Olympics: Shiffrin, Malinin, and a New Lease on Life

Ilia Malinin's history-making backflip at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's landslide election victory are among the top stories emerging from the games, according to reports from NPR News and Time. While COVID restrictions have been lifted, some athletes are still taking precautions, and Mikaela Shiffrin prepares to compete after facing significant personal challenges.

American figure skater Ilia Malinin, nicknamed the "Quad God," made headlines for his backflip during the Olympics. He performed the move in his first two programs, according to NPR News. This helped push Team USA to the top of the podium.

Meanwhile, Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi led the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to its biggest electoral victory in its 71-year history. According to NPR News, this win fuels her ambitions to pursue a political agenda that she herself says could "split public opinion." Takaichi put pins marking the names of winning candidates at the LDP headquarters on February 8, 2026.

Despite the lifting of COVID restrictions, some athletes are still taking precautions. NPR News reported that some athletes are self-quarantining, including American cross-country skier Jessie Diggins.

In other news, Mikaela Shiffrin is preparing for the Olympic Games after facing personal challenges. She has battled grief, PTSD, and injury, according to NPR News. Shiffrin is the winningest Alpine skier of all time, with 108 World Cup victories.

In other news, Tracey Emin, a member of the Young British Artists (YBAs), is preparing for her largest ever show opening at the Tate Modern in London on Feb. 27. She reflected on her past, including childhood sexual assault, a teen suicide attempt, rape, a botched abortion, homelessness, and recent surgery for bladder cancer. She stated that her art has played a role in her ability to withstand it all, according to Time.