Extra security: wil Team USA and their president be allowed extra security? (Photo: AP)
New Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe put the London 2012 Olympics at the top of his agenda by appearing at a US Embassy Olympic reception two days into his new job.
Hogan-Howe was enthusiastic about the upcoming Games and expressed confidence in the £600 million security plans that are already in place.
He mingled with the Minister of the Embassy of the USA, Barbara Stephenson, national Olympic security co-ordinator assistant police commissioner Chris Allison, London Gold Commander Bob Broadhurst as well as security types from Locog and the US.
Telegraph Sport has learned that while national Olympic teams will be able to have their own security officials the big question mark about whether high-risk teams like the US, Israel and China, can be supported by their own armed personnel is still being discussed.
In the past Israel and the United States have managed to convince Olympic host governments that a small specialist armed presence is required.
Ms Stephenson joked that the US would not be bringing an aircraft carrier down the Thames.
Boris wades in over EastEnders row
The BBC has rejected plans to relocate the popular EastEnders show production to the Olympic Park international broadcast centre prompting the Mayor of London Boris Johnson to be "astonished" at the broadcasters' failure to commit to the East End.
The BBC was offered substantial rent reductions to anchor the £355 million Games media centre and move EastEnders from Borehamwood, Herfordshire.
But the BBC's rejection of the deal means the marketing pitch to turn the centre into a high-tech media hub may prompt the Olympic Park Legacy Company to shift to other ideas such as a fashion hub or sporting retail hub, the commercial property website CoStar has suggested. Other ideas previously floated included a theme park.
Johnson told the London Evening Standard: "This was an opportunity for the BBC to deliver better value for money for hard-pressed licence-fee payers and confront critics who say it's bureaucratic, wasteful and out of touch."
There was the chance for the BBC to show genuine commitment to the East End – an area it has harvested for audiences for decades. I'm astonished that the boss class don't see the obvious advantages of rooting a popular drama in an area it claims to portray.
"Perhaps if they seized this opportunity their plots and script lines would reflect the vibrancy and optimism of this critical part of the capital and not the relentless negativity that often comes across."
Visit Britain and Team USA link up for tourism push
US athletes have been somersaulting and wrestling their way around the UK this week as part of a tourism initiative with VisitBritain.
Beijing Olympic gymnastic champion Nastia Liukin cartwheeled in front of Big Ben while Beijing Paralympic cycling star Allison Jones got to peek inside Number 10 Downing Street.
The decathlon Olympic champion Brian Clay is going to try his hand at the caber toss and stone put at the Highland Games, and then enjoy afternoon tea aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia.
It's part of the £100 million push to get international visitors to the country before the Olympics and comes as the government commits £3 million from the Olympic budget to promote domestic tourism within the UK.
Locog pins hopes on dogs
The opening of the entry to Olympic Park, also known as the Westfield Stratford City on Tuesday, saw mass crowds at the John Lewis store where Olympic memorabilia can be purchased.
It appears sales of the Team GB mascot, Pride the Lion are outselling the one-eyed beasts Wenlock and Mandeville.
But purchasing the mascots or other official merchandise is a problem for customers in the United States. As part of a marketing deal with the US Olympic Committee, the merchandise sales have to go through TeamUSA, where stock is heavily restricted.
While there are 187 different types of pins available for UK and most of the world- including popular dog varieties (the staffy and the corgi varieties are cute) the US site has just one Wenlock one year to go pin available.
For customers in over 140 countries around the world the hefty postage charges might limit transactions – the mail cost is £34.95.
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