Ghana

President Obama's conversation with Africa is unlike any dialogue in history between that continent and the U.S. government for one reason: It is being led by a black American president with African roots. And Obama, who often cites his father's homeland of Kenya, clearly sees his background as an advantage in pursuing new policies.

After crossing Africa from west to east and back, the central issues that followed President Bush on his tour all came together Wednesday in the white stucco Osu Castle here on the Atlantic shoreline. With gusto, the president declared "that's baloney" to the notion that the United States was preparing to establish military bases in Africa. "Or, as we say in Texas, that's bull," Bush said at a news conference with Ghanaian President John Kufuor.

Sudan lost its bid to assume the rotating leadership of the African Union to Ghana after regional leaders snubbed Khartoum for a second time because of international outrage over bloodshed in the Darfur region. Alpha Oumar Konare, the African Union's top diplomat, told reporters that Ghanaian President John Kufuor would take the chairman post.

The son of U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has announced that he intends to pay Ghana's government $14,301 in import duties on a Mercedes SUV that he had avoided paying by misusing his father's name. Kojo Annan had obtained diplomatic discounts and tax exemptions on the luxury vehicle when he bought it in his father's name seven years ago. He does not intend to reimburse a German Mercedes dealership that gave him a $6,541 diplomatic discount, his lawyer said this week.

If you think playing for national pride adds drama to the World Cup, check out the team playing for an entire continent. In this World Cup, Ghana surprisingly has stepped into the role of African standard-bearer. The Ghanaians pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament in beating the Czech Republic, and now a victory over the United States today in the final game of group play would send them into the next round. "It means a lot," Ghana captain Stephen Appiah said.

Bruce Arena, coach of the U.S. national soccer team for eight years, was visibly disappointed by Thursday's 2-1 loss to Ghana that eliminated the U.S. from the 2006 World Cup after only three games. Afterward, he was not sure he wanted to retain the position. "If you ask me right now, probably not," he said, when asked if he would want to go through this again. He later elaborated. "First of all, it's not my decision," Arena said. "Secondly, I don't know how I feel with the whole thing.

The White House's choice of Ghana as President Obama's only port of call in sub-Saharan Africa this week has triggered envy across the continent. The visit, his first to sub- Saharan Africa since becoming president, is also being interpreted as a snub to those African governments with records of corruption, poor administration and tainted elections. "It makes sense that Obama would want to go to Ghana.

So the United States is knocked out of the World Cup by Ghana, a country with a gross national product half that of Arkansas. Soccer's just not our sport, OK? But look out, world, when you come up against us in true American games, like basketball or baseball. Or maybe not. DAVID RESKIN \o7Los Angeles \f7 The United States loses to Ghana, thus continuing our embarrassing legacy in World Cup play. But their loss is our gain. Now soccer fans can go back in the closet for another four years.

Re "The good old days of colonialism," Current, March 11 Niall Ferguson ignores two basic factors underlying that situation. First, the individuals who emerged to lead post-colonial Ghana were ineluctably those who could most successfully tap into the resentment bred by generations of colonial repression. The fault lies with the colonizing power, in this case Britain, for not creating an environment in which responsible, capable leaders could emerge. Second, how much effort did Britain put into undoing the colonial dependency it had imposed on generations of Ghanaian (then Gold Coast)

Officials began counting ballots in presidential and parliamentary elections in Ghana. In courtyards throughout the capital, election officials put tape around plywood tables and began sorting ballots. Onlookers whooped as the stack for their choice grew taller.