Clinton releases tax returns

Hillary Clinton yesterday released her tax return for last year and criticized her opponent Donald Trump for failing to honor this tradition among American politicians running for president.

Clinton and her husband Bill, the former president, reported $10.6 million in income for 2015. They paid $3.6 million in federal income tax, according to the document, which was posted on the Democratic presidential candidate's web page.

Over the course of their careers the Clintons have published all of their tax returns since 1977. Democrats repeatedly point to this as evidence of transparency on the part of the power couple.

The Clintons' main sources of income were Bill Clinton's paid speeches, to the tune of $5.2 million, and a payment to Hillary Clinton from the publisher of her last book, Simon & Schuster, for three million dollars.

Hillary Clinton gave dozens of paid speeches in 2013, 2014 and 2015 but gave this up before launching her candidacy for the White House in April 2015.

But the billionaire Trump has declined to release his, arguing that his tax returns for the past several years are being audited.

On Thursday, Trump, straying from his trademark bravado, acknowledged that his presidential campaign is facing challenges and could ultimately fall short — a rare expression of humility by the Republican presidential nominee.

The billionaire celebrity acknowledged that his lack of political correctness could cost him the election if Americans reject his blunt approach.

He also backtracked from his assertion that President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton founded the Islamic State group, saying he was just being sarcastic.

As he often does, the Republican presidential nominee accused the news media of misconstruing something he said.

He also said he considered Clinton, his Democratic rival for the presidency, to be the co-founder of the Islamic State group.

Trump first made the accusation Wednesday at a rally in Florida, and repeated it in interviews Thursday.