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Widespread protests over Donald Trump's travel ban

Downing Street has rejected calls to axe the state visit planned for Donald Trump following widespread outrage over his travel ban on people from certain countries.

More than one million people have signed a petition stating Mr Trump should not be given a state visit.

The immigration curbs have sparked chaos across the US as travellers were detained at airports and thousands of protesters gathered to campaign against the policy.

Boris Johnson has claimed President Trump's immigration policy is "divisive... discriminatory and wrong", but dismissed claims the US is "hostile" towards foreigners.

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Trump refugee ban 'will make USA smaller and meaner'

Syrian refugee children stand by a fire at a refugee camp near Athens in Greece. Credit: AP

President Trump's decision to ban Syrian refugees from entering the country will make America "smaller and meaner", the head of a leading refugee aid agency has said.

Jan Egeland, of the Norwegian Refugee Council, added that Mr Trump's executive order "will not make America safer".

The new US president has suspended refugee admissions for four months and indefinitely banned those from war-torn Syria, pending programme changes that are to ensure refugees won't harm national security.

Mr Egeland said the decision dealt a "mortal blow" to the idea of international responsibility for those fleeing persecution.

He said the US is leading a "race to the bottom" in which politicians in wealth countries provide "zero moral leadership".

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Widespread protests over Donald Trump's travel ban

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