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Trump gets combative with Black journalists, cholesterol linked to dementia, and Giuliani's bankruptcy deal

 
Today's politics story

Trump questions Harris' race, clashes with journalists 

What happened
Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday sat down for a raucous and frequently hostile town hall interview with Fox News' Harris Faulkner, Semafor's Kadia Goba and ABC's Rachel Scott during this year's National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention.

Who said what
Kamala Harris "happened to turn Black," Trump said, after being asked whether the vice president was a "DEI hire." "She was Indian all the way, and all of a sudden she made a turn and became a Black woman." The Republican presidential nominee also complained about his "very rude introduction" at the event and insisted he would "absolutely" pardon Jan. 6 rioters who had assaulted police officers during the Capitol insurrection. 

Trump's presence at the conference "sparked widespread backlash" from some attendees, USA Today said. His interview was "met with some boos, groans and heckling." 

The former president was "clearly irritated by the tough questioning by some of the journalists," The New York Times said. The interview was billed as an "hourlong question-and-answer session," but began an hour late and ended "after less than 45 minutes," CNBC said. One of the panelists suggested that the Trump campaign was "calling time on the event."

What next?
Footage of Trump's defense of the Jan. 6 rioters is something we will likely see in "future advertising" against his campaign, The Times said. The NABJ is reportedly working to schedule a session with Vice President Harris sometime in the coming month. 

 
 
Today's health story

Study links high cholesterol to dementia

What happened
Some dementia cases could be prevented if people took action to lower their cholesterol, a study has revealed.

The research, led by University College London, identified two new factors that contribute to dementia: high cholesterol and untreated sight loss in old age. These were added to a list of 12 previously known risk factors including depression, smoking and loneliness.

Who said what
The study demonstrated a causal link between addressing the "modifiable" risk factors and reducing the likelihood of developing dementia by up to 45%, said Geir Selbæk, a member of the Lancet Commission on dementia prevention and research director at the Norwegian National Centre for Ageing and Health.

The authors said their findings showed that dementia does not just "hit people in a random way." Rather, people can help to determine their own fate.

What next?
As well as encouraging people to "give yourself a chance" to prevent dementia by exercising every day, the study's lead author Professor Gill Livingston also called for improved public health policies such as smoking bans and restrictions on junk food.

 
 
Today's legal Story

Giuliani to pay $400k to end bankruptcy case 

What happened
Donald Trump ally Rudy Giuliani on Wednesday agreed to pay approximately $400,000 to a financial adviser hired by his creditors, including former Georgia election workers who won nearly $150 million in a defamation suit against the former New York City mayor late last year. The payment for the adviser's administrative fees is "tied to" Giuliani's bankruptcy case and paves the "way for its dismissal," The Washington Post said.

Who said what
The "last-minute deal" means Giuliani will avoid a "potential deep dive" into his personal finances, The Associated Press said. It also means Giuliani may "avoid having to testify under oath" about his financial situation, the Post said. 

What next?
Giuliani will "initially have to pay $100,000 into an escrow account," Law & Crime said. The remainder of the fees, estimated in total to be around $400,000, will be paid through the sale of either his New York City apartment or Palm Beach, Florida, condo. 

 
 

It's not all bad

The Reusable Cup Project initiative aims to reduce disposable cup waste, with organizers hoping the program can be replicated in cities around the world. Set to launch on Aug. 5 in Petaluma, California, the project will offer any resident a durable plastic cup for continued use at one of 30 designated locations. The cups can later be dropped off at bins to be cleaned and put back into circulation.

 
 
Under the radar

War-torn South Sudan's basketball stars

When South Sudan's basketball team qualified for the Paris Olympics, it "instilled renewed hope and confidence in the people of Africa's youngest country," said Semafor. The nation's history is "defined by conflict" and one of the longest civil wars on record, said BBC Sport Africa. 

But South Sudan is "forging a new identity through basketball." The world's youngest sovereign state now exports "world-class players" to the NBA. At the FIBA men's World Cup last year, South Sudan, nicknamed the Bright Stars, became the top-ranking African team, earning it a spot at this year's Olympics. Last weekend, in a warmup match in London, the team came "within seconds" of a historic win against Team USA. "The entire country came to a halt," said Semafor's Akol Nyok Akol Dok from the capital Juba. "One night in London, South Sudan was one point away from slaying the American basketball dragon." 

A "late bucket" from LeBron James cost South Sudan the match, losing 101-100, and on Wednesday, South Sudan lost 103-86 to the U.S. But the players "won the hearts of the South Sudanese people and many people around the world." 

The South Sudan team is "amazing," said Team USA coach Steve Kerr. "You think about what that team has had to overcome to qualify for the Olympics — the violence, the strife in their country, all the obstacles. It's an incredible story." 

"This moment gives us the feeling that we have finally arrived on the global stage," said Dok. Although most "cannot locate South Sudan on a map," they won't forget the Bright Stars.

 
 
On this day

August 1, 1980

Vigdís Finnbogadóttir took office as the fourth president of Iceland. Finnbogadóttir is the first woman in the world to be democratically elected as president. While the Icelandic presidency is mostly ceremonial, her victory paved the way for other women to become heads of state. Finnbogadóttir served as president until 1996. 

 
 
TODAY'S newspaperS

The killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has added to the "turmoil" in the Middle East, says The Washington Post. It may have even "struck a death knell for US hopes" of a ceasefire. USA Today says the assassination has drawn "reprisal pledges" from the militant group, while Israel "remains silent" but "stands firm." The Detroit Free Press noted that Donald Trump has taken "swipes" at Vice President Kamala Harris' "racial identity". The New York Post focuses on an "Atrocity of Justice" as the "9/11 mastermind" Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is "spared the death penalty."

► See the newspaper front pages

 
 
Tall tale

Dive bar

Divers exploring the Swedish coast recently stumbled upon a 19th-century shipwreck filled to the brim with bottles of Champagne. The grape varietal was "most likely" headed to the Russian tsar, diver Marek Cacaj told Reuters. According to Cacaj, Swedish authorities have to grant permission for the divers to take any of the loot, and if possible they will send a bottle to the manufacturer to see how much the bubbly is now worth and if it is drinkable. 

 
 

Morning Report was written and edited by Nadia Croes, Catherine Garcia, Justin Klawans, Harriet Marsden, Arion McNicoll, Summer Meza, Chas Newkey-Burden and Rafi Schwartz, with illustrations by Julia Wytrazek.

Image credits, from top: Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images; Ibodvar / Getty Images; Brandon Bell / Getty Images; Illustration by Julia Wytrazek / Getty Images