Doha - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hopes for an imminent end to the longest government shutdown in American history, he said yesterday during a whistle-stop Middle East tour. "I hope it ends tomorrow," Pompeo said to applause as he addressed US diplomats in Doha, the latest stop on his eight-day regional tour. The partial US government shutdown entered its 23rd day on yesterday and has seen 800,000 federal employees go without wages being paid -- including embassy staff. "As I travel these days with the shutdown underway, you all get that we still have a mission," Pompeo told the gathering of diplomats and their families. "I hope we get it resolved and get everybody back to work and get (their) paycheck," Pompeo told diplomats.

Source: Philippine Star January 13, 2019 17:03 UTC