The US Senate votes today on a bill to temporarily restore federal funding and end a three-day shutdown that has delayed federal services and forced hundreds of thousands of civil servants to take unpaid leave.
Although essential services such as air traffic control are operating, many federal departments were offically shut down at midnight on Friday after US lawmakers failed to reach a deal on a spending bill that would have kept government offices open temporarily.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“Conservatives enthusiastically promoted the notion that Democrats were taking the government to the cusp of a shutdown to benefit undocumented immigrants,” The Washington Post reports. “Numerous Republicans said they were perfectly comfortable waging the shutdown fight on those terms, though Democrats have sought to expand the playing field to other issues such as funding to combat opioid abuse and pension bailouts.”
The Senate will vote at midday local time following a pledge by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to address the expiring immigration programme, CNN reports.
The BBC says the shutdown, which began on the first anniversary of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, casts doubt on whether the president will attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he is due to meet delegates including Theresa May this week.
-
What is China doing in Latin America?Today’s Big Question Beijing offers itself as an alternative to U.S. dominance
-
‘One Battle After Another’ wins Critics Choice honorsSpeed Read Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, won best picture at the 31st Critics Choice Awards
-
Iran’s government rocked by protestsSpeed Read The death toll from protests sparked by the collapse of Iran’s currency has reached at least 19
-
How cryptocurrency is changing politicsIn The Spotlight From electoral campaigns to government investments, crypto is everywhere and looks like it’s here to stay
-
Trump’s poll collapse: can he stop the slide?Talking Point President who promised to ease cost-of-living has found that US economic woes can’t be solved ‘via executive fiat’
-
Is a Reform-Tory pact becoming more likely?Today’s Big Question Nigel Farage’s party is ahead in the polls but still falls well short of a Commons majority, while Conservatives are still losing MPs to Reform
-
Affordability: Does Trump have an answer?Feature Trump ‘refuses to admit there is a problem’
-
‘We owe it to our young people not to lie to them anymore’instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Taking the low road: why the SNP is still standing strongTalking Point Party is on track for a fifth consecutive victory in May’s Holyrood election, despite controversies and plummeting support
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feudSpeed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Can US tourism survive Trump's policies?Today's Big Question The tourist economy is 'heading in the wrong direction'
