Morning Brief: Hillary pleads for Democratic unity

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Speaking Tuesday before the Democratic National Convention and a political press ready to pounce on any signs of lingering rancor from the primary season, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton told delegates she was a “proud supporter of Barack Obama” and urged her followers to vote for him.

“Whether you voted for me, or voted for Barack, the time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose. You haven’t worked so hard over the last 18 months, or endured the last eight years, to suffer through more failed leadership,” Clinton said. “No way. No how. No McCain.”

Obama called the speech “excellent.” But Michael Tomasky looks at what Hillary didn’t say, and the McCain camp quickly noted that she never explicitly said that Barack Obama is ready to lead.

CNN reports that former President Bill Clinton, who speaks tonight, will not attend Obama’s speech Thursday.

Obama will speak “from an elaborate columned stage resembling a miniature Greek temple,” according to Reuters.

Global Economy

More people live in poverty than previously thought, the World Bank has found.

The Washington Post profiles the new generation of “hacktivists.”

Americas

One of Cuba’s most popular rock musicians has been arrested for “dangerousness.”

Western counterterrorism officials are growing concerned about Hezbollah’s activities in Venezuela.

Europe and the Caucasus

U.S. President George W. Bush said that Russia’s recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia merely “exacerbates tensions and complicates diplomatic negotiations.”

Europe’s retired population is projected to rise sharply.

Asia

Anwar Ibrahim has won a seat in the Malaysian parliament.

China’s economy is headed for a gradual slowdown, the Financial Times reports.

Carbon emissions from China’s power plants will soon surpass those of the United States. Map and data here.

North Korea’s threat to resume producing plutonium is technically feasible, analysts tell Reuters.

Political instability has sent Pakistan’s stock index to its lowest level in two years.

Middle East and Africa

Iraq’s president says the United States originally pressed to maintain U.S. troops in Iraq until 2015.

A day after opposition MPs heckled him in parliament, Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe announced he was forming a government on his own.

Darfur rebels hijacked a Sudanese plane and are still holding its crew hostage.

Today’s Agenda

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband is visiting Ukraine amid concerns that the former Soviet satellite could be a target of Russian “aggression.”

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev meets with Chinese President Hu Jintao today to seek support for Russia’s position in Georgia.

It’s the birthday of former U.S. President Lyndon Johnson, who would have been 100 years old today.

The American Legion is hosting the second day of its annual convention, with scheduled appearances from Dick Cheney, Jim Webb (10 a.m.), and Barack Obama (11 a.m.). John McCain spoke yesterday, criticizing Obama for what he said was poor judgment on foreign policy.