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Vote On President Is A Test For Germany's Merkel

Germany's federal assembly votes on a new president Wednesday. The position is a largely ceremonial post but it is turning into a serious political test for Chancellor Angela Merkel and her political coalition.

Vote On President Is A Test For Germany's Merkel

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Sports

World Cup: Arrivederci Italy, Au Revoir France

Italy, which won the World Cup four years ago, suffered a humiliating loss to Slovakia Thursday. Slovakia had been ranked 34th. The French team has returned home in disgrace. That team, which was the previous runner-up, was beset by infighting.

World Cup: Arrivederci Italy, Au Revoir France

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Strange News

Serial Rapper Ties Up Emergency Line In U.K.

A caller to the emergency line in Manchester, England, has been holding up callers by rapping in a Jamaican accent. He's been doing this since January 2009, and the police have been unable to catch him. Robert Siegel talks to Mark Hughes, crime correspondent for The Independent in the U.K., about the case.

Serial Rapper Ties Up Emergency Line In U.K.

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Queen Visits Wimbledon For First Time In 33 Years

Queen Elizabeth II makes her first appearance at Wimbledon in 33 years on Thursday. The world's top tennis players have been getting ready for the rare occasion.

Queen Visits Wimbledon For First Time In 33 Years

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Sports

Will Wimbledon's Marathon Match Ever End?

The longest tennis match in history resumes at Wimbledon Thursday. John Isner of the U.S. and Nicolas Mahut of France played Wednesday until they ran out of daylight. Officials suspended the match for the evening with the two players tied at 59-all in the fifth set.

Will Wimbledon's Marathon Match Ever End?

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World Cup

World Cup Woes Spark Indignation In France

Indignation is on the menu in France, where the country is talking derisively about its drama-filled failure of a World Cup soccer team. France was eliminated from the World Cup on Tuesday after losing to South Africa. It was the last chance the team had to redeem itself after days of controversy. Michele Norris talks with Francois Picard, host of the French television talk show The France 24 Debate about how the scandal is playing out at home.

World Cup Woes Spark Indignation In France

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British Government Announces Steep Budget Cuts

Britain has now joined other European countries in entering an era of austerity. The new center-right coalition government has announced a budget that aims to slash public spending by 25 percent over the next four years, increase the sales tax to 20 percent, cut welfare spending, and shrink the role of the state in British economic life.

British Government Announces Steep Budget Cuts

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Gulf Oil Spill: Containment And Clean Up

Britons: Obama Is Unnecessarily Hostile To BP

A new poll finds that both Americans and Britons consider the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico to be BP's fault. Still, many Britons feel personally insulted by American complaints about the company, with its strong British identity and influence on the UK economy.

Britons: Obama Is Unnecessarily Hostile To BP

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Vacationers Rethink Greece Amid Debt Crisis

Tourists visit the Acropolis in Athens. Recent protests and more bad news about Greece's economic crisis are threatening its tourism industry. Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images

Vacationers Rethink Greece Amid Debt Crisis

One of Greece's best hopes for dragging itself out of debt is the tourism industry, which employs about one-fifth of the Greek workforce. But media coverage of the Greek economic meltdown and the sometimes violent anti-austerity protests are threatening to keep tourists away.

Vacationers Rethink Greece Amid Debt Crisis

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Poland To Choose New President

The people of Poland go to the polls Sunday to choose a new president. The election follows a national tragedy -- the air crash in April that killed President Lech Kaczynski along with many of the country's political and military leaders. President Kaczynski's twin brother is running in the presidential election.

Poland To Choose New President

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Before Gulf Spill, BP CEO Tony Hayward Won Praise

BP CEO Tony Hayward at the White House on Wednesday for a meeting with President Obama. Charles Dharapak/AP hide caption

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Charles Dharapak/AP

Gulf Oil Spill: Containment And Clean Up

Before Gulf Spill, BP CEO Tony Hayward Won Praise

President Obama's meeting with top BP executives marked a big change in the energy giant's handling of the crisis. Until now, CEO Tony Hayward has been the public face of the company, but after a series of gaffes, he has been shunted into the background.

Before Gulf Spill, BP CEO Tony Hayward Won Praise

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EU Leaders Search For Wide Range Fix To Debt Crisis

European leaders are in Brussels to discuss their latest plans to deal with the sovereign debt crisis. Market confidence in the euro is still shaky, despite the $1 trillion stability pact set up by the European Union. Also on the agenda, controversial measures that some hope will prevent undue market speculation.

EU Leaders Search For Wide Range Fix To Debt Crisis

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Sports

Move Over World Cup, Wimbledon Starts Next Week

While much of the world's attention is on the World Cup, Wimbledon starts Monday. Defending champion Roger Federer is no longer the No. 1 player in the world, but he is still the favorite. Patrick McEnroe, a commentator for ESPN, tells Deborah Amos that Serena Williams is a favorite --although it's her sister Venus, who often has an edge on the grass court.

Move Over World Cup, Wimbledon Starts Next Week

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Bloody Sunday Report Blames British Soldiers

A fact-finding investigation concludes that nearly four decades ago, when British soldiers killed 13 Catholic demonstrators in North Ireland, their actions were "unjustifiable." The shootings happened on January 30, 1972, and became known as "Bloody Sunday."

Bloody Sunday Report Blames British Soldiers

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