House convenes to request budget talks with Senate

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Just minutes before a U.S. government shutdown was to begin at midnight, the Republican-led House of Representatives convened to formally request negotiations with the Democratic-led Senate. Before House Republicans even gathered, Democrats rejected proposed talks and said Republicans should instead give final approval to a Senate-approved bill to fund the government through November 15. (Reporting by Thomas Ferraro; Editing by Eric Walsh)