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CARL AZUZ, cnn 10 ANCHOR: Partisan politics, divisions between law makers and the nation's leader, high stakes legislation and questions about the future. Those are some of the challenges being faced in two governments today on two different sides of the Atlantic. I'm Carl Azuz for cnn 10 and we're starting in the U.S. capital. The partial shutdown of the American government turns 25 days old on Tuesday and though there've been 20 shutdowns since 1976, the current one that started in December is now the longest by at least four days. So what does that mean?
For about 800,000 government workers who represent 25 percent of the Federal workforce, it means they're still working but not getting their paychecks on time or that they've been sent home from their jobs without pay until the partial shutdown ends. Some businesses, churches and restaurants are offering assistance to the people affected. Most Americans aren't directly impacted by a partial shutdown but some Federal operations have slowed down. Some Federal departments have been closed and museums like the Smithsonian have also been closed.
Who can end it? Congress and the president when they reach an agreement on how the government will be funded. What's stopping them? As part as of the funding package, President Donald Trump and Republicans insist that $5.7 billion be included to build a wall or barrier along the border between the U.S. and Mexico. Democrats do not want the wall built. So they insist that the money for it won't be included. Each side blames the other for refusing to compromise. Until they come up with a funding agreement, the partial shutdown continues and as of last night there was no end in sight.
