Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony. François-Xavier Marit/Pool via REUTERS
Vandals in training: The gold medal for sabotaging a national rail network went to unknown parties who damaged signal substations and cables along lines connecting Paris with Lille, Bordeaux and Strasbourg. Points were removed after an attack on the Marseille line was foiled. There were 45,000 police and thousands of soldiers on hand for the opening ceremony, featuring a barge fleet carrying athletes down the Seine, and heavy rain drenched more than 300,000 spectators. Céline Dion returned to the stage with Édith Piaf’s classic “Hymne à l’amour.” See our live-coverage page and keep up with our easy-to-read schedule and list of who’s winning which medals.
Two visits: Benjamin Netanyahu traditionally has been more aligned with the Republicans, but the Israeli prime minister made room for Donald Trump as well as Kamala Harris given polling that shows a tight race between them. Trump called for a quick end to the war with Hamas and said Israel needed to manage its public relations better. Harris expressed concern about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza while saying Israel has a right to defend itself after the Oct. 7 attacks. Israeli officials criticized her for saying the war must end.
Two friends:Barack and Michelle Obama endorsed Harris five days after President Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid in the face of opposition from his own party. The endorsement could boost support for Harris’ campaign.
Hitting the fan: A manufacturing flaw led to a GE Vernova turbine blade failure at the Vineyard Wind project off the coast of Massachusetts, causing sharp debris to wash up on Nantucket island beaches. The project is shut down for now. Speaking of delays: General Motors put on indefinite hold a vehicle to be made without a steering wheel.
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