Updated 1:51 p.m. ET As many as 600,000 federal employees could be furloughed in the coming days if Congress fails to pass a spending measure by midnight Friday, and dozens of federal agencies began telling workers Thursday whether or not they would need to work during a spending impasse. Though Senate leaders Thursday morning showed a new conciliatory tone and said they would work through the day to reach an agreement, there was still no early sign of a definitive deal. Read full article >>