An annual political battle over funding for the United States federal government has left the country on the brink of a shutdown.
With just five days until the new fiscal year begins on October 1, US legislators are scrambling to overcome an impasse fuelled by hardline Republicans who have promised to block funding legislation unless deep spending cuts are made.
If no measure is passed before a midnight deadline on Saturday (04:00 GMT on Sunday), large swaths of the government will be forced to shutter with only a few essential services remaining.
On Tuesday, the administration of US President Joe Biden, a Democrat, labelled the situation an “extreme Republican shutdown”, saying it would also disrupt US national security.
“If Republicans in the House don’t start doing their jobs, we should stop electing them,” the president said earlier this week, accusing GOP lawmakers of failing to fulfil “one of the most basic fundamental responsibilities of Congress”.
Here’s all you need to know.
Post from www.aljazeera.com