Plus, a Ukrainian athlete was barred from competition after refusing to give up his plan to race in a helmet commemorating athletes who have been killed since Russia invaded his country.

• Let the games begin: Italian President Sergio Mattarella declared the 2026 Winter Olympics open. Two cauldrons — one in Milan and one in Cortina — have been lit, marking a first in the Winter Games’ history.

The Americans have been so impressive that legendary defender Angela Ruggiero earlier this week declared this the best U.S. team of all time. Ruggiero, part of the 1998 U.S. team that won Olympic gold, elaborated when reached Friday by Yahoo Sports.

There are few opportunities to mount an event of this scale, but the Olympics host country showed what it was made of through performances by Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli and Sabrina Impacciatore.

The 2026 Winter Olympics kicked off last week in Milan, with a full slate of events, including alpine skiing, curling, ice hockey, and figure skating. And once again, Martha will be serving as an NBC correspondent at the Olympic Games with her friend Snoop Dogg.

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Soaring arias. Wrenching tragedy. Joyful triumphs. Exotic backdrops. Climaxes often designed to produce tears, sad or otherwise. Perhaps more than anything, the operas that Italians began creating 400 years ago are designed to make you feel.

Before the 2026 Winter Olympics opened in Milan, Martha Stewart said she was heading to the Games with one personal goal: Meeting an Italian prince. Stewart, who is serving as a special correspondent for NBC alongside her friend Snoop Dogg,

Planning Milano Cortina 2026? Choose a hub that cuts travel time. From Milan and Verona to Trento, Bolzano, Cortina, and Livigno, here are 10 bases with the best mix of access, atmosphere, and winter-friendly backups.

Italian biathlete Rebecca Passler has been cleared to compete in the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics after a successful appeal to the Italian Anti-Doping Agency (NADO) following a failed drugs test last month.