While doing my laundry and recovering from a Saturday night I watched CNN for an hour and a half this morning, trying to find out how Obama’s time in London went. Besides talking about handshakes and iPods I can’t really remember anything else. But, there was more to his trip than banalities. I ended up going to the internet for some info. The New Republic had the best wrap-up.

“Doggone it, I’m still in this Senate Race” — the Minnesota Coleman/Franken recount is STILL undecided. Franken’s up by 225 votes; the whole lot of it is about to crash on Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s desk. Less intuitive implications of this could have lasting effects on Pawlenty’s potential gubernatorial reelection chances, if he decides to run in 2010.

BREAKING. Michelle Obama causes a media storm by touching the Queen. Semi-relatedly, OMG I can’t believe she looks that good in J. Crew. Awesome. Thanks, global media. Now, let’s please fix our international crisis.

Wonkish but good: nice blog commentary from the development field on the possible pros and cons of World Bank President Robert Zoellick’s call to the G20 conference for a global Vulnerability Fund, wherein wealthy nations place 0.7% of any stimulus package into what is essentially a social safety net for impoverished nations. Nick Kristof mentions it in his excellent NYTimes column today, too.

And finally, a really uplifting blip about education policy in Uganda. Hat tip to development guru/Yale professor Chris Blattman for continuously good coverage of the economic development scene.

OBAMA IS IN TALKS WITH RUSSIA. SOUND MATT DRUDGE.

…actually that’s not an April Fools’ joke. Sometimes I just can’t resist screenshot-ing the Drudge Report. The theme of the day is “civility,” folks. Anyway, Russian President Medvedev has invited Obama to the country to discuss offensive and defensive arms; Obama accepted the invitation. Politico dropped the story a little before 11:00 today; read the statement here.

G20 update — Obama and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown held a conference this morning (our time) outlining goals of upping regulation in global markets. Obama stated that he was in London not to lecture, but to listen. Because I feel sorry for Time Magazine because The Onion rags on them so much, I’ll plug their link to the story… Read it over here.

I can’t bring myself to end on an ugly note so this one’s next: BLS dropped more private sector numbers today and it’s not good. 742,000 jobs lost in March. Manufacturing and constructing fell as well. Details here.

Less depressing — Seymour Hersh is back! Hersh’s new investigative piece running in this week’s New Yorker, “Syria Calling,” discusses the prospect of a new Middle East peace deal under an Obama administration. Teaser: It’s more optimistic than you might think. Read the piece here.