The 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics officially commenced on Friday evening, with athletes from over 90 countries parading into the San Siro stadium in Milan during the opening ceremony, according to NPR News. The event, which runs from February 6 to 22, will see athletes compete for a chance to secure a spot on the podium, as reported by Wired.
The opening ceremony featured Italian ballet dancers and paid homage to Italian music, art, and culture, as highlighted in photos from NPR News. The games come at a time of global tension, but the Olympics are expected to unite people through sport, according to Wired.
Meanwhile, indirect talks between U.S. and Iranian officials concluded in Oman without a definitive outcome, as reported by NPR Politics. Iran's foreign minister described the talks as a "good start," with both sides agreeing to continue discussions. The U.S. has been building up military forces in the region, adding to the high stakes of the talks.
In other news, U.S. births slightly declined in 2025, according to provisional data, as reported by Fortune. Approximately 3.6 million births were reported through birth certificates, which is about 24,000 fewer than in 2024. This decline seems to confirm predictions by some experts, who doubted that the 2024 increase marked an upward trend. Robert Anderson, who oversees birth and death tracking, noted that the final tally might only add a few thousand additional births.
For athletes competing in the Winter Olympics, getting high-quality sleep is critical for recovery and peak performance, according to Wired. Years of training are on the line for the opportunity to make history.
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