The 2026 Winter Olympic Games continued to build momentum on Sunday as the early medal race tightened and a packed schedule of medal-deciding events unfolded across venues in northern Italy.

Host nation Italy sits among the early leaders on the medal table following Saturday’s opening competitions.

Italian speed skater Francesca Lollobrigida delivered a historic moment for the hosts, claiming Italy’s first gold medal of the Games in the women’s 3000-metre speed skating, setting an Olympic record in front of a home crowd.

After the first full day of competition, Italy, Japan and Norway are tied with three medals each (one gold, one silver and one bronze). Sweden follows with two medals, while Switzerland, Slovenia, Canada and China have each opened their accounts with a single medal.

Attention now turns to Sunday’s programme, which features several high-profile medal events expected to further shake up the standings.

Highlights on the schedule include the women’s downhill in alpine skiing, the mixed relay in biathlon, the men’s 20km skiathlon in cross-country skiing, parallel giant slalom finals in snowboarding, the men’s 5000-metre speed skating, and the conclusion of the figure skating team event.

Final runs in men’s singles luge are also set to determine podium places, while round-robin action continues in curling and women’s ice hockey.

As athletes chase early Olympic glory, Sunday’s competitions are expected to set the tone for the days ahead at the Milan-Cortina Games.

Sunday’s events will be broadcast live on Ariana Television, bringing the drama and excitement of the Winter Olympics directly to viewers across the region.

Fans are encouraged to follow Ariana News and Ariana Television’s social media pages for full broadcast schedules.

Tajikistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sirodjiddin Mukhriddin, has called on the international community to step up assistance for Afghanistan as the country continues to face challenges.

Speaking at a press conference, Mukhriddin said Tajikistan and Afghanistan maintain active coordination between their law enforcement agencies to prevent security incidents along their shared border. He noted that this cooperation remains essential, as the frequency of armed attacks and criminal activity in border regions has increased in recent months.

He said that Afghan authorities had assured Tajikistan they would take necessary measures to stop further incidents and would conduct thorough investigations into any violations.

Mukhriddin emphasized that Tajikistan supports constructive international engagement aimed at improving Afghanistan’s socio-economic conditions. He highlighted that Tajikistan has provided more than 6,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, including food and essential supplies delivered in 2025 to assist communities affected by devastating earthquakes.

The minister also pointed to growing economic cooperation between the two neighbors. Tajikistan has reopened border markets and continues to supply electricity to Afghanistan.

Tajikistan and Afghanistan share a border of more than 1,300 kilometers—over 1,100 km of which consists of waterways and about 190 km of land boundaries.

Meanwhile, Zafar Samad Director of the Drug Control Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, has said that last year, 17 incidents of clashes happened with drug smugglers along the border with Afghanistan. As a result, two Tajik forces and 10 Afghan nationals have been killed, he added.