- Last-minute legal ruling allows betting on US election
- Despite hurricanes, Floridians refuse to leave 'paradise'
- Israel observes Yom Kippur amid firestorm over Lebanon strikes
- Trump demonizes migrants in dark, misleading speech
- X says 'alert' to manipulation efforts after pro-Russia bots report
- US, European markets rise before Boeing unveils sweeping job cuts
- Small Quebec company dominates one part of NHL hockey: jerseys
- Comoros shock Tunisia, Salah, Mbeumo strike in AFCON qualifiers
- Boeing to cut 10% of workforce as it sees big Q3 loss
- Germany win in Nations League as 10-man Dutch rescue point
- Undav brace sends Germany to victory against Bosnia
- Israel says fired at 'threat' near UN position in Lebanon
- Want to film in Paris? No sexism allowed
- Ecuador's last mountain iceman dies at 80
- Milton leaves at least 16 dead, millions without power in Florida
- Senegal set to announce breakaway development agenda: PM
- UN says 2 peacekeepers wounded in south Lebanon explosions
- Injury-hit Australia thrash 'embarrassing' Pakistan at Women's T20 World Cup
- Internal TikTok documents show prioritization of traffic over well-being
- Israel says fired at 'immediate threat' near UN position in Lebanon
- New US coach Pochettino hails Pulisic but worries over workload
- Brazil orders closure of 2,000 betting sites
- UK govt urged to raise pro-democracy tycoon's case with China
- Sculptor Lalanne's animal creations sell for $59 mn
- From Tesla to Trump: Behind Musk's giant leap into politics
- US, European markets rise as investors weigh rates, earnings
- In Colombia, children trade plastic waste for school supplies
- Supercharged hurricanes trigger 'perfect storm' for disinformation
- JPMorgan Chase profits top estimates, bank sees 'resilient' US economy
- Djokovic proves staying power as he progresses to Shanghai semi-finals
- Sheffield Utd boss Wilder 'numb' after Baldock death
- Little progress at key meet ahead of COP29 climate summit
- Fans immerse themselves in Marina Abramovic's first China exhibition
- Israel says conducting review after UN peacekeepers wounded in Lebanon
- 'Party atmosphere': Skygazers treated to another aurora show
- Djokovic 'overwhelmed' after 'greatest rival' Nadal's retirement
- Zelensky in Berlin says hopes war with Russia will end next year
- Kyrgyzstan opens rare probe into glacier destruction
- European Mediterranean states discuss Middle East, migration
- Djokovic proves staying power as progresses to Shanghai semi-finals
- Hurricane Milton leaves at least 16 dead as Florida cleans up
- Britain face 'ultimate challenge' in America's Cup duel with New Zealand
- Lebanon calls for 'immediate' ceasefire in Israel-Hezbollah war
- Nihon Hidankyo: Japan's A-bomb survivors awarded Nobel
- Thunberg leads pro-Palestinian, climate protest in Milan
- Boat captain rescued clinging to cooler in Gulf of Mexico after storm Milton
- Tears, warnings after Japan atomic survivors group win Nobel
- 'Unspeakable horror': the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
- Stock markets diverge before China weekend briefing
- Christian villagers 'trapped' in south Lebanon crossfire
Olympic champion Semenya 'not ashamed' to be different
Double Olympic champion Caster Semenya said she is "not going to be ashamed because I am different" as she focuses on her long-running dispute with athletics authorities.
The South African, who is classed as having "differences in sexual development (DSD)" but has always been legally identified as female, has refused to take drugs to reduce her testosterone levels since athletics' governing body introduced the rules in 2018.
As a result, she has been barred from competing at her favourite distance of 800m.
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) agreed on Monday to rule on the case of Semenya.
The 32-year-old won a lengthy legal battle in July against the Swiss government at the Strasbourg-based international court, which ruled she was the victim of discrimination.
But Swiss authorities, supported by World Athletics, had announced their intention to take the matter to the ECHR's Grand Chamber, whose rulings are binding.
Semenya said in an interview with the BBC on Tuesday that she is focused on "winning battles against the authorities" rather than competing, with next year's Paris Olympics not in her plans.
"For me I believe if you are a woman, you are a woman, no matter the differences you have," she said.
"I have realised I want to live my life and fight for what I think and I believe in myself. I know I am a woman and anything that comes along with it just accept it."
She added: "At the end of the day, I know I am different. I don't care about the medical terms or what they tell me. Being born without a uterus or internal testicles -- those don't make me less of a woman.
"Those are the differences I was born with and I will embrace them. I am not going to be ashamed because I am different."
- 'Inclusivity, diversity' -
Semenya, who won Olympic 800m gold in 2012 and 2016 and is a three-time world champion over the distance, said last week she had achieved all she wanted to on the track and is now focused on her battle with the sport's authorities.
"My future is to fight injustice, fight for inclusivity and diversity," she said.
"For me, I'm not going to allow leaders who come for the selfish means into our business to destroy it. I'm about empowering women and making sure they have a voice."
The ruling by the ECHR in July was largely symbolic as it does not call into question the World Athletics ruling and does not pave the way for Semenya to return to competition without taking the medication.
World Athletics introduced the DSD regulations to create a level playing field in women's events ranging from 400m to one mile.
Semenya was forced to move up to the 5,000m, a distance in which she failed to reach the final at last year's world championships in Eugene, Oregon.
In March this year, the federation amended the rules. DSD athletes now have to reduce their amount of blood testosterone to below 2.5 nanomoles per litre, down from the previous level of five, and remain below this threshold for two years.
World Athletics also removed the principle of restricted events for DSD athletes, meaning regulations now cover all distances.
P.M.Smith--AMWN