Comment on China Plans to Send San Diego Zoo More Pandas This Year, Reigniting Its Panda Diplomacy

TIME’s senior sports correspondent Sean Gregory tries his hand at several Olympic sports while learning from Olympians.

The opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics is set for Friday, July 26. Instead of a traditional march into a stadium, about 6,800 athletes will parade on more than 90 boats on the Seine River for 6 kilometers (3.7 miles). This will start the ceremony, not mark the end of it, another break from tradition. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] What time does the opening ceremony start? The ceremony starts at 1:30 p.m.

France’s famed capital city, Paris, will be home to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games held from July 26 to Aug. 11. It will then host the Paralympic Games from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8. Known for its iconic sites such as the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame Cathedral, the city has captured the hearts of countless writers, artists, and musicians over the years.

PARIS — Outgoing French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said that sabotage and arson that hit key parts of France’s high speed rail network on the eve of the Olympics had “a clear objective: blocking the high speed train network.” [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] He said the vandals strategically targeted the main routes from the north, east and west toward Paris, hours before the city hosts the Olympics opening ceremony. Speaking to reporters Attal said there will be “massive consequences,” with “hundreds of thousands” of people stuck while trying to visit Paris for the Games or vacations. PARIS (AP) — France’s high-speed rail network was hit Friday with widespread and “criminal” acts of vandalism including arson attacks, paralyzing travel to Paris from across the rest of France and Europe only hours before the grand opening ceremony of the Olympics. French officials condemned the attacks as “criminal actions,” though they said there was no sign of a direct link to the Games, and prosecutors in Paris opened a national investigation saying the crimes could carry sentences of 15 to 20 years. As Paris authorities geared up for a spectacular parade on and along the Seine River, three fires were reported near the tracks on the high-speed lines of Atlantique, Nord and Est, causing disruptions that affected hundreds of thousands of travelers. Among them were two German athletes in showjumping who were on a train to Paris to take part in the opening ceremony but had to turn back in Belgium because of the closures, and will now miss the ceremony, German news agency dpa reported. “There was no longer a chance of making it on time,” rider Philipp Weishaupt, who was traveling with teammate Christian Kukuk, told dpa. French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal wrote on the social media platform X that France’s intelligence services have been mobilized to find the perpetrators. Attal characterized them as “acts of sabotage,” which were “prepared and coordinated.” There were no known reports of injuries. Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete described people fleeing from the scene of fires and the discovery of incendiary devices.

When Joe Biden announced his decision to end his reelection bid amid mounting concerns about his ability to beat Donald Trump, many Democrats were relieved. The prospect of Trump defeating Democrats in November, which for a time felt like a foregone conclusion, no longer seemed so certain. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Arab Americans, many (though not all) of whom have historically aligned themselves with the Democratic Party, were relieved for another reason.

Saddle up: there’s a new shelter in town. The luxury boutique hotel Bowie House, one of the latest additions to the Auberge Resorts Collection, pays homage to its local roots with Texas-sized charm. Back in the day, when cattle thundered through Fort Worth, the city earned its nickname “Cowtown.” Now, it’s a culture town.