World News for Students of English

22-10-2024 15:00

Three major tobacco companies Philip Morris, British American Tobacco, and Japan Tobacco have agreed to pay 23.6 billion dollars to settle a lawsuit in Canada.

This lawsuit, which began in 2015, involves Canadian smokers and former smokers who accused the companies of failing to warn consumers about the health risks of smoking, despite knowing since the 1950s that cigarettes cause cancer. A Quebec court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, awarding them 15 billion dollars, leading the companies to seek bankruptcy protection. Since 2019, their Canadian units have been negotiating the settlement under court supervision.

Although the total settlement amount is confirmed, dividing the payment among the companies remains unresolved. Voting on the plan is expected in December 2024. British American Tobacco views the agreement as a positive step toward resolution, while Japan Tobacco hasn’t commented on the latest developments yet.

Difficult words: plaintiff (a person who brings a case against another in a court of law), bankruptcy (a legal state when a person or company cannot pay its debts), resolution (solving a problem).

You can watch the video news lower on this page.