Government shutdown set to be averted as border deal nears without $5.7bn Trump demanded for wall

Republicans and Democrats are increasingly hopeful they can strike a border security deal to avert a fresh US government shutdown, with the GOP’s top negotiator saying he believes Donald Trump would back the emerging consensus. “The president was urging me to try to conclude these negotiations and this is the most positive meeting I’ve had in a long time,” lead GOP negotiator senator Richard Shelby told reporters after discussing the potential deal with the president in the Oval Office. Mr Trump had declared a cease-fire on 24 January following a historic 35-day shutdown, sparked when congress refused to sign-off on a government spending plan with billions ring-fenced for the president’s border wall.