In brief: Sheen sues studio, producer

Santa Monica, Calif. – Charlie Sheen brought his verbal war against Warner Bros. and the executive producer of “Two and a Half Men” to the courtroom on Thursday, filing a $100 million lawsuit seeking to recoup his salary and wages for the show’s cast and crew.

The breach of contract lawsuit alleges production was halted on the CBS sitcom in part to punish Sheen for recent behavior that has included two hospitalizations and, in recent weeks, a series of interviews in which he has attacked executive producer Chuck Lorre. But the suit and Sheen’s attorney, Marty Singer, say most of the incidents cited by Warner Bros. for firing Sheen occurred before his tirades against Lorre began.

“The suspension and termination of Mr. Sheen occurred only after Mr. Sheen had finally been provoked into criticizing Lorre in response to his harassment and disparagement campaign which had been going on for years,” according to the suit.

The filing comes four days after Sheen was terminated from “Two and a Half Men.”

February’s deficit was largest ever

Washington – The government ran the largest-ever budget deficit for a single month in February. The shortfall kept this year’s annual deficit on pace to end as the biggest in U.S. history.

The widening deficit reflects the impact of the tax-cut package President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans brokered in December.

As a result, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office in January raised its estimate for the annual deficit from $1.1 trillion to $1.5 trillion. It said the tax cuts would add $400 billion to this year’s gap. The budget year ends Sept. 30.

The tax-cut package extended income tax cuts, reduced workers’ Social Security taxes, extended unemployment benefits and accelerated business tax write-offs, among other steps.

February’s deficit of $222.5 billion eclipsed last February’s record by nearly $2 billion.