Olympian cost of $86m for Youth Day NSW taxpayers will fork out $86 million to host the upcoming Sydney visit of Pope Benedict XVI, and World Youth Day (actually a week-long event - go figure). Here's what we get for our money though... Widespread disruptions for motorists, with the Harbour Bridge closed for 12 hours on July 19 and, for the week-long festival, more than 300 road closures ... Read full entry

Papal Skateboard Art Design Contest: a gallery of entries in the recent Papal Skateboard Art Design Contest, hosted by the Archdiocese of New York, to mark the US visit of Pope Benedict XVI this week. They ought to do the same here in Sydney for the Pope's July visit. Perhaps George Pell, the archbishop of Sydney, could road test the winning entries...

Pope to shut bridge for 12 hours I hope no one trying to attend a religious service of another faith needs to travel over Sydney Harbour Bridge then. The Harbour Bridge will be closed for 12 hours and there will be widespread road closures stretching at least nine kilometres through Sydney's eastern suburbs to allow 180,000 pilgrims to walk to Randwick Racecourse for World Youth Day celebrations. The pilgrims will ... Read full entry