Kerry warns Congress over shutdown

US secretary of state John Kerry has urged Congress to end the partial government shutdown and think “long and hard” about the message the US sends the world when “we can’t get our own act together”.

Mr Kerry is in Bali for an economic summit of Asian leaders. President Barack Obama had planned to attend but cancelled his travel plans to remain in Washington and deal with the shutdown, now into its fifth day. Mr Kerry is now heading the US delegation in the talks.