ANY PROBLEMS? There are currently minor delays on the Victoria Line.

DLR: No problems reported at 4.30pm on Thursday, August 21.

River: A good service is in operation.

Roads: Manor Road (A13) closed eastbound at Canning Town Roundabout, junction with Newham Way and Silvertown Way, due to an accident.

Go to www.wharf.co.uk for travel news at 4.30pm every weekday.

IT’S still four years away but the London Olympics are set to bring early benefits for the capital’s commuters, at least according to the people behind it.

A new report from the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) claims residents and commuters will enjoy the fruits of the body’s labours as soon as 2010, due to a transport infastructure investment for east London of around £500million.

IN the midst of an economic downturn, a Champagne bar doesn’t naturally seem like the best place to hide out.

But Dion London’s ongoing half-price offer should give you the perfect excuse to wallow in some serious luxury in West India Quay.

The stylishly-minimalist bar has a tempting credit crunch lunch offer for the rest of the month, allowing you to chop your bill in half when you wander out to enjoy the fiendishly-contrary English summer sun.

Dion is also offering its evening canape menu at lunchtime during the summer, and anyone ordering a decadent bottle of Veuve Clicquot 2002 will also be able to tuck into a dozen oysters or two canape dishes.

STRATFORD’S very own golden girl did it again with a stunning win at the Beijing Olympics.

Christine Ohuruogu won the 400m on Tuesday with a perfectly judged run at the Bird’s Nest stadium.

She clocked an impressive time of 49.62 seconds to beat Jamaica’s Shericka Williams and pre-race favourite Sanya Richards of the USA.

She said: “Everyone dreams about winning but you never think it’s a reality. I’m just so proud. I crossed the line and thought ‘oh my goodness’.

THOMAS Ostenberg was once making important financial deals, but he’s now more likely to be found making bronze models.

Thomas was vice-president at Citigroup in Brazil and later Spain in the period following Franco’s death, before he became disenchanted with the work.

What happened next was the beginning of a long road towards making it as a bronze sculptor, including many long hours perfecting his work at the AB and Bronze Age foundries in Docklands.

Marie Toms is one of Britain’s best slalom waterskiers and lifted the British Universities title earlier this month.

Knockout or nonsense? The Wharf reports from the UK's first ever showcase of Chessboxing

WE’VE all seen gruesome fights on family board game night – but this evening was more brutal than a Christmas Day without TV repeats.

Tonight’s victor is sitting in a chair on an upper floor of the Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club just minutes after masterminding a win on the chessboard.

Only he’s stripped to the waist and drenched in sweat, clasping a damp object against a rapidly-swelling black eye.

ANY PROBLEMS? Commuters dodged a tube strike at the 11th hour this week, and look to have lucked out with tube delays tonight as well.

Check the sidebar on the right for up-to-the-minute underground news.

DLR: A good service is operating.

ROADS: A good service is operating.

FERRIES: A good service is operating.

Go to www.wharf.co.uk for travel news at 4.30pm every weekday.

BIKERS paid their respects to the 52 victims of the 7/7 bombing with a ride across the capital.

Up to 1,500 motorcyclists began the journey at the Excel Centre in Docklands on Sunday, for the event, which raised thousands for charity.

Writing music is a good way to make millions of pounds and travel the world.

But what if you’ve got the lyrical skill of a bag of hyenas?

Never fear, dear reader, because with this handy rhyme generator you can construct your own forced choruses minus the quizzical mouthing.

Type in a phrase and click on one of the words with your cursor while holding down the Alt key – a gaggle of potential rhymes will appear.

Go to www.writerhymes.com.