Senators to work through the weekend on shutdown as Republicans and Democrats are still far apart

By MARY CLARE JALONICK and KEVIN FREKING

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators are working through the weekend for the first time since the government shutdown began more than a month ago, hoping to find bipartisan resolution that has so far eluded them as government workers have gone unpaid , airlines have been forced to cancel flights and SNAP benefits have been delayed for millions of Americans .

As the weekend session was set to begin Saturday, it was unclear if Republicans and Democrats could make any headway toward reopening the government and breaking a partisan impasse that has now lasted 39 days. Republicans on Friday rejected an offer from Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer to reopen the government and extend expiring health care subsidies for a year, with Thune calling it a “