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LA avoids feared 'Carmageddon' traffic jam

Posted: 16 Jul 2011 10:33 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES: Southern Californians made the ultimate sacrifice to avoid the dreaded "Carmageddon" — leaving their cars in the garage.

Unusually light traffic flowed freely through the second-largest U.S. city Saturday despite fears of epic traffic jams spawned by the 53-hour shutdown of a 10-mile (16-kilometer) stretch of one of the car-dependent region's most critical freeways.

Authorities closed the segment of Interstate 405 on the western side of the metropolis to allow partial demolition of a bridge, warning motorists to stay off the roads or plan alternate routes.

Officials were optimistic that the public far and wide had gotten the message, though there was some concern that the lack of gridlock would make the public complacent and that drivers would get behind the wheel before the freeway's scheduled reopening early Monday.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa flew over the city in a helicopter and said it was clear there were far fewer cars on freeways and streets than normal, but he cautioned at a midafternoon news conference that there were hours to go.

Not everyone was cooperating, though.

California Highway Patrol Officer Charmaine Fajardo said a 74-year-old man was arrested for jogging on the closed freeway after police told him he couldn't do so, and one or more bicyclists also were intercepted on the route. Fajardo said officers now have orders to arrest anyone trying to enter the shuttered freeway.

Additionally, a suspected drunken driver was arrested after going around barricades to enter the freeway, Fajardo said.

Progress on demolition of the half-century-old Mulholland Bridge was on schedule, Villaraigosa said. Powerful machines with long booms hammered away at the south side of the span, which is being removed to allow the interstate to be widened. The plan is to leave the north-side lanes standing until the south side is rebuilt.

Authorities looking at the potential impacts of the US$1 billion interstate project spent months giving the public dire warnings. The event got its name when Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky told an early June press conference that "this doesn't need to be a Carmageddon" if people avoided driving.

In what was projected as the day's last big test, Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy, featuring David Beckam, played Spanish heavyweight Real Madrid at Memorial Coliseum south of downtown.

The event saw some typical traffic tie-ups common at the stadium, but no major problems.

The drumbeat of "Carmageddon" warnings triggered an instant industry of businesses trying to capitalize on the phenomenon. JetBlue offered special flights from Burbank in the San Fernando Valley to Long Beach, with seats for the short hop costing just US$4 or US$5.

A cycling group saw that as an opportunity for a race. The cyclists started their ride 90 minutes before the flight's departure time to simulate the time that passengers would have to arrive at Burbank. Another member of the group took the flight and all were to meet at a Long Beach park.

Cyclist Stephan Andranian said it took the bikers one hour and 34 minutes to complete the ride from Burbank to Long Beach, largely following the Los Angeles River. Flight passenger Joe Anthony's total travel time including cab ride from Long Beach Airport to the park was just over 2 1/2 hours.

"We want to show that using a bike in LA is not only possible but that it can be faster than other modes of transportation," Andranian said. -- AP

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Najib on working visit to Rome

Posted: 16 Jul 2011 07:44 PM PDT

Najib on working visit to Rome

LONDON: Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is making a two-day working visit to Rome from today.

His programme includes an audience with Pope Benedict XVI and a meeting with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State (equivalent to a Head of Government), at Castel Gandolfo, Rome.

In a statement, Wisma Putra said he would be accompanied by wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.

Other members of his entourage are Plantation, Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom.

They will be joined by National Fatwa Council chairman Prof Tan Sri Dr Abdul Shukor Husin and Archbishop Tan Sri Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam.

This will be the second meeting between a Malaysian prime minister and the Pope, after the one involving former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Pope John Paul in June 2002.

During the visit to Rome, Najib would take the opportunity to talk about Malaysia's initiative on the Global Movement of the Moderates.

Looking at possible avenues to enhance cooperation between Malaysia and the Holy See is also on the agenda, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Najib concluded his official visit to the United Kingdom on Friday. -- BERNAMA

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Najib on working visit to Rome

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Sabtu, 16 Julai 2011