Poisoned beauty: How Johnson & Johnson failed to dodge $9 billion fines using bankruptcy law
J&J said in May 2020 that it would discontinue sales of talc-based baby powders in the US and Canada and replace them with cornstarch-based baby powders. The company said talc powders would “continue to be sold in other markets around the world where there is significantly higher demand for the product.”
50,000 lawsuits expose J&J’s 40 years of deception about asbestos in baby powder
In 2006, IARC classified cosmetic talc as “possibly carcinogenic” when used in the genital area. J&J then “looked for ways to sell more Baby Powder to two key groups of longtime users: African-American and overweight women,” Reuters reported in 2019.
Central Europe’s war industry scrambles for African weapons market as Russia battles Ukraine
The Czech Republic in 2022 exported ammunition, guns, aircraft and other military supplies valued at around 32 million euros to 10 sub-Saharan African countries, many which rely on Soviet-era weapons manufactured with different standards and calibres than those used in the West. This was up from just under 2 million euros in 2011.
China’s Xi Jinping meets US’ Biden to restore communication, reduce military tension
US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, who with Blinken opened the APEC ministerial session, said the San Francisco meeting came at a time of “great uncertainty and challenges” for the region. She noted increasing geopolitical tensions, fragile supply chains and a worsening climate crisis.
Intra-African Fair in Cairo told AfCFTA can end colonial legacy of exporting raw materials
Jean-Louis Ekra, Deputy Chairperson of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2023) Advisory Council and a former President of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
Kenya to pay back $300 million of $2 billion bond in December, says President Ruto
Kenya will in December pay back $300 million of a $2 billion Eurobond that falls due next June, President William Ruto said on Thursday. The East African nation is being watched closely to see how it handles the bond due to its growing debt repayments, weakening currency and a surge...
US Secretary of State says President Biden is keen on improved US-Africa trade programme
Over $10 billion worth of African exports entered the United States duty free last year under the programme. However, the US International Trade Commission earlier this year highlighted major shortcomings.
UK-based firm lines up project financing to connect 260 million people in Africa to electricity
The International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that the number of people in Sub-Saharan Africa without power – 600 million – will be largely unchanged by 2030. Mini-grids, which are self-sufficient electricity grids that can serve households and businesses, have a critical role to play in bridging the gap. They are the least-cost method to bring electricity to over 260 million people.
Kenya’s grim economic outlook forces Uganda to give exclusive petroleum supply deal to Vitol
Using Kenyan importers had “exposed Uganda to occasional supply vulnerabilities where the Ugandan retail companies were considered secondary whenever there were supply disruptions,” which affected retail prices, Nankabirwa said.
Millions of jobs in Kenya, South Africa and 3 others in limbo over AGOA trade initiative
Apparel has been the standout success story of AGOA, which launched in 2000 to help develop African economies and foster democracy. African apparel exports under the programme reached nearly $1.4 billion last year, double the pre-AGOA amount.
