The budget wrangling and subsequent shutdown -- the third in a year -- cast a dark cloud over the US capital already reeling from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis's resignation announcement Thursday. His own Republican party still controls both the House and Senate, but in January the House comes under Democratic control. 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. "There's a whole lot of numbers being thrown around," but a maximum $1.6 billion for border security "is not acceptable." It included $5.7 billion in wall funding, and $7.8 billion in disaster relief.

Source: The Nation Bangkok December 22, 2018 15:11 UTC