Stolz Skates to Gold, Kicks Off Quest for Four!

Jordan Stolz of the United States secured a gold medal and set an Olympic record in speedskating at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan on Wednesday, marking the beginning of his bid for four gold medals. The victory in the men's 1000 meters race was a culmination of a lifelong dream for Stolz, who, according to NPR, "pictured this moment most of his life, ever since he was 5 and learning to skate on a frozen pond in his Wisconsin backyard."

The Associated Press reported that Stolz, who was inspired by watching the 2010 Winter Olympics, celebrated his win after a brief delay. The wait was due to a "little hassle" to ensure the results were accurate.

The 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics also saw other developments. According to NPR, a Ukrainian Olympian was disqualified due to images of war dead on his helmet.

While Stolz celebrated his victory, other news stories emerged. Time reported that the entertainment world mourned the death of actor James Van Der Beek. Simultaneously, authorities were investigating a mass shooting in British Columbia, where Jesse Van Rootselaar, who identified as a woman, was suspected of killing nine people. Prince Harry also expressed support for families suing Instagram and YouTube, according to Time.

In other international news, Bangladesh held its first election since the ousting of Hasina, and in North Korea, the South Korean spy agency believed Kim Jong Un's teenage daughter was likely being groomed as the future leader, as reported by NPR Politics. This assessment came as North Korea prepared for a major political conference where Kim was expected to solidify his power.