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British Columbia district issues evacuation orders amid wildfires
The district of Summerland in British Columbia declared a state of emergency early Saturday morning as a rapidly-moving fire swept across western Canada forcing thousands of residents to evacuate. As of early Saturday morning, the 'Bald Range' wildfire had spread to approximately 5,000 hectares and prompted evacuation orders for other districts in this region. According to BC Wildfire Service, the fire began about 15 kilometers (9 miles) west of Summerland. Summerland district, which is located about 45 km from Kelowna said that it lost power due to wildfires on Saturday. It also issued a boil-water notice to residents, saying that untreated water entered the system when the water treatment plant had been bypassed because of the threat of wildfire. According to the census of 2021, Summerland's population is approximately 12,000 people. This year, wildfires have raged in several regions of Canada including Ontario and Quebec due to hot, dry conditions. Mexico, Australia France and New Zealand have all offered assistance to Canada in the fight against these fires. Around 1,500 firefighters are on the ground in British Columbia where hot, dry conditions can increase the likelihood of new fires. Lightning could also spark old fires. The province has also issued 49 alerts and 39 orders of evacuation. Premier David Eby stated earlier this week that he was prepared with additional international?and national firefighters and aircraft. According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, fires have consumed 3.9 million hectares of land in Canada so far this year. (Reporting and editing by Susan Fenton in Toronto, Nivedita Balu from Toronto)
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UAE: Iran fired missiles at ADNOC vessel in Strait of Hormuz
The United Arab Emirates condemned on Saturday what they said was an Iranian attack against a carrier connected to its state oil company, as it passed through 'the Strait of Hormuz. They accused Tehran of committing "acts?of piracy". Initial reports from the state news agency WAM stated that ADNOC had said one of their vessels was targeted by a rocket early Saturday morning and that everything was under control. Later, the UAE Foreign Ministry condemned what it termed "the hostile Iranian attacks" on an ADNOC ship. No details were given about the tanker, its cargo, or any possible damage. There were no injuries reported. Before the conflict, a fifth (or more) of the world's oil and gas liquefied was transported through the narrow waterway that connects Oman to Iran. Shipping has been disrupted repeatedly since the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran began on February 28. This has led to higher freight rates and security concerns. The ministry stated that the attack was in violation of a 'U.N. The Security Council's resolution on freedom of navigation accused the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRG) of "piracy", accusing them of targeting commercial ships and using waterways as a means of economic pressure. The statement called on Iran stop the attacks and open the Strait unconditionally and fully. Iran's Guards had previously threatened to take action against vessels that transited the Strait of Hormuz?if they were linked to Tehran's enemies, or if failed to follow Iranian directives. ADNOC stated on Friday that they had been "significantly affected" by unprovoked attacks against their personnel and assets while continuing to meet the needs of customers in an "exceptionally difficult environment". The company reported that 15 of their vessels were 'attacked' by drones and missiles while they transited the strait, including three in the last week. One crew member was killed and 20 others injured. ADNOC's statement of Friday did not identify those responsible for the attacks. ADNOC is the state oil company of Abu Dhabi and one of the largest energy producers in the world. It exports crude oil and natural gas to customers around the globe.
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Zelenskiy: Russian drones killed a 3-year-old child and his grandparents near Kyiv
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine, said that Russian drones had killed a 3-year-old child and his grandparents, in a village?in the Kyiv Region, and another person was killed by a ballistic attack?overnight?on the capital. In recent months, Russia has intensified its attacks on Kyiv. Ukraine has also targeted Russian oil infrastructure and logistical infrastructure in an effort to reduce Moscow's war-fighting capability. Both Russia and Ukraine deny that they deliberately target civilians during their attacks. The Ukrainian air force reported that Russia had launched six ballistic rockets and 151 unmanned aerial vehicles at Ukraine over night. Ukrainian General Staff also stated on Saturday that its military attacked Russia's Ilsky?oil refineries and Syzran oil refineries overnight, causing both fires. Local authorities have also confirmed that five people were injured in the Krasnodar Region in southern Russia after a Ukrainian drone strike. UKRAINE'S SHORTAGE of Air Defence Missiles Zelenskiy said on Telegram that "Europe, America and Ukraine have wanted to stop the Russian war for a long time," "Only the Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want to do that, and he desperately clings to his ballistic missiles and robots to keep the war going. "More pressure is required." Zelenskiy, who is visiting Serbia for the first time, is seeking to join the European Union. The President has been pressing for additional help, as the country is chronically lacking air defence missiles to support U.S. Patriot Systems. Defence ministry reported that only 29 of 195 missiles were intercepted during July. The Ukrainian air defenses were able to shoot down 135 drones but not ballistic missiles. This was announced by the Ukrainian air force on Saturday. Tymur Tkachenko is the head of Kyiv's regional administration. He said that three places in the Brovarskyi District, near the capital, had been hit by Russian missiles. In the region, 10 private homes, commercial and production sites were damaged. After Russian drones killed a child and his grandparents, a private house in Puhivka village, located about 30 kilometres from?Kyiv was set blaze. Zelenskiy reported that his parents, 15-year old brother and neighbour were also injured. Officials reported that fires had been reported in Kyiv's three districts. Damage was caused to commercial?premises, warehouses, and other buildings. Witnesses heard "several powerful blasts" that rocked the city centre. The Russian Defence Ministry announced on Saturday that Russian forces had taken over the settlement of Ivanivka, in Ukraine's Kharkiv Region. The report could not be independently confirmed. Ukraine has not yet commented. Reporting by Dan Flynn, Olena Hartmash and Barbara Lewis.
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US anticipates a deal on the Strait of Hormuz soon; Sunni countries unite to form a defense pact
An official from the United States reported progress on Friday between Iran and Oman, which could lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz in the near future. This would allow oil exports to resume that were disrupted during the U.S. The war with Iran is ongoing. The U.S. official who refused to be identified said Washington expected an agreement between the two countries that sit on either side of the Strait so normal oil traffic can resume. The deal between Iran, Oman and the control of the strategic watersway is seen by many as being crucial to a larger peace agreement. A U.S. official said on Friday that there was progress between Oman, Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. We expect a deal to be reached soon. The United States will lift its blockade on Iranian ports once the deal to restore commercial shipping is announced. The official stated that "as always, U.S. action will be performance-based, and tied to Iran’s implementation of its obligations." The official said that before the U.S. launched its war against Iran on February 28th,?about 1 out of 5 barrels of crude oil consumed globally transited through the Strait. Iran has now used this hostilities as a justification to charge a toll to oil tankers or fire on ships trying to cross without permission. The disruption of oil shipments caused the energy prices to rise and fuelled inflation. Iran has denied that any talks have taken place in recent weeks despite the Trump administration's repeated indications that an agreement to open the Strait was close. The latest round of talks was not clear whether they would lead to a lasting agreement. The Houthis in Yemen have intensified their attacks on Iranian ships that are passing through the Strait of Hormuz. They have also targeted vessels at another oil chokepoint between the Red Sea Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Peninsula. Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), one of the largest energy producers in the world, announced on Friday that 15 of their vessels have been hit by 'unprovoked attacks' while transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, since the beginning of the conflict. One crew member was killed and 20 were injured in the attacks, according to Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey have signed a new security agreement on Friday in Mecca. They were alarmed by a regional conflict that saw Iranian missiles fired at Gulf oil exporters. The agreement between three U.S. ally countries with majority Sunni Muslim population is meant to increase collective deterrence and stipulates an attack on any one of them would be considered an attack on the others, according to a joint statement. The agreement, according to Turkey, was defensive and not directed at any particular country. It comes at a moment of increased tensions between Iran and Shi'ite majority countries. The U.S. is also trying to mediate a ceasefire on another front in the war between Israel, and the Iranian-backed Shiite group Hezbollah. This conflict takes place in southern Lebanon. Lebanese officials said Friday that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a list of countries that could send troops under an agreement mediated by the United States, in order to verify Hezbollah's disarmament. The United States will select countries from the list. IRAN PRESIDENT DEFENDS DIPLOMATISM Washington and Tehran have not held direct high-level discussions since U.S. Vice president JD Vance, who met Iranian officials in Switzerland shortly after they reached a ceasefire deal in June. The short-lived memorandum of agreement of June 17 set out terms for the resumption of Strait of Hormuz shipping, and led to a truce. Hostilities were resumed in Iran and the U.S. on 7 July, but then put on hold. The U.S. Central Command has not reported any attacks on Iran since the 29th of July. Analysts say that signs of discord between Iran's civilian President, Masoud Peezhkian and other power centers, such as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may complicate?peace attempts. Pezeshkian, in an interview broadcast by state television on Friday, defended his government's policies towards hardliners who oppose negotiations with the United States. He said that the majority of senior military commanders were in favor of talks to end the fighting. Why don't the Americans fight against China? China is growing stronger and doing its own thing. Why not use dialogue to get our rights? He said. Reporting by Steve Holland, Timour Azhari, Ariba Alashray, Samia Nakhoul, Tuvan Gumrukcu, in Ankara and Enas Alashray, in Cairo. Writing by Daniel Trotta. Editing by Don Durfee, Cynthia Osterman and Don Durfee.
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Petrobras CEO: likely to surpass 2026 oil production goal
Magda Chambriard, the CEO of Petrobras, said in a call with analysts on Friday that it is likely that the state-controlled oil company in Algeria will produce more oil by 2026 than what was forecast. She stated that the company's oil production in the second quarter exceeded its target by 200,000 barrels a day. According to a presentation by the company, Petrobras produced an average 2.6 million barrels a day so far this year. This is higher than its target of 2.5 millions barrels a day. Chambriard told journalists that 2.7m barrels a day would be an impressive result. She did not, however, provide any further details. Petrobras stated in a statement issued after the press conference that it maintains its official forecast for more than 2,500,000 barrels of oil per day. The company said it will continue to strive to achieve its goals and maximize production. It said: "At the time, CEO Magda chambriard noted at today's investor and press events that?the company consistently strives to maximize production and exceed targets." Since?Chambriard became CEO, Petrobras's focus has been on increasing output, including by slowing down production declines at older oil fields. According to the CEO, increased production has helped increase exports as well as profits. Petrobras' shares, despite a rise earlier in the day, closed Friday 3% lower. The Bovespa index, Brazil's benchmark, dropped 1.7%. Reporting by Fabio Téixeira and Marta Nogueira, Editing by Nia William
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The Trump Administration will finance three mining projects with $58 Million
According to a document seen by, the U.S. Export-Import Bank will lend $58 million to three companies that deal with critical minerals as part of President Donald Trump's efforts to wean America off Chinese imports and bolster American mining and processing. The funding coincides with Trump's Friday meeting with executives of some of the largest mining companies in the world to highlight the country's needs for better supplies. John Jovanovic said, "Critical Mineral Security is?National Security," adding that the funding will "fortify supply chains, restore vital industries which support high-paying American Jobs and protect everyday Americans from supply surprises." Westwater Resources, the first U.S. source of natural graphite, will receive a loan worth $25 million for its Alabama graphite mining and processing facility. Graphite, the most common metal used to make lithium-ion battery cells by volume, will receive a $25 million loan. The United States produces some so-called synthetic graphite from petroleum coke, a byproduct of oil refining. The United States produces some synthetic graphite using petroleum coke. This is a by-product of oil refinery. Battery manufacturers usually prefer one or the other version, depending on various factors. ExIm also lends $25 million to Global Advanced Metals, a privately-held company, to expand the processing of tantalum, niobium and other metals. The U.S. does not mine these materials, so it is dependent on foreign supplies. The company mines metals in Australia, and processes them in Pennsylvania. Tantalum is used primarily to make capacitors, which are used in smartphones, automobiles, and other electronic devices. Niobium, on the other hand, is used to harden steel, for aircrafts, pipelines, and pipelines. 5E Advanced Materials is also receiving an $8 million loan in order to boost production of boron. This mineral was last year added by the U.S. Government to its list of critical minerals. The metal is also used in body armor, the nuclear energy industry and other products related to defense. The United States imports most of its boron needs. The?U.S. imports the majority of its boron requirements. 5E's California Boron Project is scheduled to start commercial production in 2028. (Reporting from Jarrett Renshaw, Washington; Ernest Scheyder, Houston; Editing Matthew Lewis).
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Gold reaches a seven-week high after weak US job data denies rate hike bets
Gold surged on Friday after a 'unexpected' drop in U.S. Nonfarm Payrolls for July dashed hopes of rate hikes and put bullion in a position to have its best week for seven months. Gold spot jumped 2.3%, to $4336.02 an ounce at 2:42 pm EDT (1842 GMT), after having risen by more than 3% and reaching its highest level since June 17. Bullion prices have risen more than 7% this week, the biggest weekly increase since January 19. U.S. Gold futures rose 2.3%, settling at $4399.70. The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported that nonfarm payrolls decreased in the United States by?23,000 last month, after an upwardly revised 20,000 job increase in June. The economists polled by the U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics had predicted an increase of 80,000. David Meger is director of metals and futures at High Ridge Futures. He said that the Fed would be less likely to increase interest rates after this weaker than expected jobs report. Meger stated that a declining dollar and the possibility of a reduced interest rate hike in the U.S. portend a weaker currency and higher gold prices. According to LSEG, the rate futures market now 'priced-in' a 43.9% probability of Fed tightening next month, compared to 57% prior to the jobs report. According to LSEG data, the probability that the Fed will keep rates at current levels next month has increased from 43.2% before the release of 'the jobs report' to 56.1%. Gold is more attractive than yield-bearing investments when interest rates are lower, as gold does not generate any. UBS said in a Friday note that it expects gold to reach $5,000 per ounce by the first half 2027. U.S. president Donald Trump said to reporters on Friday that he believes the 'war with Iran will be over soon. Silver spot gained?3% per ounce to $63.29, platinum rose 1.1% to $1.747.60 and palladium climbed 0.8% to 1,381.61. The three metals are all headed to weekly gains.
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The US Senate is about to pass sweeping sanctions against Russia's energy sector
The U.S. Senate passed sweeping Russia sanctions legislation by a large majority on Friday. This long-delayed bill was backed by Senator Lindsey Graham, who died in 2013. It now sets the stage for the House of Representatives to consider the measure as early as next month. Graham, a 'South Carolina Republican', was one of Kyiv’s most vocal allies in Congress during its four-year war against Russia. The bill is intended to increase economic pressure upon Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. The measure also includes the expanded sanctions against Iran that President Donald Trump sought as legislators moved to pass it after more than a year of its introduction. The vote continued and the tally reached 68-9 in favor of the "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026," a bill that would impose sanctions against Russian officials and authorize steep tariffs?on China and India to reduce their dependency on Russian oil. Some lawmakers are concerned that Trump's new tariff powers could increase costs for U.S. consumers and importers while exposing Republicans for political backlash. Trump's fellow Republicans control a slim majority in the House of Representatives and Senate. The bill, if it passes, would allow Trump to impose tariffs up to 100 percent on countries that are major energy consumers, such as India, Japan, and certain European Union countries. He could then decide to remove them. The legislation's supporters insist that the tariffs will reduce Russian energy revenues that fund its war in Ukraine, without causing any negative consequences. The agreement, they said, is the best chance for Congress to pass legislation supporting Ukraine. A strong bipartisan Senate vote would give it momentum to pass the House. Graham announced just before his sudden death, on the 11th of July, that he and Trump had agreed to finally move forward with legislation for which Graham?had advocated for over a full year. Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian president who attended Graham’s funeral and met with Trump in Washington, watched an early procedural voting on the bill. The bill would have a significant impact on Russia's financial ability to fund the war and send a strong signal of U.S. support for the Ukrainian people. "I'm grateful for the support from our people and Europe," Zelenskiy said to reporters. Bill's supporters said that the legislation allows the president to impose targeted duties on imported goods from countries that purchase the vast majority (or more) of Russian oil or gas, and enables Russia to evade sanctions. The bill, they said, limits the tariffs to five of the largest importers and five of the countries that help Russia evade energy sanctions. The measure contains a provision that prevents a lapse of sanctions authority which restricts funding to Iranian energy and weapons. (Reporting and editing by Howard Goller; Patricia Zengerle)
The top cases in the US Supreme Court docket
The U.S. Supreme Court has decided a number of important cases in its current term, including those relating to President Donald Trump, voting rights and tariffs, immigration, guns, transgender sportspeople, campaign finance laws, and LGBT "conversion therapies."
This is a list of some of the cases that were argued in the current term. The term began in October, and will run through the end of June.
VOTING RIGHTS ACT On April 29, the court gutted a crucial provision of the Voting Right Act, making minorities less likely to challenge electoral maps under the landmark civil right law as racially biased. The court blocked a map that would have given Louisiana a U.S. Congress district with primarily Black constituents. The court's ruling undermined Section 2 of the Voting Act, which Congress passed to prohibit electoral maps that could dilute the power of minority voters. The ruling allowed Republican-led Southern States to demolish Democratic-held districts with majority-Black or majority-Latino voters ahead of November's midterm elections. After the Supreme Court gutted another part of the Voting Rights Act in 2013, Section 2 gained more importance as a barrier against racial bias in voting. Black and Latinos tend to vote for Democratic candidates.
Birthright Citizenship The court expressed skepticism about the legality of Trump’s directive on April 1, to restrict the birthright citizenship of Americans. 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 law codifying rights to birthright citizenship. The Supreme Court will likely rule by the end June.
TRUMP'S TARIFS The Supreme Court ruled on February 20, 2018 that Trump's tariffs were illegal because they were based on a law intended to be used in emergencies. 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 when he used this 1977 law. The court ruled that 'the International Emergency Economic Powers Act or IEEPA' did not give Trump the authority he claimed for tariffs. Congress has the power to impose taxes and tariffs, not the President, according to the U.S. Constitution. Tariffs are at the heart of a global trade conflict that Trump started after he entered his second term in office. This war has alienated trading partner, affected financial markets, and created global economic uncertainty.
TRUMP'S FIRE OF FED OFFICIAL The 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.
PROTECTED STATUS OF IMMIGRANTS On June 25, the court cleared the way for Trump's administration to strip hundreds and thousands of Haitian, Syrian, and other immigrants of their humanitarian status which protects them against deportation. The court overturned federal judge's decisions that had stopped the Trump administration from terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 350,00 Haitians and 6,100 Syrians. State Department warns travelers against visiting either Haiti or Syria due to widespread crime, terrorism, and kidnapping. TPS is an designation that allows migrants from countries affected by war, natural catastrophe or other disasters to live and work in America while it's unsafe to return home.
The conservative justices of the court have indicated that they will uphold Trump's legality in firing a Federal Trade Commission official. This would give a boost to president power and also threaten a 90-year old legal precedent. On December 8, the court heard arguments in the Justice Department’s appeal against a lower court’s ruling that the Republican President exceeded his authority by dismissing Democratic FTC member Rebecca Slaughter before the term of her office was due to end. The conservative justices seemed sympathetic to the Trump Administration's argument that tenure protections granted by Congress to heads of independent agencies illegally 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 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 rulings that transgender students were right to challenge the bans on female sports teams in both states. The judges ruled the laws violated the U.S. Constitution as well as a federal anti discrimination law. 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" The court rejected on March 31, 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 ban was an intrusion into free speech rights. The Colorado court rejected the argument that their law only protected speech, but regulated professional conduct. The court reversed a lower-court decision which had upheld the Colorado law in a case brought forth by Kaley Chiles who argued it violated First Amendment protections from government abridgment.
HAWAII GUNS LAW On June 25, the Justices struck down a Hawaii gun law that restricted the carrying of handguns in public places, such as most businesses, and without permission from the owner. This is the latest ruling to expand gun rights. The justices found that Hawaii's law violated the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which gives citizens a right to "keep & bear arms." The justices reversed a lower court decision that Hawaii’s Democratic-backed measure probably complied to the Second Amendment. Hawaii's law requires "express permission" from the property owner before a handgun can be brought onto a private property that is open to the general public.
Drug Users and Guns The court, on June 18, limited the application a U.S. Law that prohibits firearms possession by some drug users. It rejected a Trump administration position that threatened the rights of millions Americans who "use marijuana" and own firearms. The justices affirmed a lower-court decision dismissing an illegal gun possession case brought under the law in question against Ali Hemani. Hemani is an American and Pakistani dual citizen who lives in Texas. Hemani told authorities that he regularly used marijuana. The Supreme Court determined that the government failed to prove that Hemani's prosecution was in compliance with the Second Amendment rights to "keep and carry arms" guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
CAMPAIGN FUNDING The court heard arguments in December 9 on a Republican-led attempt to overturn federal spending limits by political parties coordinated with candidates. This case involved Vice President JDVance. The conservative justices seemed to be sympathetic towards the challenge. Meanwhile, the three liberals on the court appeared inclined to maintain the spending limits. The debate centers around whether federal limits on coordinated campaigns spending violate First Amendment protections against government abridgment. Vance and other 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 June.
MAIL-IN-BALLOTS On March 23, conservative justices expressed skepticism about a Mississippi law that was challenged by Republicans. The law allows for a five-day period of grace to count mail-in votes received after Election Day. This case could lead to tighter voting laws across the country. 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 June 25, the court handed Trump a win by confirming that the federal government has the authority to reject asylum seekers if officials determine that border crossings between Mexico and America are too overburdened for additional claims. The court overturned the lower court's ruling that the policy was illegal. After former president Joe Biden dropped the policy known as "metering", the Trump administration said that it might seek to revive it. The policy of metering allowed U.S. Immigration officials to refuse to process asylum claims indefinitely and stop asylum seekers at border.
WEEDKILLER CANER CLAIMS On June 25, the justices ruled against thousands of lawsuits filed in state courts that accused Bayer of failing warn users of the dangers of the active ingredient of the German company Roundup weedkiller. The Missouri jury had awarded $1.25million to John Durnell, who claimed he was diagnosed as having non-Hodgkin's lymphoma following years of exposure to Roundup. The court agreed that Bayer's argument that the U.S. pesticide law prohibits claims of failure to warn that are brought in state court cannot be heard.
Human Rights Abuses Abroad The Justices further limited the scope of a federal statute used to hold companies liable for abuses of human rights committed abroad on June 23, as they released a ruling that ended a lawsuit brought by members of Falun Gong accusing Cisco Systems facilitating religious persecutors in China. The justices overturned a lower court decision that gave new life to the 2011 lawsuit brought under the Alien Tort Statute of 1789. Cisco was accused of developing technology that enabled the Chinese government to monitor and persecute Falun-Gong practitioners. The Alien Tort Statute allows non-U.S. Citizens to seek damages from American courts in cases of violations of international laws.
SEC "DISGORGEMENT" POWER On June 4, the court rejected a challenge against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s broad authority to recover illicit profits through a financial remedy known as disgorgement. This strengthened one of the key powers of the Wall Street watchdog. The court upheld the decision of a lower-court that had supported a broad use of disgorgement powers by the SEC. In this case, the Trump administration defended the SEC. A defendant brought the challenge after a California court ordered him to pay back more than $3,000,000 in unjustified gains and interest in connection with a financial fraud case.
FCC FINES FOR WIRELESS CARRIERIES The Supreme Court ruled on June 4, defending the Federal Communications Commission system of levying fines and ruling against AT&T's and Verizon's challenge to the agency. Trump's administration defended FCC's system of assessing financial penalties known as forfeiture order. The carriers argued that FCC's internal proceedings deprived them their right to a trial by jury under the U.S. Constitution.
CUBA - COMPENSATION FOR PROPERTY seized by the former government of Fidel Castro's Cuba The Justices made it easier on June 23, for?U.S. Companies can now seek compensation from Cuba for property that was seized by the former government of Fidel Castro decades ago. ExxonMobil won its case against Cuban state-owned company Corporacion CIMEX. The court ruled that a defense known as foreign sovereign immunity which prohibits U.S. suits against foreign governments or their agents is not applicable in cases such as the one Exxon filed against CIMEX based on a 1996 U.S. act called the Helms-Burton Act. In another case the court ruled against four American cruise operators who contested a combined $440 million judgment in litigation brought on by a U.S. firm accusing them for using docks that they built in Cuba and later seized.
'GEOFENCE" WARRANTS On April 27, the court heard arguments in a Virginia case over whether or not law enforcement's use a "geofence warrant" to identify suspects using data from mobile phones near crime scenes is a violation of the Fourth Amendment's bar against unreasonable searches. Geofence warrants approved by the court compel companies, such as Alphabet’s Google in this instance, to search for mobile devices near crime scenes around the time of the crime. In this case, a defendant pleaded conditionally guilty to robbing an institution of higher learning while reserving the right to argue against evidence obtained from what he believes was an illegal search. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
CRISIS PREGNANCY COUNTER The court sided on April 29, with the operator in New Jersey of Christian faith based anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers that are trying to impede an investigation by the state into whether or not the facilities engages in deceptive practice. The court revived the federal lawsuit filed by First Choice Women’s Resource Centers to challenge a subpoena issued in 2023 by the state attorney general, which sought information about the organization's doctors and donors. The lawsuit had been dismissed by a lower court. First Choice's facilities are designed to discourage women from getting abortions.
RASTAFARIAN INMATE The Justices refused on June 23, to allow a Rastafarian inmate to sue Louisiana state prison officials after they shaved his head and held him down in violation of religious beliefs. This case was brought under federal law that protects incarcerated persons from religious discrimination. The justices upheld the lower court's dismissal of Damon Landor’s lawsuit, because the law at issue did not allow him to sue individual prison officials or guards for money damages. Landor's religious beliefs require him to grow his hair.
DEATH ROW INMATE A man convicted in Alabama of a murder committed in 1997 was spared the execution on May 21, after the court upheld a ruling that the inmate has intellectual disabilities and is therefore ineligible to receive the death sentence. Alabama officials appealed a lower court decision on how to determine Joseph Clifton Smith’s intellectual capacity. The justices rejected the appeal. This method involved weighing the multiple intelligence quotient (IQ) test scores along with expert testimony. In a 2002 Supreme Court decision, the court ruled that executing a person with intellectual disabilities violated the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment.
JURY COMPOSITION On May 28, the justices sided with an inmate on death row in Mississippi, who claimed that prosecutors had discriminated against him by excluding Black potential jurors in a 2006 trial where he was found guilty for his role in the murder of grocery store owner. They found that the state courts of Mississippi had not evaluated Terry Pitchford’s claim that four Black jurors were unlawfully dismissed for a violation of a 1986 Supreme Court precedent called Batson v. Kentucky, which prohibits exclusions based upon race.
SENTENCE REDUCTIONS The court ruled that on May 28, judges could not order early release of prisoners based on the fact that they would receive shorter sentences following the 2018 criminal justice reform law. The court upheld lower-court decisions against two Pennsylvania men who were convicted of armed burglaries and sought compassionate release on the basis of the First Step Act that Congress passed many years after their sentences.
SECURITIES LITIGATION The court sided on June 11, with a group investment funds affiliated to BlackRock and other asset management firms in their attempt to defend against certain lawsuits filed by private plaintiffs under an important federal securities law. The court reversed an earlier ruling that allowed the hedge fund Saba Capital Master Fund, to sue the Investment Company Act of 1941 to invalidate fund bylaws that restricted the voting rights of activist shareholders. The Trump administration backed BlackRock and FS Credit Opportunities, as well as other funds in the case including Adams Diversified Equity Funds, Adams Natural Resources Funds and Royce Global Trust.
COX COPYRIGHT DISSENSION The court ruled that Cox Communications could not be held responsible for the piracy of songs by subscribers to its internet service. These labels included Sony Music, Warner Music Group Universal Music Group, and others. 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.
PHARMACEUTICAL SKINNY LABELS The court ruled that the generic version of Amarin Pharma Vascepa, a cardiovascular medication made by Hikma, did not violate Amarin Pharma patents. This decision could make generic drugmakers more resistant to patent suits involving "skinny label" claims. The justices reversed a decision by a lower court in favor of Amarin. Generic drugmakers argued that Amarin's victory in the case could have deterred them from producing and selling their cheaper drugs, and raised U.S. drug costs.
(source: Reuters)