Nov 29, 2017

Sen. Ron Johnson will vote yes on procedural tax vote today

Sen. Ron Johnson Photo: Susan Walsh / AP

Republican Senators coming out of lunch on Wednesday told Axios that Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) was very positive about the tax bill now that the small business deduction has been increased from 17.4% to 20% and will vote yes this afternoon to starting debate on the bill. This is a big improvement from yesterday.

Why it matters: Johnson was one of the first to say he would vote "no" on the tax plan when it was first proposed, but Republicans seem to have managed to appease his concerns.

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Ina Fried

6 hours ago - Technology

TikTok to pull out of Hong Kong

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

TikTok said Monday night that it would pull its social video platform out of the Google and Apple app stores in Hong Kong amid a restrictive new law that went into effect last week.

Why it matters: TikTok's move comes as many large tech companies say they are still evaluating how to respond to the Hong Kong law.

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Dave Lawler

8 hours ago - World

Ethiopia's Nobel Peace laureate cracks down on ethnic violence

The image of a Nobel Peace laureate in military fatigues encapsulates the moment in which Ethiopia finds itself — on the verge of a transition to democracy, a descent into violence or, perhaps, a precarious combination of the two.

Driving the news: At least 166 people were killed after an iconic musician, Haacaaluu Hundeessaa, was murdered last Monday in Addis Ababa, the capital. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed responded to the violence by sending in troops and shutting off the internet. High-profile opposition leaders were arrested, along with some 2,300 others.

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Orion Rummler

Updated 10 hours ago - Health

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms tests positive for coronavirus

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said on Monday that she has tested positive for the coronavirus after displaying no symptoms.

Why it matters: Bottoms, one of several Black women on the shortlist to be Joe Biden's running mate, has risen to national prominence in recent months as part of mass protests over racism and police brutality — driven in part by the killing of Rayshard Brooks by Atlanta police.