To the Point

President Obama has made good on more campaign promises than political veterans ever thought possible, but his public opinion ratings continue to fall. We ask why and what it could mean in November and beyond.  Also, the Senate Judiciary Committee approves Elena Kagan, and Britain’s new Prime Minister at the Obama White House. What about BP and the Lockerbie bomber?  

More than two million Americans who have had their unemployment benefits cut off this month could soon get them back. We hear arguments about economic stimulus, the deficit and the personal cost of long-term unemployment. Also, BP's cap holds, but the ocean floor seeps, and Hillary Clinton steps up US diplomacy in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Africa: how the West sees it, how the West helps it and how the West all too often may be getting the whole thing wrong. Do westerners really listen to Africans when it comes to solving problems or are we too busy telling them what to do? New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof stirred up a lot of debate recently when he talked about why he features whites in his reporting from Africa. Why do news stories about Africa often feature white people "saving" the continent? Also, the BP well is capped, but has the leak been stopped? On Reporter's Notebook, the world’s first global documentary, shot in one day, by people around the world.  Sara Terry sits in for Warren Olney, who returns Monday.

Talk about the mid-term elections is stirring up some heat this summer in Washington. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is on the warpath – over the campaign trail. She wants the White House to step up support for Democratic congressmen, instead of suggesting that Republicans could win in November. Republicans have made a few big gaffes lately, but politicos say they’re likely to take back the House this fall. What role will Sarah Palin play? Also, financial reform is finally ready for the President's signature, and a first in Latin America as Argentina approves same-sex marriages. Sara Terry guest hosts.

On January 10, a massive 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti. Six months later, relief efforts are moving very slowly. Has Haiti's government been an obstacle in the flow of aid? Why are donors taking so long to actually provide the funds they promised? How are people on the ground being helped? Also, BP delays testing a new containment cap and drilling a relief well, and the strange tale of  the Iranian nuclear scientist who either was – or wasn't – abducted by the CIA. Sara Terry sits in for vacationing Warren Olney.

Police in Los Angeles made an arrest in the 25-year-old serial murder case of the "Grim Sleeper." The breakthrough came as the result of a search that's commonly called “familial” DNA, a controversial practice in tracking down criminals. What privacy issues does it raise, and how certain are the results?  Also, the finance bill moves closer to passage as Obama’s poll numbers decline, and a look back at the life of one of baseball’s larger-than-life managers. Sara Terry sits in for vacationing Warren Olney.

The Veterans Administration has decided to make it easier for vets to file disability claims related to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. As many as 20 percent of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan may be suffering from PSTD. The VA's change in policy means that vets will no longer have to document a specific traumatic event to be able to apply for help. Guest host Sara Terry looks at how are the VA and other organizations working with vets to heal what have been called the hidden wounds of war. Also, a terrorist attack in Uganda targets World Cup watchers, and the NAACP is holding its annual convention, but the nation's first black president won't be there this year.

Sunday's final match will be an historic one, but what history will the World Cup games leave behind in South Africa? The country's infrastructure has been upgraded and South Africans talk of a new pride. But after the vuvuzelas have gone silent, the country still faces massive challenges in schools, housing and unemployment. Also, Massachusetts' ruling on gay marriage, and from hero to villain. What went wrong on Lebron James' journey from Cleveland to Miami? Sara Terry sits in for vacationing Warren Olney.

One of the latest developments in clean-up efforts in the Gulf is a controversial safety zone announced last week. The 65 square-foot area effectively blocks reporters and photographers from getting close enough to do their jobs. Off-duty police officers hired by BP to run security details have also been criticized for harassing journalists trying to cover the story. BP now says efforts to stop the spill may pay off in the next few weeks, but what’s happening to the flow of information about the disaster? Also, terror suspects with links to al Qaeda are arrested in Norway, and echoes of the Cold War. A spy swap is underway. Guest host Sara Terry sits in for a vacationing Warren Olney.

Prime Minister Netanyahu met with President Obama in Washington yesterday, in what was described as an opportunity to highlight the strong ties between the US and Israel, after a difficult meeting in March. Netanyahu spoke out on Israeli concerns about Iran and about peace talks with the Palestinians. What will Israel do about mending relations with Turkey, which have been strained over the Gaza humanitarian flotilla? Also, the Justice Department challenges Arizona's immigration law, and the climate change research scandal. An independent investigation weighs in. Guest host Sara Terry sits in for a vacationing Warren Olney.