International
Republicans kill Biden drive to end ‘dark money’ in US elections
AFP
US President Joe Biden’s push for an end to secretive political spending by the super-rich died in the Senate on Thursday as Republicans voted unanimously against curtailing so-called “dark money” in elections.
Democrats have spent years complaining that tycoons are handing over fortunes to influence politicians through loosely-regulated donations that are impossible to trace, heightening the threat of corruption.
But the DISCLOSE Act — a bill proposing to make donations to political organizations more transparent — managed to garner only 49 of the 60 votes required to bring it the Senate floor, after a Republican blockade.
“Today, Senate Republicans stood in lockstep with their megadonors and secretive special interests to protect the most corrupting force in American politics — dark money,” said Democratic senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who spearheaded the proposed reform.
Dark money political spending went from under $5 million in 2006 to more than $1 billion in 2020, according to Whitehouse, who vowed to fight on.
The bill would have required so-called “super PACs” — independent political action committees that are allowed to raise unlimited sums but cannot contribute directly to campaigns — and other dark money groups to report anyone contributing $10,000 or more.
Biden had banked political capital on the reform, delivering a televised address from the White House on Tuesday in which he said the issue was a matter of “public trust.”
“Dark money erodes public trust. We need to protect public trust and I’m determined to do that,” the 79-year-old Democrat said.
The president noted a recent $1.6 billion donation by a Chicago industrialist to the ultra-conservative Marble Freedom Trust, the largest single contribution to a political nonprofit ever disclosed, that only came to light thanks to the US media.
“The DISCLOSE Act would shine a light on special interest spending to neutralize its toxic effect, giving Americans’ voices a chance to be heard,” Whitehouse added.
“Republicans heeded the wishes of dark money donors today, but the fight to pass this bill isn’t over.”
The New York Times reported in January however that Democratic-allied donors had matched or possibly even surpassed Republicans in dark money spending in the 2020 election.
The daily said 15 of the most politically active non-profit organizations aligned with Democrats had handed over more than $1.5 billion in 2020 — compared to around $900 million spent by a comparable sample on the Republican side.
International
Colombia Earthquake Leaves at Least 22 Dead as Rescue Efforts Continue
At least 22 people were killed and dozens more were affected by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Colombia on Monday, with the epicenter located near the municipality of San José del Palmar in the northwestern department of Chocó, authorities reported in a preliminary assessment.
The city of Pereira has so far recorded the highest number of fatalities. Mayor Mauricio Salazar told local media that 18 people had died in the city and warned that a large number of buildings had been damaged.
“The situation is critical, and we are moving forward with assessments while assisting people who remain trapped,” Salazar said.
Authorities in Manizales reported two additional deaths, while two more fatalities were confirmed in the department of Valle del Cauca. Several people were also injured, and structural damage was reported in different communities.
“We are just beginning to establish radio communication with the hospitals. We know that we have three injured people in El Cairo, two deaths in Zarzal, the collapse of an academic structure in Calima Darién, and minor structural damage in Cali,” said María Cristina Lesmes, Valle del Cauca’s health secretary.
Emergency teams were continuing rescue and assessment operations as authorities worked to determine the full extent of the damage and update the number of casualties.
International
Record 230 Migrants Cross English Channel to UK in Single Boat
A record 230 migrants crossed the English Channel overnight Sunday aboard a small inflatable boat bound for the United Kingdom, according to French maritime rescue services and British media, highlighting the growing number of people being packed onto vessels attempting the dangerous crossing.
More than 20 children were among those aboard the inflatable boat when it departed from the northeastern French coast on Sunday night amid chaotic scenes, France’s maritime rescue service SNSM said in an online statement.
The figure surpasses the previous record for the number of people aboard a single boat, set last month when 165 migrants successfully crossed the busy maritime route.
The latest incident comes just days after an inflatable boat carrying more than 150 people capsized in the Channel after its engine caught fire, triggering a major search-and-rescue operation.
Britain’s Home Office did not confirm the exact number of people aboard Sunday’s vessel but condemned what it described as the “reckless and dangerous tactics” used by criminal gangs facilitating the crossings.
A spokesperson for Prime Minister Andy Burnham described images of the operation as “shocking,” particularly those showing very young children being placed aboard boats that were not suitable for the journey.
The United Kingdom has spent years attempting to curb these dangerous and politically sensitive Channel crossings. Tens of thousands of migrants have reached the southeastern English coast annually in recent years, keeping the issue at the center of the country’s immigration debate.
International
Joe Biden’s Prostate Cancer Has Spread to His Bones, Son Hunter Reveals
Former U.S. President Joe Biden’s prostate cancer has worsened and spread to his bones and other parts of his body, his son Hunter Biden revealed in a recent interview with the BBC.
Biden disclosed in May 2025, just four months after leaving office as the oldest sitting U.S. president in history, that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had already spread to his bones.
The former president subsequently began treatment, including radiation and hormone therapy. In July, while announcing the publication of his memoirs, Biden said the treatment was going “really well.”
However, in an extensive interview broadcast Friday night on the BBC’s Newsnight, Hunter Biden said his father’s condition had progressed despite treatment.
“The cancer has spread and metastasized to his bones and other places,” Hunter Biden said.
He added that the illness has been “very painful” and, in many ways, “very debilitating,” but said his father continues to remain active.
“He’s still out there. He’s still doing his thing,” Hunter Biden said, emphasizing that his father remains deeply committed to the United States.
The former president’s diagnosis has remained a subject of public attention since it was first announced, particularly because of his age and his decision to continue a public life after leaving the White House.
Colombia Earthquake Leaves at Least 22 Dead as Rescue Efforts Continue
Record 230 Migrants Cross English Channel to UK in Single Boat
Joe Biden’s Prostate Cancer Has Spread to His Bones, Son Hunter Reveals
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