I wish this were a surprise-- but it unfortunately was only a matter of time:

Bombs rock American and Israeli embassies in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Well, the whole Democratic convention has been and will be analyzed and hyped so there isn't much original I would add.

The only thing I can say is that I am extremely glad to see them reaching across party lines to formulate "American" policy instead of "Democratic" policy. I know it's only talk until it is lived up to but it puts a lot of momentum towards turning the corner from the 50-50 stalemate we've been stuck in.

We'll see.

Just when you thought North Africa didn't need any more problems, with grinding poverty, Islamic extremism and the crisis in Darfur....

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has launched an urgent appeal for $83 million to curb a deadly locust plague ravaging north and western African crops. Government ministers from Algeria, Chad, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Senegal and Tunisia met in Algeria this week to discuss efforts in their countries to deal with the problem before drafting a plan at regional level.

News clip from today's Global Development Briefing by the Development Executive Group

 
Unfortunately, my blog is one of the first things that has to go when I get busy but here's something to show that I'm still around....  

US Cuts Off Aid to Uzbekistan