The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games officially commenced on February 6, 2026, with a vibrant opening ceremony held across four locations, including Milan's San Siro stadium, according to BBC World. The ceremony featured performances by Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli, who sang "Nessun Dorma" as the Olympic torch entered the stadium. Despite logistical concerns, the multi-location event went off without issue, with two Olympic cauldrons lit, one in Milan and the other in Cortina, BBC World reported.
In other international news, China overturned the death sentence of Canadian Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, a Canadian official confirmed on Friday, as reported by The Guardian. Schellenberg was detained on drug charges in 2014, before Canada-China relations soured in 2018. This decision is seen as a potential sign of a diplomatic thaw, as Prime Minister Mark Carney seeks to boost trade ties with Beijing, The Guardian noted.
Meanwhile, Canada and France are opening diplomatic consulates in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, on Friday, demonstrating support for their NATO ally Denmark and the Arctic island, The Guardian reported. This move follows US efforts to secure control of the semi-autonomous Danish territory. Canada had previously promised to open a consulate in Nuuk in 2024, before former US President Donald Trump's talk of a US takeover, according to The Guardian.
Elsewhere, Japan is heading to the polls again on Sunday for its second general election in as many years, according to BBC World. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Japan's first female leader, is betting on her personal popularity to secure a clear public mandate for the long-ruling but unpopular Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). This is a political gamble, similar to one made and lost by her predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba, BBC World reported.
Finally, Spain and Portugal are facing severe weather alerts as Storm Leonardo continues to batter the Iberian peninsula with torrential rain and strong winds, The Guardian reported. The Spanish state meteorological agency, Aemet, issued its highest red alert for heavy rainfall in Cádiz and parts of Málaga. Flash floods in Morocco have forced over 100,000 people to evacuate, according to The Guardian.
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