as for the next 30 years the victims say they still live with the consequences to a. child trafficking and forced labor those are the allegations filed in a lawsuit against some of the world's largest chocolate producers we hear disturbing testimonies. and uses for your code were not given those are visible scars from machete accidents. a dutch course declares the government's covert curfew to be illegal ruling that ministers misused emergency powers. french lawmakers approved 90 separatism bill which critics say would unfairly target muslims opponents to the legislation had been rallying for days in paris. and as u.s. democrats announced plans for a $911.00 style commission into the capitol riots we are mccarthy era witch hunt is

on the horizon. barry will welcome you watching r t international with me nicky erin. now the unsavory business practices are some of the world's biggest chocolate producers have been placed under the spotlight that's off the international rights advocates filed a lawsuit alleging that snark giants including nestlé mars and cargill forced children as young as 11 to make their products it looks into the not so sweet story behind your favorite chocolate bar. one chocolate cannot get more dark i'm not talking about the percentage of milk but rather how much child labor is used in production human rights activists are suing a number of food giants on the u.s.

market including the likes of mars the reason claims of knowingly benefiting from selling cheap cocoa harvested by child slaves these companies are working together through the world cocoa federation these companies are profiting handsomely from the very cheap cocoa that they get from using child slaves children who were kidnapped from mali and brought to go to war and floors to work. they came to duvall are between the ages of 11 and 14 in each of them ended up working for several years before they managed to escape so the activist are sounding the alarm over ivory coast a fact to think of the country exports more cocoa than anyone else on the planet now providing about 2 thirds of the world's supply which makes it very likely that the regular chocolate bar you eat tastes of illegal child labor while you're chilling just picture what slavery is like here's what the activists heard from

kids who escaped after years of misery ease of was told he would be fed and paid his wages at the end of the season he cleared brush with a machete apply pesticides and herbicides without any safety instructions or protective gear he slept on the plantation alone and a ragged top he was exposed to in 16 snakes he was given very little food and was often hungry at the end of the yeah he was not paid repeated stories of disastrous safety food work and living conditions all to end up being fooled with pay. whose main tara and is suv baguio co was about 6 to 7 hours to the small isolated village of sour duca they were not given any food and they were only able to drink water down to the river they did everything on the plantation without any protective gear but have visible scars from machete accidents an american

government study found the number of children harvesting cocoa in west africa has gone up year on year and is now about $1600000.00 war then 95 per cent are engaged in hazardous work companies in the big chocolate business admit there's an issue with child labor and pretty much all claim they're doing their best to tackle it but in their defense they're trying to tell the critics how hard it is to monitor such a massive industry some businesses have built schools in africa many have come up with programs to avoid child abuse the activists however claim the programs could actually be used as schemes to create a positive image but hide the scale of slavery horrors good arrests and they roll out these fake programs that sound good on paper the cocoa action plan the nestle cocoa plan and it's all just a lie what they're actually doing is continuing to change nothing except they

create a small model program that monitors a tiny fraction of their supply chain so they can convince some consumers at least that they're making progress according to the lawsuit only 30 percent of the plantations are subject to scrutiny the rest are the so-called free zones where there's claim to be 0 monitoring so even if the food giants efforts are indeed and at the right thing the reality of the cocoa business is darker than the darkest chocolate bar you've ever tasted that's lame nonsense i get to respond to our request for comment on the allegations. a court in the hague has ruled that the dutch government's controversial covert curfew is illegal after a set that off 30 said misused emergency powers the curfew will however remain in place until the government's appeal on friday has artie's peter all about with more

well this 9 pm curfew that's been in place in the netherlands to try and stop the spread of covert nineteen's been one of the most controversial measures that to be put in across the european continent on tuesday a court in the hague said it was illegal the curfew is a far reaching violation of the right to freedom of movement and previously and in directly limits among other things the right to freedom of assembly and demonstration the curfew is based on a law for emergency situations where there's no time for debate with parliament there was no such pressing need in this case no such pressing need seems to be one of the key phrases in the ruling it relates directly to the fact that the number of covert cases in the netherlands has been declining steadily since mid december we did see demonstrations against this curfew demonstrations that turned violent clashes between protesters and police bordering on full blown riot in cities like

amsterdam and rotterdam earlier this year but despite the court ruling on tuesday that curfew remains in place the reason for that is mark the dutch prime minister and his government they applied for an emergency injunction against the court ruling to allow the the curfew to remain in place so it could be debated further that injunction was granted mark rooters says the curfew is necessary to get covert numbers down and keep them down after. the curfew is a means not a girl i can emphasize that often enough the aim is to bring the virus under control so we can regain all our freedoms that's the reason the curfew was introduced and not changed. well mr it is government working on ways to put in place new laws that would essentially allow the few to be rendered legal what we are seeing though when it comes to people on the streets in the netherlands is there's

a fairly mixed opinion right now to whether this curfew needs to be gotten rid of or whether it needs to stay. like a few makes absolutely no sense what they've done now they try to keep those students in but if those students go somewhere before 9 pm and only go out again in the morning that's fine too the curfew was no use they have to ground those planes so that people can't travel because as long as people continue to travel they will continue to travel or i notice that people who don't have much to do with it have less trouble with karana i've had chronic myself so i know how bad it can be my mother died of it recently we also noticed that there are fewer flu symptoms if you're cold complaints also because people have less contact and stick to the rules in a better manner i think the responsibility should lie with every individual i mean i didn't like the curfew myself but i didn't think they had to protest against it either it doesn't bother me personally because i'm not coming out of work after 9

pm anyway but i mean it matters for people like my brother who come back from work after 9 while this is all very messy legally it may well have huge repercussions for the more than 50000 people who've already being handed fines for breaching the curfew by the police we are expecting more to come on 'd this it's up for debate on friday in the netherlands we'll see whether that curfew remains whether it goes or whether it comes back in some different type of for. israelis refusing to get a coronavirus job may soon find their name is being given to the or thora t s at least that's what the israeli prime minister has suggested raising concerns over possible privacy violations and discrimination israel has a world leading vaccination program but its recent loss of momentum has worried prime minister benjamin netanyahu the government is now considering taking a series of measures to boost the uptake among the population they include

launching a campaign against this information introducing a law aimed at people refusing to get the job as well as giving immunity passports to those inoculated. with the reasons to go and get vaccinated is that we are now launching the green passport plan wherever it's been vaccinated will be able to go enjoy the steer to the cinema sports events flights abroad restaurants and more. the new measure sparks protests outside the prime minister's residence in jerusalem with hundreds demanding netanyahu is resignation accusing him of mishandling the pandemic and corruption the proposal to share the names on vaccinated people with alter artie's has raised concerns over privacy violations and possible discrimination has been met with a mixed reaction among israelis. the government should. convince the people but not

like you forced them to do that this manner you have to be very vigilant for the. privacy of the citizens but over public health all measures should be taken of course you can't force someone to be vaccinated but you can. forbid him to enter to enter into closed places close areas where he can infect other people it's ok to do it to protect the safety and. all the people wrong violating one right to protect all the others people. after weeks of heated debate the french national assembly has voted in favor of a bill against separatism it was proposed to curb radical islam after a series of killings including the brutal brutal beheading of a history teacher last october but critics say it unfairly targets the country's

5700000 muslims lawmakers adopted more than 300 amendments to the bill and many m.p.'s all still unhappy with the finished product. it is you know it is upset silence and absence in other words the existing separate as they call it is not the same for everyone to detect it pretty aim of this bill is precisely to reinforce our legislative arsenal to combat separatism and to allow the republic to act within the rule of law not to a group or going through to defend the principles of the republic verjuice religious extremism and its dramatic consequences is a serious challenge of our time well this law is a needed in trying to found the use of the french for public includes a tightening of rules around things such as religious teaching ringback to online hate and it will also see chance sentences doctors who perform genesee tests know the idea that this was to stop islam ists from creating communities that reject the

country's secular identity and also values of equality between men and women this is how the country's interior minister at present the bill provides concrete responses to the development of radical islam and ideology hostile to the principles and values on which the republic is founded this in law was debated for hours and hours in the national assembly with m.p.'s and false going through every section of it more than 100 hours was spent alleging facts and there were $300.00 amendments made that despite all of that talking this year is seen by some as being kin to a witch hunt against muslims. in each presidential election particularly when muslims are the focus of debates leave us alone leave islam alone. job of the more you think we're going to do it if we really want to fight against terrorism what's going on today has nothing to do with this quite on the contrary it will only make

it worse and 50 have a limit it scares me it scares me for the youth because the problem is he yes we wear a veil yes we are muslim. so what because we are muslims it doesn't mean that where is limits it is necessary to make the distinction now the bill has also sparked diplomatic problems and tensions with other countries you might remember that there was critical coverage in the english language media at the lead to present my point of personally intervened said he was unhappy about past and it's also straining ties with countries such as pakistan and turkey don't forget there were protests held across the muslim world there were even effigies of president map on it will burn such as the discontentment with this crackdown and the suggestions about this rule but analysts say it doesn't go far enough there is dissatisfaction and this you didn't include a ban on women wearing islamic at headscarves in areas such as university so it

does seem that nobody was really happy with it by the fact this bill passed or that this 1st reading this bill had been in the works spoke very long time over year ago president it talks about creating a bill like this but it really came at sharp focus following a spate of islam it is terror attacks in france last year there was of course the brutal beheading of history teacher samuel patty and then 3 people being slain as a church in a nice school really a total farce to reflect and decide how it was going to target this issue that keeps rearing its head time and time again so it'd be really interesting to see how this plays out larry let's not forget though this is just the 1st hurdle yes it's been represented by the deputies in the national assembly but it now has to go to the senate where there is a suggestion that it will be strengthened even more. still to come support for

a 3rd political party in the u.s. to each is an old time high where are the experts if this is the answer to the u.s. political crisis this story and more after the break. the be. small seems wrong. to me. to shape our lives just to get the ticket and engagement because betrayal. when so many find themselves worlds apart. just to look for common ground. the world is driven by a dream shaped by one person or those with. dares

thinks. we dare to ask. welcome back if 2 parties threshing it out in the recent us election wasn't enough you may be and luck as a new poll shows support for a 3rd american political party has reached an all time high according to the study significantly more than $100.00 of americans now support the idea and is the

highest rate since the question 1st started being asked nationally by the gallup polling group 18 years ago 46 percent of democrats say a 3rd party is needed down from 52 percent in september interestingly a record high of republicans favor a policy but trump supporters are still willing to help him you not the ranks mr pros smack of movement needs to continue we need to unite the party truck closes the way back in 2022 earlier we discussed the current state of u.s. politics with a panel of experts. i think that in the republican party you have 2 factions you have a conservative pro-life faction and then you have the establishment side yes doubtless from inside has really not been favorable to conservatives who see what's going on right now legislatively in america tantamount to basically having

a you know party you basically have 2 progressive parties that are for big government they're for reckless spending and rolling the size of government and all of these things that conservatives and libertarians have traditionally been against so i think the president's trumps basically his expulsion if you want to call it that from the mainstream g.o.p. use the system is rigged against libertarians and green party and others the democratic and republican party do collude they do share the same philosophy they're both part of the same warfare welfare state they scare the same view toward our the real problem is that government that politics has playing too big of a role in the lives of americans has become our national sport the democrats often the green new deal that's a green party policy. universal health care those are green party policies free college tuition those are great khali policies but they get co-opted by the democrats but the democrats really can't implement those policies because of their

allegiance to their donors and that's the problem with both parties that whether or not a 3rd party is actually good for their cause is debatable because generally 3rd parties are seeing mostly as a spoiler in america building a movement of people who are non partisan who are beyond partisan what transpires and the best way to break up some of the monopoly that's held and shared by the republicans and democrats who are completely completely corrupt state parties governor governor races even here locally city council mayor races so we're going to start from the bottom up we also have some lobbying. we have to do it i know 3rd parties don't want to do that but there's legislation that needs to be changed to make. make us elections more fair for everybody and give voters voters more choices at their brother well. the former u.s. president might have been acquitted but his supporters may not be off the hook as

off the democrats announced plans for a $911.00 style commission to investigate the capitol riots artie's done caught up asks if a mccarthy era witchhunt is on the horizon. repression want to one you got to know how to tell friend from foe back in the mccarthy era when people accused of being a communist were being arrested left and right cold war conservatives had a system for how to find a red under the bed if a version of events the activity of the communist nations well consistently attacking the domestic and foreign policy of the united states she may be a communist now it seems the descendants of those hunters have become the hunted the democrats may have failed to impeach donald trump for a 2nd time but they are far from giving up their crusade against the former president and anyone who dares to support him our next step will be to establish an outside independent $911.00 type commission to investigate and report in fact and cost us relating to the january 6th 2021 domestic terrorist attack upon the united states capitol complex

a $911.00 type commission what does that mean that the same torture program an arbitrary detentions that washington deployed in response to that terrible attack it's still not clear but some democrats are suggesting that a commission is just not enough and they're going to i believe in the department of justice and the white nationalism or so make sure that they are understanding that the earliest of ages out or be radicalized because after all the democrats see no difference between the people who stormed the capitol building and members of al qaida or the islamic state the threat of domestic terrorism preceded that terrible day the biggest terror threat in this country comes from radicals on the far right primarily white men threats of violence from homegrown extremists are growing in the wake of the insurrectionist attack on the capital sound familiar when a great democracies destroyed it will not be from enemies from without but rather because of enemies from within the democrats are saying this is only the beginning this impeachment trial was just the start of holding donald trump accountable but

that we need to make sure that we're doing accountability of anyone who incited encourage or committed acts of violence we haven't even gotten into the. of it and already some conservatives feel that they are in danger. children. are armed guards. or places with a democrat controlled government dead set on bulldozing its opposition many are having a hard time imagining a future that doesn't resemble the political paranoia of 1950 s. america that's wrong to come. january 6th in front of a couple both to. look nice in afghanistan by some of the lads it was executed through these are groups. of planes that had to sneak. over the pounds in. our.

company 11 calls one and what happened on january 6th. may have prevented the public of democrats every american but do we need to notice yes. nancy pelosi. and impeachment of president prop. 8 hours. big yeah well she didn't get impeachment through a few weeks ago. with out through her suggestion. around town hall thought employees at the new york times don't feel comfortable expressing their views freely at the newspaper as according to a recent in-house survey 49 percent said they didn't feel able to speak their minds at the paper it follows a series of allegations that more moderate employees at the new york times were

forced out the newspaper's management has admitted that the situation could be better. well the majority of us feel well informed many indicated the differing viewpoints aren't sought or valued in our work related lee we saw some negative responses on whether there's a free exchange of views in the company and scored below the benchmark on this question the new york times has not yet responded to our request for comment earlier we spoke to legal and media analyst lionel about the. wait a minute it's a what it's a respected you mean he used to be a respected that was the heralded zhan kid at new york ga the employees of the new york times it's not a factory it's not a hospital it's not a sports team it's a celebrated again vaunted bashed in of free speech you can speak

up you can speak as a loudly and his vociferous lee as you want at any stratum in any industry so long as it comports with that which the radical left believes we live in a world this country right no particular no matter where you go is not somebody saying i disagree with you but i disagree with you and shut up and if you continue i'm not going to merely ask for your job but i want because of this cancel culture i want you to be obliterated and removed from every aspect of your existence it's not just president trump it's not just people he worked with it's everywhere it's seca feeding frenzy it's like this this in gorge to tick that is just sucking the blood of free speech it's a it just can't get enough it's everywhere i've never seen anything like this at every single level not the thought police thought vigilantes.

take a look at some world news in brief now riot police have clashed with demonstrators in castle lonia as thousands took to the streets to protest the arrest of rapper pablo hassel. the. musician is being charged with insulting the royal family by calling the former spanish king a thief as well as glorifying terrorism in his song lyrics and tweets however his supporters say he was only exercising his right to free speech. mount etna europe's most active volcano is spewing giant fountains of lava i'm sending ashmore than a kilometer into the air the airport on the italian island of sicily has halted flights because of the eruption which began on monday scientists claim there's no threat to nearby villages. and in the caucuses mountain range in russia's south of

motions the services were forced to trigger a huge avalanche the precautionary step was taken after heavy snow storm forced local authorities to close all ski resorts. thanks for joining us here on r.t. international that's all for me for today but sounds good taylor will be here with all the latest in just 30 minutes. join me every thursday on the all excitement show and i'll be speaking to us of the world of politics or business i'm sure business i'll see you there. in the 1920 s. and thirty's several 100 african-americans moved to the soviet union and many of

their descendants still live in russia. or going at the coast because they know no rush but i thought of stuff yes it got worse you called things on your way. back home black american suffered from racism and a complete lack of prospects. is that lump us mud the real lybia losers show them one by else a store on the by doing. so they decided to leave everything behind and start a new life in a country about which they knew almost nothing at all some of the rear groups who were to through during the night. found great crowds. to moulay a dwarf you want to call close. and now almost a 100 years later the history is repeating itself my great grandfather george time went to russia. on probable worst try to go anywhere why not me.

when i come here. hello and welcome to cross talk where all things are considered i'm peter limbo as the covert vaccine is being rolled out it is absolutely necessary to take stock of the economic devastation left in the pandemics wake what is the fate of the working middle class will be.