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From Washington, this is VOA news. I'm David Byrd reporting. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for Friday's deadly attacks in Paris as the search continues for more terrorists.
French authorities raced Saturday to identify the perpetrators of what President François Hollande called an "act of war" against his country. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks that killed 129 people and wounded more than 350. But reporter Lisa Bryant from Paris said the mood Saturday was one of determination and defiance. "I think the two words that I would describe to sum up the response will be solidarity and sort of a certain defiance: "We're gonna live life the way we usually live. We're gonna carry on." But there is also, I think, solidarity in a sense that you know I saw people lining up to donate blood. People were coming to the spots where the attacks took place and laying down wreaths. I saw a man with his child, you know, putting a candle and lighting at, on the statue, below the statue of Marianne in Place de la République. And most of us remember that's where you saw huge, huge protests against terrorism in January after the first set of attacks in Paris." : reporter Lisa Bryant. Americans have joined the chorus of condemnation against the terrorist attacks in Paris, offering condolences to the victims, their families and expressing solidarity with the French people. One American was killed in Friday's massacre. Nohemi Gonzalez was studying design in Paris. She was killed in one of the restaurants that was targeted. For more, visit our website. This is VOA news. Foreign ministers and other officials attending talks on Syria's political future say that Friday's attacks in Paris have underscored the need to try to resolve the Syrian crisis. Secretary of State John Kerry, at a news conference with Russia's foreign minister and U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, said the United States is committed to defeating the Islamic State. "I wanna make sure that it is absolutely crystal clear that the United States stands with France and the rest of the world in our resolve to eliminate the scourge of violent extremist groups from the face of the earth." The 20 world powers at the talks agreed on the need to bring Syrian government and opposition representatives to U.N.-mediated talks by January 1. They also voiced support for the establishment of credible, inclusive government in Syria [with six] within six months and free and fair elections within 18 months. The U.S. Defense Department says an airstrike has killed the head of the Islamic State group in Libya. In a statement, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said the target of the strike, Abu Nabil, was an Iraqi national and an al-Qaeda operative. Cook described Nabil, also known as Wissam Najm Abd Zayd al-Zubaydi, as the senior Islamic State leader in Libya. Cook said that he may have also been the spokesman in the video earlier this year showing the execution of Coptic Christians. Spurred by Friday's massacre, CBS News says it has revamped the format for Saturday evening's Democratic presidential debate to focus on issues of national security and terrorism. CBS Executive Editor Steve Capus, writing on Twitter, said the Paris attacks "require important questions for the candidates." He told The New York Times that editors had planned a different debate, but changed direction as the horrifying events in Paris unfolded on Friday evening. Paul Brathwaite is a senior Democratic strategist with the Podesta Group in Washington. He said the debate is an audition for people who want to be commander-in-chief. "I think ??? look at this. They're gonna be looking at the candidates and trying to determine who is ready to be commander-in-chief and who is ready to address situations like this when they come up. These are not situations that anyone plans for, but this is the job of a leader of the United States and a job of a leader of the free world." A CBS-New York Times poll release ahead of the debate shows former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with support from 52 percent of Democratic primary voters nationally. Vermont Senator Bernie Sander has 33 percent. Former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley has five percent. For more, visit our website. I'm David Byrd in Washington. That's the latest world news from VOA. |