5 things you need to know Friday
Boxing legend Muhammad Ali to be laid to rest
Goodbye to "The Greatest." Memorial services for heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali conclude in his hometown of Louisville on Friday, following a festival and Muslim prayer service earlier this week. Ali insisted that his funeral be accessible to his fans, and thousands of free tickets were handed out in just over an hour Wednesday. A funeral procession through the streets of Louisville at 9 a.m. ET will be followed by a public memorial service at the KFC Yum! Center. Bill Clinton, comedian Billy Crystal and sportscaster Bryant Gumbel will eulogize the boxing legend.
Europe’s biggest soccer showpiece begins on high alert
Tension will be high as soccer's European Championship – known simply as Euro 2016 – kicks off Friday in host nation France. Coming seven months after the terror attacks in Paris that killed 130 people, many have questioned France's readiness for the month-long tournament, which spans 10 French cities. On Monday, Ukraine said it had arrested a French national for allegedly plotting terror attacks at Euro 2016. Security concerns aside, the 24-team tournament features superstars such as Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Germany’s Thomas Müller, all of them eager to grab Europe’s biggest prize. France faces Romania in the opening match (3 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
Malia Obama becomes a high school graduate
It seems just like yesterday she was a precocious 10-year-old moving into the White House. Since then, we've seen Malia shed her braces, learn to drive and tour colleges. Malia Obama will attend her high school graduation Friday, and get ready to leave the nest. Of course, we don't know what lies ahead for Malia during her "gap year" before she begins her studies at Harvard, but it will certainly be an emotional day for the president and first lady.
SeaWorld to open Orlando’s tallest, fastest, longest roller coaster
As amusement park season gets into full swing, SeaWorld’s new Mako roller coaster — Orlando’s tallest and fastest — opens to the public Friday. Paste BN got an early look at the coaster, which reaches heights of 200 feet and speeds of 75 mph, and we think it’s “2.5 minutes of pure exhilaration (or trepidation, depending on your thrill threshold).” It's the centerpiece of SeaWorld's new Shark Wreck Reef realm, which also features interactive educational zones about sharks and the environmental pressures they are facing.
Koch wants to save America from partisan politics
Charles Koch is tired of politics as we know it. The conservative billionaire's industrial conglomerate will launch a television and digital advertising campaign Friday calling for Americans of all political stripes to “end the divide.” He's also looking to broaden support for his free-market ideas and his corporate brand. The campaign follows his network's recent launch of a new arm, dubbed Stand Together, which lists attacking poverty and boosting educational quality as early goals.
And the essentials:
Weather: June heat will be on high in the central U.S. while the East stays cool and thunderstorms rumble across portions of the northern tier.
Stocks: U.S. stock futures were lower Friday.
TV Tonight: Wondering what to watch this weekend? TV critic Robert Bianco looks at O.J.: Made in America, The Tony Awards and House of Lies.
Be inspired: Janitor chases dream job as an opera singer.
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Contributing: The Associated Press