Globe Trot 09.05

At tonight's Democratic National Convention, foreign policy and national security are unlikely to feature, given the lineup: former President Bill Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, Sandra Fluke, and Elizabeth Warren, among others. But there's a lot of buzz about the Democratic platform, released Monday night and approved yesterday. Added: endorsement of gay "marriage" for the first time and a call for safe and legal abortions regardless of ability to pay. Subtracted: support for Israel. In 2008, Democrats and Barack Obama in the party platform committed "to isolate Hamas until it renounces terrorism, recognizes Israel's right to exist, and abides by past agreements." That language is gone in the 2012 platform. If that's not enough, the spin and blame game from the DNC and White House is forcing the hand of pro-Israel groups; even the Israel ambassador spoke out against DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is far from Charlotte, N.C., but doing little better on Obama administration conduct of foreign policy. The "strategic pivot to Asia," and likely Clinton's last trip as secretary of state, yielded no reported progress in Beijing on territorial disputes, Iran, or Syria. And today Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping unexpectedly pulled out of a planned meeting with Clinton.

Regional tensions over the South China Sea are having an effect on already struggling U.S. exports.

Rimsha Masih, the 14-year-old Pakistani girl accused of blasphemy, may be released on bail this week. But she and her family likely will not be allowed to return to their Rawalpindi home.

Kenya's radical Islamic cleric Abubaker Ahmed has been arrested and charged with inciting riots that began after the shooting death of Muslim cleric Aboud Rogo Mohammed last month.

The funeral for Sun Myung Moon, the founder of the Unification Church, is set for Sept. 15 in South Korea. Here's a statement from Joshua Cotter, vice president of the Unification Church USA.

A powerful earthquake of 7.9-magnitude has struck Costa Rica this morning. A tsunami watch is in effect, but no reliable reports of injuries or damages are in.