The White House last night.

Protesters outside the U.S. Information Agency in Washington on January 3, 1996

The House and Senate in America failed to meet a midnight deadline last night (4am Irish time) to agree on a budget bill, forcing a shutdown of non-essential federal services.

The impasse is mainly due to disagreements over  President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare – which most Republicans are vehemently opposed to.

The shutdown will see more than 700,000 government workers forced to take unpaid leave and see the closure of museums, zoos, parks, bin collection services, etc.,

The last time America experienced a shutdown was in 1995/1996, pictures above.

Meanwhile, in Australia

Luke Hopewell, editor of Gizmodo, tweetz:

“Shutdown equals online shopping time.”

US shutdown: hundreds of thousands of workers forced into unpaid leave (Guardian)

US government shutdown: House votes to delay Obamacare law (Guardian)

Pics: AP, Washington Post