Authorities in China said they planted nearly 200,000 acres of forest and green areas prior to the Winter Games. But they also transplanted nearly 20,000 trees, which could endanger animal habitats.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach resisted implementing any immediate changes despite speaking of concerns for minor athletes like Valieva.

Two skaters from the Russian Olympic Committee took the top two spots at the women's program at the Beijing Olympics. Kamila Valieva, who has been at the center of a scandal, took fourth place.

The scandal involving 15-year-old figure skater Kamila Valieva is drawing new calls to establish age restrictions on Olympic figure skaters.

NPR's Jaclyn Diaz got the rare chance to step outside the COVID quarantine bubble of the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. She and a few others got to visit the famed Great Wall.

With Kamila Valieva seizing the top spot, 25 skaters advance to the next segment. Normally, only the top 24 move on from the short program. But these Games aren't normal.

The U.S. women's ice hockey team defeated Finland 4-1 on Monday. The U.S. team will go up against its longtime rival, Canada, in the gold medal game later this week.

The International Olympic Committee says it will abide by a decision that 15-year-old Kamila Valieva be allowed to skate in Beijing but if she wins "no medal ceremony will take place."

This is gold medalist Kaillie Humphries first medal for the U.S. The champion previously won gold and bronze medals for her home country of Canada.

The men's giant slalom went ahead as scheduled — albeit with a few delays and stoppages. Low visibility caused 33 skiers to fail to finish their first qualifying run.

NPR found at least 140 athletes listed as competing in this Winter Games that are over the age of 35, according to the Olympic Studies Center.

At their ages, Jacobellis' and Baumgartner's win over Italy and Canada during the first-ever Olympic mixed team snowboard cross events broke multiple records.

"Coming back out and getting the chance to race again was just the perfect thing to do, actually," Shiffrin said. She had failed to finish qualifying runs in two events earlier this week.

The 2022 Beijing Olympics are White's last competition as a professional snowboarder. He is the first, and only, snowboarder to win three Olympic gold medals.

Skeleton is a heart-racing event where a single racer flies face-first down a frozen track. The inherent pressure of being "the first" and "only" isn't fazing her, Kelly Curtis says.

The 22-year-old American topped a competitive field Thursday in Beijing. Figure skaters from Japan came in second and third.

Kim dominated the leaderboard after her stellar first run at the women's snowboard halfpipe event on Thursday in Beijing. She's the first woman to win multiple Olympic golds in the halfpipe.

Jacobellis, a five-time Olympian, won her first gold medal during the women's snowboard cross event on Wednesday. She is also the oldest American woman to win a Winter Olympics gold medal.

Despite a fall during one of their qualifying runs, Shaun White and Chloe Kim were able to move on to the medal round of the men's and women's halfpipe events.

Shiffrin, a two-time Olympic champion, did not to finish the women's slalom race on Wednesday. She previously won a gold medal in this competition in 2014 during the Sochi Olympics.