By Aadi Nair CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Britain's Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat beat Italy to ensure top spot in the round-robin stage of the mixed doubles curling at the Milano Cortina Games,

Across Italy, ceremonial brotherhoods are sworn to protect historic dishes – from salted cod stew to cured meats – using medieval rituals, velvet robes and fierce culinary devotion.

Ireland and Italy had contrasting starts to the Six Nations last week and will meet in Dublin in round two.

Italy's hopes of more home Olympic ice success in figure skating were lifted on Sunday when they clinched bronze in the team event at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.

Michela Marcato, 54, has been blind since birth. She and her partially sighted partner were touring the site amid a new effort by Italy to make its myriad artistic treasures more accessible to people with blindness or low vision and enhance how all visitors experience and perceive art.

New research suggests olive trees have been exploited for more than 6,000 years. The first Italian olive oil was produced perhaps 4,000 years ago.

Turin, Piedmont’s provincial capital, as seem from the Duomo. Located in the foothills of the western Alps, the city is Italy’s fourth largest. Credit...Enea Arienti Flocking To Turin has Baroque architecture,

While the eyes of the world may be on Italy for the Winter Olympics over the next few days, a solid Team Italy roster is hoping to raise some eyebrows in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.