WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama has expressed his willingness to negotiate with Republicans on budget; however, he said that it will only be possible if they agree to lift threats against the economy.
In his address to a news conference in Washington‚ Obama said Republicans are committing extortion by demanding policy concessions in return for raising the US debt limit and reopening government.
Obama‚ however, agreed to discuss anything‚ including his healthcare plan‚ if Republicans restore government funding and raise the debt limit.
Meanwhile, the US government shutdown, which began last week when Congress failed to agree a budget, is reaching all the way down to the South Pole where the National Science Foundation has announced to put its three Antarctic scientific stations in deep freeze.
The move came just as scientists are starting to arrive for the start of a new research season.
