U.S. President Donald Trump has endorsed a three-week spending bill on Friday, clearing the way for Congress to pass legislation that will end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
AP's Sagar Meghani reports from the White House.
After insisting for weeks, the shutdown would continue until Democrats gave in to his demand for border wall money.
"I will sign a bill to open our government for three weeks," giving bipartisan lawmakers three weeks to discuss border security spending.
The bill ending the shutdown does not have any wall money and Democrats say the president gave in to their demand that the government reopen with no conditions.
"Hopefully now, the president has learned his lesson."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says he is hopeful for a deal in the next three weeks.
The president says if that one doesn't have money for a wall, he'll declare a national emergency and build it.
Sagar Meghani, Washington.
On Capitol Hill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that she is glad that the 35-day-long shutdown is finally over.
"I'm sad it's taken this long. I'm glad that we've come to a conclusion today as to how we go forward in the next, in the next three weeks."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said he is hopeful that negotiations can succeed.
"Democrats are firmly against the wall. But we agree on many things, such as the need for drug inspection technology, humanitarian aid, strengthening security at our ports of entry. And that bodes well for finding an eventual agreement, the fact that we have so many areas where we can agree."
The Senate has unanimously passed the legislation to reopen the government Friday afternoon. The House is expected to follow suit within the next hour.
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One of President Donald Trump's key aides, Republican strategist Roger Stone, was arrested and indicted in Florida Friday.
Stone is now the sixth Trump associate to be charged in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe.
AP correspondent Shelly Adler reports.
Roger Stone was charged with lying to Congress and obstructing the Mueller probe.
"He is accused of being a conduit between someone in the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks to facilitate the information that WikiLeaks had about Hillary Clinton, about the DNC."
Former federal prosecutor David Weinstein on what is now the sixth Trump aide charged in the Mueller probe.
"The question remains if these are the people that the president was surrounding himself with, what does that say, about him as both the candidate and as the president."
Shelly Adler, Washington.
After appearing in court, a defiant roger Stone said that his arrest was politically motivated. Stone said that he was falsely accused of making false statements to the House Intelligence Committee and said he would be fully vindicated.
"There is no circumstance whatsoever under which I will bear false witness against the president, nor will I make up lies to ease the pressure on myself. I look forward to being fully and completely vindicated."
A longtime "dirty trickster" Stone has publicly denigrated the Mueller investigation and echoed President Trump's descriptions of it as a witch hunt.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says that every country should recognize opposition leader Juan Guaidó, whom he called the legitimate leader of Venezuela.
Speaking at the State Department Friday afternoon, Pompeo said that Guaidó is the only legitimate leader of the South American country in keeping with Venezuela's constitution.
"This week, the Venezuelan people have rejected former President Maduro's illegitimate rule. Consistent with Venezuela's constitution, and with the support of the Venezuelan people and the National Assembly, Juan Guaidó has declared himself the interim president of Venezuela."
Pompeo has called for a special meeting of the U.N. Security Council to discuss the South American country's political crisis.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday that his country will oppose U.S. policy in Venezuela. Russia and China, major creditors for Venezuela, have said the United States should not meddle in internal affairs.
And Greek lawmakers have ratified a deal with Macedonia, ending a nearly three-decade-long dispute between the neighbors in which the Balkan country will be renamed North Macedonia.
Greece's parliament narrowly passed the agreement, 153-146. It normalizes relations between the two countries and paves the way for North Macedonia to join NATO and the European Union.
For more, visit our website. I'm David Byrd, VOA news.
