Politics

I.O.C. recommended Russian and Belarusian youth athletes participate again in international competitions

Johan Eliasch called for clearer guidelines to ensure Russia was not singled out unfairly

Gianni Infantino said FIFA's ban on teams from Russia and Belarus should be lifted

Heorhii Tykhyi called the idea of Russian or Belarusian athletes returning to the Olympics unacceptable

Dmitri S. Peskov said Russia welcomed Mr. Infantino’s statement

Olympics officials signaled willingness to ease restrictions on Russia in Milan this week

Good innovation often involves lobbying for good

Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified for wearing a helmet honoring athletes killed in the war with Russia

Olympic officials loosened rules in 2020 allowing athletes to make political statements on social media or to journalists but not while competing or on medal stand

IOC said it had no choice but to disqualify Heraskevych to preserve sanctity of field of play

France has taken special interest in fate of Syria post-Assad

Assad regime killed tens of thousands of activists dissidents and journalists

Warrants were issued on August 22

French investigation revealed Syrian officials ordered targeting of civilians during siege of Homs and a policy to stop international journalists

Bashar al-Assad and family fled to Russia last December

Marie Colvin's family won judgment of more than $300 million against Syrian government in 2019

French judges issued arrest warrants for Bashar al-Assad and six officials for an attack that killed two journalists including Marie Colvin

Judges found seven men named in warrants were likely guilty of war crime and crime against humanity

General Zamir has also expressed reservations about the planned Gaza City campaign

Majed al-Ansari told journalists that Israel had not yet responded to Hamas's acceptance of a cease-fire in phases