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VOA English Newscast 2200 UTC November 16, 2015


U.S. President Barack Obama talks during a news conference at the end of the G-20 summit in Antalya, Turkey, Nov. 16, 2015.
U.S. President Barack Obama talks during a news conference at the end of the G-20 summit in Antalya, Turkey, Nov. 16, 2015.
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From Washington, this is VOA News.

I’m Dave DeForest reporting.

The U.S. president speaks after the G-20 Summit in Turkey.

Barack Obama says it would be a mistake to send American ground troops to the Middle East to fight Islamic State militants.

“We would see a repetition of what we’ve seen before, which is if you do not have local populations that are committed to inclusive governance and who are pushing back against ideological extremes, that they resurface unless we’re prepared to have a permanent occupation of these countries.”

The American leader rejected calls from some of his U.S. political opponents that only Syrian Christians and not Muslims be allowed to enter the U.S. as refugees. He called such a stance "shameful, not American," and said the United States should not, in his words, "feed that dark impulse." At least 10 U.S. governors are balking at letting Syrian refugees settle in their states in the wake of the Paris attacks.

French President Francois Hollande says his government will step up its offensive in Syria, where Friday's terrorist attack had been planned. Mr. Hollande made the remark in an address to both houses of France's parliament.

Also Monday, French authorities detained 23 people in police raids across the country. Authorities said they have identified a Belgian national of Moroccan descent, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, as the mastermind behind the assault.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry landed in Paris Monday under heavy security to show solidarity with France.

At least seven people were killed in Somalia's capital in a shootout between soldiers. It happened at a displaced persons camp.

This is VOA News.

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Words in This News

summit – n. a meeting or conference

repetition – n. repeat

committed – v. prepared to do something

allowed – v. permitted

stance – n. position

shameful – adj. feeling very bad

impulse – n. a strong desire to do something

balking – v. to show you do not want to do something

wake – n. a result of

step up – n. to intensify or expand

remark – n. comment or statement

address – n. a speech

authorities – n. officials

descent – n. ancestry

mastermind – n. someone who plans and organizes something

assault – n. an attack

solidarity – n. a feeling of unity; an expression of support

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