5 things you need to know Friday
Olympics to name a team of refugees from different countries
For the first time, one of the teams competing in the Olympic Games will be made up of refugees who hail from different countries they no longer call home. The International Olympic Committee is expected to name members of the Refugee Olympic Team on Friday. The team will compete under the Olympic flag instead of any one country. Officials say they have identified 43 athletes who could potentially qualify; the final team will have only five to 10 members.
Ouch. Employers added just 38,000 jobs in May
The labor market slowed dramatically in May as employers added 38,000 jobs, raising concerns that a sluggish economy is taking a bigger toll on employment. The unemployment rate fell from 5% to 4.7%, lowest since November 2007 the Labor Department said Friday. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg expected 160,000 new jobs, with net gains reduced by 35,000 because of the now-settled Verizon strike. That total thus would be roughly equivalent to the 200,000-plus additions that have been a staple of the payroll recovery in recent years.
'Mona Lisa' is safe, but Louvre closes to protect other art from flooding
The Louvre museum in Paris said it will close Friday to remove artwork from rooms threatened by the rising Seine River. Severe flooding across Europe has left at least 10 people dead and forced thousands to evacuate. The art will be moved upstairs, and its most famous painting, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, will stay put on an upper floor, the Associated Press reported. The Orsay museum will also close Friday to prepare for potential flooding. The Seine rose 14 feet higher than normal, and areas along the Loing River, a tributary of the Seine, saw their highest water levels since floods in 1910 swamped the French capital.
USA's summer of soccer begins with Copa America Centenario opener
The biggest men's soccer showcase in the United States since the 1994 World Cup kicks off when the Americans take on Colombia on Friday night at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. The Copa America is South America's continental championship, but a special 100th anniversary tournament was scheduled for this year and includes six nations from North and Central America, and the Caribbean. Organizers see an opportunity to gain traction for soccer in the U.S., where the world's most popular sport isn't top of mind. Matches are spaced all across the country through June 26. These are the teams, players and early-round matches to watch.
Walmart looks to lure frugal foodies
Look out Whole Foods, here comes Walmart. The nation’s largest grocer is going upscale in a growing number of stores, packing the shelves with everything from organic produce to gourmet cheeses. They’re even adding a charcuterie section. These changes are planned for 3,465 supercenters and 633 smaller Neighborhood Markets. These Walmarts are the leading edge of what could become a high-stakes gamble for the giant retailer, which generates more than half of its domestic revenue from groceries but has watched those sales slip in recent years. As Walmart prepares to update employees and shareholders at its annual meeting Friday, the company is banking on the strategy to drive traffic.
Bonus: It's National Doughnut Day! Here are some great ways to celebrate — and here's where to find the freebies.
And the essentials:
Weather: Record heat will hit the Southwest and severe storms are headed for parts of the heartland. Oh, and more rain for Texas.
Stocks: Global stock markets rose Friday as investors awaited the U.S. jobs report and action from the Federal Reserve later this month.
TV Tonight: Wondering what to watch this weekend? TV critic Robert Bianco looks at the Carol Burnett special and Preacher.
Be inspired: Woman gives birth to best friend's baby boy.
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Contributing: The Associated Press