US special envoy for the global coalition to defeat ISIS, Brett McGurk, has submitted his resignation ahead of his departure planned in February, news agency AFP reported quoting CBS.&nbsp;

McGurk's resignation came as a result of "strong disagreement" with President Donald Trump's decision to pull <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-is-right-to-pull-us-troops-out-of-syria-says-putin-185511">US troops out of Syria</a>.&nbsp;

This comes a day after Trump's Defense Secretary <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-defence-secretary-jim-mattis-exit-sparks-concern-among-us-allies-185709">Jim Mattis quit</a> on the back of same decision.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned on Thursday, a day after President Donald Trump stunned the US establishment by ordering a troop withdrawal from Syria.

"My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades' immersion in these issues," Mattis wrote.

"Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position."

Trump on Wednesday declared in a video message that "we won" and said that the troops are "coming back now."&nbsp;

US special envoy for the global coalition to defeat ISIS, Brett McGurk, has submitted his resignation ahead of his departure planned in February, news agency AFP reported quoting CBS.

US special envoy for the global coalition to defeat ISIS, Brett McGurk, has submitted his resignation ahead of his departure planned in February, news agency AFP reported quoting CBS. McGurk's resignation came as a result of "strong disagreement" with President Donald Trump's decision to pull US troops out of Syria. This comes a day after Trump's Defense Secretary Jim Mattis quit on the back of same decision. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned on Thursday, a day after President Donald Trump stunned the US establishment by ordering a troop withdrawal from Syria. "My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades' immersion in these issues," Mattis wrote. "Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position." Trump on Wednesday declared in a video message that "we won" and said that the troops are "coming back now."

US special envoy Brett McGurk quits over Trump's decision to pull troops from Syria

After <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-defends-pullout-from-syria-says-time-for-others-to-finally-fight-185539">US President Donald Trump</a> announced to withdraw around 2,000 US <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/air-strikes-by-us-led-coalition-kill-27-in-eastern-syria-war-monitor-185720">troops from Syria</a>, Iran on Saturday said the US presence in Syria had been "wrong and illogical" from the start.

"The presence of American forces was from the very start, in principle, a wrong and illogical move and a primary cause of instability and insecurity in the region," said Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi.

On November 19, Trump tweeted out saying,&nbsp;"We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency." After the tweet, a US official confirmed that troops will be pulled back from Syria.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1075397797929775105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Later, Trump also tweeted defending his controversial decision, adding that the United States does not want to be the "Policeman" of the Middle East.

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Does the USA want to be the Policeman of the Middle East, getting NOTHING but spending precious lives and trillions of dollars protecting others who, in almost all cases, do not appreciate what we are doing? Do we want to be there forever? Time for others to finally fight.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1075721703421042688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Russian president Vladimir Putin backed Trump's decision and said, "The fact that the US has decided to withdraw its troops is right."&nbsp;

Putin also said that "as concerns victory over IS, on the whole I agree with the US president," adding that "we have dealt serious blows against IS in Syria."

The US withdrawal could have major geopolitical ramifications, and plunges into uncertainty the fate of US-backed Kurdish fighters who have been tackling Islamic State jihadists, thousands of whom are thought to remain in Syria.

After US President Donald Trump announced to withdraw around 2,000 US troops from Syria, Iran on Saturday said the US presence in Syria had been "wrong and illogical" from the start.

After US President Donald Trump announced to withdraw around 2,000 US troops from Syria, Iran on Saturday said the US presence in Syria had been "wrong and illogical" from the start. "The presence of American forces was from the very start, in principle, a wrong and illogical move and a primary cause of instability and insecurity in the region," said Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi. On November 19, Trump tweeted out saying, "We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency." After the tweet, a US official confirmed that troops will be pulled back from Syria. We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2018 × Later, Trump also tweeted defending his controversial decision, adding that the United States does not want to be the "Policeman" of the Middle East. Does the USA want to be the Policeman of the Middle East, getting NOTHING but spending precious lives and trillions of dollars protecting others who, in almost all cases, do not appreciate what we are doing? Do we want to be there forever? Time for others to finally fight..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2018 × Russian president Vladimir Putin backed Trump's decision and said, "The fact that the US has decided to withdraw its troops is right." Putin also said that "as concerns victory over IS, on the whole I agree with the US president," adding that "we have dealt serious blows against IS in Syria." The US withdrawal could have major geopolitical ramifications, and plunges into uncertainty the fate of US-backed Kurdish fighters who have been tackling Islamic State jihadists, thousands of whom are thought to remain in Syria.

Presence of US forces in Syria 'wrong and illogical' move from start: Iran

The US government will begin a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/standoff-over-trump-wall-leaves-us-govt-5-days-away-from-shutdown-184833">Christmastime shutdown </a>at midnight, as Congress adjourned Friday without passing a federal spending bill or addressing President Donald Trump's demand for money to build a border wall.

Operations for several key agencies will cease at 12:01 am Saturday, despite last-ditch talks that continued on Capitol Hill between White House officials and congressional leaders in both parties.

Trump has dug in on his demand for $5 billion for construction of a wall on the US border with Mexico. Democrats are staunchly opposed, and the absence of an elusive deal means federal funds for dozens of agencies will lapse when the clock strikes twelve.

It remained unclear how long the shutdown will last, but Trump expressed hope late Friday night that it "will not last long," after earlier saying he was ready for just that.

The optics are bad, as 800,000 federal employees will be either furloughed or forced to work without pay in the run-up to the Christmas holiday.

But the prospect of a large portion of government workers going without paychecks was not enough to spur lawmakers or the president to action.

The House of Representatives adjourned just before 7:00 pm (2300 GMT) Friday, with no moves taken to avert a shutdown, and the Senate closed up shop an hour later.&nbsp;

Both are due back in session at noon Saturday.

About three-quarters of the government, including the military and the Department of Health and Human Services, is fully funded until the end of September 2019, leaving 25 per cent unfunded as of Saturday.&nbsp;

Most NASA employees will be sent home, as will Commerce Department workers and many at the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, Agriculture and State.

National parks will remain open, but most park staff will stay at home.&nbsp;

While most critical security functions will be operational, the effects of the budget wrangling and uncertainty have cast an air of chaos over the capital, which is also reeling from the resignation announcement Thursday by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

Wall Street ended its worst week in a decade with more bruising losses Friday.

And the inability of Washington to accomplish one of its most basic tasks -- keeping the government up and running -- has caused deep embarrassment and anxiety.

'Prepared' for shutdown

"It's up to the Democrats whether or not we have a shutdown tonight," Trump said earlier Friday, blaming political opponents for the crisis.

"I hope we don't," the president added, but "we're totally prepared for a very long shutdown."

Senators told reporters that congressional leaders from both parties were negotiating behind the scenes with White House officials including Vice President Mike Pence, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, and incoming chief of staff Mick Mulvaney.

The power trio shuttled from one side of the Capitol to the other, seeking a breakthrough with Republicans and Democrats.&nbsp;

It did not come on Friday.

Should they eventually strike a deal, it could swiftly clear Congress and reach the president's desk, said Senate Republican Bob Corker.&nbsp;

"Now Republicans and Democrats both own the success or failure to fund government."

One focus of discussion was the $1.6 billion in border security funding that was a part of pending Senate legislation, number two Senate Republican John Cornyn told AFP.

But conservatives in the House would likely baulk at that figure.

"There's no agreement," Congressman Mark Meadows, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus of ultra-conservatives, told reporters as he left a closed-door meeting on the Capitol's Senate side.

"There's a whole lot of numbers being thrown around," but a maximum $1.6 billion for border security "is not acceptable."

Cornyn suggested the art of the deal was less about grandstanding and more about a logical compromise to break the impasse.

"The House is at five (billion dollars for border security), the Democrats are at zero," he said. "It doesn't sound like that's rocket science to come up with a figure."

'Hostage'&nbsp;

Trump reversed course Thursday and rejected a measure that had unanimously passed the Senate and was under House consideration.

It would have extended government funding until February 8, but contained no money for a border wall, a pet project Trump has fought for since his presidential campaign.

Democrats painted Trump as the Grinch who stole the year-end deal.

"This #shutdown is brought to you by @POTUS &amp; @HouseGOP," Congresswoman Kathleen Rice tweeted. "Instead of passing the Senate's funding bill, they decided to hold this country hostage."

With lawmakers like Meadows and prominent conservative commentators demanding that the president sticks to his campaign promises, Trump doubled down on his wall.

The House swiftly passed a bill that fulfilled the president's demands. It included $5.7 billion in wall funding and $7.8 billion in disaster relief.

But it stalled at the first hurdle in the Senate.

Trump was scheduled to fly to Florida Friday for his Christmas break, but he postponed the trip to help salvage a deal.

The US government will begin a Christmastime shutdown at midnight, as Congress adjourned Friday without passing a federal spending bill or addressing President Donald Trump's demand for money to build a border wall.

The US government will begin a Christmastime shutdown at midnight, as Congress adjourned Friday without passing a federal spending bill or addressing President Donald Trump's demand for money to build a border wall. Operations for several key agencies will cease at 12:01 am Saturday, despite last-ditch talks that continued on Capitol Hill between White House officials and congressional leaders in both parties. Trump has dug in on his demand for $5 billion for construction of a wall on the US border with Mexico. Democrats are staunchly opposed, and the absence of an elusive deal means federal funds for dozens of agencies will lapse when the clock strikes twelve. It remained unclear how long the shutdown will last, but Trump expressed hope late Friday night that it "will not last long," after earlier saying he was ready for just that. The optics are bad, as 800,000 federal employees will be either furloughed or forced to work without pay in the run-up to the Christmas holiday. But the prospect of a large portion of government workers going without paychecks was not enough to spur lawmakers or the president to action. The House of Representatives adjourned just before 7:00 pm (2300 GMT) Friday, with no moves taken to avert a shutdown, and the Senate closed up shop an hour later. Both are due back in session at noon Saturday. About three-quarters of the government, including the military and the Department of Health and Human Services, is fully funded until the end of September 2019, leaving 25 per cent unfunded as of Saturday. Most NASA employees will be sent home, as will Commerce Department workers and many at the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, Agriculture and State. National parks will remain open, but most park staff will stay at home. While most critical security functions will be operational, the effects of the budget wrangling and uncertainty have cast an air of chaos over the capital, which is also reeling from the resignation announcement Thursday by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Wall Street ended its worst week in a decade with more bruising losses Friday. And the inability of Washington to accomplish one of its most basic tasks -- keeping the government up and running -- has caused deep embarrassment and anxiety. 'Prepared' for shutdown "It's up to the Democrats whether or not we have a shutdown tonight," Trump said earlier Friday, blaming political opponents for the crisis. "I hope we don't," the president added, but "we're totally prepared for a very long shutdown." Senators told reporters that congressional leaders from both parties were negotiating behind the scenes with White House officials including Vice President Mike Pence, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, and incoming chief of staff Mick Mulvaney. The power trio shuttled from one side of the Capitol to the other, seeking a breakthrough with Republicans and Democrats. It did not come on Friday. Should they eventually strike a deal, it could swiftly clear Congress and reach the president's desk, said Senate Republican Bob Corker. "Now Republicans and Democrats both own the success or failure to fund government." One focus of discussion was the $1.6 billion in border security funding that was a part of pending Senate legislation, number two Senate Republican John Cornyn told AFP. But conservatives in the House would likely baulk at that figure. "There's no agreement," Congressman Mark Meadows, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus of ultra-conservatives, told reporters as he left a closed-door meeting on the Capitol's Senate side. "There's a whole lot of numbers being thrown around," but a maximum $1.6 billion for border security "is not acceptable." Cornyn suggested the art of the deal was less about grandstanding and more about a logical compromise to break the impasse. "The House is at five (billion dollars for border security), the Democrats are at zero," he said. "It doesn't sound like that's rocket science to come up with a figure." 'Hostage' Trump reversed course Thursday and rejected a measure that had unanimously passed the Senate and was under House consideration. It would have extended government funding until February 8, but contained no money for a border wall, a pet project Trump has fought for since his presidential campaign. Democrats painted Trump as the Grinch who stole the year-end deal. "This #shutdown is brought to you by @POTUS & @HouseGOP," Congresswoman Kathleen Rice tweeted. "Instead of passing the Senate's funding bill, they decided to hold this country hostage." With lawmakers like Meadows and prominent conservative commentators demanding that the president sticks to his campaign promises, Trump doubled down on his wall. The House swiftly passed a bill that fulfilled the president's demands. It included $5.7 billion in wall funding and $7.8 billion in disaster relief. But it stalled at the first hurdle in the Senate. Trump was scheduled to fly to Florida Friday for his Christmas break, but he postponed the trip to help salvage a deal.

US government shuts down at midnight as House adjourns with no deal

Pakistan on Saturday welcomed <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-has-discussed-firing-us-federal-reserve-chairman-powell-report-185879">President Donald Trump</a>'s decision to slash <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/presence-of-us-forces-in-syria-wrong-and-illogical-move-from-start-iran-185851">US troop</a> numbers in Afghanistan, calling it a step towards peace in the war-torn nation.

The decision to pull around half of the 14,000 American troops in Afghanistan has stunned and dismayed diplomats and officials in Kabul, and comes amid a renewed push for talks with the Taliban to end the 17-year war.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the move was "a step forward" in the peace effort.

"The US reviewed its (Afghanistan) policy and then talks were held in Abu Dhabi, then there was progress in the talks and things are moving ahead," Qureshi told reporters in the central city of Multan.

"We expect that things will move further."

Qureshi added that Pakistan had released some Taliban detainees to help facilitate the peace talks and to "create an enabling environment".

There has been no official comment from the Taliban, but one of the militant group's senior commanders on Friday welcomed the decision.

The Taliban already control vast amounts of territory and are causing significant Afghan troop casualties.

The talks in Abu Dhabi earlier this week, with peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad leading the US side, were also attended by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

The UAE's state-run WAM news agency has said a new round would be held in Abu Dhabi "to complete the Afghanistan reconciliation process", without providing further details.

Pakistan on Saturday welcomed President Donald Trump's decision to slash US troop numbers in Afghanistan, calling it a step towards peace in the war-torn nation.

Pakistan on Saturday welcomed President Donald Trump's decision to slash US troop numbers in Afghanistan, calling it a step towards peace in the war-torn nation. The decision to pull around half of the 14,000 American troops in Afghanistan has stunned and dismayed diplomats and officials in Kabul, and comes amid a renewed push for talks with the Taliban to end the 17-year war. Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the move was "a step forward" in the peace effort. "The US reviewed its (Afghanistan) policy and then talks were held in Abu Dhabi, then there was progress in the talks and things are moving ahead," Qureshi told reporters in the central city of Multan. "We expect that things will move further." Qureshi added that Pakistan had released some Taliban detainees to help facilitate the peace talks and to "create an enabling environment". There has been no official comment from the Taliban, but one of the militant group's senior commanders on Friday welcomed the decision. The Taliban already control vast amounts of territory and are causing significant Afghan troop casualties. The talks in Abu Dhabi earlier this week, with peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad leading the US side, were also attended by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. The UAE's state-run WAM news agency has said a new round would be held in Abu Dhabi "to complete the Afghanistan reconciliation process", without providing further details.

US troop withdrawal 'step forward' in Afghan peace effort: Pak foreign minister Qureshi

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - December 22nd, 2018

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russia-china-iran-sought-to-influence-us-2018-elections-us-spy-chief-185736">Russia, China, Iran sought to influence midterm elections: US spy chief</a>

Foreign powers, including Russia, China and Iran, sought to influence voters in the US 2018 mid-term elections, but there is no evidence of any penetration into US voting systems, the top US intelligence official said on Friday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-tender-resignation-aap-mla-alka-lamba-over-resolution-to-revoke-rajiv-gandhis-bharat-ratna-185744">'Will tender resignation': AAP MLA Alka Lamba over </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-tender-resignation-aap-mla-alka-lamba-over-resolution-to-revoke-rajiv-gandhis-bharat-ratna-185744">resolution</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-tender-resignation-aap-mla-alka-lamba-over-resolution-to-revoke-rajiv-gandhis-bharat-ratna-185744"> to revoke Rajiv Gandhi's Bharat Ratna</a>

AAP MLA Alka Lamba said Friday night she will tender her resignation as "demanded" by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for not supporting a resolution in the assembly on revoking late PM Rajiv Gandhi's Bharat Ratna.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-government-shuts-down-at-midnight-as-house-adjourns-with-no-deal-185738">US government shuts down at midnight as House adjourns with no deal</a>

The US House of Representatives adjourned Friday without Congress passing a spending deal, assuring a partial government shutdown at midnight as President Donald Trump and lawmakers remain at odds over border wall funding.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/london-2-arrested-in-connection-with-gatwick-airport-drone-disruption-185743">London: 2 arrested in connection with Gatwick airport drone disruption</a>

Two persons have been arrested in connection with the drone scare at London' Gatwick airport which caused major disruption for commuters; news agency AFP reported.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/third-straight-rout-end-worst-weak-for-dow-nasdaq-since-2008-crisis-185739">Third straight rout end worst weak for Dow, Nasdaq since 2008 crisis</a>

Wall Street ended its worst week in a decade with more bruising losses Friday, and with the tech-rich Nasdaq entering a bear market amid worries about trade wars and a possible US government shutdown.

&nbsp;

Russia, China, Iran sought to influence midterm elections: US spy chief Foreign powers, including Russia, China and Iran, sought to influence voters in the US 2018 mid-term elections, but there is no evidence of any penetration into US voting systems, the top US intelligence official said on Friday.

Russia, China, Iran sought to influence midterm elections: US spy chief Foreign powers, including Russia, China and Iran, sought to influence voters in the US 2018 mid-term elections, but there is no evidence of any penetration into US voting systems, the top US intelligence official said on Friday. 'Will tender resignation': AAP MLA Alka Lamba over resolution to revoke Rajiv Gandhi's Bharat Ratna AAP MLA Alka Lamba said Friday night she will tender her resignation as "demanded" by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for not supporting a resolution in the assembly on revoking late PM Rajiv Gandhi's Bharat Ratna. US government shuts down at midnight as House adjourns with no deal The US House of Representatives adjourned Friday without Congress passing a spending deal, assuring a partial government shutdown at midnight as President Donald Trump and lawmakers remain at odds over border wall funding. London: 2 arrested in connection with Gatwick airport drone disruption Two persons have been arrested in connection with the drone scare at London' Gatwick airport which caused major disruption for commuters; news agency AFP reported. Third straight rout end worst weak for Dow, Nasdaq since 2008 crisis Wall Street ended its worst week in a decade with more bruising losses Friday, and with the tech-rich Nasdaq entering a bear market amid worries about trade wars and a possible US government shutdown.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Border wall row leaves US on brink of govt shutdown

Foreign powers, including<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-now-says-he-told-putin-we-cant-have-meddling-in-us-elections-152735"> Russia</a>, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/china-denies-meddling-in-us-mid-term-elections-166628">China</a> and Iran, sought to influence voters in the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-moves-to-crack-down-on-asylum-seekers-ahead-of-us-elections-174989">US&nbsp;2018 mid-term elections</a>, but there is no evidence of any penetration into US&nbsp;voting systems, the top US&nbsp;intelligence official said on Friday.

US&nbsp;Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats added that the intelligence community did not assess the impact of the foreign influence efforts on the election results.

The findings were included in a report that Coats submitted to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/hours-ahead-of-midnight-deadline-trump-meets-republican-senators-to-thrash-out-wall-funding-dilemma-185729">US&nbsp;President Donald Trump</a> and US&nbsp;agencies involved in election security as required by an executive order signed by Trump in September.

The order declared election interference a national emergency in the wake of an intelligence assessment that Russia conducted an influence operation to sway the 2016 presidential vote to Trump over his Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton.

Russia denies that it interfered in the 2016 contest.

"At this time, the intelligence community does not have intelligence reporting that indicates any compromise of our nation's election infrastructure that would have prevented voting, changed vote counts or disrupted the ability to tally votes," Coats said in a statement on the 2018 election report.

"The activity we did see was consistent with what we shared in the weeks leading up to the election," he continued. "Russia, and other foreign countries, including China and Iran, conducted influence activities and messaging campaigns targeted at the United States to promote their strategic interests."

Coats did not elaborate on details of the foreign influence operations, and he said that the intelligence community did not assess their impact on voters who last month elected a new US&nbsp;Congress, state legislatures, governors and other officials.

"The Russians did not go away after the 2016 election," Mark Warner, the senior Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement on the new report.

"Now that the Russian playbook is out in the open, we're going to see more and more adversaries trying to take advantage of the openness of our society to sow division and attempt to manipulate Americans," Warner added.

Special Counsel <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/lawyer-says-mueller-can-interview-trump-only-over-my-dead-body-184611">Robert Mueller</a> is investigating possible collusion during the 2016 presidential race between Russia and the Trump campaign. Trump denies any cooperation and has repeatedly denounced Mueller's probe as a "witch hunt."

Foreign powers, including Russia, China and Iran, sought to influence voters in the US 2018 mid-term elections, but there is no evidence of any penetration into US voting systems, the top US intelligence official said on Friday.

Foreign powers, including Russia, China and Iran, sought to influence voters in the US 2018 mid-term elections, but there is no evidence of any penetration into US voting systems, the top US intelligence official said on Friday. US Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats added that the intelligence community did not assess the impact of the foreign influence efforts on the election results. The findings were included in a report that Coats submitted to US President Donald Trump and US agencies involved in election security as required by an executive order signed by Trump in September. The order declared election interference a national emergency in the wake of an intelligence assessment that Russia conducted an influence operation to sway the 2016 presidential vote to Trump over his Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton. Russia denies that it interfered in the 2016 contest. "At this time, the intelligence community does not have intelligence reporting that indicates any compromise of our nation's election infrastructure that would have prevented voting, changed vote counts or disrupted the ability to tally votes," Coats said in a statement on the 2018 election report. "The activity we did see was consistent with what we shared in the weeks leading up to the election," he continued. "Russia, and other foreign countries, including China and Iran, conducted influence activities and messaging campaigns targeted at the United States to promote their strategic interests." Coats did not elaborate on details of the foreign influence operations, and he said that the intelligence community did not assess their impact on voters who last month elected a new US Congress, state legislatures, governors and other officials. "The Russians did not go away after the 2016 election," Mark Warner, the senior Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement on the new report. "Now that the Russian playbook is out in the open, we're going to see more and more adversaries trying to take advantage of the openness of our society to sow division and attempt to manipulate Americans," Warner added. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating possible collusion during the 2016 presidential race between Russia and the Trump campaign. Trump denies any cooperation and has repeatedly denounced Mueller's probe as a "witch hunt."

Russia, China, Iran sought to influence midterm elections: US spy chief

The US government began a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-government-shuts-down-at-midnight-as-house-adjourns-with-no-deal-185738">Christmas shutdown </a>early Saturday after Congress adjourned without passing a federal spending bill or addressing President Donald Trump's demand for money to build a border wall.

Operations for several key <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/standoff-over-trump-wall-leaves-us-govt-5-days-away-from-shutdown-184833">agencies ceased at </a>12:01 am Saturday (5:01 GMT), despite last-ditch talks that continued on Capitol Hill between White House officials and congressional leaders in both parties.

Trump has dug in on his demand for $5 billion for construction of a wall on the US border with Mexico. Democrats are staunchly opposed, and the absence of an elusive deal means federal funds for dozens of agencies lapsed when the clock struck midnight on Friday.

The shutdown is the third this year and it remained unclear how long it would last. Trump expressed hope late Friday night that it "will not last long," after earlier saying he was ready for just that.

The optics are bad, as 800,000 federal employees will be either furloughed or forced to work without pay in the run-up to the Christmas holiday.

But the prospect of a large portion of government workers going without paychecks was not enough to spur lawmakers or the president to action.

The House of Representatives adjourned just before 7:00 pm &nbsp;Friday, with no moves taken to avert a shutdown, and the Senate closed up shop an hour later.&nbsp;

Both are due back in session at noon Saturday.

About three-quarters of the government, including the military and the Department of Health and Human Services, is fully funded until the end of September 2019, leaving 25 per cent unfunded as of Saturday.&nbsp;

Most NASA employees will be sent home, as will Commerce Department workers and many at the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, Agriculture and State.

National parks will remain open, but most park staff will stay at home.&nbsp;

While most critical security functions will be operational, the effects of the budget wrangling and uncertainty have cast an air of chaos over the capital, which is also reeling from the resignation announcement Thursday by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

Wall Street ended its worst week in a decade with more bruising losses Friday.

And the inability of Washington to accomplish one of its most basic tasks — keeping the government up and running— has caused deep embarrassment and anxiety.

'Prepared' for shutdown&nbsp;

"It's up to the Democrats whether or not we have a shutdown tonight," Trump said earlier Friday, blaming political opponents for the crisis.

"I hope we don't," the president added, but "we're totally prepared for a very long shutdown."

Senators told reporters that congressional leaders from both parties were negotiating behind the scenes with White House officials including Vice President Mike Pence, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, and incoming chief of staff Mick Mulvaney.

The power trio shuttled from one side of the Capitol to the other, seeking a breakthrough with Republicans and Democrats.&nbsp;

It did not come on Friday.

Should they eventually strike a deal, it could swiftly clear Congress and reach the president's desk, said Senate Republican Bob Corker.&nbsp;

"Now Republicans and Democrats both own the success or failure to fund government."

One focus of discussion was the $1.6 billion in border security funding that was a part of pending Senate legislation, number two Senate Republican John Cornyn told AFP.

But conservatives in the House would likely baulk at that figure.

"There's no agreement," Congressman Mark Meadows, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus of ultra-conservatives, told reporters as he left a closed-door meeting on the Capitol's Senate side.

"There's a whole lot of numbers being thrown around," but a maximum $1.6 billion for border security "is not acceptable."

Cornyn suggested the art of the deal was less about grandstanding and more about a logical compromise to break the impasse.

"The House is at five (billion dollars for border security), the Democrats are at zero," he said. "It doesn't sound like that's rocket science to come up with a figure."

'Hostage'

Trump reversed course Thursday and rejected a measure that had unanimously passed the Senate and was under House consideration.

It would have extended government funding until February 8, but contained no money for a border wall, a pet project Trump has fought for since his presidential campaign.

Democrats painted Trump as the Grinch who stole the year-end deal.

"This #shutdown is brought to you by @POTUS &amp; @HouseGOP," Congresswoman Kathleen Rice tweeted. "Instead of passing the Senate's funding bill, they decided to hold this country hostage."

With lawmakers like Meadows and prominent conservative commentators demanding that the president sticks to his campaign promises, Trump doubled down on his wall.

The House swiftly passed a bill that fulfilled the president's demands. It included $5.7 billion in wall funding and $7.8 billion in disaster relief.

But it stalled at the first hurdle in the Senate.

Trump was scheduled to fly to Florida Friday for his Christmas break, but he postponed the trip to help salvage a deal.

The US government began a Christmas shutdown early Saturday after Congress adjourned without passing a federal spending bill or addressing President Donald Trump's demand for money to build a border wall.

The US government began a Christmas shutdown early Saturday after Congress adjourned without passing a federal spending bill or addressing President Donald Trump's demand for money to build a border wall. Operations for several key agencies ceased at 12:01 am Saturday (5:01 GMT), despite last-ditch talks that continued on Capitol Hill between White House officials and congressional leaders in both parties. Trump has dug in on his demand for $5 billion for construction of a wall on the US border with Mexico. Democrats are staunchly opposed, and the absence of an elusive deal means federal funds for dozens of agencies lapsed when the clock struck midnight on Friday. The shutdown is the third this year and it remained unclear how long it would last. Trump expressed hope late Friday night that it "will not last long," after earlier saying he was ready for just that. The optics are bad, as 800,000 federal employees will be either furloughed or forced to work without pay in the run-up to the Christmas holiday. But the prospect of a large portion of government workers going without paychecks was not enough to spur lawmakers or the president to action. The House of Representatives adjourned just before 7:00 pm Friday, with no moves taken to avert a shutdown, and the Senate closed up shop an hour later. Both are due back in session at noon Saturday. About three-quarters of the government, including the military and the Department of Health and Human Services, is fully funded until the end of September 2019, leaving 25 per cent unfunded as of Saturday. Most NASA employees will be sent home, as will Commerce Department workers and many at the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, Agriculture and State. National parks will remain open, but most park staff will stay at home. While most critical security functions will be operational, the effects of the budget wrangling and uncertainty have cast an air of chaos over the capital, which is also reeling from the resignation announcement Thursday by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Wall Street ended its worst week in a decade with more bruising losses Friday. And the inability of Washington to accomplish one of its most basic tasks — keeping the government up and running— has caused deep embarrassment and anxiety. 'Prepared' for shutdown "It's up to the Democrats whether or not we have a shutdown tonight," Trump said earlier Friday, blaming political opponents for the crisis. "I hope we don't," the president added, but "we're totally prepared for a very long shutdown." Senators told reporters that congressional leaders from both parties were negotiating behind the scenes with White House officials including Vice President Mike Pence, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, and incoming chief of staff Mick Mulvaney. The power trio shuttled from one side of the Capitol to the other, seeking a breakthrough with Republicans and Democrats. It did not come on Friday. Should they eventually strike a deal, it could swiftly clear Congress and reach the president's desk, said Senate Republican Bob Corker. "Now Republicans and Democrats both own the success or failure to fund government." One focus of discussion was the $1.6 billion in border security funding that was a part of pending Senate legislation, number two Senate Republican John Cornyn told AFP. But conservatives in the House would likely baulk at that figure. "There's no agreement," Congressman Mark Meadows, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus of ultra-conservatives, told reporters as he left a closed-door meeting on the Capitol's Senate side. "There's a whole lot of numbers being thrown around," but a maximum $1.6 billion for border security "is not acceptable." Cornyn suggested the art of the deal was less about grandstanding and more about a logical compromise to break the impasse. "The House is at five (billion dollars for border security), the Democrats are at zero," he said. "It doesn't sound like that's rocket science to come up with a figure." 'Hostage' Trump reversed course Thursday and rejected a measure that had unanimously passed the Senate and was under House consideration. It would have extended government funding until February 8, but contained no money for a border wall, a pet project Trump has fought for since his presidential campaign. Democrats painted Trump as the Grinch who stole the year-end deal. "This #shutdown is brought to you by @POTUS & @HouseGOP," Congresswoman Kathleen Rice tweeted. "Instead of passing the Senate's funding bill, they decided to hold this country hostage." With lawmakers like Meadows and prominent conservative commentators demanding that the president sticks to his campaign promises, Trump doubled down on his wall. The House swiftly passed a bill that fulfilled the president's demands. It included $5.7 billion in wall funding and $7.8 billion in disaster relief. But it stalled at the first hurdle in the Senate. Trump was scheduled to fly to Florida Friday for his Christmas break, but he postponed the trip to help salvage a deal.

US government partially shuts as Congress, Trump fail to reach deal

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump met with Republican senators on Friday after threatening a "very long" government shutdown just hours ahead of a midnight deadline, demanding $5 billion for border wall funding and seeking to shift blame for a holiday showdown to Democrats.

There appeared to be little chance the Senate would go along with a bill passed by the House of Representatives on Thursday that would give Trump $5 billion toward building the wall on the Mexican border - one of the major themes of his presidency.

Republican Senator Richard Shelby said he doubted the issue would be resolved on Friday while John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, said there may be room for compromise but that Trump was unlikely to go for any bill that does not include wall funding.

Another Republican senator, Bob Corker, bluntly said, "The $5 billion is not going to pass."

The Senate, where Republicans have only a 51-49 majority, already had approved funds for the government through February 8 but without money for the wall. On Thursday Trump pushed fellow Republicans in the House to use the short-term funding bill as leverage to force through the border wall money despite Democratic objections.

In a series of early-morning tweets on Friday, Trump urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to take up the amended bill from the House.

Last week Trump had said he would be "proud" to shut down the government over the issue of border security and "I'll be the one to shut it down." But on Friday he shifted the responsibility, saying on Twitter, "The Democrats now own the shutdown!"

"If the Dems vote no, there will be a shutdown that will last for a very long time," he said in another tweet.

"Senator Mitch McConnell should fight for the Wall and Border Security as hard as he fought for anything," Trump tweeted. "He will need Democrat votes, but as shown in the House, good things happen."

He also urged McConnell to use the "nuclear option" to force a Senate vote on legislation with a simple majority, rather than the standard "supermajority" of 60 votes. But there was not enough support among Republican senators to do so.

The threat of a US&nbsp;government shutdown, which would leave thousands of federal workers idled at Christmas, continued to fuel investor anxieties on Friday over the trajectory of global economic growth as world stocks extended a steep sell-off.

Tense times

The showdown added to tensions in Washington as lawmakers also grappled with Trump's sudden move to pull troops from Syria, which prompted Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to resign, and furthered concerns over the investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election that Trump won.

Three-quarters of government programs are fully funded through the end of the federal fiscal year next September 30, including those in the Defense Department, Labor Department and Health and Human Services.

But funding for other agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department and the Agriculture Department, is set to expire at midnight on Friday.

If the House measure is put to a vote in the Senate, Democrats have pledged to deny its passage.

The Senate was set to convene at noon EST (1700 GMT), and it remained unclear what would happen if the House measure fails there.

A partial government shutdown could begin, with affected agencies limiting staff to those deemed "essential" to public safety. Such critical workers, including US&nbsp;border agents, and nonessential employees would not get paid until the dispute ends. National parks also would close unless the government declares them essential.

Alternatively, lawmakers could seek a solution that Trump finds acceptable, although it was unclear what that would be.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Trump was "not going to back down on this fight" and would stay in Washington rather than go to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida for the holidays as planned.

Asked how long any potential shutdown would last, Sanders said: "Let's hope that that doesn't have to happen."

Trump's border wall was a key campaign promise in the 2016 election, when he said it would be paid for by Mexico, and sees it as a winning issue for his 2020 re-election campaign.

Democratic US&nbsp;Senator Chris Coons on Friday said he hoped Trump would change course and support the Senate-passed bill, which includes funds for border security but not specifically for the wall.

"This is a fight more over message and the president trying to fulfil a campaign promise rather than substance," Coons told CNN in an interview on Friday.

US President Donald Trump met with Republican senators on Friday after threatening a "very long" government shutdown just hours ahead of a midnight deadline, demanding $5 billion for border wall funding and seeking to shift blame for a holiday showdown to Democrats.

US President Donald Trump met with Republican senators on Friday after threatening a "very long" government shutdown just hours ahead of a midnight deadline, demanding $5 billion for border wall funding and seeking to shift blame for a holiday showdown to Democrats. There appeared to be little chance the Senate would go along with a bill passed by the House of Representatives on Thursday that would give Trump $5 billion toward building the wall on the Mexican border - one of the major themes of his presidency. Republican Senator Richard Shelby said he doubted the issue would be resolved on Friday while John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, said there may be room for compromise but that Trump was unlikely to go for any bill that does not include wall funding. Another Republican senator, Bob Corker, bluntly said, "The $5 billion is not going to pass." The Senate, where Republicans have only a 51-49 majority, already had approved funds for the government through February 8 but without money for the wall. On Thursday Trump pushed fellow Republicans in the House to use the short-term funding bill as leverage to force through the border wall money despite Democratic objections. In a series of early-morning tweets on Friday, Trump urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to take up the amended bill from the House. Last week Trump had said he would be "proud" to shut down the government over the issue of border security and "I'll be the one to shut it down." But on Friday he shifted the responsibility, saying on Twitter, "The Democrats now own the shutdown!" "If the Dems vote no, there will be a shutdown that will last for a very long time," he said in another tweet. "Senator Mitch McConnell should fight for the Wall and Border Security as hard as he fought for anything," Trump tweeted. "He will need Democrat votes, but as shown in the House, good things happen." He also urged McConnell to use the "nuclear option" to force a Senate vote on legislation with a simple majority, rather than the standard "supermajority" of 60 votes. But there was not enough support among Republican senators to do so. The threat of a US government shutdown, which would leave thousands of federal workers idled at Christmas, continued to fuel investor anxieties on Friday over the trajectory of global economic growth as world stocks extended a steep sell-off. Tense times The showdown added to tensions in Washington as lawmakers also grappled with Trump's sudden move to pull troops from Syria, which prompted Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to resign, and furthered concerns over the investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election that Trump won. Three-quarters of government programs are fully funded through the end of the federal fiscal year next September 30, including those in the Defense Department, Labor Department and Health and Human Services. But funding for other agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department and the Agriculture Department, is set to expire at midnight on Friday. If the House measure is put to a vote in the Senate, Democrats have pledged to deny its passage. The Senate was set to convene at noon EST (1700 GMT), and it remained unclear what would happen if the House measure fails there. A partial government shutdown could begin, with affected agencies limiting staff to those deemed "essential" to public safety. Such critical workers, including US border agents, and nonessential employees would not get paid until the dispute ends. National parks also would close unless the government declares them essential. Alternatively, lawmakers could seek a solution that Trump finds acceptable, although it was unclear what that would be. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Trump was "not going to back down on this fight" and would stay in Washington rather than go to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida for the holidays as planned. Asked how long any potential shutdown would last, Sanders said: "Let's hope that that doesn't have to happen." Trump's border wall was a key campaign promise in the 2016 election, when he said it would be paid for by Mexico, and sees it as a winning issue for his 2020 re-election campaign. Democratic US Senator Chris Coons on Friday said he hoped Trump would change course and support the Senate-passed bill, which includes funds for border security but not specifically for the wall. "This is a fight more over message and the president trying to fulfil a campaign promise rather than substance," Coons told CNN in an interview on Friday.

Trump meets Republican senators to thrash out wall-funding dilemma

Turkey will take over the fight against Islamic State militants in Syria as the United States withdraws its troops, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday, in the latest upheaval wrought by Washington's abrupt policy shift.

The surprise announcement by US&nbsp;President Donald Trump this week that he would withdraw roughly 2,000 troops has felled a pillar of American policy in the Middle East. Critics say Trump's decision will make it harder to find a diplomatic solution to Syria's seven-year-old conflict.

For Turkey, the step removes a source of friction with the United States. Erdogan has long castigated his NATO ally over its support for Syrian Kurdish YPG fighters against Islamic State. Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist group and an offshoot of the armed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), fighting for Kurdish autonomy across the border on Turkish soil.

In a speech in Istanbul, Erdogan said Turkey would mobilise to fight remaining Islamic State forces in Syria and temporarily delay plans to attack Kurdish fighters in the northeast of the country - shifts both precipitated by the American decision to withdraw.

The news was less welcome for other US&nbsp;allies. Both France and Germany warned that the US&nbsp;change, of course, risked damaging the campaign against Islamic State, the jihadists who seized big swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014-15 but have now been beaten back to a sliver of Syrian territory.

Likewise, the US-backed militia spearheaded by the YPG said a Turkish attack would force it to divert fighters from the battle against Islamic State to protect its territory.

Islamic State launched an attack in Syria's southeast against the US-backed SDF militia, employing car bombs and dozens of militants.

"We will be working on our operational plans to eliminate ISIS elements, which are said to remain intact in Syria, in line with our conversation with President Trump," Erdogan said, referring to Islamic State.

The Turkish president had announced plans last week to start an operation east of the Euphrates River in northern Syria to oust the YPG from the area that it largely controls. This week, he said the campaign could come at any moment. But on Friday, he cited the talk with Trump as a reason to wait.

"Our phone call with President Trump, along with contacts between our diplomats and security officials and statements by the United States, have led us to wait a little longer," he said.

"We have postponed our military operation against the east of the Euphrates river until we see on the ground the result of America's decision to withdraw from Syria."

The Turkish president said, however, that this was not an "open-ended waiting period".

Turkey has repeatedly voiced frustration over what it says is the slow implementation of a deal with Washington to pull YPG fighters out of Manbij, a town in mainly Arab territory west of the Euphrates in northern Syria.

The United States will probably end its air campaign against IS in Syria when it pulls out troops, US&nbsp;officials have said, as Trump has been forced to defend the planned withdrawal against criticism from allies abroad and at home.

'Time for others to fight'

Trump maintained that IS had been wiped out, a view not shared by key allies, that Washington had been doing the work of other countries and it was "time for others to finally fight".

His defence secretary, Jim Mattis, opposed the decision and abruptly announced on Thursday he was resigning after meeting with the president.

In a candid letter to Trump, the retired Marine general emphasised the importance of "showing respect" to allies that have voiced surprise and concern about the president's decision.

Russia said on Friday it did not understand what the United States' next steps in Syria would be, adding that chaotic and unpredictable decision-making in Washington was creating discomfort in international affairs.

Several of Trump's fellow Republicans in Congress, joined by opposition Democrats, urged the president to reverse course, saying the withdrawal would strengthen the hand of Russia and Iran in Syria and enable a resurgence of Islamic State.

Trump has given no sign of changing his mind. He promised to remove forces from Syria during his 2016 election campaign.

The roughly 2,000 US&nbsp;troops in Syria, many of them special forces, were ostensibly helping to combat Islamic State but were also seen as a possible bulwark against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has retaken much of the country from his foes in the multi-sided civil war, with military help from Iran and Russia.

IS declared a caliphate in 2014 after seizing parts of Syria and Iraq. The ultra-hardline Sunni militants established their de facto capital in the Syrian city of Raqqa, using it as a base to plot attacks in Europe.

A senior US&nbsp;official last week said Islamic State was down to the last 1 per cent of the territory it once held. The group has no remaining territory in Iraq, though militants have resumed attacks since their defeat there last year.

Islamic State launched an attack on Friday on positions held by the SDF in Syria's southeast and the US-led coalition mounted air strikes in the area, an SDF official said.

Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria may not be able to continue to hold Islamic State prisoners if the situation in the region gets out of control after a US&nbsp;pullout, top Syrian Kurdish official Ilham Ahmed said on Friday.

Turkey will take over the fight against Islamic State militants in Syria as the United States withdraws its troops, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday, in the latest upheaval wrought by Washington's abrupt policy shift.

Turkey will take over the fight against Islamic State militants in Syria as the United States withdraws its troops, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday, in the latest upheaval wrought by Washington's abrupt policy shift. The surprise announcement by US President Donald Trump this week that he would withdraw roughly 2,000 troops has felled a pillar of American policy in the Middle East. Critics say Trump's decision will make it harder to find a diplomatic solution to Syria's seven-year-old conflict. For Turkey, the step removes a source of friction with the United States. Erdogan has long castigated his NATO ally over its support for Syrian Kurdish YPG fighters against Islamic State. Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist group and an offshoot of the armed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), fighting for Kurdish autonomy across the border on Turkish soil. In a speech in Istanbul, Erdogan said Turkey would mobilise to fight remaining Islamic State forces in Syria and temporarily delay plans to attack Kurdish fighters in the northeast of the country - shifts both precipitated by the American decision to withdraw. The news was less welcome for other US allies. Both France and Germany warned that the US change, of course, risked damaging the campaign against Islamic State, the jihadists who seized big swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014-15 but have now been beaten back to a sliver of Syrian territory. Likewise, the US-backed militia spearheaded by the YPG said a Turkish attack would force it to divert fighters from the battle against Islamic State to protect its territory. Islamic State launched an attack in Syria's southeast against the US-backed SDF militia, employing car bombs and dozens of militants. "We will be working on our operational plans to eliminate ISIS elements, which are said to remain intact in Syria, in line with our conversation with President Trump," Erdogan said, referring to Islamic State. The Turkish president had announced plans last week to start an operation east of the Euphrates River in northern Syria to oust the YPG from the area that it largely controls. This week, he said the campaign could come at any moment. But on Friday, he cited the talk with Trump as a reason to wait. "Our phone call with President Trump, along with contacts between our diplomats and security officials and statements by the United States, have led us to wait a little longer," he said. "We have postponed our military operation against the east of the Euphrates river until we see on the ground the result of America's decision to withdraw from Syria." The Turkish president said, however, that this was not an "open-ended waiting period". Turkey has repeatedly voiced frustration over what it says is the slow implementation of a deal with Washington to pull YPG fighters out of Manbij, a town in mainly Arab territory west of the Euphrates in northern Syria. The United States will probably end its air campaign against IS in Syria when it pulls out troops, US officials have said, as Trump has been forced to defend the planned withdrawal against criticism from allies abroad and at home. 'Time for others to fight' Trump maintained that IS had been wiped out, a view not shared by key allies, that Washington had been doing the work of other countries and it was "time for others to finally fight". His defence secretary, Jim Mattis, opposed the decision and abruptly announced on Thursday he was resigning after meeting with the president. In a candid letter to Trump, the retired Marine general emphasised the importance of "showing respect" to allies that have voiced surprise and concern about the president's decision. Russia said on Friday it did not understand what the United States' next steps in Syria would be, adding that chaotic and unpredictable decision-making in Washington was creating discomfort in international affairs. Several of Trump's fellow Republicans in Congress, joined by opposition Democrats, urged the president to reverse course, saying the withdrawal would strengthen the hand of Russia and Iran in Syria and enable a resurgence of Islamic State. Trump has given no sign of changing his mind. He promised to remove forces from Syria during his 2016 election campaign. The roughly 2,000 US troops in Syria, many of them special forces, were ostensibly helping to combat Islamic State but were also seen as a possible bulwark against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has retaken much of the country from his foes in the multi-sided civil war, with military help from Iran and Russia. IS declared a caliphate in 2014 after seizing parts of Syria and Iraq. The ultra-hardline Sunni militants established their de facto capital in the Syrian city of Raqqa, using it as a base to plot attacks in Europe. A senior US official last week said Islamic State was down to the last 1 per cent of the territory it once held. The group has no remaining territory in Iraq, though militants have resumed attacks since their defeat there last year. Islamic State launched an attack on Friday on positions held by the SDF in Syria's southeast and the US-led coalition mounted air strikes in the area, an SDF official said. Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria may not be able to continue to hold Islamic State prisoners if the situation in the region gets out of control after a US pullout, top Syrian Kurdish official Ilham Ahmed said on Friday.

Turkey says it will take over fight against IS after US pull-out

The US&nbsp;government was headed for a partial shutdown unless <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-refuses-to-sign-us-government-shutdown-legislation-over-mexico-wall-funding-185571">President Donald Trump</a> and Congress cut a deal on Friday in their long-running battle over Trump's demand for a border wall with Mexico, with the president signalling he was prepared to close down the government "for a very long time."

Funding for a range of federal agencies is set to expire at midnight on Friday.

The Republican-led Senate had already approved a measure to fund the government through February 8 without the wall funds. But&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;pushed Republican allies in the House of Representatives on Thursday to use the short-term funding bill as leverage to force through $5 billion for the border wall despite Democratic objections.

In a series of early-morning tweets on Friday,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;called on Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell to take up the amended bill from the House to prevent the shutdown. But approving the spending legislation would require Democratic support to reach the 60 votes needed for passage in the Senate.

"Senator Mitch McConnell should fight for the Wall and Border Security as hard as he fought for anything,"&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;tweeted. "He will need Democrat votes, but as shown in the House, good things happen."

"If the Dems vote no, there will be a shutdown that will last for a very long time. People don’t want Open Borders and Crime!" he said.

The Senate is expected to reject that legislation&nbsp;leaving the government without funding for agencies including the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department and Agriculture Department. The agencies would have to pare staff down to those deemed "essential" to public safety.

Three-quarters of government programs are fully funded through next September 30, including those in the Defense Department, Labor Department and Health and Human Services.

On Wednesday, there had appeared to be a bipartisan agreement to avoid the shutdown without providing&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;with his border wall money.

But on Thursday afternoon,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;summoned the House of Representatives' Republican leaders to the White House and insisted that deal be scuttled.

The House late Thursday did just that when it bowed to&nbsp;Trump's demand that any temporary funding bill includes wall funding.

If that measure is put to a vote in the Senate, Democrats there have pledged to prevent it from getting the votes it needs for passage.

"The bill that's on the floor of the House, everyone knows will not pass the Senate," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters late Thursday.

It was not yet clear what would happen in that case. The partial government shutdown could begin, or lawmakers could work to find a solution that&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;finds acceptable.

Trump&nbsp;believes the border wall is a winning issue for his 2020 re-election campaign and said last week in a White House meeting with Democratic congressional leaders that he would be "proud to shut down the government for border security.

Democrats have used those words to blame any shutdown on the president, believing it would hurt him politically.

Republicans worry about that too and some tried on Thursday to shift the blame to Democrats.

"Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats now have to decide whether it is worth shutting down the government to keep us from securing our border," said Kevin McCarthy, leader of Republican lawmakers in the House.

Workers in the affected government departments will still perform their duties if deemed as essential.

The Department of Homeland Security would run out of funding on Friday if Congress and&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;do not act, but its border agents and those working in the interior of the country would still be on the job because their work is deemed essential.

A partial shutdown would force federal parks to close unless the government also declares them an essential service.

Workers classified as not essential to public safety would be put on temporary leave. Both they and essential employees would not get paychecks until the dispute is resolved.

Democrats take control of the House on January 3 following their victory in the midterm elections last month.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi will almost certainly be the new speaker of the House and would likely push through a new temporary funding bill without any money forTrump's wall, hoping the Republican-controlled Senate would accept it.

The US government was headed for a partial shutdown unless President Donald Trump and Congress cut a deal on Friday in their long-running battle over Trump's demand for a border wall with Mexico, with the president signalling he was prepared to close down the government "for a very long time.

The US government was headed for a partial shutdown unless President Donald Trump and Congress cut a deal on Friday in their long-running battle over Trump's demand for a border wall with Mexico, with the president signalling he was prepared to close down the government "for a very long time." Funding for a range of federal agencies is set to expire at midnight on Friday. The Republican-led Senate had already approved a measure to fund the government through February 8 without the wall funds. But Trump pushed Republican allies in the House of Representatives on Thursday to use the short-term funding bill as leverage to force through $5 billion for the border wall despite Democratic objections. In a series of early-morning tweets on Friday, Trump called on Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell to take up the amended bill from the House to prevent the shutdown. But approving the spending legislation would require Democratic support to reach the 60 votes needed for passage in the Senate. "Senator Mitch McConnell should fight for the Wall and Border Security as hard as he fought for anything," Trump tweeted. "He will need Democrat votes, but as shown in the House, good things happen." "If the Dems vote no, there will be a shutdown that will last for a very long time. People don’t want Open Borders and Crime!" he said. The Senate is expected to reject that legislation leaving the government without funding for agencies including the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department and Agriculture Department. The agencies would have to pare staff down to those deemed "essential" to public safety. Three-quarters of government programs are fully funded through next September 30, including those in the Defense Department, Labor Department and Health and Human Services. On Wednesday, there had appeared to be a bipartisan agreement to avoid the shutdown without providing Trump with his border wall money. But on Thursday afternoon, Trump summoned the House of Representatives' Republican leaders to the White House and insisted that deal be scuttled. The House late Thursday did just that when it bowed to Trump's demand that any temporary funding bill includes wall funding. If that measure is put to a vote in the Senate, Democrats there have pledged to prevent it from getting the votes it needs for passage. "The bill that's on the floor of the House, everyone knows will not pass the Senate," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters late Thursday. It was not yet clear what would happen in that case. The partial government shutdown could begin, or lawmakers could work to find a solution that Trump finds acceptable. Trump believes the border wall is a winning issue for his 2020 re-election campaign and said last week in a White House meeting with Democratic congressional leaders that he would be "proud to shut down the government for border security. Democrats have used those words to blame any shutdown on the president, believing it would hurt him politically. Republicans worry about that too and some tried on Thursday to shift the blame to Democrats. "Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats now have to decide whether it is worth shutting down the government to keep us from securing our border," said Kevin McCarthy, leader of Republican lawmakers in the House. Workers in the affected government departments will still perform their duties if deemed as essential. The Department of Homeland Security would run out of funding on Friday if Congress and Trump do not act, but its border agents and those working in the interior of the country would still be on the job because their work is deemed essential. A partial shutdown would force federal parks to close unless the government also declares them an essential service. Workers classified as not essential to public safety would be put on temporary leave. Both they and essential employees would not get paychecks until the dispute is resolved. Democrats take control of the House on January 3 following their victory in the midterm elections last month. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi will almost certainly be the new speaker of the House and would likely push through a new temporary funding bill without any money forTrump's wall, hoping the Republican-controlled Senate would accept it.

Trump pressures Democrats, warns government may close 'for very long time'

The NATO alliance stressed its continued commitment to its support mission in Afghanistan on Friday as Washington prepared to withdraw thousands of US troops.

NATO's spokeswoman Oana Lungescu would not comment on US President Donald Trump's plan to bring home a chunk of the 14,000 US troops deployed in Afghanistan.

But she said NATO foreign ministers met as recently as this month to express "steadfast commitment to ensuring long-term security and stability in Afghanistan."

"Our engagement is important to ensure that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for international terrorists who could threaten us at home," she said.

Some of the US forces deployed in Afghanistan are part of the NATO-led Resolute Support mission, training and advising the local Afghan forces fighting Taliban rebels.

Others are part of a US-led counter-terrorism mission, and it is not clear from initial reports which of the troops will be the first to come home.

A US official told AFP that a "decision has been made. There will be a significant withdrawal."

Separately, the Wall Street Journal and other US media reported that more than 7,000 troops would return.

"We have seen the reports. For any comments, I refer you to the US authorities," Lungescu said.

Trump has often been at loggerheads with fellow NATO leaders, accusing European allies like Germany of not pulling their weight in terms of defence spending.

'European anxiety'

But in July, at a NATO summit, all members agreed to extend funding for the embattled Afghan security forces until 2024.

Brussels-based expert Ian Lesser said European NATO members may be surprised by Trump's tactics but not his overall intention to reduce troops in Afghanistan, which he made clear after becoming president.

"Many within the alliance frankly are there because the United States has pressed them to be there, but, left to their own decision making, would probably have left," Lesser told AFP.

Lesser, who heads the European office of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, said the resignation on Thursday of US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis will also cause more unease.&nbsp;

"Within an administration that has not produced a lot of predictability, General Mattis was seen as something of an anchor," Lesser said.

"And so his departure will only increase European anxiety about the future of US strategy in Europe but also on Europe's periphery in places like Syria," he added.

Syria and the broader Middle East are central to EU concerns about terrorism and migration.

Lungescu stressed how important the former Marine Corps general had been to NATO.

"Secretary Mattis has made a key contribution to keeping NATO strong and ready to deal with the significant security challenges we face," the NATO spokeswoman said.

"He is widely respected as a soldier and a diplomat... We are grateful for the iron-clad commitment of the United States to NATO. US leadership keeps our transatlantic alliance strong."

The NATO alliance stressed its continued commitment to its support mission in Afghanistan on Friday as Washington prepared to withdraw thousands of US troops. NATO's spokeswoman Oana Lungescu would not comment on US President Donald Trump's plan to bring home a chunk of the 14,000 US troops deployed in Afghanistan.

The NATO alliance stressed its continued commitment to its support mission in Afghanistan on Friday as Washington prepared to withdraw thousands of US troops. NATO's spokeswoman Oana Lungescu would not comment on US President Donald Trump's plan to bring home a chunk of the 14,000 US troops deployed in Afghanistan. But she said NATO foreign ministers met as recently as this month to express "steadfast commitment to ensuring long-term security and stability in Afghanistan." "Our engagement is important to ensure that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for international terrorists who could threaten us at home," she said. Some of the US forces deployed in Afghanistan are part of the NATO-led Resolute Support mission, training and advising the local Afghan forces fighting Taliban rebels. Others are part of a US-led counter-terrorism mission, and it is not clear from initial reports which of the troops will be the first to come home. A US official told AFP that a "decision has been made. There will be a significant withdrawal." Separately, the Wall Street Journal and other US media reported that more than 7,000 troops would return. "We have seen the reports. For any comments, I refer you to the US authorities," Lungescu said. Trump has often been at loggerheads with fellow NATO leaders, accusing European allies like Germany of not pulling their weight in terms of defence spending. 'European anxiety' But in July, at a NATO summit, all members agreed to extend funding for the embattled Afghan security forces until 2024. Brussels-based expert Ian Lesser said European NATO members may be surprised by Trump's tactics but not his overall intention to reduce troops in Afghanistan, which he made clear after becoming president. "Many within the alliance frankly are there because the United States has pressed them to be there, but, left to their own decision making, would probably have left," Lesser told AFP. Lesser, who heads the European office of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, said the resignation on Thursday of US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis will also cause more unease. "Within an administration that has not produced a lot of predictability, General Mattis was seen as something of an anchor," Lesser said. "And so his departure will only increase European anxiety about the future of US strategy in Europe but also on Europe's periphery in places like Syria," he added. Syria and the broader Middle East are central to EU concerns about terrorism and migration. Lungescu stressed how important the former Marine Corps general had been to NATO. "Secretary Mattis has made a key contribution to keeping NATO strong and ready to deal with the significant security challenges we face," the NATO spokeswoman said. "He is widely respected as a soldier and a diplomat... We are grateful for the iron-clad commitment of the United States to NATO. US leadership keeps our transatlantic alliance strong."

NATO stresses Afghan commitment despite US withdrawal

Benchmark indices opened on a choppy note Friday on negative global cues amid fears of a potential <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-refuses-to-sign-us-government-shutdown-legislation-over-mexico-wall-funding-185571">US government shutdown</a> and rising tension between the US and China.

After falling over 100 points in the opening session, the 30-share Sensex was trading 14.82 points or 0.04 per cent, higher at 36,416.85. The index had finished 52.66 points, or 0.14 per cent, lower at 36,431.67 Thursday.

The NSE Nifty, too, was trading 2.25 points, or 0.02 per cent, lower at 10,949.45.

Domestic and other Asian stocks followed Wall Street that fell sharply after US President Donald Trump's demand for border wall funds pushed the federal government closer to a shutdown.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/wall-street-stocks-slump-over-us-government-shutdown-fears-185583">Wall Street stocks slump over US government shutdown fears</a>

The White House said Trump will not travel to Florida Friday for the Christmas holiday if the government is shutting down. More than 8,00,000 federal workers will be facing furloughs or forced to work without pay if a resolution is not reached before funding expires at midnight Friday.

Meanwhile, China accused the US of fabricating facts after the US Justice Department indicted two hackers tied to Chinese security services who allegedly targeted companies and agencies in a dozen countries, adding fuel to the rift between the two countries, experts said.

Top losers include Infosys, Asian Paints, HDFC, TCS, PowerGrid, Bajaj Auto and Hero MotoCorp, shedding up to 2 per cent.

While the gainers include Airtel, M&amp;M, Tata Motors, Tata Steel, Adani Ports and Vedanta, rising up to 2 per cent.

The rupee, meanwhile, weakened against the US dollar, and was trading at 70.05 a dollar.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, was trading 1.07 per cent higher at USD 54.93 per barrel.

On a net basis, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 386.44 crore Thursday, and domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs

87.96 crore, provisional data available with BSE showed.

Elsewhere in Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down 0.15 per cent, Japan's Nikkei fell 1 per cent and Shanghai Composite Index edged lower by 1.01 per cent in early trade.

On Wall Street, the US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 464.06 points, or 1.99 per cent, lower at 22,859.60 Thursday.&nbsp;

Benchmark indices opened on a choppy note Friday on negative global cues amid fears of a potential US government shutdown and rising tension between the US and China.

Benchmark indices opened on a choppy note Friday on negative global cues amid fears of a potential US government shutdown and rising tension between the US and China. After falling over 100 points in the opening session, the 30-share Sensex was trading 14.82 points or 0.04 per cent, higher at 36,416.85. The index had finished 52.66 points, or 0.14 per cent, lower at 36,431.67 Thursday. The NSE Nifty, too, was trading 2.25 points, or 0.02 per cent, lower at 10,949.45. Domestic and other Asian stocks followed Wall Street that fell sharply after US President Donald Trump's demand for border wall funds pushed the federal government closer to a shutdown. Also read: Wall Street stocks slump over US government shutdown fears The White House said Trump will not travel to Florida Friday for the Christmas holiday if the government is shutting down. More than 8,00,000 federal workers will be facing furloughs or forced to work without pay if a resolution is not reached before funding expires at midnight Friday. Meanwhile, China accused the US of fabricating facts after the US Justice Department indicted two hackers tied to Chinese security services who allegedly targeted companies and agencies in a dozen countries, adding fuel to the rift between the two countries, experts said. Top losers include Infosys, Asian Paints, HDFC, TCS, PowerGrid, Bajaj Auto and Hero MotoCorp, shedding up to 2 per cent. While the gainers include Airtel, M&M, Tata Motors, Tata Steel, Adani Ports and Vedanta, rising up to 2 per cent. The rupee, meanwhile, weakened against the US dollar, and was trading at 70.05 a dollar. Brent crude, the international benchmark, was trading 1.07 per cent higher at USD 54.93 per barrel. On a net basis, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 386.44 crore Thursday, and domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 87.96 crore, provisional data available with BSE showed. Elsewhere in Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down 0.15 per cent, Japan's Nikkei fell 1 per cent and Shanghai Composite Index edged lower by 1.01 per cent in early trade. On Wall Street, the US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 464.06 points, or 1.99 per cent, lower at 22,859.60 Thursday.

Sensex falls 100 points in early trade amid US government shutdown tension

Air strikes by the US-led coalition killed 13 jihadist fighters and 14 of their relatives Friday in eastern Syria, a war monitor said.

The strikes came two days after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-pressures-democrats-warns-government-may-close-for-very-long-time-185701">US President Donald Trump</a>'s decision to pull troops out of Syria raised fears the Islamic State group would use the vacuum to regroup.

"At least 27 people were killed this morning in Al-Shaafa," Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP.

He said eight children were among the 14 civilian victims and added several people were seriously wounded in the strikes.

The raids targeted IS positions in Al-Shaafa, one of the two main villages in the last pocket of territory still controlled by IS in the Euphrates River valley.

Close to 1,000 IS fighters have been killed since Kurdish-led forces, backed by coalition air strikes, launched an operation on that pocket in September.

Trump said he was ordering a withdrawal of the estimated 2,000 US troops in Syria because IS had been defeated, an assessment rubbished by many, including in his own camp.

On Friday, the leadership of the Kurdish force that has spearheaded the fight against IS warned it might have to pull back from the anti-jihadist front if a US withdrawal invites a Turkish military assault against them.

According to the Observatory, 545 members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces were killed battling IS since the start of the operation on September 10.

Air strikes by the US-led coalition killed 13 jihadist fighters and 14 of their relatives Friday in eastern Syria, a war monitor said. The strikes came two days after US President Donald Trump's decision to pull troops out of Syria raised fears the Islamic State group would use the vacuum to regroup.

Air strikes by the US-led coalition killed 13 jihadist fighters and 14 of their relatives Friday in eastern Syria, a war monitor said. The strikes came two days after US President Donald Trump's decision to pull troops out of Syria raised fears the Islamic State group would use the vacuum to regroup. "At least 27 people were killed this morning in Al-Shaafa," Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP. He said eight children were among the 14 civilian victims and added several people were seriously wounded in the strikes. The raids targeted IS positions in Al-Shaafa, one of the two main villages in the last pocket of territory still controlled by IS in the Euphrates River valley. Close to 1,000 IS fighters have been killed since Kurdish-led forces, backed by coalition air strikes, launched an operation on that pocket in September. Trump said he was ordering a withdrawal of the estimated 2,000 US troops in Syria because IS had been defeated, an assessment rubbished by many, including in his own camp. On Friday, the leadership of the Kurdish force that has spearheaded the fight against IS warned it might have to pull back from the anti-jihadist front if a US withdrawal invites a Turkish military assault against them. According to the Observatory, 545 members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces were killed battling IS since the start of the operation on September 10.

Air strikes by US-led coalition kill 27 in eastern Syria: War monitor

Key allies of Washington expressed concern on Friday about the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/it-is-right-for-me-to-step-down-us-defense-secretary-jim-mattis-quits-185565">resignation of US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis</a> and the policies of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-pressures-democrats-warns-government-may-close-for-very-long-time-185701">President Donald Trump</a> that prompted it, praising Mattis as a committed partner.

Mattis said on Thursday he would quit after falling out withTrump over the latter's foreign policies, including the surprise decision to pull troops out of Syria and plans for a drawdown in Afghanistan.

"Secretary Mattis has made a key contribution to keeping NATO strong and ready to deal with the significant security challenges we face," NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said. "He is widely respected as a soldier and a diplomat."

Mattis has been seen in Europe as firmly committed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) military alliance, unlike his ex-boss.

Trump has warned European allies the United States could withdraw its support unless they boost defence spending.

"We are grateful for the iron-clad commitment of the United States to NATO. US leadership keeps our transatlantic alliance strong," Lungescu said.

Former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, head of the liberals in the European Parliament, said the resignation only made it more urgent for the European Union to push on with its plans to bolster its own defence capabilities.

"Mattis checked President Trump's worst instincts &amp; was a strong supporter of NATO &amp; multilateralism. His departure is bad news &amp; makes it look like (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s plan is being delivered on," Verhofstadt said on Twitter.

MACRON FAILS TO PERSUADE

Mattis' resignation also sparked concern among Washington's Asia-Pacific allies, who credit the retired general with building trust and tempering isolationist impulses.

The region includes strong US allies Japan, South Korea and Australia and has some of the world's most volatile flashpoints, with high tension on the Korean peninsula and China's militarisation of the South China Sea causing friction.

The resignation also surprised Kabul, where the retired Marine had been seen as a guarantor of US engagement. Afghan officials reacted with unease to plans to withdraw more than 5,000 of the 14,000 US troops in the country.

After being tipped off by White House sources and diplomats, French President Emmanuel Macron called Trump on Tuesday to warn him against the Syria decision, a French official said.

"He told him: Be careful, we think that would be a bit too early'," the official said.

Macron has often been cast as the one leader who had some influence on Trump, with a good personal and working relationship.

French Defence Minister Florence Parly said Trump's decision to pull troops out of Syria in the belief that Islamic State (ISIS) had been defeated was "extremely grave".

"We do not share the analyses that the territorial caliphate has been annihilated," Parly said on RTL radio. "It's an extremely grave decision and we think ... the job must be finished."

German Defense Minister Ursula Von der Leyen called for clarity on future policies.

"Because the United States has such a prominent role and responsibility in the global security architecture, it is important for everyone to quickly get clarity about succession and the future course," she said in a statement.

Key allies of Washington expressed concern on Friday about the resignation of US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and the policies of President Donald Trump that prompted it, praising Mattis as a committed partner.

Key allies of Washington expressed concern on Friday about the resignation of US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and the policies of President Donald Trump that prompted it, praising Mattis as a committed partner. Mattis said on Thursday he would quit after falling out withTrump over the latter's foreign policies, including the surprise decision to pull troops out of Syria and plans for a drawdown in Afghanistan. "Secretary Mattis has made a key contribution to keeping NATO strong and ready to deal with the significant security challenges we face," NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said. "He is widely respected as a soldier and a diplomat." Mattis has been seen in Europe as firmly committed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) military alliance, unlike his ex-boss. Trump has warned European allies the United States could withdraw its support unless they boost defence spending. "We are grateful for the iron-clad commitment of the United States to NATO. US leadership keeps our transatlantic alliance strong," Lungescu said. Former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, head of the liberals in the European Parliament, said the resignation only made it more urgent for the European Union to push on with its plans to bolster its own defence capabilities. "Mattis checked President Trump's worst instincts & was a strong supporter of NATO & multilateralism. His departure is bad news & makes it look like (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s plan is being delivered on," Verhofstadt said on Twitter. MACRON FAILS TO PERSUADE Mattis' resignation also sparked concern among Washington's Asia-Pacific allies, who credit the retired general with building trust and tempering isolationist impulses. The region includes strong US allies Japan, South Korea and Australia and has some of the world's most volatile flashpoints, with high tension on the Korean peninsula and China's militarisation of the South China Sea causing friction. The resignation also surprised Kabul, where the retired Marine had been seen as a guarantor of US engagement. Afghan officials reacted with unease to plans to withdraw more than 5,000 of the 14,000 US troops in the country. After being tipped off by White House sources and diplomats, French President Emmanuel Macron called Trump on Tuesday to warn him against the Syria decision, a French official said. "He told him: Be careful, we think that would be a bit too early'," the official said. Macron has often been cast as the one leader who had some influence on Trump, with a good personal and working relationship. French Defence Minister Florence Parly said Trump's decision to pull troops out of Syria in the belief that Islamic State (ISIS) had been defeated was "extremely grave". "We do not share the analyses that the territorial caliphate has been annihilated," Parly said on RTL radio. "It's an extremely grave decision and we think ... the job must be finished." German Defense Minister Ursula Von der Leyen called for clarity on future policies. "Because the United States has such a prominent role and responsibility in the global security architecture, it is important for everyone to quickly get clarity about succession and the future course," she said in a statement.

Defence Secretary Jim Mattis exit sparks concern among US allies

Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria may not be able to continue hold Islamic State prisoners if the situation in the region gets out of control, top Syrian Kurdish official Ilham Ahmed said on Friday.

Speaking alongside her at a Paris news conference, Riad Darar, co-chair of the Syrian Democratic Council, said they hoped France would play a more active role in Syria after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-pressures-democrats-warns-government-may-close-for-very-long-time-185701">US President Donald Trump</a> decided to withdraw US forces.

"Under the threat of the Turkish state, and with the possibility of Daesh (Islamic State) reviving once again, I fear the situation will go out of control and we no longer be able to contain them," Ahmed said when asked if the SDF was considering releasing hundreds of IS detainees.

The two had earlier met advisers to French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss Trump's decision, which took US allies by surprise. French officials declined to immediately comment.

France has about 200 special forces personnel operating in Syria's Kurdish areas as well as heavy artillery as part of efforts to rout Islamic State in its remaining pockets. It is also carrying out air strikes.

"We do not share the analyses that the territorial caliphate (of Islamic State) has been annihilated," French Defence Minister Florence Parly said on RTL radio, disagreeing with Trump's assessment.

"It's an extremely grave decision and we think ... the job must be finished."

Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria may not be able to continue hold Islamic State prisoners if the situation in the region gets out of control, top Syrian Kurdish official Ilham Ahmed said on Friday.

Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria may not be able to continue hold Islamic State prisoners if the situation in the region gets out of control, top Syrian Kurdish official Ilham Ahmed said on Friday. Speaking alongside her at a Paris news conference, Riad Darar, co-chair of the Syrian Democratic Council, said they hoped France would play a more active role in Syria after US President Donald Trump decided to withdraw US forces. "Under the threat of the Turkish state, and with the possibility of Daesh (Islamic State) reviving once again, I fear the situation will go out of control and we no longer be able to contain them," Ahmed said when asked if the SDF was considering releasing hundreds of IS detainees. The two had earlier met advisers to French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss Trump's decision, which took US allies by surprise. French officials declined to immediately comment. France has about 200 special forces personnel operating in Syria's Kurdish areas as well as heavy artillery as part of efforts to rout Islamic State in its remaining pockets. It is also carrying out air strikes. "We do not share the analyses that the territorial caliphate (of Islamic State) has been annihilated," French Defence Minister Florence Parly said on RTL radio, disagreeing with Trump's assessment. "It's an extremely grave decision and we think ... the job must be finished."

Kurdish-led forces in Syria may not be able to contain IS prisoners: Official

President Donald Trump has decided to pull a significant number of troops from Afghanistan, a US official told AFP on Thursday, a day after he announced a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-islamic-state-defeated-us-will-pull-all-forces-out-of-syira-185369">withdrawal from Syria</a>.

"That decision has been made. There will be a significant withdrawal," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Currently, the United States has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan working either with a NATO mission to support Afghan forces or in separate counter-terrorism operations.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/it-is-right-for-me-to-step-down-us-defense-secretary-jim-mattis-quits-185565">It is right for me to step down, says US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis&nbsp;</a>

Trump made his decision Tuesday, the same time he told the Pentagon he wanted to pull all US forces out of Syria.&nbsp;

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis quit earlier Thursday, saying his views were no longer reconcilable with Trump's.

The president's twin foreign policy decisions on Syria and Afghanistan are nothing less than epic, and could begin to unspool a series of cascading and unpredictable events across the Middle East and in Afghanistan.

Mattis and other top military advisors last year persuaded Trump to commit thousands of new troops to Afghanistan, where the Taliban were slaughtering local forces in the thousands and making major gains.

Trump at the time said his instinct was to get out of Afghanistan.

The Wall Street Journal reported that more than 7,000 troops would be returning from Afghanistan.

The pullout comes as the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-envoy-doubts-afghan-talibans-desire-for-peace-185562">US pushes for a peace deal with the Taliban</a>.

President Donald Trump has decided to pull a significant number of troops from Afghanistan, a US official told AFP on Thursday, a day after he announced a withdrawal from Syria.

President Donald Trump has decided to pull a significant number of troops from Afghanistan, a US official told AFP on Thursday, a day after he announced a withdrawal from Syria. "That decision has been made. There will be a significant withdrawal," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity. Currently, the United States has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan working either with a NATO mission to support Afghan forces or in separate counter-terrorism operations. Also read: It is right for me to step down, says US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis Trump made his decision Tuesday, the same time he told the Pentagon he wanted to pull all US forces out of Syria. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis quit earlier Thursday, saying his views were no longer reconcilable with Trump's. The president's twin foreign policy decisions on Syria and Afghanistan are nothing less than epic, and could begin to unspool a series of cascading and unpredictable events across the Middle East and in Afghanistan. Mattis and other top military advisors last year persuaded Trump to commit thousands of new troops to Afghanistan, where the Taliban were slaughtering local forces in the thousands and making major gains. Trump at the time said his instinct was to get out of Afghanistan. The Wall Street Journal reported that more than 7,000 troops would be returning from Afghanistan. The pullout comes as the US pushes for a peace deal with the Taliban.

Trump to cut troops in Afghanistan: US official

Defense Secretary <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-mattis-could-be-leaving-as-us-defense-chief-171451">Jim Mattis</a> resigned on Thursday, a day after President<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/fears-for-russia-probe-as-trump-fires-jeff-sessions-176156"> Donald Trump</a> stunned the US establishment by ordering a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-islamic-state-defeated-us-will-pull-all-forces-out-of-syira-185369">troop withdrawal from Syria</a>.

In a letter to Trump, the 68-year-old Pentagon chief said his political outlook, which cherishes traditional alliances, could no longer be reconciled with that of the president, who has poured scorn on longstanding partnerships and repeatedly sought closer ties with Russia.

"My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades' immersion in these issues," Mattis wrote.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/shake-up-in-trump-administration-big-white-house-dismissals-and-resignations-of-2018-176266">Shake-up in Trump administration, Big White House dismissals and resignations of 2018</a>

"Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position."

Moments before the Pentagon released Mattis's letter, Trump tweeted that his defense secretary would be "retiring with distinction, at the end of February."

"General Mattis was a great help to me in getting allies and other countries to pay their share of military obligations. A new Secretary of Defense will be named shortly. I greatly thank Jim for his service!" Trump tweeted.

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General Jim Mattis will be retiring, with distinction, at the end of February, after having served my Administration as Secretary of Defense for the past two years. During Jim’s tenure, tremendous progress has been made, especially with respect to the purchase of new fighting....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1075878792168685568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Trump's <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/factbox-trump-administration-departures-resignations-and-firings-182640">administration has been marked by a steady haemorrhage of cabinet members and top advisors</a>, and Mattis, whom Trump once affectionately referred to as one of "my generals", was long rumoured to have <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/in-series-of-high-profile-departures-us-interior-secretary-zinke-to-leave-trump-administration-184375">lost influence with the president</a>.&nbsp;

But news of his departure, which he broke to stunned Pentagon staff earlier in the afternoon after meeting with Trump at the White House, still came as a shock to Washington.

"This is scary," Democratic Senator Mark Warner said.&nbsp;

"Secretary Mattis has been an island of stability amidst the chaos of the Trump administration."

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/newly-emboldened-democrats-want-healthcare-protected-and-trump-impeached-poll-176262">Newly emboldened Democrats want healthcare protected and Trump impeached</a>

Republican Senator Marco Rubio said Mattis's resignation letter "makes it abundantly clear that we are headed towards a series of grave policy errors which will endanger our nation, damage our alliances (and) empower our adversaries."

And Senator Susan Collins, another Republican, said Mattis's resignation "is a real loss for our nation, our troops, and this administration."

Trump's <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-defends-pullout-from-syria-says-time-for-others-to-finally-fight-185539">decision to pull the 2,000 or so US troops out of Syria</a> was a stunning rebuke to Mattis, who had warned that an early withdrawal from Syria would be a "strategic blunder."

Experts say IS has not been defeated. The group still holds pockets of land in east Syria and thousands of jihadists are thought to remain.

Earlier Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was considering a drawdown of US forces in Afghanistan -- the exact opposite of what Mattis had pushed for.

Trump and Mattis have previously clashed on any number of other issues -- including the Iran nuclear deal, which Trump pulled out of in May while Mattis defended parts of it.

The Pentagon chief was also against the creation of a separate new branch of the US military called Space Force, but Trump ordered it anyway.

Meanwhile, the biggest deployment Mattis has ordered so far was one to the US border with Mexico, a mission with only vague military utility and one that critics have assailed as a political stunt by Trump.

Mattis's fate has been the subject of intense speculation for months but reached fever pitch in September, when veteran journalist Bob Woodward published a book giving an inside glimpse into a chaotic White House.

He said Mattis had questioned Trump's judgment, likening his understanding to that of a 10- or 11-year-old child.

Mattis, a buttoned-up former Marine Corps general, was loath to discuss politics or his relationship with Trump, and the president was widely reported to bristle at unfavourable comparisons to Mattis, who had broad bipartisan support.

The Pentagon chief would regularly stop by reporters' desks or speak outside the building, but he never gave any inkling of if or when he might step down.

It was not immediately clear who might replace Mattis.&nbsp;

Senator Tom Cotton, a staunch Trump ally and former Army officer, is often mentioned as a possible candidate.&nbsp;

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned on Thursday, a day after President Donald Trump stunned the US establishment by ordering a troop withdrawal from Syria. In a letter to Trump, the 68-year-old Pentagon chief said his political outlook, which cherishes traditional alliances, could no longer be reconciled with that of the president, who has poured scorn on longstanding partnerships and repeatedly sought closer ties with Russia.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned on Thursday, a day after President Donald Trump stunned the US establishment by ordering a troop withdrawal from Syria. In a letter to Trump, the 68-year-old Pentagon chief said his political outlook, which cherishes traditional alliances, could no longer be reconciled with that of the president, who has poured scorn on longstanding partnerships and repeatedly sought closer ties with Russia. "My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades' immersion in these issues," Mattis wrote. Also read: Shake-up in Trump administration, Big White House dismissals and resignations of 2018 "Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position." Moments before the Pentagon released Mattis's letter, Trump tweeted that his defense secretary would be "retiring with distinction, at the end of February." "General Mattis was a great help to me in getting allies and other countries to pay their share of military obligations. A new Secretary of Defense will be named shortly. I greatly thank Jim for his service!" Trump tweeted. General Jim Mattis will be retiring, with distinction, at the end of February, after having served my Administration as Secretary of Defense for the past two years. During Jim’s tenure, tremendous progress has been made, especially with respect to the purchase of new fighting.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2018 × Trump's administration has been marked by a steady haemorrhage of cabinet members and top advisors, and Mattis, whom Trump once affectionately referred to as one of "my generals", was long rumoured to have lost influence with the president. But news of his departure, which he broke to stunned Pentagon staff earlier in the afternoon after meeting with Trump at the White House, still came as a shock to Washington. "This is scary," Democratic Senator Mark Warner said. "Secretary Mattis has been an island of stability amidst the chaos of the Trump administration." Also read: Newly emboldened Democrats want healthcare protected and Trump impeached Republican Senator Marco Rubio said Mattis's resignation letter "makes it abundantly clear that we are headed towards a series of grave policy errors which will endanger our nation, damage our alliances (and) empower our adversaries." And Senator Susan Collins, another Republican, said Mattis's resignation "is a real loss for our nation, our troops, and this administration." Trump's decision to pull the 2,000 or so US troops out of Syria was a stunning rebuke to Mattis, who had warned that an early withdrawal from Syria would be a "strategic blunder." Experts say IS has not been defeated. The group still holds pockets of land in east Syria and thousands of jihadists are thought to remain. Earlier Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was considering a drawdown of US forces in Afghanistan -- the exact opposite of what Mattis had pushed for. Trump and Mattis have previously clashed on any number of other issues -- including the Iran nuclear deal, which Trump pulled out of in May while Mattis defended parts of it. The Pentagon chief was also against the creation of a separate new branch of the US military called Space Force, but Trump ordered it anyway. Meanwhile, the biggest deployment Mattis has ordered so far was one to the US border with Mexico, a mission with only vague military utility and one that critics have assailed as a political stunt by Trump. Mattis's fate has been the subject of intense speculation for months but reached fever pitch in September, when veteran journalist Bob Woodward published a book giving an inside glimpse into a chaotic White House. He said Mattis had questioned Trump's judgment, likening his understanding to that of a 10- or 11-year-old child. Mattis, a buttoned-up former Marine Corps general, was loath to discuss politics or his relationship with Trump, and the president was widely reported to bristle at unfavourable comparisons to Mattis, who had broad bipartisan support. The Pentagon chief would regularly stop by reporters' desks or speak outside the building, but he never gave any inkling of if or when he might step down. It was not immediately clear who might replace Mattis. Senator Tom Cotton, a staunch Trump ally and former Army officer, is often mentioned as a possible candidate.

US defense secretary Jim Mattis quits; cites differences with Trump

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusgolu on Friday welcomed the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-troops-withdrawal-will-not-have-security-impact-on-afghanistan-presidential-spokesman-185677">United States' decision to withdraw its troops from Syria</a> and said Washington should coordinate with Ankara on the pull-out.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-concerned-about-being-impeached-report-183111">US&nbsp;President Donald Trump</a>'s announcement that the United States would withdraw its 2,000 troops has upended a pillar of American policy in the Middle East. Critics say it will make it harder to find a diplomatic solution to Syria's seven-year-old civil war.

But for&nbsp;Turkey, Trump's abrupt move marks the removal of a major source of friction with the United States. The two NATO allies have long been at odds over Syria, where Washington has backed Syrian Kurdish YPG fighters.&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;considers the YPG a terrorist organisation.

"With regards to the withdrawal, the decision of the United States to withdraw from Syria, we welcome that decision and&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;fully support the territorial integrity of (Syria)," Cavusoglu told reporters in Malta, during an official visit.

"We need to coordinate this withdrawal with the United States and we are already in touch at different levels."

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/one-of-khashoggi-killers-said-i-know-how-to-cut-on-audio-president-tayyip-erdogan-184113">President Tayyip Erdogan</a> said this week&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;might start a new military operation in Syria at any moment. Its forces have intervened to sweep YPG and Islamic State fighters from territory west of the Euphrates over the past two years. It has not gone east of the river, partly to avoid direct confrontation with US&nbsp;forces.

Turkey&nbsp;has repeatedly voiced frustration over what it says is the slow implementation of a deal with Washington to pull YPG fighters out of Manbij, a town in mainly Arab territory west of the Euphrates.

"We have the Manbij roadmap, we discussed whether we can implement this by the time that they (US&nbsp;forces) withdraw," Cavusoglu said, referring to the Manbij deal.

"So many issues that&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;and the United States should coordinate (on) and there shouldn't be any vacuum in the country that terrorist groups might also fill."

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusgolu on Friday welcomed the United States' decision to withdraw its troops from Syria and said Washington should coordinate with Ankara on the pull-out.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusgolu on Friday welcomed the United States' decision to withdraw its troops from Syria and said Washington should coordinate with Ankara on the pull-out. US President Donald Trump's announcement that the United States would withdraw its 2,000 troops has upended a pillar of American policy in the Middle East. Critics say it will make it harder to find a diplomatic solution to Syria's seven-year-old civil war. But for Turkey, Trump's abrupt move marks the removal of a major source of friction with the United States. The two NATO allies have long been at odds over Syria, where Washington has backed Syrian Kurdish YPG fighters. Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist organisation. "With regards to the withdrawal, the decision of the United States to withdraw from Syria, we welcome that decision and Turkey fully support the territorial integrity of (Syria)," Cavusoglu told reporters in Malta, during an official visit. "We need to coordinate this withdrawal with the United States and we are already in touch at different levels." President Tayyip Erdogan said this week Turkey might start a new military operation in Syria at any moment. Its forces have intervened to sweep YPG and Islamic State fighters from territory west of the Euphrates over the past two years. It has not gone east of the river, partly to avoid direct confrontation with US forces. Turkey has repeatedly voiced frustration over what it says is the slow implementation of a deal with Washington to pull YPG fighters out of Manbij, a town in mainly Arab territory west of the Euphrates. "We have the Manbij roadmap, we discussed whether we can implement this by the time that they (US forces) withdraw," Cavusoglu said, referring to the Manbij deal. "So many issues that Turkey and the United States should coordinate (on) and there shouldn't be any vacuum in the country that terrorist groups might also fill."

Turkey welcomes US decision to withdraw from Syria

A day after US&nbsp;President Trump announced the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-islamic-state-defeated-us-will-pull-all-forces-out-of-syira-185369">withdrawal of forces from Syria</a>, media reports from the US said&nbsp;that Washington will be <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-to-withdraw-significant-number-of-troops-from-afghanistan-official-185569">withdrawing 7,000 troops from Afghanistan</a>.

According to a New York Times report, "the Trump administration is withdrawing roughly 7,000 troops from Afghanistan in the coming months."&nbsp;

The Wall Street Journal was the first to report the development.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/it-is-right-for-me-to-step-down-us-defense-secretary-jim-mattis-quits-185565">It is right for me to step down, says US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis&nbsp;</a>

The Pentagon is, however, mum on the development. In a reply to WION's question, Pentagon said, "have nothing to provide."

The development can have a major impact in the region especially with India playing an important developmental role in the war-torn country. In recent months hectic talks have been&nbsp;going on to stabilise the country - from the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-envoy-doubts-afghan-talibans-desire-for-peace-185562">US talking to the Taliban</a>, to Russia-led Moscow talks and China leading tri-party talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The Taliban recently held talks with the US in Abu Dhabi. The main point of contention from the group has been "withdrawal of foreign troops".

Meanwhile, earlier this week, Russian special envoy for &nbsp;Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov was in India for regular bilateral consultations between India and Russia on Afghanistan. The Russian special envoy held delegation-level talks with joint secretary (PAI) Deepak Mittal and called on foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale.&nbsp;

Giving details on the meeting, the&nbsp;ministry of external affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: "Both sides reiterated support for Afghan-led and Afghan-owned inclusive peace and reconciliation process."

The Russian side briefed the Indian side their efforts to support the Afghan peace process through the Moscow-format talks. It agreed to "maintain regular bilateral consultations and coordination to promote peace, security, stability, unity and prosperity in Afghanistan."

Earlier this year, India had informally participated in Moscow talks in which the Taliban also participated. India had sent two&nbsp;former envoys - Amar Sinha, who was India's ambassador to Afghanistan and TCA Raghavan, India's envoy to Pakistan to participate in the meet.

A day after US President Trump announced the withdrawal of forces from Syria, media reports from the US said that Washington will be withdrawing 7,000 troops from Afghanistan.

A day after US President Trump announced the withdrawal of forces from Syria, media reports from the US said that Washington will be withdrawing 7,000 troops from Afghanistan. According to a New York Times report, "the Trump administration is withdrawing roughly 7,000 troops from Afghanistan in the coming months." The Wall Street Journal was the first to report the development. Also read: It is right for me to step down, says US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis The Pentagon is, however, mum on the development. In a reply to WION's question, Pentagon said, "have nothing to provide." The development can have a major impact in the region especially with India playing an important developmental role in the war-torn country. In recent months hectic talks have been going on to stabilise the country - from the US talking to the Taliban, to Russia-led Moscow talks and China leading tri-party talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Taliban recently held talks with the US in Abu Dhabi. The main point of contention from the group has been "withdrawal of foreign troops". Meanwhile, earlier this week, Russian special envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov was in India for regular bilateral consultations between India and Russia on Afghanistan. The Russian special envoy held delegation-level talks with joint secretary (PAI) Deepak Mittal and called on foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale. Giving details on the meeting, the ministry of external affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: "Both sides reiterated support for Afghan-led and Afghan-owned inclusive peace and reconciliation process." The Russian side briefed the Indian side their efforts to support the Afghan peace process through the Moscow-format talks. It agreed to "maintain regular bilateral consultations and coordination to promote peace, security, stability, unity and prosperity in Afghanistan." Earlier this year, India had informally participated in Moscow talks in which the Taliban also participated. India had sent two former envoys - Amar Sinha, who was India's ambassador to Afghanistan and TCA Raghavan, India's envoy to Pakistan to participate in the meet.

Nothing to provide, says Pentagon to WION on reports of US cutting troops in Afghanistan

The United States military will continue its air campaign in Syria at least in the short term, the Pentagon said Thursday, after President Donald Trump declared victory over the Islamic State group.

Trump shocked the US establishment and international allies Wednesday when he announced that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-defends-pullout-from-syria-says-time-for-others-to-finally-fight-185539">all US troops would be withdrawn from Syria</a>.

He did not address the air campaign, in which the United States and partner nations including France and Britain have spent years pounding IS targets across the country.

Pentagon spokeswoman Commander Rebecca Rebarich said the US would continue its air war while American soldiers were in Syria — but she would not say if the campaign would continue afterward.

"As long are there are troops on the ground, the US will conduct air strikes in support of our forces," Rebarich told AFP.

"As for anything post-US troops on the ground, we will not speculate on future operations."

A US defense official told AFP that "there's not a lot of clarity on the future situation."&nbsp;

"What we do in the air campaign will depend on the situation on the ground, and what partners and allies who are continuing the fight against ISIS do," the official said.

France and Britain have already indicated they will continue counter-IS operations.

The air war has been the keystone of US operations in Syria, with warplanes and drones hammering IS targets since 2014.&nbsp;

According to the most recent official strike summary, published on Wednesday, the US-led coalition conducted 208 air and artillery strikes in Syria last week.

The United States military will continue its air campaign in Syria at least in the short term, the Pentagon said Thursday, after President Donald Trump declared victory over the Islamic State group.

The United States military will continue its air campaign in Syria at least in the short term, the Pentagon said Thursday, after President Donald Trump declared victory over the Islamic State group. Trump shocked the US establishment and international allies Wednesday when he announced that all US troops would be withdrawn from Syria. He did not address the air campaign, in which the United States and partner nations including France and Britain have spent years pounding IS targets across the country. Pentagon spokeswoman Commander Rebecca Rebarich said the US would continue its air war while American soldiers were in Syria — but she would not say if the campaign would continue afterward. "As long are there are troops on the ground, the US will conduct air strikes in support of our forces," Rebarich told AFP. "As for anything post-US troops on the ground, we will not speculate on future operations." A US defense official told AFP that "there's not a lot of clarity on the future situation." "What we do in the air campaign will depend on the situation on the ground, and what partners and allies who are continuing the fight against ISIS do," the official said. France and Britain have already indicated they will continue counter-IS operations. The air war has been the keystone of US operations in Syria, with warplanes and drones hammering IS targets since 2014. According to the most recent official strike summary, published on Wednesday, the US-led coalition conducted 208 air and artillery strikes in Syria last week.

Pentagon says US will continue Syria air war for now, future unclear

As the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/standoff-over-trump-wall-leaves-us-govt-5-days-away-from-shutdown-184833">government shutdown threat looms</a>, the United States President <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/as-trump-renews-border-wall-demands-us-government-shutdown-looms-179860">Donald Trump</a> made another bid of persuasion on Twitter on Wednesday&nbsp;for his "big wall" as he argued that the wall on southern US-Mexico border will be a "beautiful", cost-effective structure which will be an "artistically designed steel slats".

"The Democrats, are saying loud and clear that they do not want to build a Concrete Wall - but we are not building a Concrete Wall, we are building artistically designed steel slats so that you can easily see through it" Trump's tweet read.

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The Democrats, are saying loud and clear that they do not want to build a Concrete Wall - but we are not building a Concrete Wall, we are building artistically designed steel slats, so that you can easily see through it....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1075197395892404231?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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He then continued in another tweet with an admiration tone that "it will be beautiful".

"It will be beautiful and, at the same time, give our Country the security that our citizens deserve. It will go up fast and save us BILLIONS of dollars a month once completed!" Trump said on Twitter.'

Trump is demanding $5 billion as a down payment on construction of a huge wall along the US-Mexico border that he argues is the only way to keep illegal immigrants and drugs from crossing into the United States. Democrats and some Republicans argue there are less costly, more effective border controls.

Earlier this week, Trump threatened a partial government shutdown after Democrats did not agree to more than $1.3 billion in border security. He gave lawmakers five days to reach a deal by Friday or there will be a partial shutdown.

In 2016, during the presidential campaign, Trump had promised voters of big "concrete" wall. However lately he has been saying that the wall would be transparent. The structure, opposed by Democrats on the basis of policy and principles, Trump's demand has been a cornerstone of the president's efforts to crack down on illegal immigration.

 
&nbsp;

As the government shutdown threat looms, the United States President Donald Trump made another bid of persuasion on Twitter on Wednesday for his "big wall" as he argued that the wall on southern US-Mexico border will be a "beautiful", cost-effective structure which will be an "artistically designed steel slats".

As the government shutdown threat looms, the United States President Donald Trump made another bid of persuasion on Twitter on Wednesday for his "big wall" as he argued that the wall on southern US-Mexico border will be a "beautiful", cost-effective structure which will be an "artistically designed steel slats". "The Democrats, are saying loud and clear that they do not want to build a Concrete Wall - but we are not building a Concrete Wall, we are building artistically designed steel slats so that you can easily see through it" Trump's tweet read. The Democrats, are saying loud and clear that they do not want to build a Concrete Wall - but we are not building a Concrete Wall, we are building artistically designed steel slats, so that you can easily see through it.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2018 × He then continued in another tweet with an admiration tone that "it will be beautiful". "It will be beautiful and, at the same time, give our Country the security that our citizens deserve. It will go up fast and save us BILLIONS of dollars a month once completed!" Trump said on Twitter.' Trump is demanding $5 billion as a down payment on construction of a huge wall along the US-Mexico border that he argues is the only way to keep illegal immigrants and drugs from crossing into the United States. Democrats and some Republicans argue there are less costly, more effective border controls. Earlier this week, Trump threatened a partial government shutdown after Democrats did not agree to more than $1.3 billion in border security. He gave lawmakers five days to reach a deal by Friday or there will be a partial shutdown. In 2016, during the presidential campaign, Trump had promised voters of big "concrete" wall. However lately he has been saying that the wall would be transparent. The structure, opposed by Democrats on the basis of policy and principles, Trump's demand has been a cornerstone of the president's efforts to crack down on illegal immigration.

Mexico wall will be 'beautiful' and 'artistically designed', tweets Trump

A federal judge accused President Donald Trump's former national security chief <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-former-adviser-michael-flynn-to-be-sentenced-for-lying-to-fbi-185001">Michael Flynn</a> Tuesday of selling out the United States but agreed to delay his sentencing for lying over secret communications with Russian officials.

Judge Emmet Sullivan said Flynn had behaved in a "traitorous" manner while he was in the White House in early 2017 and threatened to impose a stiff prison sentence, rejecting a recommendation by prosecutors that the retired three-star general benefit from cooperating and receive no jail time.

But the judge gave Flynn the option to delay his sentencing, to better demonstrate why he merited a light punishment.

"I want to be frank with you, this crime is very serious," Sullivan said. "I'm not hiding my disgust, my disdain."

"Arguably, you sold your country out," he added.

Surprise rebuke

It was a sharp and unexpected rebuke to the highest-ranked Trump aide so far to face a judge in the Russian collusion investigation of Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Flynn, a lanky 60-year-old former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, showed no emotion as he answered the judge's questions as briefly as possible.

Trump has maintained that Flynn has fallen prey to a "witch hunt" by the FBI and allied Democrats to undermine his administration.

"The whole Russian Collusion thing was a HOAX, but who is going to restore the good name of so many people whose reputations have been destroyed?" Trump tweeted earlier Tuesday.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said following Tuesday's hearing that Flynn had been mistreated.

"The FBI broke standard protocol in the way they came in and ambushed General Flynn and in the way they questioned him," she said.

Flynn has been a central focus of the Mueller probe.

Two FBI agents arrived at the White house on January 24, 2017 -- four days after Trump was inaugurated -- to interview Flynn about his conversations the previous month with Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak.

The agents said Flynn lied about those contacts, in which he allegedly promised to remove sanctions on Russia even while the Obama government was in the process of strengthening them over Moscow's interference in the 2016 election.

Weeks later Flynn left the White House under a cloud for the alleged lies, but Trump persisted in defending him.

In private meetings he pressured then-FBI director James Comey to pull back the investigation into Flynn's Russia contacts, Comey has testified.

After Comey refused, Trump fired him, an act which led to Mueller's appointment as an independent prosecutor in charge of the Russia probe.

An additional consequence of Comey's firing was that Trump himself came under investigation for attempted obstruction of justice.

Turning point in Russia probe?

Flynn was one of the first to seek a deal with Mueller, admitting one count of lying a year ago but putting off his sentencing while he cooperated in the broader Mueller probe.

So far at least 38 people have been indicted in cases brought by Mueller or spun off from his investigation.

Flynn's case reaching the sentencing stage could mark a turning point for the investigation: all the cases filed against non-Russians have been resolved with guilty pleas and, in one case, a jury conviction.

Mueller is believed now poised to take the probe to a new level where people in Trump's inner circle, including possibly the president himself, are implicated in wrongdoing, from collusion with Russians during the election to financial crimes.&nbsp;

Little is known about the exact targets of the highly secret special council operation, but Trump's repeated attacks trying to delegitimize the operation suggest he is worried.

Trump foundation shut down

Trump was forced on Tuesday to<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-ex-security-chief-flynn-sold-country-out-says-judge-delays-russia-probe-sentencing-185209"> shut down his personal charity,</a> the Trump Foundation, after the New York attorney general accused it of a "shocking pattern of illegality" to advance the president's political and business interests.

The state sued the foundation in June, accusing it of "persistently illegal conduct," naming the president, his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, and daughter Ivanka Trump, who were on the board.

The foundation had functioned "as little more than a checkbook to serve Mr. Trump's business and political interests," state Attorney General Barbara Underwood said.

"This is an important victory for the rule of law, making clear that there is one set of rules for everyone," Underwood added.

A federal judge accused President Donald Trump's former national security chief Michael Flynn Tuesday of selling out the United States but agreed to delay his sentencing for lying over secret communications with Russian officials.

A federal judge accused President Donald Trump's former national security chief Michael Flynn Tuesday of selling out the United States but agreed to delay his sentencing for lying over secret communications with Russian officials. Judge Emmet Sullivan said Flynn had behaved in a "traitorous" manner while he was in the White House in early 2017 and threatened to impose a stiff prison sentence, rejecting a recommendation by prosecutors that the retired three-star general benefit from cooperating and receive no jail time. But the judge gave Flynn the option to delay his sentencing, to better demonstrate why he merited a light punishment. "I want to be frank with you, this crime is very serious," Sullivan said. "I'm not hiding my disgust, my disdain." "Arguably, you sold your country out," he added. Surprise rebuke It was a sharp and unexpected rebuke to the highest-ranked Trump aide so far to face a judge in the Russian collusion investigation of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Flynn, a lanky 60-year-old former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, showed no emotion as he answered the judge's questions as briefly as possible. Trump has maintained that Flynn has fallen prey to a "witch hunt" by the FBI and allied Democrats to undermine his administration. "The whole Russian Collusion thing was a HOAX, but who is going to restore the good name of so many people whose reputations have been destroyed?" Trump tweeted earlier Tuesday. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said following Tuesday's hearing that Flynn had been mistreated. "The FBI broke standard protocol in the way they came in and ambushed General Flynn and in the way they questioned him," she said. Flynn has been a central focus of the Mueller probe. Two FBI agents arrived at the White house on January 24, 2017 -- four days after Trump was inaugurated -- to interview Flynn about his conversations the previous month with Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak. The agents said Flynn lied about those contacts, in which he allegedly promised to remove sanctions on Russia even while the Obama government was in the process of strengthening them over Moscow's interference in the 2016 election. Weeks later Flynn left the White House under a cloud for the alleged lies, but Trump persisted in defending him. In private meetings he pressured then-FBI director James Comey to pull back the investigation into Flynn's Russia contacts, Comey has testified. After Comey refused, Trump fired him, an act which led to Mueller's appointment as an independent prosecutor in charge of the Russia probe. An additional consequence of Comey's firing was that Trump himself came under investigation for attempted obstruction of justice. Turning point in Russia probe? Flynn was one of the first to seek a deal with Mueller, admitting one count of lying a year ago but putting off his sentencing while he cooperated in the broader Mueller probe. So far at least 38 people have been indicted in cases brought by Mueller or spun off from his investigation. Flynn's case reaching the sentencing stage could mark a turning point for the investigation: all the cases filed against non-Russians have been resolved with guilty pleas and, in one case, a jury conviction. Mueller is believed now poised to take the probe to a new level where people in Trump's inner circle, including possibly the president himself, are implicated in wrongdoing, from collusion with Russians during the election to financial crimes. Little is known about the exact targets of the highly secret special council operation, but Trump's repeated attacks trying to delegitimize the operation suggest he is worried. Trump foundation shut down Trump was forced on Tuesday to shut down his personal charity, the Trump Foundation, after the New York attorney general accused it of a "shocking pattern of illegality" to advance the president's political and business interests. The state sued the foundation in June, accusing it of "persistently illegal conduct," naming the president, his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, and daughter Ivanka Trump, who were on the board. The foundation had functioned "as little more than a checkbook to serve Mr. Trump's business and political interests," state Attorney General Barbara Underwood said. "This is an important victory for the rule of law, making clear that there is one set of rules for everyone," Underwood added.

Trump ex-security chief Flynn sold country out, says judge

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/isro-to-launch-gsat-7a-communication-satellite-today-from-sriharikota-185207">ISRO to launch GSAT-7A communication satellite today from Sriharikota</a>

The Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) will launch GSAT-7A, an advanced geostationary communication satellite from Sriharikota at 4.10 pm today. &nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-bans-bump-stocks-on-semi-automatic-weapons-used-in-mass-shootings-185205">US bans 'bump stocks' on semi-automatic weapons used in mass shootings</a>

The US government said Tuesday it was banning bump stocks, devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire like machine guns and that were used in a mass shooting in Las Vegas in October 2017.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/belgian-pm-charles-michel-submits-resignation-over-migrant-row-185204">Belgian PM Charles Michel submits resignation over migrant row</a>

Nationalist anger over migration brought down the Belgian government on Tuesday, forcing Prime Minister Charles Michel to offer the king his resignation.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-ex-security-chief-flynn-sold-country-out-says-judge-delays-russia-probe-sentencing-185209">Trump ex-security chief Flynn sold </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-ex-security-chief-flynn-sold-country-out-says-judge-delays-russia-probe-sentencing-185209">country</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-ex-security-chief-flynn-sold-country-out-says-judge-delays-russia-probe-sentencing-185209"> out, says judge; delays Russia probe sentencing</a>

A federal judge accused President Donald Trump's former national security chief Michael Flynn Tuesday of selling out the United States but agreed to delay his sentencing for lying over secret communications with Russian officials.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/cuba-panel-closes-door-on-gay-marriage-constitutional-amendment-185212">Cuba eliminates gay marriage from </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/cuba-panel-closes-door-on-gay-marriage-constitutional-amendment-185212">new</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/cuba-panel-closes-door-on-gay-marriage-constitutional-amendment-185212"> constitution</a>

Cuba will leave out of its new constitution changes that would have paved the way for legal same-sex marriage, despite majority support in local assemblies, a government official said Tuesday.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

ISRO to launch GSAT-7A communication satellite today from Sriharikota The Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) will launch GSAT-7A, an advanced geostationary communication satellite from Sriharikota at 4.

ISRO to launch GSAT-7A communication satellite today from Sriharikota The Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) will launch GSAT-7A, an advanced geostationary communication satellite from Sriharikota at 4.10 pm today. US bans 'bump stocks' on semi-automatic weapons used in mass shootings The US government said Tuesday it was banning bump stocks, devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire like machine guns and that were used in a mass shooting in Las Vegas in October 2017. Belgian PM Charles Michel submits resignation over migrant row Nationalist anger over migration brought down the Belgian government on Tuesday, forcing Prime Minister Charles Michel to offer the king his resignation. Trump ex-security chief Flynn sold country out, says judge; delays Russia probe sentencing A federal judge accused President Donald Trump's former national security chief Michael Flynn Tuesday of selling out the United States but agreed to delay his sentencing for lying over secret communications with Russian officials. Cuba eliminates gay marriage from new constitution Cuba will leave out of its new constitution changes that would have paved the way for legal same-sex marriage, despite majority support in local assemblies, a government official said Tuesday.

President Donald Trump has agreed to close down his personal charity, the Trump Foundation, the New York attorney general said Tuesday, accusing it of engaging in a "shocking pattern of illegality" to advance his political and business interests.

The Trump Foundation would be dissolved and its remaining assets distributed to other charities under her supervision, attorney general Barbara Underwood said in a statement.

Underwood said there had been a "shocking pattern of illegality involving the Trump Foundation –- including unlawful coordination with the Trump presidential campaign, repeated and willful self-dealing, and much more."

"This amounted to the Trump Foundation functioning as little more than a checkbook to serve Mr. Trump's business and political interests," she said in a statement.

"This is an important victory for the rule of law, making clear that there is one set of rules for everyone," Underwood added.

The New York attorney general filed a lawsuit against the Trump Foundation in June, accusing it of "persistently illegal conduct."

The suit named the president, sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, and daughter Ivanka Trump, who were on the board of the foundation.

"We'll continue to move our suit forward to ensure that the Trump Foundation and its directors are held to account for their clear and repeated violations of state and federal law," Underwood said.

The suit seeks $2.8 million in restitution and to bar Trump, Don Jr, Eric and Ivanka from serving on the boards of other New York non-profits.

Portrait in golf club

According to the suit, Trump used foundation funds to settle lawsuits, promote his Trump-branded hotels, and for personal spending -- including the purchase of a portrait that was displayed at one of his golf clubs.

The civil lawsuit is one of many legal woes facing Trump, whose election campaign is being investigated by Special Counsel Robert Mueller for possible collusion with Russia.

Last week, Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, was sentenced to three years in prison for paying hush money to two women who claimed to have had affairs with Trump and other crimes.

In June, Trump branded the foundation lawsuit a "ridiculous case" drummed up by "sleazy New York Democrats" and vowed to fight it.&nbsp;

"I won't settle this case!" he tweeted.

The lawsuit painted a picture of habitual misuse of foundation funds for years, signed off on by Trump, who was president of the thinly staffed charity.

Alleged abuses included providing foundation funds to a Florida political campaign; settling a 2007 lawsuit between the City of Palm Beach and Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, and settling a lawsuit by a golfer who took part in a Trump-sponsored charity event in 2012.

There was so little oversight of the foundation, according to the suit, that its board has not met since 1999, despite legal requirements for an annual board meeting to review its finances.

President Donald Trump has agreed to close down his personal charity, the Trump Foundation, the New York attorney general said Tuesday, accusing it of engaging in a "shocking pattern of illegality" to advance his political and business interests.

President Donald Trump has agreed to close down his personal charity, the Trump Foundation, the New York attorney general said Tuesday, accusing it of engaging in a "shocking pattern of illegality" to advance his political and business interests. The Trump Foundation would be dissolved and its remaining assets distributed to other charities under her supervision, attorney general Barbara Underwood said in a statement. Underwood said there had been a "shocking pattern of illegality involving the Trump Foundation –- including unlawful coordination with the Trump presidential campaign, repeated and willful self-dealing, and much more." "This amounted to the Trump Foundation functioning as little more than a checkbook to serve Mr. Trump's business and political interests," she said in a statement. "This is an important victory for the rule of law, making clear that there is one set of rules for everyone," Underwood added. The New York attorney general filed a lawsuit against the Trump Foundation in June, accusing it of "persistently illegal conduct." The suit named the president, sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, and daughter Ivanka Trump, who were on the board of the foundation. "We'll continue to move our suit forward to ensure that the Trump Foundation and its directors are held to account for their clear and repeated violations of state and federal law," Underwood said. The suit seeks $2.8 million in restitution and to bar Trump, Don Jr, Eric and Ivanka from serving on the boards of other New York non-profits. Portrait in golf club According to the suit, Trump used foundation funds to settle lawsuits, promote his Trump-branded hotels, and for personal spending -- including the purchase of a portrait that was displayed at one of his golf clubs. The civil lawsuit is one of many legal woes facing Trump, whose election campaign is being investigated by Special Counsel Robert Mueller for possible collusion with Russia. Last week, Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, was sentenced to three years in prison for paying hush money to two women who claimed to have had affairs with Trump and other crimes. In June, Trump branded the foundation lawsuit a "ridiculous case" drummed up by "sleazy New York Democrats" and vowed to fight it. "I won't settle this case!" he tweeted. The lawsuit painted a picture of habitual misuse of foundation funds for years, signed off on by Trump, who was president of the thinly staffed charity. Alleged abuses included providing foundation funds to a Florida political campaign; settling a 2007 lawsuit between the City of Palm Beach and Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, and settling a lawsuit by a golfer who took part in a Trump-sponsored charity event in 2012. There was so little oversight of the foundation, according to the suit, that its board has not met since 1999, despite legal requirements for an annual board meeting to review its finances.

Trump agrees to shut down his charity accused of engaging in 'shocking pattern of illegality'

The US government said Tuesday it was banning bump stocks, devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire like machine guns and that were used in a mass shooting in Las Vegas in October 2017.&nbsp;

The devices, which harness the recoil of a semi-automatic rifle's discharge to make the trigger fire faster, effectively turn the weapons into machine guns, which are illegal, the Justice Department said.

Bump stocks allow a "shooter of a semi-automatic firearm to initiate a continuous firing cycle with a single pull of the trigger," the department said in a statement.

The devices were used by<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/las-vegas-shooting-white-house-refuses-to-debate-gun-control-as-death-toll-rises-to-59-20923"> Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock on a dozen rifles he deployed to kill 58 people </a>and wound 500 at an open concert last year, the deadliest mass shooting in recent US history.&nbsp;

Bump stocks allowed him to fire at a rate of nine bullets a second, before he turned his weapons on himself.

Following another <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/florida-shooting-suspect-was-part-of-white-supremacist-group-33018">gun massacre at a school in Parkland, Florida</a>, in February this year that left 17 people dead, more than a million people demonstrated for stricter gun control.

President Donald Trump announced his intention to ban bump stocks but refused restrictions on semi-automatic assault weapons.

The National Rifle Association, the powerful gun lobby, did not mount any major campaign to counter a bump stock ban.&nbsp;

Anyone owning a bump stock will have 90 days after the new regulation is published in the Federal Register to either hand in their devices to the authorities, or destroy them.

While a third of US households possess a firearm, the majority of Americans favour tougher gun controls such as background checks for people seeking to buy a weapon.

The US government said Tuesday it was banning bump stocks, devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire like machine guns and that were used in a mass shooting in Las Vegas in October 2017.

The US government said Tuesday it was banning bump stocks, devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire like machine guns and that were used in a mass shooting in Las Vegas in October 2017. The devices, which harness the recoil of a semi-automatic rifle's discharge to make the trigger fire faster, effectively turn the weapons into machine guns, which are illegal, the Justice Department said. Bump stocks allow a "shooter of a semi-automatic firearm to initiate a continuous firing cycle with a single pull of the trigger," the department said in a statement. The devices were used by Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock on a dozen rifles he deployed to kill 58 people and wound 500 at an open concert last year, the deadliest mass shooting in recent US history. Bump stocks allowed him to fire at a rate of nine bullets a second, before he turned his weapons on himself. Following another gun massacre at a school in Parkland, Florida, in February this year that left 17 people dead, more than a million people demonstrated for stricter gun control. President Donald Trump announced his intention to ban bump stocks but refused restrictions on semi-automatic assault weapons. The National Rifle Association, the powerful gun lobby, did not mount any major campaign to counter a bump stock ban. Anyone owning a bump stock will have 90 days after the new regulation is published in the Federal Register to either hand in their devices to the authorities, or destroy them. While a third of US households possess a firearm, the majority of Americans favour tougher gun controls such as background checks for people seeking to buy a weapon.

US bans 'bump stocks' on semi-automatic weapons used in mass shootings

China said Wednesday <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/after-space-force-trump-tells-pentagon-to-create-space-command-185172">it opposed the "weaponisation" of space as it criticised US President Donald Trump's orders</a> to create a new command centre for controlling military space operations.

"China has consistently proposed the peaceful usage of space, and opposes the weaponisation of space and a space arms race," said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a press briefing.

"We oppose even further turning space into the new battleground," she added.

On Tuesday, Trump ordered the creation of "Space Command", a new organisational structure within the Pentagon that will have overall control of military space operations.

SpaceCom, as it will inevitably come to be known, will be on equal footing with other US military commands, such as Central Command in the Middle East or Indo-Pacific Command in Asia, and will require a new headquarters as well as a commander and deputy commander who will need Senate approval.

It is not the first military space entity proposed by the US president this year.

In June, Trump said he wanted to create "Space Force", an entirely new branch of the military, alongside the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard.

He insists such a move is necessary to tackle vulnerabilities in space and assert US dominance in orbit.&nbsp;

But its creation is not a done deal, as it needs to be approved by Congress, and the concept has met with some scepticism from lawmakers and defence officials wary of the cost and added bureaucracy.

China has also bolstered its space capabilities in recent years.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, the country launched a rover heading to the far side of the moon, a global first that could boost Beijing's ambitions to become a space superpower.

In 2013, China landed its first probe on the moon, Yutu or "Jade Rabbit".

China said Wednesday it opposed the "weaponisation" of space as it criticised US President Donald Trump's orders to create a new command centre for controlling military space operations.

China said Wednesday it opposed the "weaponisation" of space as it criticised US President Donald Trump's orders to create a new command centre for controlling military space operations. "China has consistently proposed the peaceful usage of space, and opposes the weaponisation of space and a space arms race," said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a press briefing. "We oppose even further turning space into the new battleground," she added. On Tuesday, Trump ordered the creation of "Space Command", a new organisational structure within the Pentagon that will have overall control of military space operations. SpaceCom, as it will inevitably come to be known, will be on equal footing with other US military commands, such as Central Command in the Middle East or Indo-Pacific Command in Asia, and will require a new headquarters as well as a commander and deputy commander who will need Senate approval. It is not the first military space entity proposed by the US president this year. In June, Trump said he wanted to create "Space Force", an entirely new branch of the military, alongside the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard. He insists such a move is necessary to tackle vulnerabilities in space and assert US dominance in orbit. But its creation is not a done deal, as it needs to be approved by Congress, and the concept has met with some scepticism from lawmakers and defence officials wary of the cost and added bureaucracy. China has also bolstered its space capabilities in recent years. Earlier this month, the country launched a rover heading to the far side of the moon, a global first that could boost Beijing's ambitions to become a space superpower. In 2013, China landed its first probe on the moon, Yutu or "Jade Rabbit".

China warns US President Donald Trump against 'weaponising' space

A safety panel set up by US President Donald Trump in the wake of numerous school shootings recommended Tuesday that schools consider arming staff, using veterans as guards and reversing Obama-era guidelines.

The Federal Commission on School Safety panel, led by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, was set up after the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/enough-us-students-stage-walkout-against-gun-violence-35864"> February massacre</a> in Parkland, Florida, when a former student shot dead 17 people, sparking mass gun control protests.

The commission rejected calls to increase the minimum age required for gun purchases, arguing in its 180-page report that most school shooters obtain their weapons from family members or friends.

Instead, it suggested arming staff — even teachers in some circumstances — "for the sake of effectively and immediately responding to violence."&nbsp;

School districts where police responses could be slower, such as rural districts, may benefit in particular, the commission said.

It also recommended education authorities hiring military veterans and former police officers who "can also serve as highly effective educators."

The report pushes for a review of disciplinary guidelines introduced in 2014 under former president Barack Obama, which suggested alternatives to suspension and expulsion to tackle discrimination against black and Latino students.

The commission's report said the measure has had "a strong negative impact on school discipline and safety."

The American Civil Liberties Union condemned that proposition.

"The Trump administration is exploiting tragedies to justify rolling back school children's civil rights protections, despite the lack of any evidence linking school discipline reform to school shootings," it said in a statement.

Democratic Representative Nancy Pelosi, who will be US House speaker when her party take over the chamber in January, criticized the report saying Trump and DeVos "have reached a new low."

"Their 'report' on school safety puts special interests and the NRA ahead of protecting America’s school children. Students &amp; parents have had #Enough," Pelosi wrote on Twitter.

She drew a backlash from Ryan Petty, a gun enthusiast and school safety advocate whose 14-year-old daughter was killed in the Parkland massacre.

"Hi @NancyPelosi, it's easy to be a critic. Harder to create. Would you sit down with Parkland families to discuss the report?," Petty wrote on Twitter.

"We worked hard to ensure this report addresses top school safety priorities. It's painful for us when you dismiss it without basis in fact," he added.

Over 219,000 US students have been involved in a school shooting since the April 1999 Columbine High School massacre, according to figures collated by the Washington Post.

A safety panel set up by US President Donald Trump in the wake of numerous school shootings recommended Tuesday that schools consider arming staff, using veterans as guards and reversing Obama-era guidelines.

A safety panel set up by US President Donald Trump in the wake of numerous school shootings recommended Tuesday that schools consider arming staff, using veterans as guards and reversing Obama-era guidelines. The Federal Commission on School Safety panel, led by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, was set up after the February massacre in Parkland, Florida, when a former student shot dead 17 people, sparking mass gun control protests. The commission rejected calls to increase the minimum age required for gun purchases, arguing in its 180-page report that most school shooters obtain their weapons from family members or friends. Instead, it suggested arming staff — even teachers in some circumstances — "for the sake of effectively and immediately responding to violence." School districts where police responses could be slower, such as rural districts, may benefit in particular, the commission said. It also recommended education authorities hiring military veterans and former police officers who "can also serve as highly effective educators." The report pushes for a review of disciplinary guidelines introduced in 2014 under former president Barack Obama, which suggested alternatives to suspension and expulsion to tackle discrimination against black and Latino students. The commission's report said the measure has had "a strong negative impact on school discipline and safety." The American Civil Liberties Union condemned that proposition. "The Trump administration is exploiting tragedies to justify rolling back school children's civil rights protections, despite the lack of any evidence linking school discipline reform to school shootings," it said in a statement. Democratic Representative Nancy Pelosi, who will be US House speaker when her party take over the chamber in January, criticized the report saying Trump and DeVos "have reached a new low." "Their 'report' on school safety puts special interests and the NRA ahead of protecting America’s school children. Students & parents have had #Enough," Pelosi wrote on Twitter. She drew a backlash from Ryan Petty, a gun enthusiast and school safety advocate whose 14-year-old daughter was killed in the Parkland massacre. "Hi @NancyPelosi, it's easy to be a critic. Harder to create. Would you sit down with Parkland families to discuss the report?," Petty wrote on Twitter. "We worked hard to ensure this report addresses top school safety priorities. It's painful for us when you dismiss it without basis in fact," he added. Over 219,000 US students have been involved in a school shooting since the April 1999 Columbine High School massacre, according to figures collated by the Washington Post.

US federal panel suggests guns in schools, veterans as guards to keep US students safe

As tensions between the two countries escalates over the arrest of Huawei's Chief Financial Officer <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-huawei-executive-meng-wanzhou-183193">Meng Wanzhou's</a>&nbsp;arrest, a third Canadian citizen has been detained in China, news agency Reuters reported on Wednesday citing a local newspaper report.

China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, in a news briefing in Beijing, however said that she is unaware of the report.

Earlier this month, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/central-asia/two-canadians-being-investigated-for-threatening-national-security-china-183709">China detained two Canadian businessmen Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig</a>, a former diplomat and an adviser with the International Crisis Group (ICG), after police arrested Meng on December 1 in Vancouver.

They were arrested for "threatening national security".

Whether the third arrest is linked to Meng's case is not yet known.

China's relations with Canada have nosedived in the past week after Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou was arrested on December 1st on the insistence of US officials for allegedly carrying out transactions with Iran despite US sanctions.

Meng meanwhile has denied any wrongdoing.

Last&nbsp;Wednesday, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-cfo-meng-wanzhou-freed-on-bail-leaves-courthouse-183504">Meng was released on a 7.5 million bail </a>on a condition that she has to stay in Canada.

Meanwhile, Canadian PM Trudeau, in his strongest comments on the matter to date has said that China's detention of the two men is "not acceptable."

As tensions between the two countries escalates over the arrest of Huawei's Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou's arrest, a third Canadian citizen has been detained in China, news agency Reuters reported on Wednesday citing a local newspaper report.

As tensions between the two countries escalates over the arrest of Huawei's Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou's arrest, a third Canadian citizen has been detained in China, news agency Reuters reported on Wednesday citing a local newspaper report. China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, in a news briefing in Beijing, however said that she is unaware of the report. Earlier this month, China detained two Canadian businessmen Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat and an adviser with the International Crisis Group (ICG), after police arrested Meng on December 1 in Vancouver. They were arrested for "threatening national security". Whether the third arrest is linked to Meng's case is not yet known. China's relations with Canada have nosedived in the past week after Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou was arrested on December 1st on the insistence of US officials for allegedly carrying out transactions with Iran despite US sanctions. Meng meanwhile has denied any wrongdoing. Last Wednesday, Meng was released on a 7.5 million bail on a condition that she has to stay in Canada. Meanwhile, Canadian PM Trudeau, in his strongest comments on the matter to date has said that China's detention of the two men is "not acceptable."

Third Canadian detained in China: Report

"Justice" is what most people sought on Merriam-Webster, among the world's most popular dictionaries, as the US publisher named that principle of being fair as the Word of the Year for 2018.

Users looked up the word 74 per cent more often than in 2017, said spokeswoman Meghan Lunghi for the website, which claims to be "America's most trusted dictionary."

The surge was prompted by specific uses of the word such as "obstruction of justice," after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-central-bank-expected-to-raise-rates-tuesday-trump-lashes-out-at-it-184903">US President Donald Trump</a> tweeted in August that Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 election, the company said in a statement.

"It's often familiar words for abstract concepts that are among the most looked up words," said Emily Brewster, associate editor for Merriam-Webster, in the statement.

"When common words like justice are used in contexts that are very specific, technical, or legal, people look them up in the dictionary for the detail and nuance that a definition can provide."

"Justice" joined Dictionary.com's "misinformation" and the Oxford English Dictionary's "toxic" as top words of the year.

Other frontrunners for Merriam-Webster's distinction, based on frequency of searches, were "nationalism," "pansexual," "lodestar," "epiphany," "feckless," "laurel," "pissant," "respect," "maverick" and "excelsior."

"Justice" is what most people sought on Merriam-Webster, among the world's most popular dictionaries, as the US publisher named that principle of being fair as the Word of the Year for 2018.

"Justice" is what most people sought on Merriam-Webster, among the world's most popular dictionaries, as the US publisher named that principle of being fair as the Word of the Year for 2018. Users looked up the word 74 per cent more often than in 2017, said spokeswoman Meghan Lunghi for the website, which claims to be "America's most trusted dictionary." The surge was prompted by specific uses of the word such as "obstruction of justice," after US President Donald Trump tweeted in August that Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 election, the company said in a statement. "It's often familiar words for abstract concepts that are among the most looked up words," said Emily Brewster, associate editor for Merriam-Webster, in the statement. "When common words like justice are used in contexts that are very specific, technical, or legal, people look them up in the dictionary for the detail and nuance that a definition can provide." "Justice" joined Dictionary.com's "misinformation" and the Oxford English Dictionary's "toxic" as top words of the year. Other frontrunners for Merriam-Webster's distinction, based on frequency of searches, were "nationalism," "pansexual," "lodestar," "epiphany," "feckless," "laurel," "pissant," "respect," "maverick" and "excelsior."

Webster names 'Justice' Word of the Year for 2018

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