The 2024 Paris Olympics Are Nearly Here

What's Happening

Sports

Vive La France: The Summer Olympics Are Nearly Here

What's going on: In a matter of hours, the City of Lights will open the 2024 Olympic Games and kick off nearly two weeks of world competition in France. This year, the Parade of Nations will feature 10,500 Olympians on nearly 100 boats sailing along the Seine River…oh la la. (Here’s how you can watch live at 1:30 pm ET.) Expect Parisian landmarks like the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre (hi, Mona Lisa), and the Eiffel Tower in the background. Plus, keep your eyes peeled for the questionable Olympic mascots, a potential Céline Dion and Lady Gaga duet of “La Vie en Rose,” and — of course — Team USA’s Ralph Lauren blazer and denim look. We don’t think the fashion capital of the world is ready.

What it means: Paris is really trying to do the most and show it can throw a historic fête with its opening ceremony. Never before has a Parade of Nations not been held in a stadium. Regardless, many are looking forward to what The Wall Street Journal dubbed the “Revenge Games.” Unlike the peak pandemic-era Tokyo Summer Olympics, this year’s games promise to bring more fun (as athletes like Ilona Maher have shown on TikTok). While one expert said the Paris Olympics will be one of the most “politically charged” games in decades, there’s also the belief that events like this can bring a sense of unity and pride for the countries competing. There will be triumph, tears, lots of baguettes, and (hopefully) plenty of medals for Team USA. Oui, can’t wait.

Related: Olympians Are Sharing All the Swag Inside Their Gear Bags…and We’re Jealous (NBC)

Economy

The US Economy’s Growth Pleasantly Surprises, Well, Economists

What's going on:  If the US economy had a name, it should be resilience. That’s because an estimate from the Commerce Department showed that US GDP grew at a 2.8% annual rate in the last quarter. If that means nothing to you, take this: It’s faster growth than analysts expected, and it’s got some economists excited that the US could be on track for a “soft landing” — when inflation reaches the Federal Reserve’s target without a recession. For even more context (if you may have just fallen out of a coconut tree), the last time the US achieved a soft landing was in the 1990s.

What it means: The stronger-than-expected growth is being attributed to Americans (take a bow), who are opening up their wallets despite feeling gloomy about high prices and their home-buying prospects. Businesses are also investing in things like equipment and intellectual property. Meanwhile, the positive economic news puts Americans one step closer to the Fed potentially cutting interest rates in September. Some economists believe the next couple of years could bring a solid economy, leaving whoever wins the 2024 election to likely reap the benefits. Still, others are more cautious as the outlook could change if the job market cools unexpectedly or if the election creates uncertainty.

Related: Chipotle Is Denying “Shrinkflation,” Promising “Generous Portions” (NPR)

Business

Buckle Up: Southwest Is Ending Its Open Seating Policy

What's going on: Southwest Airlines is embarking on a new journey. In a press release yesterday, the company announced it’s switching to assigned seating and will offer premium options on all of its flights, though it didn't specify when this change will happen. Why is Southwest ditching its 50-year-old seat policy? Its research shows that 80% of current Southwest fliers and 86% of potential customers prefer assigned seats. The company also said the open seating policy is the number one reason customers cite when choosing to fly another airline.

What it means: The budget airline has been struggling with its own budget recently, reporting a loss of $231 million in the first quarter of this year. Southwest says it hopes the change to its seating policy will attract new fliers, but it could risk alienating its most loyal customers who enjoy playing musical chairs in the sky. Still, this new policy will put it more in line with conventional carriers like Delta and American. Who knows if Southwest will take a page out of Spirit’s book and start charging for carry-ons?

Related: Here Are Some Ways To Avoid Seat Selection Fees on Flights (USA Today)

Quick Hits

📃 California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order targeting homeless camps is getting mixed reviews.

🐈 The one where Jennifer Aniston calls out JD Vance for "childless cat ladies" comments.

✍️ What would you rather read: Princess Diana’s letters or Melania Trump’s upcoming memoir?

🫣  Lululemon is pausing its newest leggings collection. Talk about a Downward-facing Dog.

👰 Olivia Culpo is finally responding to the internet backlash over her wedding dress.

Let's Unpack This

Vice President Kamala Harris is likely to be the Democratic Party’s presumptive presidential nominee ahead of the Democratic National Convention next month. We spoke with NPR’s White House Correspondent Deepa Shivaram, who has covered Harris since the 2020 Democratic primaries, to ask:

How are voters feeling about a potential Harris ticket? 

People are really fired up. I was at her first campaign rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Tuesday. There were, according to the campaign, 3,500 people who attended. They had to move the venue on Monday at the last minute to accommodate the number of people who are RSVP-ing … I talked to several people, many of whom really support Joe Biden and were ready to back him if he stayed at the top of the ticket. Now with Kamala Harris, they’re feeling this energy. One voter described it as like a jolt of enthusiasm that the Democratic Party really needed … You're not only seeing people physically show up in the forms of these rallies and things like that, but millions of dollars in donations online are coming through for Harris, which is a huge boost because those donations were waning under Biden. 

Is the country ready for a female president?

The short answer is TBD. In 2019, in the last cycle, Kamala Harris ran for president and her message was essentially the same as what she has now, which is that she’s going to prosecute the case against Donald Trump. Her personality is the same. But five years ago, I heard from Democratic voters, ‘I really like her but I don’t know if she can win. I don’t know if she can beat Donald Trump’ … The circumstances are wildly different in 2024 … It’s been really almost a sense of whiplash to see thousands of people showing up for her.

What are some of the challenges she faces as she campaigns?

She sort of has always toggled the moderate-progressive divide in her political career and her beliefs on a lot of issues go back and forth. She’s going to have to answer a lot of questions and define herself more pointedly on things that she hasn’t had to talk about in the last four years as vice president. [One issue] that I think might come up and that she’s going to have to speak about in a more detailed way is public safety … She used to be a district attorney and was obviously a former prosecutor. But as she tries to use that against Trump and Republicans, I think Republicans will try to use that [against] her. 

PS: This interview was edited for length and clarity.

Featured Expert

Deepa Shivaram

White House Correspondent at NPR

Read more:

• Watch: The Obamas Finally Called VP Kamala Harris (CNBC)

• Where Kamala Harris Could Diverge From the Biden Administration (Politico)

Extra Credit

Listen

Break out your baby tees and Juicy tracksuits because Y2K! is officially here. The album, that is. Named after her birthdate (Jan 1, 2000), Ice Spice’s full-length debut includes 10 tracks — including the Sean Paul-inspired “Gimme a Light” and the appropriately titled “TTYL” — and has been a long time coming. The 24-year-old first went viral in 2021, thanks to TikTok’s “Buss It” challenge, and since then, she's landed a spot on the Barbie soundtrack with Nicki Minaj, rapped on a Taylor Swift track, and earned a slew of Grammy noms. And while we admire the talent of New York’s rap princess (she even got the stamp of approval from North West), it’s safe to say we probably won’t be channeling her deep commitment to the Y2K aesthetic anytime soon. She’s doing it better than we ever did, anyway.

Settle This

The Paris Olympics officially begin today and the race for gold medals is on. How many golds has the US won in the history of the Olympics?

Game Time

Kick your weekend off with Pile-Up Poker, a brand-new game where poker meets solitaire. Create as many poker hands as possible to earn cash and climb the leaderboard. We’re all in.

Skimm Well

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