July 25th News

OPEN FOR BUSINESS
After a clean up operation that lasted eight days, all the affected beaches in Ibiza were finally opened to bathers on Thursday afternoon. Local authorities had spent the entire week cleaning up the three beaches affected in Ibiza Town, which included Talamanca, ses Figueretes and Playa den Bossa. Earlier in the week divers had resealed a further two cracks that had appeared in the fuselage of the boat to ensure that not too much more of the fuel seeped out. However, the already existing spill and unfavourable winds meant that some of the fuel did reach Santa Eulalia, where the Town Hall was forced to shut both s´Estanyol and Cala Llonga beaches.

However, the closures only proved to be temporary and the following day the beaches were again flying the yellow flag, which permits swimming with caution. This brought an end to a busy week for all involved with the clean up operation, which has seen five beaches closed in total.

The commercial ship, Don Pedro, went down on Wednesday morning last week after it had accidentally been driven into one of the small islands, (es Daus), as it left the port of Ibiza. Although an investigation is continuing into the incident, it was confirmed over the weekend that human error was to blame. The ship contained 150 tonnes of fuel, which initially started to leak from the boat from several cracks which had opened up. These were quickly sealed and the spill was reduced to considerably less than was at first feared. Initially three beaches had to be closed as the fuel was swept ashore, but a quick and competent clean up operation ensured that these beaches were only closed for a total of eight days.

There were several visits made during the week from various political heavyweights, with the environment minister following events closely from Madrid. The opposition leader, Mariano Rajoy, also made the trip over to inspect the clean up operation commenting that it had all been dealt with in a very quick and effective manner.
The only task now remaining is the extraction of the remainder of the oil from the fuel tanks. The Consell has been in contact with Iscomar, who will undertake the assignment, all week, and the work was planned to start on Monday, weather permitting. It will then be decided whether to re-float the vessel.

The minister for Tourism at the Consell, Francesc Buils, promised an immediate promotional campaign to ensure that the short term damage to the three beaches closed would be limited. He also promised to organise a series of public events which would take place on the beach, to try and increase the turnover in the bars and restaurants that have been affected. He underlined the fact that there had been very few cancellations because of the oil spill and assured local businesses that there would be no long term affects.

AROUND THE ISLAND

Support for Restaurants
The local business association La Camera de Comercio announced on Monday its support for the businesses threatened by the new conservation and recuperation plan, revealed the previous week by the Environment Ministry. The plan which concentrates on the coastal and natural park area of ses Salinas recommended the demolition of the five restaurants in the region, in an attempt to try and ease the strain on the local environment. The president of the association, Juan Tur Ripoll, said the restaurants were an example of the high quality tourism that the island was desperate to capture. He said that besides the direct effects the destruction would have on the several hundred employees of the restaurants, he said that their disappearance would have a catastrophic effect on tourism on the island.

Excursions Fall
The sale of excursions has fallen 30 per cent over the last five years, according to a recent survey. As tourists become more independent and public transport improves, several popular excursions, including a visit to the hippy-market, are now far more accessible and cheaper for those willing to organise the trip themselves. The day trip to Formentera is one that has suffered in recent years, as boat journeys from Playa den Bossa, ses Figueretes, and San Antonio have become more common. Another excursion to suffer is the Island Tour, which was described as very difficult to sell especially in the hotter months. The manager of Al-Sabini Travel, Jose Maria Lopez Santana, explained that people are now more comfortable with hiring a car and exploring the island for themselves. Most are repeat customers who know the island fairly well, and know exactly where they want to visit.
He continued by explaining that in contrast, Ibiza by Night was still a big seller, mainly because of its economic price.

Uni Studies
Tourism is to receive a massive boost after it was announced by the new president of the Consell, Xico Tarres, that the old military building in Ibiza Town is to be converted into part of the Balearic University, solely dedicated to Tourism. Tarres said that after recent meetings with the University rector, Montserrat Casas, they were both in agreement that it would be absurd to offer courses in Ibiza that were not directly related to the main activities of the island. He continued by saying that the University would never be appealing to students from the mainland and so should concentrate on courses that would entice locals into further education. The remodelling of the military building into a modern university establishment is seen as the first step.
Tarres statement came on the back of a report showing that the more classic university courses such as economics and law were being studied by around half the amount of student as five years ago. These courses have been superseded by more practical and shorter studies that enable students to become wage-earners far quicker.

Prison Numbers Up
The number of prisoners in Balearic jails rose during the first six months of the year by 4.6 per cent. This was slightly higher than the national average of 3.2 per cent. There are now 1,323 prisoners in total on the islands, 314 of whom are in custody. In Spain as a whole there are currently 66,073 people currently spending time at His Majestys pleasure, 15,570 of whom are in custody. Of this total, 91.73 per cent of prisoners are male, with just 8.27 per cent females. The overall figure is double the 33,035 who were serving prison sentences in 1990.

High Speed Crossing
Monday saw the inauguration of the high-speed boat, Espalmador Jet, which is to make the Ibiza-Formentera crossing during the summer. The forty-two foot boat, which has a capacity for 360 passengers, will make the journey in just under thirty minutes, reaching speeds of thirty-one knots. The boat was bought from a Norwegian company in June of this year by the operator, Transmapi-Balearia.

Coalition Complaints
The leader of the opposition party to the national government, Mariano Rajoy, has said that coalitions like that in the Govern Balear, encourage radicalism and are not in the interests of the general public. In the May 27th elections for the Govern Balear, despite the fact that the PP candidate, Jaume Matas, won more votes than any other candidate, he was ousted from the presidency by a coalition that was formed by the socialist PSOE party, which included several other minor parties. Rajoy explained that this type of coalition gives power to smaller parties that do not deserve it, as they have far less of the voter share.

Building Ban
The building laws passed by the old Govern in 2005, which allowed building in all areas under specific circumstances, are to be scrapped by the new ruling PSOE-party after they were described as illegal and not to the benefit of island residents. Part of the law allowed hotels to be built with land designated rural, and within 500 metres of the coast. The changes to the law were part of the PSOEs electoral campaign and they have now begun initial proceedings to fulfil their promise.

Mango Show
The Cruz sisters, Penelope and Monica, presented their latest fashion designs for the clothing store, Mango, on Monday night. The presentation was made in the popular agro-turismo hotel, Atzaro, San Juan, in front of an expectant press of around two hundred reporters. The range was based on classic designs with a British touch, the dominant colour being black.
The Spanish actress Penelope Cruz has, in recent years, found great success in Hollywood, and is currently the new star of the latest Woody Allen movie. She has also just finished filming with Ben Kingsley in Elegy, a movie based on the novel by Philip Roth.

Emergency Number
The Ministry for the Environment has introduced a free emergency telephone number for people to warn of jellyfish swarms. The number - 900 102 326 - is part of The Ministrys plan of action to combat the invasion of jellyfish to the Balearic coasts.

Numbers Up
Air passengers increased by 8 per cent in June compared to last year. Last month a total of 696,239 passed through the airport on a total of 7,252 flights (12 per cent up from last year). The most frequent passengers through the airport were the British with 239,824 travellers, closely followed by the Spanish with a total of 219,271. These two markets were way in front of German travellers, who came in third with just over 90,000 passengers. Although British travellers were the most frequent, the most popular airport of origin and destination were Barcelona and Madrid, followed by Gatwick, Manchester and Milan.

Art Exhibition
Tim Cairns, the American born artist, who spent many of his formative years on the island, has returned with an array of work which is to be exhibited in the San Juan cultural centre until 29th July. The exhibit will be open everyday except Mondays, during the morning and the evening. The display will include sculptural work by Tims mother, Linda Cairns. It is a rare opportunity to see the work of the pair whose brilliant and daring art is seldom displayed on the island.

Legislation to Stay
The Govern Balear announced its intention to continue with legislation that limits the growth of large commercial centres within the Balearics. However the minister for Commerce and Industry, Francesca Vives, admitted that the legislation, which has been in place for some years, could be challenged by new legislation from the European Union. She urged all parties to stick with the rulings in order to protect the thousands of small businesses which would be affected by the open policy the EU is demanding. As well as limiting the size and amount of large commercial centres, the legislation also strictly controls the opening hours of the stores, limiting Sunday openings.

Compensation Hopes
The president of the Hotel Association, Roberto Hortensius, has advised all his members affected by the Don Pedro tragedy to keep a record of cancellations. He said that although there had not been an avalanche of annulments, there were some isolated cancellations that may later be compensated by the company involved in the accident, Iscomar.

Holiday Stay-Away
Nearly half of all Spanish people will not go on holiday this summer according to a recent survey. The majority said that they would not be going away for financial reasons, with a further 10 per cent saying that they would be staying at home due to health reasons. The average time for those who do make it away will be eighteen days with the average cost per person, 1,300 euros.

Gas Duct Go-ahead
The new minister for Commerce, Industry and Energy at the Consell Insular, Francesca Vives, has confirmed that work will start in September on the gas duct that will link the Balearics to the mainland. It is an idea that has been talked about for years, and got the go-ahead from the last PP-run Consell. However the project has since become embroiled in controversy and red tape which has delayed it by around two years. However, Vilas announced that everything had now been finalised and the work, which will take around three years, will be started at the end of the summer.
The gas duct will transport gas in underground tubes from the mainland to Majorca and then on to Minorca and Ibiza respectively. The duct will enable businesses and homes to have gas directly from a mains supply and will eradicate the need for bottles and tanks.

Free Textbooks
The new Minister for Education, Barbara Galmes, is studying the possibility of offering free text books to all children on the island. The minister confirmed that she was researching the best option available to parents. One of the proposals is the payment of a deposit that would be fully or partially returnable on the books being handed back in reasonable condition. She added that she was currently in talks with the different schools on the island in an attempt to find the best solution, and to fulfil the electoral promise of free textbooks made at the last elections by her party.

IBIZA TOWN

Social Care
The Town Hall in Ibiza has revealed that thirty-nine people have so far benefited from a special programme started in November to try and repatriate homeless people back into mainstream society. The programme began with the location of various homeless people in the municipality, and a study of their habits. They were informed of all the services that were available to them, including shelter, and given survival packs that included medicine and other essential items. Of the thirty-nine people attended so far, just four are women.

Councillors Appointed
The mayor of Ibiza Town, Lurdes Costa, has kept her promise of a more easily accessible Town Hall, and appointed five Councillors in charge of various zones of the municipality. The Councillors; Marc Costa, Vicent Ferrer, Enrique Sanchez, Joan Rubio and Sandra Mayans, as well as having specific jobs within the institution, will also be in charge of various different areas within the municipality. They will be encouraged to meet with neighbourhood associations, and discuss real issues that affect the everyday lives of the public.

SAN ANTONIO

Cleaning Complaints
Local businesses in San Antonio have urged the Town Hall to improve the cleaning within the town, most of which is supposed to take place by the time the first tourists arrive at 9.30 a.m. However the reality, they say, is that the majority is not done until 10 a.m. at the very earliest.
They continued by complaining about the new type of pavement that has been installed in the town. They claim that the paving stone that has been used soaks up the dirt far too easily, which is then impossible to clean properly. One shopkeeper said that he continued to come into work an hour early to clean the pavement outside his shop, but that his work had now become futile.
The Councillor in charge of the cleaning of the town, Juan Linde, admitted that the municipal cleaning programme currently in place is being stretched because of the new promenade built from the port to Cala Gracio. He added that the cleaning budget has not been increased, and so to enable cleaning to be carried out on the promenade it has been reduced in other areas. He promised to study the situation during the winter to ensure that the situation is not repeated next summer.

Amnesia Complaints
Neighbours in the surrounding area to the Amnesia nightclub have written a formal complaint letter to San Antonio Town Hall describing the constant noise levels they have to tolerate, due to illegal parties organised next to the club. Neighbours claim that the youths are evicted from the car park of the club and so congregate on waste ground in the vicinity to get drunk before entering the disco. They play loud music, shout and generally make a nuisance of themselves. Neighbours claim that they have had to fence in their properties for safety reasons. They also report the open buying, selling and consumption of drugs. Finally they claim that the following morning the area is covered in broken bottles and rubbish, which is never cleaned.
The Town Hall of San Antonio were quick to respond, and have informed the neighbours affected that there would be far more police controls in the area, with two officers dedicated to the area between 9 p.m. 5 a.m. in an attempt to stop the illegal gatherings in the area of the super-club.

Market Hours
The controversial market which takes place every Friday in the church square in San Antonio has changed its official opening hours. The Councillor in charge of the project, Jose Cardona, said that the oppressive heat during the day and the problems caused to the delivery trucks in the area had meant the Town Hall had had to reassess the opening times. It will now be open from 5 p.m. 10 p.m. and be concentrated more in the church square and less on the surrounding streets. For the moment there will remain around 45 stalls.

Bars Closed
The Town Hall of San Antonio announced on Saturday the temporary closure of a restaurant in San Rafael, a bar in the West End and another in the Cala des Moro area for not having the appropriate operating licences. The restaurant in San Rafael had received many complaints from neighbours, as it was also being run as a bar. The Councillor in charge of this area, Josefa Costa said that they would continue to clamp down on those establishments that did not have all their papers in order and that were causing problems for neighbours.

SAN JOSE

New Ideas
The new Councillor for planning and construction in San Jose, Josep Antoni Prats, started the week by discussing his imminent plans for the municipality. He assured residents that any incumbent building projects would be re-assessed to ensure that the proper licences were granted correctly.
He claimed that the situation was far worse then he had at first thought, and pleaded for time to overhaul the chaotic situation. He confirmed that the planned golf courses in both Cala Conta and Playa den Bossa would both be studied to assess their value to the local community, but repeated that he did not believe that golf courses benefit neighbouring areas. The planned Punta Pedrera project has also been put on temporary hold and will be studied further, although the chances of the project going ahead now look very slim.
He confirmed that this Town Hall would be very hands on, and promised to deal with all the cases that related to his department personally. However he warned that current problems could not be fixed overnight, and asked people to be patient.

Cat Walk
Local businesses in San Jose have found a novel way to show off their products. The boutique, Cactus, and the shop, El Bano, have joined forces with the restaurants, Es Galliner, the beautiful Raco Verd, El Sol de Sierra, El Destino and De Res, in a series of fashion shows around the town. Amateur models entertain diners by modelling some of the beautiful clothes, robes and towels from the boutique and the bathroom accessory store. The first catwalk proved a great success and will hopefully continue on selected dates throughout the summer.

Blue Flags
Cala Bassa beach proudly showed off its newly awarded blue flag on Wednesday, after an official presentation from the mayor of San Jose, Jose Mari Ribas. The beach is one of several in San Jose that have recently been accorded the honour, the others including Cala Tarida, Cala Conta, ses Salinas and Cala d´Hort. The mayor was accompanied by the Councillor for Tourism, Angeles Mostazo, who described the beach as one of the most beautiful on the island and well worthy of the new award. However she added that there was still work to be done in the area, especially in improving the accessibility to the beach area.
Blue flags are a European Environment and are only bestowed after rigorous testing of the water and the facilities that the beach offers, which should include adequate toilet facilities and the presence of lifeguards.

SANTA EULALIA

Boat Beaches
The sailing boat, Leontina, became beached in Santa Eulalia last week due to strong winds. The eleven crew members raised the alarm at just after midday, and rescue crews were quickly on the scene. However the occupants chose to stay inside the cabin whilst a tow-boat was called. The incident turned out to have no serious consequences as the boat was towed to safety at just after 2.30p.m.

Suspended Sentences
Two handbag-snatching local youths, arrested last week, have both been sentenced to sixteen months in prison after a crime spree in Santa Eulalia. The incidents occurred in Avenida Cala Nova in es Canar, and victims included a pregnant woman who was shoved to the ground during the robbery. Police eventually arrested the two youths after various witnesses gave descriptions. Due to the fact that the two have no previous convictions and that they both pleaded guilty, the sentences will remain suspended.

Slander Case
Carlos Salinas revealed on Thursday that he has started legal proceedings against the former Councillor, Paco Tur, for slander resulting from an incident which took place in the lead up to the elections of this year.
The incident began when Salinas, the then spokesman for the opposition party, accused the then Councillors of the ruling PP party, Paco Tur and Vicent Riera, of organising lavish lunches in restaurants owned by the two, and charging the bill to the Town Hall. The accusation produced an outburst from one of the accused, Paco Tur, in which he called Salinas a host of insulting names.
Salinas revealed that he has tried to seek an apology from Tur ever since the incident took place, and believed that a reconciliation would now be possible as Tur was no longer in public office. However, Tur has kept his silence and refused to apologise, forcing Salinas into the only course of action left available.

Open Air Cinema
The open-air film festival is continuing during July and August and is to include several films in their original language. This will fortunately mean three films in English during the festivals run. The next planned film in English will be Casino Royale which will take place on the beach in Santa Eulalia next Wednesday 1st August from 9.30 p.m. It promises to be a really fun night and if popular more English events will take place in the future. So please make the effort and support this great new idea.

FORMENTERA

Missing Man
A search was launched on Monday in Formentera after a resident failed to come home after an afternoon of scuba-diving. The man, Marc Larregue, a French resident, was last seen on Sunday at 4 p.m. when he left his house on the way to the beach. He was reported missing by his daughter the following day after he did not appear during the night.
Lerregue is an experienced diver and knows the coast well, having been a constant visitor to the island for the last forty years. His favourite places to dive are between Punta Savina and Punta Pedrera and La Mola. The special underwater department of the police department went to both these areas to begin their search.
Officers believe that the clue lies with the Vespa 125cc moped that he rides. He often went to different points on the island and hid the bike in the bushes, firstly to avoid it from being stolen, and secondly to ensure that no-one saw his favourite places to dive. After making a plea for anyone who had seen the bike to contact them, the bike was discovered on Saturday in a wooded area, close to one of Larregues´ favourite diving spots. Police were pessimistic of finding the man alive, but said that they would continue in their search.

CRIME & INCIDENTS

Man Killed
A man was killed in a road accident on Saturday evening after being hit by a car driven by a British driver. The accident occurred on the C-733 Ibiza-Portinax road, near to San Lorenzo at around 11 p.m. on Saturday night. The victim, a local 84 year old man, died instantly in the accident. Police reported how the legs of the man had been dragged along by the car for over a kilometre.
The driver did not stop but drove into es Canar and reported the incident to a pair of police officers. He told them that he had hit a person or a very large animal. They accompanied the man to his car, the front of which had been totally destroyed in the accident. The windscreen of the vehicle had also been smashed and they found blood on the front of the vehicle. The ambulance services were immediately called but they were unable to do anything on finding the mutilated body of the man. The driver was immediately arrested having showed signs of being drunk.

Tourist Arrested
A British tourist was arrested last week in San Antonio, after stabbing a compatriot several times in the stomach with a sharp object. The altercation happened last Sunday at 7 a.m. in the West End area of town. The victim was immediately rushed to hospital in a serious condition but is making steady progress, although he remains in Can Misses. Initially police had no clues to go on, but after speaking to several witnesses in the area, they arrested a man staying at a local hostel the following day. Investigations continue into the exact causes of the incident, but the accused man denied any involvement in the incident, saying that the injured man had, in fact, hit his girlfriend while they were walking through the town.
On Thursday the judge sided with the public prosecutor and withdrew the option of bail for the man, insisting that there was a high risk that he would try and leave the country.

Body Discovered
Police have revealed, after an initial forensic study on a body found in the Old Military building, that the person was in fact killed by a gunshot wound to the head. An anonymous phone call alerted police to a bad smell in the area of the building, which the caller attributed to a decomposing body. When police arrived, they did indeed find the severely decomposed body of a man, on a bed of newspapers and covered by a blanket. Initial estimates revealed that the body had been there for around fifteen days. The press were informed of the discovery, but police initially did not reveal any more information.
However after further forensic tests on the body, a gunshot wound was discovered in the eye area. The anonymous call was made to the newspaper, El Mundo, who quickly contacted police. On searching the building they found the body of the man on the third floor. They were initially suspicious because, although the room where the body was found did smell, there were no odours in the surrounding area. The discovery later of the gunshot wound, caused police to immediately open up a murder investigation. Because of the delicate nature of the investigation, police were unwilling to release any more details. However, they did reveal that they suspected that the man was a homeless vagrant, many of whom sleep rough in the area. They also did not rule out a possible connection with the fire which took place in the building several weeks ago.
The building, which is owned by the Consell, is not currently being used and is the planned home of the new Balearic University Tourist Department.

Death Fall
A fifty-three year old man was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in his house on Tuesday morning. Emergency services were called to the house after a neighbour alerted police to the incident. However on their arrival, they then had to call the fire brigade as the mans body was blocking the entrance and they could not open the door to the townhouse. The fire service had to enter through an open window in the house. An autopsy which was carried out on the local man revealed that he had broken his neck in the fall. Police were initially not treating the incident as suspicious.

Thief Caught
A man was arrested on Thursday for breaking and entering, after a hotel receptionist discovered him leaping from a nearby window of the establishment with the cash register under his arm. A worker was alerted to the situation after he heard a noise from a nearby building. When he went to investigate he saw the man jumping from the window with the days takings. The worker immediately took off after the thief, eventually wrestling him to the ground. The police were called and the man was taken into custody.

Man Injured
A man was seriously injured after a head-on collision with a taxi on Thursday in Santa Eulalia. The driver of the taxi emerged from the scene with only a few cuts, whilst the other driver had to be cut from his car by the rescue services. He was immediately rushed to the Vilas private hospital, where he is said to be stable.

HEADLINE UK

Britain Severely Under The Weather
Drinking water was cut off, cars were looted, and more than 48,000 homes suffered power cuts after flood waters swamped parts of western England in the latest of the severe weather incidents in the UK. Monsoon-like rainstorms overwhelmed swathes of Oxfordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire and insurers have said the final repair bill could top L2bn. Stranded residents were evacuated from their houses by helicopter, and massive disruption was caused to road and rail networks.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "We are going to be increasing the money that goes to flood and coastal defences so that we can be as well protected as possible in the future." In Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, a Severn Trent water treatment works had to be shut down, and 350,000 homes in the area were left without supplies
The military were brought in to help with rescue operations and water supply restoration while 22 miles of temporary mains were put in place to enable water to be pumped from outside the county.
Emergency crews worked round the clock to protect electricity substations from the rising waters. More than 200 people were evacuated from the dockside area of Gloucester, as the River Severn looked set to reach its highest level since floods in 1947. The crisis sparked panic-buying in supermarkets, with shortages of milk, bread, water and petrol all reported. Thieves took advantage of the chaos on the roads by breaking into abandoned cars in Worcestershire. Flood sightseers also caused problems for emergency services by ignoring warning signs and pulling over on the roadside to take pictures. The weather does not look set to improve in the immediate future and predictions are that the clean-up operation could take months. With this in view there are calls for a widespread review of flood prevention policies currently in place in the UK.

Blair Takes On New Role
Tony Blair is in the Middle East for the first time in his new role as envoy to the region, knowing he must overcome huge challenges if he is to make a success of it. During his 10 years as prime minister, he saw attempted peace efforts fail, several regional wars and his predecessors in the diplomatic post quit in frustration.
His job will be made more difficult as it is predicted that many Palestinians will see him simply as a puppet controlled by President Bush. So far, the Israelis have failed to show a great deal of enthusiasm either. When asked what would make him different from the long list of former Middle East envoys, he proclaimed himself an optimist, but admitted: "I will probably have the need for all that quality of optimism in this task ahead, but I am determined to try." Many in the region believe Mr Blair's determination is genuine, but also think the mandate granted to him by the Quartet, the EU, US, UN and Russia, is too limited. His job is to develop Palestinian institutions and their economy. He is not to act as a peace negotiator between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Madeleines Father in US
It was reported last week that the father of missing Madeleine McCann was to meet politicians and White House staff in the USA to discuss the battle against child abduction. Gerry McCann, in the US on a four-day fact-finding visit is to learn about the work of specialist agencies in preventing child trafficking and sexual abuse, will meet the Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and aides to First Lady Laura Bush in the White House. Mrs Bush is said to have taken a personal interest in the family's plight. Gerry and his wife Kate have mounted a huge campaign to find four-year-old Madeleine since she disappeared from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on May 3. Mr McCann said in a statement: "We hope our efforts will help make the world a little bit safer for all children." Kate and I believe there is a strong, public feeling that crimes against children, wherever they may occur, are totally unacceptable."

Pilgrim Crash More Than Twenty Killed
A coach carrying Polish pilgrims back from a holy site in the French Alps veered off a road, killing more than 20 people and injuring another 20. The wreckage was strewn around the burnt-out coach. The accident happened on a bend during a steep descent near the village of Vizille, close to the city of Grenoble, early on Sunday 22nd July. The coach was carrying 49 passengers and two drivers. Firefighters said the coach apparently suffered a problem with its brakes and ploughed through a barrier, plunging about 65 feet (20 metres) into a river valley beneath the road. Residents in the nearby town of Notre-Dame-de-la-Mesage said the vehicle then burst into flames and was destroyed. Pictures showed the charred remains of the vehicle, with bodies and debris strewn across the river bank.
Injured survivors were airlifted by helicopter to hospitals in Grenoble, while those less badly hurt were treated in a field nearby. Firefighters said some of the passengers may have been thrown out of the bus and into the river. The pilgrims had been returning from the shrine of Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette, 25 miles south of Grenoble.

Comedy Star To Testify In Indecent Assault Charge
Comedy star Paul Whitehouse is set to testify against Chris Langham, the award-winning actor accused of indecently assaulting an underage girl. Whitehouse, one of the stars of The Fast Show, will appear at Maidstone Crown Court to give evidence for the prosecution. He appeared with Langham in the BBC drama Help, playing different patients seen by a psychiatrist played by Langham.
The court has heard a 25-year-old woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, alleges that Langham took her virginity in a London hotel room when she was under the age of consent. He began a three-year campaign of "systematic abuse" by planting a kiss on her lips during an acting lesson, the prosecution alleges. The woman told the jury that Langham claimed looking at child pornography on the internet made him feel like a "better man". Defence counsel David Whitehouse QC said his client downloaded the images for research purposes while writing an episode of Help. The 58-year-old actor, of Golford, near Cranbrook, Kent, denies 10 counts of indecent assault and two counts of buggery between January 1996 and April 2000. Langham, who was acclaimed for his leading role in hit BBC comedy The Thick Of It, also denies 15 counts of making an indecent photograph of a child between September and November 2005.

Posh & Beck`s Big L.A. Welcome
David and Victoria Beckham have been given a taste of Hollywood life after a glamorous welcome party held in their honour. The couple attracted an impressive list of stars for the exclusive bash in LA. The Beckhams' close friends Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes co-hosted the event. Cruise flew in to the party from Germany, where he is shooting his latest film.Will Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, helped TomKat organise the red carpet affair. Fresh from her recent wedding in Paris, Desperate Housewives actress Eva Longoria is back in Los Angeles to welcome the Beckhams to town.
The invitation-only bash took place at the Museum of Contemporary Art in LA. The venue was transformed for the party with couches, elaborate lighting and flowers. For David the party ended early. He has training this week for his next Galaxy match.

FINANCIAL NEWS

Higher Tax
The minister for the environment has announced plans to charge cars that contaminate more, with higher road tax. The plans have been discussed over the last year, but will finally be made official next week. The new charges are an attempt by the Spanish Government to try and make road users more aware of the damage which is being done to the environment by petrol-guzzling cars.

Economic Growth
The Spanish economy had grown by 4 per cent to the end of June, slightly down on initial forecasts due to the current high interest rate. The slowing of the construction industry is a worry according to the economy minister. However, it is hoped that the slow in residential houses will be somewhat softened by an increase in public building over the next few years. The economy was described as solid, with growth expected to be maintained at around 4 per cent during the rest of the year.
The construction industry has seen huge increases over the last few years, not least in the creation of new jobs. However a report unveiled that 67 per cent of these new positions were taken by non-Spanish residents.

Petrol Prices Soar
Along with the interest rate rises of recent months, petrol prices have also risen sharply this year. So far in 2007, prices have soared 12 per cent at the pumps, due to the increase in crude oil, which last week reached a record high of 72.83 dollars per barrel. However, the good news was that the price is expected to start to fall from next month as demand in developing countries starts to ease.

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