Trump has dug in on his demand for US$5bil for construction of a wall to curb illegal immigration on the US border with Mexico. Trump expressed hope late Friday night that it “will not last long,” after earlier saying he was ready for just that. Should they eventually strike a deal, it could swiftly clear Congress and reach the president’s desk, said Senate Republican Bob Corker. One focus of discussion was the US$1.6bil in border security funding that was a part of pending Senate legislation, number two Senate Republican John Cornyn told AFP. 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.

Source: The Star December 22, 2018 11:26 UTC