BREAKING NEWS

US postpones trade negotiations with EU due to government shutdown

The United States ispostponing negotiations for a free trade deal with the EuropeanUnion because of a partial shutdown of the US government, theObama administration said on Friday.

US Trade Representative Michael Froman called EuropeanUnion Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht to say US officialscould not travel to Brussels next week for talks due to theshutdown, Froman's office said in a statement.

Washington and the EU were due to hold a second round ofnegotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and InvestmentPartnership.