What's Happening

Politics

Congressional Democrats Are Still Divided on Biden

What's going on: Yesterday, House and Senate Democrats held separate closed-door meetings to talk about their party’s support for President Biden. The meetings, taking place nearly two weeks after Biden’s debate flop, ended with lawmakers remaining divided on how to move forward. When asked if the party’s on the same page, Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) put it simply: It’s “not even in the same book.” While some Democrats like Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) have backed off their calls for Biden to step down, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) became the seventh House Democrat to urge the president to drop out. Meanwhile, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) said he doesn’t think the president can beat former President Trump.

What it means: Many Democrats have shown that they’re not willing to push Biden to withdraw from the presidential race, despite concerns about his ability to win the election and that he could cost them control of the House and Senate. Meanwhile, some lawmakers told The New York Times that they’re hoping another misstep could convince Biden to leave the race. It makes the president’s hosting gig at this week’s NATO summit all the more important, with many looking to see how Biden performs. But even as some call on him to step aside, the president has publicly received support from key groups, like the Congressional Black Caucus and Hispanic Caucus.

Related: Here’s the Shortlist for VP Kamala Harris’ Own VP If She Runs (Newsweek)

International

Barcelona Residents Really Want Tourists To Go Home

What's going on: Thousands of Barcelona residents patrolled the streets last weekend with water guns in hand. Their target? Tourists. As part of a city-wide protest, locals sprayed ice cream-eating vacationers with water and yelled at them to book a one-way ticket home. The protest comes as mass tourism has pushed the cost of living up in Barcelona, with rent increasing by about 70% over the past decade. Some residents are fed up, saying it’s making their city unlivable and demanding that the local government restrict traveler accommodations and limit the number of cruises at the city’s port.

What it means: As for whether or not you should include Barcelona in your 2024 Euro summer plans, that’s up to you. Though, maybe consider bringing a rain jacket to combat the water guns. Despite Barcelona residents’ attitudes toward visitors, tourism is an important part of the city’s local economy and accounted for about 15% of Barcelona’s GDP in 2023. That’s $13.8 billion. However, many locals have said none of that money makes its way back to them. Barcelona isn’t alone either. A growing number of cities and countries are frustrated with tourists and have taken matters into their own hands. Japan, Indonesia, and the Canary Islands have put measures in place to curb the influx of tourists over the past year.

Related: This European City Is Trying Something Different and Wants To Reward Good Tourists (CNN)

Business

Would You Like a Nonalcoholic Beer With That?

What's going on: Athletic Brewing Company, America’s biggest nonalcoholic beer brand, just announced it secured an additional $50 million in funding, pushing the company’s valuation to $800 million, according to The Wall Street Journal. The company says it plans to use this new cash to ramp up production and get its beer into more stores worldwide in order to keep up with the growing demand. Since launching in 2018, Athletic has outpaced competitors like Heineken and Budweiser to claim the No. 1 spot in nonalcoholic beer sales in US grocery stores, according to NielsenIQ data analysis. The company’s success is driven in part by health and wellness trends that have made booze-free drinks worthy of being cracked open.

What it means: More Americans are looking out for their livers. Over 40% of Americans say they’re trying to cut back on alcohol in 2024, according to data from NCSolutions. That number goes up to 49% for millennials and 61% for Gen Z, according to the data. Around the world, nonalcoholic drink consumption is expected to go up by a third by 2026, according to International Wine and Spirit Research. Household favorites like Heineken, Corona, Budweiser, and Guinness have hopped on the non-boozy beer bandwagon too. Bars have also taken note of this shift in consumers' tastes, with New York City having the most sober bars in the US. Cheers to that.

Related: The Top 12 Nonalcoholic Beers To Try at Your Next Cookout (USA Today)