Juventus started the season looking to win a 10th straight Serie A title but instead find themselves in danger of missing out on a Champions League spot after a 3-0 home defeat by top-four rivals AC Milan on Sunday left them fifth with three games left.

Goals from Brahim Diaz, Ante Rebic, and Fikayo Tomori secured the win and sent Milan up to third on 72 points from 35 matches, leaving Juve a point behind fourth-placed Napoli and needing teams to drop points as they battle for a top-four finish.

Brahim curled home a stunning opener just before the break to give the visitors the halftime lead and they had a chance to extend the advantage in the 56th minute only for Franck Kessie's penalty to be saved by Wojciech Szczesny.

That miss did not prove costly, however, as substitute Rebic arrowed a fine strike into the net 12 minutes from time before defender Tomori, on loan from Chelsea, headed the third goal to seal a crucial win for Milan four minutes later.

"It was a very special night for us," Tomori told Sky Sport Italia. "This result and my goal made the night special.

"This victory gives us an advantage but nothing has been decided yet in the top-four race. Now we have to continue like this and stay focused for the next match against Torino."

Used to battling it out for the Scudetto in the past, Juve and Milan looked like two teams who were unsure of a top-four finish in a nervous first half.

Other than a header from Giorgio Chiellini, Juve struggled to create anything, with Cristiano Ronaldo unusually quiet.

Brahim lit up a poor first half after Szczesny did not get enough on a punch, with the Real Madrid loanee finding the top corner on his first start for Milan since March.

After the break, Juve did improve, with Ronaldo finally getting a shot away, but he could not find the target with his left foot, while Milan had to withdraw their top goalscorer this season, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, due to an injury.

Chiellini's clumsy handball gifted Milan the chance to extend their lead, after a lengthy VAR review. However, Szczesny came to the rescue - the Pole's third penalty save from the last four spot-kicks he has faced in Serie A against Milan.

It was Ibrahimovic's replacement Rebic who effectively ended Juve's hopes of getting something from the match before Tomori picked an opportune moment to score his first goal for Milan.

The final whistle was greeted with wild scenes of celebration from Milan staff and players, with their first away league win at Juve since March 2011 putting them in a strong position to return to the Champions League, potentially at their opponent's expense.

Juventus started the season looking to win a 10th straight Serie A title but instead find themselves in danger of missing out on a Champions League spot after a 3-0 home defeat by top-four rivals AC Milan on Sunday left them fifth with three games left.

Juventus started the season looking to win a 10th straight Serie A title but instead find themselves in danger of missing out on a Champions League spot after a 3-0 home defeat by top-four rivals AC Milan on Sunday left them fifth with three games left. Goals from Brahim Diaz, Ante Rebic, and Fikayo Tomori secured the win and sent Milan up to third on 72 points from 35 matches, leaving Juve a point behind fourth-placed Napoli and needing teams to drop points as they battle for a top-four finish. Brahim curled home a stunning opener just before the break to give the visitors the halftime lead and they had a chance to extend the advantage in the 56th minute only for Franck Kessie's penalty to be saved by Wojciech Szczesny. That miss did not prove costly, however, as substitute Rebic arrowed a fine strike into the net 12 minutes from time before defender Tomori, on loan from Chelsea, headed the third goal to seal a crucial win for Milan four minutes later. "It was a very special night for us," Tomori told Sky Sport Italia. "This result and my goal made the night special. "This victory gives us an advantage but nothing has been decided yet in the top-four race. Now we have to continue like this and stay focused for the next match against Torino." Used to battling it out for the Scudetto in the past, Juve and Milan looked like two teams who were unsure of a top-four finish in a nervous first half. Other than a header from Giorgio Chiellini, Juve struggled to create anything, with Cristiano Ronaldo unusually quiet. Brahim lit up a poor first half after Szczesny did not get enough on a punch, with the Real Madrid loanee finding the top corner on his first start for Milan since March. After the break, Juve did improve, with Ronaldo finally getting a shot away, but he could not find the target with his left foot, while Milan had to withdraw their top goalscorer this season, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, due to an injury. Chiellini's clumsy handball gifted Milan the chance to extend their lead, after a lengthy VAR review. However, Szczesny came to the rescue - the Pole's third penalty save from the last four spot-kicks he has faced in Serie A against Milan. It was Ibrahimovic's replacement Rebic who effectively ended Juve's hopes of getting something from the match before Tomori picked an opportune moment to score his first goal for Milan. The final whistle was greeted with wild scenes of celebration from Milan staff and players, with their first away league win at Juve since March 2011 putting them in a strong position to return to the Champions League, potentially at their opponent's expense.

Juventus in danger of missing out on top four after loss to Milan

Giorgio Armani paid tribute to Milan in his haute couture collection, unveiled without an audience on Tuesday (January 26) at the Palazzo Orsini.

Armani pays tribute to Milanese elegance in cloistered couture show

Inter Milan`s eight-match winning run in Serie A came to an end as two of their former players, Antonio Candreva and Keita Balde Diao, struck to give Sampdoria a shock 2-1 win in Genoa on Wednesday. 
 
Candreva converted from the penalty spot before Keita guided home a finish to give the hosts a two-goal lead at the interval, and a Stefan De Vrij header was all Inter could muster in response. 
 
Alexis Sanchez had a penalty saved by Emil Audero early on but Inter struggled to threaten in the absence of striker Romelu Lukaku, who was only fit enough to feature for the final half hour and couldn`t inspire a comeback. 
 
It meant Antonio Conte’s side squandered the chance to go top of the table ahead of AC Milan, who play Juventus later on Wednesday. 
 
Inter remain in second place on 36 points, one behind their city rivals, while Sampdoria are 11th on 20 points.

Inter Milan`s eight-match winning run in Serie A came to an end as two of their former players, Antonio Candreva and Keita Balde Diao, struck to give Sampdoria a shock 2-1 win in Genoa on Wednesday.

Inter Milan`s eight-match winning run in Serie A came to an end as two of their former players, Antonio Candreva and Keita Balde Diao, struck to give Sampdoria a shock 2-1 win in Genoa on Wednesday. Candreva converted from the penalty spot before Keita guided home a finish to give the hosts a two-goal lead at the interval, and a Stefan De Vrij header was all Inter could muster in response. Alexis Sanchez had a penalty saved by Emil Audero early on but Inter struggled to threaten in the absence of striker Romelu Lukaku, who was only fit enough to feature for the final half hour and couldn`t inspire a comeback. It meant Antonio Conte’s side squandered the chance to go top of the table ahead of AC Milan, who play Juventus later on Wednesday. Inter remain in second place on 36 points, one behind their city rivals, while Sampdoria are 11th on 20 points.

Inter Milan winning run ends with shock Sampdoria defeat

The crystalline silence of snow was felt in Milan as snow hit overnight and in the early hours of the morning, leaving a white layer covering the financial hub and bringing a Christmassy feel to the iconic Duomo square by the cathedral.

Heavy snowfall blankets the city of Milan

Inter Milan scored three times in the last 15 minutes as they came from behind to win 3-1 at Cagliari in a dramatic Serie A match on Sunday. 
 
Inter, knocked out of the Champions League on Wednesday after finishing bottom of their group, missed a flurry of chances in the first half hour, and Riccardo Sottil made them pay when he volleyed midtable Cagliari ahead in the 42nd minute. 
 
The visitors lost their way after the break but levelled out of the blue when Nicolo Barella volleyed home against his old club in the 77th minute before substitute Danilo D`Ambrosio headed a second seven minutes later, less than a minute after coming on. 
 
Romelu Lukaku broke away to score a third in stoppage time as Inter moved back into second place with 24 points from 11 games, two behind leaders AC Milan who play at home against Parma later on Sunday.

Inter Milan scored three times in the last 15 minutes as they came from behind to win 3-1 at Cagliari in a dramatic Serie A match on Sunday. Inter, knocked out of the Champions League on Wednesday after finishing bottom of their group, missed a flurry of chances in the first half hour, and Riccardo Sottil made them pay when he volleyed midtable Cagliari ahead in the 42nd minute.

Inter Milan scored three times in the last 15 minutes as they came from behind to win 3-1 at Cagliari in a dramatic Serie A match on Sunday. Inter, knocked out of the Champions League on Wednesday after finishing bottom of their group, missed a flurry of chances in the first half hour, and Riccardo Sottil made them pay when he volleyed midtable Cagliari ahead in the 42nd minute. The visitors lost their way after the break but levelled out of the blue when Nicolo Barella volleyed home against his old club in the 77th minute before substitute Danilo D`Ambrosio headed a second seven minutes later, less than a minute after coming on. Romelu Lukaku broke away to score a third in stoppage time as Inter moved back into second place with 24 points from 11 games, two behind leaders AC Milan who play at home against Parma later on Sunday.

Serie A: Inter fight back late to win 3-1 at Cagliari

LONDON — Dr. Chiara Lepora had never imagined being deployed in her home country of Italy. As a physician for the international relief agency Doctors Without Borders, she was accustomed to caring for people in countries like Yemen and South Sudan, amid extreme poverty and war.

But early this year, as the novel coronavirus spread from Asia to Europe, Lepora found herself pressed into service in the northern Italian region of Lombardy, one of the wealthiest places on earth.

Anchored by Milan, Italy’s financial and fashion capital, Lombardy boasts sophisticated industry and world-class medical facilities. Yet it was overwhelmed by the first wave of the global pandemic, forcing doctors to ration ventilators and hospital beds while having to decide who lived and who died.

The catastrophe in Italy’s most affluent region was in part a consequence of having entrusted much of the public health care system to private, profit-making companies while failing to coordinate their services. Over the previous quarter-century, substantial investment has flowed into lucrative specialties like cardiac surgery and oncology. Areas on the front lines of the pandemic, like family medicine and public health, have been neglected, leaving people excessively reliant on hospitals for care.

As Italy now contends with a brutal second wave, Lombardy is again near the breaking point, with three-fourths of its hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients — nearly double the level considered dangerous by the national Health Ministry.

“If you consider profit to be the endgame of health care instead of health, some people are going to be left out,” Lepora said. “The pandemic exposes all of those weaknesses.”

Unlike the United States, where more than 30 million people lack health insurance, Europe remains a land of universally accessible, government-furnished medical care — Italy included. Yet in Lombardy, the hardest-hit region, the pandemic has revealed the pitfalls of a poorly executed push to open the system to private providers.

“Specializations such as hygiene and prevention, primary health care, outpatient clinics, infectious diseases and epidemiology have been considered not strategic assets, not sexy enough,” said Michele Usuelli, a neonatologist in Milan who holds a seat on the regional assembly, representing the center-left Più Europa party.

“That is why we have a health system very well prepared to treat the most complicated diseases but completely unprepared to fight something like a pandemic,” Usuelli added.

The same could be said about many wealthy countries, including the United States and Britain, where state-of-the-art medical care has provided no immunity against the pandemic. Only a handful of places — among them Taiwan, South Korea and New Zealand — stand out for their effective responses to the pandemic.

But Lombardy claims distinction as an outlier among the worst-hit places on earth. Italy has suffered more than 760 deaths per million people, according to the World Health Organization, more than the United States and nearly as many as Britain. By mid-October, about half of Italy’s deaths had transpired in Lombardy. The number of the country’s deceased now stands at more than 47,000.

The roots of Lombardy’s alteration go back to 1995, when a flamboyant politician named Roberto Formigoni became the regional governor. He championed legislation that allowed private providers to serve patients while collecting payment from the taxpayer-financed regional health care system.

Many embraced the change as an innovation that brought competition, forcing public hospitals and clinics to improve. But privatization was laced with corruption.

Formigoni would serve more than five years in prison for a scheme in which he accepted jaunts on yachts, holidays at lavish Caribbean resorts and sundry gifts from a lobbyist for private medical providers in exchange for steering the region’s business his way.

The scandal was less an outlier than an indicator of the forces driving privatization, a reality that continued even after Formigoni left office in 2013, experts say.

Many argue that the problems plaguing the regional health care system are an indictment not of privatization but of the failure of local government leaders to ensure that private companies delivered needed services.

“The problem is in the governance of hospitals and clinics,” said Francesco Paolucci, professor of health economics and policy at the University of Bologna.

Regional officials could have conditioned their willingness to pay for treatments at cutting-edge cancer centers on promises that private providers would furnish less lucrative services like geriatric care. But that mindset was trumped by the profits to be made.

“They gave permission to the private sector to more or less open whatever they wanted,” Usuelli said. “It was a complete missed opportunity to hold private companies accountable to their social responsibility.”

The focus on profitable specialties created incentives for doctors to seek jobs in those areas while forsaking general medicine.

In 2016, Lombardy — home to more than 10 million people — saw only 90 medical school graduates go on to pursue specialized studies toward becoming general practitioners. They received annual scholarships of 11,000 euros (nearly $13,000), less than half those secured by people preparing for specialties like cardiology. The numbers have grown in recent years, but not enough to replace retiring general practitioners, medical associations say.

With the best medical minds focused on advanced treatments, Lombardy’s capacity to provide basic medical care and safeguard public health gradually deteriorated. Over the past decade, total health care spending in Lombardy increased 11%, while support for primary care was cut 3%, according to official data analyzed by Usuelli.

Lombardy appears to have compounded its problems with a 2015 law that centralized services for chronic diseases like hypertension in hospitals, further diminishing the role of general practitioners in helping keep their patients healthy.

“This was about rationalizing the costs and avoiding waste,” said Marco Cambielli, a gastroenterologist who heads an association of doctors and dentists in the city of Varese. “But it caused the loss of the relationship between patients and their general practitioners.”

In the neighboring region of Veneto, a health care system centered on so-called community care — in which family doctors and nurses made home visits with an eye toward prevention — performed far better. There, primary care physicians and an effective contact-tracing effort prevented a surge of people from reaching hospitals.

“Family doctors are a cost,” said Filippo Anelli, president of the national federation of doctors and dentists. “If the mentality is that you need to make money from health care, the investment in community medicine looks clearly less remunerative.”

When the first wave hit, Milan — a city of more than 1.3 million — had only five doctors expert in public health and hygiene, said Roberto Carlo Rossi, president of Milan’s Doctors’ and Dentists’ Guild. They were responsible for setting up a testing and contact-tracing regimen.

The region has since hired more. Yet as recently as last month, Lombardy’s health department notified doctors that the agency “can no longer conduct prompt epidemiological investigation.” That notice was as untimely as it was disturbing; Italy’s daily COVID deaths have nearly tripled over the past two weeks, with Lombardy again leading the trend.

Lepora, the Doctors Without Borders physician, was en route to her base in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in February, returning from a trip to the United States, when she stopped to visit her family in the northern Italian region of Piedmont. The pandemic shut down the airports, leaving her marooned.

Two dozen other Italians working with Doctors Without Borders were similarly stuck. They set up a support unit at a public hospital in the city of Lodi.

The doctors were experienced in disaster zones and astonished to see that Italy had become one. Their Italian colleagues were venturing into intensive care units full of COVID patients without adequate protective gear.

Lepora tried to institute a rationing system by limiting the number of people entering the hospital. But she said that plan collided with the operations of private companies that provided meals and cleaning services. They refused to limit their visits, concerned that they could be accused of breaching their contracts.

By the time she returned to the Middle East in June, Lepora had diagnosed a worrying problem.

“The service rather than the patient had been put at the center of attention,” she said.

In Milan, Erika Conforti, 35, opened her own practice as a family doctor in February, just in time for the pandemic. She had taken over a practice from a retired doctor, working out of a private office in an apartment building.

Under the rules governing Lombardy’s health care system, general practitioners were supposed to be responsible for no more than 1,500 patients, but Conforti initially inherited 1,800, including 500 elderly people.

She had been drawn to general practice out of a desire to help people with everyday ailments.

“I love to speak with patients,” she said.

As the pandemic spread, she found herself working 12 hours a day and still failing to keep up with the barrage of calls and emails. She struggled to visit patients stricken by the coronavirus. The regional system lacked protective gear like masks and gloves, so she bought her own.

As the second wave gathers force, Conforti frets that the same afflictions are at work. The region has added hospital beds but lacks nurses and anesthesiologists.

“If there’s not enough people who know how to work in the hospital setting, then increasing the number of beds is pointless,” she said.

At her own practice, 30 of her patients tested positive for COVID-19 on a recent day, while over 50 more were quarantined, awaiting tests that took five and six days to yield results.

“I’d like to be able to contact positive COVID patients at least once a day, but I just don’t have the time,” Conforti said. “I’m worried that every minor distraction that I have has very serious consequences. I’m scared as I’m working.”

 
&nbsp;

LONDON — Dr. Chiara Lepora had never imagined being deployed in her home country of Italy. As a physician for the international relief agency Doctors Without Borders, she was accustomed to caring for people in countries like Yemen and South Sudan, amid extreme poverty and war.

LONDON — Dr. Chiara Lepora had never imagined being deployed in her home country of Italy. As a physician for the international relief agency Doctors Without Borders, she was accustomed to caring for people in countries like Yemen and South Sudan, amid extreme poverty and war. But early this year, as the novel coronavirus spread from Asia to Europe, Lepora found herself pressed into service in the northern Italian region of Lombardy, one of the wealthiest places on earth. Anchored by Milan, Italy’s financial and fashion capital, Lombardy boasts sophisticated industry and world-class medical facilities. Yet it was overwhelmed by the first wave of the global pandemic, forcing doctors to ration ventilators and hospital beds while having to decide who lived and who died. The catastrophe in Italy’s most affluent region was in part a consequence of having entrusted much of the public health care system to private, profit-making companies while failing to coordinate their services. Over the previous quarter-century, substantial investment has flowed into lucrative specialties like cardiac surgery and oncology. Areas on the front lines of the pandemic, like family medicine and public health, have been neglected, leaving people excessively reliant on hospitals for care. As Italy now contends with a brutal second wave, Lombardy is again near the breaking point, with three-fourths of its hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients — nearly double the level considered dangerous by the national Health Ministry. “If you consider profit to be the endgame of health care instead of health, some people are going to be left out,” Lepora said. “The pandemic exposes all of those weaknesses.” Unlike the United States, where more than 30 million people lack health insurance, Europe remains a land of universally accessible, government-furnished medical care — Italy included. Yet in Lombardy, the hardest-hit region, the pandemic has revealed the pitfalls of a poorly executed push to open the system to private providers. “Specializations such as hygiene and prevention, primary health care, outpatient clinics, infectious diseases and epidemiology have been considered not strategic assets, not sexy enough,” said Michele Usuelli, a neonatologist in Milan who holds a seat on the regional assembly, representing the center-left Più Europa party. “That is why we have a health system very well prepared to treat the most complicated diseases but completely unprepared to fight something like a pandemic,” Usuelli added. The same could be said about many wealthy countries, including the United States and Britain, where state-of-the-art medical care has provided no immunity against the pandemic. Only a handful of places — among them Taiwan, South Korea and New Zealand — stand out for their effective responses to the pandemic. But Lombardy claims distinction as an outlier among the worst-hit places on earth. Italy has suffered more than 760 deaths per million people, according to the World Health Organization, more than the United States and nearly as many as Britain. By mid-October, about half of Italy’s deaths had transpired in Lombardy. The number of the country’s deceased now stands at more than 47,000. The roots of Lombardy’s alteration go back to 1995, when a flamboyant politician named Roberto Formigoni became the regional governor. He championed legislation that allowed private providers to serve patients while collecting payment from the taxpayer-financed regional health care system. Many embraced the change as an innovation that brought competition, forcing public hospitals and clinics to improve. But privatization was laced with corruption. Formigoni would serve more than five years in prison for a scheme in which he accepted jaunts on yachts, holidays at lavish Caribbean resorts and sundry gifts from a lobbyist for private medical providers in exchange for steering the region’s business his way. The scandal was less an outlier than an indicator of the forces driving privatization, a reality that continued even after Formigoni left office in 2013, experts say. Many argue that the problems plaguing the regional health care system are an indictment not of privatization but of the failure of local government leaders to ensure that private companies delivered needed services. “The problem is in the governance of hospitals and clinics,” said Francesco Paolucci, professor of health economics and policy at the University of Bologna. Regional officials could have conditioned their willingness to pay for treatments at cutting-edge cancer centers on promises that private providers would furnish less lucrative services like geriatric care. But that mindset was trumped by the profits to be made. “They gave permission to the private sector to more or less open whatever they wanted,” Usuelli said. “It was a complete missed opportunity to hold private companies accountable to their social responsibility.” The focus on profitable specialties created incentives for doctors to seek jobs in those areas while forsaking general medicine. In 2016, Lombardy — home to more than 10 million people — saw only 90 medical school graduates go on to pursue specialized studies toward becoming general practitioners. They received annual scholarships of 11,000 euros (nearly $13,000), less than half those secured by people preparing for specialties like cardiology. The numbers have grown in recent years, but not enough to replace retiring general practitioners, medical associations say. With the best medical minds focused on advanced treatments, Lombardy’s capacity to provide basic medical care and safeguard public health gradually deteriorated. Over the past decade, total health care spending in Lombardy increased 11%, while support for primary care was cut 3%, according to official data analyzed by Usuelli. Lombardy appears to have compounded its problems with a 2015 law that centralized services for chronic diseases like hypertension in hospitals, further diminishing the role of general practitioners in helping keep their patients healthy. “This was about rationalizing the costs and avoiding waste,” said Marco Cambielli, a gastroenterologist who heads an association of doctors and dentists in the city of Varese. “But it caused the loss of the relationship between patients and their general practitioners.” In the neighboring region of Veneto, a health care system centered on so-called community care — in which family doctors and nurses made home visits with an eye toward prevention — performed far better. There, primary care physicians and an effective contact-tracing effort prevented a surge of people from reaching hospitals. “Family doctors are a cost,” said Filippo Anelli, president of the national federation of doctors and dentists. “If the mentality is that you need to make money from health care, the investment in community medicine looks clearly less remunerative.” When the first wave hit, Milan — a city of more than 1.3 million — had only five doctors expert in public health and hygiene, said Roberto Carlo Rossi, president of Milan’s Doctors’ and Dentists’ Guild. They were responsible for setting up a testing and contact-tracing regimen. The region has since hired more. Yet as recently as last month, Lombardy’s health department notified doctors that the agency “can no longer conduct prompt epidemiological investigation.” That notice was as untimely as it was disturbing; Italy’s daily COVID deaths have nearly tripled over the past two weeks, with Lombardy again leading the trend. Lepora, the Doctors Without Borders physician, was en route to her base in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in February, returning from a trip to the United States, when she stopped to visit her family in the northern Italian region of Piedmont. The pandemic shut down the airports, leaving her marooned. Two dozen other Italians working with Doctors Without Borders were similarly stuck. They set up a support unit at a public hospital in the city of Lodi. The doctors were experienced in disaster zones and astonished to see that Italy had become one. Their Italian colleagues were venturing into intensive care units full of COVID patients without adequate protective gear. Lepora tried to institute a rationing system by limiting the number of people entering the hospital. But she said that plan collided with the operations of private companies that provided meals and cleaning services. They refused to limit their visits, concerned that they could be accused of breaching their contracts. By the time she returned to the Middle East in June, Lepora had diagnosed a worrying problem. “The service rather than the patient had been put at the center of attention,” she said. In Milan, Erika Conforti, 35, opened her own practice as a family doctor in February, just in time for the pandemic. She had taken over a practice from a retired doctor, working out of a private office in an apartment building. Under the rules governing Lombardy’s health care system, general practitioners were supposed to be responsible for no more than 1,500 patients, but Conforti initially inherited 1,800, including 500 elderly people. She had been drawn to general practice out of a desire to help people with everyday ailments. “I love to speak with patients,” she said. As the pandemic spread, she found herself working 12 hours a day and still failing to keep up with the barrage of calls and emails. She struggled to visit patients stricken by the coronavirus. The regional system lacked protective gear like masks and gloves, so she bought her own. As the second wave gathers force, Conforti frets that the same afflictions are at work. The region has added hospital beds but lacks nurses and anesthesiologists. “If there’s not enough people who know how to work in the hospital setting, then increasing the number of beds is pointless,” she said. At her own practice, 30 of her patients tested positive for COVID-19 on a recent day, while over 50 more were quarantined, awaiting tests that took five and six days to yield results. “I’d like to be able to contact positive COVID patients at least once a day, but I just don’t have the time,” Conforti said. “I’m worried that every minor distraction that I have has very serious consequences. I’m scared as I’m working.”

Why COVID caused such suffering in Italy's wealthiest region

The coronavirus is battering Milan’s prestigious La Scala opera house, with 18 singers and nine musicians testing positive for the disease, an official said on Wednesday.

All the members of the chorus were in quarantine along with the wind section of the orchestra, while the theatre awaited results from tests of other staff members.

“All rehearsals have been suspended,” Paolo Puglisi, a union representative at La Scala told reporters.

La Scala reopened in July after being shut for four months during Italy’s first wave of COVID-19. This week, public performances were again suspended because of a government decree issued on Sunday that shut theatres and cinemas across Italy in an effort to contain a resurgence of infections.

The closure order expires on Nov. 24 and Puglisi said the musicians and singers had hoped the opera house would be in a position to stage its traditional performance marking the start of a new season on Dec. 7, a highlight of Italy’s cultural life.

Milan and the surrounding Lombardy region have been particularly hard hit by the virus, registering a record 7,558 new cases on Wednesday. The next worst-affected area in Italy was the neighbouring Piedmont region with 2,827 cases.

The coronavirus is battering Milan’s prestigious La Scala opera house, with 18 singers and nine musicians testing positive for the disease, an official said on Wednesday.

The coronavirus is battering Milan’s prestigious La Scala opera house, with 18 singers and nine musicians testing positive for the disease, an official said on Wednesday. All the members of the chorus were in quarantine along with the wind section of the orchestra, while the theatre awaited results from tests of other staff members. “All rehearsals have been suspended,” Paolo Puglisi, a union representative at La Scala told reporters. La Scala reopened in July after being shut for four months during Italy’s first wave of COVID-19. This week, public performances were again suspended because of a government decree issued on Sunday that shut theatres and cinemas across Italy in an effort to contain a resurgence of infections. The closure order expires on Nov. 24 and Puglisi said the musicians and singers had hoped the opera house would be in a position to stage its traditional performance marking the start of a new season on Dec. 7, a highlight of Italy’s cultural life. Milan and the surrounding Lombardy region have been particularly hard hit by the virus, registering a record 7,558 new cases on Wednesday. The next worst-affected area in Italy was the neighbouring Piedmont region with 2,827 cases.

Coronavirus sweeps through Milan's La Scala opera house

Milan residents on Sunday woke up to find a statue of Italian journalist Indro Montanelli vandalised -- covered in red paint with the words 'racist, rapist' -- written on its base.&nbsp;

The statue of Indro Montanelli, located at the central Milan park named after the prominent right-wing Italian journalist and writer who died in 2001, was constructed in the year 2006.

Paint was thrown over the bronze monument, with the words "racist, rapist" sprayed on the base, in reference to the fact that Montanelli bought a 12-year-old Eritrean girl as his wife while serving in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War in 1936.

The incident occurred on the night of June 13, three days after anti-fascist activists wrote a public letter calling on Milan mayor Beppe Sala to remove the statue, in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter protests that have broken out across the world following the killing of George Floyd, a black man, in Minneapolis, US.

The letter called on the city to remove the statue and rename the public gardens after "someone who is more worthy to represent the history and memory of our city."

To this end, Italian politicians and intellectuals had leapt to the defence of Montanelli.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/churchills-picture-mysteriously-vanishes-from-list-of-british-pms-google-to-explore-why-305777">Also read |&nbsp;Churchill's picture mysteriously vanishes from list of British PMs; Google to 'explore' why</a>

A police investigation is now underway into the incident.

There have been demonstrations around the world against racism and police abuses since the death of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis, USA last month.

Statues of historical figures including Winston Churchill were boarded up to prevent them from becoming flashpoints or being defaced by protesters who say such monuments celebrate racists.

Milan residents on Sunday woke up to find a statue of Italian journalist Indro Montanelli vandalised -- covered in red paint with the words 'racist, rapist' -- written on its base.

Milan residents on Sunday woke up to find a statue of Italian journalist Indro Montanelli vandalised -- covered in red paint with the words 'racist, rapist' -- written on its base. The statue of Indro Montanelli, located at the central Milan park named after the prominent right-wing Italian journalist and writer who died in 2001, was constructed in the year 2006. Paint was thrown over the bronze monument, with the words "racist, rapist" sprayed on the base, in reference to the fact that Montanelli bought a 12-year-old Eritrean girl as his wife while serving in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War in 1936. The incident occurred on the night of June 13, three days after anti-fascist activists wrote a public letter calling on Milan mayor Beppe Sala to remove the statue, in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter protests that have broken out across the world following the killing of George Floyd, a black man, in Minneapolis, US. The letter called on the city to remove the statue and rename the public gardens after "someone who is more worthy to represent the history and memory of our city." To this end, Italian politicians and intellectuals had leapt to the defence of Montanelli. Also read | Churchill's picture mysteriously vanishes from list of British PMs; Google to 'explore' why A police investigation is now underway into the incident. There have been demonstrations around the world against racism and police abuses since the death of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis, USA last month. Statues of historical figures including Winston Churchill were boarded up to prevent them from becoming flashpoints or being defaced by protesters who say such monuments celebrate racists.

'Racist, rapist' written on Montanelli statue in Milan

Italy is the most infected coronavirus country of Europe. The city of Milan is now witnessing some unprecedented burials of people who died due to coronavirus infection. Watch report.

Milan buries unclaimed coronavirus dead : 61 unclaimed victims laid to rest

As Italy gears up to restart its economic activities after the coronavirus crisis which claimed more than 24,000 lives, Milan is all set to introduce one of Europe’s most ambitious schemes reallocating street space from cars to cycling and walking.

As Italy gears up to restart its economic activities after the coronavirus crisis which claimed more than 24,000 lives, Milan is all set to introduce one of Europe’s most ambitious schemes reallocating street space from cars to cycling and walking. The new measure comes in response to coronavirus crisis. Under the nationwide lockdown, motor traffic congestion has dropped by 30-75%, along with air pollution. City officials hope to fend off a resurgence in car use as residents return to work looking to avoid busy public transport. The city has announced that 35km (22 miles) of streets will be transformed over the summer, with a rapid, experimental citywide expansion of cycling and walking space to protect residents as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, according to a report in The Guardian. Marco Granelli, a deputy mayor of Milan, said: “We worked for years to reduce car use. If everybody drives a car, there is no space for people, there is no space to move, there is no space for commercial activities outside the shops. “Of course, we want to reopen the economy, but we think we should do it on a different basis from before. “We think we have to reimagine Milan in the new situation. We have to get ready; that’s why it’s so important to defend even a part of the economy, to support bars, artisans and restaurants. When it is over, the cities that still have this kind of economy will have an advantage, and Milan wants to be in that category.”

Milan announces ambitious plan to reduce car usage after lockdown

WION gets you an exclusive report from the airport in Milan, where Indian students were stranded at the airport with no help from authorities.

Fineprint: Indian students stuck at Milan airport seek help from authorities, WION Exclusive Report

Tottenham Hotspur will be without winger Steven Bergwijn for the rest of the season and full-back Ben Davies will also miss their Champions League last-16 return leg at RB Leipzig on Tuesday but Jose Mourinho is confident his team can turn the tie around.

The Premier League club, who lost 1-0 in the first leg in London last month, are already without injured England captain Harry Kane and their South Korea striker Son Heung-min, while Bergwijn was injured in Saturday's 1-1 draw at Burnley.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-qualification-very-difficult-for-spurs-mourinho-285569">Champions League qualification very difficult for Spurs: Mourinho</a>

Checks on Monday showed the Dutch international suffered a serious sprain to his left ankle and is unlikely to play for the rest of the season, coach Mourinho told a news conference.

"Ben, out one week, two weeks," Mourinho said on Monday. "Steven, I don't expect him to play this season."

The Portuguese said he was in an unusual position to prepare for a big game without several key players.

"No," he answered when asked if he had ever been in such a position. "That's what it is. We're used to it. We were psychologically more down with the other injuries (of Kane and Son). When you have three, four or five or six or seven it's the same.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-10-men-barcelona-see-their-way-out-against-napoli-282793">Champions League: 10-men Barcelona see their way out against Napoli</a>

"I am very motivated, very calm, very positive. But if you want to imagine Leipzig tomorrow without Timo Werner, Schick, Christopher Nkunku, Yussuf Poulsen, Emil Forsberg I am pretty sure the coach Julian Nagelsmann would not be laughing as much as I am now."

Spurs have failed to win any of their last five matches in all competitions, including their first-leg defeat.

That poor run also covers being knocked out of the FA Cup on penalties by the Premier League's basement club Norwich City.

"Tomorrow we have to give everything. Or we win or we leave everything on that pitch," Mourinho said.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/injuries-frustrate-jose-mourinho-spurs-continue-to-struggle-without-kane-and-son-281721"> Injuries frustrate Jose Mourinho, Spurs continue to struggle without Kane and Son</a>

"It is not an easy situation. We feel hurt by the fact that we recovered 11 points to go to the fourth position in the Premier League and then arrive in a situation where we are really in trouble.

"But tomorrow is one game. We are losing 1-0 at halftime and we have a second half now to play and we go with everything we have."

"The momentum is negative. We lost and drew the last two matches and (with) one defeat on penalties so the momentum is not the best but I feel the boys deserve something special."

Tottenham Hotspur will be without winger Steven Bergwijn for the rest of the season and full-back Ben Davies will also miss their Champions League last-16 return leg at RB Leipzig on Tuesday but Jose Mourinho is confident his team can turn the tie around.

Tottenham Hotspur will be without winger Steven Bergwijn for the rest of the season and full-back Ben Davies will also miss their Champions League last-16 return leg at RB Leipzig on Tuesday but Jose Mourinho is confident his team can turn the tie around. The Premier League club, who lost 1-0 in the first leg in London last month, are already without injured England captain Harry Kane and their South Korea striker Son Heung-min, while Bergwijn was injured in Saturday's 1-1 draw at Burnley. Also Read: Champions League qualification very difficult for Spurs: Mourinho Checks on Monday showed the Dutch international suffered a serious sprain to his left ankle and is unlikely to play for the rest of the season, coach Mourinho told a news conference. "Ben, out one week, two weeks," Mourinho said on Monday. "Steven, I don't expect him to play this season." The Portuguese said he was in an unusual position to prepare for a big game without several key players. "No," he answered when asked if he had ever been in such a position. "That's what it is. We're used to it. We were psychologically more down with the other injuries (of Kane and Son). When you have three, four or five or six or seven it's the same. Also Read: Champions League: 10-men Barcelona see their way out against Napoli "I am very motivated, very calm, very positive. But if you want to imagine Leipzig tomorrow without Timo Werner, Schick, Christopher Nkunku, Yussuf Poulsen, Emil Forsberg I am pretty sure the coach Julian Nagelsmann would not be laughing as much as I am now." Spurs have failed to win any of their last five matches in all competitions, including their first-leg defeat. That poor run also covers being knocked out of the FA Cup on penalties by the Premier League's basement club Norwich City. "Tomorrow we have to give everything. Or we win or we leave everything on that pitch," Mourinho said. Also Read: Injuries frustrate Jose Mourinho, Spurs continue to struggle without Kane and Son "It is not an easy situation. We feel hurt by the fact that we recovered 11 points to go to the fourth position in the Premier League and then arrive in a situation where we are really in trouble. "But tomorrow is one game. We are losing 1-0 at halftime and we have a second half now to play and we go with everything we have." "The momentum is negative. We lost and drew the last two matches and (with) one defeat on penalties so the momentum is not the best but I feel the boys deserve something special."

Tottenham's Bergwijn out for season but manager Mourinho confident

In a drastic new attempt to try to contain a rapidly growing outbreak of coronavirus, Italy on Sunday announced a virtual lockdown that will affect more than 16 million people in Milan and Venice until April 3.

In a drastic new attempt to try to contain a rapidly growing outbreak of coronavirus, Italy on Sunday announced a virtual lockdown that will affect more than 16 million people in Milan and Venice until April 3. The draft decree signed by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte says 'those who violated the measures could be jailed'. Conte signed the decree in the early hours of Sunday, enacting forced quarantine for the region of Lombardy – home to more than 10 million people and the financial capital, Milan – and 14 other provinces, totalling around 16 million residents. Thousands of people left Lombardy on Saturday night, before the decree was made official, crowding the motorways and train stations in the region, which will be locked down until 3 April. Watch | 5 suspected cases of Covid-19 in Kerala × Second-worst affected after China, Italy has reported 233 deaths and 5,883 positive cases so far. In all the areas covered by the decree, including towns in the northern regions of Emilia-Romagna, Veneto and Piedmont, schools will be closed at least until 3 April, as will museums, gyms and swimming pools. Leave is cancelled for all healthcare workers. So far the decree has been signed by the prime minister, but it will not be an official executive order until the council of ministers approves it. (With inputs from agencies)

Coronavirus: Italy government's lockdown to affect 16 million in north

Italian fashion house Fendi on Thursday (February 20) staged a star-studded, size and age inclusive show in Milan, presenting a Fall/Winter collection of fitted feminine looks.

Fendi holds starry, inclusive Fall Winter show

Prada celebrated the "pluralism and complexities of female identities" at its Fall/Winter show in Milan on Thursday (February 20), with designs ranging from strict tailoring to fringed and sequinned dresses.

Prada challenges definition of femininity in Fall Winter collection

Inter Milan crashed out of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-mourinho-masterstroke-pays-off-as-tottenham-spurs-hit-back-to-win-264816">Champions League</a> on Tuesday after 17-year-old Ansu Fati became the youngest scorer in the competition’s history by firing in a late winner to seal&nbsp;Barcelona's 2-1 victory at San Siro.

Barca coach Ernesto Valverde rested <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/messi-nets-sublime-hat-trick-as-barcelona-rout-mallorca-266927">Lionel Messi</a> and several other key players for the trip to Milan, having already secured top spot in Group F, but Carles Perez put the Spaniards in front on his Champions League debut after just 23 minutes before Romelu Lukaku levelled on the stroke of halftime.

Inter striker <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/martinez-fires-inter-top-of-serie-a-as-juventus-slip-up-265660">Lautaro Martinez</a> had the ball in the net twice after the break, only for both goals to be disallowed for offside, before Fati smashed in a sublime finish inside the final five minutes.

The Italian side needed to at least match Borussia Dortmund’s result against Slavia Prague to maintain second place, but the Germans won 2-1 to move into the runner-up spot and consign Inter to a Europa League place.

Barcelona&nbsp;top the group with 14 points ahead of Dortmund on 10, while Inter finishes third on seven ahead of rock-bottom Slavia Prague on two.

Valverde left Messi, Sergi Roberto, and Gerard Pique at home and the likes of Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Frenkie de Jong on the bench as he fielded a youthful side in an experimental 3-5-2 formation that mirrored Inter’s tactical set-up.

"There were many new things, between the players and the system. I made my choices based on the players I had available," Valverde said while praising Fati as a "born goalscorer".

"At the start, Inter put us under great pressure, but little by little that intensity reduced and we managed to get into their half," he added.

The hosts started with intent, as a last-gasp Clement Lenglet block denied Lukaku’s close-range effort before&nbsp;Barcelona’s debutant goalkeeper Neto was forced into a good save to deny <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/biraghi-gives-italy-stoppage-time-win-in-poland-171558">Cristiano Biraghi</a>’s rasping shot.

However, it was the visitors who broke the deadlock against the run of play on the 23rd minute, when Antoine Griezmann’s drilled pass was diverted into the path of Perez and the 21-year-old made no mistake from close range.

Inter’s partnership of Martinez and Lukaku looked threatening throughout the first half and they combined for the equaliser on the brink of half-time when Martinez showed great strength to hold off a defender and tee up the Belgian, whose low strike flew into the bottom corner.

Lukaku had a great chance to put the hosts in front on the hour mark when he outmuscled a defender to go one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but Neto was out quickly to charge down his shot.

Martinez thought he had found the breakthrough when he chested down a through ball and fired home, before being denied by the offside flag, and Inter again had a goal chalked off when Lukaku was in an offside position before Martinez prodded in from close range.

“We had the chances to win the game, we created those opportunities, but lacked that clinical edge to convert them,” Inter coach <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/juventus-inter-milan-return-to-serie-a-duel-as-napoli-try-to-snap-winless-run-265161">Antonio Conte</a> told Sky Sport Italia.

“I have no complaints to make, as my players gave their all. We just lacked a goal and instead conceded at the other end to go 2-1 down, which really killed us."

It was Fati - 17 years and 40 days old - who stole the show just a minute after coming off the bench, exchanging passes with Suarez on the edge of the area before the winger arrowed his low shot in off the post.

Inter Milan crashed out of the Champions League on Tuesday after 17-year-old Ansu Fati became the youngest scorer in the competition’s history by firing in a late winner to seal Barcelona's 2-1 victory at San Siro.

Inter Milan crashed out of the Champions League on Tuesday after 17-year-old Ansu Fati became the youngest scorer in the competition’s history by firing in a late winner to seal Barcelona's 2-1 victory at San Siro. Barca coach Ernesto Valverde rested Lionel Messi and several other key players for the trip to Milan, having already secured top spot in Group F, but Carles Perez put the Spaniards in front on his Champions League debut after just 23 minutes before Romelu Lukaku levelled on the stroke of halftime. Inter striker Lautaro Martinez had the ball in the net twice after the break, only for both goals to be disallowed for offside, before Fati smashed in a sublime finish inside the final five minutes. The Italian side needed to at least match Borussia Dortmund’s result against Slavia Prague to maintain second place, but the Germans won 2-1 to move into the runner-up spot and consign Inter to a Europa League place. Barcelona top the group with 14 points ahead of Dortmund on 10, while Inter finishes third on seven ahead of rock-bottom Slavia Prague on two. Valverde left Messi, Sergi Roberto, and Gerard Pique at home and the likes of Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Frenkie de Jong on the bench as he fielded a youthful side in an experimental 3-5-2 formation that mirrored Inter’s tactical set-up. "There were many new things, between the players and the system. I made my choices based on the players I had available," Valverde said while praising Fati as a "born goalscorer". "At the start, Inter put us under great pressure, but little by little that intensity reduced and we managed to get into their half," he added. The hosts started with intent, as a last-gasp Clement Lenglet block denied Lukaku’s close-range effort before Barcelona’s debutant goalkeeper Neto was forced into a good save to deny Cristiano Biraghi’s rasping shot. However, it was the visitors who broke the deadlock against the run of play on the 23rd minute, when Antoine Griezmann’s drilled pass was diverted into the path of Perez and the 21-year-old made no mistake from close range. Inter’s partnership of Martinez and Lukaku looked threatening throughout the first half and they combined for the equaliser on the brink of half-time when Martinez showed great strength to hold off a defender and tee up the Belgian, whose low strike flew into the bottom corner. Lukaku had a great chance to put the hosts in front on the hour mark when he outmuscled a defender to go one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but Neto was out quickly to charge down his shot. Martinez thought he had found the breakthrough when he chested down a through ball and fired home, before being denied by the offside flag, and Inter again had a goal chalked off when Lukaku was in an offside position before Martinez prodded in from close range. “We had the chances to win the game, we created those opportunities, but lacked that clinical edge to convert them,” Inter coach Antonio Conte told Sky Sport Italia. “I have no complaints to make, as my players gave their all. We just lacked a goal and instead conceded at the other end to go 2-1 down, which really killed us." It was Fati - 17 years and 40 days old - who stole the show just a minute after coming off the bench, exchanging passes with Suarez on the edge of the area before the winger arrowed his low shot in off the post.

Teenager Fati makes history as Barcelona knock Inter out of Champions League

Juventus stayed top of Serie A with a 1-0 win over AC Milan thanks to Paulo Dybala's fine strike on Sunday after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/serie-a-cristiano-ronaldo-hits-late-juventus-winner-as-napoli-rage-at-potato-peeling-referees-258933">Cristiano Ronaldo </a>was substituted for the second game in a row and walked straight down the tunnel, clearly unhappy at the decision.

Ronaldo's replacement Dybala scored in the 77th minute with a goal the Portuguese would have been proud of. After a quick exchange of passes, the Argentine twisted past Alessio Romagnoli and beat Gianluigi Donnarumma with a right-foot shot.

Ronaldo was taken off in the 55th minute, his earliest substitution since he joined Juve at the start of last season and the first time he has been replaced twice in succession.

Despite producing a lacklustre display, Ronaldo gave coach Maurizio Sarri a dirty look, muttered something under his breath and walked straight down the tunnel.

Ronaldo also looked unhappy after being taken off during Wednesday's Champions League match at Lokomotiv Moscow, although Sarri said it was to avoid risking injury as the 34-year-old had complained of knee and thigh problems.

Gazzetta Dello Sport said Ronaldo left the stadium before the final whistle but Sarri denied there was a rift with the five-times World Player of the Year.

"There is no problem with Cristiano, and I thank him because he has played while not in perfect condition," he told reporters.

"The important thing is that he makes himself available. He gets angry when he is taken off but that is part of the game.

"It (his condition) is affecting his performances and he is not at his best at the moment. All players who are trying to give their best will have to be annoyed for at least five minutes when they are substituted."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-costas-stoppage-time-gem-sends-juventus-into-last-16-260436">Juventus</a>, chasing a ninth straight Serie A title and unbeaten in all competitions under Sarri, who took over before the season started, moved to 32 points, a point ahead of Inter Milan who went top after a 2-1 home win over Verona on Saturday.

Milan's problems continued as they were left down in 14th place on 13 points after their ninth successive away defeat to Juve in Serie A.

But they gave an improved performance and had the better chances in the first half.

Misfiring striker Krzysztof Piatek headed wide from an unmarked position and Lucas Paqueta's looping header forced Wojciech Szczesny into a difficult save.

Hakan Calhanoglu also tested Szczesny in the second half with a free kick before Dybala's moment of brilliance settled the match. The Argentine nearly struck again in stoppage time but was denied by Donnarumma.

Juventus stayed top of Serie A with a 1-0 win over AC Milan thanks to Paulo Dybala's fine strike on Sunday after Cristiano Ronaldo was substituted for the second game in a row and walked straight down the tunnel, clearly unhappy at the decision.

Juventus stayed top of Serie A with a 1-0 win over AC Milan thanks to Paulo Dybala's fine strike on Sunday after Cristiano Ronaldo was substituted for the second game in a row and walked straight down the tunnel, clearly unhappy at the decision. Ronaldo's replacement Dybala scored in the 77th minute with a goal the Portuguese would have been proud of. After a quick exchange of passes, the Argentine twisted past Alessio Romagnoli and beat Gianluigi Donnarumma with a right-foot shot. Ronaldo was taken off in the 55th minute, his earliest substitution since he joined Juve at the start of last season and the first time he has been replaced twice in succession. Despite producing a lacklustre display, Ronaldo gave coach Maurizio Sarri a dirty look, muttered something under his breath and walked straight down the tunnel. Ronaldo also looked unhappy after being taken off during Wednesday's Champions League match at Lokomotiv Moscow, although Sarri said it was to avoid risking injury as the 34-year-old had complained of knee and thigh problems. Gazzetta Dello Sport said Ronaldo left the stadium before the final whistle but Sarri denied there was a rift with the five-times World Player of the Year. "There is no problem with Cristiano, and I thank him because he has played while not in perfect condition," he told reporters. "The important thing is that he makes himself available. He gets angry when he is taken off but that is part of the game. "It (his condition) is affecting his performances and he is not at his best at the moment. All players who are trying to give their best will have to be annoyed for at least five minutes when they are substituted." Juventus, chasing a ninth straight Serie A title and unbeaten in all competitions under Sarri, who took over before the season started, moved to 32 points, a point ahead of Inter Milan who went top after a 2-1 home win over Verona on Saturday. Milan's problems continued as they were left down in 14th place on 13 points after their ninth successive away defeat to Juve in Serie A. But they gave an improved performance and had the better chances in the first half. Misfiring striker Krzysztof Piatek headed wide from an unmarked position and Lucas Paqueta's looping header forced Wojciech Szczesny into a difficult save. Hakan Calhanoglu also tested Szczesny in the second half with a free kick before Dybala's moment of brilliance settled the match. The Argentine nearly struck again in stoppage time but was denied by Donnarumma.

Serie A: Juventus' Dybala sinks Milan as angry Ronaldo substituted

Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo on Monday were awarded the 2026 Winter Olympic Games after a vote by the International Olympic Committee membership.

Milan beat Stockholm for the right to host the Games in seven years' time, prompting loud celebrations from the bid team after IOC President Thomas Bach announced the result.

"Italy, the future and sport have won," Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said back in Italy.

"Thanks to those who believed in it right away, especially in the Municipalities and Regions, and a pity for those who gave up.

"There will be at least five billion (euros) in added value, 20,000 jobs, as well as many new roads and sports facilities. With the Winter Olympics, we will confirm our excellence and our skills to the world ".

Milan and Stockholm were the only candidates left after four other cities -- Swiss city Sion, Japan's Sapporo, Austria's Graz and 1988 hosts Calgary in Canada -- had dropped out of the race with concerns over the size and cost of the event.

Italy last hosted the Winter Olympics in 2006 in Turin while Cortina hosted the Winter Games back in 1956.

Sweden, a winter sports powerhouse who hosted the summer Olympics back in 1912, have now bid eight times unsuccessfully for the Winter Games.

The Italian bid had gained an advantage over their opponents after a recent evaluation report by the IOC showed much stronger local support for the Olympics at over 80 per cent among the population, compared to just over 50 per cent for the Stockholm-Are candidacy.

Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo on Monday were awarded the 2026 Winter Olympic Games after a vote by the International Olympic Committee membership. Milan beat Stockholm for the right to host the Games in seven years' time, prompting loud celebrations from the bid team after IOC President Thomas Bach announced the result.

Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo on Monday were awarded the 2026 Winter Olympic Games after a vote by the International Olympic Committee membership. Milan beat Stockholm for the right to host the Games in seven years' time, prompting loud celebrations from the bid team after IOC President Thomas Bach announced the result. "Italy, the future and sport have won," Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said back in Italy. "Thanks to those who believed in it right away, especially in the Municipalities and Regions, and a pity for those who gave up. "There will be at least five billion (euros) in added value, 20,000 jobs, as well as many new roads and sports facilities. With the Winter Olympics, we will confirm our excellence and our skills to the world ". Milan and Stockholm were the only candidates left after four other cities -- Swiss city Sion, Japan's Sapporo, Austria's Graz and 1988 hosts Calgary in Canada -- had dropped out of the race with concerns over the size and cost of the event. Italy last hosted the Winter Olympics in 2006 in Turin while Cortina hosted the Winter Games back in 1956. Sweden, a winter sports powerhouse who hosted the summer Olympics back in 1912, have now bid eight times unsuccessfully for the Winter Games. The Italian bid had gained an advantage over their opponents after a recent evaluation report by the IOC showed much stronger local support for the Olympics at over 80 per cent among the population, compared to just over 50 per cent for the Stockholm-Are candidacy.

Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo awarded 2026 Winter Games

Inter Milan moved above city rivals AC Milan into third place in Serie A with an exhilarating 3-2 derby victory at San Siro that ended a five-match winning run for Gennaro Gattuso's hosts.

Matias Vecino’s goal gave the Nerazzurri a deserved halftime lead before Stefan De Vrij and Lautaro Martinez, with a penalty, struck after the break, while goals from Milan's Tiemoue Bakayoko and Mateo Musacchio kept the Rossoneri in the game.

Inter coach Luciano Spalletti was facing increasing pressure after his side were knocked out of the Europa League in the last 16 by Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday.

However, he was left delighted as his team stretched their unbeaten Milan derby run to six games, their best spell since 1999, and moved to 53 points, two clear of fourth-placed Milan.

“We need to say well done to Lautaro for the penalty, well done to (Ivan) Perisic for the runs, well done to everyone for all you did. Bravo, bravo to everyone in that dressing room," Spalletti told Italian broadcasters.

“I thought Milan put in a very strong performance and Gennaro Gattuso ought to be proud of his players. When it’s this open and exciting, anyone can win or lose.

"The city of Milan earned this Derby della Madonnina and were rewarded with a wonderful night of football. We both honoured the derby.”

Inter went in front within three minutes when Martinez rose at the back post to head Ivan Perisic's cross into the six-yard box, where Vecino was on hand to smash home from close range.

They doubled their lead in the 51st with De Vrij's superb header beyond keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma but Milan took six minutes to pull a goal back as Bakayoko headed his first goal since joining on loan from Chelsea in the close season.

Milan substitute Sami Castillejo then tripped winger Matteo Politano and Martinez converted the penalty in the 67th.

But Inter were pegged back four minutes later when Musacchio scored from the rebound after keeper Samir Handanovic parried a goal-bound deflection from team mate Danilo D’Ambrosio.

There was controversy in the final few minutes when Milan substitute Andrea Conti got a straight red card for a tackle on Martinez, only for the referee to downgrade his punishment to a booking after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review.

Spalletti was furious and got sent off for his protests, but his side held on thanks to a late goal-line block by D’Ambrosio from Patrick Cutrone’s goal-bound effort.

Inter Milan moved above city rivals AC Milan into third place in Serie A with an exhilarating 3-2 derby victory at San Siro that ended a five-match winning run for Gennaro Gattuso's hosts.

Inter Milan moved above city rivals AC Milan into third place in Serie A with an exhilarating 3-2 derby victory at San Siro that ended a five-match winning run for Gennaro Gattuso's hosts. Matias Vecino’s goal gave the Nerazzurri a deserved halftime lead before Stefan De Vrij and Lautaro Martinez, with a penalty, struck after the break, while goals from Milan's Tiemoue Bakayoko and Mateo Musacchio kept the Rossoneri in the game. Inter coach Luciano Spalletti was facing increasing pressure after his side were knocked out of the Europa League in the last 16 by Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday. However, he was left delighted as his team stretched their unbeaten Milan derby run to six games, their best spell since 1999, and moved to 53 points, two clear of fourth-placed Milan. “We need to say well done to Lautaro for the penalty, well done to (Ivan) Perisic for the runs, well done to everyone for all you did. Bravo, bravo to everyone in that dressing room," Spalletti told Italian broadcasters. “I thought Milan put in a very strong performance and Gennaro Gattuso ought to be proud of his players. When it’s this open and exciting, anyone can win or lose. "The city of Milan earned this Derby della Madonnina and were rewarded with a wonderful night of football. We both honoured the derby.” Inter went in front within three minutes when Martinez rose at the back post to head Ivan Perisic's cross into the six-yard box, where Vecino was on hand to smash home from close range. They doubled their lead in the 51st with De Vrij's superb header beyond keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma but Milan took six minutes to pull a goal back as Bakayoko headed his first goal since joining on loan from Chelsea in the close season. Milan substitute Sami Castillejo then tripped winger Matteo Politano and Martinez converted the penalty in the 67th. But Inter were pegged back four minutes later when Musacchio scored from the rebound after keeper Samir Handanovic parried a goal-bound deflection from team mate Danilo D’Ambrosio. There was controversy in the final few minutes when Milan substitute Andrea Conti got a straight red card for a tackle on Martinez, only for the referee to downgrade his punishment to a booking after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review. Spalletti was furious and got sent off for his protests, but his side held on thanks to a late goal-line block by D’Ambrosio from Patrick Cutrone’s goal-bound effort.

Inter edge Milan in five-goal derby thriller to go third

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The Maldives has turned down an invite to a naval exercise hosted by India, Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba said in Delhi on Tuesday.&nbsp;

&quot;Maldives was sent an invitation to attend &#39;Milan&#39;, a multilateral naval exercise hosted by Indian Navy but it declined the invitation,&quot; Lanba said.&nbsp;

The Maldives has been in turmoil ever since President Abdulla Yameen declared a state of emergency over the country. On the sidelines, India and China are sparring with each other to exercise greater authority over the island nation.&nbsp;

Government sources have since said -- anonymously -- that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/maldives-india-to-keep-troops-ready-32037" target="_blank">Indian forces are being kept ready</a> in view of the Maldives situation. The sources however added that this was &quot;standard operating procedure&quot;.&nbsp;

There were then a few days ago reports that Chinese ships had been seen in the region, but the reports were refuted by the Indian government.&nbsp;

&quot;We are aware of the Chinese activities in Indian Ocean region. Their pattern of deployment has remained same since many years. At any time, there are 8-10 ships in the Indian Ocean,&quot; Lanba said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

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We are aware of the Chinese activities in Indian Ocean region. Their pattern of deployment has remained same since many years. At any time, there are 8-10 ships in the Indian Ocean: Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba in Delhi <a href="https://t.co/Y4y5rwhqoc">pic.twitter.com/Y4y5rwhqoc</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/968377287723929600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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'Maldives was sent an invitation to attend 'Milan', a multilateral naval exercise hosted by Indian Navy but it declined the invitation,' Navy Chief Admir Sunil Lanba said Tuesday

The Maldives has turned down an invite to a naval exercise hosted by India, Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba said in Delhi on Tuesday. "Maldives was sent an invitation to attend 'Milan', a multilateral naval exercise hosted by Indian Navy but it declined the invitation," Lanba said. The Maldives has been in turmoil ever since President Abdulla Yameen declared a state of emergency over the country. On the sidelines, India and China are sparring with each other to exercise greater authority over the island nation. Government sources have since said -- anonymously -- that Indian forces are being kept ready in view of the Maldives situation. The sources however added that this was "standard operating procedure". There were then a few days ago reports that Chinese ships had been seen in the region, but the reports were refuted by the Indian government. "We are aware of the Chinese activities in Indian Ocean region. Their pattern of deployment has remained same since many years. At any time, there are 8-10 ships in the Indian Ocean," Lanba said on Tuesday. We are aware of the Chinese activities in Indian Ocean region. Their pattern of deployment has remained same since many years. At any time, there are 8-10 ships in the Indian Ocean: Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba in Delhi pic.twitter.com/Y4y5rwhqoc — ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2018 ×

Maldives turns down Indian invite to naval exercise

At least three people were killed and 13 seriously injured on Thursday when a train carrying some 250 people along a busy commuter route derailed near Milan in northern Italy, regional authorities said.

Several carriages of the train operated by Trenord derailed around 7 am close to the Pioltello Limito station, some 20 km (13 miles) outside Milan, Italian state-owned rail company Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) said.

&quot;There currently are three dead, five severely injured and eight injured in &#39;code yellow&#39;, all of whom are in hospital,&quot; the body representing the Interior Ministry in Milan said in an emailed statement.

Search and rescue efforts ended around 11 am local time and about 100 passengers who suffered minor injuries were given shelter in a nearby gymnasium.

The head of Milan police said an investigation had been opened, with railway police interrogating the train driver.

The line links Milan and the northern city of Cremona. The accident caused disruption to rail traffic and some trains had to be re-routed.

RFI said it had detected some structural collapse in the track but that it was still unclear whether this was a cause or a consequence of the accident.

&quot;The rail track collapse was detected 2.3 kilometres before the spot of the accident, just before the Pioltello platform... but it is premature to establish the dynamics of the accident,&quot; RFI regional director Vincenzo Macello told reporters.

Macello added that maintenance work was regularly carried out on the track and that it was constantly monitored.

A spokesperson for Trenord said the train had been travelling at a normal speed as it approached the station. Trenord is a joint venture between railway operator FNM and Trenitalia, an FS unit.

&quot;There are precedents... but our (rail) system is among the safest in Europe. What worries us is maintenance, often carried out by subcontractors and not railway staff,&quot; union secretary Adriano Coscia said on television.

Milan Mayor Beppe Sala called for more investment in Italy&#39;s infrastructure to improve transport safety.

At least three people were killed and 13 seriously injured on Thursday when a train carrying some 250 people along a busy commuter route derailed near Milan in northern Italy

At least three people were killed and 13 seriously injured on Thursday when a train carrying some 250 people along a busy commuter route derailed near Milan in northern Italy, regional authorities said. Several carriages of the train operated by Trenord derailed around 7 am close to the Pioltello Limito station, some 20 km (13 miles) outside Milan, Italian state-owned rail company Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) said. "There currently are three dead, five severely injured and eight injured in 'code yellow', all of whom are in hospital," the body representing the Interior Ministry in Milan said in an emailed statement. Search and rescue efforts ended around 11 am local time and about 100 passengers who suffered minor injuries were given shelter in a nearby gymnasium. The head of Milan police said an investigation had been opened, with railway police interrogating the train driver. The line links Milan and the northern city of Cremona. The accident caused disruption to rail traffic and some trains had to be re-routed. RFI said it had detected some structural collapse in the track but that it was still unclear whether this was a cause or a consequence of the accident. "The rail track collapse was detected 2.3 kilometres before the spot of the accident, just before the Pioltello platform... but it is premature to establish the dynamics of the accident," RFI regional director Vincenzo Macello told reporters. Macello added that maintenance work was regularly carried out on the track and that it was constantly monitored. A spokesperson for Trenord said the train had been travelling at a normal speed as it approached the station. Trenord is a joint venture between railway operator FNM and Trenitalia, an FS unit. "There are precedents... but our (rail) system is among the safest in Europe. What worries us is maintenance, often carried out by subcontractors and not railway staff," union secretary Adriano Coscia said on television. Milan Mayor Beppe Sala called for more investment in Italy's infrastructure to improve transport safety.

At least 3 dead after commuter train derails near Milan

Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday tweeted that she had received the details of the attack on Indian students in Milan and requested everyone not to panic.

The external affair minister said that she was personally &#39;&#39;monitoring the situation&#39;&#39;.&nbsp;

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Attack on Indian students in Milan : I have got the detailed report. Pls do not worry. I am monitoring the situation personally. <a href="https://twitter.com/cgmilan1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cgmilan1</a>
&mdash; Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj/status/925215409883693056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Meanwhile, in a statement, the Indian consulate in Milan, said that it had received reports of unfortunate incidents of attacks on the Indian students in Milan and urged the Indian students not to panic. The Consulate is taking up the matter with the highest of law and order authorities in Milan. Students are also requested to report such matters to the Consulate on Consul General&rsquo;s cell 3290884057 immediately, the statement added.&nbsp;

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Attack on Indian students in Milan <a href="https://t.co/kY0qwfePm8">pic.twitter.com/kY0qwfePm8</a>
&mdash; India in Milan (@cgmilan1) <a href="https://twitter.com/cgmilan1/status/925013404359757824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Some Indian students were attacked by beer bottles on October 17. The attackers also reportedly abused the Indians for their skin colour.&nbsp;

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Sushma Swaraj, External Affairs Minister has taken the matter in her consideration

Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday tweeted that she had received the details of the attack on Indian students in Milan and requested everyone not to panic. The external affair minister said that she was personally ''monitoring the situation''. Attack on Indian students in Milan : I have got the detailed report. Pls do not worry. I am monitoring the situation personally. @cgmilan1 — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) October 31, 2017 × Meanwhile, in a statement, the Indian consulate in Milan, said that it had received reports of unfortunate incidents of attacks on the Indian students in Milan and urged the Indian students not to panic. The Consulate is taking up the matter with the highest of law and order authorities in Milan. Students are also requested to report such matters to the Consulate on Consul General’s cell 3290884057 immediately, the statement added. Attack on Indian students in Milan pic.twitter.com/kY0qwfePm8 — India in Milan (@cgmilan1) October 30, 2017 × Some Indian students were attacked by beer bottles on October 17. The attackers also reportedly abused the Indians for their skin colour.

Attack on Indian students in Milan: Sushma Swaraj 'monitoring situation'

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