Don't play with fire on US debt, say policymakers worldwide

WASHINGTON: Top officials of U.S. and international financial institutions ramped up warnings on Thursday that failure to raise the U.S. debt ceiling to prevent the world's largest economy from defaulting would deal a serious blow worldwide.

The warnings from the U.S. Treasury, the head of the International Monetary Fund and central bankers at home and abroad amounted to a shot across the bow of lawmakers on Capitol Hill whose failure to agree on a funding bill has already led to a partial shutdown of the U.S. government.