Government funding is set to expire at midnight ET; Republican speaker Mike Johnson pushed back House return in order to prevent Democrats from negotiating furtherThe US government is hurtling towards its first shutdown in six years, with no signs congressional leaders are near agreement on legislation to continue funding beyond the Tuesday night deadline to prevent workers from being furloughed and agencies from shutting their doors.Congress’s Republican majority is pushing legislation to fund the government through 21 November, but Democrats have refused to vote for it unless it includes a series of concessions centered on healthcare. Continue reading...