French president to visit White House

President Barack Obama spoke with French President François Hollande on Thursday morning, ahead of their meeting at the White House on November 24.

The two world leaders discussed their commitment to fighting ISIS, and Obama expressed condolences on behalf of the U.S.to the loved ones of those killed in last week’s terror attacks in Paris, according to a White House description of the phone call.

They will also discuss further cooperation as part of the 65-member counter-IS coalition, and “reiterate our shared determination to confront the scourge of terrorism”, the statement said. Political director Lisa Desjardins reports.http://www.pbs.org/newshour/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/refugee-320×196.jpg2365609510t_iQOfx_FDs162996163009http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/carson-our-first-responsibility-is-u-s-safety-not-refugees/Carson: Our first responsibility is US safety, not refugeesWhat’s Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson’s views on bringing Syrian refugees to the USA, in light of the Paris attacks and the shifting threat of the Islamic State? Syria’s four-year civil war has now claimed more than a quarter of a million lives and displaced millions of people.

“We’re slowly marshaling the forces and capacity to be able to change this current dynamic. Stay steady. Stay strong”.

Also on Tuesday, Russia’s Vladimir Putin held talks with Hollande aimed at boosting coordination of their military actions over Syria, the Kremlin’s website reported.

-This report was updated at 11:00 a.m.