Volkswagen’s Brazil unit has been ordered to pay 165 million reais ($30.44 million) in damages for subjecting workers to slavery-like conditions on a farm during the 1970s and 1980s, labour prosecutors said on Friday.
A Brazilian labour court ruled that hundreds of workers at a Volkswagen-run ranch were forced into degrading work, subjected to debt bondage and kept under armed surveillance.
Volkswagen stated that it intends to appeal the decision.
The company’s cattle ranching and logging activities in the Amazon during that period were supported by government incentives under Brazil’s military dictatorship, forming part of a broader state plan to develop the region.
Prosecutors said the ruling followed failed settlement talks, in which Volkswagen “showed no interest” in reaching an agreement.
As part of the court’s order, Volkswagen must publicly acknowledge its responsibility, issue a formal apology, and implement a “zero-tolerance” policy against slave labour.
In a statement, Volkswagen said it “consistently defends the principles of human dignity and strictly complies with all applicable labour laws and regulations.”
Iran has denounced the U.S. detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, describing the operation as an ‘abduction’ and calling for his imme...
The speaker of Georgia’s parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, has questioned the European Union’s ability to act as a global geopolitical power, saying...
In late December 2025, protests erupted across Iran after the rial collapsed and inflation soared. Unrest spread from Tehran’s Grand Bazaar as citiz...
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has criticised the European Union (EU) for its inability to achieve deeper unity, describing the bloc’s shortco...
Israeli air strikes in Gaza and Lebanon have raised fresh concerns about the durability of ceasefire agreements, after deadly attacks were reported in...
In late December 2025, protests erupted across Iran after the rial collapsed and inflation soared. Unrest spread from Tehran’s Grand Bazaar as citizens expressed frustration over rising prices, economic hardship, and long‑standing grievances with government policies.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has criticised the European Union (EU) for its inability to achieve deeper unity, describing the bloc’s shortcomings as a historic misfortune for Türkiye.
Israeli air strikes in Gaza and Lebanon have raised fresh concerns about the durability of ceasefire agreements, after deadly attacks were reported in both territories.
Russia launched multiple missile strikes on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second‑largest city, on Monday, 5 January, targeting energy infrastructure and causing “very serious damage,” local authorities said. The attacks occurred as world leaders prepare for a Ukraine peace summit in Paris this week.
Israeli media report that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chaired a lengthy security meeting that reportedly focused on the country’s regional threats, including Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has urged U.S. President Donald Trump to abandon comments suggesting the United States should take over Greenland, calling the idea baseless and unacceptable.
Germany’s foreign intelligence service secretly monitored the telephone communications of former U.S. President Barack Obama for several years, including calls made aboard Air Force One, according to an investigation by the German newspaper Die Zeit.
Flights across Greece were halted for hours on Sunday after a collapse of radio frequencies crippled air traffic communication, stranding thousands of travellers during one of the busiest holiday weekends.
At the end of last year, U.S. President Donald Trump was reported to have raised the Azerbaijan–Armenia peace agenda during a conversation with Israel’s prime minister, warning that if peace were not achieved, Washington could raise tariffs on both countries by 100 percent.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has criticised the European Union (EU) for its inability to achieve deeper unity, describing the bloc’s shortcomings as a historic misfortune for Türkiye.
President Donald Trump has denied reports that Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was sidelined because of her Nobel Peace Prize win, insisting the award played no role in his decision-making.
Russia launched multiple missile strikes on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second‑largest city, on Monday, 5 January, targeting energy infrastructure and causing “very serious damage,” local authorities said. The attacks occurred as world leaders prepare for a Ukraine peace summit in Paris this week.
Appearing in a Manhattan courtroom after a U.S. military operation, Nicolás Maduro has denied narcotics and terrorism charges, as his vice president was sworn in as Venezuela’s interim leader in Caracas.
Gunfire and explosions were reported near the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas on Monday evening (5 January).
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