EYES ON LONDON:
Muhammad Ali, Weasley and traffic

[July 25, 2012]  LONDON -- Around the 2012 Olympics and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details of the games to you:

THE GREATEST

Will he? Won't he? British newspapers have buzzed with speculation that Muhammad Ali may have a role in London's Olympic Opening Ceremony on Friday.

The 1960 heavyweight boxing gold medalist and former world champion is in town this week, but looks far too frail to play a significant part in director Danny Boyle's spectacular on Friday night.

At an award ceremony on Tuesday, Ali was helped onto stage and sat largely motionless. Parkinson's disease has stolen the 70-year-old's once-world-beating strength and quick reflexes and frozen his beautiful face into a mask. Ali did not speak at the ceremony.

Among those who hope Ali will make an appearance, however brief, at the Opening Ceremony is Tyrone Monaghan. His father, Paddy, a bare-knuckle boxer, struck up a long friendship with Ali when both were younger. On visits to Britain, Ali regularly would drop by the Monaghans' house -- to drink tea, chat and even spar with Tyrone.

"There are so many great things about him," Tyrone says of Ali. "You can't sum it up in one sentence."

--John Leicester
http://twitter.com/johnleicester

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WEASLEY'S TORCH

At least he'll be right at home with fire.

Among Wednesday's Olympic torch carriers through the streets of London: Rupert Grint, who played Harry Potter's faithful friend Ron Weasley in the Potter movies.

Grint, 23, will be carrying the torch briefly at Middlesex University shortly after lunch.

--Danica Kirka
http://twitter.com/danicakirka

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ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Wednesday marks the first day that London's usually aggressive drivers have to respect the unpopular "Games Lanes" -- known informally as Zil lanes, after the Russian limos -- or face a stiff fine.

There were fears of massive tie-ups as two-lane motorways were effectively cut in half to make way for the "Olympic family" vehicles allowed to use the special lanes, so many commuters seem to have switched to public transport to avoid the hassle.

On the A40 highway into central London, rush hour traffic was lighter than usual, and the Zil lane was completely empty save for a few black BMWs and a couple of truck drivers who didn't seem to have got the message.

As the road spilled onto Marylebone Road near Madame Tussauds wax museum, a large electronic sign told motorists they were free to use the Games Lanes at that point, but few ventured over the imposing double-width, solid line painted on the roadway for the Olympics period -- despite the reassurances, they were apparently afraid that London's ubiquitous traffic cameras would cause them to be fined.

Eventually, as traffic slowed and a second sign said all lanes were open, drivers crossed the line and normal traffic patterns resumed.

--Greg Katz
http://twitter.com/Gregory_P_Katz

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NOTE: "Eyes on London" shows you the Olympics through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across the 2012 Olympic city and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item.

[Associated Press]

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