(VOVworld) – On Wednesday, the Canadian House of Commons voted 313 to 0 to recognize that the Islamic State is committing genocide against the Yazidi minority in Iraq, and to provide asylum to the most vulnerable Yazidi refugees within 120 days.

Displaced people from the minority Yazidi sect, fleeing violence from forces loyal to the Islamic State in Sinjar town, walk towards the Syrian border in August 2014. (Photo: Reuters )

The House of Commons urged Canada’s government, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, to offer safe haven to Yazidi women and girls beginning in February, 2017.

The same day, the Italian Coast Guard rescued some 729 migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea. They were taken to Catania port in Sicily along with 9 recovered bodies. The Coast Guard said it conducted more than 6,000 sea rescues last weekend, bringing the arrivals to Italy this year to almost 155,000. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said Italy cannot handle the same number next year.