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A federal court's decision to invalidate NextDecade Corp.'s permit for its Rio Grande LNG project in Texas has put the project and thousands of associated jobs at risk. The court ruled that the project required further environmental review, marking the first time a permit has been revoked for an LNG project under construction in the US. NextDecade is appealing the decision and is prepared to take the case to the Supreme Court. The company is continuing with construction in the meantime, with the aim of supplying countries in Asia and Europe that are transitioning away from fossil fuels. If the ruling is upheld, the project could be halted, jeopardizing up to 5,000 jobs and contracts with several major companies. [Extracted from the article]

The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal from the Biden administration regarding the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) authority to ban flavored vaping products that are likely to appeal to children. The case involves two companies whose applications to sell e-liquids with flavors like "Suicide Bunny Mother's Milk and Cookies" and "Killer Kustard Blueberry" were rejected by the FDA. The FDA has denied many applications for flavored vapes since a 2009 law required FDA approval for new tobacco products. The case will test the FDA's ability to regulate potentially harmful tobacco products, and a ruling could benefit companies like Altria Group Inc. and R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. who are awaiting FDA reviews of their own applications. The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals previously ruled that the FDA acted in an "arbitrary and capricious" manner by imposing new testing requirements after companies had submitted their applications. The Biden administration argues that flavored e-cigarettes pose a serious risk of enticing young users and that the 5th Circuit ruling undermines the FDA's efforts to address this problem. The companies involved in the case claim that the FDA did not provide fair notice of changes to the requirements for authorization of new flavors. The FDA has declined to comment on the litigation. The Supreme Court will hear arguments and make a ruling in the upcoming term starting in October. [Extracted from the article]

The US Supreme Court's recent decision on an Enron-era obstruction law could potentially benefit former President Donald Trump in his legal battles. The court ruled that prosecutions under the law must involve specific documents or evidence, rather than broad allegations of attempting to stop a proceeding. While the decision primarily relates to Trump supporters charged in the January 6th Capitol attack, it also has implications for Trump's own criminal case. Trump's lawyers have a pending challenge to the obstruction law counts, which have been on hold while he disputes his immunity as a former president. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the immunity case soon, and if Trump loses, other challenges to the indictment will be reviewed. The court's decision may impact how prosecutors present their case to a jury, but it remains to be seen how it will directly affect Trump's connection to the false certificates created during the election. [Extracted from the article]

The US Supreme Court has rejected two vaccine-related appeals from Children's Health Defense, a group founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The appeals challenged the FDA's emergency approval of Covid-19 vaccines for children and Rutgers University's requirement for Covid vaccination to attend classes. The court did not request a response from the FDA or Rutgers, indicating that they were not seriously considering accepting either appeal. Additionally, the court declined to hear a challenge to Connecticut's elimination of its religious exemption for school vaccinations. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Court agreed to decide whether states can outlaw gender-transition care for minors, taking up an issue that has become a culture-war flashpoint across the country.The justices will review a federal appeals court decision that upheld a Tennessee law in the face of constitutional challenges by the Biden administration and transgender youths. The court will hear the case in the nine-month term that starts in October.©2024 Bloomberg L.P.By Greg StohrReported by Author [Extracted from the article]

The US Supreme Court has rejected two vaccine-related appeals from Children's Health Defense, a group founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is known for his skepticism towards immunization. The court upheld a federal appeals court decision that stated the group and five parents did not have legal standing to challenge the FDA's emergency approval of Covid-19 vaccines for children. The court also dismissed claims that Rutgers University violated the Constitution by requiring Covid vaccinations for students. The Supreme Court's rejection of these appeals suggests that they were not seriously considering accepting them. Additionally, the court declined to hear a challenge to Connecticut's elimination of its religious exemption for school vaccinations. [Extracted from the article]

The US Supreme Court has upheld the funding system of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a regulatory agency established after the 2008 financial crisis. The court voted 7-2 to reject arguments that the CFPB's funding through the Federal Reserve violated the constitutional provision requiring congressional appropriation for government spending. This decision protects the agency's work over the past 13 years, including its regulation of consumer financial services such as credit cards, banking, and loans. The ruling also supports the CFPB's recent efforts to address abuses in the mortgage-lending market and regulate bank overdraft fees. [Extracted from the article]

Coinbase Global Inc., the largest US cryptocurrency exchange, reported higher-than-expected revenue and profit for the first quarter of the year. The company's revenue more than doubled to $1.58 billion, surpassing analysts' estimates. Coinbase attributed its success to a resurgence in cryptocurrency prices, which led to increased demand from individual investors. The company also mentioned an accounting change that contributed to its net income, as well as a Manhattan federal court's decision regarding a lawsuit filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Despite the positive results, Coinbase's stock fell about 2% in after-hour trading. [Extracted from the article]

Coinbase Global Inc. has addressed its legal issues with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and its political donations in its shareholder letter. The company mentioned a court decision that dismissed the SEC's claim that Coinbase acted as an unregistered broker, but also noted that the court denied the company's request to dismiss the case entirely. Coinbase remains confident in its legal arguments and expects an intensive discovery phase throughout the year. The company also highlighted its political contributions, supporting pro-crypto candidates through the Fairshake PAC. In terms of earnings, Coinbase reported revenue of $1.58 billion and net income of $1.17 billion for the first quarter. [Extracted from the article]

A recent federal court decision has increased legal risks for Wall Street's practice of bundling consumer loans into asset-backed securities. The decision upheld the power of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to sue trusts that issue these securities if debt-collection companies they hire violate the law. This precedent could lead to higher borrowing costs for firms that use securitizations, as investors may demand higher yields to compensate for the risk of lawsuits. Credit rating firms may also be more cautious about assigning high grades to securities backed by debts from risky borrowers. [Extracted from the article]

The Biden administration has asked the US Supreme Court to block a Texas law that would allow the state to arrest and deport individuals who enter the country illegally. The administration argues that the law infringes on federal authority and would disrupt the longstanding balance of power between the federal government and states in immigration matters. The law, known as Senate Bill 4, is similar to an Arizona statute that was mostly struck down by the Supreme Court 12 years ago. Texas contends that it has the right to take action to protect its citizens if the federal government fails to address the influx of migrants at the US-Mexico border. [Extracted from the article]

John Paulson, a hedge fund billionaire, has been ordered by a federal judge in Puerto Rico to face a fraud claim by his former business partner, Fahad Ghaffar. The claim relates to a $17 million investment in a luxury car dealership, with Ghaffar alleging that Paulson failed to deliver a promised convertible note giving him a 50% stake in the dealership. The judge dismissed some parts of the lawsuit but allowed the securities fraud and breach of contract claims to proceed. Both parties have claimed victory, with Paulson's lawyers confident that the remaining claims will be dismissed, and Ghaffar's lawyer pleased with the court's recognition of securities fraud. Paulson has countersued Ghaffar for $190 million, accusing him of siphoning off money from Paulson's businesses. [Extracted from the article]

A federal judge has dismissed Walt Disney Co.'s lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, stating that Disney lacked standing to sue the governor. The judge also ruled that a law stripping Disney of control over a municipal district that includes Disney World was constitutional, even if it was aimed at punishing free speech. Disney had sued DeSantis after a new governing board appointed by the governor voided land-use contracts signed by the company. The ruling is seen as a setback for Disney in its ongoing feud with DeSantis. [Extracted from the article]

Canada has implemented new rules to prevent sensitive technological research from being transferred to China, Iran, or Russia. The government has produced a list of foreign institutions that are linked to entities that may pose a risk to Canada's national security. Projects related to artificial intelligence, advanced energy technology, and aerospace and satellite systems that are affiliated with these institutions will not receive government funding. The list includes organizations primarily based in China, as well as some from Russia and Iran. Canada's decision has been criticized by China, with the Foreign Ministry stating that it is using national security as an excuse to suppress Chinese universities and scientific institutions. [Extracted from the article]

Canada has implemented new rules to prevent sensitive technological research from being transferred to China, Iran, or Russia. The government has released a list of foreign institutions that are linked to entities that may pose a risk to Canada's national security. Projects related to artificial intelligence, advanced energy technology, and aerospace and satellite systems that are affiliated with these blacklisted institutions will not receive government funding. The list includes organizations primarily based in China, as well as some from Russia and Iran. This move by Canada reflects growing concerns about strategic research falling into the hands of foreign adversaries. [Extracted from the article]

The article reports on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rulings in the American Pearl Button Co. and the Amalgamated Clothing Workers Union case, which upholds the Chamber of Commerce and marks out new zone for legal antiunion activity in Washington, Iowa. It highlights the significant participation of the Washington Chamber of Commerce in defeating the union in the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election and in the federal court decision.

NRA Gets Supreme Court Review on New York "Blacklisting" Claim The justices agreed to review a federal appeals court decision that said the NRA's allegations of "blacklisting" didn't amount to a violation of its free speech rights. (Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Court will consider reviving National Rifle Association claims that a New York state official unconstitutionally pressured insurance companies including Chubb Ltd. and Lloyd's of London to stop doing business with the gun lobby. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Court left in force a ruling that requires Alabama to have a second congressional district with a near-majority of Black voters, rejecting the state's latest bid to reinstate a Republican-drawn map. The June ruling tossed out an earlier Republican map as discriminatory and upheld a three-judge federal court panel decision that required a second majority-Black district "or something quite close to it." The high court order, which came without comment or public dissent, reinforces the justices' June 8 ruling against the state in the Voting Rights Act clash. [Extracted from the article]

Even if the ruling in the Rahimi case doesn't directly resolve whether the charges against Hunter Biden are constitutional, Welty said he could imagine the Delaware judge delaying a ruling "to get the benefit of what the Supreme Court says." There's also the prospect of an entirely separate second indictment reviving tax-related charges that Hunter Biden had been prepared to plead guilty to before a deal with prosecutors fell apart amid questioning from the judge. (Bloomberg) -- Hunter Biden's defense against the latest federal charges puts the president's son at the center of a roiling debate over who is allowed to have a gun after the US Supreme Court upended the Second Amendment legal landscape a year ago. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses a United States federal appeals court ruling in the Microsoft Corp. antitrust case. The court tossed out Judge Thomas P. Jackson's breakup order. But it also dealt the company a serious blow: In a unanimous decision, seven judges held that Microsoft Corp. does not have an automatic right to put whatever features it wants into its Windows operating system. To the contrary, the court ruled that the software giant's decision to add Internet-browsing technology into Windows violated at least one, and possibly two, provisions of the Sherman Antitrust Act.

(Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Court let Apple Inc. keep its App Store payment rules in place for the time being, rejecting an Epic Games Inc. request that would have let developers start directing iPhone users to other purchasing options. Kagan's rejection of Epic means Apple will get a reprieve from the 9th Circuit ruling, though perhaps only a temporary one. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Court let Apple Inc. keep its App Store payment rules in place for the time being, rejecting an Epic Games Inc. request that would have let developers start directing iPhone users to other purchasing options. Kagan's rejection of Epic means Apple will get a reprieve from the 9th Circuit ruling, though perhaps only a temporary one. [Extracted from the article]

The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals said earlier this year that Apple violated California's Unfair Competition Law by limiting the ability of developers to communicate about alternative payment systems, including purchases through the Epic Games Store. (Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Court let Apple Inc. keep its App Store payment rules in place for the time being, rejecting an Epic Games Inc. request that would have let developers start directing iPhone users to lower-priced alternatives online. [Extracted from the article]

At Wednesday's hearing, FTC Administrative Law Judge D. Michael Chappell urged the parties to seek a delay in the in-house trial to ensure the federal court decision on an injunction is issued before he hears the case. During a hearing Wednesday in the FTC's in-house court, agency lawyer Nathan Brenner said the FTC engaged in settlement discussions earlier in the case and remains "open to hearing proposals.". [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- Smaller, lesser-known digital tokens such as Solana and Avalanche are outperforming Bitcoin this week after a federal court decision in a case involving Ripple Labs Inc. fuels a "fear of missing out" impulse among cryptocurrency proponents. The SEC lawsuit against Ripple Labs has kept crypto on edge since 2020 by raising the prospect that digital tokens are securities that fall under the agency's strict regulatory purview. [Extracted from the article]

The SEC lawsuit against Ripple Labs has kept crypto on edge since 2020 by raising the prospect that digital tokens are securities that fall under the agency's strict regulatory purview. The SEC sued Coinbase in June for the sale of unregistered securities. [Extracted from the article]

Back in 2020, the SEC accused the company, co-founder Chris Larsen and Garlinghouse of misleading investors by selling more than $1 billion worth of tokens without registering them. (Bloomberg) -- Ripple Labs Chief Executive Officer Brad Garlinghouse said that a federal court decision Thursday means that its crypto token XRP "is not a security", giving the digital-payments company more freedom to pursue various business opportunities. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse Calls SEC a "Bully" Fresh Off XRP Token Ruling. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- Smaller, lesser-known digital tokens such as Solana and Avalanche are outperforming Bitcoin for a second day after a federal court decision in a case involving Ripple Labs Inc. fuels a "fear of missing out" impulse among cryptocurrency proponents. The SEC lawsuit against Ripple Labs has kept crypto on edge since 2020 by raising the prospect that digital tokens are securities that fall under the agency's strict regulatory purview. [Extracted from the article]

"Coinbase is a secondary market exchange, and this type of opinion really calls into question whether the SEC's approach with respect to secondary market exchanges make sense", said Daniel Tramel Stabile, a partner at Winston & Strawn. (Bloomberg) -- A federal court decision on a closely-watched crypto case involving Ripple Labs Inc. is taking Coinbase Global Inc. advocates back to a time when the potential for the largest US digital-asset exchange seemed almost limitless. [Extracted from the article]

The high court case involves Zackey Rahimi, who was indicted under the domestic-violence gun law after taking part in five shootings near Arlington, Texas in 2020 and 2021. (Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Court will take up a major new Second Amendment case, agreeing to decide the fate of a federal law that bars gun possession by people who are subject to a domestic-violence restraining order. [Extracted from the article]

In a related case, the court tossed out a lawsuit that said social media companies bore responsibility under an anti-terrorism law for a 2017 shooting in an Istanbul nightclub. Acting in a case involving Google, the court said it wouldn't rule on efforts to limit the immunity internet companies have enjoyed under a decades-old law known as Section 230. [Extracted from the article]

In a related case, the court tossed out a lawsuit that said social media companies bore responsibility under an anti-terrorism law for a 2017 shooting in an Istanbul nightclub. Acting in a case involving Google, the court said it wouldn't rule on efforts to limit the immunity internet companies have enjoyed under a decades-old law known as Section 230. [Extracted from the article]

The challengers - accountant Michelle Cochran in the SEC case and body-camera manufacturer Axon Enterprises Inc. in the FTC case - say the job protections afforded to ALJs violate the Constitution's separation of powers by insulating the judges from presidential control. (Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Court opened a new avenue for fighting off complaints by the Securities and Exchange Commission and Federal Trade Commission in a decision that could reduce the leverage of two of the most powerful federal regulators. [Extracted from the article]

The article offers news briefs related to business and politics in the U.S. The Army and Navy Munitions Board has established the industrial mobilization plan for total regimentation in wartime. The federal circuit court has upheld the order of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) with its decision to prohibit Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co. from buying or accepting discounts in lieu of brokerage. The Federal Alcohol Administration has favored the prohibition of the sale of domestic liquor.

(Bloomberg) -- Sam Bankman-Fried is challenging a federal judge's order making public the identities of two people who helped secure his $250 million bail package. Bankman-Fried's bail package was backed by two unidentified people who signed on as sureties for separate bonds of $500,000 and $200,000. [Extracted from the article]

The trial judge, US District Judge Lewis Kaplan, last month granted media applications to unseal the names of the two people, though he gave Bankman-Fried until Feb. 7 to appeal. (Bloomberg) -- Samuel Bankman-Fried is challenging a federal judge's order making public the identities of two people who helped secure his $250 million bail package. [Extracted from the article]

The justices without comment left in place a federal appeals court decision that said the states couldn't intervene after President Joe Biden's administration dropped the federal government's defense of the so-called public charge rule. In the latest case, then-President Donald Trump's administration appealed after a federal trial judge found the public-charge rule unlawful. (Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Court turned away 14 Republican state attorneys general who sought to reinstate a Trump-era immigrant wealth test that screened out green card applicants seen as being risk of becoming dependent on government benefits. [Extracted from the article]

The rebuff follows a 2021 Supreme Court decision rejecting the bulk of a separate investor lawsuit that used other legal arguments to try to invalidate the profit sweep. (Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Court turned away four appeals from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac shareholders who said they were entitled to compensation after the Treasury collected more than $100 billion in profits from the government-sponsored enterprises. [Extracted from the article]

The court has to agree to hear the appeal first and it will be up to the antitrust watchdog to prove that the Competition Tribunal made errors in its legal ruling. (Bloomberg) -- Canada's antitrust watchdog plans to appeal a court ruling that gave approval to Rogers Communications Inc.'s takeover of a rival, a last-ditch effort to halt one of the country's biggest-ever corporate mergers. [Extracted from the article]

"We welcome the Supreme Court's decision to hear the case on our student debt relief plan for middle and working class borrowers this February", White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. The debt-relief plan has been on hold since Oct. 21, when the 8th Circuit issued an emergency order blocking the program. (Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Court kept President Joe Biden's student-loan relief plan on hold while agreeing to hear arguments likely to produce a definitive ruling by June in a high-stakes showdown over presidential power. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Court kept President Joe Biden's student-loan relief plan on hold while agreeing to hear arguments likely to produce a definitive ruling by June in a high-stakes showdown over presidential power. The plan "directly targets those borrowers facing a worse position financially because of the pandemic", argued Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration's top Supreme Court lawyer. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Court kept President Joe Biden's student-loan relief plan on hold while agreeing to hear arguments likely to produce a definitive ruling by June in high-stakes showdown over presidential power. The debt-relief plan has been on hold since Oct. 21, when the 8th Circuit issued an emergency order blocking the program. [Extracted from the article]

The justices declined for now to lift a federal appeals court decision that is blocking the program. (Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Court kept President Joe Biden's student-loan relief plan on hold while agreeing to hear arguments likely to produce a definitive ruling by June. [Extracted from the article]

The court's terse two-sentence order Tuesday, letting a House committee get six years of Trump's tax returns, marked the fourth time the justices have rejected him over documents since he left office. (Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Court, which often backed Donald Trump as president, is giving him little deference now that he's not. Trump Blast Trump blasted the court in a Truth Social post, saying it "has lost its honor, prestige, and standing, & has become nothing more than a political body.". [Extracted from the article]

A Geneva appeals court found that Castel, 95, had filed tax returns under one first name between 1982 and 1994 rather than another, by which he is well known as the founder of world's third-largest wine trader. (Bloomberg) -- Pierre Castel, the French billionaire behind the Nicolas chain of wine shops, was ordered to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in Swiss back taxes in a court ruling that found he deliberately hid his identity for decades as head of a global drinks empire. While the names of Castel, other family members as well as the companies involved were redacted from the ruling, a detailed description of the company and its founder point to his identity. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- Pierre Castel, the French billionaire behind the Nicolas chain of wine shops, was ordered to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in Swiss back taxes in a court ruling that found he deliberately hid his identity for decades as head of a global drinks empire. Media profiles of Castel at the helm of a sprawling network of more than 215 companies in 40 countries weren't reflected in his tax filings, according to the July verdict, which was reported earlier by Swiss blog Gotham City. A Geneva appeals court found that Castel, 95, had filed tax returns under one first name between 1982 and 1994 rather than another, by which he is well known as the founder of world's third-largest wine trader. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- Juul Labs Inc. persuaded a federal court to grant anemergency order blocking the Food and Drug Administration's decision toban its e-cigarette products from the US market. Chuck Tatelbaum, a veteran bankruptcy lawyer, said it would makesense for Juul executives to be considering a Chapter 11 filing sincethe FDA ban "basically puts the company out of business. [Extracted from the article]

The cases are Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, 20-1199, and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina, 21-707. (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to consider abolishing the use of race in college admissions decisions, accepting appeals involving Harvard College and the University of North Carolina in what could be a transformational showdown for higher education. Blum's group filed the Harvard and North Carolina lawsuits on the same day in 2014, saying it was pressing the cases on behalf of members who were denied admission and stood ready to transfer if possible. [Extracted from the article]

Lawyers for Djokovic said Hawke took an "unreasonable approach" to assessing whether his deportation was in the public interest, and cited no evidence that his presence may foster anti-vaccination sentiment. Novak Djokovic's anti-vaccination stance has cost him a potential payday of A$2.875 million ($2.1 million) and a shot at tennis history after the player lost his battle to remain in Australia and was deported. [Extracted from the article]