U.S. government tells federal employees a shutdown may be imminent

The U.S. government notified federal workers on Thursday that a shutdown appears imminent, as a Republican-led standoff on Capitol Hill forced the Biden administration to begin the formal, methodical process of preparing much of Washington to come to a halt. The new warnings underscored the growing likelihood that millions of employees and military service members may stop receiving pay in just three days, even as talks commenced on Capitol Hill in pursuit of a long-elusive, last-minute deal that would extend federal funding beyond Sept. 30.