28 h. ago ‘We’re on a knife edge’: Alex Gibney warns about the dangers of dark money

In two HBO documentaries, the acclaimed film-maker shines a light on corrupt political spending in AmericaWhen the Rev Robert Schenck saw Donald Trump secure the Republican presidential nomination in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2016, he turned to a fellow evangelical and asked: “Are we really going to do this? We’re going to choose this man who’s inimical to everything we believe?” The Christian leader looked at Schenck and replied: “I don’t care how bad he is. He’s going to get us the court we need.’”This anecdote about the devil’s bargain struck between Trump and the religious right is told in The Dark Money Game, director Alex Gibney’s new diptych of documentaries investigating how untraceable political spending has corrupted America’s highest court, corroded its democracy and put oligarchs in charge. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Democrats’ deference to Biden was a disaster. They still haven’t learned their lesson | Norman Solomon

Conformity and fear of party leadership are impairing Democrats’ ability to fight Trump and drive a progressive agendaJoe Biden’s insistence on running for re-election was certainly disastrous. It kept credible contenders out of the Democratic presidential primaries and prevented the selection of a nominee who had gained momentum in the winnowing process. Even after his stunningly feeble debate performance on 27 June last year, Biden took several weeks before finally opting out of the race. That left Kamala Harris a mere 107 days between the launch of her campaign and election day.Ample evidence shows that the Biden team was riddled with obstinate denial and misrepresentation aimed at the public. But tales of tragic egomania in high places can take us only so far. What’s essential is to scrutinize how – and why – the Democratic party, its leaders and its prominent supporters enabled Biden and his inner circle to get away with such momentous stonewalling for so long. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Huge protests as Istanbul mayor jailed on day of likely presidential nomination

Ekrem İmamoğlu, rival of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, placed in pre-trial detention along with dozens of staff and officialsAn Istanbul court has formally arrested the city’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, on corruption charges, sending him to pre-trial detention on the day he received his party’s nomination to run for president, while tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in the city.The mayor of Turkey’s largest city and a rival of the president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was jailed on charges of leading a criminal organisation, bribery, misconduct and corruption, along with dozens of his staff and municipal officials. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Istanbul mayor jailed on day of likely presidential nomination

Ekrem İmamoğlu, rival of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, placed in pre-trial detention along with dozens of staff and officialsAn Istanbul court has formally arrested the city’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, on corruption charges, sending him to pre-trial detention on the day he is expected to receive his party’s nomination to run for president.The mayor of Turkey’s largest city and a rival of the president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was jailed on charges of leading a criminal organisation, bribery, misconduct and corruption, along with dozens of his staff and municipal officials. Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago Brussels takes action against Google and Apple under Digital Markets Act – as it happened

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsIstanbul mayor arrested days before likely presidential nominationIs Trump driving the US into a recession? – in chartsSuperdrug is to open 25 new stores this year in a move that will create around 600 jobs, as the health and beauty retailer said it intends to invest more in beauty treatments and luxury fragrances.The company, which said that investing in larger stores drives its bricks and mortar strategy, currently has 780 shops in the UK and Ireland.“We want everyone who enters Superdrug to feel an elevated customer experience.”Bexhill-on-Sea (East Sussex)Billericay (Essex)Dover (Kent)Droitwich (Worcestershire)Dunstable (Beds)East Grinstead (West Sussex)Holyhead (Isle of Anglesey)Ilkley (West Yorkshire)Larne (Antrim, NI)Maldon (Essex)Morley (West Yorkshire)North Walsham (Norfolk)Redcar (North Yorkshire)Saffron Walden (Essex)St Annes on Sea (Lancashire)Turriff (Aberdeenshire)Uckfield (East Sussex)Urmston (Great Manchester) ...

Politics

4 w. ago Brussels takes action against Google and Apple under Digital Markets Act – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsIstanbul mayor arrested days before likely presidential nominationIs Trump driving the US into a recession? – in chartsSuperdrug is to open 25 new stores this year in a move that will create around 600 jobs, as the health and beauty retailer said it intends to invest more in beauty treatments and luxury fragrances.The company, which said that investing in larger stores drives its bricks and mortar strategy, currently has 780 shops in the UK and Ireland.“We want everyone who enters Superdrug to feel an elevated customer experience.”Bexhill-on-Sea (East Sussex)Billericay (Essex)Dover (Kent)Droitwich (Worcestershire)Dunstable (Beds)East Grinstead (West Sussex)Holyhead (Isle of Anglesey)Ilkley (West Yorkshire)Larne (Antrim, NI)Maldon (Essex)Morley (West Yorkshire)North Walsham (Norfolk)Redcar (North Yorkshire)Saffron Walden (Essex)St Annes on Sea (Lancashire)Turriff (Aberdeenshire)Uckfield (East Sussex)Urmston (Great Manchester) ...

Economics