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According to Israels Channel 12: Security agencies are preparing for a possible decision by Trump to take military action against Iran in the coming days.According to Israels Channel 12: Israel is closely monitoring the draft agreement between the United States and Iran, fearing that Tehran may receive sanctions relief without resolving the nuclear issue.According to Israels Channel 12: The Israeli military has declared a state of high alert in order to prevent a possible escalation of tensions with Iran.May 23 - Reuters, citing an internal document, reported that 27 countries have activated their domestic crisis response mechanisms to apply for World Bank funding to address the global economic impact of the conflict in Iran. The World Bank document did not list specific countries or the total amount of funding potentially requested, but officials in Kenya and Iraq confirmed they are seeking rapid financial support from the World Bank to address the effects of the conflict, such as soaring fuel prices and a sharp drop in oil revenues.On May 23, it was reported that India, the worlds third-largest consumer of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), is currently facing an LPG supply gap of approximately 400,000 barrels per day (compared to pre-war levels), with domestic production unable to compensate for the decline in imports caused by the war with Iran. Data from energy data analytics firm Kpler shows that Indias LPG imports in April were 377,620 barrels per day, less than half of the 851,870 barrels per day imported in February. In April, Indias domestic production increased to 530,000 barrels per day, an increase of approximately 75,000 barrels per day from the previous month. Sumit Ritolia, chief refining and supply analyst at Kpler, stated that the situation is more serious because Indias domestic LPG production is nearing full capacity, meaning that the supply gap could persist as long as imports do not fully recover. A black market seller stated, "Due to soaring costs, we noticed a slight slowdown in customer demand in April. But people have no choice, as switching to other fuels is not easy."

Hershey, Nestle, and Cargill win the dismissal of a claim of child slavery in the United States

Charlie Brooks

Jun 29, 2022 11:06


Tuesday, a federal judge in Washington, D.C. dismissed a case brought by eight Malians claiming child slavery on Ivory Coast cocoa plantations against Hershey Co (NYSE:HSY), Nestle SA (SIX:NESN), Cargill Inc, and others.


U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich determined that the proposed class action plaintiffs lacked legal standing to sue because they failed to prove a "traceable nexus" between the seven defendant companies and the individual farms where the plaintiffs worked.


She added that the plaintiffs did not adequately explain the role of intermediaries in the cocoa supply chain, and that the companies did not oversee actions in "free zones" where 70 to 80 percent of cocoa is farmed.


Mali and Ivory Coast share a border in West Africa.


The plaintiffs claimed they were trafficked as children after being approached by strangers who promised them employment for which they would be compensated, but did not pay them, threatened them with starvation if they did not work, and forced them to live in squalor.


Their attorney, Terry Collingsworth, said that the plaintiffs plan to file an appeal to "compel the businesses to keep their agreements and put an end to this dreadful system they have created."


Other defendants included Mars Inc, Mondelez International Inc (NASDAQ:MDLZ), Barry Callebaut AG, and Olam International Ltd.


In court filings, the seven defendants said that they "strongly abhor the practice of forced labor" and that they were addressing non-forced child labor in cocoa supply chains.


However, they contended that the plaintiffs' too broad legal theory may hold too many parties liable for forced child labor, including consumers and merchants who would benefit from lower prices.


In accordance with the Reauthorization of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, the plaintiffs filed suit.


The Supreme Court of the United States rejected a similar case brought by six Malians against Cargill and Nestle under the Alien Tort Statute of 1789 in June of last year.


This was the most recent in a line of judgments denying access to federal courts based on human rights breaches occurring outside the United States.


Coubaly et al. v. Cargill Inc. et al., U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, case number 21-00386.