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Documents show that multiple unions have threatened strikes at Barrick’s flagship Mali Gold Mine.
Documents seen on Friday show that unions representing the workers at Barrick Mining's Loulo-Gounkoto Gold Complex in Mali have issued a series strike notices to management. This raises the risk of disruptions of work starting September 28th at one of Mali’s largest gold producing operations. Unions representing the workers of SOMILO SA (which operates the mines in the complex) and GOUNKOTO SA (which operates the mines within the complex) filed the notices. Separate notices of strike were filed by Barrick’s contractor for catering and support staff, Food & Events Africa (FEA), and workers at Mali's mining regulatory and other mining administration offices. The unions announced that they would start a strike at the end of this month if their demands for overtime pay, reimbursements of mission expenses, and implementation of labor agreements are not met. Barrick and Mali’s Mines Ministry did not respond immediately to requests for comments. MALI TIGHTENS GRIPS ON MINING SECTOR Mali is one of Africa’s biggest gold producers. It has tightened its grip on mining as it seeks to increase revenues. After a dispute lasting almost a full year, the military-led government handed back operational control to Canadian miner Barrick. The mining process has begun again, but the ramp-up is gradual. According to Barrick, the complex will produce about 190,000.00 ounces in the first half 2026. This is well below the pre-dispute level. SOMILO SA (which operates the Loulo Mine) and GOUNKOTO SA (which operates the Gounkoto Mine, located nearby) have both called for four-day strike action from September 28 until October 1. They cited management's failures to respond to demands made in February. Separately unions representing FEA workers, who provide catering and support services in Loulo and Gounkoto have called five-day strike from September 28 to October 2. They accuse management of not honouring agreements on overtime pay and benefits. The unions that represent workers at Mali’s mining regulator, the National Directorate of Geology and Mines and other mining administration organizations have also called a 72-hour walkout from September 29 until October 1, over unpaid wages, allowances and bonuses in the mining sector. Mali is reopening its mining licensing regime following a two-year-long freeze, which was tied to the cleaning up of the mining cadastre. According to decrees, the authorities have renewed 14 exploration permits for gold and lithium since August 21. These permit holders include units of First Lithium as well as Cora Gold.
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Germany to reduce energy tax in order to lower petrol prices
People with knowledge of the matter?said?on Friday that the German government had agreed to tax reductions which will reduce gasoline prices by EUR0.17 ($0.1952) per litre as a response to rising fuel prices. Sources who spoke under condition of anonymity said that the move included a?EUR0.14 reduction?in energy tax as well as an additional EUR0.03 reduction in sales tax. After Chancellor Friedrich Merz had promised to provide relief to consumers affected by the soaring gas prices, this decision was made. The decision came after extensive negotiations between the federal government and states governments on how to finance these cuts. Merz's approval rating has plummeted to new lows as a result of the Iran War, which has pushed benchmark oil prices above $100 per barrel. The national average daily price of a litre of E10 gas hit a new record earlier this week. Sunday, in the two most populous and rural areas of Germany, Mecklenburg and Western Pomerania (both heavily rural and sparsely-populated), Merz's conservative Christian Democrats are expected to be heavily punished. The results of the election will be closely monitored after the far right Alternative for Germany (AfD), party, came close to winning an absolute majority at a separate vote in the eastern state Saxony Anhalt on September 6th. In Mecklenburg/Western Pomerania the incumbent state premier,?Manuela Schwasig, has accused Merz of allowing fuel prices to?surge and called for a cap on fuel prices, based upon the Luxembourg model, which sets a maximum price across the country. The government reduced the energy tax in May and June this year. This effectively brought down the price of petrol and diesel by 17 cents a litre. There were calls for the reductions to be extended. The 'Bild' newspaper reported that Berlin was 'also working on an gasoline price cap which would be dependent on the price of oil, and plans are subject to discussions with the heads Germany’s regional states.
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Gold prices rise to a one-week high and are expected to gain weekly on the back of lower oil prices
The gold price rose on Friday to its highest level in a week, as lower oil prices eased fears of inflationary pressures. Gold spot was up 1.2% to $4,390.11 an ounce at 2:14 pm EDT (1812 GMT) after reaching its highest level since the 11th of September earlier in that session. Bullion is up 1% this week. US gold futures closed 0.6% higher, at $4424.90. Oil has been the primary driver of inflation, so a reduction in oil prices will reduce the pressure on inflation. Investors in precious metals had anticipated a rate hike (in the US) and took short positions, hoping to profit from the expected drop in gold. These positions were 'rapidly unwound,' said Chris Gaffney. EverBank president of world markets. Brent crude oil prices continued to decline for the third consecutive session, as concerns about Saudi Arabian supply disruptions were tempered by fears of a widerning conflict in the Middle East. The lower oil prices have provided some relief to inflation fears, but the threat of a Middle East shock is still a major concern. Dollars have risen to their highest level in more than a week, making bullion priced in greenbacks expensive for those who hold other currencies. On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve increased interest rates by one quarter percentage point. It now ranges between 3.75% and 4%. The Fed also indicated that there would be more increases in the coming months. CME FedWatch shows that traders now expect a 55% probability of another rate hike in the US when central bankers next meet in October. Gold is traditionally seen as a hedge against inflation, but higher interest rates may reduce its appeal by making assets with a yield more attractive. The Bank of Japan also raised its interest rates to their highest level in 31 years and indicated that it was willing to continue to raise borrowing costs. Gold demand in India this week was subdued as buyers held back purchases in anticipation lower prices. Premiums in China, however, remained stable, supported by robust demand for investment. Gaffney said that gold is currently testing resistance near the $4,400-$4,440 range. A move above this level of resistance could "clear" a path for higher prices. Spot silver increased 2.3% at $66.70. Platinum gained 2.2% at $1,812.50. Palladium rose 1.5% to $1,310.20. All metals are headed for gains this week.
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Dillard's will move its primary listing to Texas when the new stock exchange takes off
Dillard's announced on Friday that it will transfer its primary listings - from the NYSE - to the Texas Stock Exchange. The company joins a growing list of companies moving to this fledgling bourse aiming to compete with the two dominant 'US national' stock exchanges. Texas has been promoting itself as a corporate-friendly, lightly regulated alternative to US coastal states. TXSE supporters say that the new exchange will reflect this environment and counter the trend towards "more regulation and more taxation" at New York and other established financial hubs. In addition to the fashion retailer, regional lender Origin Bancorp and Texas?Capital Bancshares have announced that they will be moving their listings from the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq respectively, to the TXSE. The three companies will begin trading on the new exchange?in October. TXSE touts 'Texas' friendly laws and regulations' to attract listings. However, in order to take advantage of the legal and regulatory protections offered by the state, the companies listed on the exchange must be Texas-incorporated. Exxon Mobil, Elon Musk’s Tesla, and SpaceX are among the major corporations that have relocated to Texas. They cite a state law from 2025 which strengthens corporate defenses in?shareholder suits. These companies have not, however, shifted their main stock listings to the TXSE. BlackRock, Citadel Securities, and Charles Schwab are among the Wall Street investors who have backed this new exchange. According to an SEC filing, Kelcy Warren is a Texas billionaire who is the executive chairman of Energy Transfer and also has a stake in TXSE Group. The pipeline operator announced earlier this month that it would be moving its primary listing to the TXSE in early October. It joined other companies, including USA Compression Partners, Sunoco LP and SunocoCorp LLC. The four companies all have their headquarters in Texas.
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Treasury yields increase as central banks intensify their inflation battle
On Friday, global equity markets fell and Treasury yields increased as the markets neared the end of a turbulent period marked by the efforts of central banks around the globe to curb inflation. Wall Street's three main indexes fell, with real estate, materials and utilities stocks leading the declines. The Dow and S&P 500 were both on course to lose money for the week, but the Nasdaq would post a gain. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.4%. The S&P 500 declined 0.2%. And the Nasdaq Composite decreased 0.1%. Stocks in Europe dropped 1.1%, and they were heading for a loss of 5% per week. MSCI's global index of stocks fell by 0.2%. This week the focus has been on monetary policy, because the Middle East war is approaching its seven-month mark and shows few signs of ending. The conflict keeps oil prices at $100 per barrel, fueling inflation fears. This has led to an increase in the yields on major government bond markets. Kieran Osborne is the chief investment officer of Mission Wealth. The Fed has clearly stated that it will likely raise rates again and central banks around the world are on a path to try to curb inflation. The Middle East situation does not appear to be going away anytime soon. CENTRAL BANK MOVES After the Bank of Japan raised interest rates to a record high of 1.25 percent, the yen fell and Japanese government bonds declined. Two board members dissented from the decision. The Japanese yen fell 0.6% to 156.88 dollars per dollar. The Japanese currency is up 1.8% this month due to expectations that the BOJ will increase rates faster and signs of early repatriation by Japanese investors. The BOJ's decision concludes a series of meetings at which central bankers have increased their hawkish rhetoric. The Federal Reserve raised interest rates on Wednesday for the first time in three years and adopted a more aggressive approach to inflation. This shook the yen which was on track for its worst performance against the US dollar for two years. It fell 2.6%. The Bank of England left the UK rates unchanged on Thursday, but warned that it might have to raise them if Iran's war continues. Last week, the European Central Bank also emphasized that it was necessary to tighten further as they raised their rates. Australia's top banker said on Friday that some of the inflation risks have materialized. The euro dropped 0.1% to $1.1455 The dollar index, which measures greenbacks against a basket including the yen, the euro and other currencies, increased by 0.1%. OIL PRICES RETREAT Brent crude futures dropped 0.1% to $104.67 following reports that China had asked Tehran to rein in the Houthis, after their military offensive over the last week. This, along with the hope that Gulf exporters may find alternate routes to ship their oil, has put crude 'futures' on course for a week-long decline. After another week of brutal selling, bond yields have risen. The 10-year U.S. Treasury Yield is now at its highest level since 2007. The last increase was 5.32 basis points to 4.947%. In the past week, yields in Britain and the Eurozone also reached multi-year highs. However, by Friday they were just a little higher. Spot gold increased 0.3% to $4.352.77 per ounce.
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US factory production drops in August, but outlook is clouded by rising prices
The US factory output unexpectedly dropped in August. Higher oil prices and increasing interest rates may have offset some of the benefits of an artificial intelligence buildout. This will likely keep activity low for the remainder of the year. The Federal Reserve reported on Friday that output had declined after seven consecutive months of growth. US central bank raised interest rates for the first time since three years on Wednesday. It also warned that borrowing costs would continue to rise in the months to come. The oil prices are above $100 per barrel and there is no end to the US-Israeli conflict with Iran in sight. Samuel Tombs is the chief US economist for Pantheon Macroeconomics. He said: "Looking forward, we believe manufacturing output will increase a little more over the coming months, but it will not match the pace of the first half this year." Some manufacturers will likely find that the demand for their products softens when they pass higher energy prices on to consumers. The manufacturing output fell by 0.3% in August after a 0.2% increase that was not revised. The economists polled had predicted that production would rise by 0.3%. In August, output increased 0.9% year-over-year. According to some economists this modest growth indicates that the Trump administration’s aggressive trade policies have not rejuvenated the nation’s industrial base. The sector's production, which represents 9.4% of GDP, has seen a surge in recent months, as companies rushed to place orders in order to avoid shortages and higher prices due to the Middle East war. The production of durable manufactured goods dropped by 0.5% in August. The production of motor vehicles and their parts fell by 1.2% in the second consecutive month. Computers and peripheral equipment production fell by 1.4% but increased by 5.5% year-over-year. The production of communications equipment grew by 0.8%. Although semiconductors and electronic components?production?dipped by 0.1% from a year ago, this category increased 12.4%. The AI spending spree cushioned manufacturing import tariffs. Some economists still believe in a strong performance in manufacturing this year despite the recent sharp increase in US Treasury yields and the Fed's decision of raising its benchmark overnight rate by 25 basis point to 3.75%-4.00%. POSSIBLE TAILWIND FROM HIGHER Defense Spending Bernard Yaros is the lead U.S. economics at Oxford Economics. He said: "We are still expecting manufacturing activity to increase through next year. The AI infrastructure buildout plays a major role in our optimistic outlook." The demand for AI is still strong enough to withstand higher rates for longer and geopolitical risk. Increased defense spending is also a tailwind. Businesses that have been running out of inventory for five consecutive quarters could also boost manufacturing by restocking their inventories to meet a robust demand. However, some economists argue that this trend may be overshadowed due to rising costs. The production of nondurable goods was unchanged in August after a 0.4% drop. The rise in textile production, apparel and leather goods were offset by the decline in plastics and rubber products and in petroleum and coal. Christopher Rupkey is the chief economist of FWDBONDS. He said that the factory output has begun to show signs of a decline. This could get worse if geopolitical factors intensify, and diesel prices don't drop. The White House Economic officials have said that higher diesel prices could start to undermine the picture of a manufacturing renaissance painted by White House economists. Last month, mining production increased by 0.1%, matching July's increase. Oil and gas drilling increased by 0.9%, after increasing by 5.2% in the previous month. Utilities output jumped 1.8%, after a 0.5% increase in July. The overall industrial production remained unchanged in August, after gaining 0.2% during July. In August, industrial output increased 1.4% year-over-year. The capacity utilization rate for the industrial sector - a measure of how firms use their resources - remained unchanged in August at 76.3%. This is 3.1 points below the average for 1972-2025. The manufacturing sector's operating rate fell by 0.3 percentage points, to 75.7%. The operating rate is 2.5 percentage points lower than its long-term average. Carl Weinberg is the chief economist of High Frequency Economics. He said, "There's no evidence that tariffs are creating new jobs for manufacturing or industry."
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Gold prices rise to a one-week high and are expected to gain weekly on the back of lower oil prices
Gold prices reached a new weekly high on Friday. They were also on course to achieve their first gain in four weeks, as lower oil prices eased fears of inflationary pressures. However, a stronger dollar tempered gains. Gold spot was up 0.3% to $4,352.39 an ounce at 11:17 am EDT (1517 GMT) after reaching its highest level since the 11th of September earlier in session. Bullion is up 0.2% this week. US gold futures slipped 0.2% lower to $4,390.30. Oil has been the primary driver of inflation, and a reduction in oil prices will reduce inflation pressures. Investors in precious metals had expected an increase in the (US) interest rate and took short positions, hoping to profit from the anticipated selloff of gold. These positions have been quickly unwound," Chris Gaffney said, president of EverBank's world markets. Brent crude oil prices continued to fall for a third consecutive session, as concerns about Saudi Arabian supply disruptions were tempered by a growing fear of a Middle East conflict. The lower oil prices have provided some relief to inflation fears, but the threat of a Middle East shock is still a major concern. Dollars have risen to their highest level in more than a week, which makes greenback bullion pricey for those who hold other currencies. On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve increased interest rates by one quarter point to a range of 3.75-4%. It also indicated that there would be more rate increases in the months ahead. According to the CME FedWatch tool, traders now expect a 58% probability of another rate hike in the US when central bankers next meet in October. Gold is often viewed as a hedge against inflation, but higher interest rates can make yield-bearing investments more appealing. The Bank of Japan also raised its interest rates, reaching a record high of 31 years. It signaled that it was prepared to continue pushing borrowing costs up. Gold demand in India remained subdued as buyers waited for lower prices to purchase, while premiums in China were stable, backed by a robust investment demand. Gaffney said that gold is currently facing resistance in the $4,400 to $4,440 area. A move above this level of resistance could open up a new path for higher prices. Spot silver increased 1.8% at $66.37. Platinum gained 1.7% at $1,798.30, and palladium rose 1% to $1,303.46. All metals are headed for gains this week.
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US wants to expand uranium enrichment faster in order to avoid supply shortages
Two officials from the United States Department of Energy said that the United States wants suppliers to speed up development of uranium-enrichment capacity in order to avoid potential'shortages' as interest grows in nuclear energy. Several countries are looking to increase nuclear power, either by building new reactors or reactivating power plants that have been mothballed. This is to meet the rising demand for electricity, which is largely due to artificial intelligence. According to UxC, the industry consultancy, uranium prices have almost tripled in five years due to increased interest. James Danly, U.S. Deputy Energy Secretary, said at a nuclear summit in Paris co-hosted with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris: "Our goal is to resolve as many bottlenecks and restrictions as quickly as possible." "If we want to have this nuclear revolution, we won't be able do it without fuel." "We want as much capacity at home as possible as soon as possible," Danly said. FRANCE RELYS MORE THAN ANY OTHER LAND ON NUCLEAR POWER Nuclear power is still a controversial topic. Nuclear power can generate huge amounts of energy without adding carbon to the atmosphere to warm it, but its waste is difficult to manage and costs are high. The extreme heat in?Europe this summer led to nuclear plant shutdowns, as they could not be cooled. France is the only country in the world that relies so heavily on nuclear energy to supply 70% of its electricity. The World Nuclear Association (part of the OECD) has revealed that the US is not only the world's largest nuclear energy producer, but also the one that supplies the majority of its electricity. The U.S. opened its last commercial nuclear power plant in 2024, after years of delay and billions of dollars over budget. The U.S. plans to restart nuclear plants that were shut down, but none have been online yet. The uranium used in large conventional reactors has a lower enrichment than that required to make weapons. Michael Goff is the US principal assistant secretary for the Department of Energy. He said that Washington wants to encourage the companies which enrich uranium in order to fuel nuclear power plants to increase their capacity to enrich as soon as possible. This includes Orano?of France and US companies such as?Centrus?and General Matter?. The use of milestone-based contracting is one way to encourage this. Goff stated that around $900 million of government funding for new facilities are tied to the companies meeting development deadlines. Goff stated that "one of the most important things we did was to ensure that Russia would not be able to re-enter the fuel service industry in our country." The United States has prohibited the import of Russian-enriched Uranium since 2022 when Russia began its war against Ukraine. However, companies may obtain temporary waivers in order to avoid shortages. Goff stated that there are no plans to extend the waiver system, which expires in 2028.
The top cases in the US Supreme Court docket
The U.S. Supreme Court has decided several important cases in its current term, including those involving President Donald Trump, birthright citizenship and immigration, voting rights and tariffs, guns as well as issues relating to race, transgender sportspeople, campaign finance laws, and "conversion therapy" for LGBT people.
This is a list of some of the cases decided in the current term. The term began in October, and will run through the end of June.
Birthright Citizenship The court rejected Trump's attempt on June 30, to restrict birthright citizenship in the United States - a right that has been woven into American society for centuries - scuttling his top priority in his crackdown against immigration. Trump's executive orders?had instructed U.S. government agencies to not recognize citizenship for children born in the United States when neither parent was an American citizen, or a legal permanent resident (also called a "green-card" holder). The court ruled that Trump's executive order violated the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees citizenship to anyone born in America with a few exceptions.
TRUMP'S FIRE OF FED OFFICIAL The court refused on June 29, to allow Trump to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, as it was firm in its refusal to let Trump challenge the independence of the central bank. The court prevented Trump from removing Cook, thereby providing a safety net for the Fed. Since the founding of the central bank in 1913, no president has attempted to remove a Fed Governor. Trump claimed that Cook's firing was justified by unproven allegations of mortgage fraud, which Cook denied. Cook said the allegations were a pretext for firing her because of monetary policy disagreements, as Trump tries to pressure the Fed to lower interest rates.
FEDERAL COMMISSION FIRE The court backed Trump on June 29, allowing him to fire a Democratic Federal Trade Commission Member, expanding Trump's power over the government. It also overturned its precedent from 1935 that recognized Congress as the only authority with which to protect the leaders of certain regulatory organizations against presidential removal. The Justices invalidated tenure provisions for FTC members enacted more than 100 years ago by Congress. The justices, in doing so overturned the court's pivotal ruling in the case Humphrey’s Executor v. United States. Rebecca Slaughter, the FTC's Rebecca Slaughter was fired by Trump in 2017 over policy differences.
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 invalidated an electoral map which would have given Louisiana a U.S. Congress district with a majority of Black people. The court's ruling undermined Section 2 the Voting Rights 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 became a more important bulwark to combat racial bias in voting. Black and Latinos tend to vote for Democratic candidates.
TRUMP'S TARIFS The Supreme Court ruled on February 20, 2018 that Trump's tariffs were illegal because they were imposed under a law intended to be used in emergencies. This ruling has major implications for global economics. The ruling, which was a 6-3 decision, upheld the lower court's conclusion that Trump had exceeded his authority in using this 1977 law. The court ruled that Trump's claim to be able to impose tariffs was not supported by the law in question, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). 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.
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 for them return home.
TRANSGENDER SPORTS PARTIcipation The court cleared the way on June 30, allowing states to place restrictions on transgender students athletes. It upheld laws in West Virginia, Idaho and other states that prohibit them from joining female sports teams. The court overturned lower court decisions siding with transgender student athletes who challenged the bans on female sports teams in Idaho and West Virginia as being against the U.S. Constitution. Idaho and West Virginia law designates sports teams in public schools, including universities, according to "biological gender" and bars "students from the male sex", from joining female teams. Idaho and West Virginia claim the laws protect fair competition and safety for girls and women, but critics say the measures are part of an assault on transgender Americans' rights.
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 infringement on his right to free speech. 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 a law brought 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 the 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 public property.
DRUG USERS & GUNS On June 18, the court limited the application of a U.S. Law that prohibits firearms possession by some drug users. The court rejected a Trump?administration position that threatened the gun right of millions of Americans that use marijuana and who own firearms. The justices upheld the decision of a lower court to dismiss a charge of illegal gun possession brought under the law in question against Ali Hemani. Hemani is an American-Pakistani who lives in Texas and told authorities that he regularly used marijuana. The Supreme Court found 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 again struck down spending limits on campaigning on June 30, this time rejecting federal restrictions against coordinated spending between parties and candidates?on the basis of free speech. The ruling was made as Republican major committees headed towards the November midterms with a substantial cash advantage over their Democratic opponents. The court, siding with Vice President JD?Vance and Republican challengers ruled that the cap on how much money can be spent on campaigns by parties with input from candidates is a violation of the First Amendment's protections against government abridgment.
MAIL-IN BOARDS On June 29, the court upheld state laws that allowed mail-in votes received after Election Day in Mississippi to be counted. The ruling rejected a Republican-led appeal against a grace period of five days. The court overturned the decision of a lower-court that had found Mississippi's laws incompatible with U.S. Statutes that determine the timing of federal election for the president, Senate and House of Representatives. 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 days of a federal election.
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 crowded to accept any more 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 lawsuit filed in 2011 under the Alien Tort Statute of 1789. In the suit, it was alleged that Cisco had developed technology which allowed China to monitor and persecute Falun-Gong practitioners. The Alien Tort Statute allows non-U.S. Citizens to seek damages from American courts for violations against international law.
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 he was ordered to pay more than $3,000,000 in ill-gotten gain and interest in relation to a financial fraud.
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 claimed that the FCC's internal proceedings denied them their right to a trial by jury under the U.S. Constitution.
Compensation from Cuba The Justices on June 23, made it easier for U.S. firms to seek compensation for property seized by the former government of Fidel Castro. They ruled in favor ExxonMobil's lawsuit against Cuban State-owned Firm 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 brought 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 disputed $440 million combined judgments brought by a U.S. firm accusing them for using docks that they built in Cuba and later seized.
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 these facilities engage in misleading practices. First Choice Women's Resource Centers brought a federal suit against a subpoena issued by the state attorney general in 2023 seeking 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 INMATES The Justices refused on June 23, to allow a Rastafarian inmate in Louisiana to sue prison officials after they shaved his head bald 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 decision of a lower court to dismiss Damon Landor’s lawsuit, because the statute in question 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 he is "intellectually disabled" and 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 violates 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 accused prosecutors in Mississippi of racial bias for blocking Black potential jury members for a 2006 trial where he was found guilty for his involvement in the murder of grocery store owner. They found that the state courts of Mississippi had not evaluated Terry Pitchford’s claim that he was wrongfully dismissed four Black potential jurors in violation of a 1986 landmark 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 on the basis that they would receive shorter sentences following the 2018 criminal justice reform act. 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 years after they were sentenced.
SECURITIES LITIGATION The court sided on June 11, with a group investment funds affiliated to BlackRock and other assets managers in their attempt to defend against certain lawsuits filed by private plaintiffs under an important federal securities law. The court reversed an earlier ruling which 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 include 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)