Dogs as dependents? One woman’s suing the IRS to make it happen
An attorney filed a lawsuit in the Eastern District of New York, aiming to get the IRS to allow pets to be claimed as dependents. Amanda Reynolds, an lawyer licensed in New York and Utah, argued in the complaint first reported on by Forbes that the way dogs are currently classified — as property — […]
Coast Guard pursuing third oil tanker near Venezuela: reports
The U.S. Coast Guard is pursuing an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela on Sunday, after apprehending one just a day before, multiple news outlets are reporting. If the U.S. is successful, it would make for the third seizure of a vessel officials say is linked to Venezuela this month. “The United States Guard […]
Israel approves 19 new settlements in occupied West Bank
Israel’s Cabinet approved 19 new settlements in the West Bank earlier this month, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Sunday. Smotrich, a settler himself, said the action was taken to block the establishment of a Palestinian state, the BBC reported. The latest settlements were OK’d by the Cabinet on Dec. 11 but the development was classified until […]
No Powerball winner in Saturday’s drawing; Jackpot grows to $1.6 billion
No ticket matched all six numbers drawn in Saturday night’s Powerball drawing. That means people still have a chance at the now $1.6 billion prize in Monday’s drawing. Monday’s jackpot, according to Powerball, has an estimated cash value of $735.3 million. It’s the fourth largest prize in Powerball history and the fifth largest among U.S. […]
Justice Department calls for affordable vet care
With veterinary care out of reach so many Americans, the Justice Department wants to know why. This week the DOJ filed a statement of interest in a private lawsuit challenging accreditation standards and procedures employed by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). “Pets and animals give us so much in life and form the backbone of American food […]
Another batch of Epstein files released Saturday
The United States Department of Justice released another round of documents in connection to the Jeffrey Epstein case. Saturday’s release included primarily grand jury transcripts from the trials of both Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. The release is part of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed in November. The law gave the government until […]
Trump signs order to make Christmas Eve, Dec. 26 federal holidays
President Donald Trump signed an executive order this week declaring Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas federal holidays. This still isn’t official, however — in order to enact a federal holiday, Congress needs to pass a law and get the president’s signature. Still, per Trump’s order, “all executive departments and agencies of the Federal […]
US seizes vessel that last docked in Venezuela: Noem
The United States seized an oil tanker last docked in Venezuela during a “pre-dawn action” on Saturday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said. This marks the second time this month the U.S. apprehended a ship it says is connected to Venezuela, and follows U.S. President Donald Trump this week ordering a “total and […]
Saturday’s Powerball reaches $1.50 billion; This is what to do if you win
The Powerball jackpot prize is now valued at an estimated $1.50 billion for Saturday’s drawing. That makes it the fifth largest on record in the Powerball game and seventh among overall U.S. lottery jackpots, according to a press release. It’s also only the second time in Powerball history where a game produced back-to-back jackpots of […]
