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☆ Supreme Court rules against Republicans in North Carolina elections dispute
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Lawrence Hurley | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The justices ruled on a 6-3 vote that the North Carolina Supreme Court was acting within its authority in concluding that the map constituted a partisan gerrymander under the state constitution. As a result of the North Carolina Supreme Court's ruling, that map is likely to tilt heavily toward Republicans. The North Carolina case was being closely watched for its potential impact on the 2024 presidential election. Republicans led by Tim Moore, the speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, invoked the theory after the state Supreme Court struck down the congressional district map in February of last year. Moore and other Republicans immediately asked the Supreme Court to reinstate the maps, saying the state court had overstepped its authority.

Persons: William Rehnquist, Gore, Republican George W, Bush's, Donald Trump, Tim Moore, Moore, John Eastman, Mike Pence, Joe Biden's, Biden's Organizations: Republicans, North Carolina, Democratic, Supreme, Republican, North Carolina House of, U.S, Democrats Locations: North Carolina, Bush, Carolina, —

TOKYO, June 24 (Reuters) - Nissan (7201.T) has launched an investigation into claims by a senior adviser that Chief Executive Makoto Uchida carried out surveillance of his deputy Ashwani Gupta, four people with direct knowledge of the matter said. In the letter, Nada said Uchida carried out surveillance over a long period. Asked to comment on the surveillance investigation, Nissan said in response to Reuters: "Independent third parties have been retained to verify facts and carry out appropriate actions." Nada did not detail in the letter how he knew of the alleged surveillance of Gupta. Nada is a member of two executive committees established by Nissan in 2019 as part of a governance reform after the Ghosn scandal.

Persons: Makoto Uchida, Ashwani Gupta, Hari Nada, Nada, Uchida, Renault, Gupta, Nissan, Akira Takeuchi, Anderson Mori, Tomotsune, Carlos Ghosn, Ghosn, Jean, Dominique Senard, Luca de Meo, de Meo, Greg Kelly, Nissan's, Ampere, David Dolan, Gilles Guillaume, Kevin Krolicki, David Clarke Organizations: Nissan, Financial Times, Reuters, Renault, NISSAN, RENAULT, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Tokyo, Lebanon, Japan, Paris

☆ Illumina acquisition of Grail wins support from GOP lawmakers, state AGs as FTC tries to block it
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Republican lawmakers, state attorneys general and several advocacy groups have voiced their support for Illumina's acquisition of cancer-test developer Grail while the Federal Trade Commission fights to unwind the deal. The groups filed 14 amicus briefs Monday urging the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse an FTC order that would have Illumina undo the $7.1 billion Grail deal over concerns that it stifles competition. Thirty-four Republican lawmakers touted Grail's early screening test, which can detect more than 50 types of cancers through a single blood draw. And activist investor Carl Icahn, who holds a 1.4% stake in Illumina, launched a proxy fight with the company over the Grail deal. Icahn's opposition stemmed from Illumina's decision to close the acquisition without first gaining approval from antitrust regulators.

Persons: Illumina, Carl Icahn, Francis deSouza Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, U.S, FTC, Food and Drug Administration, European Commission Locations: San Diego, Alaska , Arkansas, Georgia , Idaho , Indiana , Iowa , Kentucky, Louisiana , Nebraska, South Carolina , Utah, Virginia, Illumina

☆ As Rahm Emanuel Pushes Japan on Gay Rights, Conservatives Bristle
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Motoko Rich | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Since taking up his post as U.S. ambassador to Japan last year, Rahm Emanuel has lavished his host country with enthusiastic tweets about riding the world-class bullet trains and subways, hiking Mount Fuji or sampling local delicacies and festivals. But a recent string of messages about gay and transgender rights, culminating in a video Mr. Emanuel released on Twitter earlier this month, has drawn considerable ire among conservatives in Japan. Critics say the ambassador has overstepped the bounds of diplomacy and crossed into unwanted interference in domestic policy. As Japanese lawmakers debated a contentious bill declaring that there “should be no unfair discrimination” against the gay and transgender community, Mr. Emanuel marshaled a group of 15 foreign ambassadors in Tokyo to record a four-minute video nudging Japan to embrace L.G.B.T.Q. Japan is the only Group of 7 country that has not legalized same-sex unions.

☆ Hong Kong court rejects challenge by jailed media tycoon Lai over British lawyer
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Jessie Pang | Thomson Reuters | Jessie Pang Joined Reuters In After An Internship. She Covers Hong Kong With A Focus On Politics | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HONG KONG, May 19 (Reuters) - A Hong Kong court on Friday dismissed an attempt by jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai to challenge a decision by security officials to effectively bar his British lawyer from representing him in a landmark national security trial. Lai's legal team filed a judicial review after Hong Kong's National Security Committee (NSC), headed by senior Hong Kong and Chinese officials, ruled that the admission of senior British barrister Timothy Owen could harm national security and advised Hong Kong authorities to reject his visa. Chief High Court judge Jeremy Poon, in dismissing Lai's challenge, said Hong Kong courts essentially had no authority over the National Security Committee. "You cannot have a body which can simply say magic words (on) national security, and be able to be free from any challenge," Pang said. Beijing imposed the national security law on Hong Kong in 2020 after months of anti-government protests.

☆ Buttler regains form but Hyderabad clinch last-ball thriller
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW DELHI, May 8 (Reuters) - Rajasthan Royals opener Jos Buttler roared back to form but Abdul Samad's last-over heroics ensured Sunrisers Hyderabad had the last laugh in Sunday night's dramatic Indian Premier League (IPL) contest. England limited-overs captain Buttler started the season well but went into the match without a fifty in his previous six knocks that included a couple of ducks. But with Hyderabad needing 41 runs off the last two overs, Glenn Phillips, who made 25 off just seven balls, turned the match on its head. Samad smacked the final delivery over the bowler's head for a flat six to secure Hyderabad's fourth win in 10 matches. Rajasthan captain Samson defended picking Sandeep to bowl the final over.

Companies Robinhood Markets Inc FollowMay 3 (Reuters) - Massachusetts' highest court on Wednesday heard arguments on whether to revive a state fiduciary duty rule that was central to an enforcement action securities regulators filed against the online brokerage Robinhood. Lawyers for a Robinhood Markets Inc (HOOD.O) subsidiary and Massachusetts Secretary of State Bill Galvin argued before the state's Supreme Judicial Court over the legality of a 2020 state regulation, which Robinhood has said oversteps Galvin's authority. He argued that Robinhood violated the rule he adopted that raised the investment-advice standard for brokers and that its broker-dealer license in the state should be revoked. "Secretary Galvin feels strongly in the need to apply fiduciary duty standards to financial professionals," a spokesperson said. "The Robinhood case is the perfect example of the need for such a rule in Massachusetts."

☆ ‘Succession’ Season 4, Episode 6: Cool New Rule
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Noel Murray | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Roman’s initial response is to troll, by making a snide comment about the “incredibly evolved, ruthlessly segregated” community of Los Angeles. But Kendall is excited about them putting their own stamp on Waystar, and thinks these two firings may impress the markets. It’s a reasonable assumption too, because Kendall is in full Icarus mode throughout this episode. There are few things more entertaining in “Succession” than Kendall in a boss groove, tossing out big ideas and buzzy business jargon at a rapid clip. (“Numbers aren’t just numbers, they’re numbers,” Pete sputters.)

☆ Missouri's attorney general opened a new front in the GOP's attacks on transgender people: banning treatment for any adult with depression
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Chris Panella | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Adults with depression are banned from seeking care until their mental health issues are resolved. Attorney General Andrew Bailey's sweeping regulation would prohibit medical providers from providing gender-affirming care unless a number of requirements are met. The ACLU of Missouri previously said that the attorney general, a Republican, overstepped his authority when it condemned Bailey's initial announcement of the policy in March. The state attorney general is basing his regulation on a law aimed at fraudulent business practices, The Missouri Independent reported. Republicans and conservatives have moved to restrict gender-affirming care and other trans rights in recent years.

☆ 20 GOP-led states are asking the Supreme Court to halt Biden's latest student-debt cancellation for 200,000 borrowers, backing a request from 3 schools accused of defrauding their students
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A federal judge ruled that 200,000 borrowers can move forward with relief in a borrower defense settlement. Last month, three schools mentioned in the settlement appealed the decision to the Supreme Court. 20 GOP-led states filed an amicus brief supporting the schools, arguing Biden doesn't have authority to carry out this relief. Unlawful delay of debt relief results in clear monetary harm." The Education Department has until Wednesday to file a response to the three schools' lawsuit, which currently sits with Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan.

[1/2] A worker carries election materials as he prepares ballot boxes before their distribution to polling stations in a warehouse in Jakarta, Indonesia, April 15, 2019. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/File PhotoSummary District court had no power to delay ballot - high courtIndonesia must turn focus back to election - ministerLower court ruling plunged Indonesia into uncertaintyJAKARTA, April 11 (Reuters) - An Indonesian court on Tuesday overturned a lower court's controversial order to delay the 2024 national elections by two years, arguing it had overstepped its jurisdiction and had no authority to make the decision. The district court has said it accepted the case because other courts would not take it on. "The court ruling has affirmed that general court has no authority or absolute competence to settle this case," he told Reuters. Jokowi's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the court ruling.

☆ Supreme Court refuses appeal by lawyer jailed for contempt in $9.5 billion Chevron environmental case
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The Supreme Court refused Monday to consider the appeal of a disbarred lawyer jailed for contempt of court after he won a $9.5 billion judgment against Chevron in an environmental lawsuit in Ecuador . A group of Ecuadorians represented by Donziger filed a class-action suit against Chevron in Manhattan federal court in 1993. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit were awarded $9.5 billion from Chevron by a judge in Ecuador. Chevron then filed a legal action in Manhattan federal court and won an injunction against the enforcement of the judgment in any U.S. court. In the Chevron case, Gorsuch wrote, "However much the district court may have thought Mr. Donziger warranted punishment, the prosecution in this case broke a basic constitutional promise essential to ourliberty."

☆ Bragg pushes back after House Republicans escalate oversight into Trump hush money case
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Summer Concepcion | Julie Tsirkin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has dismissed another letter by three House Republican chairmen seeking more information related to the hush money probe that could lead to an indictment of former President Donald Trump. "Contrary to the central argument set forth in your letter, this matter does not simply involve local or state interests," the lawmakers wrote. It is not appropriate for Congress to interfere with pending local investigations," Bragg wrote. Their request came after Trump falsely predicted last weekend in a post to his social media platform Truth Social that he would be arrested Tuesday. The Manhattan DA's office then slammed the Republicans on Thursday, arguing they had overstepped with their request.

☆ How the Supreme Court may approach Biden's student-loan forgiveness plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on Tuesday on Biden's student-loan relief plan. Supporters say the relief is lawful, while opponents say Biden's policy is unconstitutional. The states claim that MOHELA will lose revenue from servicing loans because of Biden's relief. Concerning the constitutionality of Biden's plan, advocates on both sides say they feel confident their respective views will prevail at the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is expected to hand down its decisions by June.

☆ Conservative Supreme Court justices target the fairness of Biden's student-loan forgiveness and executive overreach in their first round of questioning
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Oral arguments on Biden's student-loan forgiveness are underway at the Supreme Court. Justice Gorsuch also asked Biden's team to address how the relief is fair to those who already paid off their loans. On Tuesday, the two cases that temporarily paused Biden's plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt arrived at the Supreme Court. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, representing Biden's administration, took the first round of questions from the justices, and she defended Biden's use of the HEROES Act of 2003 to cancel student debt. He said that "modify" typically means "moderate change," and he questioned whether the language can also be used for broad student-loan forgiveness without Congressional approval.

☆ Student-Loan Forgiveness Case at Supreme Court Hinges on ‘Harm’
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Gabriel T. Rubin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Challengers to President Biden’s student-debt cancellation plan want the high court to decide whether the administration overstepped its authority. Challengers to President Biden’s mass student-debt cancellation plan must clear a hurdle before the Supreme Court can move on to the merits of the case: Showing that they would suffer harm from the program. The high court will hear arguments on Tuesday related to Mr. Biden’s plan to cancel up to $10,000 in debt for borrowers making less than $125,000 annually, with extra relief going to people who received Pell Grants. Individuals and Republican state officials sued the administration last year seeking to block the plan from going into effect.

☆ Biden's student-loan forgiveness is about to have its day at the Supreme Court. Here's everything you need to know.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The Supreme Court will hear two challenges to Biden's student-debt-relief plan on Tuesday. But the Biden administration has defended its legal authority and expressed confidence that the Supreme Court will uphold the plan. Prominent figures in the legal and political worlds have weighed in on the two high-profile Supreme Court cases in dozens of briefs filed to the Supreme Court. More than 170 Republican members of Congress have argued against Biden's relief, along with 17 Republican-led states, the US Chamber of Commerce, and over a dozen conservative-leaning advocacy groups. Millions of student-loan borrowers' financial futures hang in the balance.

Feb 14 (Reuters) - Law firm Covington & Burling fired back at a lawsuit from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday, arguing the agency overstepped by asking it to identify clients affected by a 2020 cyberattack on the firm. Covington said an SEC subpoena for the names of nearly 300 publicly traded companies whose information was accessed or stolen during the hack threatened to expose confidential client information that the firm is required to protect. The SEC sued Covington last month to force the powerful D.C.-based firm to identify the clients as part of an investigation into potential securities law violations associated with the hack. The firm pointed to legal ethics rules that require law firms to keep the confidences of their clients and protect potentially embarrassing information. Covington said it worked with the FBI to investigate the cyberattack and notified all clients whose information was potentially compromised.

☆ Jared Kushner's private equity firm concealed the origins of Saudi-backed funds and used the SEC's own rules to help them do it, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

In April 2022, The New York Times reported Jared Kushner received $2.5 billion in Saudi-backed funds. A new Washington Post report reveals how Kushner's company concealed the source of the funds. On an SEC form, a box reading "Sovereign wealth funds and foreign official institutions" was blank. In the form, Kushner lists Affinity as an "other business name." Kushner and his father-in-law, Trump, have received a fair share of scrutiny for their ties to the Saudi prince and his allies.

☆ Cambodia's Hun Sen orders shutdown of independent local news outlet
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PHNOM PENH, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered the shutdown of one of the last independent local news organizations in the country on Sunday night, saying it had attacked him and his son and hurt the country. "Commentators tried to attack me and my son Hun Manet," Hun Sen wrote. The story quoted government spokesperson Phay Siphan saying the prime minister's son and presumed successor Hun Manet had signed the aid agreement. Hun Sen, one of the world’s longest-serving dictators, on whose watch political rivals have been jailed and exiled, critical media outlets shuttered and civil dissent crushed, demanded a public apology. Hun Sen said the response was unacceptable.

Kannon Shanmugam of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison represented PayPal, while CFPB senior counsel Christopher Deal represented the regulator. The CFPB created its Prepaid Rule to offer consumers legal protections on prepaid accounts similar to those on products such as checking accounts, including the ability to challenge payment errors, unauthorized transactions and fraud. Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan and Circuit Judge Cornelia Pillard joined Rao's decision. The appeals court returned the case to Leon to consider PayPal's other challenges to the Prepaid Rule, including constitutional and administrative law claims. Circuit Court of Appeals, No.

☆ Israel's attorney-general tells Netanyahu to stay out of push for judicial changes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Maayan Lubell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

JERUSALEM, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must stay out of his government's push to overhaul the judicial system because he has a conflict of interest, the country's attorney-general said on Thursday, adding to growing friction over the plan. In a statement on why Netanyahu should not be involved, Gali Baharav-Miara cited the premier's ongoing corruption trial, in which he has denied wrongdoing. Coalition lawmaker Simcha Rothman said the judicial overhaul has nothing to do with the criminal case against Netanyahu and Baharav-Miara's instruction would have no impact on advancing the changes. Apparently seeking to assuage fears investors will bolt Israel if the changes become law, Netanyahu has defended the plan, saying it will help cut back unnecessary litigation. S&P Global Ratings director Maxim Rybnikov has told Reuters the judicial shake-up could pressure Israel's sovereign credit rating and dozens of economists have urged Netanyahu to scrap the plan.

☆ Supreme Court challenges to Biden student loan plan hinge on overreach, financial harm
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The law is a product of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and an earlier version of it provided relief to federal student loan borrowers impacted by the attacks. However, the states counter that the Heroes Act allows the Education secretary only to modify the federal student loan system to keep certain borrowers from being in a worse-off position with their loans because of a national emergency. In other words, higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz said, the states are asserting that Biden is using Covid as an excuse to pass his plan. The states also argue that Biden's plan would cause financial harm to their states, including a loss of profits for the companies that service federal student loans. The attorneys also denied the claim that the Biden administration was overstepping its authority, laying out the White House's argument that it is acting within the law under the Heroes Act of 2003.

You feel like he's on a solo mission," Tania Daou-Alam, who lost her husband in the blast, told Reuters. Bitar went on to file his own charges against several top politicians, including former ministers allied to Hezbollah. Bitar, a devout Catholic from Akkar region of the north, has charged officials from across the sectarian spectrum including Shi'ites, Sunnis and Christians. "I said from the start 'the right person is in the right place'," he added, describing Bitar as just with no political affiliations. William Noun, who lost his brother in the blast, said of Bitar's move: "This is very much a judicial uprising".

☆ Lebanon blast investigator charges public prosecutor, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BEIRUT, Jan 24 (Reuters) - The judge investigating the 2020 Beirut port explosion has charged Lebanon's top public prosecutor and three other judges in connection with the catastrophic blast, two judicial sources said on Tuesday. Judicial sources said interrogations had been scheduled for February for 15 people, including the top security officials, Oweidat, two former ministers, and Hassan Diab, who was the prime minister at the time of the blast. Bitar met French judges visiting Beirut last week as part of a French investigation into the explosion, whose victims included two French nationals. Bitar resumed work on the basis of a legal interpretation challenging the reasons for its suspension, the judicial sources said. Hezbollah has campaigned against Bitar as he sought to question its allies and accused Washington of meddling in the probe.

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