US senators reached a bipartisan deal Sunday that would resume federal funding and end a shutdown which has stretched to a record 40 days and forced many government operations to grind to a halt.

The deal between Democratic and Republican senators -- just the first step to halting the shutdown -- came as authorities warned US air travel could soon "slow to a trickle" as thousands more flights were cancelled or delayed over the weekend.

Outlets including CNN and Fox News reported lawmakers had reached a stopgap agreement to fund the government through January after wrangling over health care subsidies, food benefits and President Donald Trump's firings of federal employees.

As news of the breakthrough emerged, Trump told reporters when he arrived at the White House after a weekend at his

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