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                                                                                                 U.S. NEWS Tuesday 11 december 2018




























            U.S. starts to


            withdraw troops from


            Trump border mission



            By LOLITA C. BALDOR          2,300  members  of  the  Na-
             Associated Press            tional Guard who were sent
            WASHINGTON  (AP)  —  The  to the border region as part
            U.S.  this  week  will  begin  of a separate deployment
            withdrawing  many  of  the  that started in April.
            active  duty  troops  sent  to  The  active  duty  troops,
            the border with Mexico by  numbering  about  5,200  as
            President Donald Trump just  of  Monday,  were  initially
            before  the  midterm  elec-  scheduled to stay until Dec.
            tion in response to a cara-  15.  Late  last  month,  De-
            van  of  Central  American  fense  Secretary  Jim  Mattis
            migrants,  U.S.  officials  said  extended the mission to the
            Monday.                      end  of  January  at  the  re-
            About  2,200  of  the  active  quest of the Department of
            duty  troops  will  be  pulled  Homeland Security. It’s un-
            out before the holidays, the  clear  if  it  will  be  extended   U.S.  Border  Patrol  agents  stand  in  front  of  a  secondary  fence  in  San  Diego,  California  looking
            officials  said,  shrinking  an  again. The U.S. forces have   across border wall toward Mexico as they respond to a group of Central American migrants who
            unusual  domestic  deploy-   installed  vast  amounts  of   crossed the border wall illegally, seen from across the wall in Tijuana, Mexico, Sunday, Dec. 9,
            ment  that  was  viewed  by  razor  wire  and  provided   2018.
            critics  as  a  political  stunt  transportation  and  protec-                                                                  Associated Press
            and a waste of military re-  tion  for  the  Border  Patrol.  stay in the border region so  tial  45-day  deployment,  in  and 1,650 in California.
            sources.                     The troops are not there to  they can quickly respond if  response  to  the  caravan,  “Some  units  have  com-
            That will leave about 3,000  directly deal with the Cen-  they are needed by border  which  at  one  point  num-    pleted  their  mission  and
            active  duty  troops  in  Tex-  tral  American  migrants,  agents.  The  officials  spoke  bered about 7,000 people,  they  have  already  started
            as,  Arizona  and  California,  many  of  whom  eventually  on  condition  of  anonymity  including  many  families  to partially redeploy. Other
            mainly  comprised  of  mili-  made their way to Tijuana,  to discuss internal plans not  with children.             units  have  been  identified
            tary  police  and  helicopter  just south of California.  yet made public.             On Monday, Col. Rob Man-     to rotate home and will be
            transport crews who are as-  One of the officials said that  Active  duty  troops  began  ning said there are current-  returning  home  over  the
            sisting border patrol agents.  some of the military police  arriving  at  the  border  in  ly  2,200  active  duty  troops  next  several  weeks,”  Man-
            There also will still be about  and  helicopter  crews  will  early  November  for  an  ini-  in  Texas;  1,350  in  Arizona;  ning said.q


            In possible plea deal, accused Russian agent case ‘resolved’



            By MICHAEL BALSAMO, As-                                   tion  asking  to  change  her  maker who was sanctioned  resolution.  However,  for
            sociated Press                                            plea.  A  hearing  has  been  by the U.S. Treasury Depart-  several  weeks,  prosecutors
            WASHINGTON  (AP)  —  A                                    scheduled  for  Wednes-      ment for his alleged ties to  and  Butina’s  lawyer  have
            woman  accused  of  being                                 day  afternoon.  Prosecu-    Russian  President  Vladimir  indicated  in  court  papers
            a secret agent for the Rus-                               tors  have  alleged  Butina,  Putin.  Butina,  who  was  ar-  that they were negotiating
            sian  government  has  likely                             30,  gathered  intelligence  rested in July, was charged  and may have been near-
            taken  a  plea  deal,  pros-                              on  American  officials  and  with conspiracy and acting  ing a plea deal.
            ecutors indicated Monday                                  political  organizations  and  as  an  unregistered  foreign  The charges against Butina
            in a court filing that said her    In this April 21, 2013 file photo,   worked to develop relation-  agent for Russia. Her lawyer  were  brought  by  federal
            case has been “resolved.”    Maria Butina, leader of a pro-  ships  with  American  politi-  has argued that Butina is a  prosecutors in Washington,
            The information was includ-  gun  organization  in  Russia,   cians through her contacts  student interested in Ameri-  D.C.,  and  her  case  is  un-
            ed  in  a  filing  in  the  case   speaks  to  a  crowd  during  a   with the National Rifle Asso-  can politics and better U.S.-  related  to  special  counsel
            against  Maria  Butina.  Fed-  rally  in  support  of  legalizing   ciation. They have charged  Russian relations.  Robert  Mueller’s  investiga-
                                         the possession of handguns in
            eral  prosecutors  and  Buti-  Moscow, Russia.            that her work was directed  The  documents  did  not  tion  into  Russian  interfer-
            na’s lawyer filed a joint mo-            Associated Press  by  a  former  Russian  law-  provide  details  about  the  ence in the 2016 election.q
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