Tower Bridge lightshow for London 2012 Olympic Games - ITV
Tower Bridge, one of the most famous landmarks in the capital, has been given a glittering makeover ahead of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The state-of-the-art lighting system, which is aimed at brightening the bridge and picking out its architectural features, had its first switch-on last night.
Coloured bulbs, which vary in intensity, beamed from the central London landmark where giant Olympic Rings and the Paralympic Agitos, the swirling symbol of the Paralympics, will shine during the London 2012 Games.
The lights will shine white this weekend to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
Work began in November to fit the 1,800 special energy-efficient LED lights, 6,562ft of energy-efficient LED linear lights, 16,404ft of cable and 1,000 junction boxes. The lights will be in place for 25 years.
London Mayor Boris Johnson predicted that Tower Bridge is now set to play "a starring role" in the 2012 celebrations:
Tower Bridge is already a global icon and this much-loved landmark is now even more spectacular thanks to a world-class illumination system.
As London gears up for a summer like no other, this fantastic lighting makeover is another example of how the capital is benefiting from the Games.
It is to be funded through a deal between the Mayor, City of London and London 2012 sponsors GE and EDF.
Vladimir Putin to snub London 2012 Olympics - The Guardian
Vladimir Putin will not be coming to the London Olympics, diplomatic sources have said, in an apparent signal of the Russian president's continuing displeasure and irritation with Britain.
Putin will not attend the London 2012 opening ceremony on 27 July, sources confirmed, despite the fact that Moscow will host the Winter Olympics in 2014 in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Instead, the Russian president is likely to dispatch his prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, to London.
The snub follows Putin's controversial decision earlier this month to boycott the G8 summit hosted by the US president, Barack Obama. Putin claimed he was too busy forming his new government to attend, and sent Medvedev instead. He has accused the US of inciting street protests against him and is unhappy with Washington's missile defence plans in Europe.
Putin has a long list of grievances against Britain. As well as the unresolved Alexander Litvinenko affair – a source of smouldering tension – the Kremlin has been infuriated by calls to ban senior Russians accused of human rights abuses.
In March, a group of backbench MPs voted to refuse visas to officials implicated in the death of Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who died in prison in 2009. The Foreign Office has so far ignored the non-binding vote and ruled out a Magnitsky ban.
Putin was inaugurated for a third time as president on 7 May. Soon afterwards, he announced that one of Moscow's top foreign policy priorities was to prevent government and other officials from being placed on visa blacklists abroad. Campaigners say visa bans are one of the few effective measures against bureaucrats who enjoy visiting London and other EU capitals and typically hold bank accounts in the west.
On Wednesday, Denis MacShane, the former Labour Europe minister, said he welcomed Putin's decision to avoid the Games. Earlier this year, the MP said Downing Street should make it clear Putin was not welcome at the Olympics.
The threat of Magnitsky sanctions has received "phenomenal coverage" in the Russian press, he said, probably contributing to the decision to stay away. "I think Putin doesn't want to come to Britain and face difficult questions," he said.
He went on: "This is further evidence of the turning inwards of Putin towards a more nationalistic authoritarianism and a rejection of western values. He doesn't want to come to a democratic country and realise how unpopular he now is, because of his refusal to uphold the rule of law and justice back in Russia."
Putin attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Games in August 2008. At the time Putin was prime minister, having installed his protege Medvedev as president. The ceremony was dramatically overshadowed by events in Georgia, which came under Russian air and artillery bombardment after Georgian troops briefly seized back the rebel province of South Ossetia. Putin and Bush were seen having a heated conversation about who was to blame for the unfolding war.
Since David Cameron's coalition government took over in 2010 there has been a modest improvement in bilateral relations, with foreign secretary William Hague – who was in Moscow on Monday – keen to promote bilateral trade. But Putin remains incensed about Britain's refusal to extradite leading Kremlin critics based in London, including the fugitive oligarch Boris Berezovsky and the Chechen separatist leader Akhmed Zakayev.
There are also major differences on international affairs, with the west exasperated by Moscow's stalwart support for Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and its spoiling role at the UN security council. Russia, for its part, sees US and UK support for Syria's rebels as part of a western-engineered plot to force regime change in Damascus.
Since returning to the Kremlin this month, Putin has kept a surprisingly low profile. There have been none of the stunts or photo opportunities that characterised his election campaign. Kremlin minders are apparently keen to avoid spontaneous – and potentially risky – encounters with ordinary Russians. Street protests in Moscow that began last December continue, with anti-Kremlin activists organising an Occupy-style camp and holding spontaneous mass walks.
Some 120 heads of state have said they will attend the London 2012 opening ceremony. It will be the largest top-level international gathering in diplomatic history, the Foreign Office believes.
The number far exceeds the 87 leaders who travelled to Beijing in 2008. Several controversial leaders on an EU blacklist will also not be coming: they include Assad, Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, and Belarus's Alexander Lukashenko.
But other authoritarian rulers not on the list are likely to travel to London. They include Uzbekistan's despotic leader, Islam Karimov, and his counterpart from Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. Both visited the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
GM's Vauxhall announces new Astra at UK plant - Yahoo Finance
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LONDON (AP) -- General Motors' Vauxhall plant in northern England will build the company's top-selling Astra vehicles, the automaker said Thursday — a relief for U.K. politicians who had lobbied its American owner to keep the plant open.London 2012 Olympics: small bottle of beer at Games will cost £4.20 as organisers reveal food and drink prices - Daily Telegraph
"We have gone to great lengths to find top quality, tasty food that celebrates the best of Britain. We believe that our prices are more than comparable to those found at other major sporting events which because of their temporary nature are often more expensive than the high street.
"We are proud that the catering and industry has been quick to adopt the standards of our Food Vision, leaving a stronger and sustainable industry as a legacy of the Games."
- Fancy a drink? Maybe not at these prices...
Bottled water – £1.60
Fairtrade Tea from £2.00
Fairtrade Coffee from £2.60
500ml bottle of Coca Cola – £2.30
330ml bottle of Heineken – £4.20
London 2012 red wine 18.7cl – £4.80
There will be over 800 spectator concessions, featuring more than 150 different dishes that aim to "showcase the diversity and quality of British food".
Visitors to the Olympic Park will be able to purchase a wide range of foods but the only branded products are Olympic sponsors: the worlds largest McDonald's restaurant, Coca Cola, Cadbury, Nature Valley and Heineken.
Organisers says over 14 million meals will be served during the Games, across 40 locations. They claim this is the largest peace time catering operation in the world.
Well over a million meals will be served to athletes, with 1,300 different types of dishes on the menu. Organisers believe that on the busiest day of the Games over 65,000 meals will be served to athletes.
- What's on the menu?
- Porridge and maple syrup, made with UK oats and milk – £2.20
Toasted tea cakes, with Yorkshire butter – £2.10
Carrot and cucumber sticks with red pesto hummus – £2.50
6 Jerk Red Tractor assured chicken wings – £3.50
Red Leicester British cheese with British apple chutney and Farm assured lettuce on Oxfordshire bread – £3.80
Jacket potato with Dingley Dell bacon and Freedom Foods chicken in a herb mayonnaise, served with roquete and watercress salad – £5.80
Pole and line caught tuna and sweet potato British salad – £5.90
Freshly carved Dingley Dell hog roasted Red Tractor pork, served in Oxfordshire cross hatched bread roll with mixed leaf salad and assorted accompaniments – £6.50
Grilled Red Tractor chicken burrito – £6.50
Penne pasta Red Tractor chicken and mushroom white sauce – £6.50
Thin crust stone baked 10” pizza with spicy pepperoni, spicy beef, basil and oregano – £7.50
Farm assured Scotch Beef with Long Clawson Stilton Pie, Irish mashed potato with Red Tractor Cream and British butter and onion gravy – £8.00
Cod and chips – from £8
Singapore noodle, stir fried egg noodle, chicken, prawns, char sui Pork, chilli and shredded peppers in a hoi sin dressing – £8.50
Lamb Rogan Josh served with Pilaf or Saffron rice – £8.50
Vauxhall Sponsors Home Nations - girlracer
If you’re a fan of football, cars, or both, you may already be aware of the sponsorship agreement that exists between leading car manufacturer Vauxhall and the UK’s four football associations.
If you’re a fan of football, cars, or both, you may already be aware of the sponsorship agreement that exisVauxhall believe that football is the UK’s greatest passion, and that’s why they have committed to following the game every step of the way, sponsoring each of the UK football associations as they proceed onwards to the next World Cup in 2014, which will be taking place in Brazil. As well as the big four, though, Vauxhall also recognise the importance of promoting football teams at every level of the competition. “At Vauxhall,” it says on their website, “we see this as a commitment to the next generation of UK football.” This is why Vauxhall also focus their attention on actively supporting 37 different teams throughout the nation, including the U16s, U17s, U18s, U19s, U20s and U21s teams, both men’s and women’s. Each of the four home nations teams gets a special spot on the Vauxhall football sponsorship homepage. You can keep in touch with your favourite by following Vauxhall England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on Twitter, or liking their Facebook page. Each team also has a dedicated photo gallery on the Vauxhall site, allowing you to view iconic images from notable matches or events. If you like the Vauxhall England page on Facebook, you could even be in with a chance of winning a trip to Kiev in Ukraine - http://www.facebook.com/VauxhallEngland/app_158649194263310.
If you’re a fan of Vauxhall and its commitment to the Home Nations, you may be interested in purchasing a Vauxhall vehicle for example the corsa 1.2.
To compare available models and prices, visit Motors.co.uk to view currently available deals, both new and second hand, at the touch of a mouse. You can also list your own vehicles on this site if you are looking to sell.
Food and drinks at the 2012 London Olympics won't be cheap - Examiner
If the price of airfare, hotel and tickets doesn't break your budget for the 2012 London Olympics, the cost of food and drink just might push you over the edge.
The average cost for a family of four to eat at an Olympic venue will be $61. The price of a bottle of water is reasonable at $2.50, but a hot dog will set you back $9.00. A meal of fish and chips and a Coke will run $16. A chicken burrito will sell for $10.
And if you planned on packing your own food, you’re out of luck. According to the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), “picnics are not allowed inside London 2012 venues," but they will let you through with small amounts of food to “snack on."
Bringing your own drinks is also out of the question. LOCOG states that only empty clear plastic water bottles will be allowed, although free drinking water from fountains will be available for refills.
LOCOG will feed more than 15,000 athletes across the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, with a total of 1.2 million meals set to be served including 1,300 different types of dishes.
“We want everyone who attends the Games this summer to have a fantastic experience and central to this is the food and drink that’s available,” said LOCOG Chief Executive, Paul Deighton. "We believe that our prices are more than comparable to those found at other major sporting events which because of their temporary nature are often more expensive than the high street.”
The London Olympics will offer the largest peace-time catering operation in the world, serving over 14 million meals across 40 locations. More than 800 concession stands featuring more than 150 different types of dishes will provide a mixture of British food and multicultural dishes including curries, seafood, noodles and salads.
And if you just can't get enough McDonald's, there will be four to choose from including one inside the Athlete's Village and two inside the Olympic Park.
Products from Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Cadbury, Nature Valley and Heineken will be the only commercially branded items at the London Olympics.
Geneva motor show 2012: Vauxhall Ampera wins Car of the Year - Daily Telegraph
"This is one of proudest moments of my career," said Karl-Friedrich Stracke, chief executive of Opel/Vauxhall as he received the award with Susan Doherty, president and managing director of Chevrolet Europe. The Ampera's sister car, the Chevrolet Volt, which has been on sale for 18 months in the USA, won the North American Car of the Year award in 2011.
London 2012 Olympics: best of British food? Locog are taking the tea and biscuit - Daily Telegraph Blogs
Best of British not on offer in copious amounts on the Olympic Park
For some time now London Olympic Games organisers have been insisting that food at the London Olympics would be the best of British.
There were visions of high tea, Sunday roast, Beef Wellington, steak and kidney pie, Cornish pasty, fish and chips, Eton Mess all washed down with a nice hot cup of tea, or a pint of ale.
But it’s not to be, sadly.
The scale and complexity of feeding hundreds of thousands of people at speed means the London 2012 Olympic Games threatens to be like every other recent Games before it: a poor convergence of the expensive and the pedestrian.
Most spectators might accept the higher prices if the quality and consistency was apparent, but if the catering at the Olympic test events were a taster then prepare to be underwhelmed.
The Olympic Park offerings were bland and overpriced, with only the tucker on offer at Horse Guards Parade – where the beach volleyball will be played – the only exception.
Let’s look at the expense first. Locog released its pricing card on Wednesday and immediately the chief executive Paul Deighton was on the defensive, claiming the cost was similar to those found at other major sporting events and the premium was justified because "their temporary nature are often more expensive than the high street".
He forgot to mention the Games’ food suppliers don't pay rent. Or perhaps they do – it’s called 'sponsorship'.
So how much more expensive is it to queue at Olympic Park, rather than bring in food to the Olympic Park from the Local Sainsbury's?
The cost of a 500ml bottle of water (£1.60), an Innocent orange juice (£2.50), a blueberry muffin (£2.50), some oats with maple syrup (£2.20) and a gourmet cheese sandwich (£3.80) at the Olympic Park will cost £12.60 in total.
The same five items from the Sainsbury's en route to the train station cost £5.69.
But I can't bring my four-pack of Heineken 330ml beers (£4.49 for the lot) to the Olympics as they will be confiscated by security.
I would be forced, therefore, to shell out £4.20 for one small bottle at the Olympic Park. Forget ale, unless you happen to be at Lord’s – the archery venue – where it will be available, but only from unmarked taps.
The line at the supermarket might be too long, so consider the High Street alternatives. Olympic coffee priced at £2.60 is £2, and Olympic Coca Cola costing £2.30 is £1.60. At Pret A Manger the water is 95p. At Upper Crust the tea is £1.65.
Next, consider the lack of variety – the very spice of life – as English poet William Cowper famously said.
"We have gone to great lengths to find top quality, tasty food that celebrates the best of Britain," insists Deighton.
The menu – and this comes from the sample provided by the organisers because the whole list is too big and complex to release in its entirety, apparently - is as follows: Singapore noodles; chicken wings; pizza; penne pasta; and chicken burrito. There is Coke and Heineken to drink.
Best of British? No wonder McDonald’s has built its world's biggest restaurant on the Olympic Park capable of seating 1,500.
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