Ethiopian government targets rebels in the north of estrades. Hurricane ayers, a batters, central america, tens of thousands of people are forced to flee their homes. And with daily coronavirus cases rising in south koreas capital, new social distancing measures go into place. Now, the pentagon has confirmed Shah Productions and the number of u. S. Troops in afghanistan and iraq by mid january. That would be just before president on trump leaves office. Both countries will be left with a contingent of 2 and a half 1000, but senior figures in the military as well as trumps Republican Party, have doubts about this decision out of there as allen fresh reports from the white house. Donald Trump Campaigned in 2016 and ending americas wars abroad. In the final days of his presidency, hes acting to cut numbers in both iraq and afghanistan. From 4500 in afghanistan, the number will drop to 2500. It will be the same number in iraq where there are currently more than 3000 personnel. This is consistent with our established plans and strategic objectives supported by the American People and does not equate to a change in u. S. Policy. Or objectives. In a stand is the us is longest war. Its lasted 1000 years, more than 2300. 00. Soldiers have died. Its cost more than 193000000000. 00. Earlier this year, the u. S. With the help of qatar, negotiated a deal with the Afghan Taliban to bring a permanent cease fire and remove all Foreign Forces out of the country by mean next year. In october, donald trump tweeted he wanted all u. S. Service personnel home by Christmas December 25th when hes leaving biden is something that again, in the long run is probably where we would have ended up with eventually anyway. But the timing is seen as very rash and dangerous. Donald trump has a nice troop withdrawals in the past. Famously tweeting in 2018 that he wanted all u. S. Service personnel out of syria. That announcement led in part to the resignation of then defense secretary jim mattis. The military rule, that idea then, but its clear that donald trump wants the troops out and on the timetable, hes unknowns. But the decision has brought criticism, even from his own side. President barack obama pull troops out of iraq just before the end of his time in office, ordering an agreement and a deadline set by his republican predecessor. But republicans claim that move led to the growth of eisel, a risk one senator says, trump is taking no other to extremely important here in the next couple of months. Not to have any earth shaking changes with regard to defense and foreign policy. But as drawdown a new there afghanistan or iraq would be a mistake, the head of need to has warned of a quick uncoordinated withdrawal seeing it risks lives. But its clear donald trump wants to leave office claiming another town pm promise has been delivered. Alan fischer aljazeera at the white house. Well, lets not get the view from iraq. Aljazeera baghdad. The reduction of u. S. Troops in iraq to 2500. 00 is not that significant in light of the drawdown that already took place earlier this year. In january, there were 5000. 00 troops present in country that number was reduced to 3000 as of september and of course, the political and security context that precipitated this reduction was rather complex. Back in january, we had the u. S. Assassination of iranian general custom still in miami, as well as other iraqi officials, which prompted the parliament here to vote to oust foreign troops. And we also saw a rise in rocket attacks against u. S. Interests here in iraq. And in that context, the u. S. And iraq began renegotiating the presence of foreign troops that began reducing the numbers. Of course, the u. S. Arguing that this was not in response to the Parliament Vote or the rocket attacks that it was the result of the official defeat. And that such a large presence was no longer needed. Now it remains to be seen how iraqi officials will react and it remains to be seen how it rainy unbacked groups in country will react. And what is very interesting is that within minutes of the announcement to reduce troops to 2500. 00, there was a rocket attack on the u. S. Embassy here in baghdad. Such attacks have occurred relatively frequently earlier this year. And they were blamed on iranian backed armed groups. Now over the recent weeks, we saw a halt in these attacks, and some of these iranian backed militias have come out to say, we will wait for whoever is the new president elect. And we will wait for the trumpet ministrations to announce a full withdrawal of u. S. Troops from iraq. Now that did not happen, the reduction to 2500. 00 is not what these groups were demanding. And tonights rocket attack at the u. S. Embassy was probably a way to voice their disapproval with this latest announcement. Now fresh from firing his secretary of defense, donald trump has now dismissed his Cyber Security chief. Trump took issue with chris krebs after he rejected the president s claims that that been widespread Election Fraud krebs and his agency are directly responsible for election security. And that trumps legal efforts against the u. S. Election outcome have had another setback. Pennsylvanias Supreme Court has rejected the Trump Campaigns arguments. The Republican Party observers didnt get close enough access to vote counting. President elect joe biden is projected to have won that state by more than 74000 photos. But donald trump has been contesting the result there and in other battlegrounds more now from what is your caster in a 5 to decision. The judges there ruled that the Trump Campaigns claim had no merit. The complaint had been that republican poll watchers had been kept out of these rooms where ballots are being counted while the dozens ruled that simply wasnt the case. And the fact that the local election board of the city of philadelphia treated poll watchers Republican Party of the Democratic Party in exactly the same way and was in fact in compliance with state law. Now almost simultaneously, as this is, came down, the campaign was making the very same argument in a different venue in a federal court. Also in pennsylvania alleging the same complaint. And in fact, the person making, the argument in that instance was president own attorney rudy giuliani. And he told the federal judge in that case that the pennsylvania vote quote, stole the election. Now that we have this ruling that is against the Trump Campaign from the state court will certainly that doesnt give much confidence to this federal case going any further though it does remain pending. Ethiopias government says its troops have achieved significant victories in the conflict with forces in the northern tikrit region. Airstrikes have been launched at the regional capital mckelway. Thats the main base for the tikrit Peoples Liberation front or t. P. L. F. Which governs their degree in fighters have refused to comply with government demands to put down their weapons or is in ethiopia its capital, and says the government believes it can end this conflict quickly. The european Prime Minister ahmed, is promising a crucial and decisive face in the fighting that the great legion of will from ethiopia. He says his forces are now were ready to take the city of mechanic up with all of the to go. We didnt. He made that announcement of to the expiry over 3 days that claimed he had given to degree fighters to surrender themselves to the Ethiopian National defense forces. Security sources have told him visit of the next 48 hours will be crucial as the European Forces launch. Tugs on mckinley for multiple fronts. The sources say the fighting is expected to get more intense. If European Forces near the mountainous areas surrounding the couple of the to give a region mackellar, the to go Peoples Liberation front leadership who are engaged in the conflict with the government in the suburb say that they had a very, to defend their positions to the last month have been complaining about civilians getting hot in aesthetics carried out by Government Forces in macau is something that has been rejected and refuted by the government in a disability. Late last week. The t. P. A. Live fight and sent up to 3 missiles across the border to us. Mother, a couple of at a trailer, something diplomats say could bring in a trip into the fighting. But the tibial of leadership maintains that they are already fighting at a tree and forces on the ground and say that up to 16 divisions of the trim forces are present and helping Prime Minister its forces. Something that is of a body of nice both sides. Norinco from buy for United Nations and foreign aid. And as this conflict goes on about 27000, people have now crossed the border and to see it on aljazeera to morgan has been speaking with some of those refugees at a camp and got a reef thats near the airport. Were here at Limerick Ober refugee camp, a camp that is about 85 kilometers away from the nearest sudan, its g. O. P. Border. Now the camp started receiving refugees less than a week ago, but it already host nearly 3000 its european refugees. Most of them arrived at the border reception areas in the states of casella and a lot of where we are right now. The received by sudanese authorities and the Sudanese Commission for refugees who registered them with some of them on buses and brought them here to this camp. Now this camp itself is not new. It was 1st established in the year in 1805. 00 for its european fleeing famine from their region back home, who came to sudan seeking basic services. It was then shut down in the year 2000. Now 20 years later, its once again open, once again receiving its european refugees, this time refugees who are fleeing conflict in the northern to grow region. Most of those weve spoken to say theyve witnessed atrocities that forced them to flee their homes. They say they witnessed family members being slaughtered, that they witnessed aerial bombardment that made them fear that their homes would be the next target. Therefore, they had to leave their properties behind and come here seeking refuge. But this camp was not prepared to receive refugees. Now most of them are still out in the open. They say they still lack proper food, proper water and proper sanitation. And that theyre worried. There will be a health crisis. So the news Authorities Say more than 25000. 00 have crossed into its borders over the past 2 weeks. But they expect that number to go up to 250000 in the coming weeks and have been urging International Organizations to help them to respond to what they say is a growing refugee crisis. That they alone could not manage and need help from International Partners and International Organizations. To be able to provide basic necessities to those refugees. The refugees themselves say theyre not sure how long they will be here. But until its safe to go back home, they will continue seeking refuge, even if there is a shortage in basic commodities because they say theyd rather be here, rather than plays danger. Back home. Still ahead here on aljazeera. Why the u. S. Has agreed to drop the drug charges against mexicos former defense minister. People in the philippines take stock of the death and devastation caused by typing however, weve got rain clouds gathering across northern parts of the middle east and some cold weather as well for good measure. Heres the west, the weather, up towards the black sea, towards caspian sea. Just around the caucasus armenia, georgia, seeing some wet weather along with the far north of iran, struggling to get into double figures in tehran, just 11 celsius on wednesday as we go on into thursday. Likely to get to around 9 degrees here at that stage where the weather may be through the eastern side of the mediterranean. But think it clouds sliding across iraq through parts of moving parts of the gulf and pushing down to us here in qatar, doha, with a top temperature of around 27. 00 celsius struggling to get to 27. 00 celsius. So around 80 in found a high for the self, the dry weather, the south weather continues around the horn of africa. One or 2 shell is just pushing in from the arabian sea. Its essential parts of somalia, palencia showers there into tanzania all the way over towards the gulf of guinea, towards cameroon, towards hugo bomb, sea, west of weather coming in here, and that wet weather, making its way down into angola as well. You see this cloud drapes down across sam pushing towards bots. One of the eastern side of south africa seen some lively showers, and that wet weather, pushing further east for 20 years of chinas transformation told through one young girls journey from 2 adult hood in 2 decades. Following the development of her life, animation rewind returns to the story of k. K. , the girl from quango on aljazeera the, you know, again, lets remind you of our top stories here. The south. The pentagon has confounded sharp productions in the number of u. S. Troops in afghanistan and iraq by mid january, just before president all trump leaves. Office 2000 will withdraw from afghanistan and 500. 00 from iraq leaving 2 and a half 1000 to meet each country. Trump has now fired the top u. S. Election security official who had refused the president s unsubstantiated claims about fraud. Chris krebs was the head of the department of homeland securitys agency that monitors election security. And ethiopias government says its troops have achieved significant victories in the conflict with forces in the north of tikrit region. Airstrikes have been launched at the regional capital mckelway. Thats the main base for the Peoples Liberation front. Which governs that. Now the Palestinian Authority says it will restore coordination with israel on the eve of a visit by u. S. Secretary of state, my pompei, or it suspended all contacts 6 months ago in response to israeli plans to annex parts of the occupied west bank that had significant impacts including on organizing the transfer of palestinian patients to israeli hospitals. We will raise your contacts with days, writers on Financial Issues on Health Issues on what are they going to issues on anything that israel is ready for. The most important thing is that now israel is saying that they are ready to commit themselves to the side negatives. What does this really mean . It means that authorial it means putting the gun. It means head and it means the financial means, or other issues. Well, high faucet on the west or islam pressure has been building for contact to resume the palestinians have had to deal with one of the key effects of this ending of corp, not accepting the money that israel collects on its behalf in terms of tax revenues that is now built up to some nearly a 1000000000 u. S. Dollars since may. Its meant that some 150000 employees of the Palestinian Authority have had to go with half salaries of these. Those who arent on the lowest pay have had to go with half salaries. Its had a big Economic Impact of that. Combined with the coronavirus pandemic has seen unemployment rise to officially nearly 30 percent. Some estimates put it at more than 40 percent. So theres a big economic incentive to restore these ties. Theres also a political incentive because of the incoming biden ministration. We know that there have been contacts between the Biden Campaign as was and presumably now the biden transition team. It is certainly a way of showing that they are open to a wrists restoration of some possibility towards progress under a new administration. It does though, put in some jeopardy efforts towards reconciliation with other palestinian factions, hamas and others have criticized this move, saying that it is going back to cooperating with an occupying power. And so the talk of possible conciliation possible elections on the palestinian side now looks to become less likely. Now, 3 form the prodemocracy politicians have been arrested in hong kong. Police are questioning ted, queen, and ray chan. Theyre all suspected of disrupting a legislative financing held back in june to discuss a law which criminalize any insult to the Chinese National anthem. Sarah clarke has all the latest from hong kong that these 3 former lawmakers are, theyve been arrested for their role in that particular incident where theyre being accused of trying a liquid at the president. And you know what that liquid was. We dont know, but certainly said he was distressed at this particular incident and it was during the 2nd reading of the National Anthem bill, which was very controversial at the time. All 3 should not have been charged with other offenses prior to wednesdays arist. Hes been arrested previously for writing charges, 82. 00, and theyve been arrested in the past for a similar charge which is disrupting disrupting the lives of council process. Now i should sides part of a wire to clamp down by beijing and hong kong to try and gag any dissent. On november 1st and 2nd, we saw 8 prodemocracy politicians. They were also arrested and charged over a heated meeting. You might recall in the chamber where they were fighting each other in battle to get the control over a particular position on the committee meeting. So its a widespread clampdown by hong kong and beijing to gag dissent. After last years protests. And its a campaign by china to install loyal patriotism to the motherland. So we also expect further arrests to come in coming over coming months. While the United States has agreed to drop drugs charges against mexicos former defense minister salvador, where goss was arrested in los angeles last month on suspicion of links to drug trafficking. A joint statement between the 2 countries said that to end this would be investigated in mexico and charged under mexican law if needed. John heilemann is in mexico city. Its been a real bombshell bit of news, general salvatore, sam, for a girls who was the ex head of mexicos armed forces under the previous president to this one was arrested by the United States in los angeles airport. And he was accused of basically helping and protecting a cartel in mexico. The indictment said that prosecutors had actually found messages on a sofa belonging to him in direct contact with one of the leaders of that cartel. And he was referred to as a rino, which translates as the godfather. So they felt that he, they had a very strong case, u. S. Authorities against this very, very high ranking mexican general. And they were bringing those charges against him. It was a big for brought on both sides of the border. It seemed to point to the corruption at the highest levels in mexico under obviously the previous administration. And then suddenly those charges have now been sought to have been dropped by the u. S. Attorney general. And in a joint statement with the mets can adjourn tourney general, he said that that process will now be continued the info. Investigation against general for eagles will be continued in mexico and if appropriate it will be brought brought to trial. Now career is near interim president has called for calm after he was sworn in francisco sagacity is the countrys 3rd leader. And just one week, a former World Bank Official will sat until National Elections or how the 8 from paris has been in turmoil since the removal of president. Not in his car a last week of an unproven corruption allegations. Well, hurricane iota has now weakened to a tropical storm, as it pushes across central america. It had nicaragua, there as a category 4 with howling winds and massive sath, forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes. This is what the of hurricane looked like from the sky, but on the ground it brought more devastation to central america, already battered by a major hurricane 2 weeks ago. Where unleashed tarantula flooding in winds of 250 kilometers an hour and nicaragua before reaching honduras on tuesday, left a trail of destruction as the military struggled to bring people to safety. 40000. 00 were evacuated from their homes in the 80000, not, not the number, but on the. We have nowhere to go. We can only hope that god will have mercy on us. Made landfall just 25 kilometers from where hurricane hedo hit 2 weeks ago, killing more than 120 people. This time the death toll might be considerably lower after high, you know, it was downgraded to a tropical storm. The preliminary report, we were given deals with toppled trees, light posts, and electrical lines. Also roofs of destroyed homes and businesses. Are 1st pushed over to colombian, islands of sun and simply monday. It is the strongest storm to hit colombian territory on record. I spoke with the mayor of providencia. He gave me information about the damage, which we were able to see from the flight up to 99 percent of our infrastructure has been damaged. Theres been an unprecedented number of storms and hurricanes this season. It is turned out to be even west and we saw it. It started earlier and is going to end even late. For example, in countries its going to affect the incoming harvest, and this will really strain subsistence farmers. And whilst its still early days, it is quite, it is quite clear that this will extend even but for now, the attention remains on the still heavy rains that could bring more flooding and deadly landslides, in the regions already saturated soil. Well over in the philippines casualties from typhoon vanco continue to climb more than 60 people have now died. Thats strong cause devastation across the main island of luzon, including in the capital manila, general allen dargon reports from ca, guyana province outs. One of the worst affected areas people, youre an alkali, see they are burying a hero. Larry died while rescuing these neighbors from floodwaters, using his old boot. You know the next, but his daughter angela is angry and is calling for justice. She says her father didnt have to die from electrocution. If only power lines were disconnected, early enough, while some call was hitting, the entire philippine region of loose on the show. Man was the suddenly just this just this, there was a village captain. Where was the police . My father wasnt any of those, but why did it had to be him to rescue the residents . None of them showed up. They found this body through these lethal type. One van call was not meant to be this devastating. Now, days after the typhoon struck, the government is facing widespread criticism from people here. They say the tragedy could have been contained, with more able leadership and was not even, and the typhoon warning when the vanco hit the capital region, it was only experiencing once and remains at the time. More than 80000. 00, people had to be rescued in this town alone. Widespread deforestation has long been blamed for constant flooding here to makeshift shelters like this one are now visible along the highways of alkali and nearby towns, civilians who have lost nearly everything and during desperate need of aid. Inside this small tent, there are 5 families who have to endure nights sleeping on the ground with their children. To be selling, our house is still under water, so we just have to stay here in cramped under this tent. Were grateful for any help they want said the rice fields and comfortable homes. Now this is all they have left all the hit, the region of luzon for a few hours, but it left a trail of destruction and suffering. Jim duggan al jazeera korean province, northern philippines, alternatives the to the coronavirus pandemic now and south korea is tightening social distancing measures after it saw its highest daily rice in cases south. Korea has been praised for its handling of the pandemic. But as winter approaches, there are worries about a new wave. These latest restrictions just up friday, sorry, best day Robert Bryant has south korea has been keeping the number of new infections down to around 100 per day for the past few weeks. But in recent days, its seen the number stay stubbornly above 200 per day and its now topped 300, hence these new measures. Now these numbers might not seem large compared to the spikes that were seeing in the rest of the world. But south korea like its east asian neighbors, is determined to keep on top of this pandemic because we get into these colder winter months of the Northern Hemisphere until we can reach that all important vaccine. South korea has a 5 here, social distancing system, and this raises the level from one to 1. 00. It will mean slightly tighter restrictions on things like nonessential gatherings or run the numbers of people allowed into restaurants and bars. And it affects the sole metropolitan area which is home to around half the countrys population, but significantly, it avoids the kinds of lockdowns that we are seeing elsewhere. Throughout this pandemic, south korea has been determined to keep its economy moving. And it believes it has in place, the kind of accurate and efficient test and trace system that with a few adjustments here and there will allow it to stay on top of any new clusters or outbreaks. Certainly there could still be dark days ahead, but certainly not as dark as in other parts of the world. Now the 1st covered 1000 home test has been approved in the u. S. And was given a green light by the food and drug administration. And can now be solved with a prescription to individuals who are at least 14 years old. That can take nasal samples at home and gives results in about 30 minutes ahead of the International Olympic committee is encouraging athletes to get vaccinated against kind of 1001 possible thomas back finished a 2 day visit to tokyo at the national stadium. Thats one of the venues for the games which have been delayed by here because of this pandemic. 11000 athletes are expected to compete in tokyo in 2021. But we really encourage that whenever of course, you have a vaccine a should like to because its a great honor for their health. And its also worth any demonstration of solidarity with their fellow athletes. Tripolis people there. I must ascertain the how with the headlines here on aljazeera, the pentagon has confirmed Shah Productions and the number of u. S. Troops in afghanistan and iraq by mid january, just before president on a child leaves office 2001, leave afghanistan and 500 from iraq leaving 2 and a half 1000 in each country. Let us remind those who question our resolve or may seek to interfere with this