The United States has no intention to extend its presence in Syria after defeating the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert has said, denying the Syrian Democratic Forces’ (SDF) comments that U.S. forces may remain in the country with long-term intentions. Source: Daily News
Several hundred people have begun a journey of housands of kilometers through Central America to the US. The migrants are hoping for a more humane approach to migration under President-elect Joe Biden. Source Deutsche Welle
Craft had planned to visit Taipei this week, in the teeth of strong objections from China which views the island as its own territory. But the trip was cancelled by the State Department as part of a bar on all travel ahead of the transition to the incoming Biden administration. Source Reuters
- Italy’s former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said two ministers from his Italia Viva party would resign, effectively triggering the government’s collapse.
- Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said he hoped Renzi would not pull his ministers from the Cabinet, warning the country would not be able to understand why the government had collapsed amid the ongoing health crisis.
- The southern European nation is no stranger to political conflicts, tensions and scandals. Source CNBC