State and Local Income, Sales and Property Taxes All Hit Records in 2017
Real state and local income, sales and property taxes all hit records in 2017, according to data released this week by the Census Bureau.
Worthy News
‘Lone DNC Hacker’ Guccifer 2.0 Slipped Up and Revealed He Was a Russian Intelligence Officer
Guccifer 2.0, the ‘lone hacker’ who took credit for providing WikiLeaks with stolen emails from the Democratic National Committee, was in fact an officer of Russia’s military intelligence directorate (GRU), The Daily Beast has learned. It’s an attribution that resulted from a fleeting but critical slip-up in GRU tradecraft.
Congress clears massive spending bill in midnight vote
The House approved a $1.3 trillion spending bill Thursday to fund the government for the rest of fiscal year 2018 and the Senate followed suit early Friday morning, beating the shutdown deadline and leaving Republicans and Democrats to fight over credit and blame.
China responds to Trump tariffs with proposed list of 128 US products to target
The world’s second-largest economy has responded to President Donald Trump’s controversial trade tariffs.
Israel to deploy tear gas-dropping drones on planned Gaza border protests
Border Police are planning to deploy a newly developed drone that can drop tear gas canisters against Palestinian demonstrators expected to march on the border fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip in the coming weeks, according to a report Wednesday.
Arab League aims to stop Israel from gaining UN Security Council seat
Arab League nations will meet in Riyadh on April 15 to work to prevent Israel from gaining a seat on the U.N. Security Council, Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit said in a statement on Tuesday.
Palestinian claim to Dead Sea Scrolls may be next up at UNESCO
The next ‘prize’ the Palestinians will likely claim as their own at UNESCO will probably be the archeological site of Qumran and its Dead Sea Scrolls, Shimon Samuels of the Simon Wiesenthal Center said on Wednesday.
24 Vietnamese Christians Attacked, Forced to Renounce Christ
Two dozen Christians in Vietnam were recently attacked by a mob for their faith.
Turkey Calls Evangelism An Act of ‘Terrorism,’ Charges American Pastor
Andrew Brunson, an American pastor who’s been locked up in a Turkish jail for more than 500 days, could spend the rest of his life in prison.
Trump to announce trade sanctions against China for intellectual property theft
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump is set to announce new sanctions against China for stealing US intellectual property, according to a White House official.
US Makes Contingency Plans in Case Iran Nuclear Talks Fail
The United States has had constructive talks about the Iran nuclear deal with Britain, France and Germany but is making contingency plans should they fail, the lead US negotiator said on Wednesday.
Fed raises rates as it weighs tighter money over the next few years
The Federal Reserve announced an increase in its target interest rate Wednesday afternoon, continuing its careful efforts to withdraw its crisis-era stimulus measures, while also hinting at faster rate hikes over the next two years.
White House national security team fingered in Trump’s Putin call leak
The White House national security team, already facing calls for the ouster of top adviser H.R. McMaster, was tagged by a key lawmaker with leaking confidential notes ordering President Trump not to congratulate Russian President Vladimir Putin for his election win.
Congress introduces $1.3 trillion, 2,232-page funding bill, hopes for passage this week
House and Senate lawmakers introduced a $1.3 trillion fiscal 2018 spending bill late Wednesday night, and hope lawmakers can pass it all in the next day or two.
Zuckerberg Breaks Silence on Facebook Crisis as Criticism Grows
Facebook Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg broke his silence on the crisis over political-advertising firm Cambridge Analytica’s access to user data on the social network, outlining concrete steps the company is taking to make sure such a leak doesn’t happen again. Critics were underwhelmed.
Abortion Speech Law Case Heard at Supreme Court; Pro-Life Advocates Anticipate Win
Hundreds of pro-life advocates assembled on the steps of the Supreme Court to rally in support of crisis pregnancy centers, contesting a California law which compels them to advertise and promote abortion.
‘I Can Only Imagine’ resonates with Christian audience, surprises Hollywood
In an age when superheroes and antiheroes rule the box office, a small film depicting a Christian songwriter’s relationship with his abusive father has surprised Hollywood with its third-highest take in ticket sales.
Mississippi Passes 15-Week Abortion Ban, Becomes Most Pro-life State
Mississippi has become the state with the most restrictive ban on abortion after Gov. Phil Bryant signed a 15-week abortion ban bill into law on Monday, March 19.
Trump seeks Saudi Arabia’s help in eastern Syria
The Trump administration is trying to determine its long-term goals in eastern Syria as Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman visits the United States.
Christians Wounded in Muslim Attack on Church Service in Pakistan
At least seven Christian worshippers were injured in an armed attack by local Muslims on a church service on Sunday (March 18) in southern Punjab Province, Pakistan, the church pastor told Morning Star News.