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1st LD: UN hopes temporary U.S. refugee ban "lifted as soon as possible"

Xinhua, February 1, 2017 Adjust font size:

The United Nations on Tuesday said that the world body hopes to see the temporary U.S. ban on the entry of refugees into the country "will be lifted as soon as possible."

"We hope it will be lifted as soon as possible," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here in response to a press question.

Thousands of protesters rallied in front of the White House in Washington D.C. on Sunday while demonstrations continued across more than 30 American airports after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order temporarily barring all refugees and seven Mideast and North African countries' citizens from entry into the United States.

Under the order, refugees from all over the world will be suspended U.S. entry for 120 days while all immigration from so-called "countries with terrorism concerns" will be suspended for 90 days. Countries included in the ban are Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. Enditem