Incident at Trump's Arlington National Cemetery and charges against Telegram CEO: Morning Rundown

Donald Trump's campaign team is downplaying reports of a confrontation at Arlington National Cemetery. Right-wing extremists are supporting Telegram boss Pavel Durov, who is facing charges. And a YouTuber whose technical reviews can determine the success or failure of a product is also one of the best Ultimate Frisbee players in the world.

This is what you should know today.

Trump campaign denies reports of confrontation at Arlington National Cemetery

Donald Trump's campaign is downplaying reports of an altercation during the former president's visit to Arlington National Cemetery, saying an “unnamed bureaucrat” is trying to “make a very solemn and respectful event into something it was not.” The statement, issued by senior adviser Chris LaCivita two days after the incident, shows how concerned the Trump campaign is about potential political fallout.

During his visit to the cemetery, Trump was accompanied by family members of the men and women killed during the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan at the Abbey Gate of Kabul airport, two people who were there said. The mother of a soldier killed in the 2021 withdrawal told NBC News she gave Trump permission to film and pose for photos. NPR later reported on a confrontation between Trump staffers and a cemetery official who tried to stop them from filming.

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Trump has long portrayed himself as an advocate for troops and veterans, but he also has a tendency to disparage them. This week's incident threatens to dilute recent attacks on his Democratic opponents.

You can read the whole story here.

More stories about the 2024 election:

• You'll probably see Harris's running mate Tim Walz more often this fall – in orange, with a rifle in his hand, pheasant hunting. It is part of the EveryDad image The Democrats hope that this election will attract white working-class and rural voters in November.
• JD Vance criticized Kamala Harris for the Biden administration’s handling of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, Harris said: “Can go to hell” in his sharpest rhetoric yet.
• The Trump campaign considers the support of RFK Jr. a great success and hopes that the politician they once considered “liberal” can help convince skeptics.

Biden and Xi will speak by phone “in the coming weeks”

US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping will speak by phone “in the coming weeks,” the White House said, part of efforts to improve relations between the two superpowers. The announcement came as national security adviser Jake Sullivan wrapped up two days of talks in Beijing with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The White House said the two sides had “candid, substantive and constructive” discussions on a range of bilateral, regional and global issues. Both sides said a phone call between their respective military theater commanders was also planned. Read more about the talks and recent tensions between the US and China.

Right-wing figures call for arrest and indictment of Telegram CEO

Pavel Durov, CEO and co-founder of Telegram, was charged in France for enabling various forms of crime on the messaging app. This is a rare case of the head of a major internet platform being prosecuted for allegedly failing to moderate user activity on the app. Telegram's avid users include a wide range of right-wing politicians, and the company has long expressed reluctance to moderate or monitor content that people send through the app.

In the days since Durov's arrest, some controversial figures who have built large followings on Telegram have jumped to his defense. American white nationalist Nick Fuentes, who is banned on most social media apps, said the arrest was “yet another egregious attack on free speech.” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has already been banned on other platforms, wrote on X: “Free speech is under attack around the world.” They are not the only ones who have spoken out.

More sleep on the weekend reduces the risk of heart disease, study says

Did you get enough sleep last night? While previous studies have shown that lack of sleep is linked to poor health, all is not lost for those who “make up” for lost hours over the weekend. In a new analysis, cardiovascular researchers found that people who slept the most over the weekend had a 19% lower risk of developing heart disease than those who slept the fewest extra hours over those two days.

The data from nearly 91,000 subjects over nearly 14 years doesn't necessarily prove that catching up on sleep directly leads to improved heart health, nor does a few extra hours of sleep undo the effects of a “sleep deficit” accumulated over the course of the week, experts say. But if your answer to the question at the beginning of this story was “no,” maybe this is your sign to hit the snooze button a few more times this weekend. You can read the whole story here.

Politics Compact

Debt relief for students: The Supreme Court refused to resuscitate the Biden administration's latest attempt to get the burden of federal student loan debt under control.

Assassination: The shooter who shot Donald Trump looked for information over the Republican and Democratic conventions before opening fire on Trump's rally in Pennsylvania last month, FBI officials said.

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Selection of personnel: This popular technology critic is also an elite ultimate frisbee player

When I started researching wireless headphones a few weeks ago, Marques Brownlee kept popping up. He's a YouTuber with nearly 20 million subscribers whose technical reviews make or break a product. He analyzed my options better than anyone I've come across. Wanting to learn more about his background, I dove deeper and learned that he's not just an Ultimate Frisbee player – He is one of the best in the world.

This week, Brownlee will compete for Team USA at the 2024 World Ultimate Championships in Australia. He talked to us about his role on the team, how he gets recognition while traveling, and his expectations of bringing home gold. — Greg RosensteinSports Editor

NBC Select: Online shopping, simplified

Do you know a student who is going back to school? Send him this list with 61 student discounts (and counting) from popular brands and retailers. And if they happen to be decorating a dorm room or apartment, these removable and DIY-friendly Peel and stick wallpapers and tiles can enhance any room.

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