US shutdown impasse over Trump's wall drags on

A partial US government shutdown is likely to continue into next week amid an impasse over funding for President Trump's proposed Mexico border wall.

Both Congress chambers met for just a few minutes on Thursday but took no steps to end the closure. The House and Senate will now meet again on Monday.

Many lawmakers did not return to Washington for the sessions, BBC reports. 

Whether or not to fund the wall is the issue holding up the passing of a government funding budget.

Both sides now seem to accept that the dispute will continue into 2019.

The funding dispute has left hundreds of thousands of federal employees either on unpaid leave or not knowing when they will get paid.