Under a torrential downpour, thousands of athletes took to the Seine River in a ceremony that merged French history, music and fashion.

What you need to Know about the Olympics this Friday

SPARKLE DAZZLE DRIZZLE

The Games opened with a four-hour ceremony along the Seine, featuring Celine Dion, Lady Gaga and performances that spanned French history and culture. A flotilla barges carried more than 6000 Olympians.

The number of people who are affected by the influx of migrants is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands

Watching the spectators

The ceremony, which was held in the rain, was surreal.

Railways were attacked by saboteurs in a series pre-dawn attacks throughout France, causing chaos and exposing security holes ahead of the opening ceremonies.

The rail operator SNCF estimates that the disruption affected over 800,000 passengers, and Eurostar's fast services between London and Paris had to be forced onto slower routes.

SNCF reported that train service had improved by late Friday, but warned that the disruptions would continue over the weekend. The transport of Olympic teams will be guaranteed, it added.

A LVMH SHOWCASE

Bernard Arnault is France's richest man, and the CEO of luxury group LVMH. He paid around 150 million euros ($163 millions) to become the official sponsor of the Paris Olympics. The opening ceremony of the Games was held on September 8, 2009.

His wares was placed in front

And centre of a spectacular viewed by an international audience.

Lady Gaga, Aya Mura and Aya Nakamura wore Dior while LVMH Berluti dressed France's Olympic athletes.

The opening ceremony featured a cinematic video of Louis Vuitton's trunks being transported down to Seine, and the production of medals for athletes by Chaurmet.

SPIYING SCANDAL

Canada's Women Soccer Chief

Bev Priestman has been sent home after her Canadian team was accused of spying by using a drone to fly over the rival New Zealand training session. Her departure was just hours after Canada defeated the Kiwis by 2-1. David Shoemaker, CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee, said that Priestman knew about the drone use. Canadian sports network TSN also cited sources stating the team used drones to spy during opponents' training sessions.

Priestman apologized and claimed that the blame resides with her.

BILES' NEW SKILL

Simone Biles is a woman who has fought for equality.

Submit an original skill

If she is able to complete the move, it will be her sixth move and the first one on bars.

Five elements have already been named after the four-time Olympic Champion, including two vaults and two tumbling techniques on floor exercises. She also has a dismount from balance beam.

Ailing Tennis Stars Women's third-seed Elena Rybakina is the latest high-profile name to withdraw from the Olympics tennis.

The 25-year old Kazakh woman who was a big-serving said that she had acute bronchitis.

The top seed and world number one men's tennis player Jannik Sinner from Italy was forced to withdraw on Wednesday due to illness. Holger Rune, a promising young Dane, also had a wrist injury and withdrew.

Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic, who finished runner-up at Tokyo in singles three years ago, and Hubert Hurkacz of Poland, both withdrew due to injury. Hurkacz suffered a knee injury while playing tennis at Wimbledon. (Compiled by Rachel Armstrong, edited by Mark Heinrich and Ros Russel)