Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison on February 9, 2026, for national security offenses, while the Winter Olympics in Italy saw a Dutch speedskater break a record and Team USA athletes prepared to compete. Additionally, a Fox Nation series explored the legacy of Edward Snowden, and a Minneapolis school became a food distribution hub due to families' fears of leaving their homes.
Lai's sentence, handed down in Hong Kong, was the harshest penalty given under the national security law since its introduction in 2020, according to ABC News. He was convicted in December on charges of sedition and conspiracy to collude with foreign forces, after pleading not guilty. His son, Sebastien, called the sentence "heartbreaking," and with Lai's age of 78, there is now a real chance he could die in prison.
Meanwhile, the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, running from February 6 to February 22, brought together approximately 2,900 athletes from around the world, competing in 116 events. Team USA, with around 230 athletes, aimed to add to their impressive medal count, which stood at 330 Winter Olympic medals through Beijing 2022, second only to Norway, as reported by CBS News. One of the athletes to watch was freestyle skier Alex Ferreira, who was competing in his third Olympics. Ferreira, who won silver in 2018 and bronze in 2022, told CBS News, "It's awesome representing Team USA, because I look at us and I think we're the best team in the world, and then it's special."
In the speedskating events, Dutch athlete Jutta Leerdam, the fiancée of boxer Jake Paul, won a gold medal in the 1,000-meter race, setting an Olympic record with a time of 1:12.31, according to Fox News.
Away from the sporting arena, Fox Nation launched a series titled "Snowden: Patriot or Traitor?" exploring the legacy of Edward Snowden, the whistleblower who leaked classified secrets, as reported by Fox News. The series revisits the debate over whether Snowden acted in the public interest or betrayed his oath.
In Minneapolis, Partnership Academy converted its gymnasium into a food distribution hub to help feed families who were afraid to leave their homes, according to the New York Times. The school, where the student body is more than 90 percent Hispanic, had seen a drop in attendance after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement began Operation Metro Surge in the Twin Cities.
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