🥇 Axios PM: The Games begin

Plus: 'Vette screamer | Friday, July 26, 2024

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Walmart   Axios PM By Mike Allen · Jul 26, 2024 Happy Friday! Today's newsletter, edited by Sam Baker, is 406 words, a 2-min. read. Thanks to Mickey Meece for copy editing.     1 big thing: Paris Games open   Photo: Ann Wang/Pool/AFP via Getty Images Fireworks and smoke in the colors of the French flag kicked off the opening ceremonies for the Olympics this afternoon in Paris. Athletes from Japan travel along the Seine during the opening ceremony. AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan The 200+ participating nations made their way down the River Seine in a boat parade. Smoke billows near windows as performers participate in the opening ceremony. Photo: Bernat Armangue/Pool/AFP via Getty Images Other artistic performances — including an appearance by Lady Gaga — punctuated the parade. Photo: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images LeBron James and Coco Gauff carried the flag for the U.S. team. Top events to watch this weekend     2. 🌡️ Heat threatens future Olympics   Data: CarbonPlan; Chart: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals By 2050, a majority of the world will be too hot to safely host the summer Olympics, according to an Axios analysis of data from CarbonPlan, a nonprofit climate research organization. Athletes have raised concerns about scorching temperatures in Paris, which could affect their health as well as their performance. Those problems will only get worse. 🥵 If the Summer Olympics continues to be held in July and August, suitable locations will be narrowed to cities in Canada, northern Europe and Russia, or to the southern hemisphere, where it's winter in July and August. During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, endurance events were rescheduled to the morning to avoid the hottest times of the day. But even so, 60% of heat-related illnesses occurred during these morning events. Explore the analysis.     A message from Walmart Every day, thousands of veterans build careers at Walmart     Walmart provides career opportunities for veterans transitioning to civilian life after serving in the military. Key numbers: Since 2013, Walmart has hired over 430,000 veterans. That's more people than those serving in the U.S. Navy today. Learn more about Walmart's commitment to veterans.     3. Catch me up   Former President Trump shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago today. Photo: Amos Ben-Gershom/Israel Government Press Office via Getty Images 🤝 Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting with former President Trump today was part of a broader effort to restore their relationship. Go deeper. 🗳️ Jeffrey Katzenberg, the Hollywood legend who was a top Biden adviser and money man, embraced Vice President Kamala Harris in a New York Times op-ed, and is a co-chair of her campaign. Read his essay. 🍿 Analysts expect "Deadpool & Wolverine" to have the biggest opening weekend ever for an R-rated movie, though it may not be powerful enough to buck the larger downward trends for movie theaters and the Marvel franchise. Go deeper.     4. 🙀 Fastest Corvette ever   Photo: Chevrolet The 2025 Corvette ZR1 boasts the most powerful 8-cylinder engine ever produced by an automaker, GM bragged as it unveiled the new model yesterday. 💨 The ZR1's top speed is ... wait for it ... 215 miles per hour, according to GM. The vehicle can go from 80 mph to 200 mph and back to 80 mph in 24.5 seconds, and boasts an astonishing 1,064 horsepower. 🏎️ Our thought bubble, from Axios Closer co-author Nathan Bomey: GM might be betting big on EVs, but it's also not holding back on old-fashioned, gas-fueled horsepower.     A message from Walmart In one year alone, Walmart promoted more than 5,000 veterans     "I've been at Walmart 9 years and been promoted 5 times," says U.S. Army veteran Santiago, who is now a Vision Center manager at Walmart. What this means: At Walmart, veterans are applying their skills and building fulfilling careers. Explore the stories of veterans like Santiago.   Are you a fan of this email format? Your essential communications — to staff, clients and other stakeholders — can have the same style. Axios HQ, a powerful platform, will help you do it.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Advertise with us. Axios, PO Box 101060, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. To stop receiving this newsletter, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: