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What’s happening on Day 10 of Paris Games on Monday
A host of events kick off on Monday, though, including synchronised swimming, track cycling, climbing and wrestling.
The Olympic Games are past the halfway point, with the swimming, tennis, archery, fencing and road cycling all drawing to a close on an action-packed Sunday in Paris.
A host of events kick off on Monday, though, including synchronised swimming, track cycling, climbing and wrestling.
Twenty Olympic champions will be crowned in sports with the final medals being awarded in artistic gymnastics, 3x3 basketball, badminton, canoe slalom, shooting, surfing and triathlon.
LAST CHANCE TO CATCH BILES IN ACTION
Artistic gymnastics marks its final day with the spotlight on two women's events – the balance beam and floor exercise finals featuring American Simone Biles.
Already the most decorated gymnast in history, Biles will be looking to grab two more golds in what would be a clean sweep for all five of her competitions in Paris.
The men's finals will take place in parallel bars and horizontal bar.
HASSAN OUT ON TRACK FOR WOMEN'S 5,000 METRES
The Netherlands' Sifan Hassan defends her Olympic title in the 5,000 metres final, part of an audacious and gruelling Paris schedule that also includes the 10,000 and the marathon later in the programme.
The world record is always under threat when Armand Duplantis steps into an arena and fans will hope to watch the Swedish Olympic champion pole vaulter make history again in the men's final.
Valarie Allman will be the highlight in women's discus, as she goes for a second straight Olympic gold after frustrating bronze and silver finishes at the 2022 and 2023 worlds respectively.
MEN AND WOMEN SINGLES MEDALS IN BADMINTON
South Korea's An Se-young, the women's number one, who came into the Olympics under pressure with an injury, squares off against China's He Bingjiao for singles gold.
Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn will aim to win his country's first Olympic medal in badminton when he takes on reigning Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark in the men's singles.
TRACK CYCLING STARTS
The track cycling programme begins at St Quentin velodrome with one medal at stake on the opening day, the women's team sprint in which Britain will be one of the favourites for gold.
DINGHY SAILORS TAKE CENTRE STAGE
Dinghy sailors are in action, with Dutchwoman Marit Bouwmeester on form in her attempt to overtake Britain's Hannah Mills as the most successful female Olympic sailor ever, while Matt Wearn is demonstrating he means business for Australia in the men's event.
Both could make it through to the double points medal race on Tuesday already knowing they have secured gold.
TRIATHLON MIXED RELAY DIVES INTO SEINE
France's Cassandre Beaugrand, who won gold in the individual triathlon on Wednesday, will dive into the Seine again for the mixed relay that gets under way at 8 a.m. local time.
Beaugrand and three teammates will try to take the crown off Britain, defending champions in the event.
Leo Bergere, who won bronze for France in the men's race, has made no secret of the team's ambition but Britain's chances look good, with gold medallist Alex Yee set to kick off the relay and bronze medallist Beth Potter rounding it out.
Seventeen teams of four will battle for the medals, with each athlete completing a 300 metres swim in the river, 5.8 km on the bike and a 1.8 km run.
GOLDEN DAY AT 3x3 BASKETBALL
Reigning champions the United States, Spain, Germany and Canada battle for a medal in the women's 3x3 basketball tournament, with the semi-finals and final also scheduled for Monday.
Latvia's Karlis Lasmanis and Nauris Miezis, who locked up a direct spot in the last four, will be looking to retain their Olympic title in the men's competition.
FIRST-EVER MEDALS IN KAYAK CROSS
Britain's Joe Clarke and Kimberley Cook are the paddlers to beat as the first-ever medals in kayak cross will be handed out at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, with the quarter-finals, semis and finals all taking place on Monday.
MEN IN SEMI-FINAL FOOTBALL ACTION
The men's football semi-finals take place, with Morocco facing Spain in Marseille and France taking on Egypt in Lyon, with the hosts aiming to extend their quest for their first Olympic title in 40 years.
FINAL SHOTS FIRED IN SHOOTING
Twice medallist Li Yuehong of China will be gunning for his maiden Olympic gold, but local favourite Jean Quiquampoix's title defence in the 25 metres rapid fire pistol is over after the Frenchman failed to make the final in his home Games.
The shooting events of the Paris Olympics will conclude with the skeet mixed team event later on Monday. Reuters
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Norwegian Chargé d’Affaires meets with IEA deputy foreign minister
Welcoming the diplomat’s visit to Kabul, Stanikzai underscored the importance of political relations between Afghanistan and Norway, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The Norwegian Chargé d’Affaires for Afghanistan, Per Albert Ilsaas, on Saturday met with IEA’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, Sher Muhammad Abbas Stanikzai, in Kabul.
Welcoming the diplomat’s visit to Kabul, Stanikzai underscored the importance of political relations between Afghanistan and Norway, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
In addition to focusing on bilateral political, humanitarian, and other pertinent issues, the two sides expressed hope that continued engagement would lead to constructive solutions to related issues.
This comes two weeks after the Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi expressed disappointment regarding the decision by the Norwegian government to downgrade diplomatic relations with Afghanistan.
Balkhi said in a post on X that such decisions should not be linked with internal affairs of other countries.
“Diplomatic engagement is most effective when it fosters mutual understanding and respect, even amidst differing viewpoints,” he stated.
“Access to consular services is a fundamental right of all nationals. We strongly urge all parties to prioritize this principle in the spirit of international cooperation,” he added.
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A new polio vaccination campaign is set to launch in Afghanistan
Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries in the world where polio has not been eradicated.
The “Afghanistan Polio-Free” organization announced that a new round of polio vaccinations will begin on Monday, December 23, in various provinces of Afghanistan.
The organization did not specify which provinces will be targeted or how long the vaccination campaign will last.
Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries in the world where polio has not been eradicated.
On December 4, 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement reporting a 283% increase in polio cases in Afghanistan. According to the WHO, the number of positive environmental samples for wild poliovirus type 1 in Afghanistan in 2024 reached 84, compared to 62 cases in 2023.
The Ministry of Public Health claimed in November 2024 that no new cases of polio had been reported in Afghanistan for the year.
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G7 envoys urge national dialogue for lasting stability in Afghanistan
Special Representatives of the Group of Seven (G7), including the European Union, have emphasized the importance of a national dialogue for achieving long-term stability in Afghanistan.
Following a meeting on Afghanistan in Geneva, Switzerland, G7 special envoys issued a joint statement calling for the restoration of women's rights and urging the Islamic Emirate to fight terrorism.
The statement reads: "Achieving sustainable peace and stability requires credible governance that represents all segments of Afghan society."
The representatives also expressed concern over the IEA’s decision to ban girls from attending medical institutes, warning that it will have devastating consequences for the citizens, particularly mothers and their infants.
The statement described this ban as unacceptable and called on the Afghan authorities to lift it immediately.
Earlier, countries and international organizations had called for the removal of restrictions on the education and employment of women and girls, emphasizing the need for a national dialogue.
In response to these concerns, IEA has repeatedly stated that it will not allow interference in the internal affairs of the country.
The G7 special envoys also expressed their concern about the recent terrorist attacks in Kabul and the surrounding region, warning that terrorism remains a serious threat to Afghanistan's security. They confirmed the actions of the IEA against Daesh but stressed the need for more decisive measures.
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