Images from Day 5 of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships on Friday.

In his opening remarks at the virtual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Modi also said that some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of their policy and the grouping must not hesitate to criticise them.

The five top contenders for the women's title at Wimbledon, which starts on Monday.

The Wagner forces also shot down several Russian aircraft, leading to the deaths of an undisclosed number of airmen whom Putin has praised as "fallen hero pilots."

In a televised address to the nation on Monday, Putin said that since the start of the events, steps were taken on his orders to avoid large-scale bloodshed, as he thanked the Russians for endurance and support.

Russia's special presidential representative for international cultural cooperation Mikhail Shvydkoy said Prigozhin wanted to become Russian president but it was a "mistake".

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin on Monday said the purpose of the march towards Moscow was to stop the destruction of the private military company and "bring to justice those who, through their unprofessional actions, made a huge number of mistakes during the special military operation".

The decision to lift the ban was met with protest from Ukraine, whose Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said it was "immoral" and urged Britain to deny Russian and Belarusian players visas.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists that the Belarusian President volunteered because he has been acquainted with Prigozhin for about 20 years.

After Wagner mercenary force chief Yevgeny Prigozhin decided to halt his forces' march to Moscow under deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Big-serving Elena Rybakina will aim to retain her title but other players have emerged as serious contenders:

Russia moves forward with the plan as part of the plan to deploy tactical nuclear bombs in the country bordering Ukraine.

Ukraine's Elina Svitolina accused Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka of adding fuel to the fire by standing at the net waiting for a handshake she knew would never happen!

Aryna Sabalenka said at the French Open that she did not want her country to be in any conflict and did not support the war in Ukraine.

Images from Day 10 of the 2023 French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on Tuesday.

Russian Daria Kasatkina said she left the French Open with a bitter taste in her mouth after being booed off by the crowd.

Images from Day 8 of the 2023 French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on Sunday.

Aryna Sabalenka skipped the traditional post-match press conference at the French Open on Friday citing mental health reasons.

Images from Day 1 of the French Open matches played at Roland Garros on Sunday.

Marta Kostyuk said Aryna Sabalenka should take a stronger, more personal stand against the war.

Paris crowd made themselves heard on day one of the French Open as they booed and jeered when Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk refused to shake hands

Five top contenders for the women's title at the French Open, which starts on Sunday.

Belarusian second seed Aryna Sabalenka beat Iga Swiatek 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to win the Madrid Open on Saturday, avenging her defeat by the Polish world number one in last month's Stuttgart final.

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif will attend the SCO defence ministers' meeting in New Delhi on Friday through virtual mode, according to an official readout.

The rising dependence on discounted crude oil has resulted in India's trade deficit with Russia hitting the second-highest place last year, after China, reveals Department of Commerce data. From April through January 2022-23 (FY23), India's maximum trade deficit was with China, at $71.58 billion. This was followed by Russia, where the deficit expanded sevenfold - from $4.86 billion in April-January of 2021-22 (FY22) to $34.79 billion during the same period in FY23.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to hold bilateral talks with his Chinese counterpart Li Shangfu on the sidelines of the SCO defence ministerial conclave in Delhi, people familiar with the matter said.

A Russian tennis player was refused boarding by a Polish airlines and then denied a ticket by German airlines Lufthansa.

Lukaku was subjected to abuse during the first leg at Juventus "before, during, and after the penalty" he scored to earn Inter a 1-1 draw, the player's representatives said.

Tennis missed an opportunity to send a strong message to Moscow by failing to impose a blanket ban on players from Russia and its ally Belarus after the invasion of Ukraine, World No 1 Iga Swiatek said.

Wimbledon will allow Russian and Belarusian players to compete at the grasscourt Grand Slam as 'neutrals' this year.

Poland, Britain against allowing Russian, Belarusian athletes at Paris Games

Putin said work would be completed on building storage units for tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus on July 1, a move he likened to US nuclear deployments in Europe.

WA President Sebastian Coe said there were 35 special conditions to be applied for a period of three years with a review at the end of that period.

Serbian Dusan Lajovic beat Andy Murray at the Miami Open on Wednesday, sending the Briton packing in the first round with his first hardcourt win of the season.

Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain lived up to expectations as they secured medals for India with quarter-final wins, alongside two other home boxers at the Women's Boxing World Championships.

The Modi government finds itself in a contradiction of its own making. It has encouraged pro-Russian, Westophobic public sentiment while setting strategic policy that's exactly the opposite, points out Shekhar Gupta.

Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain will look to find their footing in new weight categories with the 2024 Paris Olympic Games approaching.

Paris mayor vows to keep Russian, Belarusian athletes out of Olympics

Wimbledon was the only Grand Slam to ban competitors from Russia and Belarus last year.

Andy Murray said he expects the Wimbledon organisers to lift the ban on Russian and Belarusian players.