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An entire office of tax experts has been quietly studying former President Donald Trump’s still-unreleased tax returns for weeks and produced a report showing he paid little or no federal income tax while in office. Though not well known outside tax circles, the Joint Committee on Taxation is Congress’ brain on tax issues, and the House Ways and Means Committee turned to the nonpartisan agency for help deciphering Trump’s exceedingly complicating filings. Since late last month, JCT has been poring over documents behind closed doors and says in a report released this week by Democrats that there are multiple issues that the IRS should be examining. https://www.politico.com/news/2022/12/22/red-flags-trump-taxes-00075198

New York CNN — The Dow sank as America’s economy grew much faster than previously thought in the third quarter, a sign that the Federal Reserve’s battle to cool the economy to fight inflation is having only a limited impact. The Commerce Department’s final reading Thursday morning showed gross domestic product, the broadest measure of the US economy, grew at an annual pace of 3.2% between July and September. That was above the 2.9% estimate from a month ago. Economists surveyed by Refinitiv had expected GDP to stay unchanged from its previous reading. https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/22/economy/gdp-third-quarter-final/index.html

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The Senate voted Thursday to pass a massive $1.7 trillion government spending bill that will fund critical government operations across federal agencies and provide emergency aid for Ukraine and natural disaster relief. The House must next pass the measure as lawmakers race the clock to avert a shutdown at the end of the week. The expectation on Capitol Hill is that a shutdown will be avoided, but congressional leaders have little room for error with government funding set to expire at the end of the day Friday. https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/21/politics/spending-bill-negotiations

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China may be easing some of its severe anti-Covid restrictions but its draconian pandemic policies have driven many citizens to seek a better future elsewhere - whatever the risks in getting there. Three days into their trek through a Central American rainforest, some 9,300 miles (15,000 kilometres) away from home, the Sun family threw away their camping gear to lighten the load, thinking they would be out by nightfall. Instead, they were stranded in the jungle by heavy rain. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64008633

The extraordinary measures taken to transport Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky from Ukraine to the US capital are a sign of just how crucial the two countries' relationship is for both sides. After visiting the front line in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday, Mr Zelensky's journey to Washington DC began with an overnight train journey to Poland before boarding a US Air Force plane, reportedly supported by a Nato spy-plane and an F-15 fighter jet. Reports of the visit to Washington began circulating early this week, but it wasn't confirmed until early on Wednesday morning, when US officials felt certain that Ukraine's leader was safely en route to the US capital. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64065527

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Sean Hannity was apparently willing to promote Donald Trump’s bogus election fraud claims on his Fox News show but unwilling to defend them while under oath. The New York Times is reporting that when Hannity was deposed earlier this year as a part of a massive defamation lawsuit brought forward by Dominion Voting Systems against the right-wing network, he basically admitted his real thoughts about the 2020 election being stolen. “I did not believe it for one second,” Hannity testified. https://news.yahoo.com/sean-hannity-testified-didnt-believe-001935335.html

Back in August, Hillsborough County voters gave Judge Jared Smith the heave-ho less than a year after he made headlines for denying a teen access to an abortion, citing her grades. He’s set to leave the bench in less than two weeks. But by then, he’ll have an even better job, thanks to Gov. Ron DeSantis. On Tuesday, DeSantis’ office released a list of three appointees to the new 6th District Court of Appeal. https://floridapolitics.com/archives/577595-gov-desantis-appoints-ousted-judge-who-blocked-teens-abortion-to-new-appeals-district/

Zelensky: "The light in our faith will not be put out" at Christmas Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainians will celebrate Christmas this year, despite the atrocities of the war, telling Congress: "Even if there is no electricity the light in our faith will not be put out." Just like the "brave American soldiers which held their lines" and fought against Hitler's Nazi Germany in 1944, Ukrainian soldiers "are doing the same to Putin's forces this Christmas," Zelensky said to applause.

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Another December has come around in the United Kingdom, the nation that God forgot. Every year in recent times has felt like the dumbest one since records began, but it will be difficult to top 2022. So, what the hell happened here? Firstly, the big one, the queen went and died. This was not surprising: she was very old and dying at the end is the traditional way of a human lifespan. But it was weird. People queued overnight to see her coffin and became apoplectic with rage when celebrities were found cutting the line to do so. Somehow Paddington Bear got adopted as the monarchists’ mascot of choice, with mourners (and boy did people go ham on the mourning) leaving plastic bags of marmalade sandwiches outside Buckingham Palace. https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/12/united-kingdom-queen-elizabeth-strikes-energy-prices-disaster.html

Eight teenage girls have been charged with murder in the Saturday night stabbing of a 59-year-old man in downtown Toronto, authorities said. Police said the girls, aged between 13 and 16, seem to have met online before meeting in person on the night of the attack, possibly for the first time. They were arrested near the crime scene shortly after midnight on Sunday. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64050711

Here is what's included in $1.85bn in military aid The US defence department has released some details of what $1.85bn (£1.53bn) in military aid for Ukraine - announced today by the Biden administration - will pay for. The arms package includes a wide range of equipment including: One Patriot air defense battery and munitiions 30 mortar systems Six armoured utility trucks High-speed anti-radiation missiles 500 artillery rounds Night vision devices Body armour https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-us-canada-64055030

In their first moments together, Biden tells Zelensky that the United States backs "just peace" for Ukraine, telling the Ukrainian leader that his country continues to "impress the world". Zelensky responds, telling Biden of the "appreciation from my heart" he feels for the US. He thanks Biden specifically for his "big support" for his country. https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-us-canada-64055030

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Trump's children did not all marry Jews. Eric is not married to a Jew and Barron most certainly isn't.

A major winter storm and cold blast will impact nearly every state and bring what the National Weather Service is calling a “once in a generation type event” that will cripple travel on some of the busiest travel days of the year. The strengthening storm will bring more than a foot of snow and possible blizzard conditions to the Midwest, as the weather service warns of “life-threatening” wind chills for millions. More than 90 million people are under winter weather alerts and more than 87 million are under wind chill alerts. https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/21/weather/christmas-arctic-winter-storm-wednesday-wxn/index.html

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