Cara, Michael, Myles, Sarah Robinson
Update 08:30 Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Police in Bern confirmed to GenevaLunch early Tuesday 29 December that a body has been found near Wengen, the town from which British tourist Myles Robinson went missing 22 December. They are not yet releasing any details identifying the person, but will be releasing the information late this afternoon, she said. The formal identification takes time, but no further details, including where the body was found, how, by whom, are being given.
An earlier police spokesperson could not yet say if the police investigation has been stepped up to a criminal investigation, noting only that “A large, active search was undertaken but it didn’t turn up any clues indicating criminal activity” in the first days after Robinson went missing.
Robinson, age 23, was returning to his family’s hotel from an evening out in the village centre when he mysteriously disappeared. Wengen is a car-free village perched above the Bernese village of Lauterbrunnen. Its year-round population of about 1,500 swells to 10,000 during the peak Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
Related stories, GenevaLunch
(Reuters video) The European Union has two new leaders, in posts created by the Lisbon Treaty, which goes into effect 1 December 2009 following final approval by Ireland and the Czech Republic. Herman van Rompuy, Belgian prime minister, was named President of the European Council, a two-and-a-half year job. He was elected by a majority vote by the 27 members states. A key part of his job is to chair meetings of the European Commission. Catherine Ashton was made EU high representative for foreign affairs. She has been the EU’s trade commissioner for the past year.
The election of the pair, both of whom have relatively low profiles in international affairs, has been praised by the US, France and Germany but those who were hoping to see the first European president play a strong role are expressing disappointment. Turkey’s leaders are unhappy with Rompuy, who resisted Turkish membership and the UK media reaction has been more puzzled than enthusiastic.
Links to other sites: BBC, Die Welt (Ger), Guardian, UK, Le Monde (Fre), Le Temps (Fre), Times, UK
Aubenas, France (GenevaLunch) – Alberto Cantador maintained his advance in the Tour de France: he leads Andy Schleck by 4 minutes 11 seconds. Lance Armstrong is third another minute back with Bradley Wiggins only 15 seconds further back and fighting to be the first Briton to be on the podium in Paris. Another Brit made history as he sprinted to his fifth stage of the Tour: Mark Cavendish also won four stages last year and now has the record for the most stage wins by a British rider.
Details: Daily Telegraph
Update 30 May Wealthy Polish businesswoman Kinga Legg was beaten to death with furniture and fists in her hotel room at the five-star Hotel Bristol in Paris, police there say. AP reports that a French judicial investigation was opened Friday 29 May and that an autopsy completed Wednesday showed that she died of internal bleeding from blows to the head and spine. Her companion with whom she had shared the room for three nights, Briton Ian Davis, age 39, was seen leaving the hotel Tuesday 27 May shortly before Legg’s bloodied body was found in the bathtub by a maid. Davis left the hotel in a Porsche 911 and police told The Times that he was believed at one point to be heading for a yacht in southern France, owned by Legg, who “was the director and believed to be the owner of Vegex, a tomato-exporting firm at Opatowek, Poland, with a British base at Oxshott, Surrey,” according to the British daily. According to AP the car Davis was driving was found south of London, near the home of his parents. Police continue to search for him.
