| | 09/December/24
| | Kenya: Why the Gates Foundation is stoking controversy In Kenya, Bill Gates has been in the headlines after the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which he founded with his former wife, was granted immunity status by the government. However, the Law Society of Kenya filed a case that led to the suspension of these privileges under the Privileges and Immunities Act. Experts argue that the foundation sought to protect itself against possible prosecution if, and when, it is accused of undermining the legal rights of citizens and local organisations that could be in conflict with it. Daniel Maingi, an agricultural and science policy analyst, claims that the foundation could use these privileges to avoid scrutiny of its activities, especially its financial dealings and influence on public policy. “If anything goes wrong, who pays for technological mishaps? Not Gates,” he says. The Standard Their fertiliser poisons farmland. Now they want protection from lawsuits For decades, a little-known company now owned by a Goldman Sachs fund has been making millions of dollars from the unlikely dregs of American life: sewage sludge. The company, Synagro, sells farmers treated sludge from factories and homes to use as fertiliser. But that fertiliser, also known as biosolids, can contain harmful “forever chemicals” known as PFAS linked to serious health problems including cancer and birth defects. Farmers are starting to find the chemicals contaminating their land, water, crops and livestock. Just this year, two common types of PFAS were declared hazardous substances by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Superfund law. Now, Synagro is part of a major effort to lobby Congress to limit the ability of farmers and others to sue to clean up fields polluted by the sludge fertiliser. New York Times (paywalled) We hope you’ve found this newsletter interesting. Please support our work with a one-off or regular donation. Thank you! __________________________________________________________ Website: http://www.gmwatch.org
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