From Riyadh to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Rome, Brussels and Sicily, Donald Trump leaves a swirl of domestic woes behind Friday to embark on a first foreign trip that will be closely watched in capitals the world over.

Trump&#39;s extraordinarily dense first trip -- six stops in eight days, and countless face-to-face meetings from Saudi King Salman to Pope Francis via France&#39;s new leader, Emmanuel Macron -- is fraught with perils for the president.

The avalanche of revelations in the run-up to his departure have eroded Trump&#39;s standing at home -- where the parallels with Richard Nixon&#39;s ill-fated presidency are now being openly drawn.

They also revived questions about his ability to strike a presidential tone with his foreign counterparts.

&quot;Truth is, nobody knows how Donald Trump is going to act or what he&#39;s going to say in meetings of this kind because he&#39;s never done it before,&quot; summed up Stephen Sestanovich of the Council on Foreign Relations.

White House staff cast the 70-year-old&#39;s &quot;friendly but candid&quot; style as an asset in his dealings with foreign leaders.

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<h5>For ex-CIA analyst Bruce Riedel, the comparison that springs most obviously to mind is with Nixon&#39;s 1974 trip to the Middle East, which he hoped would yield a diplomatic success to &#39;divert attention away from the Watergate scandal&#39;</h5>
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But as the Republican takes his first steps as head of state on the world stage, his every word, action and tweet will be under the microscope.

Known to dislike long trips, the president will be joined by his wife Melania, who has until now cut a highly discreet figure at his side.&nbsp;

His daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner -- two of his closest advisors -- will also be on board Air Force One.

What message will Trump be taking to the world?

On foreign policy, the president has pulled back spectacularly from his most provocative campaign pledges, towards a stance in many respects similar to his predecessor Barack Obama.

But the real estate magnate will still need to explain to foreign partners how his favorite slogan -- &quot;America First&quot; -- can be compatible with multilateralism.

&quot;President Trump understands that America First does not mean American alone -- to the contrary,&quot; insisted his national security advisor, H.R. McMaster.

Catchphrases aside, many questions remain unanswered.

Speech on Islam 
The White House touts a &quot;historic&quot; trip during which Trump -- in visits to Saudi Arabia, the Vatican and Jerusalem -- will reach out to leaders of the world&#39;s major monotheistic faiths.

During his two days in Riyadh, he will likely seek to strike a contrast with the Democrat Obama, who was widely viewed with suspicion by the Sunni Muslim monarchies of the Gulf.

The combination of tough talk on Shiite Iran, a lower-key focus on human rights, and the likely announcement of new arms deals should in theory earn the US leader a warm welcome.

Trump&#39;s delivery of a speech on Islam before dozens of Muslim leaders gathered in the Saudi capital could prove a far more delicate exercise, however, given the tensions sparked by his travel ban targeting several Muslim-majority nations -- now stuck in the US courts.

&quot;I&#39;ll speak with Muslim leaders and challenge them to fight hatred and extremism, and embrace a peaceful future for their faith,&quot; Trump promised ahead of the trip.

In Israel, Trump has hopes -- though it is still unclear how -- of reviving the moribund peace process, meeting both his &quot;friend&quot; Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Bethlehem.

But the Israeli leg of his trip is already awash in controversy -- from a row over his visit to Jerusalem&#39;s Western Wall, the holiest prayer site for Jews, to Trump&#39;s alleged disclosure of Israeli intelligence to Russian officials.

Trump&#39;s meeting with Pope Francis -- two men at odds on everything from climate change to refugee policy -- remains highly unpredictable, although the pontiff says he will give America&#39;s bullish leader an open-minded hearing.

Finally, the president&#39;s trip will wrap up in Europe where his shifting pronouncements on Brexit, NATO and the future of the European Union have sown confusion among longstanding allies.

Trump will meet members of the North Atlantic alliance in Brussels, before heading on to a G7 summit in Taormina, a picturesque Sicilian town overlooking the Mediterranean.

&quot;Does he invest in the relationship with the Atlantic partners in the same way that every president has done since Pearl Harbor?&quot; wondered Charles Kupchan, former advisor to Obama.&nbsp;

&quot;He came into office suggesting not. He has since said and done things suggesting maybe. But I think everyone will be watching for that.&quot;

Trump has yet to personally reassert the US commitment to Article 5, NATO&#39;s mutual defense clause.

The Nixon trip 
How his trip is perceived by fellow Americans is key for the president.

Well aware of heightened concerns about terrorism, the Republican hopes to bring back hard commitments from US allies in the fight against the Islamic State group.

But however powerful the images of Trump&#39;s globe-trotting turn out to be, they have little chance of eclipsing the scandals convulsing his White House back home.

For ex-CIA analyst Bruce Riedel, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, the comparison that springs most obviously to mind is with Nixon&#39;s 1974 trip to the Middle East, which he hoped would yield a diplomatic success to &quot;divert attention away from the Watergate scandal.&quot;

&quot;It did not work,&quot; said Riedel.&nbsp;

&quot;The American media concentrated on the Watergate scandal, they treated the trip as a side show... and the Watergate scandal kept dripping and dripping.&quot;&nbsp;

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The US President embarks Friday on his first foreign trip

From Riyadh to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Rome, Brussels and Sicily, Donald Trump leaves a swirl of domestic woes behind Friday to embark on a first foreign trip that will be closely watched in capitals the world over. Trump's extraordinarily dense first trip -- six stops in eight days, and countless face-to-face meetings from Saudi King Salman to Pope Francis via France's new leader, Emmanuel Macron -- is fraught with perils for the president. The avalanche of revelations in the run-up to his departure have eroded Trump's standing at home -- where the parallels with Richard Nixon's ill-fated presidency are now being openly drawn. They also revived questions about his ability to strike a presidential tone with his foreign counterparts. "Truth is, nobody knows how Donald Trump is going to act or what he's going to say in meetings of this kind because he's never done it before," summed up Stephen Sestanovich of the Council on Foreign Relations. White House staff cast the 70-year-old's "friendly but candid" style as an asset in his dealings with foreign leaders. For ex-CIA analyst Bruce Riedel, the comparison that springs most obviously to mind is with Nixon's 1974 trip to the Middle East, which he hoped would yield a diplomatic success to 'divert attention away from the Watergate scandal' × But as the Republican takes his first steps as head of state on the world stage, his every word, action and tweet will be under the microscope. Known to dislike long trips, the president will be joined by his wife Melania, who has until now cut a highly discreet figure at his side. His daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner -- two of his closest advisors -- will also be on board Air Force One. What message will Trump be taking to the world? On foreign policy, the president has pulled back spectacularly from his most provocative campaign pledges, towards a stance in many respects similar to his predecessor Barack Obama. But the real estate magnate will still need to explain to foreign partners how his favorite slogan -- "America First" -- can be compatible with multilateralism. "President Trump understands that America First does not mean American alone -- to the contrary," insisted his national security advisor, H.R. McMaster. Catchphrases aside, many questions remain unanswered. Speech on Islam The White House touts a "historic" trip during which Trump -- in visits to Saudi Arabia, the Vatican and Jerusalem -- will reach out to leaders of the world's major monotheistic faiths. During his two days in Riyadh, he will likely seek to strike a contrast with the Democrat Obama, who was widely viewed with suspicion by the Sunni Muslim monarchies of the Gulf. The combination of tough talk on Shiite Iran, a lower-key focus on human rights, and the likely announcement of new arms deals should in theory earn the US leader a warm welcome. Trump's delivery of a speech on Islam before dozens of Muslim leaders gathered in the Saudi capital could prove a far more delicate exercise, however, given the tensions sparked by his travel ban targeting several Muslim-majority nations -- now stuck in the US courts. "I'll speak with Muslim leaders and challenge them to fight hatred and extremism, and embrace a peaceful future for their faith," Trump promised ahead of the trip. In Israel, Trump has hopes -- though it is still unclear how -- of reviving the moribund peace process, meeting both his "friend" Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Bethlehem. But the Israeli leg of his trip is already awash in controversy -- from a row over his visit to Jerusalem's Western Wall, the holiest prayer site for Jews, to Trump's alleged disclosure of Israeli intelligence to Russian officials. Trump's meeting with Pope Francis -- two men at odds on everything from climate change to refugee policy -- remains highly unpredictable, although the pontiff says he will give America's bullish leader an open-minded hearing. Finally, the president's trip will wrap up in Europe where his shifting pronouncements on Brexit, NATO and the future of the European Union have sown confusion among longstanding allies. Trump will meet members of the North Atlantic alliance in Brussels, before heading on to a G7 summit in Taormina, a picturesque Sicilian town overlooking the Mediterranean. "Does he invest in the relationship with the Atlantic partners in the same way that every president has done since Pearl Harbor?" wondered Charles Kupchan, former advisor to Obama. "He came into office suggesting not. He has since said and done things suggesting maybe. But I think everyone will be watching for that." Trump has yet to personally reassert the US commitment to Article 5, NATO's mutual defense clause. The Nixon trip How his trip is perceived by fellow Americans is key for the president. Well aware of heightened concerns about terrorism, the Republican hopes to bring back hard commitments from US allies in the fight against the Islamic State group. But however powerful the images of Trump's globe-trotting turn out to be, they have little chance of eclipsing the scandals convulsing his White House back home. For ex-CIA analyst Bruce Riedel, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, the comparison that springs most obviously to mind is with Nixon's 1974 trip to the Middle East, which he hoped would yield a diplomatic success to "divert attention away from the Watergate scandal." "It did not work," said Riedel. "The American media concentrated on the Watergate scandal, they treated the trip as a side show... and the Watergate scandal kept dripping and dripping." (AFP)

Trump takes perilous first steps on world stage

Nobody could claim to be shocked after&nbsp;the presidential candidate who ran on &quot;bomb the sh*t out of them&quot; rained Tomahawk missiles&nbsp;on&nbsp;Syria and dropped what is literally called&nbsp;the &quot;Mother Of All Bombs&quot; in Afghanistan,&nbsp;but tough words against Canada?

Canada is now bracing for trade disputes with the US after what some may see as surprisingly anti-Canadian rhetoric coming from the Trump White House.&nbsp;

On Tuesday Trump&nbsp;said:&nbsp;&quot;People don&#39;t realise that Canada has been very rough on the United States. Everyone thinks of Canada as being wonderful and so do I. I love Canada. But they&#39;ve outsmarted our politicians for years.&quot;&nbsp;

The US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Canada was &quot;not a good neighbour&quot;.

As&nbsp;statements, this is placid stuff by&nbsp;Trump White House standards. These&nbsp;Americans&nbsp;seem to be using Canadian passive aggressiveness against Canada. But in action Trump&#39;s pledge&nbsp;to charge an additional&nbsp;20 per cent tax on softwood lumber, key in the construction industry,&nbsp;from Canada is highly provocative. In a $5 billion industry,&nbsp;US dollars, this amounts to an additional $1 billion.

And Reuters <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-rekindles-trade-conflict-with-canada-over-lumber-14898" target="_blank">reported </a>that the US Commerce department&nbsp;&quot;will instruct US Customs and Border Protection to collect cash deposits based on these preliminary rates,&quot; and that&nbsp;&quot;certain companies will be subject to the retroactive collection of cash deposits&quot; for up to 90 days.

Fair play is apparently the US getting hundreds of millions of dollars in cash for something that has already happened.&nbsp;The previous softwood lumber deal expired in October 2015, but what gives the US grounds to make these kind of claims is unclear.

In response, Prime Minister Trudeau&#39;s office has&nbsp;&quot;refuted the baseless allegations by the US Department of Commerce and the decision to impose unfair duties,&quot; according to summary of the call published in <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/04/25/canada-braces-for-tough-times-in-us-lumber-dispute.html" target="_blank">media reports</a>.

&nbsp;

Is this new? No

While it&#39;s tempting to read this as a sign that Trump&#39;s unhinged bellicosity will extend even to Canada--a country&nbsp;the planet largely sees as an innocent darling, although less so as&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/canadas-justin-trudeau-liberal-signs-and-symbols-6370">evidence </a>to the contrary mounts--squeezing Canada for more money despite signed free trade agreements is an American tradition. Complaining about America doing this is a Canadian tradition.

It&#39;s a fight that first erupted in the <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-17/u-s-and-canada-say-divisions-remain-in-softwood-lumber-dispute" target="_blank">1980s</a>. In fact,&nbsp;trying to screw Canada on softwood lumber&nbsp;may be the only political&nbsp;precedent Trump has decided not to smash.

Wilbur Ross continued:&nbsp;&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not a question of President Trump messing with the Canadians. We believe the Canadians violated legitimate practice.&rdquo; That Canada violated legitimate practices is a little rich, coming from&nbsp;a man&nbsp;who represents a president&nbsp;currently under FBI investigation for&nbsp;colluding&nbsp;with a hostile foreign government, and who for&nbsp;decades has been so linked to the Russian mafia he may as well be a made man, if he isn&#39;t already. (Here<a href="http://thegopwatchdog.com/136-paths-to-putin/" target="_blank">&nbsp;are 136</a>&nbsp;links between Trump&#39;s orbit and Russia&#39;s.)&nbsp;

But to be fair, the softwood lumber issue does predate&nbsp;Trump, and is&nbsp;sufficiently&nbsp;thorny and complicated to have put these two otherwise chummy, successive governments at odds for&nbsp;decades. Maybe Canada violated agreements, but it&#39;s impossible to hear the US president, the king of the &quot;<a href="http://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/trump-university-its-worse-than-you-think" target="_blank">bait and switch</a>&quot; con, and take his word for it.

People outside North America may look at this and wonder:&nbsp;If Trump will pick a fight with Canada, which country is immune? Well, they should know,&nbsp;this is an old fight.

But in case&nbsp;anyone thinks the US&nbsp;isn&#39;t being a little ornery&nbsp;with its northern neighbour, Trump is&nbsp;targeting not just lumberjacks&nbsp;but&nbsp;Canada&#39;s other notorious fat cats: Dairy farmers.

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Canada has made business for our dairy farmers in Wisconsin and other border states very difficult. We will not stand for this. Watch!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/856847826663460865">April 25, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Trump has spent months blasting NAFTA, but&nbsp;also recently praised it, and now seems to be harsh&nbsp;on it again. While the lumber fight may be old, moving forward with free trade deals&nbsp;the script&nbsp;is far from clear.

Trying to predict&nbsp;what this erratic,&nbsp;monumentally inexperienced and unqualified guy&nbsp;will do&nbsp;next is anyone&#39;s guess.&nbsp;

(WION)

While it's tempting to see this new trade dispute as Trump's bellicosity extending even to Canada, it's actually Washington-Ottawa tradition

Nobody could claim to be shocked after the presidential candidate who ran on "bomb the sh*t out of them" rained Tomahawk missiles on Syria and dropped what is literally called the "Mother Of All Bombs" in Afghanistan, but tough words against Canada? Canada is now bracing for trade disputes with the US after what some may see as surprisingly anti-Canadian rhetoric coming from the Trump White House. On Tuesday Trump said: "People don't realise that Canada has been very rough on the United States. Everyone thinks of Canada as being wonderful and so do I. I love Canada. But they've outsmarted our politicians for years." The US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Canada was "not a good neighbour". As statements, this is placid stuff by Trump White House standards. These Americans seem to be using Canadian passive aggressiveness against Canada. But in action Trump's pledge to charge an additional 20 per cent tax on softwood lumber, key in the construction industry, from Canada is highly provocative. In a $5 billion industry, US dollars, this amounts to an additional $1 billion. And Reuters reported that the US Commerce department "will instruct US Customs and Border Protection to collect cash deposits based on these preliminary rates," and that "certain companies will be subject to the retroactive collection of cash deposits" for up to 90 days. Fair play is apparently the US getting hundreds of millions of dollars in cash for something that has already happened. The previous softwood lumber deal expired in October 2015, but what gives the US grounds to make these kind of claims is unclear. In response, Prime Minister Trudeau's office has "refuted the baseless allegations by the US Department of Commerce and the decision to impose unfair duties," according to summary of the call published in media reports. Is this new? No While it's tempting to read this as a sign that Trump's unhinged bellicosity will extend even to Canada--a country the planet largely sees as an innocent darling, although less so as evidence to the contrary mounts--squeezing Canada for more money despite signed free trade agreements is an American tradition. Complaining about America doing this is a Canadian tradition. It's a fight that first erupted in the 1980s. In fact, trying to screw Canada on softwood lumber may be the only political precedent Trump has decided not to smash. Wilbur Ross continued: “It’s not a question of President Trump messing with the Canadians. We believe the Canadians violated legitimate practice.” That Canada violated legitimate practices is a little rich, coming from a man who represents a president currently under FBI investigation for colluding with a hostile foreign government, and who for decades has been so linked to the Russian mafia he may as well be a made man, if he isn't already. (Here are 136 links between Trump's orbit and Russia's.) But to be fair, the softwood lumber issue does predate Trump, and is sufficiently thorny and complicated to have put these two otherwise chummy, successive governments at odds for decades. Maybe Canada violated agreements, but it's impossible to hear the US president, the king of the "bait and switch" con, and take his word for it. People outside North America may look at this and wonder: If Trump will pick a fight with Canada, which country is immune? Well, they should know, this is an old fight. But in case anyone thinks the US isn't being a little ornery with its northern neighbour, Trump is targeting not just lumberjacks but Canada's other notorious fat cats: Dairy farmers. Canada has made business for our dairy farmers in Wisconsin and other border states very difficult. We will not stand for this. Watch! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 25, 2017 × Trump has spent months blasting NAFTA, but also recently praised it, and now seems to be harsh on it again. While the lumber fight may be old, moving forward with free trade deals the script is far from clear. Trying to predict what this erratic, monumentally inexperienced and unqualified guy will do next is anyone's guess. (WION)

Trump's tough talk on Canadian lumber anything but unprecedented

US President Donald Trump&#39;s pick for national security adviser, who was fired for lying to the Vice President about his contact with the Russian ambassador to the US, did not disclose payments from Russia and does not appear to have complied with the law, said the House Oversight Chairman Jason Chaffetz and the ranking Democrat Elijah Cummings, according to <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2017/04/25/politics/michael-flynn-house-oversight-committee/" target="_blank">media </a>reports.&nbsp;

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y&#39;all, listen to this. <a href="https://t.co/RsphC3EEeW">pic.twitter.com/RsphC3EEeW</a>
&mdash; deray mckesson (@deray) <a href="https://twitter.com/deray/status/856909551173484544">April 25, 2017</a></blockquote>
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This comes after reviewing Michael Flynn&#39;s application for a security clearance.

Chaffetz and Cumming told&nbsp;reporters following a classified committee meeting in which they characterised the documents under review as&nbsp;&quot;extremely troubling&quot;.

Chaffetz said, &quot;I see no data to support the notion that General Flynn complied with the law&quot;, in regards to whether or not Flynn received permission from the State Department or from the Pentagon, or that he disclosed the more than&nbsp;$45,000 he received for making a speech to RT-TV in Russia, the state-funded news network.

This comes after the White House failed&nbsp;to provide documents about Flynn that the panel investigating him had sought, <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2017/04/25/politics/michael-flynn-house-oversight-committee/" target="_blank">CNN </a>reports.

Last month it was also revealed that Flynn&#39;s lobbying work which benefitted Turkey netted him $530,000. Flynn&nbsp;was awarded this contract right before Trump selected him to be national security adviser.&nbsp;

Today, <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/25/michael-flynn-turkey-russia-237550" target="_blank">Politico </a>reported, citing court records,&nbsp;that the Turkish man who gave him this&nbsp;contract has business ties to Russia, including a 2009 aviation financing deal he negotiated with Vladimir Putin.&nbsp;

(WION)

'Extremely troubling' is how Jason Chaffetz characterised the documents seen by the classified gathering of the committee

US President Donald Trump's pick for national security adviser, who was fired for lying to the Vice President about his contact with the Russian ambassador to the US, did not disclose payments from Russia and does not appear to have complied with the law, said the House Oversight Chairman Jason Chaffetz and the ranking Democrat Elijah Cummings, according to media reports. y'all, listen to this. pic.twitter.com/RsphC3EEeW — deray mckesson (@deray) April 25, 2017 × This comes after reviewing Michael Flynn's application for a security clearance. Chaffetz and Cumming told reporters following a classified committee meeting in which they characterised the documents under review as "extremely troubling". Chaffetz said, "I see no data to support the notion that General Flynn complied with the law", in regards to whether or not Flynn received permission from the State Department or from the Pentagon, or that he disclosed the more than $45,000 he received for making a speech to RT-TV in Russia, the state-funded news network. This comes after the White House failed to provide documents about Flynn that the panel investigating him had sought, CNN reports. Last month it was also revealed that Flynn's lobbying work which benefitted Turkey netted him $530,000. Flynn was awarded this contract right before Trump selected him to be national security adviser. Today, Politico reported, citing court records, that the Turkish man who gave him this contract has business ties to Russia, including a 2009 aviation financing deal he negotiated with Vladimir Putin. (WION)

'No sign Gen Flynn complied with the law', says House Oversight Panel

North Korea said on Sunday it was ready to sink a U.S. aircraft carrier to demonstrate its military might, as two Japanese navy ships joined a U.S. carrier group for exercises in the western Pacific.

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group to sail to waters off the Korean peninsula in response to rising tension over the North&#39;s nuclear and missile tests, and its threats to attack the United States and its Asian allies.

The United States has not specified where the carrier strike group is as it approaches the area. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday it would arrive &quot;within days&quot; but gave no other details.

North Korea remained defiant.

&quot;Our revolutionary forces are combat-ready to sink a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a single strike,&quot; the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the North&#39;s ruling Workers&#39; Party, said in a commentary.

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<h5>Our revolutionary forces are combat-ready to sink a US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a single strike,&#39; the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the North&#39;s ruling Workers&#39; Party, said in a commentary</h5>
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The paper likened the aircraft carrier to a &quot;gross animal&quot; and said a strike on it would be &quot;an actual example to show our military&#39;s force&quot;.

The commentary was carried on page three of the newspaper, after a two-page feature about leader Kim Jong Un inspecting a pig farm.

North Korea will mark the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean People&#39;s Army on Tuesday.

It has in the past marked important anniversaries with tests of its weapons.

North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests, two of them last year, and is working to develop nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the United States.

It has also carried out a series of ballistic missile tests in defiance of United Nations sanctions.

North Korea&#39;s growing nuclear and missile threat is perhaps the most serious security challenge confronting Trump.

He has vowed to prevent the North from being able to hit the United States with a nuclear missile and has said all options are on the table, including a military strike.

WORRY IN JAPAN

North Korea says its nuclear programme is for self-defence and has warned the United States of a nuclear attack in response to any aggression. It has also threatened to lay waste to South Korea and Japan.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Friday North Korea&#39;s recent statements were provocative but had proven to be hollow in the past and should not be trusted.

&quot;We&#39;ve all come to hear their words repeatedly, their word has not proven honest,&quot; Mattis told a news conference in Tel Aviv, before the latest threat to the aircraft carrier.

Japan&#39;s show of naval force reflects growing concern that North Korea could strike it with nuclear or chemical warheads.

Some Japanese ruling party lawmakers are urging Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to acquire strike weapons that could hit North Korean missile forces before any imminent attack.

Japan&#39;s navy, which is mostly a destroyer fleet, is the second largest in Asia after China&#39;s.

The two Japanese warships, the Samidare and Ashigara, left western Japan on Friday to join the Carl Vinson and will &quot;practice a variety of tactics&quot; with the U.S. strike group, the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force said in a statement.

The Japanese force did not specify where the exercises were taking place but by Sunday the destroyers could have reached an area 2,500 km (1,500 miles) south of Japan, which would be waters east of the Philippines.

From there, it could take three days to reach waters off the Korean peninsula. Japan&#39;s ships would accompany the Carl Vinson north at least into the East China Sea, a source with knowledge of the plan said.

U.S. and South Korean officials have been saying for weeks that the North could soon stage another nuclear test, something the United States, China and others have warned against.

South Korea has put is forces on heightened alert.

China, North Korea&#39;s sole major ally which nevertheless opposes Pyongyang&#39;s weapons programmes and belligerence, has appealed for calm. The United States has called on China to do more to help defuse the tension.

Last Thursday, Trump praised Chinese efforts to rein in &quot;the menace of North Korea&quot;, after North Korean state media warned the United States of a &quot;super-mighty preemptive strike&quot;.

(Reuters)

The USS Carl Vinson is somewhere off the Korean peninsula

North Korea said on Sunday it was ready to sink a U.S. aircraft carrier to demonstrate its military might, as two Japanese navy ships joined a U.S. carrier group for exercises in the western Pacific. U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group to sail to waters off the Korean peninsula in response to rising tension over the North's nuclear and missile tests, and its threats to attack the United States and its Asian allies. The United States has not specified where the carrier strike group is as it approaches the area. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday it would arrive "within days" but gave no other details. North Korea remained defiant. "Our revolutionary forces are combat-ready to sink a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a single strike," the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party, said in a commentary. Our revolutionary forces are combat-ready to sink a US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a single strike,' the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party, said in a commentary × The paper likened the aircraft carrier to a "gross animal" and said a strike on it would be "an actual example to show our military's force". The commentary was carried on page three of the newspaper, after a two-page feature about leader Kim Jong Un inspecting a pig farm. North Korea will mark the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean People's Army on Tuesday. It has in the past marked important anniversaries with tests of its weapons. North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests, two of them last year, and is working to develop nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the United States. It has also carried out a series of ballistic missile tests in defiance of United Nations sanctions. North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threat is perhaps the most serious security challenge confronting Trump. He has vowed to prevent the North from being able to hit the United States with a nuclear missile and has said all options are on the table, including a military strike. WORRY IN JAPAN North Korea says its nuclear programme is for self-defence and has warned the United States of a nuclear attack in response to any aggression. It has also threatened to lay waste to South Korea and Japan. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Friday North Korea's recent statements were provocative but had proven to be hollow in the past and should not be trusted. "We've all come to hear their words repeatedly, their word has not proven honest," Mattis told a news conference in Tel Aviv, before the latest threat to the aircraft carrier. Japan's show of naval force reflects growing concern that North Korea could strike it with nuclear or chemical warheads. Some Japanese ruling party lawmakers are urging Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to acquire strike weapons that could hit North Korean missile forces before any imminent attack. Japan's navy, which is mostly a destroyer fleet, is the second largest in Asia after China's. The two Japanese warships, the Samidare and Ashigara, left western Japan on Friday to join the Carl Vinson and will "practice a variety of tactics" with the U.S. strike group, the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force said in a statement. The Japanese force did not specify where the exercises were taking place but by Sunday the destroyers could have reached an area 2,500 km (1,500 miles) south of Japan, which would be waters east of the Philippines. From there, it could take three days to reach waters off the Korean peninsula. Japan's ships would accompany the Carl Vinson north at least into the East China Sea, a source with knowledge of the plan said. U.S. and South Korean officials have been saying for weeks that the North could soon stage another nuclear test, something the United States, China and others have warned against. South Korea has put is forces on heightened alert. China, North Korea's sole major ally which nevertheless opposes Pyongyang's weapons programmes and belligerence, has appealed for calm. The United States has called on China to do more to help defuse the tension. Last Thursday, Trump praised Chinese efforts to rein in "the menace of North Korea", after North Korean state media warned the United States of a "super-mighty preemptive strike". (Reuters)

North Korea says ready to strike US aircraft carrier

The FBI obtained a secret court order last summer to monitor the communications of an adviser to then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, part of an investigation into possible links between Russia and the campaign, The <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/fbi-obtained-fisa-warrant-to-monitor-former-trump-adviser-carter-page/2017/04/11/620192ea-1e0e-11e7-ad74-3a742a6e93a7_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_page710pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&amp;utm_term=.f7c95238ca31" target="_blank">Washington Post</a> reported on Tuesday, citing law enforcement and other US&nbsp;officials.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department obtained the warrant targeting foreign policy adviser Carter Page&#39;s communications after convincing a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court judge that there was probable cause to believe Page was acting as an agent of a foreign power, in this case Russia, the Post said.

Page has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in his dealings with the Trump campaign or Russia, the newspaper reported.

This is the clearest evidence so far that the FBI had reason to believe during the 2016 presidential campaign that a Trump campaign adviser was in touch with Russian agents, according to the Post.

In a statement to Reuters, Page said the court order was evidence that the administration of former President Barack Obama wanted to &quot;suppress dissidents&quot; who opposed its foreign policy.

&quot;It will be interesting to see what comes out when the unjustified basis for those FISA requests are more fully disclosed over time ...,&quot; he said.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters, which could not independently confirm the Post story. The White House and FBI declined to comment.

The FBI and congressional committees are investigating whether Russia tried to influence the election in Trump&#39;s favour, mostly by hacking Democratic operatives&#39; emails and releasing embarrassing information, or possibly by colluding with Trump associates.

Russia denies the allegations, which Trump also dismisses.

Page has not been accused of any crimes, and it is unclear whether the Justice Department might later seek charges against him or others in connection with Russia&rsquo;s alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election, the Post said.

(Reuters)

A Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court judge was convinced there was probable cause to believe Carter Page was acting as a Russian agent

The FBI obtained a secret court order last summer to monitor the communications of an adviser to then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, part of an investigation into possible links between Russia and the campaign, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday, citing law enforcement and other US officials. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department obtained the warrant targeting foreign policy adviser Carter Page's communications after convincing a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court judge that there was probable cause to believe Page was acting as an agent of a foreign power, in this case Russia, the Post said. Page has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in his dealings with the Trump campaign or Russia, the newspaper reported. This is the clearest evidence so far that the FBI had reason to believe during the 2016 presidential campaign that a Trump campaign adviser was in touch with Russian agents, according to the Post. In a statement to Reuters, Page said the court order was evidence that the administration of former President Barack Obama wanted to "suppress dissidents" who opposed its foreign policy. "It will be interesting to see what comes out when the unjustified basis for those FISA requests are more fully disclosed over time ...," he said. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters, which could not independently confirm the Post story. The White House and FBI declined to comment. The FBI and congressional committees are investigating whether Russia tried to influence the election in Trump's favour, mostly by hacking Democratic operatives' emails and releasing embarrassing information, or possibly by colluding with Trump associates. Russia denies the allegations, which Trump also dismisses. Page has not been accused of any crimes, and it is unclear whether the Justice Department might later seek charges against him or others in connection with Russia’s alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election, the Post said. (Reuters)

FBI obtained court order to monitor ex-Trump adviser in Russia probe: Washington Post

US Defense secretary James Mattis said Iran was the world&#39;s biggest state sponsor of terrorism, as fresh sanctions were imposed by President Donald Trump.&nbsp;

&quot;As far as Iran goes, this is the single biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world,&quot; Mattis told reporters at a press conference in Tokyo.&nbsp;

&quot;It does no good to ignore it. It does no good to dismiss it and at the same time I don&#39;t see any need to increase the number of forces we have in the Middle East at this time,&quot; he said.

&quot;We always have the capability to do so but right now I don&#39;t think it&#39;s necessary,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Trump imposed new sanctions against Iran&#39;s weapons procurement network on Friday after Iran conducted a ballistic missile test this week.&nbsp;

Officials, however, maintain that the US will not break the deal signed with Iran under Obama administration to lift measures aimed at Iran&#39;s nuclear programme.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

&nbsp;

US defense secretary James Mattis said there is no need to increase US troops in the middle east at this moment

US Defense secretary James Mattis said Iran was the world's biggest state sponsor of terrorism, as fresh sanctions were imposed by President Donald Trump. "As far as Iran goes, this is the single biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world," Mattis told reporters at a press conference in Tokyo. "It does no good to ignore it. It does no good to dismiss it and at the same time I don't see any need to increase the number of forces we have in the Middle East at this time," he said. "We always have the capability to do so but right now I don't think it's necessary," he added. Trump imposed new sanctions against Iran's weapons procurement network on Friday after Iran conducted a ballistic missile test this week. Officials, however, maintain that the US will not break the deal signed with Iran under Obama administration to lift measures aimed at Iran's nuclear programme. (WION with inputs from AFP)

'Iran biggest state sponsor of terrorism' says Mattis

Ninety Somalis and two Kenyans landed at the at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi on Wednesday following deportation from the United States, media reports said.

The deportation was confirmed by Kenyan government spokesman Eric Kiraithe but he did not know why they were expelled.

&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t have details of their deportation but it is true there are 90 Somalis and two Kenyans who arrived at JKIA after deportation from the US,&rdquo; said Kiraithe, Kenya&#39;s <a href="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000231219/two-kenyans-90-somalis-deported-from-us-under-unclear-circumstances" target="_blank">The Standard</a> reported.

The travellers were accompanied by American security officers, <a href="http://www.nation.co.ke/news/90-Somalis-deported-from-the-US-/1056-3786982-4twk1t/" target="_blank">media report</a><a href="http://www.nation.co.ke/news/90-Somalis-deported-from-the-US-/1056-3786982-4twk1t/">ed</a>&nbsp;security sources at the airport as saying.

According to a security officer at the airport, American security officers who accompanied the men said the deportation was a result of President Donald Trump&#39;s policy, reported <a href="http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2017/01/25/95-somalis-two-kenyans-deported-from-us-after-trump-policy_c1494579" target="_blank">The Star</a>.

The Somalis were flown to Mogadishu following their arrival in Nairobi.

US President Donald Trump was expected to sign an executive order on Wednesday that included a temporary ban on most refugees and suspended visas for Syrian citizens and six other West Asian and African countries.

Trump signed an executive order on Thursday for the building of a wall along the Mexican border. Trump&#39;s decision is the first in a raft of measures he is expected to take&nbsp;on&nbsp;national security this week. There are talks that he is looking to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-signs-order-to-build-wall-along-mexico-border-11693" target="_blank">ban refugees from Muslim-majority countries</a>.

The building of the wall along the Mexican border was the centrepiece of Trump&#39;s campaign. It was a clarion call for the people which supported him but earned him censure from people both living in the US and abroad for being&nbsp;&quot;racist&quot;.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Kenyan government spokesman Eric Kiraithe confirmed the deportation, but said he did not know why they were expelled

Ninety Somalis and two Kenyans landed at the at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi on Wednesday following deportation from the United States, media reports said. The deportation was confirmed by Kenyan government spokesman Eric Kiraithe but he did not know why they were expelled. “I don’t have details of their deportation but it is true there are 90 Somalis and two Kenyans who arrived at JKIA after deportation from the US,” said Kiraithe, Kenya's The Standard reported. The travellers were accompanied by American security officers, media reported security sources at the airport as saying. According to a security officer at the airport, American security officers who accompanied the men said the deportation was a result of President Donald Trump's policy, reported The Star. The Somalis were flown to Mogadishu following their arrival in Nairobi. US President Donald Trump was expected to sign an executive order on Wednesday that included a temporary ban on most refugees and suspended visas for Syrian citizens and six other West Asian and African countries. Trump signed an executive order on Thursday for the building of a wall along the Mexican border. Trump's decision is the first in a raft of measures he is expected to take on national security this week. There are talks that he is looking to ban refugees from Muslim-majority countries. The building of the wall along the Mexican border was the centrepiece of Trump's campaign. It was a clarion call for the people which supported him but earned him censure from people both living in the US and abroad for being "racist". (WION with inputs from AFP)

90 Somalis, 2 Kenyans deported from US without reason

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto weighed on Wednesday whether to cancel a meeting with US President Donald Trump next week as he condemned the US president&#39;s decision to build a massive border wall.

Lawmakers are pressuring Pena Nieto to scrap Tuesday&#39;s talks in Washington after Trump made good on his campaign pledge to quickly order the construction of the barrier.

&quot;I regret and condemn the decision of the United States to continue construction of a wall that, for years, has divided us instead of uniting us,&quot; Pena Nieto said in a nationally televised message.

&quot;I have said it time and again: Mexico will not pay for any wall,&quot; he said, referring to Trump&#39;s vow to make the southern neighbour pay for the barrier.

&quot;Mexico gives and demands respect as the completely sovereign nation that we are,&quot; Pena Nieto said.

Pena Nieto said he would wait for a report from a high-level Mexican delegation holding meetings in the US capital this week and consult with governors and lawmakers before deciding on &quot;the next steps to take.&quot;

Foreign minister Luis Videgaray, who was in Washington, told the Televisa network that Pena Nieto will weigh whether to travel to Washington but that &quot;the meeting stands for now.&quot;

&nbsp;Bad meeting&nbsp; 
The last time Pena Nieto met with Trump, things did not go well for the Mexican leader.

Pena Nieto came under massive criticism at home for hosting the Republican billionaire during the US presidential election in August even though Trump had called Mexican migrants &quot;rapists&quot; and drug runners.

Videgaray resigned his post as finance minister at the time after it emerged that he had orchestrated the trip, but he was named chief diplomat after Trump was elected.

Now, Pena Nieto is under pressure to avoid meeting Trump again, with Senator Miguel Barbosa, of the leftist Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), saying Pena Nieto should not let Trump &quot;impose his conditions&quot; in negotiations.

Barbosa described the wall and measures against &quot;sanctuary&quot; US cities that protect migrants from deportation as &quot;acts of aggression against Mexico, against Latin America, against the world, against freedom.&quot;

Margarita Zavala, a potential 2018 presidential candidate of the conservative National Action Party (PAN), wrote on Twitter that Trump&#39;s announcement was &quot;an affront to Mexico&quot; and that Pena Nieto must reconsider his trip.

Other political stalwarts urged Pena Nieto to stand up to Trump during his visit.

Two-time presidential election runner-up Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador exhorted Pena Nieto to lodge a complaint against the US government at the United Nations for &quot;violation of human rights and racial discrimination.&quot;

He said Pena Nieto should go to Washington to deliver the complaint to Trump and to &quot;fight for freedom, not beg for it.&quot;

Trump ordered work to begin on designing and building the wall just as Mexico&#39;s foreign and economy ministers were in Washington to prepare Pena Nieto&#39;s trip. Their meetings continue on Thursday.

Videgaray said US officials insisted that Trump&#39;s wall announcement was not meant to coincide with the Mexican delegation&#39;s visit.

&quot;They reiterated the willingness to work to reach agreements that are good for the United States and Mexico,&quot; he said.

&nbsp;Mexicans worry about tighter border&nbsp; 
At the busy border crossing in the northwestern city of Tijuana, Julian Tamayo was sitting in a long line of cars with his wife and daughter to go to the US city of San Diego, where he works.

&quot;Many of the (border) guards are very despotic and arrogant, and Trump is giving them carte blanche to be even more so,&quot; Tamayo, 49, told AFP.

Hector Renteria, a 29-year-old architecture student who was also waiting to cross the border, said the wall is not useful because migrants will &quot;find other ways to cross&quot; illegally.

Renteria worried that the wall will &quot;affect traffic more and (border) checks will be stricter.&quot;

(AFP)

President Pena Nieto is thinking about cancelling a Tuesday meeting with Trump in Washington

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto weighed on Wednesday whether to cancel a meeting with US President Donald Trump next week as he condemned the US president's decision to build a massive border wall. Lawmakers are pressuring Pena Nieto to scrap Tuesday's talks in Washington after Trump made good on his campaign pledge to quickly order the construction of the barrier. "I regret and condemn the decision of the United States to continue construction of a wall that, for years, has divided us instead of uniting us," Pena Nieto said in a nationally televised message. "I have said it time and again: Mexico will not pay for any wall," he said, referring to Trump's vow to make the southern neighbour pay for the barrier. "Mexico gives and demands respect as the completely sovereign nation that we are," Pena Nieto said. Pena Nieto said he would wait for a report from a high-level Mexican delegation holding meetings in the US capital this week and consult with governors and lawmakers before deciding on "the next steps to take." Foreign minister Luis Videgaray, who was in Washington, told the Televisa network that Pena Nieto will weigh whether to travel to Washington but that "the meeting stands for now." Bad meeting The last time Pena Nieto met with Trump, things did not go well for the Mexican leader. Pena Nieto came under massive criticism at home for hosting the Republican billionaire during the US presidential election in August even though Trump had called Mexican migrants "rapists" and drug runners. Videgaray resigned his post as finance minister at the time after it emerged that he had orchestrated the trip, but he was named chief diplomat after Trump was elected. Now, Pena Nieto is under pressure to avoid meeting Trump again, with Senator Miguel Barbosa, of the leftist Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), saying Pena Nieto should not let Trump "impose his conditions" in negotiations. Barbosa described the wall and measures against "sanctuary" US cities that protect migrants from deportation as "acts of aggression against Mexico, against Latin America, against the world, against freedom." Margarita Zavala, a potential 2018 presidential candidate of the conservative National Action Party (PAN), wrote on Twitter that Trump's announcement was "an affront to Mexico" and that Pena Nieto must reconsider his trip. Other political stalwarts urged Pena Nieto to stand up to Trump during his visit. Two-time presidential election runner-up Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador exhorted Pena Nieto to lodge a complaint against the US government at the United Nations for "violation of human rights and racial discrimination." He said Pena Nieto should go to Washington to deliver the complaint to Trump and to "fight for freedom, not beg for it." Trump ordered work to begin on designing and building the wall just as Mexico's foreign and economy ministers were in Washington to prepare Pena Nieto's trip. Their meetings continue on Thursday. Videgaray said US officials insisted that Trump's wall announcement was not meant to coincide with the Mexican delegation's visit. "They reiterated the willingness to work to reach agreements that are good for the United States and Mexico," he said. Mexicans worry about tighter border At the busy border crossing in the northwestern city of Tijuana, Julian Tamayo was sitting in a long line of cars with his wife and daughter to go to the US city of San Diego, where he works. "Many of the (border) guards are very despotic and arrogant, and Trump is giving them carte blanche to be even more so," Tamayo, 49, told AFP. Hector Renteria, a 29-year-old architecture student who was also waiting to cross the border, said the wall is not useful because migrants will "find other ways to cross" illegally. Renteria worried that the wall will "affect traffic more and (border) checks will be stricter." (AFP)

Mexico: We will not pay for wall

US President Donald Trump can hire his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as a senior White House adviser without breaking federal anti-nepotism laws, the Department of Justice said.

In a letter dated January 20 posted on its website, the department&#39;s Office of Legal Counsel said the president has special hiring authority that exempts White House positions from laws barring the president from naming a relative to lead a federal agency.

The New York Times first reported the decision, saying it was posted to the department&#39;s site on Saturday.

Questions about Kushner&#39;s role emerged as voters and lawmakers questioned potential conflicts of interest for Trump, given his wide-ranging business interests, history of employing family members, and the influence of his daughter Ivanka Trump, who is married to Kushner.

The office of White House counsel had asked the Justice department for a definitive opinion on Kushner&#39;s role.

The Justice department said that if Trump chooses to officially hire Kushner and give him security clearance usually granted for White House staff, then conflict-of-interest laws would apply and Kushner would have to abide by their restrictions.

&quot;Congress has not blocked, and most likely could not block, the President from seeking advice from family members in their personal capacities,&quot; the department wrote in its 14-page opinion.

&quot;Consequently, even if the anti-nepotism statute prevented the President from employing relatives in the White House as advisors, he would remain free to consult those relatives as private citizens,&quot; it said.

(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

It says he will not be breaking federal anti-nepotism laws

US President Donald Trump can hire his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as a senior White House adviser without breaking federal anti-nepotism laws, the Department of Justice said. In a letter dated January 20 posted on its website, the department's Office of Legal Counsel said the president has special hiring authority that exempts White House positions from laws barring the president from naming a relative to lead a federal agency. The New York Times first reported the decision, saying it was posted to the department's site on Saturday. Questions about Kushner's role emerged as voters and lawmakers questioned potential conflicts of interest for Trump, given his wide-ranging business interests, history of employing family members, and the influence of his daughter Ivanka Trump, who is married to Kushner. The office of White House counsel had asked the Justice department for a definitive opinion on Kushner's role. The Justice department said that if Trump chooses to officially hire Kushner and give him security clearance usually granted for White House staff, then conflict-of-interest laws would apply and Kushner would have to abide by their restrictions. "Congress has not blocked, and most likely could not block, the President from seeking advice from family members in their personal capacities," the department wrote in its 14-page opinion. "Consequently, even if the anti-nepotism statute prevented the President from employing relatives in the White House as advisors, he would remain free to consult those relatives as private citizens," it said. (Reuters)

Trump can hire son-in-law Kushner as White House adviser: Justice department

Thousands of protesters in Australia and New Zealand on Saturday joined the first of hundreds of womens&#39; marches organised around the world in a show of disapproval of US President Donald Trump as he began his first day in office.

In Sydney, Australia&#39;s biggest city, about 3,000 people - men and women gathered for a rally in Hyde Park before marching on the US consulate downtown, while organisers said 5,000 people rallied in Melbourne.

&quot;Feminism is my Trump card&quot; and &quot;Fight like a girl,&quot; were among the placards held aloft by the protesters in Sydney.

&quot;We&rsquo;re not marching as an anti-Trump movement per se, we&rsquo;re marching to protest the hate speech, the hateful rhetoric, the misogyny, the bigotry, the xenophobia and we want to present a united voice with women around the globe,&quot; organiser Mindy Freiband told Reuters.

Many of the protesters in Sydney and Melbourne wore pink hats, that activists referred to as their &quot;pussyhats&quot;.

The emergence of a 2005 tape in which Trump spoke of women in a demeaning way sparked widespread outrage and was one of the low points of his election campaign. In the tape he was heard saying: &quot;Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything.&quot;&nbsp;

In New Zealand, there were marches in four cities, involving around 2,000 people, Wellington&#39;s march organiser Bette Flagler told Reuters by phone.

Elsewhere in Asia, hundreds of people joined protests in Tokyo, including many American expatriates.

&quot;Trump presidency gets my blood boiling ... Everything we value could be gone. It&#39;s time to speak your mind and concerns and to do our best to salvage the values we cherish in America,&quot; said Bill Scholer, an art teacher.

And in Manila on Friday about 200 demonstrators from a Philippine nationalist group rallied for about an hour against Trump outside the US embassy in Manila.

Some held up signs demanding U.S. troops leave the Philippines while others set fire to a paper U.S. flag bearing a picture of Trump&#39;s face.

Worldwide some 673 &quot;sister marches&quot; are planned for Saturday, in addition to a protest in Washington D.C., according to the organisers&#39; website which says more than two million marchers are expected.

In Washington D.C., at Trump&#39;s inauguration back-clad activists, who were not related to the womens&rsquo; marches, threw rocks and bottles at police in Washington as Trump was sworn in as President.&nbsp;

Although protests in the United States are common at inaugurations, in living memory only the inauguration of Richard Nixon in 1968 - as the United States fought an unpopular war in Vietnam - has drawn such a strong reaction worldwide.

In Sydney, many were worried about that Trump&rsquo;s politics and his attitude towards women and minorities could spread.

&quot;As a mature 56-year-old lesbian I feel for the first time what is global is local,&quot; Vicki Skehan, 56, told Reuters.

&quot;We&#39;ve come so far with inclusiveness and I don&#39;t want to see that go away.&quot;

(Reuters)

About 3,000 in Sydney and some 5,000 protesters rallied in Melbourne, holding banners 'Feminism is my Trump card' and 'Fight like a girl'

Thousands of protesters in Australia and New Zealand on Saturday joined the first of hundreds of womens' marches organised around the world in a show of disapproval of US President Donald Trump as he began his first day in office. In Sydney, Australia's biggest city, about 3,000 people - men and women gathered for a rally in Hyde Park before marching on the US consulate downtown, while organisers said 5,000 people rallied in Melbourne. "Feminism is my Trump card" and "Fight like a girl," were among the placards held aloft by the protesters in Sydney. "We’re not marching as an anti-Trump movement per se, we’re marching to protest the hate speech, the hateful rhetoric, the misogyny, the bigotry, the xenophobia and we want to present a united voice with women around the globe," organiser Mindy Freiband told Reuters. Many of the protesters in Sydney and Melbourne wore pink hats, that activists referred to as their "pussyhats". The emergence of a 2005 tape in which Trump spoke of women in a demeaning way sparked widespread outrage and was one of the low points of his election campaign. In the tape he was heard saying: "Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything." In New Zealand, there were marches in four cities, involving around 2,000 people, Wellington's march organiser Bette Flagler told Reuters by phone. Elsewhere in Asia, hundreds of people joined protests in Tokyo, including many American expatriates. "Trump presidency gets my blood boiling ... Everything we value could be gone. It's time to speak your mind and concerns and to do our best to salvage the values we cherish in America," said Bill Scholer, an art teacher. And in Manila on Friday about 200 demonstrators from a Philippine nationalist group rallied for about an hour against Trump outside the US embassy in Manila. Some held up signs demanding U.S. troops leave the Philippines while others set fire to a paper U.S. flag bearing a picture of Trump's face. Worldwide some 673 "sister marches" are planned for Saturday, in addition to a protest in Washington D.C., according to the organisers' website which says more than two million marchers are expected. In Washington D.C., at Trump's inauguration back-clad activists, who were not related to the womens’ marches, threw rocks and bottles at police in Washington as Trump was sworn in as President. Although protests in the United States are common at inaugurations, in living memory only the inauguration of Richard Nixon in 1968 - as the United States fought an unpopular war in Vietnam - has drawn such a strong reaction worldwide. In Sydney, many were worried about that Trump’s politics and his attitude towards women and minorities could spread. "As a mature 56-year-old lesbian I feel for the first time what is global is local," Vicki Skehan, 56, told Reuters. "We've come so far with inclusiveness and I don't want to see that go away." (Reuters)

Thousands protest Trump as 'sister marches' begin in Australia and New Zealand