Olympics Open with Good Vibes, Trump Posts Racist Meme

The 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics kicked off Friday evening in Milan, Italy, with an opening ceremony that paid homage to Italian culture and featured athletes from over 90 countries. The event, held at the San Siro stadium, included performances by Italian ballet dancers and a tribute to Italian cinema, according to NPR News and NPR Politics.

The ceremony, which Time described as "painfully long, inevitably uneven, excessively dance-obsessed but also somehow lovable," featured a moment that resonated with many attendees. A figure in an evening gown, accompanied by paparazzi, paid tribute to the classic Italian film "La Dolce Vita." The film's director, Federico Fellini, was celebrated for his spectacle, craftsmanship, and glamour.

The opening ceremony followed a series of Olympics that faced unique challenges. The 2018 PyeongChang games were marked by frigid temperatures, while the 2021 Tokyo games were held without fans due to COVID-19 restrictions. The 2022 Beijing games were also impacted by COVID protocols. Despite these challenges, the Milan Cortina opening ceremony aimed to create a positive atmosphere. "Olympic opening ceremonies can so often come off as overchoreographed, incomprehensible, or just plain weird. But others just give off a feeling. A good one, even," according to Time.

In other news, President Trump posted a racist meme of the Obamas on social media on the first week of Black History Month, according to NPR News. The post, which depicted the Obamas' faces on apes, was later deleted.