Issues

Ukrainian sled racer says he will wear helmet honoring slain soldiers despite Olympic ban

Vladyslav Heraskevych, a skeleton sled racer, says he will wear a helmet showing images of Ukrainian athletes killed defending his country against Russia's full-scale invasion. International Olympic Committee officials say the move would violate rules designed to keep politics out of the Olympics.

America’s Gen Z curlers bring new ways to traditional sport

At the U.S. Curling Olympic Trials, a team of Gen Z curlers usurped the long reigning champions in a big upset. A profile of Team Casper, who's bringing swagger, limber knees, and a some new sensibilities to a tradition-filled sport.

Snowboarder Chloe Kim is chasing an Olympic gold three-peat with a torn labrum

At 25, Chloe Kim could become the first halfpipe snowboarder to win three consecutive Olympic golds.

Reporter’s notebook: A Dutch speedskater and a U.S. influencer walk into a bar …

NPR's Rachel Treisman took a pause from watching figure skaters break records to see speed skaters break records. Plus, the surreal experience of watching backflip artist Ilia Malinin.

Judge rules 7-foot center Charles Bediako is no longer eligible to play for Alabama

Bediako was playing under a temporary restraining order that allowed the former NBA G League player to join Alabama in the middle of the season despite questions regarding his collegiate eligibility.

American Ben Ogden wins silver, breaking 50 year medal drought for U.S. men’s cross-country skiing

Ben Ogden of Vermont skied powerfully, finishing just behind Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway. It was the first Olympic medal for a U.S. men's cross-country skier since 1976.

How much power does the Fed chair really have?

On paper, the Fed chair is just one vote among many. In practice, the job carries far more influence. We analyze what gives the Fed chair power.

Hospitals are posting prices for patients. It’s mostly industry using the data

The Trump administration pushed for price transparency in health care. But instead of patients shopping for services, it's mostly health systems and insurers using the information for negotiations.

Mikaela Shiffrin set to ski for the first time in the Olympics in team combined event

The team combined event pairs a downhill skier with a slalom skier. The top U.S. duo — the slalom star Shiffrin and Breezy Johnson, who won gold in the downhill on Sunday — is a medal favorite.

Lindsey Vonn says she suffered ‘complex tibia fracture’ in her Olympic downhill crash

The 41-year-old star said her torn ACL was not a factor in her crash. "While yesterday did not end the way I had hoped, and despite the intense physical pain it caused, I have no regrets," she wrote.

Ilia Malinin’s Olympic backflip made history. But he’s not the first to do it

U.S. figure skating phenom Ilia Malinin did a backflip in his Olympic debut, and another the next day. The controversial move was banned from competition for decades until 2024.

Olympic COVID restrictions are gone, but some athletes are still self-quarantining

For most people, the pandemic days of masking are behind them. In certain corners of the Winter Olympics, though, things still look a lot like they did in COVID times. Some athletes are taking extreme measures to stay healthy.

Mikaela Shiffrin has battled grief, PTSD and freak injury. Now come the Olympic Games

Shiffrin became a celebrity at 18 years old after becoming the youngest-ever skier to win Olympic slalom gold. Since then, she has faced grief, PTSD and freak injury — yet she is ready to bounce back.

As US Olympians call for tolerance and LGBTQ rights, some face Trump attacks and online hate

President Trump called U.S. Olympic skier Hunter Hess a "loser" after Hess voiced concern about political turmoil in the U.S. Gold medal U.S. figure skater Amber Glenn says she's faced online hate and threats after advocating for LGBTQ rights.

Four top U.S. speedskaters to watch at the Olympics

U.S. speed skaters set to compete in Milan are drawing comparisons to past greats like Eric Heiden, Bonnie Blair, and Apolo Ohno. Here are four to watch in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

A ‘Shark Tank’ alum needed cash to pay tariffs. This shadowy lending world was ready

How about $350,000 within hours? The pitches flood small businesses: "No hidden fees, No BS." These financial lifelines are barely regulated and can turn into trip wires.

U.S. skater Connor McDermott-Mostowy joins record number of out LGBTQ Winter Olympians

When U.S. speedskater Connor McDermott-Mostowy makes his Winter Olympic debut in Milan, he'll join a record number of out LGBTQ athletes. But of the 46 out athletes, only 11 are men.

Seahawks win Super Bowl title, pounding the Patriots 29-13

Seattle's "Dark Side" defense helped Sam Darnold become the first quarterback in the 2018 draft class to win a Super Bowl, to win the franchise's second title.

Breezy Johnson’s downhill gold is America’s first medal of 2026 Winter Olympics

Breezy Johnson's first Olympic medal is a gold, won in a race marred by the crash of teammate Lindsey Vonn

US ski star Lindsey Vonn crashes in Olympic downhill race

In an explosive crash near the top of the downhill course in Cortina, Vonn landed a jump perpendicular to the slope and tumbled to a stop shortly below.

For many U.S. Olympic athletes, Italy feels like home turf

Many spent their careers training on the mountains they'll be competing on at the Winter Games. Lindsey Vonn wanted to stage a comeback on these slopes and Jessie Diggins won her first World Cup there.

What we know about the massive sewage leak in the Potomac River

A collapsed sewer line, about 8 miles from the White House, pumped 368 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of wastewater into the Potomac. Repairs could take longer than previously expected.

Pentagon says it’s cutting ties with ‘woke’ Harvard, ending military training

Amid an ongoing standoff between Harvard and the White House, the Defense Department said it plans to cut ties with the Ivy League — ending military training, fellowships and certificate programs.

After the Fall: How Olympic figure skaters soar after stumbling on the ice

Olympic figure skating is often seems to take athletes to the very edge of perfection, but even the greatest stumble and fall. How do they pull themselves together again on the biggest world stage? Toughness, poise and practice.

Lindsey Vonn is set to ski the Olympic downhill race with a torn ACL. How?

An ACL tear would keep almost any other athlete from competing -- but not Lindsey Vonn, the 41-year-old superstar skier who is determined to cap off an incredible comeback from retirement with one last shot at an Olympic medal.

Mariah Carey, coffee makers and other highlights from the Olympic opening ceremony

NPR reporters at the Milan opening ceremony layered up and took notes.

Photos: Highlights from the Winter Olympics opening ceremony

Athletes from around the world attended the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Milan.

Alabama sets execution for man in auto parts store customer’s death

Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday set a March 12 execution using nitrogen gas for Charles “Sonny” Burton. Burton was convicted as an accomplice in the shooting death of Doug Battle, a customer who was killed during an 1991 robbery of an auto parts store in Talladega.

Hate them or not, Patriots fans want the glory back in Super Bowl LX

As Bostonians bemoan their long years of suffering without a Super Bowl win, rival fans gripe that Title Town has become Entitled Town.

Behind the glitz in Milan, the Epstein scandal casts its shadow over the Olympic movement

The Epstein scandal has spread to the Olympic movement. The top organizer of the Los Angeles Summer Games faces calls to step down because of his past contacts with Epstein collaborator Ghislaine Maxwell.

From Jesus to Jurassic Park: This year’s Super Bowl ads are playing it safe

Early Super Bowl spots show advertisers want lots of buzz but not controversy.

Dog sled, ski ballet and other sports you could once see at the Winter Olympics

For many decades, Olympic Games included "demonstration sports." Some, like curling, became part of the permanent roster. But others, like skijoring, didn't stick around.