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From Washington, this is VOA news. I'm David Byrd reporting.
Hundreds of thousands march in on Donald Trump's first full day as president. Celebrities, entertainers and political activists called for outspoken opposition to Trump's policies on immigration, the environment and women's rights. Singer and actress Madonna won huge cheers from the crowd in Washington when she unexpectedly appeared near the end of an hours-long rally near the U.S. Capitol. "We must love one another or die. I choose love. Are you with me? Say this with me, 'We choose love. We choose love.'" Other celebrities who appeared onstage to cheer on the demonstrators included songwriter Alicia Keyes, actor Scarlett Johansson and R&B artist Maxwell. Latina actress America Ferrera told the crowd that they should not give in to hate fear and suspicion of one another. "We are gathered here and across the country and around the world today to say, 'Mr. Trump, we refuse.'" Organizers of the Women's March had planned for a rally near the U.S. Capitol to be followed by a march to the White House. However, the crowd turned out to be larger than expected and organizers had to reroute the march. Similar protests were held in several U.S. cities, including New York, Boston, Denver and Chicago. International protests were held in London, Paris, Berlin, Sydney and Rio de Janeiro. For more, visit our website. This is VOA news. President Donald Trump told 400 CIA employees that no one feels stronger about the intelligence community than he does. Speaking at CIA headquarters in Virginia on his first full day in office, Trump told the intelligence workers they had a vital role in defeating the Islamic State group. "We have to get rid of ISIS. We have to get rid of ISIS. We have no choice. Radical Islamic terrorism, and I said it yesterday, has to be eradicated, just off the face of the earth. This is evil." The meeting followed Trump's repeated and sharp public criticism of U.S. intelligence agencies before and after the election. He challenged and at times belittled their conclusions that Russia attempted to influence the election to help him win the White House. The president began Saturday with an interfaith prayer service at Washington's National Cathedral. Gambia's defeated leader Yahya Jammeh is leaving the country, ending a political standoff that briefly saw two men claiming leadership of the tiny West African nation. Jammeh flew out of the capital, Banjul, on Saturday night hours after announcing he would relinquish power. The incoming president, Adama Barrow, that is, told the Associated Press that Jammeh would fly to Guinea though that might not be his final destination. Barrow defeated Jammeh in the December elections but Jammeh contested the results as calls grew for him to be prosecuted for alleged abuses during his more than 22 years in power. A regional force had been poised to force out Jammeh if last ditch diplomatic efforts failed. The commander of police forces in Somalia's Middle Shebelle region has been killed in a grenade attack at police headquarters in Jowhar town. Major Khalif Abdulle Arfaye was fatally wounded in the blast that left two other people wounded on Saturday. The chief of the police station, Mohamed Siyad Ali, told VOA's Somali service the commander succumbed to his injuries after arriving at the town's hospital. No one has claimed responsibility. At least 20 people were killed and 40 wounded when a powerful bomb ripped through a market area in northwestern Pakistan on Saturday. Officials said an initial probe suggested a remotely controlled explosive device hidden in a sack was detonated when the market was crowded with shoppers. A spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility. For more on these stories and the rest of the day's news, log on to our website voanews.com. I'm David Byrd in Washington. That's the latest world news from VOA. |