The Winter Olympics are expected to accelerate Milan's transformation into a vibrant international metropolis -- but many residents fear the effect will see them priced out.
Spain's Oriol Cardona Coll and Switzerland's Marianne Fatton bagged the first two Olympic golds on offer in ski mountaineering in Bormio on Thursday in the event's debut at the Winter Games.
The head of Doctors Without Borders in the Palestinian territories told AFP the charity would continue working in Gaza for as long as possible, following an Israeli decision to end its activities there.
- Russian Filippov wins first medal at Milan-Cortina Games for individual neutral athletes
- Italian Milan takes sprint honours at UAE Tour
Politics
Jihadist fighters have killed dozens of people and destroyed seven villages in raids in northwestern Nigeria's Kebbi state, the police told AFP Thursday.
February 19, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Former British prince Andrew's inexorable fall from grace has reached an extraordinary new lows as he becomes the first member of the UK royal family to be arrested in the modern era.
February 19, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Sri Lanka scored 178-7 for seven against Zimbabwe in Colombo on Thursday as both teams had their final run out before they begin their Super Eights campaign.
February 19, 2026
The world urgently needs to regulate artificial intelligence, OpenAI head Sam Altman said Thursday at a summit in New Delhi to address the risks and opportunities posed by the fast-evolving technology.
February 19, 2026
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright renewed his threat Thursday to pull out of the International Energy Agency, warning that Washington would push over the next year for the organisation to abandon the net-zero "agenda".
February 19, 2026
Sports
Liverpool manager Arne Slot said on Thursday he believes striker Alexander Isak is in the "final stages of rehab" and could return by the end of next month to bolster the Reds' push for Champions League qualification.
February 19, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Airbus, which represents Germany and Spain in the multibillion-euro FCAS warplane programme, will support a proposal to instead build two separate jets if the countries participating in the project request it, chief executive Guillaume Faury said Thursday.
The UN's independent fact-finding mission on Sudan said Thursday the paramilitary siege and capture of El-Fasher bore "the hallmarks of genocide".
Sam Costelow will start at fly-half, with Gabriel Hamer-Webb handed a debut, as Wales look to end their Six Nations losing streak by beating Scotland in Cardiff on Saturday.
Iran's atomic energy chief on Thursday said "no country can deprive Iran of the right" to nuclear enrichment, following fresh US warning that there were "many reasons" to strike the Islamic republic.
February 19, 2026
Boulevard
A South Korean court declared former president Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law bid in 2024 an insurrection, sentencing the disgraced leader to life in prison on Thursday.
February 19, 2026
RECENT NEWS
The world urgently needs to regulate artificial intelligence, OpenAI head Sam Altman said on Thursday at a summit in New Delhi on the risks and opportunities posed by the fast-evolving technology.
A British couple detained in Iran since January 2025 have been sentenced to 10 years in jail for espionage, their family announced on Thursday, prompting condemnation from the UK government.
The West Indies tuned up for the T20 World Cup Super Eights in perfect fashion on Thursday with a comfortable 42-run victory over Italy in their final group match in Kolkata.
Thousands of years from now, what will remain of our digital era?
February 19, 2026
- At least 16 killed after building collapses in Pakistan following blast
- Summit photo op fails to unite AI startup rivals
- OpenAI's Altman says world 'urgently' needs AI regulation
- Horror comics boom in our age of anxiety
- Turkey fires up coal pollution even as it hosts COP31
- London fashion week opens with tribute to one of its greats
- Ex-S.Korea leader Yoon gets life in prison for insurrection
- Pea soup, veggie mash contest warms up Dutch winter