Obama's Economic Plan Praised by Women Groups

As both Barack Obama and John McCain turn to the economy, through his wife, Michelle, Democrat Barack Obama released a measure to directly impact women.  At a women's luncheon, Michelle Obama laid out a series of proposals that would guarantee paid sick days, provide equal pay, and implement a series of tax cuts for families.  Joining us to talk about his plan is Kim Gandy, President of NOW, the National Organization for Women.

PART 2

• Beijing's Olympic-Sized Evictions
• Senators Call for EPA Chief to Resign
• The Deficit in Context
• Fusion Centers and Domestic Surveillance
• Trouble May be Ahead for Ecuador's Upcoming Constitutional Referendum

• Senator Ted Stevens Indicted
• Pro-Karadzic Rally in Belgrade – EU Plays Wait and See
• Re-Create ’68 Trial Begins
• Dockworkers Reach Tentative Agreement
• Progressive Energy Policy a War on the Poor?

Click here for Newscast for Tuesday, July 29, 2008

The 2008 Olympic Games kick off in just 10 days in Beijing – but while most of the world is focused on the international sports competition, many local residents are dealing with the consequences of massive evictions. The Chinese government has imposed evictions in order to provide space for sporting venues and athletes' housing, touting what they call the city's "beautification". Adelaide Chen reports on one neighborhood near Beijing's Olympic center, where residents are no longer able to call their neighborhood home.

Click here for Newscast for Tuesday, July 29, 2008

The Environmental Protection Agency is under attack from critics for what they say is a policy of restricting communications between their staff and the media – and even other government agencies. Critics say it's just another way that the Bush administration silences climate scientists, and now Senators are calling for the EPA chief's resignation. Tanya Snyder reports.

Click here for Newscast for Tuesday, July 29, 2008 

The American Civil Liberties Union released an updated report on fusion centers, regional information gathering centers around the country.  The centers store information collected by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies on American citizens.  The ACLU's report says the fusion centers lack oversight, process, and regulation.  The report also says information collected was intended for terrorism purposes but has expanded for "all purposes and hazards".

Click here for Newscast for Tuesday, July 29, 2008

The Office of Management and Budget released deficit estimates this week - the total: $482 billion. This is the last budget report of Bush's presidency and raises questions about what happened over the last 8 years and what the next administration will do to fix it. Jim Nussle, director of the Office of Management and Budget, says this deficit is "manageable," while Democrats blame Bush's tax cuts and the war in Iraq. Mark Weisbrot, is an Economist and the co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research – he says that although headlines read that this is a "record" deficit, it needs to be addressed in context, relative to the size of the entire economy.

Ecuador's National Constituent Assembly has approved text for a new constitution – which will head to voters in a referendum in late September. But as Daniel Denvir reports from Quito, while President Rafael Correa's government has positioned itself towards the left, social and indigenous movements are weary over his support for the oil and mining industries.

Click here for Newscast for Tuesday, July 29, 2008