LONDON (AP) — A lawyer argued Thursday that global mining giant BHP Group should be held liable for Brazil’s worst environmental disaster 10 years ago when a dam collapse poured tons of toxic mining waste into a major waterway that killed 19 people and devastated villages.
High Court Justice Finola O’Farrell said she would rule later in the class action case in which claimants are seeking 36 billion pounds ($47 billion) in damages from Australia-based BHP. The case was filed in Britain because one of BHP’s two main legal entities was based in London at the time.
BHP owns 50% of Samarco, the Brazilian company that operates the iron ore mine where the tailings dam ruptured on Nov. 5, 2015. Enough mine waste to fill 13,000 Olympic-size swimming pools poured into the Doce River in southeastern Brazil.
“As a result of its heavy involvement in Samarco’s operations, BHP had many opportunities to avert disaster but failed to do so and instead kept allowing and encouraging the dam to be raised by constantly pushing for ever greater production by Samarco,” attorney Alain Choo Choy said in his closing argument.
A defense lawyer had argued that BHP did not own or operate the Fundao dam and the company was not responsible for the pollution. The company also said a deadline to bring the claims had expired before the lawsuit was filed on behalf of 600,000 Brazilians.
Sludge from the burst dam destroyed the once-bustling village of Bento Rodrigues in Minas Gerais state and badly damaged other towns.
The disaster killed 14 tons of freshwater fish and damaged 660 kilometers (410 miles) of the Doce River, according to a study by the University of Ulster. The river, which the Krenak Indigenous people revere as a deity, has yet to recover.
The trial began in October, just days before Brazil’s federal government reached a multibillion-dollar settlement with the mining companies.
Under the agreement, Samarco — which is also half owned by Brazilian mining giant Vale — agreed to pay 132 billion reais ($23 billion) over 20 years. The payments were meant to compensate for human, environmental and infrastructure damage.
BHP had said the U.K. legal action was unnecessary because it duplicated matters covered by legal proceedings in Brazil.
Speaking to journalists at an online conference after the hearing, lawyers and victims said they were hopeful BHP would be convicted.
José Eduardo Cardozo, Brazil’s former justice minister and a lawyer in the case, said the evidence against the company was overwhelming.
Pamela Fernandes, whose 5-year-old daughter, Emanuelle, died in the disaster, has been making trips to London since last year to attend the trial proceedings.
“Just knowing that the trial has come to an end — today was the closing arguments — I already feel very relieved,” Fernandes said. “Being here is very painful. ”
FILE - Rescue workers search for victims in Bento Rodrigues, Brazil, two days after a tsunami of mud, caused by a dam break, engulfed the town in the state of Minas Gerais, Nov. 8, 2015. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)
Mariana dam disaster victims, from right, Pamela Fernandes, Gelvana Rodrigues, Monica dos Santos and former interim mayor of Mariana, Juliano Duarte, holding a banner outside the High Court, in London, Thursday, March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
TOKYO (AP) — It's only two games to start the Major League Baseball season — the World Series-champion Dodgers against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Tokyo Dome.
For the record, the MLB regular season consists of almost 2,500 games.
But it's much more for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who was born in Japan. And for Shohei Ohtani and the four other Japanese players competing at home for the Dodgers and Cubs.
Then there's MLB, which opens its regular season for the second straight year in the Asian market. A year ago it was Seoul, South Korea, where the Dodgers and San Diego Padres split two games. It was also where the betting scandal broke around Ohtani's interpreter.
“It's hard to tell if this is the golden age for Japanese players in the United States,” Ohtani said Friday, speaking through an interpreter, as both team trained at the Tokyo Dome.
“I know there's been a lot of Japanese players that came before me," Ohtani added. "But having five (Japanese players) is a big deal. It's truly a big deal.”
Asked what he was most looking forward to, Ohtani replied: “Eating good food, getting over the jetlag, and just being able to enjoy playing the game.”
It's a homecoming for Roberts, who was born on Japan's southern island of Okinawa to a Japanese mother and an American father. He's expecting relatives to attend from Okinawa, where last year he was honored by officials there.
“For me it's personal because I get to represent my mom's side of the family,” Roberts said. “I have a lot of relatives and family that can watch this baseball game — watch a Dodgers game at night instead of having to watch us in the morning.”
The time difference between Japan and the American east coast is 13 hours, and Japan is 16 hours ahead of Los Angeles.
Japan is Dodgers country, swept away by Ohtani, the World Series title, and pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. They are expected to be the Dodgers starters against the Cubs
“I think our mission was accomplished painting the counry of Japan in Dodgers blue,” Roberts said.
Yamamoto and Ohtani talked about the joy of being home, as did Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki, the likely DH. Imanaga is expected to start against Yamamoto in the first game.
“I hope my teammates are really enjoying Japan right now,” Ohtani said. "But also I hope the fans get to see my teammates enjoying Japan.”
For Sasaki, it's different. The 23-year-old signed with the Dodgers two months ago and needs to prove himself, though many feel he's a can't-miss prospect.
“I literally was in Japan until a couple of months ago,” he said through an interpreter. “For me it’s more about being able to pitch in a different uniform on a differnt team and make sure I do perform at my best.”
Sasaki met Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday in his office and gave him an autographed Dodgers cap. He was accompanied by Dodgers owner Mark Walter.
"I’m truly happy that the Dodgers are opening the season in Japan,” Japanese media reported Ishiba as saying.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell talked about a party thrown Thursday by Imanaga and Suzuki to welcome the other Cubs to Japan. For most it's the first visit.
What impressed Counsell was a large tuna that was carved up in a ceremony at the party. Sashimi and sushi for all.
“We had tuna cut open," Counsell said. "Some of the players participated in that, which was scary for a second with players with knives in their hands. But other than that it was great.”
Counsell said the trip to Japan was about “kizuna,” which is the Japanese word for bonding. He's obviously been schooled by his Japanese players.
“That started for our team last night with the great party and being able to be together,” Counsell said.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
Seiya Suzuki, right, and Shota Imanaga, left, of the Chicago Cubs, pose for photographers after attending an official news conference Friday, March 14, 2025, in Tokyo, before the Cubs play their MLB opening baseball games against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Tokyo Dome next week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Seiya Suzuki, right, and Shota Imanaga, left, of the Chicago Cubs prepare to pose for photographs after attending the official Press conference Friday, March 14, 2025, in Tokyo, as the Cubs play their MLB opening games against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Tokyo Dome next week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Seiya Suzuki, right, and Shota Imanaga, left, of the Chicago Cubs attend the official Press conference Friday, March 14, 2025, in Tokyo, as the Cubs play their MLB opening games against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Tokyo Dome next week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki attends the official Press conference Friday, March 14, 2025, in Tokyo, as the Dodgers play their MLB opening games against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome next week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani attends the official Press conference Friday, March 14, 2025, in Tokyo, as the Dodgers play their MLB opening games against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome next week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto attends the official Press conference Friday, March 14, 2025, in Tokyo, as the Dodgers play their MLB opening games against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome next week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts attends the official Press conference Friday, March 14, 2025, in Tokyo, as the Dodgers play their MLB opening games against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome next week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Seiya Suzuki, right, and Shota Imanaga, left, of the Chicago Cubs prepare to pose for photographs after attending the official Press conference Friday, March 14, 2025, in Tokyo, as the Cubs play their MLB opening games against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Tokyo Dome next week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
