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BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, VW used parts made with Chinese forced labor, Senate report finds
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 to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears NFL game today: Livestream options, more
The Minnesota Vikings will take on the Chicago Bears today. The Vikings are currently 8-2, an impressive run so far this season, and will be looking to add a fourth win to their current streak after last Sunday’s 23-13 win against the Tennessee Titans. The Bears, on the other hand, are entering this game on the heels of a four-game losing streak after a tough 20-19 loss against the Green Bay Packers last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Vikings vs. Bears game today, whether or not you have cable.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears
The Vikings vs. Bears game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Fubo offers you an easy, user-friendly way to watch NFL games on CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network, plus NCAA football channels. The Pro tier includes 200+ channels and unlimited DVR, while the Elite with Sports Plus tier adds NFL RedZone and 4K resolution. New subscribers get a seven-day free trial and all plans allow streaming on up to 10 screens simultaneously.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.