Photo of the U.S. Capitol dome

US Budget Deficit Surges to $134.5 Billion in October

WASHINGTON — The federal government, which ended the 2019 budget year with its largest deficit in seven years, began the new budget year with a deficit in October that was 33.8% bigger than a year ago as spending hit a record. The Treasury Department said W...
Photo of Constitutional Committee Co-Chairman Ahmad Kuzbari, representative of the Syrian Government, Geir O. Pedersen, Special Envoy for Syria and the Constitutional Committee Co-Chairman, Hadi al-Bahra, representative of the Syrian opposition

Syria Talks: Possible Path Toward Peace, or Another Dead End

GENEVA — Syria's government and opposition have delicately sat down for their first face-to-face talks, amid the hopes of millions of Syrians and governments from Washington to Moscow that they could become a step toward ending the country's devastating 8 ½-ye...
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Iranian Hackers Said to Target Presidential Campaign

WASHINGTON — Microsoft said Friday that hackers linked to the Iranian government targeted a U.S. presidential campaign, as well as government officials, media targets and prominent expatriate Iranians. Overall, the hackers attempted to penetrate 241 account...
Photo of money and "national debt" on a ripped piece of paper

Opinion: On Oct. 3, Happy Deficit Day

Imagine that the federal government received all the revenue it will receive for the year in a lump sum on Jan. 1, and then proceeded to spend that money at a constant rate. If the federal government’s budget w...

Mother of Navy Veteran Held in Iran Says He Lost Appeal

SAN DIEGO — The mother of a U.S. Navy veteran from Southern California sentenced to 10 years in prison by the government of Iran said Tuesday he has lost his appeal and she is worried that he is being forgotten by the U.S. government. "I think her feeling i...