VOA news for Sunday, November 24th, 2019
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This is VOA news. I'm David Byrd.
American-led forces and their Syrian Kurdish allies have carried out their biggest joint operation against the Islamic State group since President Trump ordered a pullback of U.S. forces in Syria. We get more from AP's Ben Thomas.
The U.S.-led coalition says its forces along with 100s of U.S.-allied Syrian Kurdish commandos took part in an operation in southeastern Syria Friday, capturing dozens of Islamic State militants, clearing IS compounds and seizing weapons and explosives.
The news came on the same day Vice President Mike Pence visited Iraq in an effort to reassure Kurdish allies in the region, telling reporters "President Trump's commitment to our allies here in Iraq as well as to those in the Syrian defense forces, the Kurdish forces who fought alongside us, is unchanging.”
President Trump's pullback of American forces in Syria opened the door for a cross-border offensive against the Kurds last month by Turkey.
Ben Thomas, Washington.
Security and hospital officials said Saturday that 2 people were killed when Iraqi security forces fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse crowds of protesters in a 3rd day of fierce clashes in central Baghdad.
Two protesters were struck with rubber bullets and died instantly and more than 20 others were wounded in fighting on Rasheed Street.
Sixteen people have died and more than 100 wounded in the renewed clashes.
At least 342 protesters have died in Iraq's massive protests, which started October 1 when 1000s of Iraqis took to the streets to decry corruption and lack of services despite the country's oil wealth.
Separately, Iraq's parliament failed to hold a session Saturday due to a lack of quorum. Lawmakers were supposed to read reform bills introduced to placate protesters.
This is VOA news.
Several thousand protesters marched through Paris on Saturday to demand a national wake-up call and more government investment to prevent deadly domestic violence against women. Reuters Emer McCarthy has more.
A sea of purple flooded Paris on Saturday as !10,000s of protesters took to the streets, calling out domestic violence.
The march comes as it was revealed that more than 130 women were believed to have been killed by their partner or ex-partner in the country this year.
This demonstrator says her ex-husband punched her.
The French government is due to publish the results of an investigation into domestic violence on Monday.
A Council of Europe expert group on domestic violence said earlier this week that France needed to offer better protection for victims and their children as well as more effective anti-violence measures.
That's Emer McCarthy of Reuters.
Italian coast guard on Saturday said they had rescued 143 migrants off the coast of Lampedusa although 20 others are apparently missing, according to the survivors.
The coast guard said in a statement that crews of 4 patrol boats rescued 143 people who had fallen into the sea from a 10-meter-long boat.
Survivors said that around 20 of those who had been on the boat were still missing.
A search for the missing continued Saturday evening with planes from Frontex and the Italian navy flying over the area.
Meanwhile, Italy, Germany, France and Malta jointly asked the European Commission to activate a migrant-relocation scheme for 213 people still on board the Ocean Viking rescue ship.
The Ocean Viking, chartered by SOS Mediterranee with Doctors Without Borders, has rescued 215 people in 3 operations in recent days.
Protests against Colombia's government continued for a 3rd consecutive day Saturday as demonstrators took to the streets with pots and pans to voice their discontent with President Iván Duque.
The capital of Bogotá saw a few thousand people gathered at a park and shouting slogans against the conservative President before trying to march toward the center of the city. They were dispersed by police firing tear gas.
Authorities have ordered a police and military presence in Bogotá following 2 days of unrest.
Duque's administration has been plagued by problems during his 15 months in office, including a combative congress, low approval ratings and unsuccessful efforts.
For more on these stories and the rest of the day's news, be sure to log on to our website voanews.com. I'm David Byrd, VOA news.

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