Senate stalemate sends US shutdown into second week

The U.S. government shutdown has entered its second week, as the Senate failed to pass two separate funding proposals on Friday. The stalemate between the Democrats and Republicans has resulted in mass layoffs and sweeping cuts across the government. Neither the Republican-backed proposal, which included $5.7 billion for a border wall, nor the Democratic-backed proposal, which did not include wall funding, received the necessary 60 votes to advance in the Senate. This impasse has left hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed or working without pay, and has disrupted various government services. The ongoing budget dispute has become a major political battle, with both parties blaming the other for the gridlock. The Trump administration has insisted on securing funding for the border wall, while the Democrats have refused to budge on this issue. The failure to reach a compromise has resulted in the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, with no clear end in sight.