Court Rules

• A U.S. trade court declared President Trump's proposed 10% tariffs on global imports unlawful, marking a significant legal setback for his trade agenda. • The ruling, issued within the past 2 hours, stems from challenges by importers arguing the tariffs exceed presidential authority under existing trade laws. • This decision matters as it disrupts Trump's strategy to pressure trading partners like China and the EU amid escalating tensions over the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump also issues new deadline for EU to implement trade deal terms before raising tariffs to ‘much higher levels’The US trade court on Thursday ruled against Donald Trump’s latest 10% global tariffs, finding across-the-board tariffs were not justified under a 1970s trade law.The US Court of International Trade ruled in favor of small businesses that challenged the tariffs, which took effect on 24 February. The ruling was 2-1, with one judge saying it was premature to grant victory to the small business plaintiffs. Continue reading...

• The Supreme Court decided on April 29, 2026, whether Louisiana's new congressional map constitutes an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, marking a significant ruling on voting rights and district boundaries. • The case, Louisiana v. Callais, examined Louisiana's 2022 redrawn congressional districts that were previously challenged in federal court under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. • This decision affects ongoing redistricting battles across the country as states prepare for the 2026 midterm elections, with implications for both Democratic and Republican seat counts.

At the heart of the case was the question of how much lawmakers are allowed to consider race when they redraw districtsSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe US supreme court has ruled that Louisiana will have to redraw its congressional map, in a landmark voting rights case.At the heart of the case, Louisiana v Callais, was a thorny question of how much lawmakers are allowed to consider race when they redraw districts to ensure that Black voters are adequately represented. The supreme court initially heard oral arguments in the case last March, but took the unusual step of asking lawyers to re-argue the case last fall. In setting the case for a re-argument, the justices raised the stakes of the case, asking lawyers to focus on whether section 2 of the Voting Rights Act was constitutional. Continue reading...

Senior manager at supermarket giant gives evidence on day two of case brought by the Australian Competition and Consumer CommissionFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA senior Woolworths executive has defended relaxing rules designed to protect shoppers from misleading discounts by preventing the supermarket or suppliers from “gaming” the “Prices Dropped” promotional program.Woolworths’ chief commercial officer, Paul Harker, gave evidence on the second day of a landmark trial between the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and Woolworths in the federal court on Wednesday. Continue reading...

The men, sent to the southern African country in July, have been denied in-person counsel for nine months Four men deported by the US to Eswatini and denied in-person legal counsel for nine months while detained in a maximum security prison have the right to see a local lawyer, Eswatini’s supreme court ruled.The men, from Cambodia, Cuba, Vietnam and Yemen, were sent to the small southern African country in July despite having no connection to the country, as part of Donald Trump’s administration’s efforts to ramp up deportations. Continue reading...

Judge says boy should go back to his community to learn about stories and rituals ‘that can only be taught on country’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAn Aboriginal child who was moved 1,700km from his remote Northern Territory community should be returned to ensure he can experience his culture, the family court has found.The boy, known as X in the court proceedings, was born in 2016, when his mother was in prison. She did not take part in the court proceedings, and the man believed to be the boy’s father only took a limited part in the case. Continue reading...