D Monday, January 25, 2010 News Wild bear born in internet first More bicycles to beat smog BEIJING is trying to be more bicycle- friendly to reduce its choking pollution and alleviate congestion. The capital of China, a country which last year overtook the US as the biggest buyer of cars, will restore bike lanes cut to make room for cars and buses, and build more bike racks. A WILD bear has given birth live on the internet with 60,000 Facebook fans watching every moment. The black bear delivered the cub after researchers sneaked a webcam into her lair in Ely, Minnesota. The 90kg (200lb) animals 21-hour labour was the first such monitored event. TV presenter Maura Derrane is pictured in Dublins Kazumi hair salon at the launch of European Cervical Cancer prevention week. The Pearl of Wisdom is the emblem of cervical cancer prevention and hairdressing salons are helping to distribute the badges nationwide Picture: Mark OSullivan Hair-raising figures Luas Docklands helps buck falling passenger numbers By Ross McDonagh THE popularity of the new Luas extension to Dock- lands has seen the capitals tram service buck the trend of an overall drop in passenger numbers. While passenger figures fell from 27.35million in 2008 to 25.4million last year, the opening of the ex- tension through the IFSC to the O2 in December helped stave off an even more dramatic drop. A Rail Procurement Agency spokesman told a Sunday newspaper the 95million extension has been a major success in its first six weeks of opera- tion. Its very early days for the new extension and we dont have any official figures but certainly the early indications are very good, he said. The RPA said that although the drop in passenger numbers was obviously disappointing, Luas saw a big increase in passenger numbers during the recent wintry weather. Girls in race to sail globe TWO 16-year-old girls from opposite sides of the globe are competing for the title of the youngest person to sail around the world alone. Californian Abby Sunderland sailed into the sunny Pacific Ocean at the weekend after being delayed a few days by a series of violent storms. Meanwhile, her Australian rival Jessica Watson (pictured), also 16, was forced to endure hurricane- force winds and 10m (33ft) waves on the Atlantic Ocean. MOTORISTS travelling into Dublin face delays in the next two months as work on one of the busiest routes into the city begins. The inside lane of the Naas Road between the Red Cow roundabout and the Long Mile junction will be closed to traffic, both inbound and outbound, during daytime hours for the duration of the works on the Quality bus corridor and cycle lane, which are expected to last until the end of March. index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html