those and m also coming up on the world today... michelle, barack, this means so much to me. former us president barack obama endorses kamala harris in the race for the white house. a very warm welcome to the world today. and about half an hour, we are going to see the start. the countdown is on to the paris olympics opening ceremony, which gets under way in the next 30 minutes. let's get a look at some life pictures. you can see people arriving at the eurostar terminal in

the big queues. trying to get to the olympic games. many of them, the final build—up has been disrupted by arson attacks. but the final build up has been disrupted by arson attacks on france's high speed rail lines. france's transport minister condemned what's been described as "co—ordinated, malicious acts". eurostar has cancelled a quarter of its services from london and asked passengers to postpone theirjourneys if possible. the prime minister keir starmer had to change his travel plans and has flown to paris rather than take the train so he can attend the opening ceremony, which will see thousands of athletes paraded by boat along the river seine. a commune in france has shown some pictures with the bbc. the mayor said they were taken which mayor franck marchand says were taken at a railway line in

saint pellerin courtalain — that's 88 miles from paris. our paris correspondent andrew harding has more. confusion this morning at europe's busiest railway station, the gare du nord in central paris. news about the overnight attacks on three french railway lines spreading fast. delays and cancellations piling up, prompting frustration and some anxiety. are you concerned about these attacks? i'm not happy about them. as long as that's it, i'm happy, but i am concerned, cos i've got the family, and i want to make sure that we get home safe and sound. i'm concerned that... i don't want to be here with my little one any longer than what i need to be. footage here shows passengers being escorted off one train and taken across the tracks after getting stuck on the outskirts of paris. this is one of the sabotaged sites, on the high—speed eurostar line

thatjoins paris to london. a photo shows cables deliberately set on fire. but by whom? paris is already on high alert amid concerns about potential russian cyberattacks and violent islamist groups. the french prime minister noted today's sabotage was no amateur effort. translation: what we can see is that this operation _ was planned and coordinated, that sensitive targets were chosen, which shows some knowledge of the rail network and where to strike it. among those in the queue at st pancras station in london, the parents of one british athlete playing in the women's rugby sevens. we checked on eurostar, and as far as we're concerned, we came up here, and we are prepared to wait for however long just we came up here, and we're prepared to wait for however long just to get out to paris, so, you know, that's the thing. in france, engineers are racing to fix the damage, replacing cables on the three affected lines. there are plenty of frustrated

travellers here, but the good news is that, while the high—speed lines have been affected across france, the bulk of the rail network is still operating just fine, and is trying to pick up the slack. the trains are moving. we are running the majority. of trains today, albeit slower, so most of the people . who want to get to paris should be able to do so. an upbeat assessment, but this has been an alarming experience for a city anxiously hoping nothing else will go wrong this olympic summer. joining me now is hugh schofield at montparnasse train station. at montparnasse train station, and tom symonds from st pancras station. there have been varying degrees of disruption. how important it is

today in terms of travel? well, there was _ today in terms of travel? well, there was massive _ today in terms of travel? well, there was massive disruption l today in terms of travel? well, i there was massive disruption this morning here at montparnasse, where i am now, but the station is right below me. no trains at all this morning on the tgv network. it had to completely set down for safety reasons. the same is true on the eastern and northern branch. gradually through the day, things have improved, and this evening, they're saying that tomorrow, two out of three trains will run out of montparnasse and four out of five will be running out of the tgt network. by the weekend, everyone will be at their destination. it is a big weekend, notjust because of their olympics — of course, it's huge because of the olympics. people were trying to get up here over the weekend. but also because it's a

holiday season and many people from this part of france, paris and surrounding areas, we are planning to leave paris —— were planning to leave and go east or west. we knew that this was going to have a massive disruption on people, but i think they did a above all to embarrass the government and cause mass of face —— maximum loss of face to france. mass of face -- maximum loss of face to france. ., ., ., to france. hugh, what more do we know about _ to france. hugh, what more do we know about what's _ to france. hugh, what more do we know about what's happened - to france. hugh, what more do we know about what's happened in - to france. hugh, what more do we| know about what's happened in the potential suspects behind this coordinated attack?— potential suspects behind this coordinated attack? well, next to nothin: coordinated attack? well, next to nothing about _ coordinated attack? well, next to nothing about the _ coordinated attack? well, next to nothing about the investigation i nothing about the investigation other than that it's going to be big. they are going to be looking very hard at the suspects, the possible suspects, every possible route. top of the list is a radical,

ultraleft, anarchist left, which we know has taken this act before. not for a long time, though. it also has a particular he trolled —— hatred to president macron and are opposed to games in general as a capitalist enterprise. that will be top of the list. there might be involvement from a foreign power, unspoken is the thought that russia or iran might have been involved. possibly ordering this through a local national group that has its own grievances against the government. that's also under consideration, but no evidence has been produced. all we know is that the people who did this are still out there and they must be several, because there are four planned attacks. i think there

are probably questions asked about how this was not detected before, given that the far left groups are undoubtedly infiltrated for a plot to have involved so many people. i think there is maybe not a failing and intelligent systems, but thinking why they didn't know about this. why was there no leak from inside the informant?— this. why was there no leak from inside the informant? few, thank you ve much inside the informant? few, thank you very much indeed. _ inside the informant? few, thank you very much indeed. let's _ inside the informant? few, thank you very much indeed. let's trust - very much indeed. let's trust back to london and speak to tom simons, in st pancras station. what has been caused to passengers getting back to london? fist caused to passengers getting back to london? �* , ., london? at times here at the station, there _ london? at times here at the station, there have _ london? at times here at the station, there have been - london? at times here at the l station, there have been some london? at times here at the - station, there have been some very seriously— station, there have been some very seriously long queues. but they generally have been moving and you know what _ generally have been moving and you know what they are like. i did meet

one very— know what they are like. i did meet one very upset american family who had come _ one very upset american family who had come into london from paris, blaming _ had come into london from paris, blaming everybody for a train being cancelled~ — blaming everybody for a train being cancelled. they were blaming it on the british— cancelled. they were blaming it on the british where ways. the delay was about— the british where ways. the delay was about an hour on the mainline —— british_ was about an hour on the mainline —— british airways. if you're trying to -et british airways. if you're trying to get a _ british airways. if you're trying to get a train — british airways. if you're trying to get a train tonight, they say you will get — get a train tonight, they say you will get there tonight. but that our delay— will get there tonight. but that our delay is_ will get there tonight. but that our delay is being caused because they are not— delay is being caused because they are not going down to the channel tunnel _ are not going down to the channel tunnel. after that, they're going onto— tunnel. after that, they're going onto slow— tunnel. after that, they're going onto slow lines. that was aimed very much _ onto slow lines. that was aimed very much at _ onto slow lines. that was aimed very much at cable systems alongside the railway— much at cable systems alongside the railway which carried the signalling system _ railway which carried the signalling system. it's not like many around the world — system. it's not like many around the world where people are sitting in a control room and pulling levers — in a control room and pulling levers. but the signalling system passes _ levers. but the signalling system passes it — levers. but the signalling system passes it to the driver in the cab.

the drivers— passes it to the driver in the cab. the drivers need to see the signals in front— the drivers need to see the signals in front of— the drivers need to see the signals in front of them. if that doesn't work. _ in front of them. if that doesn't work. very— in front of them. if that doesn't work, very carefully targeted, whoever — work, very carefully targeted, whoever did this. it seems that the fix is _ whoever did this. it seems that the fix is going — whoever did this. it seems that the fix is going to take about two or three _ fix is going to take about two or three days. but they have to be sure it's working — three days. but they have to be sure it's working safely before trains can run— it's working safely before trains can run on— it's working safely before trains can run on the high—speed line again — can run on the high-speed line aaain. ., . ~' can run on the high-speed line aaain. ., ., ,, ,., can run on the high-speed line aaain. ., ., ,, y., , can run on the high-speed line aaain. ., . ~' ,. , . again. tom, thank you very much indeed. again. tom, thank you very much indeed- tom _ again. tom, thank you very much indeed. tom symonds _ again. tom, thank you very much indeed. tom symonds and - again. tom, thank you very much indeed. tom symonds and hughl indeed. tom symonds and hugh schofield in paris. let's get a little more detail now. let's get a little more detail now. let's get a little more sense of the task that police officers and gendarme have. o'bryan grandison, a former police officer who worked in 2012 london olympics security and is now a policing lecturer at birmingham city university. so good to talk to you. thanks so much forjoining us. cast your mind

back to 2012. what were the key difficulties and issues that you have to overcome to make sure that was policed as well as possible? i think hugh highlighted a lot of things that can be translated into two main things — intelligence and continuous planning. what is going to happen, what's likely to happen, what is everyone saying is the intelligence. sadly, it means you hope if somebody wants to come and highlight such a big event to stamp their own agenda onto that event, that can always happen in some shape, form or other. so, the two things that go out to the security services and the police is be happy, be honest, be open and be accurate. then they can be tolerant and have

understanding and clarify, like that american couple, that is nothing to do with uk trains. intelligence and openness are the key things. it’s openness are the key things. it's really interesting that you say that. i've been talking to quite a few security experts who say you can't mitigate for what's happened today in france. who can predict that people will start setting fires to railway tracks? i'm sure in london, you had similar issues. how difficult is it to deal with situations like this given the expensive area? i situations like this given the expensive area?— situations like this given the expensive area? i think this can onl be expensive area? i think this can only be mitigated. _ expensive area? i think this can only be mitigated. you - expensive area? i think this can only be mitigated. you can't - expensive area? i think this can - only be mitigated. you can't prevent everything. for example, you can't prevent somebody whether they are going to cut the cable to the train or whether they're going to do a massive sit down on the olympic

stadium. orto do massive sit down on the olympic stadium. or to do the same when an event is going on. you can't prevent that, but you can plan to respond to that, but you can plan to respond to that when it does happen. but a lot of that planning is around relying on the public being vigilant, being able to comfortable with policing, to actually say, "i've seen something i'm not happy with". they're large, open spaces. there are things that can be done that can prevent certain things but not 100% of the time. �* �* ,, prevent certain things but not 100% ofthe time. “ v prevent certain things but not 100% of the time-— of the time. 0k, o'bryan, it's good to talk to you _ of the time. 0k, o'bryan, it's good to talk to you and _ of the time. 0k, o'bryan, it's good to talk to you and get _ of the time. 0k, o'bryan, it's good to talk to you and get your - to talk to you and get your expertise. enjoy the show if you're watching from where you are. thank ou, and i watching from where you are. thank you. and i shall— watching from where you are. thank you, and i shall be. _ watching from where you are. thank you, and i shall be. thank— watching from where you are. thank you, and i shall be. thank you - watching from where you are. thank you, and i shall be. thank you very l you, and i shall be. thank you very much. you, and i shall be. thank you very much- still— you, and i shall be. thank you very much. still to — you, and i shall be. thank you very much. still to come. _ we talked to the president of the british duejoe association him

about what it means to take part in the olympic games —— judo. around the world and across the uk — this is the world today on bbc news.

well, as we've been hearing, what's been dubbed "the greatest show on earth" gets under way on the river seine in the heart of paris in just over an hour's time. a flotilla will carry more than 10,000 athletes along the six—kilometre route with 30,000 spectators lining the banks. our sports news correspondent laura scott reports now on the build—up to this evening's opening ceremony. paris is promising a party. paris is promising a party, and they've invited quite the guest list. but with leaders from the world of sport, entertainment and politics converging, security is tight —

with 45,000 police and 10,000 soldiers. to get the tickets for the opening ceremonies, you have to pay a lot of money, or you're lucky. with megastars come megafans, like this family from dublin. we tried again and again, and it took me six hours until finally, we had four tickets in our basket. then we could basically check out, and now we will go to the opening ceremony, the four of us. how excited are you to have this ticket in your hand? i'm really excited. really interested to see the difference between kind of a stadium opening ceremony and this opening ceremony, which is going to be on the seine. how amazing is that going to be?! and at the beginning, l we thought, we can go to a bridge and have a look! laughter but no! it's a great idea, but i'm very sorry, that not everybody who wants to see it can see it. well, this is the bridge where the flotilla will begin its journey through paris. these plans are ambitious. they're audacious. it will be an opening ceremony like no other. and it will feel different, it will look different, but what does a ceremony

on the seine sound like? that there is also electronic music and wrap... that there is also electronic music and rap... with just a few hours to go, i spoke to the man in charge of the music. there's many influences to french music. it is very important for me because it's a french event, but also a worldwide event, so it's not only for french people, it's for everybody. i think we love that we organise with artists because there are a lot of beautiful surprises. almost 100 boats will take thousands of athletes along a six—kilometre route, taken in some of the most iconic landmarks in the city before finishing in the shadow of the eiffel tower. and then the sport begins in earnest, the first medals up for grabs tomorrow, when britain's cyclists are looking to get the gold rush going. obviously, the goal is to try and win on the podium,

but i think if worse comes to worse, as long as i'm happy with the ride, i'll be happy. i'm really happy to be here and not a lot of people can say— that they have been _ to an olympic games, so, yeah, i feel really grateful and happy to be here _ the build—up hasn't been without its problems, but as the boats prepare, the hosts now hope this spectacle on the seine flows smoothly. and then the attention of olympic fans young and old will turn to the sport to see which champions will be crowned. laura scott, bbc news, paris. earlier we from director christoph —— dubi. earlier we from director christoph -- dubi. , , . , earlier we from director christoph -- dubi. , , ., , ., ., -- dubi. this is really owed to the world.

-- dubi. this is really owed to the world- it's — -- dubi. this is really owed to the world- it's a _ -- dubi. this is really owed to the world. it's a mix _ -- dubi. this is really owed to the world. it's a mix of— -- dubi. this is really owed to the world. it's a mix of excitement, . -- dubi. this is really owed to the i world. it's a mix of excitement, but very humbling as well. you know what's at stake, you know that the world is watching the biggest life show ever planned. it's an amazing moment in one's individual life. people watching tonight will probably see something absolutely stunning and a few of us will also be looking at all the details behind the scenes. it's an amazing feeling, honestly. brute the scenes. it's an amazing feeling, honestl . ~ ~ ., ., , ., honestly. we know athletes will go to treat honestly. we know athletes will go to great lengths, _ honestly. we know athletes will go to great lengths, but _ honestly. we know athletes will go to great lengths, but this - honestly. we know athletes will go to great lengths, but this one - honestly. we know athletes will go to great lengths, but this one is i honestly. we know athletes will go to great lengths, but this one is a l to great lengths, but this one is a first — and australian field hockey player has opted to amputate part of his finger so as not to miss out on the games. he broke his finger in

team training weeks ago. the 30—year—old decided to have the finger remove from the knuckle of only in order to take part in his third game, shocking his team—mates and his coach. that's what it takes, is it? let's cross live and speak to someone who knows a little bit about what it means to be here. rowena birch is a former olympian who competed in the olympic 9096 atlanta games. do you understand that my in e any understanding for what he did? i do. it's an extreme length, and we do sport at that level, you get a lot of injuries, and some of them are longer—term. to go to the olympic games is very special. it only happens every four years — or three years since last

one because of covid. if you think everything is ready, this could be your big day, and also your chance to be part of that world stage of multisport, people from all around the world, all competing and sharing their dream — it is something very special that lives with you for the rest of your life, so i do kind to get it, but it's quite extreme. what get it, but it's quite extreme. what is it take to — get it, but it's quite extreme. what is it take to keep that _ get it, but it's quite extreme. what is it take to keep that focus? that for me would be the hardest, to maintain that focus in the build—up to the games as an athlete. also going through to win your event takes place. i going through to win your event takes place-— going through to win your event takes place. i think that is one of the key things — takes place. i think that is one of the key things that _ takes place. i think that is one of the key things that makes - takes place. i think that is one of the key things that makes the i the key things that makes the difference between winning and losing, keeping the focus, getting it right in the last few weeks. you've done the hard work, you won't get much stronger, you won't get much fitter, and you're extinct if temptation is you want to be better and do more. —— your instincts and

temptation. you have to comment, keep it steady, stick to what you know, because the biggest risk is real injury and illness. getting out in the olympic village can be overwhelming. it's very exciting, but very overwhelming. focus on the basics — what are you eating? if you eat differently to normal, you don't know how your body will react, particularly in a sport like judo where you have a weight category. you need to know what you can eat, what works from you and what can have you fighting fit for the big day. i think those are the kind of things you have to consider. what if this happens, what do you do? what do you want to happen if like this awful thing that's happened on the trains, the risk of terrorist

attacks, you will probably have talked it through with your coaches. what is the game plan? how do you keep that noise away from you so you can keep your focus? keep that noise away from you so you can keep yourfocus? they keep that noise away from you so you can keep your focus? they may well have decided no social media or not following the news, they may have talked with her coaches —— there because —— there coaches. family and friends setting that expectation, we all get so excited about the olympics, we want to be part of it and wish everyone good luck. sometimes, that can be too much. a few people really get you, that you're in touch with, and cut out the noise to keep you focused. ., ., �* , and cut out the noise to keep you focused. ., ., �*, , focused. rowena, it's so insightful. it was focused. rowena, it's so insightful. it was lovely _ focused. rowena, it's so insightful. it was lovely to _ focused. rowena, it's so insightful. it was lovely to see _ focused. rowena, it's so insightful. it was lovely to see the _ focused. rowena, it's so insightful. it was lovely to see the photos - focused. rowena, it's so insightful. it was lovely to see the photos of l it was lovely to see the photos of you and yourjudo days. thank you once again. let's leave rowena for a

second and take you back to paris. we have quite a few live pictures. i want to give you an idea of how the build—up is shaping up to this event. the heart of france, that really is the whole point of this ceremony. the organisers want to bring the opening ceremony to the parisians, to the people. they're creating effectively a theatre, an amphitheatre, a stadium within the heart of paris. the floating barges will carry the ten and a half thousand athletes. there will be a beautiful parade with singing — we don't know who's going to sing, but we're thinking maybe ariana grande. i'm not giving too much away, and i —— am i? may be lady gaga, big names there. passing some big landmarks— there. passing some big landmarks— the trocadero, notre dame and the

ice eiffel tower. this is the lucky few 30,000 who have gotten tickets to watch the event. by the side of the seine. we will take a short break, but will be back throughout the evening bringing you all the anticipated build—up to the games. that's it for me for now. hello again. scotland and northern ireland saw quite a few showers during friday, and this was one of those shower clouds working across the horizon in highland. now, there will be more of these showers to come on saturday, but by sunday, we see a big change in our weather patterns as it becomes drier, sunnier and warmer. and the change is all down to the jet stream, which is also going to change. now, on saturday, we've got

this trough pattern — that encourages air to rise and showers to form. and showers to form, but by sunday, the jet stream has this pattern, which has a ridge. that encourages air to descend down through the atmosphere, and as that happens, the clouds evaporate and we get an area of high pressure forming. here comes the high on sunday — it's going to bring us several days of fine, sunny and warm weather. now, before we get there, still a few showers to come through this evening, mostly across western scotland, probably a spell of rain for a time in northern ireland overnight. otherwise, clear spells temperatures about 9—13 celsius, so it's not too cold to start to the day on saturday — maybe a few early—morning mist and fog patches across parts of wales and western england around the coast and hills. showers then move in quickly to these western areas through the afternoon. probably the heaviest showers will be across east scotland and northeast england, but nowhere is immune from seeing an odd downpour. but nowhere is immune still, there will be some pleasant july spells of sunshine between and temperatures near average.

it will feel warm in that sunshine. it's by sunday as that area of high pressure builds across the uk. the weather becomes dry for the vast majority of the country. a bit of patchy cloud, maybe an odd shower for shetland — that's about it. and temperatures for most of us reach the low 20s, feeling pleasantly warm, but up to 26 towards southeast england. that's going to start to feel, i think, very warm, really. on into monday's forecast — again, the high pressure's hanging around, so for most of us, it's another fine, dry, settled sunny day. maybe an odd shower coming into the hebrides, otherwise fine. and those temperatures 20s again — 22 for aberdeen, 21 for belfast but we're up to 28 degrees in london area. i wouldn't be too surprised if we saw somewhere across eastern england early next week threaten the 30—degree mark. but it looks like we'll see a spell of thundery rain start to move up from france as we head into the middle of the week, so the northwest of the uk probably a change to more generally unsettled up from france as we head into the middle of the week. so the northwest of the uk, probably a change to more generally unsettled weather conditions by the time we get to thursday.

arson and cable attacks hit france's railways hours before the start of the olympics — casting a shadow on the build—up to the games. michelle, barack this means so much to me. former us president barack obama endorses kamala harris in the race for the white house.

the leader of mexico's sinaloa cartel — one of the worlds's cartel — one of the world's most powerful drug lords is arrested in texas. hi there i'm steve lai. we'll be back in paris with maryam for more on the olympic�*s a bit later. but in the meatime let me get you up to speed with events elsewhere. i want to take you back to paris for the opening ceremony, because it is now under way. let's take a look at some live pictures on the streets of paris people take on the spectacle of the games. 300,000 fans are expected to line the river and watch the sermon, that's a lot more then would be able to watch in a stadium like in the 2012 olympics for example. we will check in with mary moshiri later on. and we'll start in the us,

here former president, barack obama, has endorsed the vice president kamala harris