A Litmus Test for November?

What's Happening

Politics

A Litmus Test for November?

What's going on: New York, Colorado, and Utah held key congressional primaries yesterday to determine the nominees for November. Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) lost the Democratic primary in NY’s 16th District to Westchester County Executive George Latimer (D), making Bowman the first “Squad” member to be ousted from the House. Meanwhile, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) defeated a crowd of candidates in the GOP primary for Colorado’s 4th District. Rep. John Curtis (R) — a moderate conservative — won Utah’s Republican primary to replace retiring Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), beating a Trump-backed challenger.

What it means: Yesterday’s primaries come less than five months until the presidential election. NY’s 16th District race, which will go down as the most expensive House primary in history, put Democrats’ divided views on the Israel-Hamas war on display. Bowman has been openly critical of the war, while Latimer has backed the US’ support of Israel. Though Bowman’s loss isn’t expected to cost Democrats a seat in November, it signals that other progressives could face opposition. Meanwhile, Boebert and Curtis’ wins mark victories for the GOP, as both are expected to come out on top in their respective races this fall.

Related: Biden or Trump? Who Is Leading In the Polls Ahead of Their Debate (Reuters)

Climate

Large Outdoor Event Organizers Aren't Prepared for Extreme Heat

What's going on: In the face of triple-digit temperatures, event organizers around the world are saying the show must go on. The recent aftermath has been deadly. In Saudi Arabia, at least 1,300 people died during this year’s hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. During India's general election, extreme heat killed at least 77 people, including dozens of poll workers. At live music events around the world, there have been reports of attendees fainting as a result of extreme temps and, in at least one case, dying.

What it means: These incidents highlight that many major event organizers are not doing enough to protect mass crowds during high temperatures — even though in recent years, heat has become the deadliest of any previous extreme weather event. The World Meteorological Organization projected last year that global temperatures will reach record highs through 2028. So what can be done? Some easy fixes to keep attendees safe could come in the form of more shaded areas, water stations, and emergency shelters to treat heat stroke. And knowledge is power — educating people about the symptoms of heat-related illness, especially those with pre-existing conditions, like kidney disease or hypertension, could help save lives.

Related: Look at What the Heat Did to Abe Lincoln’s Wax Sculpture (BBC)

Space

Boeing Is Struggling To Bring Its Astronauts Home

What's going on: Two astronauts are currently stuck at the International Space Station (ISS), as NASA and Boeing continue to delay their return amid technical problems. Earlier this month, Boeing’s Starliner finally managed to lift off after two aborted attempts. But the problems didn’t end there, which seems to be a bit of a trend for Boeing. The astronauts were only supposed to be in space for eight days, but are now going on day 20. Houston, we have a problem. Still, NASA and Boeing have repeatedly made statements that the spacecraft is fine and could be brought back in case of an emergency at any time. Starliner can stay docked for up to 45 days as they work out the kinks.

What it means: Nearly a decade ago, NASA tapped Boeing and SpaceX to build commercial spacecraft so that the agency can routinely send astronauts to the ISS. However, Boeing has been struggling to keep up with SpaceX, which has been sending astronauts to space since 2020. NASA needs Boeing to get it together so that it’s not reliant on just one company’s system to complete its missions. There’s still hope that Boeing can pull this off, but the company needs to prove it can safely take astronauts to space and back if it wants to continue doing business with NASA.

Related: How Does a Short Trip to Space Affect the Human Body? (AP)

Quick Hits

👀 Diet Coke, Christmas ornaments, and classified documents…new photos from former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago will have you saying, ‘I spy.’

🚘 Tesla recalled its new Cybertruck for the fourth time, but not because it’s ugly.

🤔 Can you ask people if they are on Ozempic? Let the debate ensue.

🍼 The 2024 Gerber Baby is stealing hearts with his smile.

😏 Tom Hanks looks about 30 years younger. And no, he didn't get any work done. 

Scorecard

The week's sports news and culture stories, ranked.

Winning: The Florida Panthers went from being the joke of the league to Stanley Cup champions. The team’s biggest cheerleader: SNL's Marcello Hernandez. Meanwhile, track star Noah Lyles is going viral after sharing the secret weapon he keeps in his pocket.

Chaotic: There’s only a month left before the Summer Olympics kick off in Paris and no one knows if athletes will be swimming in poop water. That’s as a surprise proposal at the US Olympic swimming trials has people asking: Is it cringey or sweet?

Hang it in the Louvre: Watch Snoop Dogg drop it like it’s hot in the 200m race. He’s a runner, he’s a track star.

Extra Credit

Watch

Fix yourself an Italian beef sandwich because your favorite chefs are returning to the kitchen. The highly anticipated third season of “The Bear” begins steaming on Hulu tonight (set your alarms for 9 pm ET), after the series already accomplished what most shows struggle to do: produce a second season that’s even better than the first. TBD if the trend continues with the new season (the famous “Christmas” episode will be tough to top), but either way, expect more panicked yelling, more delicious food, and even more pressure as Carmy and his staff open their new, upscale restaurant doors for business. What fans probably shouldn’t expect? A Carmy-Sydney romance, no matter how badly they want it.

Settle This

In honor of the “Freaky Friday” sequel coming next year, who would you trade places with?

Game Time

Unleash your competitive side with Pile-Up Poker, a brand-new game where poker meets solitaire. Create as many poker hands as possible to earn cash and claim victory. We’re all in.

Skimm Well

Burnt (out) to a crisp

Sound familiar? Women are more likely than men to label their job as stressful and overwhelming. If that stress becomes chronic, it can damage more than your productivity at work. Think high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, and other conditions. 

Enter Skimm Well. Our weekly health newsletter offers expert-backed advice on topics like how to lessen your mental load and scripts on how to navigate difficult conversations like setting boundaries at work. Plus, every week you’ll get the most up-to-date health news and wellness trends to keep you in the know. Succeeding in your career shouldn’t cost you your health.