Southern Baptists elect new leader

Southern Baptists elect new leader

An Arkansas megachurch pastor was elected Tuesday to lead the country's Southern Baptists as the conservative denomination tries to turn around declining membership, church attendance and baptisms. The Rev. Ronnie Floyd, pastor at Cross Church, received 52 percent of votes from delegates to the annual meeting in Baltimore, beating out the Rev. Dennis Kim, the Korean-American pastor of a bilingual Maryland church, who had 41 percent. Floyd succeeds the Rev. Fred Luter Jr., who became the 15.7 million-member denomination's first African-American president in 2012.

IRS to publicize 'Bill of Rights'

The IRS wants to read taxpayers their rights. The agency is publicizing a "Bill of Rights" for taxpayers, including the right to quality service, the right to confidentiality and the right to a fair and just tax system, IRS Commissioner John Koskinen announced Tuesday. Koskinen acknowledged that none of the 10 rights is new. All are buried somewhere in the thick pages of the federal tax code. But the IRS will post the rights at its offices, and include an explanation of each one when the agency contacts taxpayers by mail.

It's a Rembrandt selfie for sure

Scientific tests have confirmed that a painting donated to Britain's National Trust by a wealthy supporter in 2010 is a Rembrandt self-portrait worth tens of millions of dollars. The portrait was long thought to be the work of one of his pupils. But last year a Rembrandt expert declared it genuine, and the National Trust said Tuesday that tests on the paint, the signature and the wooden panel all confirm its authenticity.

By the Numbers

29M Estimated total of Americans who have diabetes, an increase of 3 million from three years ago, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Associated Press