The U.S. government deficit rose by 12 percent in the first two months of the 2020 fiscal year, hitting $342 billion, according to new estimates from the Congressional Budget Office.

The deficit is on track to surpass $1 trillion in the 2020 fiscal year, which began on October 1. CBO has called the deficit path “unsustainable” and warns that the increasing debt burden will push down economic growth and could worsen future financial crises.

In the first two months of the fiscal year, CBO estimated that spending increased $49 billion to reach $813 billion, largely due to increases in Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Defense Department. An increase in the cost of subsidizing education loans also contributed to the increased outlays.

Meanwhile, revenues only increased half as quickly, rising $12 billion in comparison to last year and reaching $471 billion.

Income and payroll tax revenue grew 4 percent. CBO noted that a 14 percent spike in corporate tax income was not representative of most corporate taxation, as most companies don’t have to pay their taxes until December 16th.

The deficit has ballooned since President TrumpDonald John TrumpLawmakers release defense bill with parental leave-for-Space-Force deal House Democrats expected to unveil articles of impeachment Tuesday Houston police chief excoriates McConnell, Cornyn and Cruz on gun violence MORE took office, as the GOP tax law cut into revenues and bipartisan spending agreements pushed up funding for both defense and domestic priorities.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has opened an investigation into Google’s labor practices in the wake of the tech giant’s decision to fire four longtime employees involved in worker activism last month, an agency official confirmed to The Hill on Monday.

The watchdog initiated the investigation in response to a charge brought by the Communication Workers of America on Dec. 5.

The union claims that Laurence Berland, who spent 11 years at Google; Paul Duke, who was with the company for more than eight years; Rebecca Rivers, an employee of four years; and Sophie Waldman, who spent one year and 10 months at Google, were fired in direct response to their labor organizing efforts.

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“In response, Google unlawfully promulgated and enforced new data classification policies, data protection policies, data protection guidelines, ‘community guidelines’ and codes of conduct; initiated investigations against the four above named employee leaders based upon retroactive application of such guidelines; interrogated them; and discharged them on November 25, 2019 within minutes of each other,” the charge reads.

An official for Google said in a statement to The Hill that no one was “dismissed for raising concerns or debating the company’s activities.”

The four employees were fired for “intentional and often repeated violations of our longstanding data security policies, including systematically accessing and disseminating other employees’ materials and work,” the statement read.

This is the not the first time Google has been under investigation by the NLRB.

The company earlier this year settled with the board over allegations that it prevented its employees from speaking out in the workplace. 

Under the settlement, Google has posted notices reminding workers of their rights in its internal messaging boards.

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Five tourists died Monday when a volcano erupted in New Zealand, the BBC reported, citing police.

Tourists were reportedly seen hiking inside the crater of New Zealand’s White Island, the country’s most active volcano, before it erupted.

Twenty-three people have been rescued but others remain unaccounted for, according to the BBC. Police reportedly said that fewer than 50 people were on the island at the time.

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The privately-owned island is primarily a tourist destination.

New Zealand National Operation Commander Deputy Commissioner John Tims told CNN the casualties were from a “range of nationalities” but did not provide details.

Michael Schade, a tourist who was on White Island earlier in the day, tweeted a video of the site after the volcano erupted.

Shade told the BBC he was at the crater just 30 minutes before the eruption, which occurred at 2:11 p.m. local time.

The Minnesota National Guard on Saturday identified the three people who were killed Thursday in a Black Hawk helicopter crash. 

Thee three people are  Chief Warrant Officer 2 James A. Rogers Jr., 28; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Charles P. Nord, 30 and Sgt. Kort M. Plantenberg, 28, according to a Minnesota National Guard statement. 

The three were assigned to the General Support Aviation Battalion, based in St. Cloud, Minn. Their unit had returned in May from a nine-month deployment to the Middle East. 

The UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter lost contact with the National Guard on Thursday during a maintenance test flight. It crashed in a wooded area about 16 miles southwest of St. Cloud. 

“On behalf of all Minnesotans, we offer our deepest sympathies to the families of these warriors. They paid the ultimate price in service to Minnesota and to the United States of America,” Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) said at a press conference this week.

“Words will never ease the pain of this tragic loss and the state of Minnesota is forever in the debt of these warriors.”  

Ukraine and Russia reportedly agreed to restart the peace process in discussions in Paris on Monday, though they made little progress on ending hostilities in the Donbass region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir PutinVladimir Vladimirovich PutinUkraine, Russia agree to restart peace process Trump, Russian foreign minister to meet Tuesday Impeachment, Ukraine, Syria and warheads color Washington visit by top Russian diplomat MORE met for the first time and decided to revive peace discussions on the conflict in eastern Ukraine, the Associated Press reported. The talks involve the previously stalled 2015 peace agreement between Ukrainian troops and Russia-backed separatists. 

But the leaders did not come to a conclusion on an ultimate compromise for the five-year war that has left at least 14,000 dead. 

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The two settled on exchanging all prisoners but did not determine a timeline on local elections or who controls the borders where rebels reside. The presidents decided to return in four months with newly proposed solutions, according to the AP.

Putin reportedly said there is not an option beyond the 2015 deal and said Ukraine should give autonomy to rebel-controlled regions and grant amnesty to the rebels. He said the agreement also involved pulling troops back in other areas of the east, clearing mines and get rid of fortifications. 

“I would very much like our people to get back home and spend the New Year’s holidays with their families,” Zelensky said, according to the AP.

The meeting was mediated by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel MacronEmmanuel Jean-Michel MacronUkraine, Russia agree to restart peace process Hillicon Valley: Amazon alleges Trump interfered in Pentagon contract to hurt Bezos | Federal council warns Trump of cyber threats to infrastructure | China to remove foreign technology from government offices Trump tops list of most tweeted about politicians in 2019 MORE, who called the talks “fruitful.”

“There are disagreements, especially on timeline and next steps. We had a very long discussion on this,” Macron said at a news conference Monday, according to the AP.

Macron and Merkel also reportedly said they would increase the monitoring by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, an intergovernmental organization, to 24 hours a day, up from 12.

The 19-year-old is reported to be unsettled in the Bundesliga, with two Premier League giants having their sights set on a transfer

Borussia Dortmund director of sport Michael Zorc says there is “no scenario” where Jadon Sancho leaves the club in the January transfer window.

The 19-year-old England starlet has been heavily linked with a move away from the Bundesliga title challengers, with growing speculation that he is no longer happy at the club.

Goal understands that Manchester United are targeting Sancho alongside Erling Braut Haaland when the transfer market opens, while Chelsea are also increasingly confident of securing the Dortmund man’s signature now their transfer ban has been cut short.

But Zorc says Sancho remains very much a key part of Dortmund’s future plans.

“We’re continuing to plan with him,” he told reporters. “He’s a fundamental player for us and I do not see any scenario where he leaves us.

“We have already had some situations with him to talk about, and there have been a lot of interviews in the last few weeks.

“We are in a good way; when he came off the bench in Barcelona and also in Berlin, he gave us a top performance.”

In November, Sancho was hauled off inside 40 minutes of Dortmund’s 4-0 defeat to Bayern Munich, and it was reported that he felt humiliated and scapegoated by the experience.

However, he has responded with three goals and an assist in his subsequent three games, including a stunning effort in the 3-1 Champions League defeat in Barcelona.

Indeed, while Sancho has been criticised by fans at times this season, he still has a hugely impressive five goals and seven assists in 11 Bundesliga outings, and he finished second in this year’s Golden Boy award.

But with Chelsea and United both heavily interested in the player, Zorc’s assertions are unlikely to bring the transfer speculation surrounding Sancho to an end.

Liverpool had also been linked with a move, but Jurgen Klopp refused to be drawn on rumours when asked ahead of his side’s 5-2 victory over Everton in midweek.

“He’s a very good player,” Klopp said. “I have no clue where these kind of things [the rumours] are coming from, but it cannot come from us because we never speak about it.

“If we would be involved, nobody would know about it apart from a person who wouldn’t speak about it. There’s nothing to say.”

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Carla Bruni savoure ses vacances d’été. Ce vendredi 9 août, la maman de Giulia a partagé une vidéo dans laquelle elle pousse la chansonnette au clair de lune.

C’est l’une des activités à laquelle elle s’adonne avec plaisir. Chanter. Celle qui a débuté par le mannequinat a également fait carrière dans la chanson. Et qu’importe l’endroit où elle se trouve, lorsque lui vient l’inspiration, l’épouse de Nicolas Sarkozy n’hésite pas à pousser la chansonnette. C’est ce qu’elle a fait ce vendredi 9 août, en partageant une vidéo dans laquelle elle chante la sérénade au clair de lune, postée face à la mer.

L’ex Première dame était visiblement inspirée par le cadre de ses vacances – on ignore si elle se trouve toujours dans sa résidence d’été au Cap Nègre –et le paysage qui s’offrait à ellece soir-là. En filmant la lune se reflétant sur la mer, Carla Bruni entonne le célèbre titre Blue Moon d’Elvis Presley. Sa voix douce et légèrement éraillée a une fois de plus bercé ses nombreux abonnés, toujours aussi enthousiastes à l’idée de pouvoir suivre les aventures de la chanteuse sur la Toile.“Quelle jolie voix”, “Une voix si gracieuse, un instant magique” ou encore “Vous chantez avec une beauté indéniable”, peut-on lire parmi les commentaires élogieux postés en réaction à cette vidéo.

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Carla Bruni continue d’être la star de son Instagram. À 51 ans, la chanteuse s’assume (elle a récemment posté une photo de ses fesses moulées dans un jean) et a pris l’habitude de partager régulièrement des clichés d’elle, récents ou issus de l’époque où elle était une star des podiums. Si elle aime aussi mettre en scène sa fille Giulia et son époux Nicolas Sarkozy, la star, c’est incontestablement elle !

Crédits photos : Best Image

Rachel Legrain-Trapani est une maman fusionnelle avec son fils âgé de cinq ans. Ce lundi 12 août, l’ex-Miss France a partagé une photo d’elle et du petit Gianni, tous les deux assortis. Trop mignon !

Aux côtés de son fils Gianni, Rachel Legrain-Trapani est la plus heureuse des mamans. L’ex-Miss France, qui vient de passer quelques jours de vacances au Portugal – pays depuis lequel elle a partagé plusieurs clichés sexy d’elle en maillot de bain – a partagé deux nouvelles photos, sur lesquelles elle apparaît tout sourire aux côtés de son garçon âgé de cinq ans. Sur la première, son fils lui dépose un baiser sur la joue. Sur la seconde, c’est elle qui le sert dans ses bras. Au-delà de la relation complice et fusionnelle qui les unit, les internautes auront sans doute remarqué un autre détail : mère et fils sont assortis !

Tous les deux portent en effet la même tenue, un t-shirt blanc à message. Une collection dessinée par la Belge Aurélie Van Daelen, connue pour avoir participé à plusieurs émissions de télé-réalité par le passé. En légende, Rachel Legrain-Trapani écrit : « Let’s rock ! Bravo Aurélie Van Daelen pour ta collection. Gianni adore être habillé comme moi, ça vous arrive d’assortir vos vêtements avec vos enfants ? », s’interroge-t-elle, en s’adressant à ses abonnés.

Une chose est sûre, ce cliché avec son fils Gianni a une nouvelle fois séduit les fans de la Miss. « Vous êtes magnifique, plein de complicité, très beau à voir », « Une petite maman qui a récupéré son petit prince », « C’est beau une maman heureuse », peut-on lire dans les commentaires. La jeune femme est en effet très proche de son fils, né de sa précédente relation avec le footballeur Aurélien Capoue.

Tous les deux se sont séparés lorsque Gianni était âgé de trois ans, et sa maman doit aujourd’hui se contenter d’une garde alternée… et ce, même pendant les vacances. Pour ne pas déprimer, Rachel Legrain-Trapani a toujours sur elle une photo de son fils, lorsqu’il était bébé. Un tendre souvenir auquel elle peut se raccrocher lorsque Gianni est loin d’elle.

Crédits photos : Best Image

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Ce mardi 20 août, Karine Ferri a dévoilé un nouveau et toujours aussi ravissant cliché d’elle sur son compte Instagram. L’animatrice de TF1 y prend la pose dans une jolie robe estivale qui laisse apercevoir ses jambes bronzées.

C’est la plus belle des sirènes. Depuis le début de l’été, Karine Ferri profite d’un séjour ensoleillé dans le Sud de la France, en famille. Un lieu idéal pour se ressourcer et se reposer avant la rentrée chargée qui l’attend – elle sera d’ailleurs à l’antenne dès ce vendredi 23 août dans The Voice Kids. Et surtout de profiter de sa famille. Maman comblée mais discrète de Maël, 3 ans et Claudia, 13 mois, Karine Ferri a dévoilé quelques adorables clichés de ses merveilles. Et même de son amoureux, Yoann Gourcuff, avec qui elle a pris la pose lors d’un rare cliché.

Mais c’est également l’occasion de partager sur les réseaux sociaux de ravissantes photographies d’elle. En maillot de bain dévoilant son corps de rêve, en train de piloter un bateau ou dans une jolie robe estivale, l’animatrice de TF1 ne manque pas de faire sensation. Dernier cliché en date ? Ce mardi 20 août sur lequel elle joue les sirènes. La sublime femme de 37 ans prend la pose assiste sur un rocher, avec un arrière-plan la mer. Sourire aux lèvres et protégée du soleil par un chapeau, Karine Ferri arbore une robe estivale signée La cabane de Stella. Une tenue fluide qui dévoile ses jolies gambettes musclées et surtout très bronzées. Pas de doute, le soleil lui va à ravir.

>>Découvrez notre diaporama de l’été sexy des stars<<

Karine Ferri irradie de bonheur. Il faut dire qu’elle s’est certainement beaucoup amusée à prendre cette photographie. Et pour cause, c’est son amie et journaliste Belinda Gervasoni qui a joué les photographes. Un joli moment qui restera certainement gravé dans sa mémoire et qui lui permettra d’affronter avec douceur le froid de l’automne et de l’hiver.

Crédits photos : TF1PRODUCTION