The NYPD is beefing up security at the British Consulate in New York City in light of the gory attack on a soldier in London, cops said.

A British soldier was beheaded in broad daylight on a busy street in London on Wednesday afternoon, apparently by British nationals of Nigerian descent angry about Western interference in Muslim countries.

NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne emphasized that the increased security was not the result of any information that these places were being targeted.

“But in an abundance of caution, the NYPD has increased coverage on the British consulate … and other locations in the city as a result of the fatal attack on an active serving British soldier near the Royal Artillery Barracks at Woolwich Common in southeast London,” Browne said in a statement.

The NYPD is also increased security at military recruiting stations in the city.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly discussed the importance of security cameras today, and dismissed questions about privacy concerns citizens may have, noting that a recent poll found that 8 in 10 New Yorkers want more surveillance cameras around the city.

“Critics say… people are concerned about privacy,” Kelly said. “Apparently people aren’t concerned about it, because they realize the genie’s out of the bottle.”

“Y ou go into a department store, your picture’s taken 30 times,” Kelly pointed out. “That’s the world in which we live. We need cameras, in my judgement, to protect the city.”

Kelly noted that London and New York both have 5,000 cameras citywide.

Follow Danielle Tcholakian on Twitter @danielleiat

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A pilot program in lower Manhattan is testing purportedly bombproof recycling containers. One of the containers was placed near the Stock Exchange last spring, and its manufacturer, a London based company called Renew, hopes to install additional ones later this year.

Renew asserts that among the container’s security features is “the ability to inform the public and lock down on a moment’s notice.”

These containers were installed in London prior to the Olympic Games last year. One is located outside the Aldgate underground station in east London, where the July 7 suicide bomb attacks killed 52 in 2005.

Officials in London have generally been reluctant to place trash cans in high-traffic areas, largely due to bombs threats from the Irish Republican Army.

A garbage can was reportedly used as an accelerant for one of the bombs at the Boston Marathon on Monday. While Boston police officials said there was no evidence the devices were inside trash cans when they blew up, they may have been placed in a nylon bag on the ground next to a trash can, ABC News reported.

Follow Danielle Tcholakian on Twitter @danielleiat

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Despite being booed, Justin Bieber went on with the show at the O2 In London on Monday. [Credit: Getty Images]

Taylor Swift has some news for everyone keeping track of her love life. “If you want some big revelation, since 2010 I have dated exactly two people,” she tells Vanity Fair, referring to high schooler Conor Kennedy and One Direction member Harry Styles. “The fact that there are slide shows of a dozen guys that I either hugged on a red carpet or met for lunch or wrote a song with, it’s just kind of ridiculous.” But she doesn’t let all the talk get to her. “One of these things I say to myself to calm myself down when I feel like it’s all too much … if there’s a pregnancy rumor rumor, people will find out it’s not true when you wind up not pregnant,” she says. “And if there’s a house rumor, they’ll find out it’s not true when you are actively not ever spotted at that house.”

Kate Winslet says the period between her marriage to Sam Mendes — which ended in 2010 — and her December wedding with Ned Rocknroll has been a great period of self-discovery. “I’ve really learned a great deal about myself, in the last four years in particular,” she tells Harper’s Bazaar UK. “I think I can see more clearly now — about how the pattern of past experiences has shaped who I am, and the character I have played — and I’m grateful for that. I gave so much more material to draw on for work — rubble, bricks — and I know I can carry it now.”

Alec Baldwin‘s new wife, Hilaria Baldwin, is over the moon about being pregnant with the couple’s first child, but she’s learning already that there are some areas where she and her famous husband don’t see eye to eye — like when it comes to potential baby names. “[Alec] had the idea for Massimo the other day,” Hilaria tells Rachael Ray during a visit to her television show. “It’s a lovely name, I just don’t know. That’s a very big name for a little baby.” She’d rather wait until the tyke arrives before settling on something. “I think you actually have to look at it once it pops out and say, ‘Who are you? What is your name?’” she says.

Ten years after their films’ releases, Andy and Lana Wachowski are facing a lawsuit claiming the plots for the “Matrix” sequels, “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions,” were stolen, according to E! News. Hawaii-based writer Thomas Althouse is suing the Wachowskis along with producer Joel Silver and Warner Bros. for copyright infringement in federal court claiming, claiming the two films were “based and formulated in substantial part” upon his 1993 screenplay, “The Immortals,” which he claims was submitted through his attorney to the Hollywood studio at the time. Althouse says the delay in filing suit is because he did not actually see the sequels until 2010. Warner Bros. hasn’t responded to requests for comment.

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With his time in office winding down, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has reportedly set his sights on London for future endeavors.

The New York Times reported Friday that a city block-size complex called Bloomberg Place will be constructed in London by 2016, complete with two towers connected by sky bridges, pedestrian plazas and perhaps branches of New York restaurants.

The site will be the European home of the mayor’s company and charity, according to the Times.

Bloomberg has also reportedly financed a major art gallery expansion in London, held lavish parties at his home there, regularly dined with politicians and celebrities, and donated to electoral campaigns.

The post Bloomberg finds London calling appeared first on Metro.us.

Disaster struck at 8 am, when the low-flying aircraft span out of control and collided with a construction crane on St George Wharf Tower, a luxury apartment building under development along the River Thames. Both the helicopter and part of the crane crashed to the ground in flames, terrifying passersby on one of London’s busiest commuter routes.

Emergency services were quickly on the scene, with 90 firefighters tackling the blaze and rescuing one man from a burning car. Six of the injured were treated on site with the rest transferred to hospital, while police cordoned off the area and closed local tube, train and bus stations.

One of the fatalities was pilot Peter Barnes, alone in the helicopter. The other is understood to have been in a nearby building.

Eyewitnesses described the terror. “I was walking to work when I heard a bang and looked up to see the crane crashing down,” Terry Fernee, a local construction worker, told Metro. “I ran back to the traffic lights and looked up the road and saw it was in flames.”

Security guard Hadji Bangoura said, “The sound of the crash was like an explosion. People were running in panic, screaming ‘we are under attack’.”

Although the crash took place just meters from the MI6 headquarters, the intelligence agency dismissed fears of a terror attack. Aviation authorities are investigating, but witnesses reported the crane’s aviation light was not working and hidden by fog.

Despite the tragedy, Met Police Commander Neil Basu said “it was something of a miracle that this was not many, many times worse.” Had the crash taken place later in the morning, there would have been many more commuters on the street, and the crane operator was saved by being late for work that day.

The city was suffering severe disruption Wednesday, with several hub stations and roads locked down.

“The priority is to get transport running again,” said Basu.

The construction site adjacent to the crane had also been suspended, and workplaces on the street remained inaccessible.

(Image via Twitter)

(Image via Getty)

Wreckage at the scene after a helicopter reportedly collided with a crane attached to St Georges Wharf Tower in Vauxhall.

The post (UPDATE) PHOTOS: Horror and chaos follow London chopper crash appeared first on Metro.us.

Rihanna changes hairstyle quickly and often – only this year she has had curls, blonde hair with bangs, a super short look and today’s asymmetric dark hair.

Yet her routine is consistent. “As soon as we get to the hotel I wash her hair,” Williams tells me at the Paris airport. “She hates dirty hair and so do I, especially when we are travelling from town to town like now.”

“If we don’t wash it before the next gig we use a lot of dry shampoo and products that remove oil,” he continues. “We also use a lot of olive oil products that give the hair nourishment and a nice shine. And they don’t contain that many chemicals, they are natural which she loves.”

They drum up inspiration together.

“She isn’t the kind of girl who just sits there not knowing what she wants,” he says. “She has her own thoughts and that makes it a lot more interesting to create. When we are together we can sit for hours looking through magazines, become inspired and exchange thoughts. She sends me pictures when she’s at home as well.”

Rihanna isn’t afraid of a short haircut, so it may not come as a surprise that one of her biggest inspirations when it comes to hair is: men.

“Honestly most of the inspiration comes from men,” he says. “We go through men’s magazines like Vogue Homme and cool fashion spreads.” Is the next step a close shave? “She could go that far,” Williams says.

And then we’re back on the plane.

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The high-profile Australian former hacker has been holed up inside the red-brick embassy in central London for eight weeks since he lost a legal battle to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over rape allegations.

Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said he feared for the safety and rights of Assange which is why he said his country had decided to grant him asylum.

“Ecuador has decided to grant political asylum to Julian Assange,” Patino told a news conference in Quito.

Ecuador’s decision takes what has become an international soap opera to new heights since Assange first angered the United States and its allies by publishing secret U.S. diplomatic cables on his WikiLeaks website.

Outside the embassy near London’s famed Harrods department store, supporters made the announcement over a loudspeaker to cheers and clapping from protesters who had gathered outside the building in support of Assange.

Protesters shouted: “The people united will never be defeated!”, bearing Ecuador flags and holding posters showing Assange’s head that read “no extradition”.

Before the decision was announced, Britain said it could use a little-known piece of legislation to strip Ecuador’s embassy of its diplomatic status so that Assange could be detained.

“It is too early to say when or if Britain will revoke the Ecuadorean embassy’s diplomatic status,” a Foreign Office spokesman said before Ecuador’s decision was announced. “Giving asylum doesn’t fundamentally change anything.”

“We have a legal duty to extradite Mr Assange. There is a law that says we have to extradite him to Sweden. We are going to have to fulfill that law.”

The Ecuadorean government has bristled at Britain’s warning. It’s foreign minister said Britain was threatening Ecuador with a “hostile and intolerable act” and accused London of blackmail.

Britain’s threat to withdraw diplomatic status from the Ecuadorean embassy drew criticism from some former diplomats who said it could lead to similar moves against British embassies.

“I think the Foreign Office have slightly overreached themselves here,” Britain’s former ambassador to Moscow, Tony Brenton, told the BBC.

“If we live in a world where governments can arbitrarily revoke immunity and go into embassies then the life of our diplomats and their ability to conduct normal business in places like Moscow where I was and North Korea becomes close to impossible.”

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The duo has been spotted celebrating out on the town in London, though a series of photos Rossee tweeted recently seem to confirm that they are in fact an official couple. Rossee also made her red carpet debut on Phelps’ arm last night at the Speedo Athlete Celebration in London.  

On her Model Mayhem profile, the 25-year-old LA-based bombshell describes herself as “super easy going and pretty much down for any type of project (that doesn’t involve nudity).”

In case you’re wondering, she’s 5’10”, 125 lbs. and wears a size 7 shoe.

One photographer commented on her profile, congratulating her recent headline-making appearances with Phelps: “Congrat’s of being the First Lady of American Swimming! According to Yahoo’s ‘Mystery Blonde’. :)”

HollyScoop reports the couple has been dating since January but things took a more serious turn right before Phelps headed to his third Olympics.

“Michael knew that he had to leave for the Olympics and not wanting to give up on their relationship, he flew Megan out to the trials in Omaha and then to London for The Games,” a source told the site.

Sorry ladies, but as far as we know, Ryan Lochte is still single.

(Photo via Twitter)

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The USOC staked its claim to an area of London’s Royal College of Art across from Hyde Park back in April of 2011. The state-of-the-art facility serves as a more secluded area for athletes and their families — and for VIP ticket holders and donors.

Decorated with sponsor-themed lounges, USA House is equipped with a gourmet cafeteria, several bars, meeting rooms, a team shop — and plenty of tight security.

It may be the USA House, but it’s definitely not open to all citizens of the USA. USOC officials say the decision to keep the facility private came after athletes wanted it that way.

“It did come from the request of our athletes many games ago, who wanted an additional area of refuge,” USOC director of marketing and event services Lisa Reliford told Metro during a closely watched media tour. “They’re in the village, they don’t get to see their parents a lot during that time. The minute they get out of the village, everybody wants to be around them and to get their autographs, so this is an area where they can just come and decompress.”

USA House features bits of history, like Olympic torches from past games. A giant American flag hanging in the lobby was made after more than 29,000 Americans donated $12 each to purchase a stitch. It was flown to London with Team USA.  

USOC officials say that when  athletes come to USA House in the evening, they often conduct a ceremony called the “order of Ecos,” where medal-winning athletes will present their coaches with a medal in a show of gratitude.

“The whole house just chants ‘USA,’ and it’s so exciting,” Reliford said.

Here’s a look inside USA House that you might not otherwise get — unless you become an Olympian or are willing to shell out some big bucks.

The Budweiser deck — appropriately, a bar.

Athletes and their families can indulge in gourmet treats in the USA House’s dining center.

(Photo by Getty Images)

All-you-can-eat yogurt is one treat.

Help yourself to a Coke float.

This bike was designed by U.S. triathlon Olympian Hunter Kemper

This is the flag made up of stitches that were sponsored by more than 29,000 Americans.

You, too, can dress like an Olympian. All merchandise here is priced in dollars — not pounds!

USA House’s lobby boasts historic displays.

And they’re already prepping for 2016.

The post PHOTOS: Inside the exclusive USA House in London appeared first on Metro.us.

Metro has been canvassing the streets, interviewing athletes and coaches, meeting fans and snapping photos of Olympic mania so that you can feel like you’re in the center of the action.

Here’s a roundup of the best quotes and photos, with plenty of juice about Olympic Village, rivalries between teams and behind-the-scenes moments.

What’s the scoop on Olympic Village?

Kerri Walsh, U.S. beach volleyball player, on relationships forming between athletes:

“The Olympic Village is very electric. The first couple of days, it’s kinda like the first days of high school: Everyone is a little awkward, checking each other out, kind of giddy. I think there are a lot of beautiful, really good people in the village, and Olympians, and obviously there is a lot of physicality there. I think when you put boys and girls together, you’re going to have some couplings.”

Walsh shoes off her rippling abs to reporters.

Tony Azevedo, U.S. water polo player, on rooms and the food:

“Usually, you get a roommate. For some reason, maybe because I’m the captain, they gave me a single. The food is phenomenal. You walk into the dining hall and there’s like 10 little areas: India, Halal, Africa. For me, being a foodie, I love it. There’s sushi in there. I’m the happiest kid on Earth. You have to watch what you eat, though, you can’t eat too much.”

… and on whether athletes worry about sleeping on an unfamiliar mattress:

“That’s actually a big problem with our team. We have a lot of big guys on our team. I’m actually the smallest guy at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds. There are a lot of guys who are 6-foot-6, 250 pounds. And those are problems that definitely arise to them. For me, I pretty much can sleep anywhere.”

Angelo Taylor, U.S. track and field athlete, on whether Olympians are partying:

“I’m here to focus. I’m a defending Olympic champion, so I’m trying to go for an unprecedented third Olympic gold in the 400-meter hurdle, which has never been done before. So I’ve got tunnel vision. I’m very focused, so no partying for me until after the job is done.”

Ariel Hsing, U.S. table tennis player, on getting crazy in the village:

“Oh, I don’t know, I’m not one of those people. At least not yet!”

Fred Roberto, chiropractor for the U.S. wrestling team, on whether he worries about his athletes getting too dehydrated because of partying:

“Maybe other sports, but not USA wrestling. Our guys are reading to go.”

Kevin Schultz, chiropractor for U.S. wrestling:

“Not that I’m aware of, and I don’t think any of them would make that mistake at the Olympic stage, especially. One would hope not. They’re focused, they’re strict.”

What do athletes think of other athletes?

Tim Morehouse, U.S. fencer, on nominating fellow fencer Mariel Zagunis as the flag bearer in the opening ceremony: 

“She is a two-time Olympic champion, the greatest fencer in our sport’s history. I just felt like this was the time for her to shine. So those were my points to the room, which was basically one team captain from every sport. They actually hadn’t heard of Mariel, so she is kind of a representation of one of those untold Olympic stories. … She was in a dead-tie with another athlete. It was a man.”

Grant Hill, former Olympian and NBA player for the L.A. Clippers, on his hopes for Team USA:

“I hope we win every gold medal that there could be! I hope the athletes have a wonderful, memorable experience. I was fortunate enough in ’96 to be a part of it. I know it’s sort of one of the highlights of my life and my career. I hope every athlete who prepared and worked hard to get to this point can come away with an enjoyable experience, like I had.”

Grant Hill visits athletes with first lady Michelle Obama as part of the presidential delegation.

Former Olympic gymnast Dominique Dawes on what’s going through the mind of an athlete before a competition:

“What worked for me did not necessarily work for Shannon Miller and won’t work for Jordyn Wieber. A lot of times, it was just shutting off my mind — ’cause many times my mind would try to work against me. It would make me believe that I wasn’t enough, that the crowd was too loud or that the lighting was not right. If I were in the arena now, I would have been appalled by all the pink — and I’m a girl!”

… and on women athletes outnumbering men on Team USA for the first time.

“Here us roar, I guess! Just as long as us women are given that opportunity and we take advantage of that opportunity and we know that we don’t have as many potential professional opportunities in regards to a sport like basketball. But it’s about the intangibles we get from this journey and our sports experience.”

Dominique Dawes helps a reporter do a handstand in between interviews at USA House.

Kelly-Ann Baptiste, track and field athlete for Trinidad and Tobago, on whether she socializes with the competition:

“I don’t really speak to a lot of them. I say ‘hi,’ I’m cordial. But to say that they’re my best friends, they’re not — and that’s just being honest. But I think we have a lot of respect, and we respect each other enough to have conversations.”

Kelly-Ann Baptiste answers questions at the Adidas media lounge in London.

Erica Wu, U.S. table tennis player, on being only 16 and an Olympian:

“I think it doesn’t matter how old you are. This is every athlete’s goal. I don’t really think about how I’m only 16. I think how it’s amazing to be here. Everyone in the village respects everyone else because we are all athletes. We’ve all been working toward the same goal, and it’s just really amazing to be there.”

And how about LeBron?

U.S. men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski on team member LeBron James:

“I think LeBron is a great player. Since we coached him for the first time in 2006 till now, he has steadily gotten better, and he was great then. And he is really the best player in the world right now. He can play all positions, both offensively and defensively. He is a great leader, and he’s incredibly intelligent — one of the most magnificent athletes on this planet. It’s a great combination. I think he’s at an age where all this is coming together.”

Fans weigh in on Olympic fever

Charles Million, of Miami Beach, on his experience in London:

“It’s been great. It’s been wonderful, and Mitt Romney was absolutely wrong!”

Million, left, with friends on their way to watch Team USA compete in gymnastics.

Andy Pronger, of Hastings, England, on the atmosphere:

“The whole vibe in London is amazing at the moment. Normally, it’s so quiet walking around. But there are so many flags of every country, and there is a certain buzz about the place at the moment.”

Pronger watches the games from inside the House of Nations at Tower Hill.

Barbara Schultz, from Houston, on China dominating the medal count:

“The way they cheated with the gymnastics in 2008 — those girls were clearly too young. In every country, you have athletes who dope or cheat or whatever, but I think in China, it’s sponsored by the government.”

Spanish fans pose at Westminster.

British fans cheer on Team GB in rowing from a London pub.

Showing Jamaican pride, fans imitate sprinter Usain Bolt’s signature pose on the streets of West London.

 

Polish fans head to an Olympic event.

Fans support Germany and Estonia.

Fans from the Netherlands enjoy cold beer while watching their team compete from a Stratford bar.

He’s dressed for Spain from head to toe.

This patriotic American family was all about Team USA!

Proud French fans watch their team compete in swimming at the House of Nations in Kings Cross.

Businesses capitalize on Olympic fever with costumed employees enticing customers.

The post Overheard at the Olympics: Kerri Walsh’s abs, Coach Krzyzewski on LeBron and fan photos appeared first on Metro.us.

For the thousands of fans who did not score tickets to events, London has set up multiple public viewings, where big screen TVs show the events live. Nothing makes a better match than drinking and sports and that’s where the Houses of Nations come in.

These unique pop-up venues dot the city map, each offering a familiar place for fans of many countries, with traditional fare, screenings of events with local athletes — and don’t forget the beer.

“If you haven’t got tickets, you get the atmosphere here, which is better than watching at home on your couch,” Andy Pronger, a Team Great Britain fan told Metro from inside a giant tented bar next to London Tower. White leather couches and strings of lights across the ceiling would give off the impression of an nightclub, if it weren’t for the sports coverage being aired on giant projector screens.

Ping pong tables and arcade games bring fans from all countries together in their own friendly competitions. Some Houses of Nations are hangouts for all international fans, others are geared toward specific nationalities. Fans can find Casa Brazil, Czech House, French Olympic Village, Russia Park and many more across London. There isn’t a specific place for Team USA fans, but many Americans find their way to one of the two “come one, come all” Houses of Nations.

“I really like it here,” American student Rachel Eldridge told Metro as she drank Pimms with other American and British friends. “It’s a cool venue to watch the games, enjoy it and be a part of it, and not have to pay for the £200 tickets.”

At the Africa House, set up in Hyde Park, little boys playing soccer weave between visitors watching the Olympic events on a screen. Other fans stop at the booths where individual countries showcase their culture’s food, music and traditions.

Inside the Deutsches Haus at the Museum of London Docklands, beer flows and fans gobble bratwurst or roasted pork with pickled cabbage. Cheering erupted when the German equestrian team took gold in eventing.

“It’s very exciting because our fans are all together and they enjoy the success of our teams,” Rita Winter said, a German fan who traveled to London for the games. “We won two gold medals and a bronze today.”

Kelton Scott and his wife Heidi came to the House of Nations not for a drink, but to get a photo with an official Olympic torch — one of the many incentives the pop-up bars offer to bring fans in from off the street — but that’s not to say they, and many other fans, haven’t spent plenty of time in London’s rich pub scene.    

“Drinking is a big part of the culture of England, as you know,” Scott reminded Metro. “You can’t pay to get into every venue of every sport, so this is good for the local businesses.”

Check out these super fans enjoying everything London’s Houses of Nations had to offer today:

(All photos by Cassandra Garrison/Metro)

German fans celebrate their team’s win in eventing.

Inside the Deutsches Haus for German fans.

Fans enjoy the food of their countries at Houses of Nations, like this bratwurst.

Olympic enthusiasts of all countries are welcome at the House of Nations near London Tower.

Americans Rachel Eldridge and Nicole Mendez with friends at House of Nations

French fans pose with their Olympic torch.

Fans from the Netherlands take in the atmosphere.

Kelton and Heidi Scott, from England, pose with an official Olympic torch.

The Africa House features booths from many different countries.

Traditional African fare.

The post PHOTOS: Inside London’s Houses of Nations: The next best thing to Olympic venues appeared first on Metro.us.

In the 1500′s, the site of London’s Horse Guards Parade is where Henry VIII watched jousting tournaments. The parade grounds were built in 1745 and are typically home to the annual Trooping of the Colour event.

Today, with the help of 5,000 tons of sand, it has been transformed into an international playing field for Olympic beach volleyball, where 15,000 fans whoop and holler as teams of two bump, set and spike their way to gold.  

It is a surreal scene inside the newly erected stadium, which sits on the prime minister’s door step — a skyline of iconic London landmarks, like Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and the London Eye, hovers above the stands as frenzied fans whistle at bikini-clad dancers who take to the sand in between sets. It’s enough to make Queen Elizabeth blush.

Fans from a bevvy of countries enjoyed a vibrant atmosphere that is reminiscent of an NHL game at Madison Square Garden — commentators with British accents encourage the crowd to cheer and clap, silly tunes play while “rakers” smooth sand off the court lines, excited fans initiate “the wave,” vendors sell pizza, chips and beer. Bouts of rain prompted a crowd-wide reaction of pulling on plastic ponchos, but fans didn’t budge from their seats.

After the Netherlands men’s team pulled a close win over Venezuela, fans went wild. Ann Speelman, a Netherlands-native who now lives in London, and her mother proudly waved a flag and gushed about the adrenaline rush of seeing her home country win during the Olympics.

“You’re there, you feel it, it is such an amazing experience,” Speelman told Metro. “Look at this view. We’re so close. To have this as a venue is amazing.”

While countries including Australia, Germany, Latvia and Great Britain played today, there were plenty of nationalities represented in the stands. American Pat Jameson, an aerospace engineer from Phoenix, brought his family of four to London to experience the Olympics and still got decked out in red, white and blue to attend a match in Horse Guards Parade, even though Team USA wasn’t playing till evening.

“Gotta represent,” he said. “We’re just here to soak it in, any venue, any athlete.”

Horse Guards Parade will return to its original function after the London Olympics 2012 come to an end — but for now, it remains the scene of stiff competition, including a win by American women April Ross and Jennifer Kessy over Argentina late Sunday, American men Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser over Japan Sunday, and American women Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor over Australians Tasmin Hinchley and Natalie Cook, in a late-night game on Saturday.

London has created an ideal beach volleyball venue in the heart of the city. (All photos by Cassandra Garrison/Metro)

Occasional rain showers bring out ponchos and umbrellas, but the stands remain packed.

Ann Speelman, of the Netherlands, and her mother celebrate after the Netherlands men’s beach volleyball team defeats Venezuela.

The crowd enjoyed these scantily-clad dancers performing beach-themed numbers and conga lines between sets.

American Pat Jameson, of Phoenix, and his family still represent for Team USA even though they weren’t playing till evening.

The Olympics call for an American pedicure for this fan.

Brits outnumbered any other fan base at Horse Guards Parade.

Fans from Spain proudly represent.

The post PHOTOS: London’s historic Horse Guards Parade transformed into beach volleyball mecca appeared first on Metro.us.

Obama arrived in London as head of the Presidential Delegation to the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games. About 60 U.S. athletes were able to meet her personally this morning during her breakfast-time appearance at the University of East London.  

The first lady’s trip to London is part of her ongoing campaign to encourage America’s youth to take part in regular exercise. She told the athletes she is in awe of their abilities and commitment and described the experience of attending her first Olympic Games as “other-worldly.”

“I can’t begin to tell you how amazing it is to be leading the delegation ahead of the ceremonies for the 2012 Olympic games,” the first lady told the athletes. “Some of my fondest memories growing up, and even as an adult, involve watching the Olympics on TV.”

 The First Lady told Team USA that she was inspired as a child by the incredible abilities of Olympic athletes, and that she and her brother one day dreamed of achieving something great as well. The first lady also shared a personal story about her father’s MS diagnosis and how the Olympics became an incredibly important time for her family.

“My father wasn’t able to walk without the assistance of crutches,” she said. “He retained his love of sports and the Olympics was a special time for him to watch amazing athletes of all abilities compete on the world stage. These games especially affected our little house on the south side of Chicago.”

She finished her remarks with a bit of advice to athletes: “Try to have fun, try to breath a little bit… but also win. In the end, winning is good.”

The first lady spent 30 minutes mingling with members of Team USA, often hugging them, and posing for photos.   

“It made me feel really proud to be an American. To have her here supporting us means a lot,” said fencer Tim Morehouse, who did acknowledge that it was an early morning for the day of the opening ceremony.

“We’ve got our naps planned,” he added.

“I was just so excited to meet her and be able to take pictures with her, and she actually hugged us,” women’s table tennis player Ariel Hsing, 16, told Metro. “I just thought that was incredible.”

Now, athletes will return their attention to tonight’s long-awaited opening ceremony. An air of anticipation seemed to follow Team USA this morning.   

“I’m marching this time,” Olympic hurdler and gold medalist Angelo Taylor told Metro. This is his third Olympic experience, but tonight will be his first time participating in the opening ceremony.

“I’m excited, I’m looking forward to the show. I’m looking to see what’s different this year,” Taylor said.

1994 Olympic gold medalist and basketball great Grant Hill, who is accompanying the first lady as part of the Presidential Delegation, offered his own words of wisdom to young athletes who may be feeling the pressure as the games begin.

“Relax, have fun. If you’re not prepared by now, you’re not going to be prepared,” Grant said. “So just go out and do what you do best. There’s a reason why you’re here.”

(Photo by Errol Anderson)

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As the saying goes, “If the shoe fits, wear it.”

London is home to more than 250 nationalities who fill the air with the hum of 300 languages, making it the natural fit for the world’s most famous international competition. The city is bustling with millions of fans who have traveled here to witness a piece of history, each hoping to cheer their local athletes to glory.

London enlisted the guidance of English director Danny Boyle, famous for his film “Slumdog Millionaire” to coordinate a show-stopping opening ceremony. Boyle reportedly went through $42 million in his effort to tell the story of Britain’s history in an hours-long ceremony that transforms the Olympic stadium into rural England.

Boyle’s spectacular, dubbed “Isles of Wonder,” has called upon the help of 10,000 volunteers. Details have been tightly under wraps, though it has proven difficult to hide an event of such massive scale from the public — final rehearsals caught the attention of people near Olympic Village this week.

Andrew Codling, a Special Constable — or volunteer police officer— has been helping with Olympic preparations for months. He attended a technical rehearsal as a civilian, and while he wouldn’t dish too much about the ceremony, he did give Metro a few photos he snapped on his phone, which suggest the evening display will incorporate fireworks and larger-than-life illuminated Olympic rings.

“The whole performance is stunning with so much going on throughout the whole piece,” Codling told Metro.

Athletes have been arriving all week, filling apartment-style quarters in Olympic Village and shuttling to training centers on specially reserved buses.

Team USA, along with every other country’s team, will be featured in a parade of Olympians, dressed in the official uniforms of their nations (Yes, that includes the controversial “made in China” getup’s produced for Team USA by Ralph Lauren).

“I am really excited and really inspired,” beach volleyball player and two-time gold medalist Kerri Walsh told Metro at 24 Hour Fitness’ ribbon cutting ceremony for the USOC’s High Performance Training Center at the University of East London — the facility Team USA uses to train during the Olympic Games. “I am going for gold here in London and every day the butterflies get a little bigger.”

Tony Azevedo, captain of the U.S. men’s water polo team, also at the event, hinted that the ceremony’s late-night start and lengthy program could be a challenge for athletes who so desperately rely on their legs. While there is no denying the excitement surrounding the Olympic opening ceremony, he said it really marks the beginning of the fight for gold.

“I try to tell the younger guys we are here to focus, but during that time — it is your time to enjoy it. Be that tourist, be that giddy kid,” Azevedo said. “But once we get home [to Olympic Village], it’s business as usual.”

Keep a look out!

When details of Boyle’s multi-million dollar ceremony began to leak to the press, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games launched the hashtag #savethesurprise to encourage people not to share too much.

That hasn’t stopped Olympic enthusiasts from spilling a few details, though. Here’s what Metro’s inside sources say the opening ceremony might include.

— Boyle’s rural England theme has long been rumored to incorporate live animals. Our snitch tells us there will be sheep, goats and cows.

— London is well-known for its dreary skies, though weather is expected to hold tight for the ceremony. Don’t fret — rumor has it, the ceremony will include rain-producing synthetic clouds.

— No British spectacle would be complete without the most famous spy of all — watch closely for an appearance by James Bond in the form of actor Daniel Craig — and he might just be repelling from a helicopter.

— Soccer superstar David Beckham, proud Brit that he is, may be kicking a “flaming” soccer ball into the audience. We’re assuming they’re not real flames.

— Like everything else about the opening ceremony, the musical acts are decisively British. Our sources tell us Sir Paul McCartney and musician Mike Oldfield, of the 1973 album “Tubular Bells,” have both been spotted practicing, though it could be for the opening or closing ceremonies.

Who will lead Team USA?

Only one athlete can carry the American flag and lead the 529 members of Team USA through the opening ceremony. This year, that honor goes to fencer Mariel Zagunis of Beaverton, Oregon. She earned her position as flag-bearer through a vote among her fellow teammates.

Zagunis, 27, is a two-time Olympic champion who won gold at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and again in 2008 in Beijing. Her win in 2004 made her the first U.S. fencer to win an Olympic gold medal in a hundred years. She is the third fencer to carry the American flag during the opening ceremony, behind Norman Armitage in 1952 and 1956, and Janice Lee Romary in 1968.

SPOILER ALERT! The photos below were snapped by Andrew Codling, who witnessed some of the preparations and rehearsals. He shared his inside scoop with Metro, but only look if you don’t mind getting a sneak peek!

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It would take most people months, if not years, to bounce back from a devastating injury, but Paralympic athlete April Holmes knew within two weeks of losing her leg that she wanted to represent the U.S. as a serious competitor on the track.

In 2001, Holmes was involved in a train accident that forced doctors to amputate her left leg below the knee. A life-long basketball player, she was overwhelmed by the amputation and initially feared her days in sports were over.

“I thought I would never be able to run or play basketball again, and I had done that since I was 5-years-old and it had brought joy into my life,” Holmes told Metro. “To wake up and know I’d never play again, it was devastating.”

She credits her surgeon, Dr. William Delong, with planting the idea in her mind to embrace her new body and turn a disability into an incredible ability in athletics. Less than two weeks after her amputation, Delong was bringing her magazines about the Paralympic Games.

“Before that, I never knew about it,” Holmes said. “For him to give me these, I thought he was crazy. But as I searched through the magazines, I learned a whole lot about prosthetic devices.”

From there, a dream was born. Not only did Holmes decide she wanted to become a Paralympic athlete, she had made up her mind that she would be the best.  

“I had to go to rehab and get a leg,” Holmes said. “I definitely wanted to be able to represent the U.S. and be the best in the world, and have gold medals.”

And that’s exactly what Holmes did. By 2002, she was training for a career in Paralympic track & field. Proving to be a dominating force in her sport, she went on to set world records in the 100, 200 and 400 meters.

At the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, she won bronze in the women’s long jump. At the 2008 games in Beijing, she took home gold in the women’s 100 meters.

Holmes has spent the last year training in Florida, where up to six hours of her day was spent on the track in preparation of her third trip to the Paralympic Games, this time in London.
 
“The stress doesn’t go away, but it builds excitement knowing you are going to a different city and seeing the venues you will compete at,” Holmes said. “You go in with expectations of being the greatest and coming away with gold, so the stress doesn’t go away, but you adapt.”

Her dedication is inspiring both on and off the track. When she isn’t training, she’s providing scholarships and medical equipment to disabled people through her non-profit the April Holmes Foundation.

When asked what keeps her motivated, Holmes said it’s as simple as the moment a national anthem is played at the end of a race.

“Would you rather hear yours or that of another country?” she said. “That’s always a motivation for me.”  

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The report, called “The Olympics and Economics” by José Ursúa and Kamakshya Trivedi, takes a close look at the effect money and income can have on a country’s overall success and within specific sports at the games. They took a look at variables including GDP per capita, the ratio of income to that of the US, democracy and hosting duties, and then studied their combined effects on winning medals.

Turns out, richer countries — those with “superior growth environments and higher incomes”— can usually expect to win more medals.

The sports that were most influenced by those factors were canoeing, diving, fencing, swimming and table tennis.  Equestrianism, gymnastics and wrestling were also highly influenced by the factors.

Adversely, sports that aren’t as expensive to train for like football, softball and triathlon, were the sports least affected by the factors.

“Progress and improvement in economic growth have historically often equaled progress in sport,” the authors wrote. “This trend — with a few economically significant countries winning a bulk of the Olympic medals on offer — has continued in recent times. For example, less than 10 countries participating in the 2008 Beijing Olympics won more than half of the almost 1,000 gold, silver and bronze medals that were distributed.”

Additionally, the report proves that “home court advantage” is a very real thing. Countries that are hosting the Olympics tend to bring home more medals than they do when traveling elsewhere for the games, though not in every sport.

“In some cases, hosting the Olympics has meant increasing the number of medals by more than 50 percent with respect to what countries would have otherwise attained,” the report stated.

Historically, hosting countries can expect to win about 1.5 to 3 more medals per game in events like cycling, gymnastics, rowing, sailing, swimming and wrestling. Other sports like football, rhythmic gymnastics and water polo don’t find as much benefit from the so-called “home court advantage.”  

But when it comes to a financial win for host countries, the results have been mixed. The 1972 Munich Olympics and the 1976 Montreal Olympics both had significant financial losses. However, the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics all turned a profit, according to the report.

The researchers note that it is too early to predict whether the London Olympics will be profitable, but the city’s infrastructure plans for the Games were finished on schedule and even below budget. Though, that very budget has been quite the investment at an estimated £8.5bn (about $13.3 billion).

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Ryan Hall was born to run. We get tired just watching him — Hall competes in marathon after marathon with breath-taking speed, and always finishes wanting more. London will be his second Olympic experience — he placed 10th in the marathon during the Beijing games, though he had won the race during the U.S. Olympic trials.

The Big Bear Lake, C.A. native didn’t start running competitively until he was a junior in high school. During his college career at Stanford University, he was plagued by injury, but still managed to earn All-American honors twice and win the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Championship in 2005.

At the 2011 Boston Marathon, Hall ran the fastest marathon ever by an American, with an astonishing 2:04:58 time. Amazingly, he also holds the U.S. record for half marathon at 59:43.

Hall, now 29, prepares to run in familiar territory at the Olympic Games — he’s competed in the Flora London Marathon twice, placing seventh in 2007 and fifth in 2008. His 5’10″ inch frame, topped with sandy blonde hair, evokes machine-like stamina, as he maintains speeds for 26.2 miles that most of us would consider a full-on sprint. Metro caught up with Hall as he once again readies himself for Olympic glory.

Metro: In 2008, you placed tenth in the Olympic Marathon in Beijing. Are you hoping to place higher this year?
 
Hall: Well, I am proud of how I ran in Beijing because I maximized what I had on the day.  I did my very best in my preparations and in the race itself so I have nothing to hang my head about.  My goal is always to maximize my God-given potential on the day and if I do that I am happy.  It would be quite an honor to win a medal or to win the Olympics, but I can’t control how fast everyone else runs, I can only focus on maximizing my potential.  

Could you describe your typical training week? How often to you run the full marathon distance in training?
 
I rarely run the full marathon distance in training. I typically have long runs once every 10 days that vary from 20-26 miles. I usually only run the full marathon distance in training once before I race a marathon. I usually run between 12-23 miles per day, usually this is divided between one run in the morning and another run in the evening.  Then I spend a lot of time stretching, doing self therapy (like rolling on soft balls over tight areas in my back, hips, hamstrings, etc.)  Then I usually take a 90 minute “business meeting” (i.e. nap) everyday and then spend some time preparing healthy and tasty meals.  

What are your power foods? How often do you eat or drink during a race?
 
My power foods are Muscle Milk infused pancakes (of many flavors…my favorite is Cake Batter), BBQ Salmon, Kale, Avocado, and homemade sweet potato fries. I don’t eat during a race, but I do take in 6 ounces of Cytomax Performance drink every 15 minutes and then a couple of gels that are pre-mixed in water. We get our bottles that we turn in the night before the race that they set out on tables for us to grab every 5k.

Who will be your biggest competition in London this year?
 
Well, as everyone knows both Kenya and Ethiopia have very strong teams and will surely be a huge factor in the race.  With that said, often times the biggest challenge comes from unexpected competitors, so you have to be ready for anyone to make a move. I like to go into these races with an open mind and a flexible game plan.   

What do you think of London’s course? How have you prepared for it?
 
I am really excited for London’s course. I have run the London Marathon twice and so I know some of the course already. From what I have learned about the course, it looks to be narrow, windy and flat, which means we have the potential to see some very fast times. The crowd is going to be huge and going crazy so it will be hard for us not to run fast. It is going to be like running in the Tour de France. I can’t wait.  

What advice can you offer to runners who are trying to train for marathons? How do you get through the lows during a race?

We all go through rough patches out there. I like to think about the people I love when I am going through a tough moment. When I run out of love, I always run best.  
 
Have you imagined what it would be like to earn a medal this summer? How do you think you would react?
 
Yeah, I have thought a lot about what it would be like to win a medal in London. I day dream about it all the time. In fact, on my run today, I was just thinking about the feeling of crossing the finish line in London. It is going to be quite an accomplishment no matter what place I finish, but it would be a special honor to win a medal and have my medal presented to me during the closing ceremonies.   

Do you have any lucky charms before a race?
 
The only thing left to do on the starting line is to pray.

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Police said the operation was not linked to the Olympics, which start in London on July 27, but was part of a planned intelligence-led operation.

A security source said the London arrests were related to international Islamist militancy and were made at an early stage of plotting. It was not clear if any targets were identified.

During the raids, a 29-year-old man was arrested on a street in west London while the others, aged between 18 and 30, were detained at residential addresses in east and west London.

A 24-year-old man was tasered by police with a stun gun during the operation by armed officers but did not require hospital treatment.

Police said the six were arrested on suspicion of the “commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism”.

Detectives were searching eight homes in east, west and north London, and one business address in east London.

In a separate and apparently unrelated incident, armed police closed both carriageways of a motorway near Britain’s second biggest city, Birmingham, after reports of a man acting suspiciously on a coach heading for London.

British security forces are on high alert for any signs of trouble ahead of the Olympics. Seven years ago this week suicide bombers killed 52 people in a string of coordinated attacks in London.

The motorway incident proved to be a false alarm. Police said they did not consider it to be a counter-terrorism situation and they were not treating anyone as suspect.

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The newly-released tune “Survival” will play throughout the upcoming games, including while athletes enter the stadium and before medal ceremonies, and as the theme for all international TV coverage, according to Muse.

“[Lead singer] Matt [Bellamy] wrote the song with the Olympics in mind. It’s about total conviction and pure determination to win,” the announced said on its website.

Olympic organizers will still announce four other commissioned songs before the games begin. The other official songs are expected to be from Dizzee Rascal, Chemical Brothers, Delphic, and Sir Elton John in collaboration with Pnau, according to What’s Trending.

The more-than-five-minute song by Muse is available on iTunes. It has also been uploaded to YouTube, where you can listen to it below.

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Daryl Homer is currently the #1 male fencer in the country and #12 in the world. That’s a lot of pressure for a 21-year-old athlete, but to Homer, it only serves as more motivation to take home the gold.

Born in the Virgin Islands and raised in the Bronx, Homer belongs to the Manhattan Fencing Center. He somehow manages to balance life as a St. John’s University marketing major and being the youngest member 2012 USA Olympic Men’s Sabre Team as he prepares to head to London, where the world will likely see extraordinary things from him.

Homer dished to Metro about his hopes for London, his go-to traditions and the foods he uses for fuel as he readies himself for his first Olympic experience.  

Metro: What is the one thought that has been running through your mind most as you prepare for London?

Homer: Winning a medal. I know making it to the Olympic Games is a huge deal, but winning a medal makes you a legend. It’s something no one can ever take away from you, something you’ve worked for, something that speaks such high volumes about your abilities as both a person and an athlete. I’ve thought about possible celebrations, possible outcomes, celebrating with family and friends, and bringing that honor to my family.

You’re currently ranked #1 in the U.S. What kind of pressure does that add to your performance?

As a leader of our team, I understand the other guys will feed off of my energy. This doesn’t add pressure, but provides motivation and drive. We know we are capable of fencing with the best teams in the world. It’s all on us, and that’s the only thing we can ask for. Now it’s up to us to perform!

Who do you believe will be your biggest competition at the games?

There are so many strong fencers, from so many countries in the world. I can’t say there is anyone specific — like I said, it’s all on me. I plan on entering the Olympic Games with the right energy, great mental stamina, and in awesome physical shape. These things will define my success not my competitors.

Do you have any lucky charms or superstitions you stick to before an event?

I’m pretty big on spending time alone. Generally, I try to break my mental preparation into two parts. The night before the competition I spend time alone, and imagine all possible outcomes. I always make sure to end these thoughts with positive outcomes. I also tend to tidy my living spaces before a competition. Following the same theme I try to get a nice haircut before every competition.

What is your pre-competition ritual?

I listen to music before every competition. Currently my favorite artists are Meek Mill, Kanye West, Big Sean, and Wale.

What’s your favorite pre-event meal and what do you like to eat after a competition?  

After a long trip, I love to indulge in West Indian Food. I’m pretty big on eating foods from a multitude of different cultures. Pre-event, I usually go with a steak.

What is your diet like when you are not strictly training for a big competition? Do you ever let yourself splurge or indulge in a favorite guilty pleasure?

This year, I experimented with the Mediterranean diet and found it super helpful. Generally I eat whatever looks good. I love all kinds of ethnic foods, especially Thai, Chinese, and Japanese.

As a New Yorker, do you have any message you’d like to send to the people of NYC who will be cheering for you?

Fencing is an amazing sport! It provides benefits for the body, the mind, and experience that can be directly correlated to life!

You can follow Daryl Homer’s Olympic journey via Facebook and Twitter.

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People thronged the streets as the 86-year-old monarch cut a somber figure in church, attending one of the few grand state occasions in her life without her husband of 64 years, after Prince Philip was taken ill with a bladder infection on Monday.

“The Queen will today face one of the crowning moments of her reign without the presence by her side of the man who for more than six decades has been her unfailing support,” said the Times newspaper.

The 90-year-old royal consort will be kept under observation for a few days in a move the palace said was “precautionary”, but takes some of the gloss of what is widely seen as a triumphant jubilee that has cemented the queen’s popularity.

Millions have attended street parties and festivities, watched a spectacular 1,000-vessel pageant on the River Thames in London on Sunday and a concert in front of Buckingham Palace on Monday, all held in honor of Elizabeth II, the only British monarch other than Queen Victoria to have reigned for 60 years.

In a rare move, the queen, who usually only appears on TV screens for a short message on Christmas Day, will deliver a special broadcast be aired at 1700 GMT to thank the nation.

Crowds began massing in huge numbers on the wide Mall avenue towards Buckingham Palace, turning the famous road into a sea of red, white and blue, for the jubilee finale when the royal family will appear on the balcony, with a fly-past by modern and former Royal Air Force aircraft.

“Some may think this is all a bit frivolous, but it’s all about spreading the love,” said Aba Shanti, 41, who was wearing a red, white and blue “Union Jack” flag dress.

Pomp and pageantry

After the celebrity glitz of the pop concert, Tuesday’s events were more typical of the formal displays of ceremony for which British royalty is known across the globe.

Elizabeth – dressed in a fine silk tulle outfit, embroidered with tiny mint green star-shaped flowers embellished with silver thread – arrived at Paul’s Cathedral to shouts of “God save the Queen” from crowds lining the route to St. Paul’s.

A trumpet fanfare played as the monarch headed into the grand Christopher Wren-designed church, making her way up the aisle past bowing and curtsying members of the congregation.

Commentators said the church service for Elizabeth, who came to the throne aged 25 in 1952, would hold particular poignancy for the queen who as titular head of the Church of England holds her religious role close to her heart.

“We are marking today the anniversary of one historic and very public act of dedication – a dedication that has endured faithfully, calmly and generously through most of the adult lives of most of us here,” said Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury and spiritual leader of the Anglican church.

“We are marking six decades of living proof that public service is possible and that it is a place where happiness can be found,” he told the congregation, which also heard a reading from Prime Minister David Cameron.

Afterwards the royals headed to receptions at two of the City of London’s grandest buildings, Mansion House and the Guildhall, before a lunch at Westminster Hall, the oldest part of the Houses of Parliament.

With Philip absent, the queen will lead a horse-drawn carriage procession back to Buckingham Palace in a 1902 State Landau with heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles and his wife Camilla as military bands play and a 60-gun salute is fired.

Charles’s sons Prince Harry and Prince William with his wife Kate, in an Alexander McQueen dress, will follow behind in other carriages.

Success and popularity

So far, the long weekend dedicated to the diamond jubilee has been a success story for the monarchy, their media team and Elizabeth personally.

Polls suggest the crown and the queen herself are more popular than they have been for decades, with one suggesting the hereditary monarch was considered far less out of touch with her people than Cameron and his ministers.

Meanwhile the younger generation of royals, especially William, Harry and Kate, have become the darlings of the British press, once notoriously hostile to the monarchy as it threatened to implode in the 1990s following marital infidelities and the death of Charles’s hugely popular first wife, Princess Diana.

Republicans have been vocal in their opposition during the jubilee but have drawn few obvious signs of public backing, although they hope that apathy to the royals felt by some could turn to hostility when the queen is gone and the less popular Charles becomes king.

If nothing else, commentators said the royals had once again provided Britons, suffering through financial hardships, deep public spending cuts and rising unemployment, an excuse to forget their woes and enjoy a party.

“With the economy and one thing or another, this has just been the most fantastic celebration,” said designer Sheree Charalampous, 53, who had made her own crown, strung with pearls, pictures of corgis and a portrait of the queen.

“I really think the monarchy is now back in favor again, which is wonderful. Nobody does this sort of thing like us. It has been an amazing four days, just fantastic.”

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Top 3 reasons London’s calling
   
London has gotten a huge, expensive face-lift.
“We’ve seen [more than] 11 billion pounds’ worth of investment — that’s everything from new stations to new rail lines to new hotels,” says Couchman about the huge improvements the city has undergone since it was picked as host by the International Olympic Committee. “Getting the Olympics means a huge halo effect for the entire city. The amount of regeneration and change because of it is huge.” Couchman points to the new Stratford International station, which will connect visitors from the Olympic Park to central London, as one of those major, once-in-a-lifetime improvements.

Londoners are ready to party.
“We’ve been hosting the Cultural Olympiad since they handed the baton over to London in 2008; it’s the largest cultural celebration in the history of the modern Olympic and Paralympic Movements,” Couchman notes. “That means amazing art shows and famous artists who come to take part in special, one-off exhibits and events here.” With the Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee taking place, as well as The World Shakespeare Festival and the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens (to name just a few), she notes: “Londoners are in quite the party mode and ready to welcome the world.” She suggests checking out the Limited Edition London segment on their website, www.visit
london.com, to learn more about other cultural events taking place in 2012.

Even if you don’t have an Olympic ticket, there are still plenty of ways to take advantage of the London Olympics.
Couchman names three such events: The Triathlon held in Hyde Park, the marathon and the road cycling event. “You can still see amazing athletes with London as an iconic backdrop,” she notes. There will also be communal spaces all over the city for visitors and locals alike to watch the broadcast competitions.

Where to stay

Couchman says if you want to plan a visit in 2012 to visit London, it’s best to do your research first. “Try to use official websites, like Visitlondon.com and London2012.com to find out essential information,” she advises. She says there are accommodations for every price point, from campsites to 5-star hotels. One such 5-star hotel? The Jumeirah Carlton Tower, which is located right in the heart of fashionable Knightsbridge, one of the world’s most exclusive shopping havens. If you can tear yourself away from one of their luxurious rooms, Harrods and Harvey Nichols, as well as luxury designer boutiques on Sloane Street, are just a stroll away for those who consider shopping a real Olympic sport. 

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Yesterday, on a crisp autumn morning, demonstrators were still there, clustered in 150 tents and tarpaulin shelters outside the cathedral — a few steps away from the London base of Goldman Sachs. The plan is to remain in place “as long as they let us stay.”

That could be very long indeed, as police officers said they would not clear out the site if the demonstration remains peaceful. “Why don’t you join us?” protesters asked policemen. One said: “[I] can’t give the answer now, but I’m sure these guys will give you a better answer later.”

The atmosphere at Saint Paul’s courtyard is serene: Ideas are brainstormed and posted on boards, and daily meetings are held to discuss the protest’s next steps.

Despite their immediate goal — to raise awareness — in the long run, the “Occupy London” crowd says it wants to reshape the system through civil disobedience, seeking a better distribution of wealth.
“This campsite is not about having the same answers, but about asking the same questions,” one participant, wearing a “V for Vendetta” mask, said.

Commuters rushing to work or corporate managers on coffee breaks shuffle around — they look a little baffled, but curious. Some of them are offered a cup of tea; residents of the nearby up-market areas come down to deliver food to the field kitchen or bring donations to support the cause.

Mark, 45, working in IT, said he was “considering joining in” while going back to work wearing a suit. He has just handed out a £20 note to the info point.

“It’s not suits versus non-suits,” said Tim Sanders, a banker, visiting on a break. “This is a genuine anger for our lost generation. It is not gonna stop.”

’60s-era activist on this current movement

Metro spoke with Todd Gitlin, a professor of  journalism and sociology at Columbia University. As leader of the Students for a Democratic Society, Gitlin was one of the iconic leaders of the 1968 movement.

How do these protests compare to the 1968 movement?

The current protests start from an inner core of anarchists. It has been extended by various organized groups, like trade unions. The speed at which the protests have erupted is remarkable. By contrast, the 1968 movement was founded and led by students, and it was several years before the protests broke out.

The 1968ers had a clear    ideology. Do you see the same in these protests? They seem rather superficial.

They’re ideological in that their speakers are celebrities of the left. It’s rather curious that an anti-authoritarian revolt relies on outside leaders to this extent. In the 1968 movement, students formed the ideology — and the leaders were students.

Many of the people in power today are former 1968ers. What has the 1968 generation learned from its path from revolt to power?

It’s a path to power, but also a path to frustration. We reached power, but so did the plutocrats. What we’re seeing now is the first promising challenge to the power of the plutocrats.

Can protesters actually achieve anything sustainable?

The protests have rejuvenated the left.

Metro question

We asked protesters at London’s St. Paul’s      Cathedral,?“Why are you protesting?”?Here are some of their responses:
   
Laura Lee, 23,
advice worker:
“For now we want to raise awareness, we want to say that another option exists.”
   
Hassan Ahadi, 50,
part-time gardener:
“We are mostly unemployed, students or people from the working class. We have different views on the solutions, but I believe the real solution is us.”
   
Nancy Wright, 66,
retiree:
“I just want to show that a protester is more than who’s portrayed by the media.”

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Condé Nast is set to open a fashion college in London next September. The Condé Nast College of Fashion and Design will offer about 300 students the chance to participate in a year-long fashion foundation course sponsored by its Vogue brand, according to the BBC.

“Easy Living” magazine editor Susie Forbes has been named the school’s principal.

“With access to some of the sharpest and most creative minds shaping the fashion, design and interiors industries today, we aim to educate students to the highest level,” said Forbes. “It makes perfect sense for Conde Nast to open its college doors in London, the fashion capital of the world.”

Students will be immersed in courses like the history of fashion and design, the fashion year, print and digital journalism and luxury brand marketing. Magazine “House & Garden” will also collaborate on interior design and decoration courses.

Condé Nast managing director Nicholas Coleridge said,”Condé Nast is perfectly placed to enter the world of education. The reputation and authority of our brands puts us in a strong position to teach and inspire the fashion and decorating talent of the future.”

The Condé Nast College of Fashion and Design could find itself in competition with London College of Fashion and Central Saint Martins, both part of the University of Arts London.

The publisher says fees for the new school will be “in line” with those charged by other institutions.

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In Salford, part of greater Manchester in northwest England, rioters threw bricks at police and set fire to buildings. A BBC cameraman was assaulted.

Television pictures showed flames leaping from shops and cars in Salford and Manchester, and plumes of thick black smoke billowing across roads.

In central Manchester, police said a clothes shop was set alight. “I can confirm a shop is on fire and 200 youths that gathered in the city center have been chased by riot police and dispersed. Seven arrests have been made so far,” a spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said.

Further south in West Bromwich and Wolverhampton, cars were burned and stores raided.

Community leaders said the violence in London — the worst for decades in the huge, multi-ethnic capital — was rooted in growing disparities in wealth and opportunity.

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Rioters throwing petrol bombs rampaged overnight through the deprived district of Tottenham in north London, setting police patrol cars, buildings and a double-decker bus on fire.

“There are Twitter conversations that people are being asked to meet again down in Tottenham, so we are all concerned — but clearly we will be much better prepared this evening,” Richard Barnes, London’s Deputy Mayor, told BBC TV. reuters

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