U.S. embassy in Armenia stops updating Facebook account 

ArmInfo. The U.S. Embassy in Armenia has posted the following message on its Facebook account:

"Due to the lapse in appropriations, this Facebook account will not  be updated regularly until full operations resume, with the exception  of urgent safety and security information.  "At this time, scheduled  passport and visa transit services in the United States and at U.S.   Embassies and Consulates overseas will continue during the lapse in  appropriations as the situation permits. We will not update this  account until full operations resume, with the exception of urgent  safety and security information. For information on our services and  operating status, visit travel.state.gov."

The US Senate failed to pass either of two federal spending bills,  and the so-called government shutdown-a shutdown of some government  agencies-will begin in the United States on October 1. The previous  day, the Senate first rejected the Democratic Party's funding bill by  a majority vote, as Democrats lack a majority in the Senate, and then  failed to pass the Republican Party's bill, as Republicans have a  majority, but not a large enough one.