U.S. spy chief to step down

Washington : US intelligence chief James Clapper, whose 2013 denial that the US collects personal communications data on millions of citizens led to the stunning Snowden spying expose, on Thursday announced his resignation.

After six years as Director of National Intelligence, Clapper told a congressional hearing that he would step down on January 20, the day Donald Trump is to be sworn in as US president.

Coming after rumors that he might stay on for a new term, his departure would leave another major position to fill for the incoming Trump administration.

Clapper, whose job was to coordinate the work of 17 disparate operations like the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency, said resigning "felt pretty good."

"I submitted my letter of resignation last night," the retired air force lieutenant general, 75, told the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

"I've got 64 days left and I think I will have a hard time with my wife for anything past that," he said.

One name circulating as a replacement for Clapper was former Defense Intelligence Agency director and former deputy director of national intelligence Lieutenant General Ronald Burgess.