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French people react to 'freakshow' Paris Olympics opening ceremonies: 'What is that?'

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French people react to 'freakshow' Paris Olympics opening ceremonies: 'What is that?'

Many French people have reacted to the Olympic Games’ controversial opening ceremonies held in Paris on Friday, and not all responses are positive.

The opening ceremonies, held mainly as a boat parade down the River Seine, featured performances from international artists like Céline Dion and Olympian athletes onboard boats designated by country.

The ceremonies also featured a live reenactment of the Last Supper with drag queens and a ménage à trois sequence. The Last Supper, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is not located in Paris but in Italy at the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie.

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The French Bishops’ Conference released a statement on X, saying “this ceremony unfortunately included scenes of mockery and derision of Christianity, which we deeply regret. We would like to thank the members of other religious denominations who have expressed their solidarity with us.”

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“This morning, we are thinking of all the Christians on every continent who have been hurt by the outrageousness and provocation of certain scenes,” the French Bishops’ Conference added.

French President Emmanuel Macron defended the controversial opening ceremonies also via X, saying “Thanks to Thomas Jolly and his creative genius for this grandiose ceremony. Thank you to the artists for this unique and magical moment. Thank you to the police and emergency services, agents and volunteers.”

Macron added, “Thank you to everyone who believed in it. We’ll talk about it again in 100 years! WE DID IT !”

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Thomas Jolly, 42, is a French actor and theater director from Rouen who was brought on two years ago to direct the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games in Paris.

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Not all French people equally admired the ceremonies, however.

Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron and Thomas Bach, President of International Olympic Committee during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on July 26, 2024 in Paris, France. (Christian Liewig – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

One French X user, @JulietteBriens, wrote “As a sincerely patriotic French girl, I disolidarise myself from this freakshow and apologize to you, world.”

Her post featured screengrabs of the scenes considered most controversial from the ceremonies, including a close-up of the ménage à trois scene.

Another X user from France, @Arwenstar posted “As a French woman I am deeply embarrassed by this #OpeningCeremony and would like to apologise to the entire world for subjecting you all to this sick farce. Don’t hate us, it isn’t us, it’s the woke metropolitan elite – they ruin f****** everything”

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Florent Manaudou, Flagbearer of Team France, waves his flag during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on July 26, 2024, in Paris, France. (VCG via Getty Images)

A video has gone viral online of a French family reacting to the Last Supper reenactment, with the caption “POV: You’re watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games and you realize it’s the last season of the Smurfs.”

In the video, one member of the family can be heard shouting, “No no no no no no! What is that?!” 

According to reporting from Variety, a total of 28.6 million Americans tuned in to watch the Paris Olympic Games opening ceremonies.

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Harry Styles announces first album in 4 years, ‘Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally’

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Harry Styles announces first album in 4 years, ‘Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally’

NEW YORK (AP) — In this world, it’s just him: Harry Styles has announced that his long-awaited, fourth studio album will arrive this spring.

Titled “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally” and out March 6, the album is Styles’ first full-length project in four years. It follows the 2022, critically acclaimed synth pop record “Harry’s House,” which earned the former One Direction star the top prize of album of the year at the 2023 Grammy Awards.

In a review, The Associated Press celebrated “Harry’s House” for showcasing “a breadth of style that matches the album’s emotional range.”

On Instagram, Styles’ shared the cover artwork for “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally,” which features the 31-year-old artist in a T-shirt and jeans at night, standing underneath a shimmering disco ball hung outside.

According to a press release, “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally” will contain 12 tracks and is executive produced by Kid Harpoon. The British songwriter and producer has been a close collaborator of Styles’ since the beginning of his solo career, working on all of his albums since the singer’s 2017 self-titled debut.

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“Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally” is now available for preorder.

It is also Styles’ first project since his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne died in 2024 after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina.

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Troops from Europe deploy to Greenland in rapid 2-day mission as Trump eyes US takeover

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Troops from Europe deploy to Greenland in rapid 2-day mission as Trump eyes US takeover

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Troops from several European countries deployed to Greenland and are on the ground there Thursday for a quick two-day mission to bolster the territory’s defenses. 

France, Germany, Sweden and Norway are participating in the exercise, Fox News has learned. Leaders say the mission is meant to demonstrate they can deploy military assets “quickly.” 

The development comes as the Trump administration is pushing to acquire the Danish territory. Germany deployed a reconnaissance team of 13 personnel, France sent 15 mountain specialists and Sweden, Norway and Britain sent three, two and one officers, respectively, according to Reuters. 

“The geopolitical tensions have spread to the Arctic. The Government of Greenland, and the Danish Ministry of Defense have therefore decided to continue the Danish Armed Forces’ increased exercise activity in Greenland, in close cooperation with NATO allies,” the Danish Ministry of Defense said in a statement Wednesday. 

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“From today, there will be an expanded military presence in and around Greenland — in close cooperation with NATO allies. The purpose is to train the ability to operate under the unique Arctic conditions and to strengthen the alliance’s footprint in the Arctic, benefiting both European and transatlantic security,” it added.

DENMARK IN TRUMP’S CROSSHAIRS AS US MAKES AMBITIOUS APPEAL TO GREENLAND

An Airbus A400M transport aircraft of the German Air Force taxis over the grounds at Wunstorf Air Base in the Hanover region, Germany, on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, as troops from NATO countries, including France and Germany, are arriving in Greenland to boost security. (Moritz Frankenberg/dpa via AP)

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“As part of the increased presence in the Arctic and North Atlantic, the Danish Armed Forces are, from today, deploying capabilities and units related to the exercise activities. In the period ahead, this will result in an increased military presence in and around Greenland, comprising aircraft, vessels and soldiers, including from NATO allies,” the Danish Ministry of Defense also said. 

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It said the exercise activities in 2026 “could include guarding critical infrastructure, providing assistance to local authorities in Greenland, including the police, receiving allied troops, deploying fighter aircraft in and around Greenland, and conducting naval operations.” 

People walk in downtown of Nuuk, Greenland, on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. On the right is President Donald Trump. (Evgeniy Maloletka/Evan Vucci/AP)

“Some officers from the Swedish Armed Forces are arriving in Greenland today,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson wrote on X on Wednesday. “They are part of a group from several allied countries. Together they will prepare upcoming steps within the framework of the Danish exercise Operation Arctic Endurance. It is at the request of Denmark that Sweden is sending personnel from the Armed Forces.” 

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Reuters on Thursday that, “The American ambition to take over Greenland is intact.”

“That is of course serious, and therefore we continue our efforts to prevent this scenario becoming a reality,” he added. 

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A fisherman carries a bucket onto his boat in the harbor of Nuuk, Greenland, on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP)

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Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance at the White House on Wednesday. 

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EU will keep Arctic ties with US amid Greenland tension: von der Leyen

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EU will keep Arctic ties with US amid Greenland tension: von der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said the European Union will continue to work closely with the United States to strengthen security in the Arctic even as US President Donald Trump persists with his threats to seize Greenland from Denmark.

“The European Union has a very good reputation in Greenland, and we are counting very much on the excellent cooperation that we have,” von der Leyen said on Thursday on an official visit to Limassol, Cyprus.

“We will thus continue our work on Arctic security with our allies (and) our partners, including the United States,” she added.

Trump has framed his expansionist agenda as a national security goal.

On Wednesday, the American president said that NATO would become “more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the United States”. Otherwise, he said, Russia and China would stand to benefit in the strategic region.

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“Anything less than that is unacceptable,” he wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.

His remarks coincided with a meeting in Washington between the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland, US Secretary Marco Rubio, and US Vice President JD Vance.

The Danish minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen,said the tone had been frank and constructive, but conceded there remained a “fundamental disagreement” between the two sides.

“We didn’t manage to change the American position,” he said at the end of the meeting. “It’s clear that the president has this wish of conquering over Greenland.”

Rasmussen added that Denmark and the US had agreed to set up a high-level “working group” to find a “common way forward” on the matter of Greenland. He also countered Trump’s claims that Chinese warships had gained ground around the island.

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At the same time, several European countries began to publicly announce their intention to send military officers as part of a reconnaissance mission to the mineral-rich territory, a stark reflection of the sky-high tensions fuelled by Trump’s vision.

France, Germany, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands are among those that have committed to joining the mission at Copenhagen’s request.

Speaking as she marked the start of the Cypriot presidency of the EU Council, von der Leyen promised to “double down” on investments and cooperation in Greenland.

“What is clear is that Greenland can count on us politically, economically, and financially,” she said at a press conference, standing next to the Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.

“When it comes to its security, the discussions on Arctic security are, first and foremost, a core issue of NATO. But I also want to emphasise that the Arctic and Arctic security, both topics, are core topics for the European Union and matter enormously for us.”

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Mutual assistance

Separately, the European Commission confirmed that Denmark would be able to invoke the EU’s mutual assistance clause in the event of an armed attack against Greenland, even though the semi-autonomous island is not part of the bloc.

The Commission had recently avoided clarifying the legal application.

“Greenland is part of the territory of the Kingdom of Denmark and therefore in principle covered by the mutual solidarity clause in Article 42.7 TEU,” a Commission spokesperson told Euronews in a statement.

“However, currently the question doesn’t ask itself,” the spokesperson added, referring to the fact that Trump’s threats have not yet been translated into action.

The mutual assistance clause is enshrined in Article 42.7 of the EU treaties, which says that if a country is “the victim of armed aggression on its territory”, the other member states will have an “obligation of aid and assistance by all the means in their power” in accordance with the right of collective self-defence recognised by the UN Charter.

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The article does not spell out what measures qualify as “aid and assistance” in practice.

According to an explanatory memo from the Commission, member states should have ample margin to decide their support, which could be of a diplomatic, technical, medical or civilian nature. Military assistance is also envisioned.

Activating the article requires an attack “from abroad” carried out by state or non-state actors, the memo says. The decision to activate rests solely on the member state under assault. Once triggered, the duty to assist becomes “legally binding”.

Since its introduction in 2007, Article 42.7 has been invoked only once, when France fell victim to the terrorist attacks of November 2015 and asked other member states to contribute manpower to its Opération Sentinelle.

Notably, Article 42.7 establishes a direct connection with NATO’s Article 5, which is the bedrock of the transatlantic alliance’s collective defence. Most EU countries are members of NATO, creating an overlap of commitments and obligations.

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Unlike the EU provision, which is broadly worded, NATO’s Article 5 is more explicit, compelling allies to take necessary action “including the use of armed force” to “restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area”.

However, given that both the US and Denmark are members of NATO, there is no precedent to determine how Article 5 would apply in a scenario where the American military violated Danish sovereignty and seized Greenland by force.

Such a dilemma emerged in 2020 when Turkey and Greece were involved in a standoff over Ankara’s contested gas exploration in waters claimed by Athens. In response, Greece put its army on alert, bringing two NATO members to the brink of war.

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