TOI correspondent from Washington: The United States’ national debt crossed $40 trillion on Tuesday, a number so large that even breaking it up with commas can scarcely make it comprehensible. As in a 4 followed by 13 zeroes: $40,000,000,000,000!

The federal debt reached $40 trillion as the government adds red ink at a rapid rate. That's leading nervous investors to demand higher interest rates —pushing up borrowing costs…

The national debt is now over $40 trillion, a historic high that economists warn is bad news for the United States.