TRANSCRIPT
- A rain-soaked opening to the Paris Olympics
- Two arrests over an alleged drug ring operating from Villawood Detention Centre
- Melbourne Storm defeats Parramattta 32-14
French-Canadian superstar Celine Dion has performed at a rain-soaked opening ceremony at the Paris Olympic Games.
Athletes travelled down the River Seine on a flotilla of barges and riverboats as billions watched on television.
80 of Australia's 460 contingent took part with Jess Fox and Eddie Ockenden carrying the flag for Australia.
Lady Gaga sang in French as she delivered a burlesque take on the French classic Mon Truc En Plume.
And after years out of the spotlight as she struggled with Stiff Person Syndrome, Celine Dion gave a rendition of Edith Piaf's "Hymm to Love" under the Eiffel Tower.
Some of those watching the ceremony decided to leave early because of the heavy rain.
**
An immigration detainee and another man have been charged over an alleged drug ring operating from inside a detention facility.
Police allege the 49-year-old dealt large amounts of methamphetamine using an encrypted messaging service from Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in Sydney's west.
Organised crime investigators claim he established and co-ordinated a network of runners who carried out transactions on his behalf.
They say they found three mobile phones during a search of a unit at the centre on July 11.
Police say two kilograms of methamphetamine and $169,000 in cash linked to the syndicate were previously seized by officers.
Police also arrested a 24-year-old man they allege was a runner for the man in detention.
Both men were refused bail following brief appearances in court.
**
People have gathered in Byron Bay in northern New South Wales for the first of a series of nationwide rallies against domestic violence.
Organised by What Were You Wearing Australia, the rallies are calling for more trauma-informed training for emergency responders and more funding for organisations that address violence by men.
CEO of What Were You Wearing Australia Sarah Williams has told the ABC better education is key to reducing family violence.
"We want to see our police, mental and medical staff be actually trained in trauma-informed care and know all the in and out of victim blaming and hopefully that will see victim survivors not be re-traumatised in the future."
And if you or somehow you know needs support, you can call 1800 Respect on 1800 737 732 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
In an emergency, call triple-zero.
**
More than 29,000 Australians are taking part in the annual Dry July which sees participants go alcohol-free throughout this month to raise funds for people affected by cancer.
It first began in 2008 and the Dry July Foundation says a growing number of Australians are reassessing their drinking habits.
Interim CEO of Dry July Gillian Odbert has told Nine Radio some of those taking part give up alcohol completely.
"Feedback from our participants is that if they participate in Dry July, two out of five of them actually do change and reduce their drinking post their experience which is brave and we also know that they say that, you know, compared to when we first started in 2008, now 65 per cent of them say that it's socially acceptable to not drink which is great when you're going out."
**
Donald Trump has had his first face-to-face meeting in nearly four years with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He hosted Mr Netanyahu and wife Sara at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Donald Trump criticised Vice President Kamala Harris for her remarks after her own meeting with the Israeli leader.
She told Benjamin Netanyahu it was time for Israel to end the war in Gaza and negotiate a hostage deal.
Donald Trump says those remarks were disrespectful and he branded Kamala Harris a destroyer.
"She's a radical left person. San Francisco, destroyed San Francisco. She's really a destroyer. She doesn't know how to build. And, I think her remarks were disrespectful. They weren't very nice pertaining to Israel. I actually don't know how a person who's Jewish can vote for her, but that's up to them. But she was certainly disrespectful to Israel, in my opinion."
**
The United Nations Security Council discussed the humanitarian situation in Gaza, including the legislation in the Israeli Knesset concerning the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
The three draft bills propose banning UNRWA's operations in East Jerusalem; revoking UN privileges and immunities for staff and designating UNRWA a terrorist organisation.
UNRWA's Deputy Commissioner-General is Antonia Marie De Meo.
“Together we must push back against calls to dismantle the Agency. UNRWA is targeted because of its role in safeguarding the rights of Palestine Refugees, and because it embodies the international community’s commitment to a just and lasting political solution. UNRWA exists because a political solution does not. It exists because a Palestinian State that can deliver public services in its place does not.”
**
In rugby league, Cameron Munster has got through his return match unscathed, as Melbourne took a step closer to the minor premiership with a 32-14 win over Parramatta.
Playing for the first time since tearing a groin two months ago, Munster came off the bench for the Storm but still played 52 minutes at five-eighth.
Melbourne were well below their best, while the Eels spent large periods of the game camped on the visitors' tryline after leading 8-6 early.
The Storm did not play the ball inside the attacking 20-metre zone until the 47th minute, and had two plays in total there for the match.
