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Nickel prices rise on fears over sulphur supplies via Hormuz
Nickel reached a three-week peak on Thursday as concerns over traffic disruptions?throughout the Strait of Hormuz sparked fears of sulphur shortages and threatened a key raw material for production. The benchmark three-month nickel on the London Metal Exchange rose 2.57%, to $17.235 per metric ton at 0700 GMT. The price had risen by up to 3.14% in the previous session. This was the largest increase since May, and the highest since June 23. The Shanghai Futures Exchange's most traded nickel contract was up 3.01% to 132,940 Yuan ($19641.85) per ton. "Sulphur?tightness?expectations are fermenting once again." This is mainly due to an increase in the?cost expectation for high-pressure acid leaching, which is a process that is used to extract nickel ore. Indonesia, which is the world's largest nickel producer, depends on the Middle East to provide about 75% the sulphur needed in sulphuric acids for leaching metals from ore. The U.S.-Iran blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, as well as military operations, have caused a disruption of shipments along this vital shipping route. The copper price was stable, helped by a weaker U.S. Inflation data and the?hopes for a more dovish Federal Reserve. Supply concerns and recent withdrawals from LME warehouses also helped. The metal rose by 0.27% at the LME, and fell by 0.23%?at the SHFE. Data released on Wednesday revealed that U.S. producer prices had their largest decline in 14-months in June. This is the latest in a series of U.S. reports which have dampened expectations for Fed rate hikes. Reduced borrowing costs tend to boost economic activity, which in turn can help metal demand. Aluminium grew by 0.68% on the LME, while zinc climbed 0.85%, and lead rose 1.19%. Tin also gained 1.35%. Aluminium was unchanged on SHFE. Zinc lost 0.68%. Lead added 0.38%. Tin fell 1%.
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Russian regions report death and injuries after another Ukrainian drone attack
As Kyiv continues its campaign against the 'Russian energy infrastructure, authorities in three Russian regions have reported deaths and injuries caused by Ukrainian drones and rocket strikes. Mikhail Yevrayev, the governor of 'Yaroslavl Region,' 250 km (155 miles) east from Moscow, where an oil refinery has been repeatedly attacked, said one man was killed and four others injured. He claimed that 19 drones had been?downed in the area, but did not specify which targets they were aimed at. Russian media reported that there were casualties in the Volga River region of Saratov after a drone attack on the city of Engels. Engels is home to an airbase which has been repeatedly attacked by Ukraine over the past few years. The governor of Bryansk Region, in Russia's west, near the Ukraine border, confirmed that a 15 year old girl and her grandma were killed by a rocket attack on the village Suzemka. A third person was injured. In recent weeks, Russia has experienced acute fuel shortages in all 11 time zones as long-range Ukrainian drone attacks hit its oil refineries. Ukraine claims it wants to limit the oil revenues that Russia uses to fund its four-year war on its neighbor, despite the fact that thousands of Ukrainians have been killed in Russian strikes across the southeast Ukraine. Both sides deny that they are targeting civilians. Officials in Ukraine said that Russian 'ballistic missiles' struck two districts of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv at dawn on Thursday. The fires started and two people were killed. Reporting by Felix Light, writing by Philippa Fletcher; editing by Philippa Light
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The tourist season has hit the Greek islands and they are experiencing a drought.
Seven Greek Islands in the Aegean have declared drought emergency this year. This is to conserve?water, as climate change causes summers to be hotter and rain more irregular. Authorities are now wondering if there will be enough rain to support the thousands of tourists that strain water supplies just as locals are in dire need. Astypalaia is an island in the shape of a butterfly, located east of mainland Greece. It relies on bottled drinking water and was not affected by the rains that fell in the north and west of Greece, giving the country the wettest winter it has experienced since 2022. According to local authorities' data, Astypalaia, in the southeast Aegean region, experienced the second-driest year since 2020. This created a dilemma for local officials. The island's only water reservoir, built in the 1990s, is surrounded by dry hills with sparse low shrubs. FARMERS RETURN TO WELLS In April, authorities cut off Evdokia Paltianou's access to a manmade lake in order to conserve?water. Her orchard's vegetables withered because she had to rely solely on the brackish water she pumped out of her well. Palatianou said, "Unless it rains I won't be planting anything" as he stood next to an old tree that was once full of mandarins in the village of Livadi on the coast, which is the main fertile area of the island. The lake that supplies water to Livadi, and the main tourist city of Chora (the island's capital), for household use, irrigation, and other purposes, contains now around 150,000 cubic meters, or a sixth its storage capacity. It would last about five and half months if you consume 900 cubic meters per day in summer. Komineas reported that the authorities declared a water crisis in May in order to expedite a temporary desalination facility with a daily production of 600 cubic meters for Chora. They also blocked irrigation to farmers in Livadi in order to protect the lake's reserve until autumn. He said that they would reconnect farmers if the Livadi Reservoir is refilled with rain. CONSUMPTION SOARS IN THE HIGHEST SUMMER MONTHS The Copernicus European Drought Observatory's map of Astypalaia, which was published in June, shows the area in orange as an early indicator of drought. In the village of Analipsi, on the east coast of the island, farmers fill tanks with water or use borehole water that is low quality. Desalination plants that supply tap water in the area were unable to meet the needs of a population that grew from 1,400 people in midsummer to 7,000 by the end of summer. A second temporary facility, located in?Chora, was built in anticipation of a permanent desalination system that will be constructed at the end of this year. On Greek islands, dozens of desalination units are being installed. ?omineas admitted that the temporary plant was expensive, but said it was necessary in case of drought. He said, "I was worried about what would happen if it didn't rain again this year." HOTELS CONSIDER RESOURCE-SAVING MEASURES Some hoteliers in Astypalaia are already taking action to save water. Maria Alkalai (42), who runs a hotel in Chora with views of the castle, the Aegean sea and the hillside, offers guests who choose to skip the daily cleaning a five-euro voucher. She said that "clients have embraced" the idea. She imagined a second island hotel that would have a cistern to collect rainwater in place of a pool or jacuzzi. Stavros papastavrou, the Environment Minister, has approved 15 million-euros ($17million) for desalination and grid upgrades, as well as water tanks, on nine of Greece's 200+ inhabited islands. This includes 1.5 million euros for Astypalaia. He briefed Luxembourg's environment ministers on water resilience in June. He said that water was not a theoretical issue for Greece. It is about the security of the country, its economic growth, and protecting local communities. According to the National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos” in Athens, droughts could worsen by 2049 due to global warming and increased water scarcity.
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British Steel is nationalised by Britain to protect domestic steelmaking
In an attempt to protect the future of steel production, the UK government announced in a statement on Thursday that it had 'nationalised' British Steel, which was previously owned by Chinese investors. British Steel's public ownership is necessary for the UK to safeguard its national interests, according to the government. "British Steel" is a part of the fabric and strength of Britain. The decision today secures the future for steelmaking in Britain, protects "skilled" jobs and safeguards an important national capability," said Keir starmer, the outgoing prime minister. In April 2025, the 'government' took over the operational control of British Steel, from its Chinese owners Jingye. This was done to prevent the closure of Scunthorpe, a steelworks located in northern England, and protect the 2,700 jobs in the plant, as well as thousands of others in the supply chain. The plant is the last primary steelmaking facility in the country. It supplies rail, construction and automobile industries. However, it has struggled in recent years with high energy prices in Britain and an oversupply of steel on the global market. Starmer stated that his government would introduce legislation in May of this year to allow the company to be taken over by the state after it failed to find a buyer. The company was privatised under Margaret Thatcher's regime in 1988. It said that the government appointed a leadership team to 'focus on stabilising operations and managing health and safety. They will also maintain production and work with management, unions, and staff in order to make British Steel an economically sustainable and low-carbon enterprise. Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, said: "British Steel now belongs to the British people and our focus is the future." (Reporting and editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman, Sonali Paul, and Akanksha Kushi from Bengaluru)
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Bonds cheer lower inflation as Asian shares drop on chipmaker drag
?Asian stocks fell on Thursday, as a selloff in chipmakers obscured stellar earnings by industry leader TSMC. Meanwhile,?bonds benefited again from a benign reading of?U.S. Inflation that reduced the likelihood of a rate hike. As the U.S. finished its latest attacks on Iran, oil prices dropped. In recent days, the Middle East has been rife with hostilities. Washington launched attacks against Iran while Tehran targeted U.S. bases located in Kuwait and Jordan. Brent crude futures last fell 0.5% to $84.5 per barrel, but rose 11% in the past week. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), world's biggest contract manufacturer of advanced AI chip, reported a 77% increase in the second?quarter profit to a record which was far beyond market expectations. TSMC's stock rose 1.2% ahead of the results but it was not enough to reverse the decline in Asian chipmakers. MSCI's broadest Asia-Pacific index outside Japan fell 1%, while South Korea's KOSPI dropped 6.2% due to weakness at Samsung, which was down 6.6% and SK Hynix (down 9%). Japan's Nikkei dropped 3%. China's Hang Seng Index broke the trend by gaining 1.8%. Brian Heavey is an equity trader at JPMorgan. He wrote in a report that he was "seeing aggressive pullbacks in Memory/Hardware". Don't believe there is a 'negative headline' that's driving the semis/hardware sale. "It just shows how high the bar is for semis earning." Overnight, ASML shares, the world’s largest supplier of equipment used to manufacture high-tech computer chip, ended 0.4% lower despite its raising their 2026 sales predictions and pledging a capacity increase. Wall Street gained overnight when investors shifted from semiconductors to Magnificent Seven stocks, banks and other major lenders after strong earnings. Asia, however is more susceptible to the chip selling-off due to its greater exposure to semiconductor stocks. Stock futures for the entire region are up by 0.2%. In Asia, Wall Street futures were mostly flat. BONDS CHEER COOL INCLAIMATION Surprisingly weak U.S. consumer inflation data a day before added to the benign figures for the PPI in June. The markets have now priced out an imminent rate hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve to only 10% from 43% at the beginning of the month. Oil prices are rising on renewed Middle East hostilities, and the 'pullback' in inflation could only be temporary. Bond investors focused, however, on the cooler inflation data. The yield on two-year Treasury bonds increased by 2 basis points, to 4.1514%. They had fallen 14 bps in the previous two days. Ten-year Treasury yields increased by 1 basis point to 4.5594% after falling 7 basis points over the last two days. The dollar fell, except against the beleaguered Japanese yen. The dollar index remained steady at 100.52 after dropping 0.4% overnight to its lowest level since June 18. The yen was hovering at 162.15, just below the 40-year low of 162.84, as speculators remain cautious of Japanese intervention. The pound reached a two-month high on the expectation that Andy Burnham will choose a conservative finance minister when he is named Labour Party leader, which is expected to happen on Friday. The pound was unchanged at $1.3532 after a 1% increase overnight. Gold fell 0.8% to $4,027 per ounce. (Editing by Christian Schmollinger & Lincoln Feast)
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Kashagan Oil Operator says arbitration prevents Kazakhstan from enforcing fine
The operator of Kazakhstan's Kashagan Oilfield announced?on Thursday? that an international arbitral tribunal has issued a restraining order prohibiting Kazakhstan from enforcing an environmental fine. The Kazakh Justice Ministry announced on Tuesday that Kashagan's operator must pay a fine of $4.90 billion ($2.3 trillion tenge) by July 20, 2012. The country is involved in arbitration with oil companies that work on its oilfields. It accuses them of environmental violations and corrupt practices. The North Caspian Operating Company, Kashagan’s operator, stated in a statement: "The Arbitral Tribunal has issued a Restraining Order which prohibits the Republic to take any measures to enforce fines?while arbitration is still pending." "NCOC, the Contracting Companies and their representatives reject the fine and the allegations that underlie it and will contest them by any means available." North Caspian Operating Company, a joint venture between Shell, TotalEnergies and ExxonMobil, as well as China's CNPC is a multi-national?venture. Kazakhstan won an arbitration in January concerning the Karachaganak?field. It was seeking to recover around $4 billion. (Reporting and writing by Mariya Goreyeva, Felix Light and Vladimir Soldatkin; editing by Jacqueline Wong & Tomaszjanowski)
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Gold drops as Mideast conflict dampens inflation hopes
Gold prices fell?on Friday as a Middle?East conflict escalated, fueling fears that the U.S. Federal Reserve might raise interest rates in this year. This tempered recent optimism about easing inflation. By 0518 GMT, spot gold had fallen 0.8% to $4,029.29 an ounce. U.S. gold for August delivery fell 0.4% to $4034.40. The latest escalation of the?U.S.Iran conflict has not been reflected in June's inflation numbers, according to Jigar Trivedi. He is a senior research analyst with IndusInd Securities. After reimposing its naval blockade, the U.S. launched a series of two-wave attacks against Iran's missile and coastal defence sites. Iran responded by attacking U.S. military bases in neighboring countries as part of what it termed an "existential conflict" with America. The oil price has risen by 11% this week alone, raising concerns about inflation. Gold is often seen as a hedge against inflation, but it's no longer attractive in an environment of high interest rates. U.S. consumer inflation and producer inflation both slowed down in June amid a drop in energy prices, confirming that inflation had been?subsiding' before the recent escalation of the Middle East conflict. However, the financial markets did not believe that a Fed rate increase this year was possible due to the moderated inflation. CME FedWatch Tool data shows that traders still price in a 73% chance for a Fed hike in December. Fed Governor Lisa Cook stated on Wednesday that she was "prepared to take action" if the inflation rate does not begin to fall soon. Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh also declared his determination for inflation to be brought down, without revealing how. Investors will be watching for comments from 'Dallas Fed president Lorie Logan, and 'Fed vice chair Philip Jefferson later today. Silver fell by 1.2% elsewhere to $57.07 an ounce. Palladium fell 0.4% to $1,308.49 and platinum dropped 0.6% to 1,664.75 (Reporting and editing by Subhranshu Sahu, Rashmi Anich and Swati verma from Bengaluru)
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The IEA warns that China's restrictions on rare earths threaten $6.5 trillion in Western industry
International Energy Agency warns that the full implementation of China’s rare earth export restriction could put $6.5 trillion in downstream production outside of the country at risk. China, the world's largest producer?of?rare Earths, increased export controls in?October of last year, to include additional materials, and introduced new licensing requirements. However, they agreed to postpone implementation for one year. Rare earths is a grouping of 17 metals that are used in small amounts but essential for products such as cars, aircrafts, electronics and weapons systems. The IEA's Global Critical Minerals outlook report stated that if the controls are fully implemented, an estimated $6.5 trillion?of manufacturing across the automotive and high-tech sectors, as well as the defence, energy, and defence sectors, could be affected by supply disruptions. According to the report, nearly half of all economic impacts would be attributed to the U.S. Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the IEA, said: "Our analysis shows that vast amounts of economic value are dependent on relatively small quantities?of critical minerals. Their supply chains remain highly concentrated and therefore vulnerable." The agency warned about the risks posed by China's planned controls on exports of graphite, an important material used in batteries for electric vehicles, which had been announced at the time but later delayed. The report stated that a full implementation of graphite controls would put around $300 billion?of downstream production in countries outside China at risk. China accounts for more than 90% of the global graphite production. Western governments are trying to create alternative supply chains for critical minerals. According to the IEA, public financing commitments of new?projects have more than quadrupled from 2023-2025. They now total $65 billion. New rare earth refinery projects in the U.S. The agency reported that Malaysia and China reduced China's share of the global market from 90% to 85% in the last year. If the planned projects are completed on time, this share could drop to 70% by 2035. Reporting by Eric Onstad. Mark Potter (Editing by Mark Potter).
The top cases in the US Supreme Court docket
The U.S. Supreme Court has a number of important cases on its docket during the current term. These include issues like presidential powers, tariffs and birthright citizenship. Other topics are race, transgender sportspeople, campaign finance laws, voting rights, LGBT “conversion therapy”, religious rights and capital penalty. The term began in October, and will run through June. Separately, the court has also acted in emergency cases in several cases that challenge President Donald Trump's policy.
TRUMP'S FIRE OF FED OFFICIAL Justices expressed skepticism about Trump's attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, a move that could threaten the independence of the central bank. The justices said they would not grant Trump's request for a judge to overturn a decision that prevented him from firing Cook immediately while her legal case played out. Congress created the Fed by passing a law, the Federal Reserve Act, that contained provisions to protect the central bank against political interference. The law stipulated that governors could only be fired "for cause" by the president, though it did not define this term or establish procedures for its removal. Trump claimed that Cook's firing was due to unproven allegations of mortgage fraud, which she has denied. Cook, who is still in her post, said that the allegations were a pretext for firing her because of monetary policy disagreements, as Trump pressures the Fed to reduce interest rates. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
TRUMP TARIFFS During arguments on the 5th of November, the justices raised questions about the legality Trump's sweeping Tariffs. This case?with implications for global economic?marks a major test to Trump's power. Both conservative and liberal justices questioned the lawyer for Trump's administration on whether or not a 1977 law intended to be used during national emergencies had given Trump the authority he claimed to impose a tariff, or if the president infringed upon the powers of Congress. Some conservative justices emphasized the inherent power of presidents when dealing with foreign nations, indicating that the court may be divided on the outcome. Lower courts ruled Trump had overreached by invoking the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act in order to impose tariffs. This was challenged by 12 U.S. States and various businesses. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
Birthright Citizenship The court agreed to rule on the legality Trump's directive restricting birthright citizenship. This is a controversial part of Trump’s efforts to curb immigration, and would change the way a 19th-century constitutional provision was long understood. The lower court ruled against Trump's executive orders that instructed U.S. agencies to not recognize citizenship for children born in the U.S. when neither parent was an American citizen, or a legal permanent resident (also known as a "green-card" holder). The court found that Trump's directive violated the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and federal law codifying the birthright citizenship rights. This was in response to a class action lawsuit filed by parents and their children who felt threatened by this directive. Arguments in the case have not been scheduled.
LOUISIANA ELECTORAL DISTRECTS The conservative justices of the court signaled on October 15, their willingness to undermine another key section in the Voting Right Act, the landmark 1965 legislation enacted by Congress in order to prevent racial bias in voting. This was during the arguments in a significant?case involving Louisiana's electoral districts. The case centers on Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits voting maps that dilute the power of minorities without proof of racism. The lower court found that the Louisiana electoral map, which divided the six U.S. House of Representatives district into two districts with a majority of Black people instead of one before, violated the Constitution promise of equal treatment. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
Federal Trade Commission Firing The conservative justices of the court have indicated that they will uphold Trump's legality in firing a Federal Trade Commission Member and also give a "historic boost" to presidential power, while also putting at risk a 90-year old legal precedent. On December 8, the court heard arguments in the Justice Department appeal of the lower court's ruling that the Republican President exceeded his authority by dismissing Democratic FTC member Rebecca Slaughter before the term she was due to finish. The conservative justices seemed sympathetic to the Trump Administration's argument that tenure protections granted by Congress to independent agency heads unlawfully infringed on presidential powers under the U.S. Constitution. Trump was allowed to remove Slaughter until the case concluded. The court is expected to make a decision by the end June.
TRANSGENDER SPORTS PARTIcipation The conservative justices seemed ready to uphold the state laws that ban transgender athletes to female sports teams, amid an escalating nationwide effort to restrict transgender rights. On January 13, the court heard arguments from Idaho and West Virginia in appeals of lower court decisions siding with transgender student who challenged the bans as being in violation of the U.S. Constitution, and a federal antidiscrimination act. 25 other states also have laws similar to Idaho's. The conservative justices expressed concerns over imposing a uniform law on the whole country, amid a sharp disagreement and uncertainty about whether medications such as puberty-blocking hormones or gender affirming hormones remove male physiological advantages in sport. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
LGBT 'CONVERSION THERAPEUTY'
During arguments on October 7, the conservatives of the?court appeared to be ready to support a challenge to a Colorado statute that prohibits psychotherapists from performing "conversion therapy", which aims to change minors' sexual orientation or gender identities. A Christian licensed counsellor challenged the law based on the First Amendment's protections from government abridgment. Colorado said that it regulates professional conduct and not speech and has the legal power to prohibit a healthcare practice they deem unsafe and ineffective. A lower court upheld this law. A decision is expected to be made by the end June.
HAWAII GUNS LAW The conservative Justices expressed skepticism about a Hawaii gun law which restricts the carry of handguns on private property that is open to the public, as are most businesses. They appeared ready to expand the right to own a firearm again. On January 20, the court heard arguments in an appeal filed by opponents of the law, backed by Trump's administration. The challengers were appealing a ruling by a judge that Hawaii's Democratic backed measure probably complied with the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment right. Hawaii's law demands that a property owner "expressly authorize" the bringing of a handgun on private property. Four other states in the United States have laws similar to Hawaii's. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
Drug Users and Guns On March 2, the justices will hear arguments from the Trump administration in a Texas case that involves a dual American/Pakistani national to defend a federal gun law which prohibits users of illegal drugs. Hunter Biden, son of former president Joe Biden, was charged under this law in 2023. The Justice Department appealed a lower court ruling which found that the gun restrictions were in violation of the Second Amendment rights to "keep and carry arms" guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. The Gun Control Act, which was passed in 1968, prohibited gun ownership by drug users.
CAMPAIGN-FINANCE On December 9, the court heard arguments in a Republican led bid to overturn federal spending limits by political parties coordinated with candidates. The case involved Vice President JDVance. The conservative justices seemed to be sympathetic towards the challenge. However, the three liberal members of the court appeared inclined to maintain the spending limits. The debate centers around whether federal limits on campaign spending coordinated with candidates' input violate First Amendment protections against government abridgment. Vance and Republican challengers have appealed the ruling of a lower court that upheld restrictions regarding the amount of money political parties can spend in campaigns, with input from candidates who they support. This type of spending is called coordinated party expenses. The ruling is expected to be made by the end of June.
MAIL-IN-BALLOTS The Mississippi state court will hear the defense of a law that Republicans are challenging. This law allows for a five-day period to count mail-in votes received after Election Day. This case could lead to stricter voting laws in other states. A lower court declared illegal a state law that allows mail-in votes sent by certain voters be counted even if the postmark was made on or before Election Day, but they are received up to 5 business days after an election. Arguments in this case have not been scheduled.
U.S. ASYLUM - PROCESSING - The court accepted to hear the Trump Administration's defense to the U.S. Government's authority to restrict the processing of asylum requests at ports of entry on the U.S. - Mexico border. The Trump administration appealed the lower court's ruling that the "metering policy" - which allowed U.S. Immigration officials to stop asylum seekers and refuse to process their claims at the border - violated federal laws. Former President Joe Biden rescinded the policy, but Trump has said that he would be open to resuming its use. Arguments in the case have not been scheduled.
HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES ABROAD HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES ABROAD HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES ABROAD - The Court heard an appeal from Cisco Systems, in which both the company and Trump administration asked the court to limit the scope of a federal statute that was used to hold companies liable for abuses committed by corporations abroad. Cisco appealed the 2023 ruling which gave new life to a lawsuit filed in 2011 accusing the California-based firm of developing technology allowing China's government surveillance and persecution of members of the FalunGong spiritual movement. The Alien Tort Statute was the basis of the lawsuit. This 1789 law had lain dormant in U.S. courtrooms for almost two centuries, before attorneys began to use it in the 1980s in international human rights cases. Arguments in the case have not been scheduled.
CRISIS PRGNANCY CENTERS In a dispute arising from an investigation by the New Jersey Attorney General into whether or not these facilities engaged in deceptive practice, the court seems to be inclined to side with the Christian faith-based "crisis pregnancies centers" that are anti-abortion. During the December 2 arguments, a'majority' of the justices appeared to be inclined to revive a lawsuit filed by First Choice Women's Resource Centers against Democratic Attorney General Matthew Platkin's subpoena 2023 seeking information about the organization's doctors and donors. First Choice's facilities are designed to discourage women from getting abortions. The decision is expected to be made by the end June.
RASTAFARIAN INMATE The conservative justices seemed inclined to reject the Rastafarian inmate's attempt to sue Louisiana state prison officials after they shaved him bald, in violation of religious beliefs. The case was argued in front of the court on 10 November under a federal statute protecting incarcerated persons from religious discrimination. Plaintiff Damon Landor's religion requires that he let his hair grow. He appealed the decision of a lower court to dismiss his lawsuit, because they found that he could not sue officials individually for monetary damages under the statute in question. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
DEATH ROW INMATE The court heard arguments in December in an attempt by Alabama officials in order to pursue the execution. An inmate who was convicted of a murder in 1997 had been found to be intellectually handicapped and therefore ineligible for the death penalty. The Republican-led state has appealed a lower court ruling that Joseph Clifton Smith was intellectually disabled based upon his intelligence quotient (IQ), test scores, and expert testimony. In a 2002 Supreme Court decision, the court ruled that executing a person intellectually challenged violated the Eighth Amendment of U.S. Constitution prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment. The Supreme Court is expected to rule by the end June.
FCC FINES FOR WIRELESS CARRIER The Justices will hear the dispute over fines levied by the Federal Communications Commission against major U.S. carriers who shared customer location data with other companies without their consent. This is the latest case that has reached the Supreme Court challenging the authority of an American regulatory agency. The case concerns the FCC's efforts to impose tens-of-millions-of-dollars in fines on carriers like Verizon Communications and AT&T before they had a chance in court. Arguments in the case have not been scheduled.
COX COPYRIGHT DISSERT The court heard arguments in December in an attempt by Cox Communications, a provider of internet services, to avoid financial responsibility in a major copyright lawsuit brought by record labels who accused Cox of allowing its customers to piracy thousands of songs. Justices appeared to be skeptical about Cox's claim that mere knowledge of user piracy was not enough for it to be held liable for copyright violations. A lower court ordered that a new trial be held to determine the amount of money Cox owes Sony Music Group, Warner Music Group Universal Music Group, and other labels in relation to contributory copyright violations. Cox, which is the largest division of privately-owned Cox Enterprises said that the retrial may result in a verdict of up to $1.5 billion against it. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
(source: Reuters)