Politics

• San Francisco’s ‘Overpaid CEO’ Tax Quashed with Billionaire Help
  San Francisco voters rejected a union-backed ballot measure to raise taxes on large corporations doing business in the city, a win for billionaires who argued that the levy would harm the city’s economic recovery.
• UK Treasury Resists Defense Spending Push in 11th-Hour Talks
  The UK Treasury continues to resist a push to speed up an increase in defense spending, just days out from unveiling the country’s long-delayed military investment plan.
• GOP Lawmakers Raise Doubts on Prospects of Third Budget Bill
  Some key Republicans in Congress are throwing cold water on prospects for passing a third party-line budget bill, even as House GOP leaders insist they can move another mammoth legislative package this summer.
• Kenyan Police Clash With Protesters Over US Ebola Facility
  Kenyan police fired teargas at protesters demonstrating against a planned quarantine facility for US servicemen and citizens exposed to the Ebola virus.
• US Operations in Nigeria Killed Hundreds of IS-Linked Militants
  The US said it has killed about 200 Islamic State-linked fighters in Nigeria since operations began in the West African nation.
• UK’s Starmer to Announce Under-16s Social Media Ban in Days
  UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is preparing to announce a ban on under-16s using social media within days after his position hardened following parents’ response to a government consultation.
• Becerra, Hilton Advance in California Governor Election, DDHQ Projects
  The race for California governor is on track for a two-person runoff in November between veteran Democratic politician Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton, a British-born television personality endorsed by President Donald Trump.
• UK to Repay Visa Fees to Growth Firms Which Recruit Abroad
  The UK government will reimburse visa fees incurred by fast-growing companies when they recruit talent from abroad, in an effort to make Britain a friendlier environment for technology firms.
• Peru’s Diaspora Emerges as Tie-Breaker in Razor-Edge Presidential Race
  Peru’s presidential election is so tight that it’ll likely be citizens abroad, rather than those from within the country, who will break the tie.
• Brazil Court Suspends AtlasIntel Poll Challenged by Bolsonaro
  Brazil’s electoral court suspended the circulation of an AtlasIntel poll that showed Senator Flávio Bolsonaro losing ground in the presidential race, citing alleged problems with the pollster’s methodology.
• UN Says Children Are Dying in Cuba Because of Strict US Sanctions
  Tighter US sanctions on Cuba have led to a spike in infant mortality and plummeting survival rates for child cancer patients, the United Nations warned in one of its strongest rebukes of Washington’s pressure campaign against the island.
• Bolivia President Signs Law to Toughen Crackdown on Protests
  Bolivia’s embattled President Rodrigo Paz signed a measure that clears the way for a more aggressive crackdown on anti-government protests that have rocked the South American country for more than five weeks.
• Roblox Shares Rise on Report Russia May Unblock Gaming Platform
  Roblox Corp. shares jumped after a report Russian government agencies proposed lifting restrictions on the company’s gaming platform, though any final decision rests with law enforcement authorities.
• Xi Cements Sway Over North Korea as Kim Names China Top Priority
  Kim Jong Un feted Chinese President Xi Jinping with two days of lavish celebrations in Pyongyang, calling ties with China a “top priority” in a clear message that Beijing, not Moscow, remains North Korea’s most important partner.
• US Strikes India-Crewed Tanker That May Have Been Iran-Bound
  The US military fired at an empty tanker for its suspected involvement in the Iranian oil trade this week as Washington continues to enforce a blockade of the Islamic Republic’s ports.