Obama, Senate Focus On Immigration/AP NewsMinute

WASHINGTON (AP) — The first votes in the full Senate on immigration overhaul are set for this afternoon to determine whether or not debate will move forward on the issue. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama is inviting law enforcement, labor and business leaders to the White House to show they support an immigration overhaul. Obama will speak about the economic and national security benefits of a bipartisan bill.

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — At least 14 people are dead in two suicide bombings in Syria's capital today. Activists say one of the explosions happened inside a police station and many of the dead are policemen.

BERLIN (AP) — Some 8,000 people living near the Elbe (EL'-beh) River in northern Germany have evacuated because of the threat of levees breaking that protect several towns. Flooding already has claimed at least 22 lives in Germany, the Czech Republic and several other countries. In the German town of Fischbeck, helicopters have been flying in sandbags to close a breach in a levee as waters stream into the town.

PARIS (AP) — A lawyer for former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn says French prosecutors want to drop all charges against his client in a case involving a prostitution ring. The attorney says that shows the case's weakness. The case has hinged on whether Strauss-Kahn knew he was partying with prostitutes and whose money was used to pay them. Strauss-Kahn had faced charges in New York of sexually assaulting a hotel maid. Those charges were later dropped.

PARIS (AP) — France's main airports have cut half their flights because of a three-day strike by air traffic controllers. Aviation officials say some 1,800 flights have been canceled at Charles de Gaulle, Orly and six other airports.