ISIS will target Christians in annual Ramadan offensive, think tank predicts
The Islamic State will target Christians as part of the terrorist group’s offensive during the upcoming Islamic holy month of Ramadan, a new report predicts.
Washington
US employers add 263,000 workers as unemployment hits 50-year low
U.S. payrolls grew by 263,000 in April, driving the unemployment rate to a 50-year low.
Federal deficit to rise to $900 billion for 2019, highest since 2012: CBO
The Congressional Budget Office projected Thursday that the federal deficit would reach $896 billion for fiscal 2019, up $117 billion from the year before.
GOP confirms Trump’s 100th judicial nominee, gears up for more
Senate Republicans confirmed President Trump’s 100th federal judge on Thursday, speeding through a series of picks this week thanks to the GOP’s nuclear option move last month.
Evangelical Leaders Meet to Discuss Upcoming 2020 Presidential Election, Prepare for National Day of Prayer
Around 20 evangelical leaders met Wednesday at Trump Hotel in Washington, D.C. discussing ways to help re-elect President Donald Trump.
Trump: Violence against people of faith ‘must end now’
President Trump called for an end to violence motivated by religious hatred Wednesday, citing attacks ranging from a shooting at a California synagogue to terrorist bombings at Christian churches in Sri Lanka.
US Postal Service fears running out of cash by 2024 amid a ‘death spiral’
The U.S. Postal Service, contending with dwindling revenue even as it delivers mail to 1 million new addresses every year, will run out of cash in the next five years unless Congress eliminates flaws that lawmakers built into its business model, the postmaster general warned Tuesday.
Barr blows off House Judiciary hearing in fight over format of questioning
Attorney General William Barr is backing out of a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday, escalating a fight with Democrats over the format of questioning.
China, U.S. start latest trade talks after ‘nice’ working dinner
China and the United States began their latest talks in Beijing on Wednesday aimed at ending a bitter trade war, after U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he had a ‘nice’ working dinner the night before with China Vice Premier Liu He.
Pompeo: ‘Military force is available’ to oust Maduro ‘if that’s what it takes’
President Trump is willing to use ‘military force’ to oust Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared Tuesday evening.
White House wants $8.6B for 300 miles of border fence in 2020 budget
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan said Tuesday the White House will submit to Congress this week its 2020 budget request for $8.6 billion to build an additional 300 miles of border fence, though it’s not clear how much would be replacement barrier and how much would be new.
House Democrats move to defund Trump administration rule targeting Planned Parenthood
House Democrats moved Monday to block the Trump administration from cutting off family-planning grants for medical facilities such as Planned Parenthood that also provide and refer to abortions.
Iranian general: We won’t talk to US under pressure of sanctions
The new head of Iran’s hardline Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps on Monday said the country wouldn’t negotiate with the United States while it maintains economic sanctions on his country.
Iran says leaving nuclear treaty one of many options after U.S. sanctions move
Iran said on Sunday it could quit a treaty against the spread of nuclear weapons after the United States tightens sanctions, while an Iranian general said the U.S. Navy was interacting as before with an elite military unit blacklisted by Washington.
Economy grew at 3.2% in first quarter, beating expectations
The economy grew at a 3.2% annual rate in the first quarter, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Friday morning, easily beating forecasters’ expectations.
IMF: Iran Inflation Could Reach 40 Percent Amid Sanctions
Iran’s economy is expected to shrink by six percent this year and inflation could reach 40 percent, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts, as the country copes with the impact of tighter U.S. sanctions.
Saudi Government Claims ‘Terror’ in Slew of Executions Condemned by Rights Groups
37 people in Saudi Arabia were executed Tuesday on terrorism-related charges, according to the Saudi Press Agency, during which ceremony the body of a dead man was later crucified.
California AG’s Planned Parenthood ties under fire in undercover pro-life investigators case
There’s no doubt that California Attorney General Xavier Becerra is a staunch pro-choice Democrat, but the question is whether he’s too close to Planned Parenthood to prosecute undercover pro-life investigators David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt.
Iran threatens ‘consequences’ if US takes ‘crazy measure’ of blocking oil sales
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Wednesday warned the United States of ‘consequences’ if it prevents Tehran from selling oil, after Washington ended sanction exemptions over the Islamic Republic’s energy exports.
Iranian parliament labels entire US military as terrorist
Iranian lawmakers on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill that labels all U.S. military forces as terrorist, state TV reported, a day after Washington ratcheted up pressure on Tehran by announcing that no country would any longer be exempt from U.S. sanctions if it continues to buy Iranian oil.