The one-year countdown to the Milan Cortina Olympic Games is on. International Olympics Committee president Thomas Bach has proudly declared “Italy is ready.”

Italy marked the one-year countdown to the Winter Olympics on Thursday with a series of events designed to fuel enthusiasm for the Games that will be co-hosted by Milan and the Alpine town of Cortina d'Ampezzo.

Thomas Bach said Italy is ready to host next year's Winter Olympics as the one-year countdown to the sprawling Milan-Cortina Games began at an event in Italy's economic capital on Thursday. "Italy is ready to write the next chapter of its great Olympic history,

Warren Gatland says that “everyone is aware of the situation” as Wales face a critical Guinness Six Nations clash against Italy in Rome. Wales are on the ropes, reeling from a record 13 successive Test match defeats and a 43-0 drubbing by France in their tournament opener.

A win over Warren Gatland’s charges, who have lost their last 13 Test matches in a row, would see Italy claim just their second back-to-back home win in the Championship history

WARREN GATLAND HAS dismissed the notion Wales are facing their biggest game for two decades against Italy on Saturday. Former Wales outside-half Dan Biggar described the Guinness Six Nations clash in Rome as Welsh rugby’s biggest game for the “last 15-20 years” after an opening 43-0 thrashing to France left Gatland’s side surveying a record-breaking 13th consecutive defeat.

King Charles and Queen Camilla will travel to Italy and the Vatican in April to meet with Pope Francis, as the Catholic Church celebrates a special Jubilee year, which takes place every quarter of a century.