TRANSCRIPT
- Joe Biden hails a prisoner swap with Russia, calling it a 'powerful example' of the importance of allies
- Australia's biggest celebration of First Nations culture begins in the Northern Territory
- Algerian boxer Imane Khelif wins her opening Olympic boxing match after her opponent quit after 46 seconds
United States President Joe Biden hailed a massive prisoner swap between the U-S- and Russia, saying it's a "powerful example" of the importance of allies around the globe.
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan are among two dozen detainees released as part of the biggest prisoner exchange between Russia and the West since the Cold War.
The deal is the latest in a series of prisoner swaps negotiated between Russia and the U-S in the past two years, but the first to require significant concessions from other countries, with seven nations agreeing to give up 24 prisoners.
Mr Biden spoke from the White House, joined by the families of four people who were released.
"This deal would not have been made possible without our allies - Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Turkey. They all stepped up and they stood with us, they stood with us. And they made bold and brave decisions, released prisoners being held in their countries who were justifiably being held and provided logistical support to get the Americans home. So for anyone who questions whether allies matter, they do. They matter."
**
Thousands have turned out in Tehran for the funeral of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas' political wing.
He was killed in a targeted strike in Tehran on Wednesday.
Israel hasn't claimed or rejected responsibility for the strike, but Iran and its armed allies have promised harsh retaliation, putting the region on edge.
But Israel's military has confirmed the head of Hamas' armed wing, Mohammed Deif, was killed in an airstrike on Gaza last month, describing it as a significant milestone in the dismantling of Hamas.
**
The 24th annual Garma Festival begins today, running until Monday in the Northern Territory's northeast Arnhem Land.
It's Australia's biggest celebration of Yolngu culture, with some of those in attendance including the Prime Minister, academics, legal experts and business people.
The Yothu Yindi Foundation has announced this year's Garma theme will be 'Gurtha-Wuma Worrk-gu – Fire, Strength and Renewal'.
But it comes after new Closing the Gap figures show key quality of measures for Indigenous Australians have deteriorated since the defeat of the Voice to Parliament referendum last October.
Yothu Yindi Foundation Chief Executive Denise Bowden says a crucial part of moving forward is education.
"I feel personally that there's a bit of an education campaign that we all need to put ourselves through. What happens in the Bush is very different from what happens in our cities. However, together as a nation, we should be looking for solutions to move forward together. I think there's goodwill here in our region to commit to building a plan strategically to fix some of these Closing the gap hurdles and challenges that seem to be getting worse."
**
Australia's longest-serving chief prosecutor says cannabis should be legalised for recreational use and access should be seen as a fundamental right.
Speaking at a landmark New South Wales parliamentary inquiry into the impact of cannabis regulation, Nicholas Cowdery has argued the current criminal justice framework is ill-equipped to deal with drug use.
He says a person's choice to use a substance without harming others should be considered a human right.
Inquiry chair and Legalise Cannabis MP Jeremy Buckingham says cannabis prohibition puts money in the hands of organised crime groups.
"Cannabis legalisation is a matter of when, not if. Chris Minns cannot continue to stick his head in the sand when it comes to Cannabis legalisation. The ACT, Germany, the USA, and Canada, have all moved to Cannabis legalisation, it makes socioeconomic sense and it's saving tax payers billions of dollars."
**
And in sport, Algerian Imane Khelif has won her opening Olympic boxing bout when opponent Angela Carini of Italy quit after just 46 seconds.
Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 world championships after failing an unspecified gender eligibility test.
Carini and Khelif had only a few punch exchanges before Carini abandoned the bout, an extremely unusual occurrence in Olympic boxing.
Khelif is an accomplished amateur who won a silver medal at the International Boxing Association's 2022 world championships.
The same governing body disqualified her from last year's championships shortly before her gold-medal match because of what it claimed were elevated levels of testosterone.
**
Simone Biles has made history, winning her second Olympic gymnastics all-around gold medal.
She is the third woman to earn the prestigious title more than once.
At the age of 27, she is also the oldest women’s all-around Olympic champion since the Soviet Union’s Maria Gorokhovskay.
Meanwhile, Australia added a bronze medal to its tally, for Jemima Montag in the women's 20-kilometre race walk.
The Australian women's basketball team, the Opals, secured a crucial win over Canada.
Australian teenager Ruby Pass finished 13th in the artistic gymnastics all-around final.
Tim Anderson placed seventh in the men's K-1 canoe slalom, unable to replicate Jess Fox's previous success.
In hockey, the Hockeyroos struggled in their match against Argentina, trailing 2-nil at halftime, with only 39 per cent possession.
Overall, Australia has won seven gold, six silver, and three bronze medals so far.
