US govt shutdown to drag into Christmas as Senate adjourns with no deal

The US Senate has ended its Saturday session with no deal to end the partial government shutdown in sight as talks continue to drag on between the White House and Congress. The shutdown took hold after lawmakers failed to agree over the House-approved funding bill providing $5.7 billion for the Trump administration’s project of the US-Mexico border wall. The Democrats are opposed to any funding for Donald Trump’s wall. Vice President Mike Pence said that negotiators were “still talking” at the time the Senate closed. The next session that could potentially end the deadlock will be held on Thursday, December 27.