Newscast for Thursday, January 29, 2009

• Will Senate Republicans vote against the stimulus?
• Running on Empty Series: The dirt behind coal
• Immigration remains sticking point in children's health insurance program
• Denver's local solutions to foreclosure crisis
• South American presidents head to Brazil during World Social Forum
• The effect of war on Gaza's children - Special Web Version here

Will Senate Republicans vote against the stimulus?

The economic stimulus bill is now on its way to the Senate after easily passing the House of Representatives last night – despite the fact not one single Republican voted for it. Now that the Senate gets its turn, Republicans are threatening a similar tactic. Washington Editor Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.

Running on Empty Series: The dirt behind coal
President Obama's stimulus package seeks to invest in green energy… but what does that mean? The coal industry is asking for stimulus funding to scrub coal plants clean – but critics say that's dirty coal putting on a clean green cover. In our first installment of our energy series, "Running on Empty", Yanmei Xie takes a look at the dirt behind coal.

Immigration remains sticking point in children health insurance program
The Senate is debating the State Children Health Insurance program, or SCHIP today – and it looks like children of low and medium income parents may be a step closer to getting better healthcare. The House already passed its version of the bill two weeks ago, but immigration is a major issue of contention in this bill, creating a coalition of Republican opponents. FSRN's Karen Miller has more from Capitol Hill.

Denver's local solutions to foreclosure crisis
Predictions for a continued slump in the housing market in 2009 mean even more challenges for states fighting the foreclosure crisis. But local authorities are offering some relief to those communities hardest hit by declining home values and forecloses. Maeve Conran reports from Denver.

South American presidents head to Brazil during World Social Forum
The World Social Forum continues in Belem, Brazil today – and the Presidents of Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador and Paraguay have traveled to the Amazon city to lay out their visions to move forward during the global economic crisis. Besides arguing the issues, activists also seek to bring forward ideas and solutions. Norman Stockwell works with Pacifica Affiliate WORT in Madison, and with the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters, and is attending the forum.

The effect of war on Gaza's children
Israeli warplanes attacked a suspected Hamas militant in the Gaza Strip today, who they say is responsible for the explosion that killed an Israeli soldier on the border Tuesday.

Meanwhile, speaking from the Economic Forum in Davos today, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon is urging more than $600-million in assistance to restore essential services to Gaza following Israel's recent three-week-long offensive. Ban toured Gaza last week and says the destruction there is "heartbreaking". The Palestinian Center for Human Rights counted 280 children among the nearly 1,300 dead – and adds that a quarter of the more than 5,000 wounded are children. Psychologists say that the trauma experienced by the 1.4 million residents of the Gaza Strip is something that will be felt for generations to come.  FSRN's Aya Batrawy reports from Gaza about the cycle of violence that has now reached an entirely new generation of Palestinians.