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Aluminium prices fall to a three-month low due to Gulf supply prospects
The price of aluminum fell to its lowest level in nearly three months on Tuesday, as the United States granted Iran an?60-day sanction waiver following initial peace talks. This improved prospects for a resumed Gulf shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. By 0944 GMT the benchmark three-month aluminum on the London Metal Exchange had fallen 3.0% to $3,262.50 per metric ton after having hit $3,225.5 - its lowest level since March 26. Ole Hansen is the head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank. He said that "aluminum prices have been impacted by expectations?that Middle Eastern supplies may gradually improve following recent geopolitical events." On Monday, oil and LNG tanker traffic through Hormuz began to?increase, raising expectations of disrupted aluminum deliveries from the Gulf, which normally account for 9%?of global supply. The LME Cash Contract for the Three-Month Forward has been lowered to ease concerns about the availability of?aluminium for immediate delivery. Swung to a discounted. On Tuesday, the discount was $8.5 per ton, down from a premium $105 three week ago. Other LME metals saw copper, zinc, and tin reach their lowest levels since June 11 while lead?and nickel reached their lowest level since mid-April. This was due to a general risk reduction in all asset classes, mainly because of a fall in global stock prices, primarily as a result of expectations that the Federal Reserve will take more aggressive measures?to combat inflation. Hansen stated that "the?weakness was particularly pronounced" in metals related to energy transition and increasing power demand as investors reduced their exposure to growth themes cyclical. The U.S. Dollar rose to its highest levels in over a year, adding to the pressure. A stronger ?U.S. The dollar makes metals priced in dollars more expensive for buyers who use other currencies. LME copper fell 1.7% to $14,410.50. Zinc lost 3.2% at $3,492.50. Lead eased by 1.2% to $2,941. Tin dropped 4.4% to $51,810. Nickel was down 2.5% to $17,315. (Reporting and additional reporting by Solomon Cefai, Editing by Eileen Soreng).
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Source: India will monitor Chinese imports of steel before deciding further curbs.
India will continue to monitor the?steel? imports until at least two more months, before deciding whether or not further measures are required to reduce the flow of shipments from China. A source with first-hand knowledge said that India would be monitoring the?steel? imports until at least two?more?months. New Delhi imposed an import tariff of three years on certain products in December to stop cheap shipments from China. India, which is the second largest crude steel producer in the world, was a net importer of finished steel for the?second consecutive month in May. Imports totaled 0.7 million metric tonnes, which was above the average over the past?six-month period, according to a government document. The government report stated that exports of finished steel were 0.5 million metric tons in May, which was below the average for the past six months. The source declined to identify herself due to the sensitive nature the issue. Source: There is no decision on whether anti-dumping dutys or other measures will be taken. The federal Ministry of Steel failed to respond to an email requesting comments. China's imports reached a two-year high in April. In April, China’s finished steel exports from India to China more than doubled. They were the highest they had been for at least two years. This led to concerns from India's steelmakers, who were concerned that the imposition of import duties had not been enough to protect them against cheap imports. Sources said that the steel ministry also requested that the finance ministry remove a provisional antidumping duty on low ash metallurgical coal, a raw material for steelmaking. However, no final decision had been made. India's steel ministry made the request, citing insufficient domestic supplies and high prices, according to a government report. The Finance Ministry did not reply to an email seeking comment. (Reporting and editing by Barbara Lewis; reporting by Neha Arora)
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Oil prices drop as stocks are hit by the Fed's rate reality check
Investors expect the Federal Reserve will take more aggressive measures to combat inflation even after a 16% decline in oil prices this month. STOXX 600 dropped 1.2% under pressure of 'declines by?European chip-equipment manufacturers, following declines in tech shares in Japan and South Korea. Seoul's KOSPI Index fell 10%, its biggest one-day drop since March. Futures on Nasdaq are down over 2.5%. This suggests that Monday's 1.3% decline could continue into the second day. SpaceX shares fell by nearly 17% on Monday after the company tapped the bond markets following its blockbuster IPO earlier this month. Alphabet, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft all also suffered losses. S&P 500 futures fell 1.5%. Chris Weston, research director at Pepperstone Group in Melbourne, said: "These markets are anything but dull." "The former generals in the market seem to have lost their momentum. Investors are now moving into areas that are more defensive and less AI-focused, with more predictable cash flow. Brent crude futures fell below $76 per barrel on Tuesday for the first since early March, as vessels continued to transit the Strait of Hormuz and oil prices were almost back at pre-war levels. Normally, a drop in oil prices would boost stocks, but now investors are focused on what the rise in energy costs will mean for the Federal Reserve and central bank policies. Kevin Warsh, the new chair of the Federal Reserve, is expected to be much more aggressive in his approach to inflation. The 2-year Treasury yields - which are most sensitive to changes in inflation expectations and interest rates - have risen to their highest level in 16 months, trading at 4.188%. Longer-dated yields also rose sharply. "The adjustment in U.S. Yields creates a more difficult backdrop for risk assets?near-term after strong gains made in recent months," MUFG Currency Strategist Lee Hardman said. Investors are almost ready to price in a rate hike by September, according to the money markets. In this context, the dollar has reached a one-year high against a basket of currencies. The Japanese yen has suffered a lot from this strength. On Tuesday, it was flat at 161.47 against the dollar after a volatile session on Monday. Satsuki Katayama, the Japanese Finance Minister, said that she met with U.S. Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent online a day before to discuss global financial markets. Analysts said this indicated an increased risk of Tokyo intervening in order to prop up the yen. On the 10th anniversary since the Brexit vote, which saw Britain leave the European Union and the euro, the pound is down 0.3% at $1.3215. Sterling fell on Monday after British Prime Minister Keir starmer announced he would "resign", paving the path for what will be an orderly transfer to Andy Burnham. Gold fell 2%, to $4,100 per ounce, as expectations of rate increases in the U.S. this year increased. Bitcoin fell by 3.1%, to just below $63,000. Ether dropped almost 5%, to $1,650. (Reporting from Singapore by Gregor Stuart Hunter; Additional reporting in Tokyo by Rocky Swift; Editing by Jacqueline Wong Jamie Freed Thomas Derpinghaus
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Copper falls due to fears of US rate hikes and a strong dollar
The price of copper fell on Tuesday due to concerns about potential 'growth headwinds' from anticipated Federal Reserve interest rate increases as?well? as a stronger U.S. dollar. dollar. Benchmark three-month?copper?on the London Metal Exchange?was down 1.36% to $13,463 per metric ton at 0701 GMT. The Shanghai Futures Exchange's most traded copper contract fell 1.07% to 103,580 Yuan ($15,277.29) per ton. Many banks predict that the Fed will increase interest rates in this year because of persistent inflation and the hawkish attitude of new chair Kevin Warsh. A higher rate?can dampen the outlook for industrial metals that are growth-sensitive by increasing borrowing costs, and stifling economy activity. A stronger ?U.S. Copper was also affected by a stronger dollar. A rise in the dollar makes greenback-denominated commodities more expensive for buyers using ?other currencies. National Bureau of Statistics data showed that the refined copper production in China increased 2.2% on an annual basis to 1.26 million tons. This added to the pressure. Aluminum prices fell 3.54% and 2.23% respectively on the LME, as traders weighed up the supply from the Gulf against the stronger output of China and the rising Chinese exports. The Iran war disrupted shipments across the Strait of Hormuz, and has cut Gulf production to levels well below those pre-war. IAI data show that global primary aluminum output increased 3.5% on a month-to-month basis to 6.2 millions tons in May, largely due to stronger Chinese production. China's exports?of?aluminium wire, which is increasingly used to ship aluminium overseas because it has a tax advantage over unwrought material, tripled in April to reach 50,224 tonnes. "However the?aluminium markets is expected to remain deficit this year," ING analyst wrote in a report. Zinc fell?2.16% among?other LME Metals. Lead lost 1.04%. Nickel dropped 2.25%. Tin dropped 3.87%. On the SHFE, lead fell 0.15%, tin dropped 4,1%, and nickel dropped 1.68 %.
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Gold drops over 2%, dollar remains firm in expectation of Fed rate hikes
The gold price fell by more than 2% on Monday, as a result of a stronger U.S. Dollar and expectations that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates this year. Investors also assessed U.S. - Iran peace talks. Globally, stocks fell amid worries about AI-related valuations of shares and the threat of higher interest rates. The dollar was near an all-time high while crude fell by 1%, making gold more expensive for buyers holding other currencies. As of 0753 GMT, spot gold was down by 2.2%, at $4,099.84 an ounce. U.S. gold futures for August delivered fell 2% to $4117.70. Spot silver fell 5%, to $61,90 an ounce. Platinum lost 3%, to $1,628.55, and palladium dropped 2.9%, to $1,229.28. Tim Waterer, KCM Trade's chief market analyst, said that while gold had benefited from lower oil prices, it was not able to do the same for the U.S. Dollar, which is continuing to rise on expectations of Fed rate increases. According to the CME FedWatch Tool (a tool that helps traders price in the hawkish monetary policies of the new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh), there is now an 88% probability of a rate increase in December. This was up from 61% prior to the Fed meeting held last week. Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee stated that with the labor market stable, his focus is on determining whether the too-high level of inflation will remain the same or decline, as the effects from 'high tariffs' fade and if there is a resolution to the Middle East conflict. The United States has?waived sanctions on Iran for 60 days after the first talks under a nascent peace deal. The?U.S. has?waived its sanctions against Iran for 60-days after the first talks in a fledgling peace deal. Officials reported that the fighting in Lebanon had ceased under the agreement designed to end?hostilities throughout the region. JD Vance, the U.S. vice president, said that talks with Iranian officials had laid a "good foundation" for a final deal. Iran however denied having begun discussions about its nuclear program. Investors await U.S. The Fed's preferred measure of inflation, Personal Consumption Spending, is due Thursday. This data will provide further clues about monetary policy. (Reporting and editing by Subhranshu sahu in Bengaluru, and Mrigank dhaniwala.)
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UN Chief calls on AI companies to be transparent about environmental costs
On Tuesday, the United Nations urged major artificial intelligence companies to disclose their full environmental costs and use renewable energy in their data centres. He also launched a transparency project for the sector. Environmental groups have criticized the rapid growth of data centres to fuel AI for their excessive energy and water use and lack of transparency. In a speech at London Climate Action Week, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres stated that by 2030 they could use enough power to satisfy the basic needs for all 1.3 billion sub-Saharan Africans for an entire year. As he launched the U.N. AI Environmental Transparency Initiative, he called on AI companies to measure and?disclose? their water, carbon and lands use impacts as well as commit to powering data centres with'renewable energy' by 2030. He said that if AI is going to be a part of building a better world, it has to be open about the costs it incurs now. AI firms currently rely on voluntary net zero commitments and targets for renewable electricity to decarbonise operations. Many are also turning towards gas or touting the nuclear power source as a new energy?source. Guterres stated that the world is still not on track to reach global climate goals, and criticized voices who call for increased fossil fuel use. He said that deploying more renewable power projects to electrify buildings, transport and industry was one of the fastest ways to reduce emissions and stop relying on imported fossil fuels. CALL FOR ACTION ON METHANE Guterres launched an action call on methane emission, which included asking fossil-fuel companies to fix any leaks and stop flaring routinely. He said that methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, is responsible for around a third of the current global warming. Guterres announced that he will convene world leaders ahead of the U.N. Climate Conference (COP31) in Turkey will help to drive forward a just transition away from fossil-fuels. (Reporting by Susanna Twidale, Editing by Raju Gopikrishnan).
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European shares fall on Fed hike bets and tech drag
European shares dropped at the opening of trading on Tuesday as fears about increased corporate spending in?AI and expectations for imminent rate?hikes from the Federal Reserve dampened sentiment. Most sectors in Europe are trading down, as the pan-European STOXX 600 fell by?0.89%? to 633.61 at 0721 GMT. The tech sector performed well in Europe, but the global trend was positive. As borrowing costs rise, companies that rely on debt to fund their spending will be under pressure. Asian stocks fell sharply as concerns about Middle East supplies eased and were overshadowed by the tech-driven weakness. South Korea's Kospi Index plunged almost 10% at closing. According to CME Group’s “FedWatch Tool”, traders expect the Fed to raise interest rates by 50 basis points total by the end this year to combat the inflation pressures caused by higher energy prices. According to LSEG data, markets are still betting that the European Central Bank (ECB) will increase borrowing costs another 25 bps this year. This is despite the fact that President Christine Lagarde had downplayed the possibility of a second-round effect on inflation? on Monday. Basic resources, which fell 3.3%, was followed by miners Fresnillo, and Hochschild, who each dropped more than 6%, following the decline in precious metal prices. European tech stocks fell 2.6% on Monday, following weakness in Asia. Aixtron, a semiconductor equipment manufacturer, and Infineon, a chipmaker, both fell by 3.8% and 4.8% respectively. Signify, the largest lighting company in the world, has dropped 15.6% since it updated its strategy. It now aims to achieve an adjusted EBITA of 10% by 2029. Heineken shares rose by 1.6% after the Dutch brewer named Rafael Oliveira as its new CEO. He replaces?Dolf Van den Brink who quit the company earlier in the year due to a slump in industry sales. Reporting by Utkarsh hathi and Johann M Cherian from Bengaluru, editing by Janane Venkatraman & Mrigank Dhaniwala
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Iron ore reaches multi-month lows due to rising supply and tepid China Demand
Iron ore fell to a'multi-month-low on Tuesday. This was due to the prospect of 'increased shipments by major suppliers as we approach the end of the second quarter, and the seasonally low slackening'steel demand. Iron ore, the most traded contract at China's Dalian Commodity Exchange ended daytime trading 0.54% lower than its previous closing price of 738.5 Yuan ($108.91). It reached its lowest level since July 9, 2025 at 734 Yuan during the session. By 815 GMT the benchmark July iron ore price on the Singapore Exchange had fallen 0.7% to $97.55 per ton. This was its lowest level since February 25. For a fourth consecutive session, the contract has been trading well below an important psychological level of $100. The miners will be increasing their shipments to meet the?guidance target this month. Analysts said that this coincides with a seasonally lower Chinese demand. This could lead to a 'pile-up' of portside inventories, which will put pressure on the price of steelmaking ingredients. Analysts at broker Maike Futures also said that the macroeconomic data from China was not encouraging, especially the retail sales which dropped for the first time since over three years. They expect the steel consumption to be affected, they added. Energy prices and freight rates have also fallen due to progress in the peace talks between the United States of America and Iran. Iron ore prices were resilient despite a lacklustre demand, due to rising?freight costs and input costs triggered by energy price spikes caused by the Middle East conflict. On gloomy demand outlooks, coking coal and other steelmaking components have extended their declines, falling by 1.85% and -4.13% respectively. The benchmarks for steel on the 'Shanghai Futures Exchange' were generally weaker. Rebar fell 0.35%; hot-rolled coils dropped 0.27%; wire rods lost 0.47%; and stainless steel dropped 1.49%.
The top cases in the US Supreme Court docket
The U.S. Supreme Court has been deciding on a number of important cases in its 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, capital punishment, etc. The term began in October, and will run through June. Separately, the court has also acted in emergency cases that challenge President Donald Trump's policy.
BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP On April 1, the?court expressed skepticism about the legality Trump's directive restricting birthright citizenship within the United States. Justices asked the lawyer for the Trump administration questions regarding the legal validity and practical implications of Trump's order. The lower court blocked Trump’s order which 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 called "green card") holder. The court found that Trump's policy was in violation of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and federal laws codifying birthright citizenship. The Supreme Court will likely rule by the end June.
TRUMP'S TARIFFS On February 20, the justices struck down Trump's sweeping trade tariffs, which he imposed under a law intended to be used in times of national emergency. This ruling has major implications for global economics. The ruling, which was 6-3 in favor of the lower court, confirmed that Trump had exceeded his authority by using this 1977 law. The court ruled that Trump's claim to have the authority to impose tariffs was not supported by the IEEPA, the 1977 law in question. Congress and not the President has the authority to impose taxes and tariffs, according to the U.S. Constitution. Tariffs are at the heart of a global trade conflict that Trump started after his second term in office. This has alienated trading partner, affected financial markets, and created global economic uncertainty.
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 is being resolved. Congress created the Fed by passing a law, the Federal Reserve Act, that contained provisions designed to protect the central bank against political interference. The law stipulated that governors could only be removed "for cause" by the president, though it does not define this term or establish procedures for 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 position for now, said that the allegations were a pretext used to fire Cook over differences of monetary policy, as Trump pressures the Fed to reduce interest rates. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
LOUISIANA ELECTORAL DISTRICTS The conservative justices of the court signaled on October 15, their willingness to undermine another key section in the Voting Right Act, a landmark 1965 law enacted to prevent racial bias in voting. This was during a 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.
PROTECTED STATUS?IMMIGRANTS On April 29, the court will hear arguments over the legality the Trump administration’s decision to revoke the temporary legal protections of more than 350,000 Haitians, and approximately 6,100 Syrians who live in the United States. This is a top priority for President Trump as he pursues his policy of mass deportations. The court upheld two judicial orders which temporarily stopped the administration from ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian and Syrian citizens. The Department of Homeland Security under Trump has taken steps to remove TPS for a dozen or so countries. People whose country of origin has suffered a natural catastrophe, armed conflict, or another extraordinary event are eligible for the protections.
Federal Trade Commission Firing The conservative justices of the court have signaled that they will uphold Trump's legality in firing a Federal Trade Commission Member and give an historic boost to president 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 a decision by a lower court that said the Republican president overstepped his authority in dismissing Democratic FTC member Rebecca Slaughter before the term she was to serve expired. 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. The court allowed Trump to remove Slaughter until the case was resolved. The court is expected to make a ruling 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 courts' decisions siding with transgender student who challenged the bans imposed in both states as violating U.S. Constitution. 25 other states also have laws similar to this one. The conservative justices expressed concerns over imposing a uniform law on the whole country, amid the sharp disagreements and uncertainty surrounding whether medications such as puberty-blocking hormones or gender affirming hormones remove male physiological advantages in sports. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
LGBT 'CONVERSION THERAPEUTY'
On March 31, the court rejected a Democratic-backed Colorado Law that prohibited psychotherapists from using “conversion” talk therapy to change a LGBT minor's gender identity or sexual orientation. The 8-1 decision sided with the Christian licensed counselor and deemed that the law was an intrusion into free speech rights. The court rejected Colorado’s argument that the law only protected speech, but regulated professional conduct. The court reversed a lower-court decision which had upheld a law brought by Kaley Chiles who argued it violated the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment protections.
HAWAII GUNS LAW The conservatives expressed skepticism about a Hawaii gun law which restricts the carrying of handguns without permission on public property, such as businesses. They appeared ready to expand the right to own guns again. On January 20, the court heard arguments in a challenge by opponents of the law, backed by Trump's administration, to a judicial decision that Hawaii's Democratic backed measure probably complies with U.S. Constitution Second Amendment rights to bear arms. 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 heard arguments in a case in which a dual American/Pakistani national in Texas was defending a federal gun law that prohibits users of illegal drugs to own guns. Hunter Biden, son of former president Joe Biden, was charged under this law in 2023. The Justice Department appealed a ruling by a lower court that the gun restrictions were in violation of the Second Amendment rights to "keep and carry arms" guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution. Gun Control Act 1968 included a prohibition against gun ownership by illegal drug users. The decision is expected to be made by the end June.
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 ruled on restrictions on how much money can be spent on campaigns by parties with input from candidates who support them, a type political expenditure called coordinated party expenses. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
MAIL-IN BALLOTS
Conservative justices expressed skepticism in a March 23 case against a Mississippi law that allowed mail-in votes received after Election Day be counted. This could lead to tighter voting laws across the nation. The Trump administration supported the challenge against Mississippi's law that allows mail-in votes sent by certain voters be counted as long as they are postmarked before Election Day and received within five business days of a federal election. In Mississippi, absentee voting is only available to certain categories of voters. These include the elderly, disabled and those who live away from home. A lower court ruled that the law was unconstitutional. The court is expected to rule by the end June.
U.S. ASYLUM - PROCESSING On March 24, the court appeared to be ruled in favor of Trump's administration, which defended the government authority to reject asylum seekers if officials deem U.S. - Mexico border crossings to overloaded to handle more claims. The court heard arguments in a legal dispute over a policy known as "metering", which the Republican president may want to reinstate after Biden dropped it in 2021. It allowed U.S. immigration officers to stop asylum seekers and refuse to process their applications indefinitely. The decision is expected to be made by the end June.
Human Rights Abuses Abroad The court will hear arguments in an appeal filed by Cisco Systems on April 28, in which the tech firm and Trump's Administration are asking?justices? to limit the scope of a federal statute that has been used in the past to hold corporations accountable for human rights violations?committed overseas. Cisco appealed the 2023 ruling which gave new life to a lawsuit filed in 2011 accusing the California-based firm of developing technology that enabled China's government monitor and persecute Falun Gong members. 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.
CRISIS PREGNANCY COUNTER The court seems to be inclined to side with an operator of Christian faith based anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers in New Jersey, in a dispute arising from a state attorney general investigation into the question of whether or not these facilities engages in deceptive practice. During the December 2 arguments, a large majority of the Justices appeared to be inclined to revive a federal 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 INMAT The conservative justices seemed inclined to reject the Rastafarian inmate's attempt to sue Louisiana state prison officials after they shaved his head in violation of religious beliefs. On November 10, the case was brought before the court under a federal statute protecting prisoners 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 the statute in question did not allow for him to sue officials individually for monetary damages. 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 for an inmate who was convicted of a murder in 1997 after a lower judge found him intellectually disabled, and therefore ineligible to receive the death penalty. The Republican-led state has appealed a lower court ruling that Joseph Clifton Smith was intellectually disabled, based on his intelligence quotient (IQ), test scores, and expert testimony. In a 2002 Supreme Court decision, the court ruled that executing a person intellectually challenged violates the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The Supreme Court is expected to rule by the end June.
WEEDKILLER CANCER LAWSUITS
On April 27, the court will hear Bayer’s attempt to limit lawsuits claiming Roundup weedkiller caused cancer. This could potentially save billions of dollars. Bayer appealed the ruling of a lower court in a case filed by a man claiming he had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma following years of exposure Roundup. The lower court rejected Bayer’s argument that U.S. laws governing pesticides bar lawsuits based on claims made under state law.
FCC FINES FOR WIRELESS CARRIER The Justices will hear on April 21, a dispute over fines levied by the Federal Communications Commission against major U.S. carriers who shared customer location data with no consent. This is the latest case that has reached the Supreme Court challenging the power of an American regulatory agency. The case concerns the FCC's pursuit to impose tens-of-millions-of-dollars in fines against carriers like Verizon Communications and AT&T before they had their day in the court.
COX COPYRIGHT DISSENSION
On March 25, the court ruled that Cox Communications could not be held responsible for piracy of songs by subscribers to its internet service. These include Sony Music, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, and other labels. This ended their multi-billion dollar music copyright suit. The ruling of 9-0 overturned the decision by a lower court to order a trial to determine the amount the internet service provider was liable for the record labels under a form liability known as contributory copyright violation. Cox said that a retrial would have resulted in a verdict of up to $1.5 billion against the Atlanta ISP.
(source: Reuters)