5 things to know for Aug. 22: DNC, Canadian rail shutdown, Gaza, US military, Modi

By CNN Newsource

Published August 22, 2024 4:46 AM

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

(CNN) — Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to suspend his campaign on Friday at an event in Arizona. Sources familiar with the plans told CNN that he is in talks to endorse former President Donald Trump shortly after.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

1. DNC

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz formally accepted the vice presidential nomination during his keynote address Wednesday at the Democratic National Convention. He introduced himself as a dad, a coach, a teacher, a hunter, and a neighbor as he outlined how Kamala Harris would lead the country if elected to become the 47th president. The third night of the convention also featured appearances by former President Bill Clinton, who made a forceful pitch for Harris, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who said the vice president “is ready to take us to new heights.” Oprah Winfrey framed the 2024 election as a fight for freedom and an opportunity to “choose joy.” Later today, Harris will close the convention in Chicago with a highly anticipated speech as she accepts her party’s historic presidential nomination.

2. Canadian rail shutdown

Canada’s two major freight railroads have shut their operations, locking out 9,000 members of the Teamsters union who operate the trains and dealing a potential blow to both the Canadian and US economies. Nearly a third of the freight handled by the two railroads — Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Southern — crosses the US-Canadian border, and the shutdown could disrupt operations in several US industries, including agriculture, autos, home building and energy. Today’s action is different from a strike, in which union members refuse to report for work. In this case, management is telling the nearly 9,000 Teamsters that they can’t work amid the ongoing labor disputes.

3. Gaza

Thousands of Palestinians in Gaza received new orders from the Israeli military to flee the embattled enclave. People were seen in videos leaving areas near the central Gazan city of Deir al-Balah. Some were in cars loaded with their belongings, including mattresses tethered to the top of their vehicles. The streets appear littered with leaflets dropped by Israeli forces reiterating the order to evacuate. Many residents now on the move have had to evacuate multiple times — leaving them in a constant state of displacement and fear. Nearly 84% of the enclave has been placed under evacuation orders since the start of the war, according to the UN.

4. US military

The US is boosting forces in the Middle East as the region braces for a potential Iranian attack, according to US Central Command. On Wednesday, the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group arrived in the region after it was ordered to accelerate its transit amid widespread concerns that Iran may retaliate against Israel for the assassination of a Hamas leader in Tehran. Separately, a US federal judge this week ruled that the US military cannot turn away enlistees who are HIV-positive. US District Judge Leonie Brinkema said the Pentagon’s ban on HIV-positive people seeking to enlist in the armed forces contributes “to the ongoing stigma surrounding HIV-positive individuals while actively hampering the military’s own recruitment goals.”

5. Modi

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Polish leaders today before his expected visit to Ukraine on Friday — a first in the country’s history. Modi’s tour comes weeks after he traveled to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a symbolic first bilateral visit of the Indian prime minister’s new term. Zelensky at the time described the meeting as a “huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts.” Modi has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Ukraine, without condemning Russia. India has also abstained from all UN resolutions calling for Russia’s withdrawal and condemning its actions.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Starbucks brings back Pumpkin Spice Latte earlier than ever
The wait is over — what a sweet re-leaf. Beginning today, Starbucks’ beloved “PSL” returns to US menus with other fall-themed drinks and snacks.

Pink to perform at DNC today
The global pop icon has been tapped for a closing night performance at the Democratic National Convention.

Tourists scaling the Great Wall of China can get food delivered by drone
Hungry tourists hiking on the Great Wall of China can now get their lunch delivered — from the air.

Grand Stade Hassan II: Design revealed for one of the world’s largest stadiums ahead of 2030 World Cup
The 115,000-capacity soccer stadium in Morocco will have a big role to play in the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

The Taliban says it wants people to visit Afghanistan. Here’s what it’s like
The conflict-ravaged country, not known as a vacation hot spot, has seen an increase in tourism since the Taliban returned to power in 2021 after the US withdrawal. Here’s what visitors should know.

TODAY’S NUMBER

5
That’s how many bodies have been found by divers inside the wreck of the “Bayesian” superyacht, which sunk off the coast of Sicily on Monday. Emergency crews are still searching for one missing passenger.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“I was so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives.”

— Taylor Swift, sharing her first public comment Wednesday on the thwarted terror attack in Vienna, Austria, that led to the cancellation of several Eras Tour shows earlier this month. Authorities have detained three teenagers suspected of plotting the attack on the concert venue, including a 19-year-old who they described as an ISIS sympathizer.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

Woman climbs over zoo fence to touch Bengal tiger
New Jersey police are looking to identify a woman who climbed over a wooden fence surrounding a tiger enclosure at the Cohanzick Zoo. See the moment she narrowly avoids getting bit.

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