Month: September 2020

US says it will block palm oil from large Malaysian producer

September 30, 2020

The United States will block shipments of palm oil from a major Malaysian producer that feeds into the supply chains of iconic U.S. food and cosmetic brands. It found indicators of forced labor, including concerns about child workers, along with other abuses such as physical and sexual violence.  The order against FGV Holdings Berhad, one … More US says it will block palm oil from large Malaysian producer

Palm oil labor abuses linked to world’s top brands, banks

September 25, 2020

The AP interviewed more than 130 current and former workers from two dozen palm oil companies who came from eight countries and labored on plantations across wide swaths of Malaysia and Indonesia. Almost all had complaints about their treatment, with some saying they were cheated, threatened, held against their will or forced to work off … More Palm oil labor abuses linked to world’s top brands, banks

Child-Slavery Appeals by Nestle, Cargill Draw Supreme Court Inquiry

September 23, 2020

The U.S. Supreme Court signaled interest in giving companies a broader shield from lawsuits by victims of overseas atrocities, asking the Trump administration for advice on a case stemming from child slavery on cocoa farms in the Ivory Coast. Nestle SA’s U.S. unit and Cargill Inc. are urging the court to end a suit that accuses … More Child-Slavery Appeals by Nestle, Cargill Draw Supreme Court Inquiry

Why the Supreme Court ended up with nine justices—and how that could change

September 20, 2020

When the Founding Fathers set out to establish the U.S. Supreme Court at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, they kept the details vague. There are no constitutional requirements for age, experience, or citizenship of Supreme Court justices, nor did the Constitution establish how many justices would make up the court. Instead, it left many of … More Why the Supreme Court ended up with nine justices—and how that could change

Bayer Settles Thousands More Roundup Suits

September 18, 2020

The latest settlements resolve about 15,000 U.S. lawsuits, according to lawyers familiar with the deals. Added to the approximately 32,000 settlements previously disclosed by Ken Feinberg, the mediator overseeing the process, Bayer has resolved at least 47,000 of the suits. The company has said it faces about 125,000 filed and unfiled Roundup claims. The value … More Bayer Settles Thousands More Roundup Suits