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Federal Reserve Statement: The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) unanimously elected Kevin Warsh as Chairman of the FOMC.On May 23, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulcie Gabbard announced on social media on May 22 that she had submitted her resignation to President Trump that day to care for her husband, who is battling cancer. U.S. media reports indicate that Gabbard was effectively "forced out" by the White House. In her resignation letter, Gabbard stated that her husband had recently been diagnosed with "an extremely rare form of bone cancer," and her resignation would take effect on June 30. Trump announced on social media that day that Deputy Director of National Intelligence Aaron Lucas would serve as acting Director of National Intelligence. According to multiple U.S. media reports, Gabbard had been marginalized within the White Houses national security decision-making system, and in recent months, Trump had expressed considerable dissatisfaction with her and considered replacements. Gabbard has long opposed U.S. government military intervention abroad and disagreed with Trump on the Iranian nuclear issue. After the U.S. and Israel launched a large-scale military operation against Iran in late February, she testified before Congress that Iran had not attempted to rebuild its nuclear program and refused to confirm that Iran posed an imminent threat as the U.S. claimed.According to the Wall Street Journal, sources say the United States has suspended visa issuance to people who have visited Ebola-affected areas. This policy applies to individuals planning to travel to the United States within 21 days in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, or Uganda.According to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), in the week ending May 19, speculators reduced their net short positions in CBOT U.S. 2-year Treasury futures by 41,775 contracts to 1,560,837 contracts; increased their net short positions in CBOT U.S. 10-year Treasury futures by 66,885 contracts to 848,052 contracts; increased their net short positions in CBOT U.S. ultra-long-term Treasury futures by 15,470 contracts to 254,464 contracts; and reduced their net short positions in CBOT U.S. 5-year Treasury futures by 11,629 contracts to 1,350,516 contracts.According to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), in the week ending May 19, crude oil speculators increased their net long positions in WTI crude oil by 15,017 contracts, reaching 110,348 contracts.

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.


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