Obama Hosts Africa Summit With An Eye On Legacy

WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Barack Obama immerses himself in talks on Africa's regional security, democracy building and business investment this week, the world's attention — and much of his own — will be on an extraordinary array of urgent overseas crises.

Obama is gathering nearly 50 African heads of state in Washington for an unprecedented summit aimed in part at building his legacy on a continent where his commitment has been questioned.

But recent world event emphasize how hard it is for the president to focus attention on areas that he chooses to promote. Among the world events competing for his attention: clashes in Gaza, Russia's provocations in Ukraine, mounting extremism in Iraq and an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in West Africa.