Obama cancels Asian trip over govt shutdown

United States

US President Barack Obama is canceling a trip to Asia to stay in Washington and push for an elusive funding bill to get business back up and running after days of a US government shutdown.

In a statement late on Thursday, the White House blamed Republicans, saying the "completely avoidable" government shutdown was hurting the president's efforts to promote trade and US influence in emerging world markets. Secretary of State John Kerry flew to Bali, Indonesia, on Friday and will head the US delegation to the summits.