US government shuts down; Democrats refuse agreement on healthcare; 1 million employees to lose jobs.

The US government shut down at midnight on Wednesday after Democrats refused to support the Republican funding plan that did not include healthcare guarantees. This is the first such crisis since 2018. Reports suggest that nearly one million federal employees may now face either layoffs or unpaid furloughs as a result of the funding lapse.

The deadlock arose from a dispute between President Donald Trump’s Republican Party and the Democrats. The Democrats’ main demand is an extension of ACA (Affordable Care Act) tax credits and Medicaid funding. Republicans, however, accuse Democrats of trying to impose their “partisan interests.” President Trump has warned that if the crisis continues, there will be large-scale layoffs. Both parties are now attempting to resolve the standoff through another round of voting.