IRS works to stop taxpayers’ ID theft
WASHINGTON – The IRS says it’s working with states and companies to fight identity theft.
The problem has affected thousands of taxpayers and cost the government billions of dollars because of fraudulent returns. IRS Commissioner John Koskinen says the government and companies will share more information so officials can detect possible identity theft as tax returns are filed.
That includes taking a look at computers used for filing and their Internet addresses.
Koskinen says the new steps will be in place in time for the filing of 2015 taxes next year.
Pentagon puts cost of IS war at $2.7B
WASHINGTON – The Pentagon says the U.S. has spent more than $2.7 billion on the war against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria since bombings began last August, and the average daily cost is now more than $9 million.
The Defense Department is releasing a detailed breakdown of the costs, showing that the Air Force has borne two-thirds of the daily spending.
The daily combat, reconnaissance and other aircraft flights eat up more than $5 million a day. And the data provide a rare look into special operations costs, which totaled more than $200 million since August.
Congress has debated and rejected legislation that would have banned spending on the combat operations until lawmakers passed a new war powers resolution.
Greek leader heads home without deal
BRUSSELS – International creditors sent Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras home from a summit Thursday with a clear message: Swiftly tone down your demands in the bailout talks over the next week or face financial ruin.
The International Monetary Fund took the toughest stance, saying it was bringing its negotiators back to Washington as there had been no sign of compromise.
“There has been no progress in narrowing these differences,” IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said Thursday.
The IMF creditors and Greece’s fellow eurozone states want the country to commit to new economic reforms before they pay out another $8.2 billion.
Associated Press
