Latest Forced labor News

Sex trade to slavery: A UN agency says criminals reap $236B a year in profits from forced labor

Mar. 19, 2024 08:32 AM EDT

GENEVA (AP) — Illegal profits from forced labor worldwide have risen to the “obscene” amount of $236 billion per year, the U.N. labor agency reported Tuesday, with sexual exploitation to blame for three-fourths of the take from a business that deprives migrants of money they can send home,...

Philippines says US will address concerns over garment exports held up on suspicion of forced labor

Mar. 12, 2024 05:52 AM EDT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The U.S. commerce secretary has committed to address concerns by the Philippines after American authorities held up shipments of garments on suspicion that cotton was produced by forced labor in China’s Xinjiang region, Philippine officials said Tuesday. ...

How Chinese retailers can offer Americans steep bargains on clothes and why that could change

Mar. 04, 2024 10:10 AM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — As a substitute teacher in her mid-20s, Lindsey Puls was delighted to discover the fashion world of Shein more than 10 years ago, lured in by its super-low prices — with tops selling for a few dollars, dresses under $10, and free shipping on orders over $29. ...

California lawmakers say reparations bills, which exclude widespread payments, are a starting point

Feb. 21, 2024 19:25 PM EST

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Black lawmakers in California on Wednesday introduced a package of reparations legislation, calling it a starting point to atone for the state’s legacy of discrimination. The California Legislative Black Caucus introduced the package of more than a dozen...

Major automakers may be using Chinese aluminum produced with Uyghur forced labor, rights group says

Feb. 01, 2024 21:20 PM EST

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Automakers including Tesla, General Motors, Volkswagen and Toyota are failing to ensure they are not using forced labor as part of their China supply chains, a report released Thursday by Human Rights Watch says. The U.S.-based nonprofit linked some of the...

Takeaways from the AP's investigation into how US prison labor supports many popular food brands

Jan. 29, 2024 11:27 AM EST

In a sweeping two-year investigation, The Associated Press found goods linked to U.S. prisoners wind up in the supply chains of a dizzying array of products from Frosted Flakes cereal and Ball Park hot dogs to Gold Medal flour and Coca-Cola. They are on the shelves of most supermarkets, including...

Mexico finds missing Colombian women. They had apparently been forced to work as escorts

Jan. 13, 2024 22:01 PM EST

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican officials said Saturday they found at least eight Colombian women who had been reported missing in the Gulf coast state of Tabasco. Tabasco Gov. Carlos Manuel Merino wrote on his social media accounts that the women had been found, were in good health and...

New Mexico regulators revoke the licenses of 2 marijuana grow operations and levies $2M in fines

Jan. 02, 2024 20:18 PM EST

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico marijuana regulators on Tuesday revoked the licenses of two growing operations in a rural county for numerous violations and have levied a $1 million fine against each business. One of the businesses — Native American Agricultural Development...