RYANAIR’S WAR ON EVIL AGENTS

Thousands of travellers who booked Ryanair flights through third-party websites are to have their bookings cancelled, and many may not find out until they reach the airport. Declaring war on “evil agents”, Ryanair has warned that, from tomorrow, it will cancel and refund all bookings made through “screen-scraping” websites that automatically lift flight details from its site, often adding handling charges and other fees to published prices. The airline says that it will contact those affected - estimated to be up to 1,000 passengers per day - by e-mail where possible, but added that if the e-mail address on the booking is that of the “evil agent”, then it would be left to the latter to warn passengers that their booking was void.

BRIDGE OF WOES

A Venice councillor says the city’s first new bridge in 70 years is an illegal structure after a design error left the span inaccessible to the disabled. Already two years late, and millions of euros over budget, the bridge, designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, will link Venice’s railway station with bus terminals and car parks on Piazzale Roma. Now councillor Raffaele Speranzon claims that, because of a lack of wheelchair access, the structure is “outside the law”. Venice’s public-works chief, Mara Rumiz, was dismissive of Speranzon’s claims, adding that a lift for those with mobility problems would be added “in a couple of months”.

SPANISH HEAT-WAVE ALERT

Nearly 30 provinces in Spain have been placed on heat-wave alert as a mass of slow-moving hot air travels over the Iberian peninsula from North Africa. With temperatures topping 40C in Spain last week, orange-level heat-wave warnings – the second-highest alert - were posted in Madrid, Toledo, Ciudad Real, Jaen and Cordoba. Lower, yellow-level warnings were issued in 24 other provinces, with the public under orders to conserve water and to stay out of the countryside where possible to avoid the risk of starting accidental fires.

CHURCH BLOWN UP ON BEACH

Catholic clergy in Italy, concerned over falling church attendances during the summer months, have commissioned a giant inflatable church so services can be held on the beach. The blow-up basilica, measuring 100ft by 50ft, will initially be installed on the beach in the Adriatic resort of Campomarino Lido; if successful, it could go on tour. Italian beach boys have been warned that any vandalism of the consecrated inflatable would be letting the church down.

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