Donald Trump’s comments about Kamala Harris’ race were met with swift backlash. Katie Ledecky swims to another gold medal and Olympic history. And why a pair of NASA astronauts who were supposed to be in space for about a week are still there more than 50 days later.
Here’s what to know today.
Harris calls Trump’s comments about her race ‘the same old show’
Vice President Kamala Harris blasted Donald Trump‘s comments about her race after the former president falsely accused her of deciding to “turn Black” only recently for political gain.
“It was the same old show — the divisiveness and the disrespect,” Harris said last night at an event in Houston for the historically Black sorority Sigma Gamma Rho.
Trump’s comments were made earlier yesterday at a conference of the National Association of Black Journalists during a heated question-and-answer session. ABC News’ Rachel Scott, one of the three moderators on the panel, asked about an increasing number of Republicans saying Harris is a “DEI hire.”
Trump responded by claiming that he did not know until a few years ago that Harris was Black.
“I’ve known her a long time, indirectly,” Trump said. “And she was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I did not know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black.”
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Harris, who is Indian American and Black, attended Howard University, a historically Black college.
A source familiar with the conversations between the NABJ leadership and the Trump campaign said there was conflict about an effort to fact-check Trump in real-time.
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Paris 2024: Ledecky continues to dominate 1,500-meter freestyle; U.S. women’s soccer notches another win
It was another day of triumphs in Paris, with U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky setting an Olympic record in the women’s 1,500-meter freestyle and snagging her eighth career gold medal and 12th medal overall. Ledecky has never lost in the 1,500 in her career and has set the world record a whopping six times. (Yesterday’s record-shattering time was 15:30.02.)
Ledecky is now tied with Jenny Thompson, Dara Torres and Natalie Coughlin for the most Olympic medals ever by an American female swimmer.
On the men’s side, Léon Marchand of France won a historic double gold in the 200-meter butterfly and the 200-meter breaststroke, making him the first person to win two swimming golds on the same day since 1976. During the butterfly showdown, he made a thrilling comeback in the final quarter of the race, beating record holder Kristóf Milák by a shocking 1.26 seconds.
The U.S. women’s soccer team beat Australia 2-1 in the group stage of competition. The team is undefeated so far this Games, an indication that the squad is finding its way back after losing its dominant footing in recent years.
Also, the U.S. men’s basketball team cruised to a 103-86 win against South Sudan, while U.S. gymnasts Frederick Richard and Paul Juda failed to medal in the men’s individual all-around competition. Here’s the full recap of Day 5 of the Paris Games.
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Israel confirms Hamas’ military leader killed as death of group’s political leader in Iran raises prospect of a regional war
The killing of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh yesterday prompted vows of vengeance from Iran and Hamas, deepening fears of an all-out war in the Middle East and dimming hopes for a cease-fire deal that could help wind down the war in Gaza. And this morning, Israel confirmed the death of Mohammed Deif, the leader of Hamas’ military wing, in a July 13 strike.
Deif is believed to have been one of the masterminds of Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attack on southern Israel, which triggered the war in Gaza, now in its 300th day.
While tensions between Iran and Israel have been simmering for decades, they’ve intensified this year with a slew of deadly international attacks, including another this week in Lebanon resulting in the death of Iranian-backed Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr. Shukr had been blamed for a rocket attack over the weekend that killed 12 children in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
After Haniyeh’s death, Hamas said Israel has taken “the battle to new dimensions.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would respond forcefully to any attack on it.
Experts fear Haniyeh’s assassination will be a serious blow to efforts to free hostages captured in Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7 and earlier. “You don’t just kill top leadership of your opponent while engaging in peace negotiations with them,” one said. Read the full story here.
Accused 9/11 mastermind and 2 accomplices agree to plead guilty
Three men accused of plotting the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, including alleged mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, are scheduled to appear at a hearing next week in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, after reaching plea agreements in the military commissions process, officials said.
The details of the plea agreement are unclear, but Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin ‘Attash and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi are all expected to plead guilty to lesser charges that could spare them the death penalty. They are not likely to be sentenced for months.
A leader with Amnesty International USA called the agreement “welcome news” that should mark the “beginning of the end” for the military prison.
Gen X, millennials face higher risks of 17 types of cancer
New research found that younger generations have a heightened risk of being diagnosed with cancers such as colorectal, kidney and liver cancers. The study looked at trends in people born between 1920 and 1990, who were diagnosed between 2000 and 2019. Researchers found that Gen X and millennials are more likely to be diagnosed with 17 types of cancer, including nine that had seen decline in older adults.
While mortality rates in young people have remained relatively low and these diagnoses are still rare among younger generations, researchers say, “it’s clearly happening.” Medical experts have a few ideas about what may be behind the rise.
Politics in Brief
Key vote: The Democratic-led Senate will hold a vote on a bipartisan bill to expand the child tax credit and provide some tax breaks for businesses amid criticism of Sen. JD Vance’s comments about “childless cat ladies.”
Presidential immunity: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced a bill, dubbed the “No Kings Act,” that would ensure presidents do not have criminal immunity.
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Staff Pick: A few days in space extends to 57 and counting
Two NASA astronauts planned to spend about a week at the International Space Station on the first crewed test flight of Boeing’s Starliner capsule. More than 50 days later, the duo is still there, hobbled by helium leaks and malfunctioning thrusters on their spacecraft. Engineers at NASA and Boeing have spent weeks trying to troubleshoot the issues but the astronauts still don’t have a return date set. What’s next for the mission? — Denise Chow, science reporter
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