The US&nbsp;economy is taking a larger-than-expected hit from the partial government shutdown, White House estimates showed on Tuesday, as the impasse between President Donald Trump and Democrats over a wall on the southern border dragged into its 25th day.

Trump was expected to host some members of Congress for lunch at 12:30 pm&nbsp;EST (1730 GMT) where the shutdown was sure to be discussed. A guest list was not immediately provided and the White House and congressional leaders declined requests to comment.

Neither Trump nor Democratic congressional leaders have shown signs of bending on the issue of funding the wall that he promised to build along the border with Mexico. Trump is insisting Congress shell out $5.7 billion as about 800,000 federal workers go unpaid during the partial shutdown.

The Trump administration had initially estimated the shutdown would cost the economy 0.1 percentage point in growth every two weeks that employees were without pay.

But on Tuesday, there was an updated figure -&nbsp;0.13 percentage point every week because of the impact of work left undone by 380,000 furloughed employees as well as work left aside by federal contractors, a White House official said.

The partial shutdown is the longest in US&nbsp;history and its effects have begun to reverberate across the country.

Longer lines have formed at some airports as more security screeners fail to show up for work while food and drug inspections have been curtailed and farmers, stung by recent trade spats, have been unable to receive federal aid.

Speaking on CNBC, Delta Air Lines Inc Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian said the partial shutdown will cost the airline $25 million in lost revenue in January because fewer government contractors are travelling.

Trump ran for office in 2016 on a promise to build a wall to stop illegal immigration and drug trafficking. He had toyed with the prospect of declaring a national emergency to circumvent Congress to secure the funding, but this week has backed off from that idea, which would attract a court challenge.

Democrats, who took over the US&nbsp;House of Representatives this month, have rejected the border wall but back other border security measures.

House Democrats have passed a number of bills to fund the roughly one-quarter of federal operations that have been closed, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, has said the chamber will not consider legislation that Trump will not sign into law.

McConnell, who has mainly stayed out of the public fray on the shutdown, on Tuesday accused Democrats of "acrobatic contortions" to avoid negotiating on the shutdown.

Representative Hakeem Jeffries, who heads the House Democratic Caucus, said it was up to individual lawmakers to decide whether to accept invitations from the White House to discuss the issue.

“The question that I think everyone can reasonably ask - Is he inviting people to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to really try to resolve this problem or to create a photo op so he can project a false sense of bipartisanship?” Jeffries told reporters.

Democratic Representative Katherine Clark said Democrats were unified in restarting government before negotiating on border security.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

The US economy is taking a larger-than-expected hit from the partial government shutdown, White House estimates showed on Tuesday, as the impasse between President Donald Trump and Democrats over a wall on the southern border dragged into its 25th day.

The US economy is taking a larger-than-expected hit from the partial government shutdown, White House estimates showed on Tuesday, as the impasse between President Donald Trump and Democrats over a wall on the southern border dragged into its 25th day. Trump was expected to host some members of Congress for lunch at 12:30 pm EST (1730 GMT) where the shutdown was sure to be discussed. A guest list was not immediately provided and the White House and congressional leaders declined requests to comment. Neither Trump nor Democratic congressional leaders have shown signs of bending on the issue of funding the wall that he promised to build along the border with Mexico. Trump is insisting Congress shell out $5.7 billion as about 800,000 federal workers go unpaid during the partial shutdown. The Trump administration had initially estimated the shutdown would cost the economy 0.1 percentage point in growth every two weeks that employees were without pay. But on Tuesday, there was an updated figure - 0.13 percentage point every week because of the impact of work left undone by 380,000 furloughed employees as well as work left aside by federal contractors, a White House official said. The partial shutdown is the longest in US history and its effects have begun to reverberate across the country. Longer lines have formed at some airports as more security screeners fail to show up for work while food and drug inspections have been curtailed and farmers, stung by recent trade spats, have been unable to receive federal aid. Speaking on CNBC, Delta Air Lines Inc Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian said the partial shutdown will cost the airline $25 million in lost revenue in January because fewer government contractors are travelling. Trump ran for office in 2016 on a promise to build a wall to stop illegal immigration and drug trafficking. He had toyed with the prospect of declaring a national emergency to circumvent Congress to secure the funding, but this week has backed off from that idea, which would attract a court challenge. Democrats, who took over the US House of Representatives this month, have rejected the border wall but back other border security measures. House Democrats have passed a number of bills to fund the roughly one-quarter of federal operations that have been closed, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, has said the chamber will not consider legislation that Trump will not sign into law. McConnell, who has mainly stayed out of the public fray on the shutdown, on Tuesday accused Democrats of "acrobatic contortions" to avoid negotiating on the shutdown. Representative Hakeem Jeffries, who heads the House Democratic Caucus, said it was up to individual lawmakers to decide whether to accept invitations from the White House to discuss the issue. “The question that I think everyone can reasonably ask - Is he inviting people to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to really try to resolve this problem or to create a photo op so he can project a false sense of bipartisanship?” Jeffries told reporters. Democratic Representative Katherine Clark said Democrats were unified in restarting government before negotiating on border security.

Government shutdown taking larger-than-expected toll on US economy

The international airport in Miami has been forced to shut down one of its terminals early for three days due to a shortage of security agents sparked by the partial <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/law-enforcement-agencies-squeezed-by-us-government-shutdown-189630">US government shutdown</a> now in its 21st day.

From Saturday through Monday, Terminal G -- one of six at the airport -- will close at 1:00 pm.&nbsp;

"Flights that were previously scheduled to depart from Concourse G this Saturday, Sunday and Monday will be relocated either to Concourse F or Concourse H," airport spokesman Greg Chin told AFP.

At issue is a lack of agents from the US Transportation Security Administration, who are seen as "essential" federal workers and hence are still on the job -- but without pay until the shutdown ends.

Agents are reportedly staging "sickouts" -- calling in sick in a silent protest at their situation. According to The Miami Herald, absenteeism among the Miami airport agents has more than doubled since the shutdown began.

"Right now, there are approximately some 40 employees that are calling in sick from TSA," meaning that "this terminal doesn't have the manpower to accommodate all the passengers," airport spokesman Jack Varela told AFP.

"The airport, the airlines, TSA, customs we are all doing everything possible to make the passengers happy," Varela said.

Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson, the new chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, told the TSA chief in a letter this week that it was "only reasonable to expect officer call outs and resignations to increase the longer the shutdown lasts."

"No employee can be expected to work indefinitely without pay," Thompson said.

With the shutdown soon to drag into its fourth week, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association has reportedly filed a lawsuit against the administration of US President Donald Trump, alleging that members have been "unlawfully" deprived of their wages.

There is no sign of a compromise to end the shutdown so far: Trump is insisting on funding for a wall on the border with Mexico, but opposition Democrats are not budging.

The international airport in Miami has been forced to shut down one of its terminals early for three days due to a shortage of security agents sparked by the partial US government shutdown now in its 21st day.

The international airport in Miami has been forced to shut down one of its terminals early for three days due to a shortage of security agents sparked by the partial US government shutdown now in its 21st day. From Saturday through Monday, Terminal G -- one of six at the airport -- will close at 1:00 pm. "Flights that were previously scheduled to depart from Concourse G this Saturday, Sunday and Monday will be relocated either to Concourse F or Concourse H," airport spokesman Greg Chin told AFP. At issue is a lack of agents from the US Transportation Security Administration, who are seen as "essential" federal workers and hence are still on the job -- but without pay until the shutdown ends. Agents are reportedly staging "sickouts" -- calling in sick in a silent protest at their situation. According to The Miami Herald, absenteeism among the Miami airport agents has more than doubled since the shutdown began. "Right now, there are approximately some 40 employees that are calling in sick from TSA," meaning that "this terminal doesn't have the manpower to accommodate all the passengers," airport spokesman Jack Varela told AFP. "The airport, the airlines, TSA, customs we are all doing everything possible to make the passengers happy," Varela said. Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson, the new chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, told the TSA chief in a letter this week that it was "only reasonable to expect officer call outs and resignations to increase the longer the shutdown lasts." "No employee can be expected to work indefinitely without pay," Thompson said. With the shutdown soon to drag into its fourth week, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association has reportedly filed a lawsuit against the administration of US President Donald Trump, alleging that members have been "unlawfully" deprived of their wages. There is no sign of a compromise to end the shutdown so far: Trump is insisting on funding for a wall on the border with Mexico, but opposition Democrats are not budging.

Miami airport to temporarily close one of its terminals over US government shutdown

US President Donald Trump met top Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday, but they failed to hammer out an agreement that would end a partial government shutdown over his demand for billions of dollars to build a border wall with Mexico.

One day before Democrats take over the House of Representatives, Trump showed no signs of backing away from his insistence that Congress cough up $5.6 billion for his "beautiful" southern wall.

Trump met behind closed doors at the White House with Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat who will take over as speaker of the House on Thursday, and Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, but there were no indications any progress had been made in resolving the impasse.

"We asked the president to support the bills that we support that will open up government," Schumer said. "I asked him directly, I said 'Mr. President give me one good reason why you should continue your shutdown.'

"He could not give a good answer," Schumer said.

Republican Kevin McCarthy, who will be minority leader in the next House, said Democratic and Republican leaders of Congress would return to the White House on Friday for more talks.

"This doesn't need to go on very much longer," McCarthy said.

But Trump said he was prepared to hold out "as long as it takes" to secure the money he is seeking for the border wall.

"This is national security we're talking about," he said at a cabinet meeting ahead of the meeting with Pelosi, Schumer and top Republicans. "It's too important a subject to walk away from.

"I think the people of this country think I am right," Trump said, adding that it "could be a long time" before the government reopens.

Trump's meeting with Pelosi and Schumer was his first since an acrimonious Oval Office meeting with the pair on December 11.

Democrats say the border wall, one of Trump's key campaign promises, is a distraction from more complicated immigration problems and a tool for Trump to whip up support among his conservative base.

The standoff resulted in hundreds of thousands of federal employees being furloughed over the Christmas and New Year holidays -- and for the foreseeable future until a deal is reached.

Romney hits out at Trump

Amid the stalemate over the wall, Trump shelved his annual Christmas vacation in Florida, choosing to remain in Washington and fire off a stream of angry -- and often misleading -- tweets.

"Much of the Wall has already been renovated or built," he asserted, along with the dubious claim that Mexico would pay for the wall through the new trade deal between the two countries.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders accused Democrats of refusing to compromise.

"President Trump made a serious, good faith offer to Democrats to open the government, address the crisis at our border and protect all Americans," Sanders said.

Pelosi is proposing a plan that would fund most government agencies through September 30 with the exception of the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees border security and would only receive funding through February 8.

Sanders described that approach as a "non-starter because it does not fund our homeland security or keep American families safe from human trafficking, drugs and crime."

Republicans lost 40 seats and their majority in the House in the November midterm elections but they retained control of the Senate by a slim margin.

Sixty votes, however, are needed to advance legislation in the Senate, requiring Democratic support.

Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware welcomed the face-to-face meeting between Trump and Democratic leaders and told CNN he hoped it would lead to a end to what he called a "senseless" shutdown.

Republican Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, has said he will only schedule a vote on a deal that has the support of both the House and Trump.

Adding to the uncertainty in Washington, an incoming senator, former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, lashed out at Trump on Tuesday in an opinion piece in The Washington Post.

"Trump's words and actions have caused dismay around the world," wrote Romney, who was elected to the Senate in November from his home state of Utah.

"I do not intend to comment on every tweet or fault," Romney said. "But I will speak out against significant statements or actions that are divisive, racist, sexist, anti-immigrant, dishonest or destructive to democratic institutions."

Trump expressed surprise over the comments said he hoped the Republican senator would prove to be a "team player."

In an interview with CNN, Romney said he would vote to provide funding for a border wall.

&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump met top Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday, but they failed to hammer out an agreement that would end a partial government shutdown over his demand for billions of dollars to build a border wall with Mexico.

US President Donald Trump met top Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday, but they failed to hammer out an agreement that would end a partial government shutdown over his demand for billions of dollars to build a border wall with Mexico. One day before Democrats take over the House of Representatives, Trump showed no signs of backing away from his insistence that Congress cough up $5.6 billion for his "beautiful" southern wall. Trump met behind closed doors at the White House with Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat who will take over as speaker of the House on Thursday, and Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, but there were no indications any progress had been made in resolving the impasse. "We asked the president to support the bills that we support that will open up government," Schumer said. "I asked him directly, I said 'Mr. President give me one good reason why you should continue your shutdown.' "He could not give a good answer," Schumer said. Republican Kevin McCarthy, who will be minority leader in the next House, said Democratic and Republican leaders of Congress would return to the White House on Friday for more talks. "This doesn't need to go on very much longer," McCarthy said. But Trump said he was prepared to hold out "as long as it takes" to secure the money he is seeking for the border wall. "This is national security we're talking about," he said at a cabinet meeting ahead of the meeting with Pelosi, Schumer and top Republicans. "It's too important a subject to walk away from. "I think the people of this country think I am right," Trump said, adding that it "could be a long time" before the government reopens. Trump's meeting with Pelosi and Schumer was his first since an acrimonious Oval Office meeting with the pair on December 11. Democrats say the border wall, one of Trump's key campaign promises, is a distraction from more complicated immigration problems and a tool for Trump to whip up support among his conservative base. The standoff resulted in hundreds of thousands of federal employees being furloughed over the Christmas and New Year holidays -- and for the foreseeable future until a deal is reached. Romney hits out at Trump Amid the stalemate over the wall, Trump shelved his annual Christmas vacation in Florida, choosing to remain in Washington and fire off a stream of angry -- and often misleading -- tweets. "Much of the Wall has already been renovated or built," he asserted, along with the dubious claim that Mexico would pay for the wall through the new trade deal between the two countries. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders accused Democrats of refusing to compromise. "President Trump made a serious, good faith offer to Democrats to open the government, address the crisis at our border and protect all Americans," Sanders said. Pelosi is proposing a plan that would fund most government agencies through September 30 with the exception of the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees border security and would only receive funding through February 8. Sanders described that approach as a "non-starter because it does not fund our homeland security or keep American families safe from human trafficking, drugs and crime." Republicans lost 40 seats and their majority in the House in the November midterm elections but they retained control of the Senate by a slim margin. Sixty votes, however, are needed to advance legislation in the Senate, requiring Democratic support. Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware welcomed the face-to-face meeting between Trump and Democratic leaders and told CNN he hoped it would lead to a end to what he called a "senseless" shutdown. Republican Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, has said he will only schedule a vote on a deal that has the support of both the House and Trump. Adding to the uncertainty in Washington, an incoming senator, former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, lashed out at Trump on Tuesday in an opinion piece in The Washington Post. "Trump's words and actions have caused dismay around the world," wrote Romney, who was elected to the Senate in November from his home state of Utah. "I do not intend to comment on every tweet or fault," Romney said. "But I will speak out against significant statements or actions that are divisive, racist, sexist, anti-immigrant, dishonest or destructive to democratic institutions." Trump expressed surprise over the comments said he hoped the Republican senator would prove to be a "team player." In an interview with CNN, Romney said he would vote to provide funding for a border wall.

US government shutdown could last a 'long time': Trump

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he is prepared to wait as long as it takes to get $5 billion from taxpayers for his <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/its-the-only-way-to-stop-drugs-gangs-criminals-from-entering-us-trump-defends-demand-for-border-wall-186037">US-Mexico border wall</a>, a demand that has triggered a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-government-shutdown-may-go-into-new-year-top-trump-aide-mulvaney-186044">partial shutdown</a> of the federal government that is now in its fifth day.

With no immediate end to the shutdown in sight, Trump made his remarks during a surprise visit to Iraq and blamed the shutdown on Democrat Nancy Pelosi, who was expected to become speaker of the US&nbsp;House of Representatives on January&nbsp;3.

Trump had previously said he was prepared for a lengthy shutdown and when asked on Wednesday how long he would wait to get what he wants, he said, "Whatever it takes."

"Nancy is calling the shots," said the Republican president, suggesting that her opposition to his demand for wall funding had to do with Pelosi's need for votes to become speaker.

Pelosi largely locked up the speakership weeks ago.

"The American public is demanding a wall," Trump said while on the ground at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq.

During a televised Dec. 11 meeting with Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, Trump had said he would be "proud to shut down the government for border security" but has since shifted the blame to Democrats.

During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly promised Mexico would pay for his proposed wall. After Mexico repeatedly refused to do so, he began seeking US&nbsp;taxpayer funding for the wall, which he sees as vital to controlling illegal immigration.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll in late November found that improved border security was a top-three priority for only about 31 percent of Americans surveyed.

Even with both chambers of Congress and the White House under Republican control for the past two years, former real estate developer Trump has not gained full funding for his wall.

Democrats and some Republicans view it as a costly, unneeded and ineffective project, but some Republicans support the idea and back Trump's demand for $5 billion in partial funding.

"His resolve is very firm," Representative Mark Meadows, a conservative Republican, told CNN.

Following weeks of failed talks between Trump and congressional leaders, parts of the US&nbsp;government shut down on Saturday, affecting about 800,000 employees of the Departments of Homeland Security, Transportation and other agencies.

Most of the federal government, which directly employs almost 4 million people, is unaffected. The Defense Department and other key agencies are fully funded through Sept. 30.

Congress was scheduled to reconvene after a holiday break on Thursday and resume debate on the matter.

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he is prepared to wait as long as it takes to get $5 billion from taxpayers for his US-Mexico border wall, a demand that has triggered a partial shutdown of the federal government that is now in its fifth day.

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he is prepared to wait as long as it takes to get $5 billion from taxpayers for his US-Mexico border wall, a demand that has triggered a partial shutdown of the federal government that is now in its fifth day. With no immediate end to the shutdown in sight, Trump made his remarks during a surprise visit to Iraq and blamed the shutdown on Democrat Nancy Pelosi, who was expected to become speaker of the US House of Representatives on January 3. Trump had previously said he was prepared for a lengthy shutdown and when asked on Wednesday how long he would wait to get what he wants, he said, "Whatever it takes." "Nancy is calling the shots," said the Republican president, suggesting that her opposition to his demand for wall funding had to do with Pelosi's need for votes to become speaker. Pelosi largely locked up the speakership weeks ago. "The American public is demanding a wall," Trump said while on the ground at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq. During a televised Dec. 11 meeting with Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, Trump had said he would be "proud to shut down the government for border security" but has since shifted the blame to Democrats. During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly promised Mexico would pay for his proposed wall. After Mexico repeatedly refused to do so, he began seeking US taxpayer funding for the wall, which he sees as vital to controlling illegal immigration. A Reuters/Ipsos poll in late November found that improved border security was a top-three priority for only about 31 percent of Americans surveyed. Even with both chambers of Congress and the White House under Republican control for the past two years, former real estate developer Trump has not gained full funding for his wall. Democrats and some Republicans view it as a costly, unneeded and ineffective project, but some Republicans support the idea and back Trump's demand for $5 billion in partial funding. "His resolve is very firm," Representative Mark Meadows, a conservative Republican, told CNN. Following weeks of failed talks between Trump and congressional leaders, parts of the US government shut down on Saturday, affecting about 800,000 employees of the Departments of Homeland Security, Transportation and other agencies. Most of the federal government, which directly employs almost 4 million people, is unaffected. The Defense Department and other key agencies are fully funded through Sept. 30. Congress was scheduled to reconvene after a holiday break on Thursday and resume debate on the matter.

On shutdown, Trump vows to wait as long as it takes for wall funding

US Government shutdown enters 3rd day

US Democratic leaders charged Monday that President Donald Trump was "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/as-markets-slump-trump-calls-fed-only-problem-in-us-economy-186249">plunging the country into chaos</a>" with multiple crises and said he was offering no way to end a government shutdown.

Nancy Pelosi, who takes over next month as House speaker, and Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Republican-led Senate, complained that White House aides were giving inconsistent messages on what Trump would accept to restart the government.

"It's Christmas Eve and President Trump is plunging the country into chaos," the two said in a joint statement.

"The stock market is tanking and the president is waging a personal war on the Federal Reserve -- after he just fired the secretary of defense," they said.

They warned that they saw little solution to the three-day-old shutdown so long as Trump aligns himself with hard-right Republicans in the House of Representatives.&nbsp;

"The president wanted the shutdown, but he seems not to know how to get himself out of it," they said.

Trump has refused to sign a bill to authorize spending to keep the government functioning as he demands funding for a $5 billion wall on the Mexican border, a top election promise as he railed against unauthorized immigrants.

Trump has put off vacation plans in Florida due to the shutdown and has been frequently posting his thoughts on Twitter.

On Monday he attacked the Federal Reserve, which is traditionally shielded from political pressure, over a sharp downturn on the stock market and defended his decision to pull all US troops from Syria, which led to the resignation last week of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, often considered the most respected member of his cabinet.

US Democratic leaders charged Monday that President Donald Trump was "plunging the country into chaos" with multiple crises and said he was offering no way to end a government shutdown.

US Democratic leaders charged Monday that President Donald Trump was "plunging the country into chaos" with multiple crises and said he was offering no way to end a government shutdown. Nancy Pelosi, who takes over next month as House speaker, and Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Republican-led Senate, complained that White House aides were giving inconsistent messages on what Trump would accept to restart the government. "It's Christmas Eve and President Trump is plunging the country into chaos," the two said in a joint statement. "The stock market is tanking and the president is waging a personal war on the Federal Reserve -- after he just fired the secretary of defense," they said. They warned that they saw little solution to the three-day-old shutdown so long as Trump aligns himself with hard-right Republicans in the House of Representatives. "The president wanted the shutdown, but he seems not to know how to get himself out of it," they said. Trump has refused to sign a bill to authorize spending to keep the government functioning as he demands funding for a $5 billion wall on the Mexican border, a top election promise as he railed against unauthorized immigrants. Trump has put off vacation plans in Florida due to the shutdown and has been frequently posting his thoughts on Twitter. On Monday he attacked the Federal Reserve, which is traditionally shielded from political pressure, over a sharp downturn on the stock market and defended his decision to pull all US troops from Syria, which led to the resignation last week of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, often considered the most respected member of his cabinet.

'Trump is plunging the country into chaos'

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump's budget director and chief of staff on Sunday said the partial US&nbsp;government shutdown could continue to January 3, when the new Congress convenes and Democrats take over the House of Representatives.

"It's very possible this shutdown will go beyond the 28th and into the new Congress," Mick Mulvaney said on Fox News Sunday.&nbsp;

"I don't think things are going to move very quickly here for the next few days" because of the Christmas holiday, added Mulvaney, who serves as director of the Office of Management and Budget and was named acting White House chief of staff 10 days ago.

The US&nbsp;Senate adjourned on Saturday unable to break an impasse over Trump's demand for more funds for a wall on the border with Mexico that Democrats are unwilling to accept.

Mulvaney said the White House made a "counteroffer" to Democrats on funding for border security that falls between the Democratic offer of $1.3 billion and Trump's demand for $5 billion.

As part of those talks on Saturday, Vice President Mike Pence offered to drop the demand for $5 billion for a border wall, substituting instead $2.1 billion, ABC News reported citing unnamed sources.

Mulvaney sought to shift blame for the partial shutdown to Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic nominee for speaker of the US&nbsp;House of Representatives, saying she might hold up negotiations to ensure she secures the position.

"I think she's in that unfortunate position of being beholden to her left wing to where she cannot be seen as agreeing with the president on anything until after she is speaker," Mulvaney said. "If that's the case, again, there's a chance we go into the next Congress." &nbsp;

Financing for about a quarter of federal government programs - including the departments of Homeland Security, Justice and Agriculture - expired at midnight on Friday and will not be renewed until a deal is done.

Federal parks were to close and more than 400,000 federal "essential" employees in those agencies will work without pay until the dispute is resolved. Another 380,000 will be "furloughed", meaning they are put on temporary leave.

Law enforcement efforts, border patrols, mail delivery and airport operations will keep running.

Building a wall to keep migrants from entering the United States illegally was a central plank of Trump's presidential campaign, but Democrats are vehemently opposed and have rejected his funding request.

Trump reiterated his push for border security on Sunday, saying on Twitter that "the only way" to stop drugs, gangs, and human trafficking at the border was with a wall or barrier.

"Drones and all of the rest are wonderful and lots of fun, but it is only a good old fashioned Wall that works!," the president said in the tweet.

Earlier in the week, leaders in both the Senate and House of Representatives thought they had reached a deal that Trump would sign that contained less money for border security, only to watch the president, under pressure from conservatives, re-assert his demand for $5 billion at the last minute.

Senator David Perdue, a Republican from Georgia on the Senate Banking Committee, said on Fox News'&nbsp;"Sunday Morning Futures" that he thought a deal this week was possible.

"I spoke to the President last night, he wants that," Purdue said, adding "I'm hopeful that cooler heads will prevail and we'll get to some number between $1.6 (billion) and $5 billion on that." 
&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump's budget director and chief of staff on Sunday said the partial US government shutdown could continue to January 3, when the new Congress convenes and Democrats take over the House of Representatives.

US President Donald Trump's budget director and chief of staff on Sunday said the partial US government shutdown could continue to January 3, when the new Congress convenes and Democrats take over the House of Representatives. "It's very possible this shutdown will go beyond the 28th and into the new Congress," Mick Mulvaney said on Fox News Sunday. "I don't think things are going to move very quickly here for the next few days" because of the Christmas holiday, added Mulvaney, who serves as director of the Office of Management and Budget and was named acting White House chief of staff 10 days ago. The US Senate adjourned on Saturday unable to break an impasse over Trump's demand for more funds for a wall on the border with Mexico that Democrats are unwilling to accept. Mulvaney said the White House made a "counteroffer" to Democrats on funding for border security that falls between the Democratic offer of $1.3 billion and Trump's demand for $5 billion. As part of those talks on Saturday, Vice President Mike Pence offered to drop the demand for $5 billion for a border wall, substituting instead $2.1 billion, ABC News reported citing unnamed sources. Mulvaney sought to shift blame for the partial shutdown to Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic nominee for speaker of the US House of Representatives, saying she might hold up negotiations to ensure she secures the position. "I think she's in that unfortunate position of being beholden to her left wing to where she cannot be seen as agreeing with the president on anything until after she is speaker," Mulvaney said. "If that's the case, again, there's a chance we go into the next Congress." Financing for about a quarter of federal government programs - including the departments of Homeland Security, Justice and Agriculture - expired at midnight on Friday and will not be renewed until a deal is done. Federal parks were to close and more than 400,000 federal "essential" employees in those agencies will work without pay until the dispute is resolved. Another 380,000 will be "furloughed", meaning they are put on temporary leave. Law enforcement efforts, border patrols, mail delivery and airport operations will keep running. Building a wall to keep migrants from entering the United States illegally was a central plank of Trump's presidential campaign, but Democrats are vehemently opposed and have rejected his funding request. Trump reiterated his push for border security on Sunday, saying on Twitter that "the only way" to stop drugs, gangs, and human trafficking at the border was with a wall or barrier. "Drones and all of the rest are wonderful and lots of fun, but it is only a good old fashioned Wall that works!," the president said in the tweet. Earlier in the week, leaders in both the Senate and House of Representatives thought they had reached a deal that Trump would sign that contained less money for border security, only to watch the president, under pressure from conservatives, re-assert his demand for $5 billion at the last minute. Senator David Perdue, a Republican from Georgia on the Senate Banking Committee, said on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" that he thought a deal this week was possible. "I spoke to the President last night, he wants that," Purdue said, adding "I'm hopeful that cooler heads will prevail and we'll get to some number between $1.6 (billion) and $5 billion on that."

US government shutdown may go into new year: Top Trump aide Mulvaney

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers began shutting down operations on Monday with the US government closed, as a bipartisan group of senators tried to negotiate a deal just hours before the full Senate planned another vote to restore funding.

As government employees prepared for the first weekday since the shutdown began at midnight Friday, US senators were to vote at midday on a funding bill to get the lights back on in Washington and across the government until early February.

Support for the bill was uncertain after Republicans and Democrats spent the weekend trying to strike a deal, only to go home for the night short of an agreement.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell late Sunday rescheduled an overnight vote on a measure to fund government operations through February 8, for 12 pm EST (1700 GMT) on Monday.

At the US Capitol, a group of bipartisan senators met on Monday morning in search of a deal but came out disagreeing on whether progress was made.

&quot;We&#39;re in a pretty good space right now,&quot; Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said as she left the meeting. But Democratic Senator Joe Manchin said senators remained in a stalemate.

White House legislative director Marc Short told the Fox Business Network he did not believe the Senate would get the 60 votes needed to move on funding legislation that would reopen the government.

&quot;I think that that pressure is building, but I&#39;m not sure we&#39;ll quite get to 60 today,&quot; he said.

President Donald Trump continued blaming Democrats for the funding lapse, citing their demand that protections for young illegal immigrants be included in any deal.

&quot;The Democrats are turning down services and security for citizens in favour of services and security for non-citizens. Not good,&quot; the Republican president said on Twitter.

Democrats have accused Trump of backing out of a number of deals after pressure from immigration hard-liners. The president has not appeared in public since the shutdown began.

Federal employees received notices on Saturday about whether they were exempt from the shutdown, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said. Depending on their schedules, some were told to stay home or to go to work for up to four hours on Monday to shut their operation, then go home. None will get paid.

Up until Monday, most federal workers were not directly affected by the shutdown that began at midnight on Friday.

Federal government operations varied from agency to agency, with a number of critical functions continuing. The shutdown will not interrupt combat operations in Afghanistan and other military activities, the Defense Department said, and federal law enforcement officers remained on duty.

US cybersecurity functions were continuing, Mulvaney said, and CIA Director Mike Pompeo told the &quot;CBS This Morning&quot; program that agency operations were not affected.

Markets have absorbed the shutdown drama over the last week, and on Monday morning world stocks and US bond markets largely shrugged off Washington&#39;s standoff even as the dollar continued its pullback. US stocks were mixed in early trading.

&#39;Dreamers&#39; drama

The US government has not been shut down since 2013 when about 800,000 federal workers were put on furlough. That impasse prevented passage of a needed funding bill centered on former Democratic President Barack Obama&#39;s health care law.

The problem this time focused on immigration policy, principally President Donald Trump&#39;s order last year ending an Obama program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which gave legal protections to &quot;Dreamer&quot; immigrants.

The &quot;Dreamers&quot; are young people who were brought to the United States illegally as children by their parents or other adults, mainly from Mexico and Central America, and who mostly grew up in the United States.

Trump said last year he would end DACA on March 5 and asked Congress to come up with a legislative fix before then to prevent Dreamers from being deported.

Democrats have withheld support for a temporary funding bill to keep the government open over the DACA issue. McConnell extended an olive branch on Sunday, pledging to bring immigration legislation up for debate after Feb. 8 so long as the government remained open.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer objected to the plan and it was unclear whether McConnell&#39;s pledge would be enough for Democrats to support a stopgap funding bill.

Republicans control both the House of Representatives and the Senate, where they have a slim 51-49 majority. But most legislation requires 60 Senate votes to pass, giving Democrats leverage.

Congress failed last year to pass a complete budget by Oct. 1, the beginning of the federal fiscal year, and the government has been operating on a series of three stopgap spending bills.

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers began shutting down operations on Monday with the US government closed

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers began shutting down operations on Monday with the US government closed, as a bipartisan group of senators tried to negotiate a deal just hours before the full Senate planned another vote to restore funding. As government employees prepared for the first weekday since the shutdown began at midnight Friday, US senators were to vote at midday on a funding bill to get the lights back on in Washington and across the government until early February. Support for the bill was uncertain after Republicans and Democrats spent the weekend trying to strike a deal, only to go home for the night short of an agreement. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell late Sunday rescheduled an overnight vote on a measure to fund government operations through February 8, for 12 pm EST (1700 GMT) on Monday. At the US Capitol, a group of bipartisan senators met on Monday morning in search of a deal but came out disagreeing on whether progress was made. "We're in a pretty good space right now," Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said as she left the meeting. But Democratic Senator Joe Manchin said senators remained in a stalemate. White House legislative director Marc Short told the Fox Business Network he did not believe the Senate would get the 60 votes needed to move on funding legislation that would reopen the government. "I think that that pressure is building, but I'm not sure we'll quite get to 60 today," he said. President Donald Trump continued blaming Democrats for the funding lapse, citing their demand that protections for young illegal immigrants be included in any deal. "The Democrats are turning down services and security for citizens in favour of services and security for non-citizens. Not good," the Republican president said on Twitter. Democrats have accused Trump of backing out of a number of deals after pressure from immigration hard-liners. The president has not appeared in public since the shutdown began. Federal employees received notices on Saturday about whether they were exempt from the shutdown, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said. Depending on their schedules, some were told to stay home or to go to work for up to four hours on Monday to shut their operation, then go home. None will get paid. Up until Monday, most federal workers were not directly affected by the shutdown that began at midnight on Friday. Federal government operations varied from agency to agency, with a number of critical functions continuing. The shutdown will not interrupt combat operations in Afghanistan and other military activities, the Defense Department said, and federal law enforcement officers remained on duty. US cybersecurity functions were continuing, Mulvaney said, and CIA Director Mike Pompeo told the "CBS This Morning" program that agency operations were not affected. Markets have absorbed the shutdown drama over the last week, and on Monday morning world stocks and US bond markets largely shrugged off Washington's standoff even as the dollar continued its pullback. US stocks were mixed in early trading. 'Dreamers' drama The US government has not been shut down since 2013 when about 800,000 federal workers were put on furlough. That impasse prevented passage of a needed funding bill centered on former Democratic President Barack Obama's health care law. The problem this time focused on immigration policy, principally President Donald Trump's order last year ending an Obama program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which gave legal protections to "Dreamer" immigrants. The "Dreamers" are young people who were brought to the United States illegally as children by their parents or other adults, mainly from Mexico and Central America, and who mostly grew up in the United States. Trump said last year he would end DACA on March 5 and asked Congress to come up with a legislative fix before then to prevent Dreamers from being deported. Democrats have withheld support for a temporary funding bill to keep the government open over the DACA issue. McConnell extended an olive branch on Sunday, pledging to bring immigration legislation up for debate after Feb. 8 so long as the government remained open. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer objected to the plan and it was unclear whether McConnell's pledge would be enough for Democrats to support a stopgap funding bill. Republicans control both the House of Representatives and the Senate, where they have a slim 51-49 majority. But most legislation requires 60 Senate votes to pass, giving Democrats leverage. Congress failed last year to pass a complete budget by Oct. 1, the beginning of the federal fiscal year, and the government has been operating on a series of three stopgap spending bills.

US government workers begin shutdown as Senate vote looms

The US Senate&#39;s top Democrat said on Monday his party has reached a deal with majority Republicans on a funding bill to end a partial shutdown of federal government, now in its third day.

&quot;After several discussions, offers, counteroffers, the Republican leader and I have come to an arrangement,&quot; Senator Chuck Schumer told the Senate ahead of a key vote.

&quot;We will vote today to reopen the government to continue negotiating a global agreement&quot; on the fate of hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the country as children who are soon to lose their protection from deportation, Schumer said.

"We will vote today to reopen the government", Schumer said

The US Senate's top Democrat said on Monday his party has reached a deal with majority Republicans on a funding bill to end a partial shutdown of federal government, now in its third day. "After several discussions, offers, counteroffers, the Republican leader and I have come to an arrangement," Senator Chuck Schumer told the Senate ahead of a key vote. "We will vote today to reopen the government to continue negotiating a global agreement" on the fate of hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the country as children who are soon to lose their protection from deportation, Schumer said.

Democrats to vote to reopen US government: Schumer

The world&#39;s most powerful government shut down on Saturday after President Donald Trump and the US Congress failed to reach a deal on funding for federal agencies, highlighting America&#39;s deep political divisions.

For the first time since October 2013 - when a similar standoff that lasted 16 days kept only essential agency operations running - federal workers were being told to stay at home or in some cases to work without pay until new funding is approved.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-government-in-shutdown-as-midnight-deadline-passes-30128" target="_blank">US government in shutdown as midnight deadline passes</a>

Republican and Democratic leaders were expected to renew negotiations on Saturday in the hope of restoring government financing before Monday.

The shutdown began a year to the day after Trump was sworn in as president.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/what-happens-in-a-us-government-shutdown-30134" target="_blank">What happens in a US government shutdown?</a>

His inability to cut a deal despite having a Republican majority in both houses of Congress marks arguably the most debilitating setback for his administration.

In Twitter posts early on Saturday, Trump blamed Democrat lawmakers.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DemocratShutdown?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DemocratShutdown</a>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/954678287820902401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present,&quot; he said.

&quot;Democrats are far more concerned with illegal immigrants than they are with our great military or safety at our dangerous southern border,&quot; he said. &quot;They could have easily made a deal but decided to play shutdown politics instead.&quot;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border. They could have easily made a deal but decided to play Shutdown politics instead. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeNeedMoreRepublicansIn18?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeNeedMoreRepublicansIn18</a> in order to power through mess!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/954674157144477696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Trump said the shutdown showed the need to win more Republican seats in 2018 mid-term elections.

&quot;We can then be even tougher on Crime (and Border), and even better to our Military &amp; Veterans!&quot; he said.

There had been modest hope on Friday when Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer went to the White House to talk with Trump. One person familiar with the events said the two men agreed to seek a grand deal in which Democrats would win protections from deportation for some 700,000 young undocumented immigrants known as &quot;Dreamers&quot; and Trump would get more money for a border wall and tighter security to stem illegal immigration from Mexico.

By early evening, however, that plan was dead. The source said Trump had spoken with conservative Republicans and been hit with their objections to the deal with Schumer.

Last week, Trump rejected a bipartisan Senate deal that would have protected the Dreamers as well as hand the White House $2.7 billion in new money for immigration enforcement at America&#39;s borders.

In a statement issued minutes before Friday&#39;s midnight deadline for a funding deal, Trump&#39;s White House said: &quot;We will not negotiate the status of unlawful immigrants while Democrats hold our lawful citizens hostage over their reckless demands.&quot;

The shutdown was cemented when the Senate, meeting late into Friday night, blocked a bill to maintain the federal government&#39;s funding through Feb. 16.

The vote was 50-49, well short of the 60 needed in the 100-member chamber to vault the bill over a procedural hurdle.

Four Republicans joined most Democrats in killing the measure. A fifth Republican, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, voted &quot;no&quot; too, but only as part of a parliamentary maneuver to make it easier to bring another bill to the floor.

The breakdown ended a long day of closed-door meetings in Congress and at the White House.

Even as they promised to work on getting the government back up again as soon as possible, Republicans and Democrats blamed each other for the predicament.

&quot;What we&#39;ve just witnessed on the floor was a cynical decision by Senate Democrats to shove aside millions of Americans for the sake of irresponsible political games,&quot; McConnell said.

Schumer said his party took significant steps to reach a deal, including raising the possibility of funding for Trump&#39;s proposed wall along the US border with Mexico, which they have ardently opposed.

&quot;It&#39;s almost as if you were rooting for a shutdown,&quot; Schumer said in comments aimed directly at Trump.

The immediate impact of the government shutdown was eased somewhat by its timing, starting on a weekend when most government employees normally do not work anyway.

The Defense Department said its combat operations in Afghanistan and other military activities would continue, while federal law enforcement officers also would remain on duty.

Trump&#39;s administration also said it planned to keep national parks open with rangers and security guards on duty. The parks were closed during the last shutdown in 2013, which upset many tourists and resulted in the loss of $500 million in visitor spending in areas around the parks and at the Smithsonian museums.

But without a quick deal, most day-to-day operations in the federal government will be disrupted. Hundreds of thousands of government employees will be put on temporary unpaid leave, including many of the White House&#39;s 1,700 workers.

On Monday, government employees ranging from financial regulators and tax collectors to scientists and civilian staff at the Pentagon will have to stay away from work.

Early on Saturday, McConnell offered up a new plan. Instead of the Feb. 16 end date for the temporary spending bill, he proposed Feb. 8.

Senate Democrats had argued this week for an extension of just four or five days to force both sides into serious negotiations on the immigration issue.

Open-air parks and monuments remained open in the US capital and on the National Mall preparations were under way for a second multi-city women&#39;s rights march. Some tourists appeared unaware of the shutdown while others expressed frustration at lawmakers&#39; failure to reach a deal.

&quot;It&#39;s ironic that they get paid - meaning Congress - and the rest of the government doesn&#39;t,&quot; said Dawn Gaither, 57, a Washington teacher. &quot;That&#39;s what we need to do, kick these guys in the tail and get them to work.&quot;

Elke Schmacker, 65, a retired government worker, said she was worried her pension payments and health insurance would be cut off.

&quot;I don&#39;t know what&#39;s going to happen if I have to pay out of pocket,&quot; she said, adding that she had continued to work during the last shutdown under the Obama administration.

The shutdown began a year to the day after Trump was sworn in as president

The world's most powerful government shut down on Saturday after President Donald Trump and the US Congress failed to reach a deal on funding for federal agencies, highlighting America's deep political divisions. For the first time since October 2013 - when a similar standoff that lasted 16 days kept only essential agency operations running - federal workers were being told to stay at home or in some cases to work without pay until new funding is approved. Also read: US government in shutdown as midnight deadline passes Republican and Democratic leaders were expected to renew negotiations on Saturday in the hope of restoring government financing before Monday. The shutdown began a year to the day after Trump was sworn in as president. Also read: What happens in a US government shutdown? His inability to cut a deal despite having a Republican majority in both houses of Congress marks arguably the most debilitating setback for his administration. In Twitter posts early on Saturday, Trump blamed Democrat lawmakers. This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present. #DemocratShutdown — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 × "This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present," he said. "Democrats are far more concerned with illegal immigrants than they are with our great military or safety at our dangerous southern border," he said. "They could have easily made a deal but decided to play shutdown politics instead." Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border. They could have easily made a deal but decided to play Shutdown politics instead. #WeNeedMoreRepublicansIn18 in order to power through mess! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 × Trump said the shutdown showed the need to win more Republican seats in 2018 mid-term elections. "We can then be even tougher on Crime (and Border), and even better to our Military & Veterans!" he said. There had been modest hope on Friday when Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer went to the White House to talk with Trump. One person familiar with the events said the two men agreed to seek a grand deal in which Democrats would win protections from deportation for some 700,000 young undocumented immigrants known as "Dreamers" and Trump would get more money for a border wall and tighter security to stem illegal immigration from Mexico. By early evening, however, that plan was dead. The source said Trump had spoken with conservative Republicans and been hit with their objections to the deal with Schumer. Last week, Trump rejected a bipartisan Senate deal that would have protected the Dreamers as well as hand the White House $2.7 billion in new money for immigration enforcement at America's borders. In a statement issued minutes before Friday's midnight deadline for a funding deal, Trump's White House said: "We will not negotiate the status of unlawful immigrants while Democrats hold our lawful citizens hostage over their reckless demands." The shutdown was cemented when the Senate, meeting late into Friday night, blocked a bill to maintain the federal government's funding through Feb. 16. The vote was 50-49, well short of the 60 needed in the 100-member chamber to vault the bill over a procedural hurdle. Four Republicans joined most Democrats in killing the measure. A fifth Republican, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, voted "no" too, but only as part of a parliamentary maneuver to make it easier to bring another bill to the floor. The breakdown ended a long day of closed-door meetings in Congress and at the White House. Even as they promised to work on getting the government back up again as soon as possible, Republicans and Democrats blamed each other for the predicament. "What we've just witnessed on the floor was a cynical decision by Senate Democrats to shove aside millions of Americans for the sake of irresponsible political games," McConnell said. Schumer said his party took significant steps to reach a deal, including raising the possibility of funding for Trump's proposed wall along the US border with Mexico, which they have ardently opposed. "It's almost as if you were rooting for a shutdown," Schumer said in comments aimed directly at Trump. The immediate impact of the government shutdown was eased somewhat by its timing, starting on a weekend when most government employees normally do not work anyway. The Defense Department said its combat operations in Afghanistan and other military activities would continue, while federal law enforcement officers also would remain on duty. Trump's administration also said it planned to keep national parks open with rangers and security guards on duty. The parks were closed during the last shutdown in 2013, which upset many tourists and resulted in the loss of $500 million in visitor spending in areas around the parks and at the Smithsonian museums. But without a quick deal, most day-to-day operations in the federal government will be disrupted. Hundreds of thousands of government employees will be put on temporary unpaid leave, including many of the White House's 1,700 workers. On Monday, government employees ranging from financial regulators and tax collectors to scientists and civilian staff at the Pentagon will have to stay away from work. Early on Saturday, McConnell offered up a new plan. Instead of the Feb. 16 end date for the temporary spending bill, he proposed Feb. 8. Senate Democrats had argued this week for an extension of just four or five days to force both sides into serious negotiations on the immigration issue. Open-air parks and monuments remained open in the US capital and on the National Mall preparations were under way for a second multi-city women's rights march. Some tourists appeared unaware of the shutdown while others expressed frustration at lawmakers' failure to reach a deal. "It's ironic that they get paid - meaning Congress - and the rest of the government doesn't," said Dawn Gaither, 57, a Washington teacher. "That's what we need to do, kick these guys in the tail and get them to work." Elke Schmacker, 65, a retired government worker, said she was worried her pension payments and health insurance would be cut off. "I don't know what's going to happen if I have to pay out of pocket," she said, adding that she had continued to work during the last shutdown under the Obama administration.

US government shuts down as Donald Trump feuds with Democrats

US Senate <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/congress-votes-to-end-us-shutdown-trump-claims-victory-30415">failed to break the deadlock on Thursday</a> as the Trump government shutdown with no funding vote&nbsp;beyond the 12:00 am deadline.

The senators were unable to pass a stopgap spending bill before midnight.

The house&nbsp;opted to close and then reopen at 12:01 am.

This is the US government&#39;s second shutdown in three weeks after a senator in President Trump&#39;s own Republican Party blocked a vote on a bipartisan budget deal before a midnight deadline.

The closure could be shortlived&nbsp;as the Senate is&nbsp;expected to schedule a vote on the measure at 1:00 am and, if it passes, send it to the House of Representatives and then to President Trump&nbsp;for his signature as early as Friday.

Earlier, White House&#39;s Office of Management and Budget(OMB) told Reuters that the Budget &quot;is currently preparing for a lapse in appropriations&quot;.

The bill, which extends government funding for six weeks, raises the federal debt ceiling and increases federal spending limits for the next two years, would break the cycle of government funding crises in time for what is set to be a bruising campaign for November&#39;s mid-term elections.

The closure could be shortlived as the Senate is expected to schedule a vote on the measure at 1:00 am

US Senate failed to break the deadlock on Thursday as the Trump government shutdown with no funding vote beyond the 12:00 am deadline. The senators were unable to pass a stopgap spending bill before midnight. The house opted to close and then reopen at 12:01 am. This is the US government's second shutdown in three weeks after a senator in President Trump's own Republican Party blocked a vote on a bipartisan budget deal before a midnight deadline. The closure could be shortlived as the Senate is expected to schedule a vote on the measure at 1:00 am and, if it passes, send it to the House of Representatives and then to President Trump for his signature as early as Friday. Earlier, White House's Office of Management and Budget(OMB) told Reuters that the Budget "is currently preparing for a lapse in appropriations". The bill, which extends government funding for six weeks, raises the federal debt ceiling and increases federal spending limits for the next two years, would break the cycle of government funding crises in time for what is set to be a bruising campaign for November's mid-term elections.

US government slides into second shutdown in three weeks

Twin boys Ethan and Aiden Dvash-Banks were born 4 minutes apart, but according to the US government, only one of them is a US citizen.

The unique case has forced the boys&#39; parents, same-sex couple Andrew and Elad Dvash-Banks, to sue the US State Department.

The twins were born in Canada in 2016. Despite being carried by the same surrogate, Aiden was conceived with sperm from Andrew, a US citizen; Ethan was conceived with sperm from Elad, an Israeli citizen with a US green card. When the couple went to a US consulate in Canada to get passports for their sons, they were told that, despite both being recognized as the boys&#39; legal parents, they could only get citizenship for Aiden because his biological father is a US citizen.

Elad said that the US government is discriminating against them because they are gay - he claims that if they were a heterosexual couple who had children abroad, the source of their boys&#39; DNA would never have come into question.

&quot;We want the courts to recognize the fact that Ethan is a US-born citizen because he&#39;s the son of a US citizen and we want to make this right for Ethan, but we also want to make this right for any other family in our situation that will have to go through this in the future. We&#39;re fighting for our community and our family,&quot; said Elad.

The Dvash-Banks brought their sons into the US last June - Aiden with a US passport and Ethan with a six-month tourist visa. With that visa now expired, 16-month old Ethan is technically an undocumented immigrant. Elad hopes that they&#39;ll be able to change that soon.

&quot;If one of my kids wants to become the US president, I want to be able to tell him you can do that. You can become US president because you are a US citizen at birth. If I&#39;m able to tell that to Aiden, I want to be able to tell that to Ethan in the exact same way because they&#39;re not different in any way whatsoever.&quot;

The twins were born in Canada in 2016. Despite being carried by the same surrogate, Aiden was conceived with sperm from Andrew, a US citizen; Ethan was conceived with sperm from Elad, an Israeli citizen with a US green card.

Twin boys Ethan and Aiden Dvash-Banks were born 4 minutes apart, but according to the US government, only one of them is a US citizen. The unique case has forced the boys' parents, same-sex couple Andrew and Elad Dvash-Banks, to sue the US State Department. The twins were born in Canada in 2016. Despite being carried by the same surrogate, Aiden was conceived with sperm from Andrew, a US citizen; Ethan was conceived with sperm from Elad, an Israeli citizen with a US green card. When the couple went to a US consulate in Canada to get passports for their sons, they were told that, despite both being recognized as the boys' legal parents, they could only get citizenship for Aiden because his biological father is a US citizen. Elad said that the US government is discriminating against them because they are gay - he claims that if they were a heterosexual couple who had children abroad, the source of their boys' DNA would never have come into question. "We want the courts to recognize the fact that Ethan is a US-born citizen because he's the son of a US citizen and we want to make this right for Ethan, but we also want to make this right for any other family in our situation that will have to go through this in the future. We're fighting for our community and our family," said Elad. The Dvash-Banks brought their sons into the US last June - Aiden with a US passport and Ethan with a six-month tourist visa. With that visa now expired, 16-month old Ethan is technically an undocumented immigrant. Elad hopes that they'll be able to change that soon. "If one of my kids wants to become the US president, I want to be able to tell him you can do that. You can become US president because you are a US citizen at birth. If I'm able to tell that to Aiden, I want to be able to tell that to Ethan in the exact same way because they're not different in any way whatsoever."

Watch: Parents sue after only one of their twins granted US citizenship

The US government will constantly monitor its sanctions regime to respond to violence in Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine state that has sent hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees across the border to Bangladesh, a senior US official said on Saturday.

&quot;We are constantly evaluating the situation,&quot; Simon Henshaw, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, told reporters at a news briefing in Dhaka after visiting camps in Cox&#39;s Bazar where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees are sheltering.

&quot;Congress has given us a number of tools we can use,&quot; he said, noting disturbing reports of atrocities in Rakhine state.

&quot;We call for a full investigation of these reports, we call for those who committed (the atrocities) to be held accountable,&quot; he said.

&quot;It is incredible that only within two months more than 600,000 refugees have taken shelter in a country.&quot;

A seven-member delegation led by Henshaw visited Myanmar from October 29 before traveling to Bangladesh on Wednesday. It went to Cox&#39;s Bazar on Thursday.

&quot;During our meetings with Myanmar government officials, we told them that it is their responsibility to return a secure and stable situation in Rakhine state. It is also their responsibility to investigate the reports of atrocities.&quot;

The delegation also asked Myanmar to allow Rohingya people back to their land and to rehabilitate the villages that were burned. He said they had been shocked by Rohingya accounts of atrocities, murder, and sexual assaults.

&quot;The delegation called on the Myanmar government to allow access to the press and international organizations so they could see the situation on the ground,&quot; he said.

US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the issue has been taken to the highest level of authority in the US government.

&quot;The statements related to the situation in Myanmar have been issued from the White House and also from the State Department.&quot;

She said the delegation would update US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson before his visit to Myanmar on Nov. 15.

Some 2,500 Rohingya refugees crossed into Bangladesh on Friday through two border crossings, a senior security official said on Saturday.

&quot;Those refugees are already being sent to different camps under the supervision of Bangladesh Army,&quot; Major Mohammad Iqbal, Deputy Commanding Officer of Bangladesh Border Guard of Cox&#39;s Bazar district told Reuters.

"Congress has given us a number of tools we can use," the official said, noting disturbing reports of atrocities in Rakhine state.

The US government will constantly monitor its sanctions regime to respond to violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state that has sent hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees across the border to Bangladesh, a senior US official said on Saturday. "We are constantly evaluating the situation," Simon Henshaw, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, told reporters at a news briefing in Dhaka after visiting camps in Cox's Bazar where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees are sheltering. "Congress has given us a number of tools we can use," he said, noting disturbing reports of atrocities in Rakhine state. "We call for a full investigation of these reports, we call for those who committed (the atrocities) to be held accountable," he said. "It is incredible that only within two months more than 600,000 refugees have taken shelter in a country." A seven-member delegation led by Henshaw visited Myanmar from October 29 before traveling to Bangladesh on Wednesday. It went to Cox's Bazar on Thursday. "During our meetings with Myanmar government officials, we told them that it is their responsibility to return a secure and stable situation in Rakhine state. It is also their responsibility to investigate the reports of atrocities." The delegation also asked Myanmar to allow Rohingya people back to their land and to rehabilitate the villages that were burned. He said they had been shocked by Rohingya accounts of atrocities, murder, and sexual assaults. "The delegation called on the Myanmar government to allow access to the press and international organizations so they could see the situation on the ground," he said. US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the issue has been taken to the highest level of authority in the US government. "The statements related to the situation in Myanmar have been issued from the White House and also from the State Department." She said the delegation would update US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson before his visit to Myanmar on Nov. 15. Some 2,500 Rohingya refugees crossed into Bangladesh on Friday through two border crossings, a senior security official said on Saturday. "Those refugees are already being sent to different camps under the supervision of Bangladesh Army," Major Mohammad Iqbal, Deputy Commanding Officer of Bangladesh Border Guard of Cox's Bazar district told Reuters.

Constantly monitoring sanctions regime on Myanmar situation: US

The US&nbsp;government filed a civil lawsuit on Tuesday accusing Fiat Chrysler Automobiles of illegally using software to bypass emission controls in 104,000 diesel vehicles sold since 2014.

The US&nbsp;Justice Department lawsuit, filed in US&nbsp;District court in Detroit, is a procedural step that may ramp up pressure on Fiat Chrysler and comes amid growing scrutiny of diesels by regulators around the world.

The lawsuit could ultimately help lead to a settlement, as in an earlier probe of Volkswagen AG that will cost VW up to $25 billion, but which affected a much larger number of vehicles.

VW admitted to intentionally cheating while Fiat Chrysler denies wrongdoing.

It said on Tuesday it was disappointed the Justice Department filed suit and would vigorously defend itself against claims &quot;it engaged in any deliberate scheme to install defeat devices to cheat US&nbsp;emissions tests.&quot;

US-listed Fiat Chrysler shares fell 4.1 per cent to close at $10.32 in heavy trading on Tuesday. Shares fell sharply after Reuters first reported the government&#39;s plan to file suit.

The lawsuit also names Fiat Chrysler&#39;s unit VM Motori, which designed the engine in question. Reuters reported last week the Justice Department and EPA have obtained internal emails and other documents written in Italian that look at engine development and emissions issues that raise significant questions. The investigation has scrutinised VM Motori.

The suit said VM employees from Italy worked at Fiat Chrysler&#39;s Michigan headquarters on engine calibration and air emission issues.

FCA acquired a 50 per cent stake in VM Motori in 2010 and the remainder in October 2013.

The lawsuit asserts the Italian-American automaker placed undeclared &quot;defeat devices,&quot; or auxiliary emissions controls, in 2014-2016 Fiat Chrysler diesel vehicles that led to &quot;substantially&quot; higher than allowable levels of nitrogen oxide, or NOx pollution, which is linked to smog formation and respiratory problems.

The lawsuit asks a court to require Fiat Chrysler to fix the vehicles and bar it from selling vehicles with excess emissions as well as unspecified civil penalties. EPA said in January the maximum fine is about $4.6 billion.

Fiat Chrysler faces a separate criminal investigation on the same emissions issue by the Justice Department and probes by the US&nbsp;Securities and Exchange Commission and many US&nbsp;states.

In January, EPA and California accused Fiat Chrysler of illegally using undisclosed software to allow excess diesel emissions in 104,000 US&nbsp;2014-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Ram 1500 trucks.

The company plans to update software which it expects will resolve the concerns of US&nbsp;regulators about excess emissions in those vehicles.

The January notice was the result of regulators&#39; investigation of rival Volkswagen, which prompted the government to review emissions from all other passenger diesel vehicles.

Volkswagen admitted in September 2015 to installing secret software allowing its cars to emit up to 40 times legal pollution levels.

In total, VW has agreed to spend up to $25 billion in the United States to address claims from owners, environmental regulators, states and dealers and offered to buy back about 500,000 polluting US&nbsp;vehicles.

Fiat Chrysler has applied for certification to sell 2017 diesel models from US&nbsp;and California regulators and said it was in talks to win approval for a software update to address regulators&#39; concerns about emissions in vehicles on the road.

US&nbsp;Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco set a Wednesday hearing on a series of lawsuits filed by owners of vehicles and some dealers against Fiat Chrysler. The Justice Department has asked its suit be transferred to the same court.

A &quot;defeat device&quot; is any motor vehicle hardware, software, or design that interferes with or disables emissions controls under real-world driving conditions, even if the vehicle passes formal emissions testing.

Automakers around the world are facing diesel scrutiny.

German prosecutors searched Daimler AG sites on Tuesday as part of a diesel fraud probe.

Earlier this month, Daimler dropped plans to seek US&nbsp;approval to sell 2017 Mercedes-Benz diesel models.

Environmentalists say the case shows regulators must hold automakers accountable. &quot;Fiat Chrysler joins the long list of automakers who have put our clean air and health of our families in the backseat by cheating on emissions tests,&quot; Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune said in a statement.

(Reuters)

The step comes amid growing scrutiny of diesel emissions by regulators around the world

The US government filed a civil lawsuit on Tuesday accusing Fiat Chrysler Automobiles of illegally using software to bypass emission controls in 104,000 diesel vehicles sold since 2014. The US Justice Department lawsuit, filed in US District court in Detroit, is a procedural step that may ramp up pressure on Fiat Chrysler and comes amid growing scrutiny of diesels by regulators around the world. The lawsuit could ultimately help lead to a settlement, as in an earlier probe of Volkswagen AG that will cost VW up to $25 billion, but which affected a much larger number of vehicles. VW admitted to intentionally cheating while Fiat Chrysler denies wrongdoing. It said on Tuesday it was disappointed the Justice Department filed suit and would vigorously defend itself against claims "it engaged in any deliberate scheme to install defeat devices to cheat US emissions tests." US-listed Fiat Chrysler shares fell 4.1 per cent to close at $10.32 in heavy trading on Tuesday. Shares fell sharply after Reuters first reported the government's plan to file suit. The lawsuit also names Fiat Chrysler's unit VM Motori, which designed the engine in question. Reuters reported last week the Justice Department and EPA have obtained internal emails and other documents written in Italian that look at engine development and emissions issues that raise significant questions. The investigation has scrutinised VM Motori. The suit said VM employees from Italy worked at Fiat Chrysler's Michigan headquarters on engine calibration and air emission issues. FCA acquired a 50 per cent stake in VM Motori in 2010 and the remainder in October 2013. The lawsuit asserts the Italian-American automaker placed undeclared "defeat devices," or auxiliary emissions controls, in 2014-2016 Fiat Chrysler diesel vehicles that led to "substantially" higher than allowable levels of nitrogen oxide, or NOx pollution, which is linked to smog formation and respiratory problems. The lawsuit asks a court to require Fiat Chrysler to fix the vehicles and bar it from selling vehicles with excess emissions as well as unspecified civil penalties. EPA said in January the maximum fine is about $4.6 billion. Fiat Chrysler faces a separate criminal investigation on the same emissions issue by the Justice Department and probes by the US Securities and Exchange Commission and many US states. In January, EPA and California accused Fiat Chrysler of illegally using undisclosed software to allow excess diesel emissions in 104,000 US 2014-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Ram 1500 trucks. The company plans to update software which it expects will resolve the concerns of US regulators about excess emissions in those vehicles. The January notice was the result of regulators' investigation of rival Volkswagen, which prompted the government to review emissions from all other passenger diesel vehicles. Volkswagen admitted in September 2015 to installing secret software allowing its cars to emit up to 40 times legal pollution levels. In total, VW has agreed to spend up to $25 billion in the United States to address claims from owners, environmental regulators, states and dealers and offered to buy back about 500,000 polluting US vehicles. Fiat Chrysler has applied for certification to sell 2017 diesel models from US and California regulators and said it was in talks to win approval for a software update to address regulators' concerns about emissions in vehicles on the road. US Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco set a Wednesday hearing on a series of lawsuits filed by owners of vehicles and some dealers against Fiat Chrysler. The Justice Department has asked its suit be transferred to the same court. A "defeat device" is any motor vehicle hardware, software, or design that interferes with or disables emissions controls under real-world driving conditions, even if the vehicle passes formal emissions testing. Automakers around the world are facing diesel scrutiny. German prosecutors searched Daimler AG sites on Tuesday as part of a diesel fraud probe. Earlier this month, Daimler dropped plans to seek US approval to sell 2017 Mercedes-Benz diesel models. Environmentalists say the case shows regulators must hold automakers accountable. "Fiat Chrysler joins the long list of automakers who have put our clean air and health of our families in the backseat by cheating on emissions tests," Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune said in a statement. (Reuters)

US government sues Fiat Chrysler over excess emissions

The Pentagon has dropped a claim against a former Navy SEAL who wrote about his experiences in the US raid that killed&nbsp;Osama bin Laden, after he agreed to forfeit earnings from the book, his lawyer said on Friday.

Matt Bissonnette, who in 2012 published a book about his role in the raid titled &quot;No Easy Day,&quot; has finalized a settlement with the US government, Robert Luskin confirmed.

&quot;Mr Bissonnette has agreed to pay the United States all of his past and future proceeds from the publication of &#39;No Easy Day&quot;, Department of Justice spokesperson Nicole Navas said earlier in a statement.

Bissonnette will pay the US government some $6.8 million in book royalties and speaking fees, Luskin said.

The Obama administration had filed a claim against Bissonnette for publishing the book without Pentagon approval and violating non-disclosure agreements.

&quot;After the initial accusations of me leaking all that classified stuff... they found nothing,&quot; Bissonnette told the Daily Beast.

&quot;They were just upset with me and wanted to get me one way or another,&quot; he added. &quot;For four years, they looked into every little thing. Now... one signature and it all goes away.&quot;

The US government had been accused of a double standard for targeting Bissonnette after US officials described the&nbsp;Bin&nbsp;Laden&nbsp;raid in great detail to Mark Boal, the screenwriter for &quot;Zero Dark Thirty&quot;, directed by Kathryn Bigelow. 
 
SEALs and other commando units are shrouded in secrecy and, traditionally at least, the special operators have frowned upon talking publicly about past missions. 
 
(AFP)

This comes after US government had filed a claim against the author for publishing the book without getting Pentagon's approval

The Pentagon has dropped a claim against a former Navy SEAL who wrote about his experiences in the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden, after he agreed to forfeit earnings from the book, his lawyer said on Friday. Matt Bissonnette, who in 2012 published a book about his role in the raid titled "No Easy Day," has finalized a settlement with the US government, Robert Luskin confirmed. "Mr Bissonnette has agreed to pay the United States all of his past and future proceeds from the publication of 'No Easy Day", Department of Justice spokesperson Nicole Navas said earlier in a statement. Bissonnette will pay the US government some $6.8 million in book royalties and speaking fees, Luskin said. The Obama administration had filed a claim against Bissonnette for publishing the book without Pentagon approval and violating non-disclosure agreements. "After the initial accusations of me leaking all that classified stuff... they found nothing," Bissonnette told the Daily Beast. "They were just upset with me and wanted to get me one way or another," he added. "For four years, they looked into every little thing. Now... one signature and it all goes away." The US government had been accused of a double standard for targeting Bissonnette after US officials described the Bin Laden raid in great detail to Mark Boal, the screenwriter for "Zero Dark Thirty", directed by Kathryn Bigelow. SEALs and other commando units are shrouded in secrecy and, traditionally at least, the special operators have frowned upon talking publicly about past missions. (AFP)

Bin Laden raid author to forfeit close to $7m from book earnings

When former NSA contractor-turned-whistleblower Edward Snowden&nbsp;met with Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone to discuss a movie on his life, he never thought he would be making his own film debut.

Stone had initially interviewed&nbsp;Snowden&nbsp;to include him in DVD outtakes,&nbsp;Snowden&nbsp;said via video link on late Thursday in San Diego after a screening of Stone&#39;s &quot;Snowden&quot;, which stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the title character.&nbsp;But&nbsp;Snowden&nbsp;and Stone ended up filming nine takes for a scene in which he talks about his fears stemming from his actions.

&quot;I spoke at length just about personal values and just what it meant to me with the things that were happening since 2013,&quot; said&nbsp;Snowden. &quot;I guess he liked it. People do seem to respond to that.&quot;

The movie, due out in September, follows the 2013 events that led&nbsp;Snowden, a former contractor with the National Security Agency, to expose the US&nbsp;government&#39;s mass surveillance programs and flee the country after the government filed espionage charges 
against him. 
 
He was granted asylum in Russia later that year, and has lived there since with his girlfriend, Lindsay Mills.&nbsp;&quot;When there is enough in the public record, you don&#39;t really get to decide whether or not the movie gets made,&quot;&nbsp;Snowden&nbsp;said.&nbsp; 
 
The film follows&nbsp;Snowden&#39;s discovery of the US&nbsp;government&#39;s mass surveillance programs that digitally monitor unaware citizens.&nbsp;It fictionialises and condenses some events, such as how&nbsp;Snowden&nbsp;smuggled the data out of the NSA - dramatised with a Rubik&#39;s Cube in the film - and got it to documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras and Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald in Hong Kong.

 
&quot;I admitted that I did not have a plan beyond getting straight out of there (Hong Kong), I planned to ask the world for justice and see what happened. It was kind of surprising how that worked out,&quot; he said.

Asked by an audience member if he was happy,&nbsp;Snowden&nbsp;said: &quot;I actually live a surprisingly free life,&quot; working with organisations such as the American Civil Liberties Union that Gordon-Levitt donated his &quot;Snowden&quot; acting fee to.&nbsp;&quot;Every day, I&#39;m working on something now that I can be proud of. I love my country, I love the things that we try to do,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&quot;The fact that Lindsay&nbsp;has been with me for ten years, is still with me, that&#39;s something that just makes me happy every day.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

The movie, due out in September, will follow the 2013 events that led Snowden to expose the US government's mass surveillance programs

When former NSA contractor-turned-whistleblower Edward Snowden met with Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone to discuss a movie on his life, he never thought he would be making his own film debut. Stone had initially interviewed Snowden to include him in DVD outtakes, Snowden said via video link on late Thursday in San Diego after a screening of Stone's "Snowden", which stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the title character. But Snowden and Stone ended up filming nine takes for a scene in which he talks about his fears stemming from his actions. "I spoke at length just about personal values and just what it meant to me with the things that were happening since 2013," said Snowden. "I guess he liked it. People do seem to respond to that." The movie, due out in September, follows the 2013 events that led Snowden, a former contractor with the National Security Agency, to expose the US government's mass surveillance programs and flee the country after the government filed espionage charges against him. He was granted asylum in Russia later that year, and has lived there since with his girlfriend, Lindsay Mills. "When there is enough in the public record, you don't really get to decide whether or not the movie gets made," Snowden said. The film follows Snowden's discovery of the US government's mass surveillance programs that digitally monitor unaware citizens. It fictionialises and condenses some events, such as how Snowden smuggled the data out of the NSA - dramatised with a Rubik's Cube in the film - and got it to documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras and Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald in Hong Kong. "I admitted that I did not have a plan beyond getting straight out of there (Hong Kong), I planned to ask the world for justice and see what happened. It was kind of surprising how that worked out," he said. Asked by an audience member if he was happy, Snowden said: "I actually live a surprisingly free life," working with organisations such as the American Civil Liberties Union that Gordon-Levitt donated his "Snowden" acting fee to. "Every day, I'm working on something now that I can be proud of. I love my country, I love the things that we try to do," he said. "The fact that Lindsay has been with me for ten years, is still with me, that's something that just makes me happy every day." (Reuters)

Edward Snowden talks film debut and dramatising his life in 'Snowden'

Iran and US aerospace giant Boeing have reached a deal for the purchase of 100 aircraft to renew the country&#39;s ageing fleet, the head of Tehran&#39;s civil aviation authority announced today. 
 
&quot;We have 250 planes in the country, 230 need to be replaced,&quot; said Ali Abedzadeh, the head of the civil aviation body, adding that the deal still needed approval from the US government. 
 
(AFP)

Iran and US aerospace giant Boeing have reached a deal for the purchase of 100 aircraft to renew the country's ageing fleet, the head of Tehran's civil aviation authority announced today. "We have 250 planes in the country, 230 need to be replaced," said Ali Abedzadeh, the head of the civil aviation body, adding that the deal still needed approval from the US government. (AFP)

Iran, Boeing reach deal on purchase of 100 planes: Tehran

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