Overseas bound

Mayor Villaraigosa is taking the show on the road, heading first to London and Manchester next week at the request of Prime Minister Tony Blair to speak about global climate change, anti-terrorism efforts and the 2016 Olympics bid. Then Oct. 5 (dates update: Oct. 8-21) he heads to Asia on the obligatory mayoral trade mission, visiting China, South Korea and Japan to talk up the airports, the Port of Los Angeles and tourism. Jim Hahn went at the same stage of his Administration, in November 2002, but the Villaraigosa camp hopes things turn out better. Hahn's trip came under scrutiny from prosecutors, largely because City Hall fixer Leland Wong was involved, and from the media because of the political friends such as Doug Dowie of Fleishman-Hillard who were invited to come along. Villaraigosa's people will brief the media on both trips at 1 pm today, and there will be a lot of interest in knowing which campaign contributors, backers of the mayor's school plan and other friends will be on the plane.