News In Brief

IN A HURRY, ARE WE?

The highway police manning a speed trap in the Umbria region of central Italy hit the jackpot. Not one, not two, but seven cars in a row came barreling along at 86 m.p.h. in a 55 m.p.h. zone. All were duly stopped and tickets were written. And it didn't cut any ice with the cops that each of the cars held a Roman Catholic bishop who was in danger of arriving late for the opening address at an annual church conference. Sorry, one officer said, but not even divine intervention will help you this time.

AN EXPLOSIVE DISCOVERY

In Lindenberg, Germany, a school bus screeched to a stop and its 69 small passengers were ordered off without delay. Not because there was anything mechanically wrong with the vehicle or because the kids were being unruly. Instead, the driver had learned that two of the boys aboard were carrying a live World War II armor-piercing shell. They'd found it in a field and wanted to ask a teacher whether it was real.

On the road again: Memorial Day travel expected to rise

Despite higher gasoline prices, a record number of Americans plan to leave home over Memorial Day weekend, the American Automobile Association says. It projects 34.4 million people will travel 100 miles or more, a 3 percent increase over last year and a whopping 31 percent jump from a decade ago. But in a poll of 1,300 adults by AAA and the Travel Industry Association of America, 46 percent of respondents said higher fuel costs will affect their summer travel. How they'll adapt:

Will take fewer trips 10%

Will pay more for trip 9%

Won't travel as far 8%

Will shorten trip 5%

Will spend less on trip 3%

Will drive rather than fly 3%

Will fly rather than drive 1%

- PR Newswire

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