>> this is "bbc world news." funding for this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu, newman's own foundation, and union bank. >> at union bank, our relationship managers work hard to know your business, offering specialized solutions and capital to help you meet your growth objectives. we offer expertise and tailored

solutions for small businesses and major corporations. what can we do for you? >> and now, "bbc world news." >> welcome to "bbc world news." live from our studios overlooking the olympic park in london. coming up, on track and on field. the olympic stadium opens up for athletic action. a stunning victory for germany on the lake. the british cyclist edmonton to crashing deliberately to force a restart, but is it cheating? as the u.n. prepares to vote on a resolution condemning the

security council over syria, evidence of secret training camps. >> they do physical training and weapons tradintraining. >> hello and welcome. a beautiful, sunny day in london. the day when perhaps the most high profile competition, the athletics, takes place in the stadium. special restrictions have been put in place. even a nearby shopping center has been closed but all but to get holders to stop overcrowding. only two gold medals will be one in the stadium today.

francis's here. good to see you. what has been happening? >> the buildup has been intense. we can hear the roars from the stadium. germany took the gold in the men's squad. that was beating croatia. they led from start to finish. they blew away the competition. not as much as new zealand in the men's rowing pair. they were just flying. another gold for new zealand. a colleague of ours might be happy about that medal for new zealand parent on track and field today, the home favorite, jessica is taking part. she has had a blistering start in the 100-meter hurdle. if you want to get a good start, you should do a personal best.

she has done her personal best. the first part is today. the second part is tomorrow. those are the roars behind us. >> every moment, a loud roar. this is a big day. everybody loves a bit of athletics. we will be getting more throughout the day. much more to come on the games. let's take a look at some of the other international news down. a day after coffee and then resigned -- day after kofi ann on resigned, the general assembly will vote on a resolution that condemns the security council. fighting has intensified in syria. these pictures posted on the internet showed the aftermath of shelling in the south of damascus. this video has been uploaded to the web. it has not been independently verified.

the bbc has learned that syrian rebel groups have set up training camps in neighboring turkey. our correspondent has been speaking with a syrian free army member. he asked her what was happening in this training camps. >> they do physical training and they do weapons training. for me, i'm getting the live weapons training, and physical training. i'm also getting weapons training -- the m-16 and the pistol. it is available. >> where do you do that training? >> i did some training here in turkey. then i got the main training inside syria. >> we understand there is some

training here. >> there is. i am not with them yet. there is a school here. it is done by turkish people. >> do you know anything about that? as i do not know much about that. it is secret. turkish people are helping us, so we do not want to let out information about that. >> you can confirm there is a special training base here. >> a lot of people are getting training from those camps, yes. >> thousands of people have been trained? >> i do not know about numbers. i know it's a lot of people. i know that so many syrian people are getting training in those camps or schools. >> that is specifically here? >> no, in general and turkey. i do not know where exactly. i never got information like this. no one will tell you that.

unless i was involved in the school, i would not know for sure. recently, i joined. i will get the training. since i joined, i've been going to syria and doing stuff in syria. >> do we know who is organizing this training in turkey? who is behind it? >> [inaudible] i do not know the other side. i do not know the organization's. >> you know the turkish military provide training? >> yes. >> there are some reports that saudi and qatar are helping. >> i do not know about that at all. maybe in funding. i do not know about that. >> how important is this training? >> it is huge. very important.

very important. a lot of guys are not -- they were not trained by the army in syria, but they still want to join the fsa, like myself. we need that training. it is very precious to have that training. >> a member of the syrian free army there. our correspondent is just back from reporting in syria. he is doing a live q&a session on twitter today between 1617 hundred gmt -- 1600 and 1700 gmt. you can even text your questions. >> spain's rail networks are

mostly at a standstill today with staff walking out on strike. action is being taken to privatize the real ways. the spanish government has to consider all options as part of its austerity program. egypt's new prime minister and his cabinet are taking up their jobs after being sworn in on thursday. the prime minister will be the first government since the muslim brotherhood's morsi won the election. he promised his election would represent all egyptians. police in the u.s. state of vermont are counting the cost of a protest by a disgruntled former who decided to use his tractor to crush all the patrol cars he could find. police were able to use their remaining vehicles to chase him down to now he will face several charges, one including unlawful mischief. the fastest improving nation at the olympics over the past few games has no doubt in china.

the chinese have always been strong in some events, but now they represent a genuine metal thread in almost every field. there currently on course to take home more medals from london than anyone else. for the chinese, there's only one place on the podium that is worth having. >> the olympics has long been seen as china's chance to wave the flag, a demonstration to the world of its rising power. every gold is counted by the tally obsess state media. after the badminton team was disqualified and for throwing matches, things might be beginning to change. >> [speaking foreign language] >> we apologize to our fans because we did not display the olympic spirit, she said. >> she is one former athlete convinced things have to change.

he was once seen as a potential olympic champion. now, age 28, he can be found begging for money in the streets of beijing, a forgotten byproduct of china's results-of assessed system. >> winning was seen as a kind of sacred mission. >> he spent most of his childhood in one of china's notorious medals factories, known for their uncompromising, sometimes violent training methods. earlier this week, the weight lifter broke down and wept on national television and apologized for disgracing the motherland. he had just won a silver medal. elsewhere, on the internet in particular, were the olympics are hotly debated, it's possible to detect something new.

a growing frustration with this somewhat antiquated attitude that the only medal worth winning is a gold one. other countries were also involved in this week's badminton scandal, of course. it is striking a chord in china because people were already asking if too high a premium is placed on winning, and if athletes paid too high a price. >> you are watching "bbc world news." still to come, figures for the olympic ring. how nail artists are standing out in the competition. >> no big event is possible without the dedication of volunteers. there are some 70,000 at the london olympics and para olympics. some take their part-time jobs more seriously than others.

>> they are the friendly faces of the olympic park. their job is to welcome visitors to london with enthusiasm. while excitement was reaching a fever pitch last week, there was one volunteered to appeared in different. >> i cannot contain myself, everybody. today is a special day. we are going to be telling our children's children's children's children's about this day. evidence of a board of volunteer or an example of dry british humor? >> i think she wanted to do it in her own way. i do not think she wants to come some form, but she still wants to do it. >> the gates are opened. 2012, it all begins.

yes. thank you. single lady, one person. >> sarcasm or wit? whatever the view, this one person has become a star of the olympic games. >> some of you will say, "i watched the olympics." others, "i listened to it from outside." gavin hewitt going to show -- i am going to show it to her. this is a shout-out. hi, mom. i love you. thank you for making me who i am today. >> "bbc world news." the much-anticipated athletics competitions have begun at the 2012 olympics in london. a stunning victory for germany

on the lake. one to bring you another round up of a latest sports. at our other studio overlooking the olympic park -- it is really an exciting day. the athletics are finally here. >> the track and field. there are 80,000 people watching the first day of action in that stadium behind me. the likes of bolt, who will start in a couple of days. ennis wants to add olympic gold to her titles. she called the best time in the 100-meter. a british record and she snapped her personal best, as well.

the current world champion is 142 points behind her. i can show you some pictures of the thousands arriving at the park. there have been a few issues on the underground system in london, which will probably not surprise you that much. people are desperately trying to get inside in time for the start of the athletics. it is full, which is unusual for a morning session. much excitement for british fans. the final of the women's double school s. there has been a goal for germany. they led from the start. they were comfortable victors. croatia had been the favorite. they came in second with

australia in the bronze medal position. the overwhelming favorite for gold in the men's pair were new zealand. they dominated from start to finish in that final, winning by nearly five seconds to continue an unbeaten run. france took silver with britain in bronze. the first-ever female saudi athlete to compete at the olympic games on friday. it was not a successful debut for her. she was defeated in just 82 seconds in the first round. she wore a tight-fitting cap. athletes have been dropped from their squad after failing a

doping test in the women's hammer yvette'events. mora athletes have been sidelined. that is all for now. i will have plenty more later. >> thank you very much. with the athletics starting, it will now be operating at full capacity. the city of 80,000 people. as you can see, the lines were busy unusual. this was the scene at the olympic park a little bit earlier on. want to go now to the crowds at the olympic park. i started the beginning of this program saying its a bright and sunny day in london. look at it now. >> yes, it may be a bright and

sunny day, but winter has rapidly moved in. behind me, you might see one of the main exit's to the olympic park. has been steady. the russia people desperately trying to get out of the rain. every single then you inside -- every single venue is now in use. as i said, there were some transport problems this morning. one of the key lines into this area was set down. one of the underground lines. so far, things seem to be getting better. the biggest problem is the rain. let me move over to the howard family. they have been making their way out. so sorry to keep you waiting in the rain. you were in the athletics stadium. how was it? >> absolutely fantastic.

we also watch the men's four hundred hurdles. the atmosphere is amazing. >> we can hear the roar from out here. >> lots of screaming and shouting. the armed services have been amazing. >> how did you get here this morning? once we came on the overground and the tube. we are from london already. >> you were not hit by any of the problems this morning? >> no. >> how has your son been finding it? did you enjoy it? you have a big smile on your face. you know what they did? >> they run. >> in the race. >> as you can see, outside and inside of the stadium.

thank you very much. >> thank you. >> are you coming back? >> unfortunately not. we are about to go on holiday. >> we need to get you undercover. thank you for talking to us. inside the athletics stadium. for now, back to you. >> thank you very much and well done. you could not make it up -- 70 minutes ago i said a welcome to our studio -- 17 minutes ago, i said welcome to our studio, a bright and sunny day at olympic park. now, this. look at this. what can you possibly say? >> yesterday, it was all indoors with the aquatics center. now we have the events in the stadium behind us. that will be a concern later on. >> some good news for team gb. >> the got a gold medal in the women's doubles. she has gotten silver twice

before for great britain. she has been there for the last three olympic games. another 114 great britain. gold yesterday in the cycling. the event of controversy. they blasted the competition away. in a preliminary round of, you may recall seeing hines stumbling off his bike. they said it was a mechanical failure. he himself said he deliberately fell to the track. a bad start. he needed to crush to get a restart. that is fairly unambiguous. philistines is german. hines is german and

they say a lot has been lost in translation. the gold medal is safe. interesting quote from the ioc saying people are not deprived of a contest. that refers to the badminton contest, where they said people were not trying. on another day, this could have gone against great britain. the team gold stays in the cycling. the women's gold. >> thank you very much. we hope the weather improves a little bit. it keeps changing every moment. you may have noticed that these games the athletes have been allowed to use twitter to send photos and express their individuality. lochte won a diamond-encrusted grill to the podium last week. female athletes have also found themselves.press their sel

>> the world is watching. the athletes are all pretty keen to look their best. the trendiest are painted with the flag of the country you represent. >> i am from kuwait. i am rocking my black, green, and red. >> why is it so popular with swimmers? >> they will be reminded why they're here and what they're here for. it gets them motivated. once every nation at the games is i here. no hand is too big a challenge. >> i've done the great britain arches. australianthe don flag and almost the whole usa

team. >> all eyes will be on the starting blocks to see who wins the race for the niftiest nails. >> australian athletes are having a tough time. australia has sent over a team to deliver mail. >> it is very different from what i normally do in australia. in the olympic village, the mail comes into the village. we literally carry and dragged the boxes. we sort through them. the first box was about 10,000 letters. now, about 3000 letters per day from fans and supporters in australia, which is amazing. all the athletes are very pleased. the swimming team is very

popular at the moment. a lot of swimming events. they are getting lots of fan mail from their supporters. they are really enjoying going through those. having a look at some of the questions that some of the kids are writing to them about how much they ate for breakfast. i was delighted when they asked me to come to london with them. i'm very proud to have been chosen. it is a great opportunity. australia has been involved in the olympics and to be able to deliver fan mail to the olympic athletes is an amazing opportunity. >> before we wrap up, we will leave you with some shots of the olympic stadium right behind me. a full capacity crowd expected. this is the first day of the athletics competition. team great britain's jessica ennis has gotten off to a fantastic start.

for some people, this is the main show of the olympic spirit you will have stars like bolt and blake out there competing in the 100 meters but i think the heat starts tomorrow. you also see some of the kenyan runners, as well, in the distance events. a lot of excitement as the athletics competition starts today. more from us a bit later on. you are watching "bbc world news." news."