STEPHEN CROWLEY / New York Times News Service Michelle Obama addressed the Democratic National Convention last night to highlight the qualities of her husband, Sen. Barack Obama.

DENVER – After an emotional speech by an ailing Sen. Edward Kennedy, the face of the Democratic Party shifted last night to a new generation of leaders as Michelle Obama opened the Democratic National Convention with a tribute to her husband and a call to the country to listen “to our hopes instead of our fears” and “to stop doubting and to start dreaming.”

• Democratic National Convention
• Excerpts from yesterday's speeches
• Political torch passes, but not without tension

In an unusual move, the California Public Utilities Commission has agreed to reconsider its four-month-old decision to create a 442 area code for North County. The commission said late Friday it will reopen the administrative hearing process that culminated in its April 24 decision to split San Diego's northern tier from the 760 area code.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Pakistan's fledgling civilian government collapsed yesterday as the leaders of the main two coalition parties turned on each other a week after forcing the resignation of President Pervez Musharraf.

SACRAMENTO – The state is preparing to launch a fishing expedition, but it's not angling for tuna, squid or flounder. In this case, the catch is tons of fishing equipment lost or discarded in the ocean every season, posing serious danger to marine life.