The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) was banned with immediate effect on Thursday for recognising regional organisations from four territories annexed from Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee said. The IOC added the ROC would not be eligible for any funding after it recognised earlier this month Olympic Councils from the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia but that it would not affect any Russian athletes competing as neutrals. “The unilateral decision taken by the Russian Olympic Committee on 5 October 2023 to include, as its members, the regional sports organisations which are under the authority of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ukraine (namely Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia) constitutes a breach of the Olympic Charter,” the IOC said in a statement. It comes after Russian and Ukrainian forces have been fighting fierce battles around the eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka after Moscow launched one of its biggest military offensives in months. President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian forces were holding their ground on the third day of battle, but municipal officials said the Russian attacks were relentless. Avdiivka, in Donetsk, has become a symbol of resistance since Russia’s invasion. Read More French police are probing possible poisoning of Russian journalist who denounced Ukraine war on TV IOC suspends Russian Olympic Committee for incorporating Ukrainian sports regions French police probe ‘poisoning’ of TV journalist who denounced Putin’s war live on air

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British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said Sunday he plans to resign at the next Cabinet reshuffle after four years in the job. Wallace has served as defense secretary under three prime ministers and played a key role in the U.K.'s response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He told The Sunday Times his departure was due to the strain his job had put on his family. He also said he would stand down as a lawmaker at the next general election. Wallace is the longest continuously serving minister in government. He was security minister under former Prime Minister Theresa May, before being promoted to defense secretary by her successor Boris Johnson. Wallace drew criticism last week when he suggested that Ukraine should show “gratitude” for the West's military support. He made the remark at the NATO summit in Lithuania after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed frustration about when his country could join the military alliance. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak distanced himself from Wallace's comments, saying Zelenskyy had “expressed his gratitude for what we've done on a number of occasions.” Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide

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Violent and disturbing scenes erupted on the streets of Dublin on Thursday night as rioters caused chaos following a knife attack on five people, including three children in the Irish capital. Public transport was set ablaze and shops were looted as a gang labeled by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris as a “complete lunatic faction driven by far-right ideology” took to the streets in protest. More than 400 Irish police officers were involved in the height of the response to a riot in Dublin. In a video statement on social media, Garda Chief Superintendent Patrick McMenamin said some members of the police force had been attacked and assaulted. However, he said no serious injuries had been reported by gardai or members of the public. Gardai remain on patrol in the city centre. Mr McMenamin said: “Dublin city centre is now calm and returning to normal.” The chief superintendent said the thoughts of the police service are with the victims of the assault in Parnell Square earlier in the day. Speaking about the riot, he said: “The violence had nothing whatsoever to do with a serious assault which occurred this afternoon on Parnell Square, it was gratuitous thuggery.” One of Ireland's most prominent celebrities, the former UFC champion Conor McGregor, has been vocal about the stabbing incident and the violence that unfolded as a consequence. Hours before the riot, McGregor called for 'war' after complaining about non-Irish people being allowed to vote in Irish elections. He tweeted: "US allows non residents to vote? Visitors can vote? I can fly in now and register a vote in the United States elections? Surely not. However, Ireland's current government is proposing this. A disgrace! A shame! Hang their heads in shame! The Working man is the real hero! Ireland, we are at war. Do not let any irish property be took over unannounced. Evaporate said property. It's a war." McGregor then doubled down and attacked Harris for his statement on the riot calling it "not good enough." He later called for more 'action' on the stabbing claiming there was "no action being taken at all during these ever more frequent events." The UFC fighter then aimed his vitriol at Ireland's political establishment calling on them to "fix this situation IMMEDIATELY." McGregor then shared a picture of a burnt out bus asking what the great Irish historical figure Daniel O'Connell would say about the events that unfolded in Dublin. The 35-year-old then called for the knife attacker to experience 'torture and death' as a result of the crime but did find time to praise a Brazilian man for helping to intervene at the scene and stopped the attack from getting any worse. McGregor then called a journalist who showed up to report on the stabbing 'weak and feeble'. He added: "One of the most horrific crimes this nation ever seen has occurred, we do not care anymore what you sad cases have got to say. In a war you are nothing. We are not backing down, we are only warming up. There will be no backing down until real change is implemented for the safety of our nation." McGregor has been widely condemned for the outburst. Irish Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said while the scenes in Dublin on Thursday were shocking, gardai “contained this for the most part to a very small area”. “This was our main thoroughfare and I acknowledge that and I think the scenes are incomprehensible,” she told RTE. “By midnight last night order had been restored to our city, but this was a violent mob of thugs and criminals whose sole focus was to wreak havoc and it is a very volatile situation. “There were a huge number of gardai who were assaulted, who were spat at, who were the victims of vitriol and hate themselves. “I cannot commend them enough. I think they responded in the way that they felt was appropriate and that was required, and they are trained. They’re the people on the ground who do this day in, day out. “Gardai will take what happened last night, they will adapt their response and they will make sure that from this morning, throughout the day and over the weekend, there is a strong presence and that they stop any type of gathering like this from happening again. “There will be a very strong presence on the ground, but they will of course monitor any movement, any chat, or anything that’s happening online today.” Additional reporting by PA. Sign up to our new free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.