The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games officially commenced on February 6, 2026, with a vibrant opening ceremony held across four locations, featuring performances by Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli, according to BBC World. The primary venue was Milan's San Siro stadium, with additional elements in Cortina, Livigno, and Predazzo. Elsewhere, China overturned the death sentence of Canadian Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, a Canadian official confirmed on Friday, potentially signaling a diplomatic thaw. Simultaneously, Canada and France opened consulates in Greenland, demonstrating support for Denmark, their NATO ally, after previous US interest in the Arctic island.
The opening ceremony, despite logistical challenges of a multi-location format, was an impressive production, according to BBC World. Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli performed "Nessun Dorma" as the Olympic torch entered the San Siro stadium.
In a separate development, China's decision to overturn Schellenberg's death sentence, who was detained on drug charges in 2014, comes as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney seeks to enhance trade relations with Beijing, as reported by The Guardian.
Meanwhile, Canada and France's decision to open consulates in Nuuk, Greenland, on Friday, is a show of support for Denmark and the Arctic island, as stated by The Guardian. This move follows previous US efforts to secure control of the semi-autonomous Danish territory. Canada had initially promised to open a consulate in Nuuk in 2024.
In other news, Storm Leonardo continued to batter Europe and northern Africa, with Spain's state meteorological agency issuing its highest red alert for heavy rainfall in Cádiz and parts of Málaga, according to The Guardian. The slow-moving system has brought torrential rain and strong winds to the Iberian peninsula since Tuesday.
Finally, Japan is heading to the polls for its second general election in as many years, with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi betting on her personal popularity to secure a public mandate for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), according to BBC World. This is a political gamble, as her predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba, made and lost badly.
Discussion
AI Experts & Community
Be the first to comment