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BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, VW used parts made with Chinese forced labor, Senate report finds

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BMW, Volkswagen and Jaguar Land Rover have bought parts made by a Chinese company sanctioned under a 2021 law for using forced labor, a U.S. Senate investigation found, resulting in a call by lawmakers for stricter enforcement.

The automakers said in response to the Senate report released Monday that they’ve taken action to bring their cars into compliance with the law.

The Senate Finance Committee’s two-year probe revealed that BMW imported to the U.S. at least 8,000 MINI vehicles containing parts produced by JWD after the Chinese supplier was sanctioned in December for its links to China’s labor program in the far western region of Xinjiang.

The report said Jaguar Land Rover imported replacement parts including components made by JWD even after the automaker had been informed of the presence of the problematic product in its supply chain.

Volkswagen, however, disclosed to the U.S. border authorities that a shipment of its vehicles contained parts made by JWD, according to the report.

The components were sourced through two contractors — California-based Bourns Inc. and Michigan-based Lear Corp. — the latter of which is a direct supplier for BMW and Jaguar Land Rover, according to the report.

“Automakers are sticking their heads in the sand and then swearing they cannot find any forced labor in their supply chains,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon and chair of the committee. “Automakers’ self-policing is clearly not doing the job.” Wyden called on Customs and Border Protection to “supercharge enforcement and crack down on companies that fuel the shameful use of forced labor in China.”

Jaguar Land Rover said in a statement that the subcomponent mentioned in the report “was used in a prior generation of technology and is not in current JLR vehicles for sale.” The company also said that once it was notified that the Chinese manufacturer was on the sanctions list, it immediately stopped shipment of the affected parts and all existing inventory containing the component was “quarantined for destruction.”

BMW Group said it “has taken steps to halt the importation of affected products and will be conducting a service action with customer and dealer notification for affected motor vehicles.”

Both automakers said they take protection of human rights and prohibitions against forced labor seriously.

The report points out that the U.S. has banned the use of forced labor U.S. lawmakers in 2021 passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, banning the entry of products made with forced labor in Xinjiang, where the Uyghurs, a Muslim ethnic group, have been persecuted for their religious and cultural beliefs.

The U.S. government has described this persecution as an act of genocide. Beijing strongly objects to this characterization, saying its efforts are aimed at countering terrorism.

In Xinjiang, China also runs employment programs that it says boost job skills and connect the local workforce with better-paying jobs in other parts of the country, but human rights advocates say participation in those programs can be involuntary.

In the U.S., lawmakers have demanded that the 2021 law be strictly enforced and have criticized the automakers for not adequately scrutinizing their supply chains to ensure compliance with the law.



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How a unique Topeka program is welcoming immigrants and helping them thrive

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How a unique Topeka program is welcoming immigrants and helping them thrive – CBS News


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A nonprofit has partnered with the Topeka, Kansas, community to ensure immigrants have more than just a roof over their heads. Janet Shamlian has more.

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How a unique Topeka program is welcoming immigrants and helping them thrive

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Topeka, Kansas — When Angelica Chernytska and her mother Larysa left war-torn Ukraine earlier this year, they never expected Topeka, Kansas, would quickly feel like home.

“I was overwhelmed, that is how I can describe my feelings,” Angelica told CBS News.

That’s because the people of this Midwestern city have created a modern-day welcome wagon.

“It’s very rewarding to see the children thrive in school, not afraid of sirens,” said Yana Ross, president of the nonprofit group Top City Promise.

Ross, who immigrated from Ukraine herself, started the volunteer group to help new immigrants, mostly Ukrainians so far, with almost all expenses for three months, including a place to live.

Larysa said she “was overwhelmed” to walk into a fully furnished apartment the day after she arrived in Topeka.

What is unique is how the group has partnered with the community to ensure the immigrants have more than just a roof over their heads. A Latter-day Saints church welcomes the newcomers to pick up free food, while a Catholic church stores donations that furnish the homes.
 
Topeka Public Schools has gone as far as hiring a director of cultural innovation, Dr. Pilar Mejía, who helps ease the transition for children.

“We need to strengthen our community from the ground up, and it starts with the children, and so we need to make sure that everybody feels like they’re important,” Mejía said. “They are seen, they are welcomed.”

Topeka Public Schools now has an international flair. In the district of almost 13,000, Ukrainian and Spanish are the most common languages after English. More than 200 refugees have benefitted from the program and the helping hand extends to all nationalities.

Lisbeth Amador came from Nicaragua with her husband and 6-year-old daughter Sury. The couple have jobs, a car and a good school for Sury.

“I love it,” Amador says of her family’s new home. “…It’s different, my life here.”
 
The cost of welcoming a family can range anywhere from $300 to $10,000 depending on needs. Top City Promise relies on fundraising and the big hearts of the people who call Topeka home.
 
“Community is what makes Topeka different, because of the desire of the Topeka community to help, to help them to be successful,” Ross said.



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California firefighters battling Thompson Fire contend with simmering heat

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California firefighters battling Thompson Fire contend with simmering heat – CBS News


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With most of California trapped in an unrelenting heat dome, the high temperatures are creating major challenges for firefighters battling the massive Thompson Fire near Oroville, which has forced the evacuation of thousands of people. Elise Preston has more.

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