Obama openly embraces continent of ancestors
ACCRA, Ghana (AP) - America's president and Africa's son, Barack Obama dashed with pride onto the continent of his ancestors Saturday, challenging its people to shed corruption and conflict in favor of peace. Campaigning to all of Africa, he said "Yes you can."
"I say this knowing full well the tragic past that has sometimes haunted this part of the world," Obama told a riveted Ghanaian Parliament. "I have the blood of Africa within me."
In the faces of those who lined the streets and in many of Obama's own words, this trip was personal. Beyond his message, the story was his presence - the first black U.S. president coming to poor, proud, predominantly black sub-Sahara Africa for his first time in office.
Calif. lawmakers, governor resume talks
SACRAMENTO (AP) - Against a backdrop of IOUs and expanding government furloughs, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders expressed optimism Saturday that they were moving toward a compromise that could end California's fiscal calamity.
Negotiations to close the state's $26.3 billion deficit restarted after two weeks of inaction and partisan bickering. Top lawmakers from both parties said a budget-balancing deal was possible in the coming week.
"I would say we're getting very close to a general framework, but there are still outlying questions," said Assembly Minority Leader Sam Blakeslee, a San Luis Obispo Republican, after emerging from a closed-door meeting between lawmakers and Schwarzenegger.
They negotiated about 2 1⁄2 hours Saturday before ending talks for the day. They were expected to return to the Capitol today.
Bombings kill 8 in Baghdad
BAGHDAD (AP) - A car bomb exploded in an alley Saturday in a village in northern Iraq, killing at least four people, wounding others and destroying eight homes, police said. Another six people died in bombings in Baghdad.
Thirty-eight people were wounded and several shops and cars were also damaged in the 3 p.m. explosion in the northern village of Kugjeli, according to a police officer in Ninevah Province, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to journalists.
Most of the victims were inside their homes when the bomb exploded near the main street of the predominantly Shiite village, about three miles east of the city of Mosul.