The Winter Olympics kicks off today in Milan, Italy, with the opening ceremony expected to attract more than 70,000 people. Follow live.

Mongolian brand Goyol Cashmere launched its Olympic looks last month to instant internet acclaim. The designers were inspired by the “warrior spirit” of Mongolians who, for thousands of years, used cashmere to endure the brutal winters of the Central Asian highlands, the company wrote on social media.

Italy has ramped up security ahead of the opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina Friday, with thousands of agents protecting athletes, spectators and global leaders at locations spanning from Milan to the Dolomites.

Where to stay, eat and properly do aperitivo between events

Italy hopes that the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, which open on Friday, will give momentum to Rome's bid for the 2040 Summer Games. Sports Minister Andrea Abodi told the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper that if the next two weeks go well,

Ms. Meloni’s conservative government has focused on law and order since taking office in October 2022. A security decree passed in June 2025 created more than a dozen new crimes, including protest activity in prisons and migrant centers, and made some kinds of demonstrations punishable with up to two years in prison.