WASHINGTON: The US government began shutting down after midnight Wednesday as lawmakers and President Donald Trump failed to break a budget impasse during acrimonious talks that hinged on Democratic demands for health care funding. It is the first shutdown since the longest in history – lasting 35 days – almost seven years ago, and will stop work at multiple federal departments and agencies, affecting hundreds of thousands of government workers.

Democrats push for healthcare funding, Republicans seek narrow spending bill, risking government shutdown as deadline looms.

President Trump signed a government funding bill but it will still take days - even weeks - for things to go back to normal.