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US Diesel Futures Post the Biggest Daily Gains in Four Years After Russia Bans Exports
U.S. Diesel futures are set to make their biggest daily gains in the last four years on Wednesday, after Russia announced an export ban. This has heightened supply concerns for a market that is still grappling with uncertainties about Middle Eastern oil flow. The benchmark ultra-low sulfur futures contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange closed up 11.6% to $154.71 a barrel, its highest level in more than a month. It also marked the largest daily gain for the contract since march 2022. The price spike in response to the 'Russian export ban', imposed in response to intensifying drone attacks by Ukraine on its refineries highlights the tightness of the global diesel markets. Diesel production has been limited by the attacks on Russian refineries and other plant closures, as well as years of supply cuts from the OPEC+ and disruptions resulting from the Iran War. Tom Kloza, Gulf Oil's chief energy advisor, said: "Diesel should be the product everyone is watching." It was emphasized even before the Russian banning, and now you have a very strong setup for the middle barrel. According to government data released on Wednesday, the United States' diesel and heating oil stocks fell by almost 5 million barrels in the last week, down to 103.6 million. This was due to a record-breaking seasonal export and a strong domestic demand. This is about 7% less than the average for the past five years. Energy Information Administration data released on Wednesday showed that U.S. distillate fuel exports were averaging 1.7 million barrels per day, the highest ever for the beginning of July. Domestic demand was 4.3 million barrels per day, which is 1.6% more than it was at the same time last year. Although the United States does not import any Russian diesel anymore, U.S. customers could still "feel" the pinch as nations who do rely upon Russian flows are likely to turn west for replacement barrels. The expected pull from other nations on a tighter market may translate into higher prices in the US. Consumers are now facing new inflation worries. Kloza said that wholesale diesel prices will rise by more than 40 cents a gallon as a result of the Russian export ban. The developments are likely to translate into better profits for U.S. refiners: "the diesel futures cracked spread, or the differential between the price the fuel and crude oil price, surged above $80 per barrel on Wednesday." This is the highest price since early April. Reporting by Shariq KHan and Scott DiSavino, New York; editing by Chizu NOMIYAWA
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Gold falls after Trump declares Iran deal 'over
Gold prices dropped on Wednesday, as oil prices'surged' and inflation fears grew after U.S. president Donald Trump said a 'interim agreement aimed at ending conflict with Iran is over. Gold prices fell 0.9% by 2:10 pm EDT (1810 GMT), after they had hit their lowest level since the beginning of July. U.S. Gold Futures for August Delivery settled 1.8% lower, at $4.082.40 an ounce. David Meger is director of metals trading for High Ridge Futures. Iran has reacted to a flurry of hostilities by claiming that it targeted U.S. military targets in?Bahrain? and Kuwait? after U.S. forces had attacked Iranian targets as a response to the attacks?on oil tankers in?the Strait of?Hormuz? Crude oil prices increased by more than 5%. Energy prices that are higher can cause inflation, and central banks may raise interest rates in order to control price pressures. Gold is often seen as a hedge to inflation but the metal's non-yielding nature makes it less appealing in an environment of high interest rates. Concern about high inflation grew?at last month's Federal Reserve meeting, amid fears that price increases are spreading and could require interest rate increases. Minutes of the 'June 16-17 meeting showed that a few participants saw the case for raising rates immediately. According to CME FedWatch Tool, traders are now pricing in a 69% probability of an increase in U.S. interest rates in September. This is up from 62% Tuesday. In a note dated Tuesday, Bank of America said that its 2026 gold forecasts have been reduced by 14%, to $4360, due to a more hawkish Fed. However, it added that $5,000 is still within reach when the tightening cycles ends. Spot silver dropped 2.9% to $58.25 an ounce. Platinum fell 3.6% to $1.580.92 and palladium declined 4.5% to 1,219.84.
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Officials say that a wildfire in central France poses an explosion risk to the KNDS site.
Local officials reported on Thursday that a wildfire in central France has posed a threat to residents of Morthomiers and threatens the industrial site nearby where KNDS manufactures munitions. This would present a risk for explosions or 'further fires'. KNDS confirmed that the wildfire was threatening the munitions site and informed the 500 employees of the facility to evacuate. Officials said that in Morthomiers, 100 residents of the 845-person town have been evacuated and are now sheltering at the 'town hall. It said that an internal firefighting unit had been deployed, and that 'night shift workers' had been put on standby. In a message on X, the prefect of Cher in central France said that the facility had been closed to traffic. He also urged residents of the area to take shelter. Since last week, wildfires have raged in southern Europe. In France, thousands of people were forced to evacuate their homes. The heatwaves that swept across France and western Europe between May and June dries out vast areas, which makes them more vulnerable to wildfires. This week, temperatures are expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius in southwest France. The French Interior Minister announced earlier on Wednesday that a 22 year old volunteer firefighter had died fighting a forest fire in the Savoie region of the French Alps. In the Pyrenees Orientales, the 'Trevillach wildfire' has burned 12,108 acres (4,900 hectares). The local prefect told X that the fire did not spread overnight. This allowed residents from a dozen villages to return to their homes. However, the fire is still not completely contained. The European Commission pre-positioned an unprecedented 777 firefighters from fourteen European countries across high-risk zones in?Cyprus?, Greece?, Italy?, France?, Spain?and Portugal? Portugal and France activated?EU Civil Protection Mechanism at the weekend in response to simultaneous wildfires that scorched thousands of acres. Reporting by Dominique Vidalon and Hugo Lhomedet; Editing and production by Barbara Lewis, David Gregorio and Makini Brice
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Guatemalan zoo breeds rare species of lizards to save endangered species
Conservationists are working in Guatemala to breed a new generation of Guatemalan Beaded Lizards. These lizards are one of the most endangered species in the world. They hope that this will help rebuild the wild populations decimated by habitat loss and the illegal pet trade. Heloderma charlesbogerti is also known as the "nino dormido", or sleeping child in Spanish, and it's endemic in the thornscrub in Guatemala's Motagua Valley. This region, which is one of the driest in Central America, has a lot of thornscrub. Rowland Griffin is the director of La Aurora zoo’s conservation project. He estimates that there are only 500 to 700 wild adults left. The Guatemala City Zoo is monitoring eggs with remote cameras, incubator tanks, and baby lizards to be released next year. He said, "We are just getting them accustomed to eating and climbing. They will need these skills when they are released into the wild." Scientists will monitor the progress of lizards before they are released. In 2007, the species was elevated to the highest protection tier?of CITES, the Convention on the International Trade in 'Endangered Species Of Wild Fauna And Flora. Guatemalan beaded Lizards are known to primarily eat bird and reptile eggs. Their venom is not fatal to humans.
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Oil prices are a 'wake up call' for investors as Trump drives up inflation.
After U.S. president Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the interim?agreement to end the conflict with Iran "is over", global investors were reminded of the speed at which the oil?market could reignite concerns about inflation and volatility. Oil's 5% increase has pushed down inflation-sensitive assets like bonds and gold. Aneeka Gupta is the director of macroeconomics research at Wisdomtree. We expected "that the oil flow would return to the markets and that inflation expectations would be reduced". Everyone is watching oil After Trump's comments, oil prices jumped up to 6% to reach a new two-week high. Brent futures are still far below the $100 and above they traded at for two months starting in mid-March. This caused policymakers' inflation indicators to flash red. After the U.S. signed a memorandum of agreement with Iran in June to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and release the stranded tankers, prices fell rapidly. It is unclear where the prices will settle after the mini-glut has passed. The latest developments will make tankers less willing to return to the Gulf. KEEPING THE FIDELITY The news came at a bad time for the stock market. There is some doubt in the AI story as traders wonder if companies who have made billions for AI models and chips will continue to do so, if there are no more supply bottlenecks or if the demand doesn't pan out like they expected. Since the Nasdaq reached a record high in June, memory chip makers have experienced a volatile correction. The price of an?ETF that tracks memory chip stocks has dropped by nearly 8%. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia semiconductor index has declined by 5%. The world outside AI has done much better. The S&P 500 equal-weight index, which removes the large impact of the biggest stocks, is up nearly 3%. Europe's STOXX 600, which has "poor AI", is also up 4%. BOND YIELDS SURFACE Bond yields surged after Trump's remarks, taking their cues from oil prices. Traders raised their expectations for price increases, and positioned themselves to increase interest rates, reversing the recent reduction of bets. The contracts tracking the euro zone CPI inflation expectation in a year rose by 14 basis points to 1.992%. Traders last priced in an additional 35 basis points of tightening from the European Central Bank this year, up from 25 basis points on Tuesday. According to LSEG, the Federal Reserve tightened by 36 bps on the Fed Funds Market, while the Bank of England tightened its policy by 32 bps. Markets expect consumer inflation in the U.S. will be just 2.15 % in a year, a sharp drop from the 4.2% recorded in May. The biggest moves were in shorter-dated bonds. These are more sensitive to expectations of interest rates. Germany's and Britain's yields on 2-year bonds both rose 10 basis points to their highest level in just under a week. The U.S. reaction, an energy exporter country, was less dramatic, with 2-year bond yields rising by 5 bps. VOL WAKES UPS Volatility was largely absent in the past few months. But Wednesday's news sent a number of measures higher. Early June saw the VIX index return to pre-war levels, with only a short spike due to concerns about high-flying technology stocks. The same story is told by the volatility?gauges of currencies and bonds -- a nearly unbroken drop in recent weeks and a spike on Wednesday. There are exceptions, such as equity indexes heavily exposed to chips in South Korea and Taiwan, where the volatility is astronomical. Gold Not So Shiny Gold prices are 23% lower than they were before the outbreak of war. It had been on a six month run, which saw the price rise by 70%. After a modest rally that began at the beginning of July, the price of gold is almost back to where it was when the month started, with a daily decline of 1.1%, or $4,060 per ounce. Gold, which is generally considered a safe haven and hedge against inflation rose initially when the Iran War began. However, it fell sharply almost immediately. Investors' thoughts were dominated by the dollar strength and bets on central banks raising rates, rather than safe-haven demand. This put pressure on prices.
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IMF reduces global growth forecast for 2026 to 3%; sees rebound in 2020
The International Monetary Fund lowered its forecast for global growth in 2026 to a slow 3.0% on Wednesday, warning about the ongoing risks associated with the Middle East war, trade fragmentation, and possible corrections to market expectations in AI. The 'global lender' said that the world economy avoided a sharper decline, as demand for AI and technology helped to offset the sharp fall in energy supplies due to the war. The growth rate should return to 3,4% by 2027. However, this is still lower than the 3.5% average seen between 2024 and 2025. The IMF forecasted 3.1% growth in April. The inflation outlook is less optimistic. IMF forecasts that headline inflation in 2026 will rise by 0.3 percentage point to 4.7%, up from April. It also said that it would drop to 3.9% the following year. The IMF said that energy prices are 25% higher than they were before the February 28 war started and will remain so. It was confirmed on June 10 that the Strait of Hormuz would begin to reopen by mid-July and traffic will gradually return to prewar levels by March 2027. It assumes that the average oil price is $89 per barrel. Petya Brooks, deputy head of the IMF research department, said to reporters that they expect a V shape recovery. This year's growth will be weaker than our pre-war projection, but it will rebound next year. The world economy has fared better than expected, and there are few signs of a second-round effect. IMF has raised their forecast for energy exporters, and countries closely linked to the technology sector. However, commodity importers who are not in a position to benefit from AI development have seen their growth predictions downgraded. The projected growth in global trade is expected to drop sharply from 5% to 3.5% by 2026, following a year of heavy front-loading in anticipation of U.S. Tariffs. It will then rebound to 4.3% by 2027. Brooks stated that the spike in oil prices was limited during the war by the release and expansion of commercial and strategic oil inventories. He also cited the rise in energy efficiency, the increase in production outside the Gulf and the steady increase in renewable energy. Private sector also quickly adapted, finding "alternatives" to supply and routes. She said that there was still a great deal of uncertainty. "A new escalation of the conflict could reignite volatility in commodity prices, tighten financial circumstances, strain policy buffers and worsen food security in low-income nations." Another downside risk is a market correction in AI. She said that higher oil prices may also lead to a destabilization of inflation expectations. This would then trigger a correction in the financial situation. The U.S. Military launched a new round of attacks against Iran. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, said that a memorandum with Iran to end conflict had "ended", raising new concerns about the future a fragile ceasefire. Deniz Igan who heads the IMF’s economic updates said that a renewed conflict in the area would put the global economy into a worse situation than the first time. Igan said that many countries had exhausted their oil reserves and were left with little room for maneuver. Prices could rise if countries make a big push to replenish their reserves. The IMF officials noted that inflation and expectations of inflation had remained relatively well-anchored except in some cases. There was also little evidence to date that expectations would shift in the medium term. SCENARIOS?CHANGE In its updated World Economic Outlook, the IMF dropped the three scenarios that it released in April before the U.S. reached a ceasefire agreement with Iran, and reverted to a traditional baseline 'forecast. The reference?forecast from April assumed a shorter conflict. The IMF raised its forecast for 2027 by 0.1 percent points to 2.2%, compared with the April forecast. The eurozone's growth forecast for 2026 was lowered to 0.9%, from the 1.1% forecast in April. Its 2027 forecast remained unchanged at 1.2%. The growth forecast in Japan for 2026 was revised down by 0.1 percentage points to 0.6%. In 2027, the forecast was raised by the equivalent amount to 0.7%. South Korea's growth rate was revised up by 0.7 percentage points to 2.6% due to strong growth in AI Hardware exports. The growth forecast for emerging market and developing countries was also cut by 0.1 points, to 3.8%. However, the forecast for 2027 has been raised by 0.3 percentage points to 4.5%. China's growth is now expected to reach 4,6% in 2026, after a strong quarter. This is up from April's?forecast, which was 4.4%. In 2027, growth will reach 4,1%, up 0.3 points from April. India, which is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, was also downgraded to 6.4% from 6.5% for 2026, while the IMF raised its forecast for 2027 to 6.7%, up from 6.5%. The IMF raised its forecast for 2027 by 1.9 percentage point to 6.5%. (Reporting and editing by Christian Schmollinger, David Gregorio, and Andrea Shalal)
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How Iran's disputed nuclear program became more important than its 'golden weapons' in Hormuz
The wording of the interim deal fuels differing interpretations between Iran and the U.S. about who manages transit * Tehran used to view the closing of waterways as a final resort * Iran will not start nuclear negotiations until Washington accepts Washington's authority over the Strait By Parisa Hafezi & Angus McDowall DUBAI, 8 July - The Strait of Hormuz is now a "golden" weapon for Iran. It is willing to risk escalating tensions with the United States for this goal, which is more important than its nuclear program for which the country has accepted sanctions for decades. The issue of Iranian strategy is so important that this week ships that passed the 'Strait' without Tehran's permission were fired on, leading to a 'fire exchange' with the United States which threatens the interim peace agreement last month. The Iranian leadership, which had resisted for years to choke off the fifth global energy supply passing through Hormuz now sees it as their strongest hand in a number of disputes with the West and the reason Washington concluded the war. Ebrahim Azizi wrote on social media that the United States should recognize the new Iranian order at the Strait of Hormuz. This is the only path forward. Two senior Iranian sources said that while Tehran's insistence on maintaining control of the waterway could lead to a long-term dispute, there was little disagreement about the policy. One source said that there had been some discussion about whether Iran was overplaying its hands, but the general opinion in the top circles was no rational country would give up such a powerful leverage point. The source said that they wanted to remove Iran's "golden weapon" - the issue of Hormuz - and this would be impossible. The interim agreement signed by President Donald Trump last month to end the conflict opened up the strait for more traffic, but it was left vague on its ultimate fate. While President Donald Trump opened up the Strait of Hormuz to more traffic last month, the final fate of the waterway was not specified in the interim agreement. In the memorandum, Iran promises to "make arrangements for safe passage for commercial vessels without charge for 60 days". Iranian negotiators read?that as the U.S. recognizing the Islamic Republic’s right to control the waterway for two months, even if it means not charging tolls or fees. The United States and Gulf States reject this interpretation. They believe that the language means that Iran must facilitate safe passage of vessels, not impose any restrictions or enforce them with force. HORMUZ IS PRIORITIZED OVER NUCLEAR ISSUES Iran's position is based on a distrust for the United States, exacerbated by Trump's decision in 2018 to rip up a nuclear agreement, his return to the war this year, after agreeing a ceasefire during the summer, and his unannounced war launch while a diplomatic process was underway. One of the sources stated that if Iran backs down on Hormuz he would intensify his demands for other areas, including the nuclear dossier and Iran's conventional missile stock, stating such a move was "surrender and this is impossible". Iran has warned that it can close the Strait for years, and once said that it would be as easy as drinking water. However, senior officials have also privately stated that they are reluctant to do this as it is a last resort. They were hesitant because they feared increasing their isolation internationally by making a decision that would anger Gulf neighbours as well as global energy consumers and, ultimately, hurt their own economy. Iranian officials thought they had nothing to lose when Israel and the United States?attacked Iran's supreme leadership and other top officials on February 28. The Iranians closed the Strait of Hormuz to all traffic except their own. This caused the largest disruption in?global energy supply history. Washington, after hesitating about the effect on oil prices added its own blocking of Iranian ports in late April. The cost of the blockade on Hormuz eventually became so high that the two sides reached an agreement. Iran believes that after forcing the U.S. into a negotiating position by closing the Strait, it now needs to formalise this ability. Both sides were anxious about the immediate economic issues they faced. Both sides believe they have won. There's a view that both sides just need to push further to get their desired outcome, said Ali Ansari - a professor of modern history at St Andrews University. Iran has now shifted its focus to the Hormuz issue, and believes Washington has accepted its right to enrich uranium at home. Trump's war was primarily motivated by the nuclear issue, which had been the main source of disagreement between Iran and the United States over the past 25 years. It also prompted major international sanctions against Iran. The negotiations over Iran's nuclear program were reduced to further discussions as part of the interim agreement that ended the war. Senior Iranian sources said that Iran would not even start talks about the nuclear issue unless the United States accepted its full control of the Strait of Hormuz. Reporting by Parisa hafezi and Angus McDowall, Editing by Peter Graff
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Gold prices fall after Trump declares Iran deal 'over
Gold prices dropped on Wednesday, as oil prices soared and inflation fears intensified after U.S. president Donald Trump declared that the?interim deal aimed at ending conflict with Iran is "over". Gold spot dropped by 2%, to $4.025.67 an ounce at 11:35 am EDT (1535 GMT), after reaching its lowest price since July 1. U.S. Gold Futures for August Delivery fell 2.9% to $4.035.20 an ounce. David Meger is director of metals at High Ridge Futures. He said that the main reason for the move today was the "increased escalation" in tensions between Iran and the U.S. With a possible ceasefire ending, risk assets have traded lower across the board, including gold. Iran has retaliated against U.S. military targets in Bahrain and Kuwait in a 'flame-up of hostilities' after U.S. forces attacked Iranian targets in response to attacks on oil tankers in Strait of Hormuz. Crude oil prices rose by more than 5%. Inflation can be fueled by higher?energy costs, and central banks may raise interest rates in order to control price pressures. Gold is often seen as a hedge to inflation but the metal's non-yielding nature makes it less attractive in an environment with high interest rates. The Federal Open Market Committee minutes for its June 16-17 meeting are due at 2:00 pm EDT (1800 GMT) to provide further hints on the monetary policy. Meger stated that the market is searching for information to help clarify the path of future rate increases. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, traders are now pricing in a 70% probability of an increase in U.S. interest rates in September. This is up from 62% Tuesday. In a note published on Tuesday, Bank of America said that its 2026 gold forecasts have been reduced by 14%, to $4360, based on a more hawkish Fed. However, it added that $5,000 is still within reach once the tightening cycles ends. Silver spot fell by 4.5%, to $57.33 an ounce. Platinum dropped 4.4%, to $1.568.93. Palladium was down 4.9%, to $1.213.93.
The top cases in the US Supreme Court docket
The U.S. Supreme Court has been deciding important cases in its current term. These include voting rights, presidential power, tariffs and birthright citizenship. Other issues are race, transgender sportspeople, campaign finance laws, LGBT "conversion therapies" and federal agency authority. The term began in October, and will run through the end of June. Separately, the court has also acted in emergency cases in several cases that challenge President Donald Trump's policy.
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 an electoral map which would have given Louisiana a 2nd U.S. Congress district with a majority of Black people. The decision severely undermined Section 2 in 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 Right 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. The justices asked the administration's attorney about the legal validity and practical implications of Trump's order. The lower court ruled against Trump's executive order that instructed U.S. agencies to not recognize citizenship for children born in the United States. If neither parent is a legal permanent resident or an American citizen, this is also known as a "green-card" holder. The court found that Trump's policies violated both the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and a federal law codifying birthright rights. 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 pursued in accordance with a law intended for national emergencies. This ruling has major implications for 'the global economy'. The ruling, which was 6-3 in favor of the lower court's decision, confirmed that Trump had exceeded his authority when he used this 1977 law. The court ruled that Trump's claim to have the authority 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.
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" and did not specify the procedure 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 April 29, the justices heard arguments examining Trump's administration's actions to strip humanitarian benefits from hundreds of thousands Haitian and Syrian migrants, as part of his signature crackdown on immigration. The Trump administration appealed two federal judge's rulings that halted its efforts to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which the U.S. Government had previously granted to over 350,000 Haitians and 6,100 Syrians. Some conservative justices seemed to agree with the administration that courts could not second-guess the decision of the government to end TPS. Several justices questioned also the claim of the challengers, that the administration failed to follow mandatory protocols when making decisions in accordance with the law governing TPS. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
Federal Trade Commission Firing The conservative justices of the court have indicated that they will uphold Trump's legality in firing a Federal Trade Commission Member and 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 the lower court's ruling that the Republican President exceeded his authority by dismissing Democratic FTC member Rebecca Slaughter before the term she was due to finish. The conservative justices seemed sympathetic to the Trump Administration's argument that tenure protections granted by Congress to independent agency heads unlawfully infringed on presidential powers under the U.S. Constitution. Trump was allowed to remove Slaughter until the case concluded. The court is expected to make a decision by the end June.
TRANSGENDER SPORTS PARTIcipation The conservative justices seemed ready to uphold the state laws that ban transgender athletes from participating in 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 for violating the U.S. Constitution as well as a federal antidiscrimination act. 25 other states also have laws similar to Idaho's. The conservative justices expressed concerns over imposing a uniform law on the whole country, amid a sharp disagreement and uncertainty about whether medications such as puberty-blocking hormones or gender affirming hormones remove male physiological advantages in sport. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
LGBT "CONVERSION THERAPEUTY" The court rejected on March 31, a Democratic-backed Colorado Law that prohibited psychotherapists from utilizing "conversion talk therapy" intended to change a LGBT minor's gender identity or sexual orientation. The 8-1 decision sided with the Christian licensed counselor who argued 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 a law brought by Kaley Chiles who argued it violated First Amendment protections from government abridgment.
HAWAII GUNS LAW The conservative Justices expressed skepticism about a Hawaii gun law which restricts the carry of handguns in public places, such as businesses. They appeared ready to expand the right to own a firearm again. On January 20, the court heard arguments in an appeal filed by opponents of the law, backed by Trump's administration. The challengers were appealing a ruling that Hawaii’s Democratic-backed measure complies likely with the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment right. Hawaii's law demands that a property owner "expressly authorize" the bringing of a handgun on private?property accessible to the public. 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 The court, on June 18, limited the application of an U.S. Law that prohibits firearms possession by some drug users. It rejected a position taken the Trump administration which threatened the rights of millions Americans who use marijuana while owning 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 its prosecution of Hemani complied?with the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment right "to keep and bear arms."
CAMPAIGN FUNDING The court heard arguments in December 9 on a Republican-led attempt to overturn federal limits on spending by parties and candidates coordinated with each other in a case that involved Vice President JDVance. The conservative justices seemed to be sympathetic towards the challenge. However, the three liberal members of the court appeared inclined to maintain the spending limits. The debate centers around whether federal limits on campaign spending coordinated with candidates' input violate First Amendment protections against government abridgment. Vance and Republican challengers have appealed the ruling of a lower court that upheld restrictions regarding the amount of money political parties can spend in campaigns, with input from candidates who they support. This type of spending is called coordinated party expenses. The ruling is expected to be made by the end 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 allow mail-in votes received after Election Day be counted. This case could lead to stricter 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: The court seemed likely to rule for the Trump administration's defense of its authority to reject asylum seekers if officials deem U.S. - Mexico border crossings to be too overburdened to process additional claims. On March 24, the court heard arguments in a dispute over a policy known as "metering," which Biden's administration dropped in 2021. The Republican president may want to reinstate it. 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.
WEEDKILLER CANER CLAIMS The court seemed divided on Bayer AG’s attempt to close down thousands of lawsuits alleging that the German company failed to warn users of the active ingredient of its Roundup herbicide causing cancer. On April 27, the court heard arguments in Bayer’s appeal of a Missouri state court jury verdict awarding $1.25million to a man called John Durnell, who claimed he had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma following years of exposure. The lower court rejected Bayer’s argument that U.S. pesticide law bars lawsuits based on claims made under state laws. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
Human Rights Abuses Around the World The court heard arguments in April 28 on a case that has broad implications for American human rights litigation. Members of the Falun?Gong spiritual movement have accused Cisco Systems, of facilitating religious persecu- tion in China. Cisco appealed the 2023 ruling of a lower court that gave new life to the 2011 lawsuit brought under the Alien Tort Statute of 1789. The case accused Cisco of developing technology which allowed China's Government to monitor and persecute Falun-Gong members. Cisco asked the court to limit the scope the Alien Tort Statute which allows non-U.S. Citizens to sue in American courts over violations of international laws. The court is expected to make a ruling by the end June.
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. The case was brought by an?defendant' who was ordered to pay more than $3,000,000 in ill-gotten gain and interest by a California court at the SEC's request.
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.
'GEOFENCE" WARRANTS On April 27, the court heard arguments in a Virginia case about whether or not law enforcement's use a "geofence warrant" to identify suspects using data from a?cellphone 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 "crisis pregnancies centers" that are anti-abortion and trying to impede an investigation by the state into whether these facilities engage in misleading practices. First Choice Women's Resource Centers brought a lawsuit against a subpoena issued by the state attorney general in 2023 to obtain information about the donors and doctors of the organization. The lawsuit had been dismissed by a lower court. First Choice's facilities are designed to discourage women from getting abortions.
RASTAFARIAN INMATE 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 argued in front of the court under a federal statute protecting incarcerated persons from religious discrimination. Plaintiff Damon Landor's religion requires that he let his hair grow. He appealed the decision of a lower court to dismiss his lawsuit, because they found that the statute in question did not allow him to sue officials for money damages. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June.
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 who claimed that prosecutors had discriminated against him by excluding Black potential jurors in a trial where he was found guilty in 2006 of his involvement in the murder?of a supermarket owner. The justices found that the state courts of Mississippi had not evaluated Terry Pitchford’s claim that four Black prospective jurors were unlawfully dismissed, in violation of a 1986 Supreme Court precedent called Batson v. Kentucky which prohibits exclusion based on 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 based on a 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)