Obama attacks Republican 'grandstanding'

At the White House on Friday, President Barack Obama criticised House Republicans for threatening to shut down the US government if Democrats refused to strip his 2010 healthcare law of funding.

He said the "grandstanding has real effects on real people".

And he repeated his refusal to negotiate over the debt ceiling, the limit to which the US is authorised to borrow to pay its obligations.

"Voting for the treasury to pay America's bills is not a concession to me." Mr Obama said. "That's not doing me a favour, that's simply carrying out the solemn responsibilities of holding office."