[00:00] Noah Feldman: This is Neural Newscast.
[00:02] Evelyn Hartwell: Here is what matters this morning.
[00:05] Noah Feldman: From Neural Newscast, I am Noah Feldman.
[00:09] Evelyn Hartwell: And I am Evelyn Hartwell.
[00:11] Noah Feldman: Iran has officially named Mujtaba Kamene as its new supreme leader.
[00:17] Noah Feldman: This follows the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Kamene.
[00:22] Announcer: The 56-year-old is the second son of the late leader.
[00:26] Announcer: He has historically maintained a very low public profile.
[00:30] Noah Feldman: While he has never held a formal government office, U.S. diplomatic cables previously described him as a forceful power behind the robes.
[00:40] Announcer: This appointment is controversial. The Islamic Republic was founded on religious merit rather than hereditary succession.
[00:48] Noah Feldman: This transition comes at a time of extreme tension.
[00:53] Noah Feldman: Israeli officials have already identified the new leader as a target for elimination.
[00:59] Announcer: Meshtaaba now faces the challenge of maintaining the regime's survival.
[01:03] Announcer: He inherits a country dealing with significant economic devastation.
[01:07] Noah Feldman: Turning now to the United States.
[01:10] Noah Feldman: The final celebration of life for Reverend Jesse Jackson concluded on Saturday in Chicago.
[01:19] Evelyn Hartwell: The private funeral was held at the Rainbow Push United States H. Coalition headquarters.
[01:26] Evelyn Hartwell: The civil rights leader passed away on February 17th.
[01:31] Noah Feldman: High-profile attendees included former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
[01:38] Noah Feldman: There were musical tributes from Stevie Wonder and Jennifer Hudson.
[01:43] Evelyn Hartwell: Jesse's son, Yusef Jackson, noted that his father spent his life kicking down doors so that others would no longer be locked out.
[01:53] Noah Feldman: Following the service, a procession led to a private burial at Oak Woods Cemetery in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood.
[02:03] Evelyn Hartwell: He was laid to rest alongside other influential Chicago figures.
[02:08] Evelyn Hartwell: These include Ida B. Wells and former mayor Harold Washington.
[02:13] Noah Feldman: Meanwhile, the global chocolate industry is facing a crisis.
[02:18] Noah Feldman: Cocoa farmers in West Africa report months of non-payment.
[02:22] Evelyn Hartwell: While cocoa costs spiked in 2024, prices have since crashed.
[02:27] Evelyn Hartwell: They are now 40% lower than what international traders are currently paying.
[02:33] Noah Feldman: The BBC reports that roughly 800,000 farmers in Ghana and Ivory Coast
[02:39] Noah Feldman: are currently out of pocket due to this volatility.
[02:42] Evelyn Hartwell: State regulators, like the Ghana Cocoa Board, set prices a year in advance.
[02:48] Evelyn Hartwell: They are now struggling with a debt of $3 billion.
[02:52] Noah Feldman: To address the shortfall, the Board's executive management and senior staff
[02:57] Noah Feldman: recently took a pay cut of up to 20%.
[03:01] Evelyn Hartwell: Ghana is now moving toward processing more of the raw beans locally
[03:05] Evelyn Hartwell: to insulate its economy from global market shifts.
[03:09] Noah Feldman: Turning now to what we are watching for the rest of the day.
[03:13] Evelyn Hartwell: Ghana's government is expected to release further details on its strategy to revamp the cocoa sector and support rural livelihoods.
[03:22] Noah Feldman: International observers will be monitoring Tehran for any formal speeches or public appearances from the newly appointed Supreme Leader.
[03:30] Evelyn Hartwell: In Chicago, local leaders are scheduled to meet to discuss the future leadership of the Rainbow
[03:36] Evelyn Hartwell: P United States H Coalition following the burial of its founder.
[03:41] Noah Feldman: This has been Neural Newscast. Thanks for listening.
[03:45] Noah Feldman: Neural Newscast is AI-assisted, human-reviewed.
[03:49] Noah Feldman: View our AI transparency policy at neuralnewscast.com.