Handball in 2005 and played with the club for eleven seasons winning nine trophies for The Rouge et Bleu: three French championships (2013 2015) and one national second-division championship (2010) Patrice Annonay is currently the goalkeeping coach of Paris 92 He is one of the players to have marked the history of the club and whose number has been retired like his former teammates Mikkel Hansen and Luc Abalo Patrice Annonay is the third ex-player present today in the Paris Saint-Germain Handball organisational chart "We are very happy and proud to welcome Patrice back into The Rouge et Bleu family His knowledge of this position will be a precious asset in the management of our squad The dynamics brought by the new partnership he will form with Raul will allow the Club to remain ambitious with a view to further enhancing its record." "It is with great pride and emotion that I commit myself once again to Paris Saint-Germain Handball I would like to thank the Club for the opportunity offered to me and I am looking forward to starting the collaboration with Raul Gonzalez My attachment to The Rouge et Bleu shirt is intact and has not diminished with time I have always followed the team's results with great attention I can't wait to get back to the fans and to be able to fully invest myself in this new challenge alongside a high quality staff and a very talented team." 01:25 Raging floods send Mini Cooper tumbling downstream in France Video shot on Thursday shows a Mini Cooper being swept away by powerful floods in Saint-Marcel-les-Annonay The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Noa Narcisse and Wallem Peleka had to say after Paris Saint-Germain Handball's 28-26 win at Aix on Liqui Moly StarLigue Matchday 10 We knew we were going to make mistakes and that we'd have to hang in there right to the end We weren't quite right and we didn't demand enough of ourselves It's important for us because it means we can keep a hold of top spot." but Aix are a bold team who put up a good fight We also got off to a good start in the second half before going into a major slump We couldn't find the solutions offensively but we knew that if we stayed solid defensively but in the end we won and that's what matters but above all we managed to find the resources collectively because it's going to be a difficult period ahead "It's always complicated to play away from home We managed to do the basics despite the injuries Une publication partagée par Paris Saint-Germain Handball (@psghandofficiel) Check out the reactions from Patrice Annonay Kent Robin Tonnesen and Wallem Peleka following Paris Saint-Germain Handball's 31-26 win over Pelister at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin "It was important to win - we have to keep putting pressure on the other teams and try to position ourselves as best we can We need to stay in control and send a message to the other teams especially tonight when we were in a bit of trouble I think the people who come here see some good football and have a good time but there are positive things to remember for the next few games The atmosphere is always good and the fans are incredible They're always behind us and we feel like we've got an extra player." "It was a difficult match in all areas of the game we weren't able to deal with some of the passes from their pivot but there was some improvement in the second half We'll learn from that as we prepare for the next game the fans are always behind us pushing us and that gives us extra energy." A crowd of peasants attacked the first hydrogen balloon in Gonesse In the small French town of Gonesse in August 1783 spherical and nebulous object painted with red and yellow stripes fell from the sky and began fluttering about on the ground and then tied it to a horse’s tail to be dragged through the streets was Le Globe — the first hydrogen-powered balloon had built it shortly after two French brothers Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier had launched the first public hot-air balloon only a few months earlier on June 4 Jacques-Étienne (far left) and Joseph-Michel Montgolfier (left) are credited with the first hot-air balloon launch " — which describes the relationship between the temperature and volume of a gas — is named; Benjamin Franklin who was the United States ambassador to France; and the French king and in the ensuing centuries they have been used as tools of war instruments of weather forecasting and atmospheric research The Montgolfier brothers, who were papermakers by trade, were not the first to employ the properties of buoyant warm air for flight. That distinction likely belongs to inventors in China and other Southeast Asian countries who were “probably flying balloons in antiquity, albeit small balloons — essentially the kind of Japanese paper lanterns that we fly sometimes today,” says Tom Crouch senior curator of aeronautics at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum So why did it take until the late 18th century for balloons — at least those that could carry humans — to be invented “Ancient peoples built relatively lightweight fabric or the Mayans build balloons?” Crouch asks is that the balloon idea simply never occurred to them as flight in nature tends to be done by creatures that are Things changed, though, during the scientific revolution which in 1766 saw the discovery of hydrogen gas by Henry Cavendish who referred to it as “flammable air.” People “recognized that ‘Here we have a gas that’s six times lighter than ambient air If we fill some kind of a lightweight vessel with this stuff maybe it’ll fly,’” Crouch says You can just imagine “light bulbs going off over heads all over Europe.” the Montgolfier brothers knew about hydrogen but they lacked the impermeable materials needed to harness it; before turning to hot air they had tried filling a paper balloon with hydrogen the brothers turned to what they themselves had dubbed Montgolfier gas — something they thought was another buoyant gas like hydrogen but which was simply hot air produced by burning organic matter Rozier_publicdomain.png" caption=“Illustrations depicting the first hot-air balloon flight (left) and the first balloon flight with human passengers (right) in November 1783 Credit: both: public domain.” >}} launched by the Montgolfiers using hot air took off from a square in Annonay in southern France on June 4 The balloon was about 11 meters in diameter horizontally the launch nonetheless marked the birth of aviation which he launched from the Champs de Mars — close to where the Eiffel Tower now stands — and the balloon carried the first living creatures aloft Launch of a NASA balloon from the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in New Mexico the king suggested a criminal be used for the first launch a man named Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier is said to have objected suggesting the king not “give the honor of being the first human being to fly to a convict.” Of course it was also not known what sort of effects flight might have on the human body [so] they knew that when you got higher than this balloon was ever going to go there was still stuff to breathe,” Crouch says was whether the atmosphere — at least one in which humans could survive — only stretched a certain height above the ground which means “climb to the sky,” a rooster and a duck The choice of these animals was not random whereas the rooster and duck represented animals more naturally adapted to flight If there were to be any adverse side effects to flying carried by a blue balloon decorated with brightly colored designs drifted for about eight minutes over 3 kilometers or so “The people who were at Versailles chased the balloon on horseback,” Crouch says “De Rozier was the first guy to reach the balloon when it landed and he discovered that the animals were OK.” along with a French marquis named François Laurent d’Arlandes this time at the Chateau de la Muette near Paris in front of a large crowd that included Benjamin Franklin and carried the first human aviators into history and how they would eventually come to be used When Charles launched Le Globe in August 1873 who was watching the event from his carriage purportedly overheard someone in the crowd question the usefulness of such a flying object to which Franklin is said to have responded immediately recognized the military potential of balloons During the French Revolution as well as during the American Civil War military balloon corps were used to support infantry the better off you are because you can see what the other guy is doing behind his lines,” Crouch says Balloons lifting off at Albuquerque's annual Balloon Fiesta Chelmsford welcomed ten civic guests from Backnang The official visit marks more than 30 years of links between Chelmsford Chelmsford twinned with Backnang in 1990 and with Annonay in 1999 and shares a close connection with the towns The relationship has been marked over the years with a variety of events Events to mark the 30-year anniversary in 2020 were delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic The visit follows an official trip to Backnang in 2021 by the then Mayor of Chelmsford The party arrived on Friday 21 October and received a tour of Beaulieu Development before being greeted at the Civic Centre by the Chief Executive In the afternoon they visited the Hylands Estate where they received a tour of the house. The Deputy Mayor, Cllr Sue Dobson, and Oberbürgermeister of Backnang, Maximilian Friedrich, also planted a Lime tree in support of The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative and to mark the continued links between Chelmsford "It has been a privilege to welcome Backnang’s representatives as they so warmly welcomed Chelmsford officials to their town last year. The visit has presented a wonderful opportunity to renew our city’s deep bond with the two towns of Backnang and Annonay. Chelmsford remains committed to working in partnership with Backnang and Annonay and looks forward to continued cultural and personal exchanges in the coming years." © Copyright 2025 Chelmsford City Council. All rights reserved. An Irish woman who had been reported missing in southeast France has been found dead in a public park. was reported missing by her family last week A Government official said police believe Ms Noonan’s death was an accident An autopsy will be carried out on the body today or tomorrow was last seen on Wednesday afternoon when it is understood she was going for a run Her parents arrived in Annonay with the Irish Consul on Saturday Family and friends of the Irishwoman had appealed for information on her whereabouts had started a social media campaign appealing for information The Department of Foreign Affairs is providing consular assistance Her family recently launched a social media campaign for information on her whereabouts but tonight a statement on brother Cathal’s Facebook page confirmed the sad news would like to thank all of those who have supported us in recent days French authorities have now confirmed to us the heartbreaking news that our beloved Eimear died following a fall while running on Wednesday,” it read “Eimear celebrated her 21st birthday in April and had been living in Annonay since September where she worked as an English language teacher bubbly person who had already made a wide circle of friends there through her love of music and singing “She graduated last month from UCC with an honours degree in Irish and French was a talented violinist and to our immense pride was head of UCC orchestra for her final year there “Eimear will be greatly missed by all who knew her Michael and Cathal and all her family and friends “We will be forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support we have received in recent days We would like to thank the Irish and French authorities and the people of Annonay for the kindness and compassion they have shown us “We now appeal for privacy in this most difficult time as we bring Eimear home to her beloved Lough Graney and start the journey of grieving.” From as little as €1 a week with our digital introductory offer Already a subscriber? Sign in Follow and share the latest news and stories more courts articles The body of a young Irish woman reported missing from her home in France has been found after what appears to have been a freak accident is believed to have drowned in a small stream after falling while jogging in a public park in the town of Annonay She was last seen on Wednesday afternoon (8 November) Her body was discovered in a park near the Deûme river "She slipped and fell next to a little stream There wasn't much water but she appears to have drowned because she was unconscious," a local official told The Irish Times A post-mortem completed on Monday said the results "do not cast doubt on the principle of an accidental death but complimentary analyses will be made," the local Dauphiné Libéré newspaper reported Family members said Noonan had graduated from University College Cork this year with an honours degree in Irish and French with her performing in the university orchestra as a violinist She had been working as an English teacher at Font Chevalier school in Annonay since September bubbly person who had already made a wide circle of friends there through her love of music and singing" "French authorities have now confirmed to us the heartbreaking news that our beloved Eimear died following a fall while running on Wednesday," a Facebook post by the family read "Eimear will be greatly missed by all who knew her "We will be forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support we have received in recent days "We would like to thank the Irish and French authorities and the people of Annonay for the kindness and compassion they have shown us "We now appeal for privacy in this most difficult time as we bring Eimear home to her beloved Lough Graney and start the journey of grieving." The acquisition on behalf of Hermès Cuirs Précieux (from the fashion label's tannery division) "allows the preservation of more than one hundred jobs in the Auvergne-Rhône Alpes region," Hermès stated in a brief press release.The luxury goods giant was contacted by the AFP agency but didn't go into further details about the staff of the Auvergne company, and the latter didn't wish to make any statement. Choreographer Sarah Baltzinger will be able to complete her latest project and perform it at the Grand Théâtre thanks to an initiative by Kultur Lx. Photo: Anaïs Guerdin French and Luxembourgish cross-border artist Sarah Baltzinger was awarded a residency in Annonay and a premiere at the Grand Théâtre for her soon-to-be completed project. This project looks at the re-appropriation of the female body through its deconstruction as a product and object of subjection. Through the 4-week creative residency at the Chapelle Sainte-Marie and the ensuing 2-week technical residence at the Théâtre des Cordeliers in Annonay, Baltzinger will have the opportunity to fine-tune her work. The artist will also benefit from financial and networking support to kickstart the next step in her career evolution. Kultur | lx, a council that supports Luxembourg’s art and culture ecosystem, is at the origin of the initiative for the fifth year in a row, and came together with the Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, TROIS C-L - Centre de Création Chorégraphique Luxembourgeois and Compagnie La Baraka to select Baltzinger as laureate. Stage 12 map, profile and Chris Boardman video preview The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox! Ballooning is a sport, and balloons are used for recreation and surveillance A spate of mysterious flying objects over North America, including a Chinese balloon, has triggered political outrage and security questions. The United States Air Force jets shot down all four of them, and Washington accused China of using the balloon for surveillance, which Beijing denies saying it was a civilian research craft. Here’s a look at ballooning, its origins and uses. A balloon is a flexible airtight bag filled with hot air or gas, such as helium or hydrogen, to make it rise and float in the atmosphere. A basket or container is suspended below the balloon to transport passengers, cargo or instrumentation. Balloons were used in human’s first attempts at flying. Balloons fly when they contain a buoyant gas, such as helium, hydrogen or heated air. It is also called lighter-than-air free flight. Balloons can be manned or unmanned; some carry meteorological instruments and other equipment. By adjusting the ascent and descent of a balloon, a pilot can use available winds to steer the balloon in the sky. Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier of France invented ballooning. On June 4, 1783, they made a public demonstration in Annonay, a small town south of Lyon, using the heat from a straw fire to lift a 10.5-metre diameter cloth-and-paper balloon. The three basic types of balloons are hot air, gas, and a gas–hot air hybrid. The super-pressure balloon was built when materials with higher tensile strength became available in the 1950s Hot-air balloons, made of lightweight nylon-coated and polyester fabrics, are used for short flights at low altitudes (up to 3km) and for recreational purposes. Modern hot-air balloons that use liquid propane burners can stay aloft for several days and travel around 1,000km. Encyclopaedia Britannica says that gas-hot air hybrid balloons have crossed continents and oceans and even circled the globe. High-altitude or stratospheric balloons are usually filled with helium or hydrogen and released into the stratosphere (the second layer of the atmosphere from the Earth). They can be crewed or uncrewed. Gondolas, suspended on the flight chain, can carry payloads and other equipment for high-altitude experiments. These balloons ride the winds and are recovered after each flight. Stratospheric balloons generally reach heights between 18 and 37 km above sea level. In 2002, the balloon BU60-1 reached a record altitude of 53km. Some balloons can conduct long-duration flights, lasting several months. These balloons are launched into “near space” — between the Armstrong limit (18–19km) and the Karman line (100km). Super-pressure balloons are made of polyester film, which does not expand or contract as the enclosed gas heats up or cools down. These balloons have been used to carry instrumentation aloft for months as they circumnavigate the Earth. Modern balloons carry in the gondolas electronic equipment such as radio transmitters, cameras, or satellite navigation systems, such as GPS receivers. Some have onboard science, astronomy, atmospheric chemistry and weather forecasting equipment. Balloons used for surveillance obviously will have equipment for snooping. Most balloons do not require an engine and fuel since they are powered by wind. They go where the wind blows and are at the mercy of the weather. Navigation is minimal, depending on the apparatus aboard, which allows the balloon to change altitude and catch winds. Some balloons may have propellers, which allow for some amount of steering. The balloons are generally used for weather research and forecasting. Stratospheric balloons are used by scientists and researchers to carry out high-altitude experiments. The low cost of high-altitude balloons makes them an attractive option for surveillance since they can be equipped with high-fidelity sensors, autonomous navigation systems and artificial intelligence. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, the first untethered manned balloon flight occurred on November 21, 1783, when two Frenchmen climbed into a wicker basket suspended from a cotton balloon. The balloon, filled with air heated by burning straw, carried the men aloft for more than 20 minutes over Paris. Balloonists have always tried to fly greater distances. The first transatlantic flight occurred in 1978 when Americans Ben L. Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson, and Larry M. Newman flew aboard the Double Eagle II, a helium-filled balloon. The first transpacific balloon crossing was made by Americans Abruzzo, Newman, Ron Clark, and Rocky Aoki on the helium-filled Double Eagle V in 1981. In 1984, Joseph W. Kittinger (US) made the first solo transatlantic balloon flight, while Steve Fossett (US) made the first solo transpacific balloon flight 11 years later. The first successful around-the-world balloon flight was made in 1999 by Bertrand Piccard (Swiss) and Brian Jones (Britain) on a combination hot-air and helium balloon, the Breitling Orbiter III. The first solo around-the-world balloon flight was completed by Fossett aboard the Bud Light Spirit of Freedom in 2002. Ballooning became a sport in 1906 when American publisher James Gordon Bennett offered a trophy for annual long-distance flights. Initially, it was a rich man’s sport, but its popularity spread in the 1960s. The International Aeronautical Federation (FAI) maintains gas and hot-air ballooning records. These days, there are many local ballooning clubs, mainly in Europe. Commercial ride operators fly low-altitude balloons over tourist attractions. Militaries worldwide are investing in balloons for surveillance and reconnaissance missions. They are cheaper and can slip into airspaces undetected and linger for days to take images and eavesdrop on communications. The prying lenses of expensive spy satellites can be dodged since they pass over at regular intervals. Photographic payloads (high-altitude photography and videography) may be carried by large surveillance balloons, and some can even detect hypersonic missiles. Get the latest news and updates straight to your inbox Spain blackouts: ​​Disinformation drive vs renewables Philippines: Asia's fast-rising manufacturing hotspot Singapore's richest family: Feud rocks Kwek clan Data centre boom: US, China, UK, India, Pakistan surge This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. A postmortem examination of the body of Eimear Noonan, the 21-year-old teacher from Co Clare whose body was found in France on November 10th, was completed late on Monday morning. The local Dauphiné Libéré newspaper said the results "do not cast doubt on the principle of an accidental death, but complimentary analyses will be made." The report said Ms Noonan’s family would be asked to identify her body in the course of the day on Monday. Ms Noonan had taught English at the Font Chevalier school in Annonay since September. Her body was discovered in a public park near the Deûme river, a tributary of the Rhône, in Annonay, southeast France, on Friday morning. Her family and friends had mounted a search for her via social media since she went missing while jogging last Wednesday. A message posted by Ms Noonan’s family on social media thanked “all those who have supported us in recent days” and said French authorities “have now confirmed to us the heartbreaking news that our beloved Eimear died following a fall while running on Wednesday.” The message described Ms Noonan as “a warm, bubbly person who had already made a wide circle of friends there”. An official at the prefecture of the Ardèche department said gendarmes believe Ms Noonan’s death was an accident. "She slipped and fell next to a little stream. There wasn't much water but she appears to have drowned because she was unconscious," the official told The Irish Times. Ms Noonan was teaching in Annonay, a town of 16,000 inhabitants which is 76km south of Lyon. She was last seen on Wednesday afternoon. Her parents arrived in Annonay with the Irish Consul on Saturday. The Department of Foreign Affairs is providing consular assistance to the family. Ms Noonan's brother Cathal confirmed her death in a Facebook post on Sunday night. “French authorities have now confirmed to us the heartbreaking news that our beloved Eimear died following a fall while running on Wednesday,” he wrote. “Eimear celebrated her 21st birthday in April and had been living in Annonay since September, where she worked as an English language teacher. Eimear was a warm, bubbly person who had already made a wide circle of friends there through her love of music and singing. “She graduated last month from UCC with an honours degree in Irish and French, was a talented violinist and to our immense pride was head of UCC orchestra for her final year there.” Mr Noonan said his sister would be greatly missed by all who knew her, especially her parents Flan and Mary, her brothers Declan, Michael and Cathal. “We will be forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support we have received in recent days. We would like to thank the Irish and French authorities and the people of Annonay for the kindness and compassion they have shown us. “We now appeal for privacy in this most difficult time as we bring Eimear home to her beloved Lough Graney and start the journey of grieving.” Lara Marlowe is an Irish Times contributor Opens in new windowOpens in new windowConor GallagherConor Gallagher is Crime and Security Correspondent of The Irish Times Facebook pageTwitter feed© 2025 The Irish Times DAC Irish teaching assistant Eimear Noonan was reported missing last Friday from the French town of Annonay who had been missing in France since last week have shared the news that her body has been found The 21-year-old had not been seen since last Wednesday and searches for the missing Clare woman were carried out Eimear's family confirmed her body had been found French officials believe she died after a fall while running bubbly person" who was a talented violinist would like to thank all of those who have supported us in recent days," they said Eimear's brother Cathal wrote on his Facebook page: "French authorities have now confirmed to us the heartbreaking news that our beloved Eimear died following a fall while running some time on Wednesday "Eimear celebrated her 21st birthday in April and had been living in Annonay since September where she worked as an English language teacher "She graduated last month from UCC with an honours degree in Irish and French was a talented violinist and to our immense pride was head of the UCC orchestra for her final year there." The family added that they will be "forever grateful" for the support they had received following Eimear's disappearance Michael and Cathal and all her family and friends," Cathal wrote The Noonan family had flown out to Annonay The local church in Eimear's parish held a special Mass in her honour yesterday revealed that the congregation had said prayers for Eimear and her family "We just want to pray for the family and be in solidarity with them," he said "Getting together helps people to comfort each other a little bit." Eimear was reported missing by the manager of a guesthouse where she had been living He raised the alarm after she failed to report for work according to reports by the French radio network France Bleu Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel She was a great fiddle player with a great background in trad music The family of missing Irish teacher Eimear Noonan have confirmed the "heartbreaking news" that the 21-year-old has died The UCC graduate from Clare had been missing from her home in the French town of Annonay Concerns for her whereabouts were raised when she failed to turn up for work as a teaching assistant in a local school to assist in the search for Eimear while friends and relatives in Ireland appealed for help on social media Eimear's brother Cathal took to Facebook to share the news that "our beloved Eimear died following a fall while running" Eimear had celebrated her 21st birthday in April and had been living in Annonay since September where she worked as an English language teacher Cathal said that his sister will be greatly missed by all who knew her She graduated last month from UCC with an honours degree in Irish and French was a talented violinist and to our immense pride was head of UCC orchestra for her final year there," he wrote He also said that the family "will be forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support we have received in recent days" We now appeal for privacy in this most difficult time as we bring Eimear home to her beloved Lough Graney and start the journey of grieving," he said Parish priest Fr Joe McMahon described the 21-year-old as a "warm I don’t know how long matters will take in France She was a very warm person to old and young "When I last met her she was playing with the choir in church She wouldn’t be around much but when she was home she would be involved