Palestinians Mark Christmas In Bethlehem Amid Anger At President Trump

JERUSALEM (AP) — Palestinians are preparing to celebrate Christmas in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, the historic birthplace of Jesus. Sunday’s festivities are being held against the backdrop of protests over President Donald Trump’s declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Vatican officials crossed an Israeli military checkpoint from Jerusalem ahead of midnight…

President Trump To Sign $1.5 Trillion Tax Overhaul Package

By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he’s getting ready to sign into law a $1.5 trillion tax overhaul package. It provides generous cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans and smaller ones for the middle class and low-income families. Trump tweeted that he’ll sign the law in the Oval Office…

House Backs Temporary Spending Bill To Avert Shutdown

By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-led House narrowly passed a temporary spending bill to avert a government shutdown Thursday, doing the bare minimum in a sprint toward the holidays and punting disputes on immigration, health care and national security to next year. The vote was 231-188 with Democrats criticizing Republicans’ inability to…

Lawmakers Hoping To Approve A Must-Pass Spending Bill

By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans early Thursday unveiled a new, stripped-down spending bill to prevent a government shutdown this weekend and allow quarreling lawmakers to punt most of their unfinished business into the new year. The bill would stave off a government shutdown through Jan. 19 and permit lawmakers to head…