Newscast for Thursday, January 17, 2013

French troops begin ground operation in Mali as African forces arrive

France has deployed more ground troops to Mali in the central town of Diabaly following air strikes against Islamist rebels in the country, bringing the number of french troops to 1,400. That number is expected to rise past two thousand, according to the French government. Military forces from Nigeria are also expected to arrive today and will be joined by soldiers from Chad, Niger and other African nations. Amnesty International said it’s planning to send investigators to Mali, citing humanitarian concerns for a population already displaced by months of fighting. Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said Tuesday the violence is likely to displace more. “Now, this renewed fighting in Mali, particularly Central and Northern Mali comes at a time when it is estimated that 4.2 million Malians will need humanitarian help in 2013 and this includes some 200 million food insecure people and hundreds of thousands of malnourished. For more we’re joined by Emira Woods, co-director of Foreign Policy in Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies.

Haitians describe harsh camp conditions, failures of resettlement after earthquake

This month marks the third anniversary of Haiti’s earthquake and FSRN continues our series looking the ongoing challenges for many Haitians.Yesterday we explored the progress by grassroots groups and local residents to end rape and sexual violence and proposed legislation on the issue. Today, we go to the streets of Haiti, to speak residents of the tent camps, where many are caught between the harsh conditions of the camps and the uncertainty of resettlement. FSRN’s Ansel Herz reports.

Opponents of Keystone XL Pipeline point to new reports on climate

The US State Department will soon release a new environmental impact statement on TransCanada’s controversial plan to build the Keystone XL Pipeline. The findings could influence President Obama’s final decision on the project. Scientists and environmentalists say new studies show that the mining, shipping and burning of the tar sands fuel is more damaging to the environment than previously thought. FSRN’s Alice Ollstein has more, in Washington, D.C.

Advocates call for protection of homeless after violent attack on California woman

Human rights advocates are demanding better protections for the homeless, following a violent attack on a woman sleeping on a bus bench in Van Nuys, California. Witnesses say a man poured rubbing alcohol on the woman known as violet as she slept on a bench and then he set her on fire. She remains in critical condition. Advocacy groups have been documenting an increasing number of attacks on the homeless in the us. Despite the increase, some say the government is doing little to track violence against the vulnerable population. FSRN’s Leilani Albano has more.