The 2024 Summer Olympics got underway under the rain in the French capital, Paris, on Friday evening with French soccer legend Zinedine Zidane kicking off the opening ceremony with the Olympic flame in his hands. They then made their way through the Catacombs and to a boat, at which point the broadcast switched to a real-time view of the Seine River. About 45,000 police and thousands of soldiers were deployed for the opening ceremony, with armed police patrolling the river as the armada made its passage along the Seine. About 100 world leaders, government officials, and heads of international organizations are believed to have attended the opening ceremony. A series of legendary French athletes then carried it across from the Louvre to its final destination in the Jardin des Tuileries, where the cauldron was lit.

Source: Ethiopian News July 27, 2024 08:20 UTC