Top News Stories for Today – Dec 21, 2018
Top News Stories for Today – Dec 21, 2018
US House gives Trump wall money
The Republican-led House of Representatives has passed a temporary spending bill that gives US President Donald Trump $5 billion for his border wall. The House voted 217-185 late Thursday in hopes of averting a government shutdown at midnight Friday. The bill now goes to the Senate needed to be approved.
Trump had demanded the money to build the wall along the US-Mexico border, telling House Republican leaders earlier Thursday that he wouldn’t sign a bill approved by the Senate, which does not include wall funding. US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday, “President Trump is plunging the country into chaos. The stock market is down another 500 points. General Mattis is stepping down. … And now, President Trump is throwing a temper tantrum and creating the Trump shutdown of the government.” VOA
Trump blame Democrats for looming shutdown
President Trump on Friday attempted to shift the blame for the impending partial government shutdown onto Democrats. As the Senate prepares to vote on a bill that is almost certain not to pass but includes the $5 billion for border wall funding he has demanded, Trump tweeted that if the bill fails, “it will be a Democrat Shutdown!” This bill would require Democratic votes; a different bill without the $5 billion in border wall funding already passed, but Trump refused to sign it.
In another tweet, Trump suggested the shutdown will “last for a very long time.” He had previously promised Democratic leaders he would not point fingers at them for a shutdown. “I will be the one to shut it down,” he said. “I’m not going to blame you for it.” The Week
US defense minister to retire soon
President Donald Trump announced via Twitter on Thursday that Defense Secretary James Mattis will retire at the end of February. In his resignation letter, Mattis said he was leaving his post so the president could have a Defense secretary whose views were “better aligned” with his own.
During his tenure, Mattis has stressed to Trump the value in America’s security alliances, particularly the NATO alliance. This was not a forced resignation, but a decision Mattis made of his own accord, a US official told ABC News. ABC News
Mueller may submit report to AG soon
Special counsel Robert Mueller is nearing the end of his historic investigation into Russian election interference and is expected to submit a confidential report to the attorney general as early as mid-February, government officials and others familiar with the situation tell NBC News.
The sources either did not know or would not say whether Mueller has answered the fundamental question he was hired to investigate: Whether Trump or anyone around him conspired with the Russian intelligence operations to help his campaign. NBC News
US to withdraw troops from Afghanistan
The Pentagon has been ordered to start planning a major drawdown of roughly 7,000 troops in Afghanistan, a senior defense official tells CBS News correspondent David Martin. That’s half of the 14,000 US troops still deployed there now. The news broke on the same day President Trump announced Secretary of Defense James Mattis will be leaving the administration.
Trump also intend to pull troops from Syria, a move that sparked intense backlash even from strong allies of the president. The timeline for drawing down troops in Afghanistan is still unclear. In Syria, Mr. Trump ordered an immediate withdrawal. CBS News
UK’s Gatwick airport reopens after drone chaos
Gatwick’s runway has reopened after drones caused the airport to shut down for more than a day. The airport, the UK’s second busiest, said 837 flights were scheduled but there were delays and cancellations.
Boss Chris Woodroofe said “mitigating measures” from the government and military had given him “confidence to reopen”. The drone operator is still at large and police said it was possible they were an environmental activist. The airport is expected to be “back to normal” by the end of Saturday. BBC