In a stunning upset at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, American figure skater Ilia Malinin, considered a gold medal favorite, finished in eighth place after falling twice during his free skate on Friday. The day also saw the U.S. women's hockey team advance to the semifinals with a dominant victory, while a Ukrainian athlete's appeal to wear a tribute helmet was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Malinin, known as the "Quad God" for his mastery of quadruple jumps, led after the short program but faltered in the free skate, ultimately missing the podium. Kazakhstan's Mikhail Shaidorov took home the gold medal. According to CBS News, the 21-year-old Malinin, visibly emotional, was trying to fight back tears after one of the worst nights of his career. The crowd inside the Milano Ice Arena sat in stunned silence.
The U.S. women's hockey team, meanwhile, continued its strong performance, defeating Italy 6-0 to advance in the tournament. The team, led by Kendall Coyne Schofield's two goals, saw 13 players register at least a point. Veteran forward Kelly Pannek noted, "It feels like right now we're finding different ways within our identity to get the job done." The Americans outshot Italy 20-2 in the first period, but only led 1-0 before breaking through with a five-goal surge, according to CBS News.
In other news from the Games, Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych's appeal to wear a helmet honoring Ukrainian war victims was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Fox News reported that the court's decision effectively ended his opportunity to compete for a medal. Heraskevych was disqualified from a skeleton race over the helmet, which displayed the faces of more than 20 Ukrainian war victims.
Outside of the Olympics, a man recently released from prison on a terrorism charge was shot and killed by a police officer in Paris on Friday after allegedly attempting to attack another officer with a knife and scissors near the Arc de Triomphe. The incident occurred near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during a nightly ceremony. The unidentified man, a French national born in 1978, allegedly tried to attack an officer guarding the tomb, according to Fox News.
Finally, actress Rosie O'Donnell recently returned to the United States after a self-imposed exile in Ireland following President Donald Trump's re-election. During an interview with Chris Cuomo, O'Donnell revealed she returned to visit her family. She had moved to Ireland with her teenage daughter in January 2025, just before Trump's second inauguration, according to Fox News.
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