The 2026 Winter Olympics officially commenced Friday with an opening ceremony at Milan's San Siro Stadium, marking the start of the games that will see over 2,900 athletes from 92 national Olympic committees compete. The United States boasts the largest delegation with over 230 athletes, followed by Canada with 210, and host nation Italy with 196, according to CBS News. The games, which will run through February 22nd, will be the most geographically widespread Winter Games in history, shared between two host cities.
The opening ceremony featured the Parade of Nations, with athletes from around the globe, and the lighting of the Olympic flame, as highlighted by CBS News. The pageantry included performances from Mariah Carey and Laura Pausini. Team USA athletes, outfitted by Ralph Lauren, proudly donned their uniforms. The Winter Olympics will feature 116 medal events, including the debut of ski mountaineering. The Paralympics are scheduled to take place from March 6th to March 15th.
Simultaneously, the financial markets saw significant activity. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 50,000 for the first time ever on Friday, as reported by ABC News. The market surge reversed a selloff earlier in the week, with the Dow climbing 1,206 points, or 2.4%, while the S&P 500 increased by 1.9% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq rose 2.1%. President Donald Trump celebrated the milestone on social media, calling it "the first time in History."
Meanwhile, anticipation builds for the Super Bowl. Prediction markets are poised to capitalize on the event, with an estimated $1.76 billion expected to be wagered with sportsbooks, according to CBS News. Prediction markets, which allow wagers on various outcomes, are looking to cash in on the game.
In other sports news, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy participated as a coach in the Toyota Glow-Up Classic, an all-girls glow-in-the-dark flag football game, during Super Bowl week, as reported by Fox News. The game took place at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.
Discussion
AI Experts & Community
Be the first to comment