The 411 Stories of the Day - Thursday, July 24, 2008

OBAMA...
(CBS) - Ich bin ein rock star. With Barack Obama-mania sweeping Germany, officials now believe tens of thousands of people could turn out today for his speech in Berlin on transatlantic relations.  Four of the country's TV outlets plan to carry it live and a magazine has printed cut-outs of American flags for readers to display. There are reports of people coming from as far away as Prague, Budapest and Warsaw for a chance to see Obama. The address is scheduled for 1 PM Eastern.

HOME SALES...
NEW YORK (AP) - A key reading on sales of existing homes will likely show sales resumed their decline in June after a slight rebound in May. The National Association of Realtors' report is scheduled for release at 10 a.m. EDT. Economists predict sales will have fallen by 1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.940 million units in June, down from 4.990 million in May. They also note that the number of unsold homes remains near all-time highs. Until home prices fall further and entice more buyers back into the market, sales are expected to remain weak.

POLYGAMY...
CAPITOL HILL (AP) - The Senate Judiciary Committee meets today to consider whether federal help is needed to probe an embattled polygamous church for possible crimes, including racketeering. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who's Mormon, requested the hearing and was scheduled to testify in support of legislation creating a federal polygamy task force. Reid's spokesman says it would increase collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and provide public assistance to women leaving polygamous groups. The hearing comes two days after a Texas grand jury indicted six members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for alleged felony child sexual abuse and other crimes.

SHARKS...
(CBS) - A new report finds sharks are critical to maintaining healthy oceans. The study, from the environmental group Oceana, contends humans kill more than 100 million sharks every year, including tens of millions taken for their fins. Oceana says without sharks "the oceans will suffer unpredictable and devastating consequences."