Monday morning news: August 19, 2024

DNC preview » Democrats have gathered in Chicago, ready to nominate Vice President Kamala Harris for president again, this time with a little more pizzazz. That as the Democratic national convention kicks off today.

Security will, of course, be tight as Democratic leaders and delegates convene. Chicago Mayor Brandon John:

JOHN:  Our local police department has worked with the Secret Service as well as other local agencies to ensure a safe, peaceful, yet vibrant, exciting convention.

It’s been nearly two weeks since Vice President Kamala Harris officially won the Democratic nomination in an online vote. That means tonight’s vote will be ceremonial.

The party’s biggest names will take the stage this week. But senior Trump campaign advisor Jason Miller says he’s not impressed.

MILLER:  All the big names that they're rolling out are from yesteryear. I mean, they're rolling out Bill Clinton, Crooked Hillary, President Obama. And of course, nothing says future like the current president, Joe Biden.

Campaigning » Vice President Harris rallied supporters in Pennsylvania over the weekend.

HARRIS: Our country  is going to be as strong as our willingness to fight for it — and to fight for what we stand for.

She also gave a pep talk to campaign volunteers in the critical swing state, as did her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz:

WALZ: Each of these volunteers and the people who belong, they all said it. They said it is so much better to be for something rather than against something. To be for the future, not going back.

Harris has enjoyed a surge in recent presidential polls. An average of the latest polls shows Harris with a slight edge of Trump nationally. And she now leads in the battleground states of Michigan and Wisconsin and has almost entirely erased Trump’s edge in Arizona and Pennsylvania, which are now dead-heats.

Mideast cease-fire » Secretary of State Tony Blinken is back in the Middle East today. He’ll use his ninth diplomatic mission there since the start of the Israel-Hamas war to renew his push for a cease-fire agreement.

Secretary Blinken will meet with top Israeli officials today before traveling to Egypt tomorrow. He’ll take part in what mediators have billed as a last push to reach a deal. Those talks will happen in Cairo later this week.

NETANYAHU: [Speaking in Hebrew]

But a temporary truce remains elusive. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday blasted Hamas for seeking more changes to the latest cease-fire proposal.

NETANYAHU: [Speaking in Hebrew]

The prime minister said, “We still stand by the same principles Israel has laid out previously which the U.S. government supports.” He added that it is Hamas that has been obstinate in the process, and he called on world leaders to put pressure on the terror group to accept the latest offer.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham weighed in on Sunday, saying even if we do achieve a cease-fire …

GRAHAM:  I'll say this until I can't say it anymore. What is the day after like if we get a cease-fire and we don't have the Arabs come in and take over the Palestinian file? We will be right back at it again.

Graham insisted that normalized relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia is the key to peace in the region.

Former Russian prisoner speak out » One of the Americans prisoners freed from a Russian prison as part of a massive recent prisoner swap is speaking out.

Vladimir Kara-Murza is a writer and journalist.

MURZA:  You know, events like this, events like this exchange that happened on August the 1st on the runway of Ankara International Airport, this was the largest east-west prisoner swap since the days of the Cold War, events like this really prove wrong, you know, those skeptics and those cynics.

Some critics aid the exchange could incentivize Russia and other authoritarian regimes to hold more Americans as political hostages.

The Russian government in 2022 sentenced Kara-Murza to 25 years in prison for criticizing the Kremlin. He was charged with treason and spreading “false information.”

Ernesto storm » Tropical Storm Ernesto churned away from Bermuda and headed further out in the Atlantic on Sunday.

Lyndon Raynor with Bermuda's disaster preparedness team said the island territory is breathing a sigh of relief.

RAYNOR: We have survived Hurricane Ernesto, and so now all efforts are being made to have the island return to some form of normalcy as soon as possible.

Ernesto has been sending powerful swells toward the U.S. East Coast. Officials said strong rip currents are to blame for one death while officials have rescued many more.

SOUND: [Protests]

Venezuelan protests » Pro-democracy demonstrators waving Venezuelan flags took to the streets in Venezuela's capital of Caracas and around the world over the weekend.

SOUND: [Protests]

The protesters responded to a call from the country’s political opposition after disputed President Nicolas Maduro’s highly questionable claim that he won another term in office in a recent election.

Protesters gathered in Caracas, Tokyo, Sydney, Miami, and several other cities. Demonstrations across the world said they wanted to express support for Venezuelans who are fearful of speaking against Maduro from within their home country for fear of brutal crackdowns on protesters.

I’m Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: On Legal Docket, living out the love of Jesus as a defense attorney. Plus, the Monday Moneybeat.

This is The World and Everything in it.

WORLD Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of WORLD Radio programming is the audio record.