They came by the hundreds, in big cities and rural hamlets, to heckle, plead, badger and, in some instances, to protest the protests themselves.

Eman Ahmed has spent 20 years in bed, only capable of limited movement, but surgery to help her lose 200kg is giving her new hope.

Reduced to their weakest state in a generation, Democratic Party leaders will gather in two cities this weekend to plot strategy and select a new national chairman with the daunting task of rebuilding the party's depleted organisation.

President Donald Trump says the United States has fallen behind in its atomic weapons capacity.

Earlier Francis said Christians should see atheists as good people if they do good.