Big Spender

NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyan President William Ruto said Wednesday he won’t sign into law a finance bill proposing new taxes, a day after protesters stormed parliament and several people were shot dead. It was the biggest assault on Kenya’s government in decades. The government wanted to raise funds to pay off debt, but Kenyans said the bill caused more economic pain as millions struggle to get by.

Imagine you have a serious talk with your partner—yet when you bring it up a couple weeks later, they say: “We never had that conversation! You must be thinking of something else.” Or your boss gives you an assignment but omits crucial information, later berating you for falling short and claiming you were provided with the exact instructions you know you never received.

On June 25, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued a landmark Advisory on Firearm Violence, declaring the United States’ gun violence epidemic a public health crisis. Dr. Murthy detailed the devastating and far-reaching impact of firearm violence on the health and well-being of the country, noting that is now the leading cause of death Americans 19 and younger. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] For gun violence prevention activists, advocates and funders, the Surgeon General’s proclamation is a sad, but important validation of a decades-long effort.

A little girl had something “crazy” to announce to the world at the start of Glastonbury Festival 2024 on Wednesday: she has a boyfriend. When BBC reporter Colin Patterson asked 5-year-old Elske to elaborate on her new boyfriend, the little girl proceeded to share his name, proudly sharing it is “Toby Ogden.” Patterson then turned to her parents, who amusingly had differing opinions on the boy. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] “It’s a no from me,” the girl’s father told Patterson, teasing, while her mother adopted a more positive attitude.

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Wednesday sided with the Biden administration in a dispute with Republican-led states over how far the federal government can go to combat controversial social media posts on topics including COVID-19 and election security. The justices threw out lower-court rulings that favored Louisiana, Missouri and other parties in their claims that officials in the Democratic administration leaned on the social media platforms to unconstitutionally squelch conservative points of view. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] The case is among several before the court this term that affect social media companies in the context of free speech.

The fury among liberals over news of an upside-down flag — a “Stop the Steal” symbol — flying in Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s yard was the just latest in a constant barrage of ethical controversies tied to the Court. Over the past year, news outlets have uncovered extravagant trips and gifts Justices Alito and Clarence Thomas received from wealthy benefactors, often without disclosing them as required by federal law.