Behind Florida’s Property Tax Revolt

People have often said that Florida is the new California, but this week the Sunshine State hopes to really drive the point home — all the way into homeowners’ pockets. On Tuesday the legislature started a special session to reform Florida’s dysfunctional property tax system, aiming to save residents the tens of billions of dollars that Californians reaped a generation ago

Share

Baghdad market bombing adds to soaring death toll

A market bombing in central Baghdad killed 15 people Friday morning, continuing the spike in violence as the deadline approaches for the United States to withdraw combat troops from Iraqi cities. The bomb went off in a commercial area where men buy and sell motorcycles, an Interior Ministry official said.

Share

The Most Important Economic Indicator You’ve Never Heard Of

Those bullish on global economic recovery have their data points: the steady upward climb of world stock markets, three straight months of Chinese manufacturing expansion, the weak dollar. But there are still plenty of skeptics of a rapid and robust turnaround, with their own set of numbers to cite: continued bleeding of private-sector jobs in the US and Europe, more record lows in new home construction, and, er, the weak dollar

Share

Terrified teen surrounded by ‘shooting and shelling’

A teenage boy trapped alone in an orphanage commandeered by soldiers in Pakistan’s war-torn Swat Valley has described his terrifying ordeal. “The situation outside is extremely bad and scary,” said the boy, who is identified by his teachers using his first name Ubaid. “All the time I hear shooting and shelling.” About 50 orphans and 20 teachers and administrators escaped the Khpal Kor Foundation orphanage in the Swat district capital of Mingora over the past week.

Share

U.S. not lined up to defeat al Qaeda, top official warns

The nation’s chief counterterrorism official says despite a "seriously diminished" threat to the homeland, the U.S. government is still not properly organized to support the "team" effort needed to defeat al Qaeda. Mike Leiter, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, said the government has made vast improvements since the terrorist attacks of Sept

Share