Washington: The United States government entered a partial shutdown on Wednesday as deepening political divisions between Democrats and Republicans in Congress blocked agreement on federal funding. This marks the 15th shutdown since 1981, potentially halting essential services and jeopardizing thousands of federal jobs.

The standoff erupted after the Senate rejected a short-term spending measure intended to keep the government operating through November 21. Democrats opposed the bill due to Republicans’ refusal to extend health benefits for millions of Americans, while Republicans insisted the issue be handled separately. The impasse centers on $1.7 trillion allocated for agency operations roughly one-quarter of the federal budget while the remainder covers mandatory spending on health

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