White House talks fail amid government shutdown
White House talks fail as sides accused each other of refusing to negotiate.
Described by international press as "exasperated", US President Barack Obama and top Republics failed to end a government shutdown. The government-spending freeze enters its third day as both sides accuse one another of refusing to negotiate.
Hundreds of thousands of federal workers home, museums and national parks are shut, much scientific research is on hold and the shutdown is now threatening already sluggish economic growth, US media report.
Obama had sent Wall Street a blunt warning that the political crisis that has paralysed the federal government could yet trigger a US catastrophic debt default. But when he met for more than an hour with Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, there was no sign of a breakthrough.
"The president reiterated one more time that he will not negotiate," Boehner said told reporters.
Obama said in an interview with CNBC that he would not negotiate on budget matters until Republicans had passed a bill to reopen the government and raise the $16.7 trillion-dollar US debt ceiling.
After the talks, Obama's said the President hoped "common sense" would prevail.
Senate Democrats have repeatedly blocked Republican House funding bills that seek to dismantle or delay Obama's signature health care reform bill, widely known as "Obamacare."
The impasse left the government without a budget for the new fiscal year.
