A total of 11 countries are boycotting the championships due to the inclusion of Russian and Belarusian boxers.

Russian athletes have been banned from many sports and largely cannot compete in Europe due to the sanctions and competition complications caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine that began on February 24, 2022.

She said that America spent $46 billion on foreign aid last year, which is given to countries like China, Pakistan, and Iraq.

India abstained in the UN General Assembly on Thursday on a resolution that underscored the need to reach "comprehensive, just and lasting peace" in Ukraine, citing the resolution's "inherent limitations" in reaching New Delhi's desired goal of securing lasting peace and ending the conflict which has been raging for one year now.

On Friday, February 25, it will be a year into Russia's invasion. Fighting now amounts to attritional duels of artillery and infantry assaults, with neither side making significant gains. But Ukrainians daily pay the price with their lives as Russian missiles and rockets levy a toll of death and destruction.

IOC hate the idea of a boycott of the biggest money-spinner in world sport.

IOC is desperate to avoid the sporting event being torn asunder by the bloody conflict unfolding in Ukraine.

Thomas Bach has called on Ukraine to drop threats of a boycott of the 2024 Olympics over the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes.

Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk urged the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ban Russia from the Olympic Games

Denmark is opposed to Russian athletes participating in the Paris Olympics next year even under a neutral flag

Ukraine on mission to ban Russia from Paris Olympics

Aryna Sabalenka rose above geopolitical tumult to become the first player to claim a Grand Slam title as a neutral at the Australian Open.

Novak Djokovic's father Srdjan said on Friday he would not attend his son's Australian Open semi-final and would instead "watch from home".

Elena Rybakina stormed to her first Australian Open final with a 7-6(4), 6-3 win over Victoria Azarenka on Thursday, wearing the twice champion down in a cagey first set before dominating to close out the match.

IMAGES from the action from the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Thursday.

Australian Open organisers have issued a reminder to players and their entourages about their policy on "inappropriate flags" after a video emerged showing Novak Djokovic's father posing for pictures with fans holding Russian flags.

Images from Day 4 of the 2023 Australian Open, at Melbourne Park.

Russian and Belarusian flags have been banned from the Melbourne Park precinct during the Australian Open after a complaint from the Ukraine ambassador to the country.

Glimpses of Dnipro in Ukraine when it was struck by Russian missiles, January 15, 2023.

A round-up of all tennis action on Friday.

Medvedev moved a step closer to a potential semi-final showdown with Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open warm-up event.

'They banned us from Wimbledon and what did it change? Nothing - they're still doing this and this is the sad (part) of this situation'

India abstained in the United Nations General Assembly on a draft resolution calling for Russia to be held accountable for violations of international law by its invasion of Ukraine and requiring Moscow to pay reparations to Kyiv for damages, loss and injury resulting from the war.

The 193-member general assembly voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to condemn Russia's "illegal so-called referendums in regions within the internationally recognised borders of Ukraine and the attempted illegal annexation of the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine, following the organisation of the above-mentioned referendums".

Djokovic welcome to play if he can obtain visa, says Australian Open director

The Center for Civil Liberties, another awardee of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, was founded for the purpose of advancing human rights and democracy in Ukraine. It has taken a stand to strengthen Ukrainian civil society and pressure the authorities to make Ukraine a full-fledged democracy.

When will Vladimir Putin end this war and its devastation?

'Bach's latest statement goes against Olympic principles.'

Earlier on Friday, the IOC voiced serious concerns over the amateur boxing world body IBA's ban of the Ukraine National Federation, saying it would conduct a full review at its next meeting in December.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden condemned Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territory on Friday.

'The clean break between Russia and Europe that this foolish attack is creating may actually last long.' 'It will undermine Europe and benefit the US and China.'

Over 100 countries, including India, voted in favour of allowing Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address the high-level UN General Assembly session next week through a pre-recorded statement because of his need to deal with the war following Russia's invasion.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Friday that the group should consider staging its own major sporting competition.

According to reports, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping as Head of State of a country with which the UK has diplomatic relations.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will hold its first in-person summit in Samarkand in Uzbekistan on Thursday after two years, shaking off Covid fears and providing a rare opportunity for all its eight heads of state to meet on the sidelines of the event to have face-to-face talks on pressing global and regional issues of common concern.

Queen Elizabeth II, who died aged 96 at her Balmoral Castle summer residence in Scotland on September 8, will be laid to rest at a state funeral at Westminster Abbey on September 19.

A crowd favourite for her creative playing style, Ons Jabeur rolls into her second straight Grand Slam championship match brimming with confidence, with lessons learned from her heartbreaking loss at the All England Club to Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina.

A summary of Thursday's action at the US Open.

The proposed India-Israel trade pact should be beneficial to both nations and until New Delhi gets a good deal, it would not do an agreement, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said. India and Israel are negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) since May 2010. "With Israel, until we get a good deal, we will not do an FTA. It has to be reciprocally beneficial," the minister said in San Francisco on Tuesday while interacting with the Indian community.

The proposed India-Israel trade pact should be beneficial to both nations and until New Delhi gets a good deal, it would not do an agreement, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said. India and Israel are negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) since May 2010. "With Israel, until we get a good deal, we will not do an FTA. It has to be reciprocally beneficial," the minister said in San Francisco on Tuesday while interacting with the Indian community.