The way the Supreme Court hearings were going, this seemed the most likely decision from the US judiciary.
Even so, it's an enormous blow to the Trump regime.
The best place to begin understanding this is to go all the way back in history to the US constitution.
At the heart of it was the notion that the president should not have the unilateral power to set taxes which, back then at least, mostly consisted of tariffs.
Tariffs, in other words, needed to be decided by Congress. This wasn't just incidental; it was the cornerstone of the much-celebrated "separation of powers".
Trump latest: Tariffs snubbed by Supreme Court
The downside of this pretty clear constitutional stricture is that getting anything through Congress is often time consuming and cumbersome.
So, over the decades, various exceptions were written into law to allow presidents to, say, impose emergency tariffs in the event of national security or balance of payments crises - or because of a specific issue with a particular sector.
These exceptions represent a catalogue of obscure legal loopholes where the president can actually impose tariffs unilaterally without having to go through Congress.
Understanding this history is quite important to understanding what has just happened. Because much of the small print of how Donald Trump has imposed tariffs thus far has come back to the president's use of these various historic loopholes.
So, for instance, the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 has a clause, section 232, that says he can impose tariffs on certain sectors if there is a national security justification. The president used this clause for his tariffs on steel and aluminium
As for the famous "Liberation Day" tariffs, they were implemented under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977.
This is really only supposed to be used when the country is in a national emergency of one sort or another. That, certainly, was the president's justification for the Liberation Day tariffs: trade deficits, illegal drug inflows - these, he argued, constituted a national emergency.
The main development is that now we know the Supreme Court disagrees.
All the IEEPA tariffs, which is to say a fair chunk, about half, of all his levies are now null and void. There is a serious question mark about whether the administration may have to refund part, or perhaps even all, of the money paid thus far under these "Liberation Day" tariffs.
In one respect, this doesn't fundamentally change anything, insofar as it will probably just force the administration to use some of those other obscure loopholes to recoup extra levies. The White House can blame the judiciary for obstructing the course of politics.
Read more from Sky News:
Trump directs US government to release files on 'alien life'
Trump's peace board pledges billions of dollars to Gaza
However, coming as it does as the president's poll ratings slump (in no small part because tariffs are not particularly popular), there is another potential avenue, where this episode forces Trump to concede (to the extent that it would be cast as a concession) that tariffs are not working as he might have hoped.
Either way, it's yet more chaos from the on-again-off-again trade war.
Doubtless there will be more twists and turns to come.
What we know about activity at Iran's nuclear facilities
Iran appears to be fortifying defences at its nuclear plants and military facilities since strikes by Israel and the US in June 2025 damaged infrastructure at three key sites. Core enrichment activity remains constrained and under close international scrutiny.
The main sites affected by last year's strikes were Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, Natanz enrichment facility and Isfahan Nuclear Fuel Complex. They are key to Iran's core nuclear infrastructure.
The Isfahan Complex is in central Iran, 135 miles south of Tehran, near the city of Natanz. It is central to the nuclear fuel cycle, converting uranium into forms suitable for enrichment.
Isfahan includes an underground area where diplomats say much of Iran's enriched uranium has been stored. Iran's authorities have always said they are not trying to develop nuclear weapons.
Satellite images from 6 December 2025 to 24 January 2026 show structural repair and new efforts to bury tunnel entrances to the site.
Satellite images show "efforts to prepare for an attack" from the US, said David Albright, founder and president of the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) nonprofit.
He told Sky News: "At nuclear weaponisation sites, we see cleaning up and then, in some cases, rebuilding the facilities."
He added: "You have this clear preparation in anticipation for attack, trying to minimise potential weak points."
The ISIS institute reported on February 9 that "backfilling the tunnel entrances would help dampen any potential airstrike and also make ground access in a special force raid to seize or destroy any highly enriched uranium that may be housed inside difficult".
At the Natanz nuclear facility, a site built for uranium enrichment, satellite images appear to indicate signs of construction at the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant, which was damaged by both US and Israeli air strikes in June.
Just over a mile from Natanz, there is a new site, Pickaxe Mountain, also known as Kolang Gaz La. Images show the construction and hardening of tunnel shafts.
Albright told Sky News: "At Pickaxe now, we can clearly see that they've taken steps to strengthen the tunnel entrances, which are a major vulnerability of these underground facilities."
Deep inside a mountain near the city of Qom, around 90 miles south of Tehran, the Fordow fuel enrichment plant was also largely destroyed by the US, said Albright, with the entrance sealed up shortly after the 2025 strikes.
There has been "very little activity" there since, he said.
"From our point of view, some of these protection measures, particularly at Isfahan, indicates there's something valuable still inside," said Albright. "Whether it's recoverable or not we don't know."
Other key military sites
Satellite imagery also shows Tehran repairing and fortifying other complexes essential to Iran's operations.
Parchin military complex is one of Iran's most sensitive military sites. It has been covered in concrete, as shown by satellite images from 24 January.
Reports suggest that 20 years ago, Tehran conducted tests linked to nuclear bomb detonation methods at the site. Tehran has consistently rejected this. Israel reportedly struck Parchin in October 2024.
On 22 January, an analysis by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) pointed to progress in the construction of a "concrete sarcophagus" around a newly built facility at Parchin.
ISIS reported in November that imagery showed "ongoing construction and the presence of what appears to resemble a long, cylindrical chamber, maybe a high-explosives containment vessel, likely measuring approximately 36 meters long and 12 meters in diameter, placed inside a building". It added that high-explosive containment vessels are critical for nuclear weapons.
It is not the only roof. Iran also built a roof over a destroyed facility at the Pilot plant to cover it and "hide activities", said Albright.
Another site being repaired is Tabriz Missile Base in northwest Iran. The site is one of Iran's principal missile launch and storage bases. Satellite images show buildings at the base have been fully repaired since the Israeli strikes in June 2025.
Iran's military activity
On 19 January, Russian and Iranian forces conducted joint live drills in the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said the goal was "upgrading operational coordination as well as exchange of military experiences".
Sky News has confirmed these drills were launched from Larak Island and Shahid Bahonar Port, both key strategic locations that control the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's main naval hub. This highlights both Iran's military readiness and influence over vital shipping routes.
Rear Admiral Hassan Maghsoodloo of the Iranian Navy told Iran International the drills were aimed at promoting security and sustainable maritime cooperation.
Mark Cancian, Senior Adviser from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), suggested "Russia is trying to help its partner, but its capabilities are extremely limited because it is totally consumed with the war in Ukraine".
The drills mirrored recent Iranian exercises on 16 and 17 February; the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps carried out naval and live-fire operations, including missile launches, across key shipping lanes such as the Strait of Hormuz.
Read more:
Is the US preparing for military intervention in Iran?
Middle East seemingly edging closer to war
They occurred amid renewed negotiations between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran over Iran's disputed nuclear program.
As talks opened, Iranian state media reported live missile fire toward the Strait, prompting its closure for several hours.
Iran often carries out military drills in the Strait of Hormuz, but the announced closure went a step further. Cancian said: "Closing the straits is hard, even impossible, without a lot more military capability. Iran could harass shipping with missiles and mines, though that would bring a response from many nations."
Among all of this, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei posted a statement on X.
Iran's naval assets
Sky News, using data from TankerTrackers, tracked several Iranian Navy vessels off the coast of Bandar Abbas on 16 January, including the drone carrier IRIS Shahid Bagheri, confirmed by satellite imagery about 10 km from shore. Frequently seen in this part of the Strait of Hormuz, the ship can deploy around 60 drones in addition to helicopters.
Mark Cancian, senior advisor at CSIS, stated that Shahid Bagheri was a "clever innovation" and the drone carrier is "part of that threat against the strait".
Adding that Iran has been threatening the US by aiming the drone carrier directly at the USS Abraham Lincoln, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in the US Navy, capable of carrying dozens of aircraft, launching precision strikes, defending itself with advanced weapons, and coordinating naval and joint operations worldwide.
When asked if Iran's naval assets were positioned to warn off the US, Cancian said: "Yes, the Iranian government is being aggressive rhetorically, and the naval movements, along with the joint exercise with the Russians, are meant to reinforce that."
The Data x Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.
Marcus Staniforth, 17, and a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, approached Kamran Aman, 38, after he delivered groceries to his mother's home in Barry, South Wales.
The pair, of Llantwit Major, kicked and punched Mr Aman, with the younger boy hurling racist abuse during and after the attack.
Staniforth brought a kitchen knife from a nearby property where the boys had been drinking alcohol, and stabbed Mr Aman in the heart.
Emergency services were called to the scene, but Mr Aman, who was married and had a young child, was pronounced dead at 1.07am on 1 July last year.
Mr Justice Griffiths told Cardiff Crown Court that he had lifted reporting restrictions relating to Staniforth so he could now be identified, but said those relating to the 16-year-old would remain in place.
The judge sentenced Staniforth to serve a minimum of 17 years in custody. The 16-year-old will serve a minimum of 15 years in prison.
He said: "On the night between June 30 and July 1 2025, you both murdered a man you didn't know.
"Kamran Aman was a dutiful family man. He had just delivered some shopping to his mother's house.
"He was in his car, ready to go back to his partner and four-year-old child when you picked on him and killed him in the street.
"As well as ending his life, you ruined the lives of the family he left behind."
Mr Justice Griffiths described how earlier that day, the 16-year-old had painted "where they n****** at" on the wall of a house.
The boy, who had taken cocaine, later spotted Mr Aman in his car.
"He noticed he was not white," the judge said. "Mr Aman caught his eye because he was black."
'Violent, racist attack'
The 16-year-old then attempted to open Mr Aman's car door, with the victim exiting the vehicle before being punched.
"He wanted to hurt him really badly, because he was not white - that was his only reason," the judge said.
"He was shouting racist abuse at him, calling him n-word and p-word, over and over again."
The judge said Staniforth was "not racist but he was violent", and wanted to help the 16-year-old with the attack.
Sentencing the 16-year-old, the judge told him: "You instigated a deliberate, unprovoked, sustained, violent, racist attack.
"You were old enough and mature enough to know that trying to cause a complete stranger really serious injury because of his race was wrong, and you knew exactly what you were doing."
Read more:
Two charged with murder after death of three-year-old
Jealous man jailed for stabbing wife to death in Cardiff
Both teenagers were arrested, and later admitted manslaughter.
They were convicted of murder following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court.
During the hearing on Friday, the court was told that both defendants had been diagnosed with ADHD, and had troubled childhoods.
Mr Aman's 'kindness to everyone'
In a victim personal statement, Mr Aman's mother told how she had been left "upset and lonely" by her son's murder.
His wife, Khaleela, described her husband as "kind to everyone and someone you could rely on in times of need" and devoted to his family.
"There's a hole in our hearts that can never be filled," she told the court.
The couple have been named by police, as a second man was arrested.
Cherish Bean, 15, and Ethan Slater, 17, were discovered at a rental property at Little Eden Holiday Park in Bridlington on Wednesday.
A 42-year-old man has become the second person to be arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter over their deaths, Humberside Police said.
An extension has been granted in relation to a 33-year-old man who was arrested on Thursday, allowing police to detain him for a further 12 hours.
An online fundraising page set up for Ethan's family has so far raised more than £16,000.
The page says: "It is with unimaginable heartbreak that I write this. Our son Ethan tragically and unexpectedly passed away at just 17 years old, alongside his beautiful girlfriend.
"No parent should ever have to write these words. No family should ever have to face this pain.
"Ethan had his whole life ahead of him. He'll never get to pass his driving test. He'll never celebrate his 18th birthday. He'll never reach the milestones we all assumed were waiting for him."
Read more from Sky News:
Man denies drugging and raping his wife along with others
Two charged with murder following death of three-year-old boy
The post continues: "He was the most kind hearted boy. With a natural warmth. He was funny, he was protective and he carried himself with a quiet strength and loyalty that made us so proud to call him our son.
"He was loved beyond measure. A son, a brother, a grandson, a friend. His smile lit up a room, and his absence has left a silence that feels impossible to fill. Our lives will never be the same without him."
In a separate statement, Cherish's mum paid tribute to her daughter, saying: "My perfect girl, my angel, has left this world and we are broken as a family. I am broken as a mother, and I will never ever be the same again."
She added: "Ethan, bless you darling, such a good boy with a kind heart and I loved you like my own.
"I am broken please respect us whilst we grieve."
Chief Superintendent Matt Peach from Humberside Police said a cordon remains in place at the holiday park and police "continue to work in co-ordination with the Health and Safety Executive alongside our partners from Humberside Fire & Rescue, and East Riding of Yorkshire Council".
He said: "Our thoughts remain with the loved ones of both teenagers, who have been named by their families as 15-year-old Cherish Bean, and 17-year-old Ethan Slater, who tragically lost their lives.
"Specialist trained officers are providing ongoing support through this incredibly distressing time and I would ask again for people to refrain from speculation in respect of their privacy.
"Since we received the call of concern for safety on Wednesday morning, a dedicated team of detectives and specialist officers have continued to carry out detailed inquiries to establish the full circumstances surrounding the deaths, which are thought to be connected to carbon monoxide poisoning."
Oaveed Rahman, 26, claimed to be looking after the pets at a rehoming centre called Save A Paw in Crays Hill, Billericay.
But Basildon Crown Court heard the animals were left without food and water in filthy conditions.
After the site was raided in May last year, officers found the remains of 41 dogs.
Some 21 dogs and a cat were rescued, but three of the dogs were so unwell that they had to be put down. A rescued poodle also later went blind.
The court heard that Rahman took around £4,800 from his 11 victims by pretending to run an animal charity, deceiving people into handing over their dogs while often asking for payment for rehoming or rehabilitation.
The pets' owners cried in court as the prosecution described the conditions the animals were kept in.
Faeces were found inside the pens and cages, and many of the dogs were severely underweight, the court heard.
Veterinary surgeon Amy Cooper, who attended Rahman's property, said in a statement read to the court: "I can honestly say what I smelt and saw was the most horrific thing I have ever seen.
"It was clear just from a general initial inspection that these animals were all suffering."
The dogs found alive had been kept in pens or confined to small spaces.
Sentencing Rahman, who appeared via video link from HMP Chelmsford, Judge Richard Conley said his fraud was "an act of betrayal of epic proportions that has devastated many lives".
"Many animals taken in by you... were subjected to prolonged barbaric mistreatment, cruelty and neglect. Some of them died directly as a result."
Read more from Sky News:
Man guilty over XL bully attack
Dogs Trust: 'We are full'
Puppy farming to be banned
After he was sentenced, one of Rahman's fraud victim in the court shouted: "F****** bastard, I hope you rot in there you dirty bastard."
Charities including the RSPCA, Dogs Trust and the National Animal Welfare Trust helped rehome some of the dogs, which are now "thriving", police said. They included a Dachshund, French Bulldog, Chow Chow and Staffordshire Cross.
An RSPCA spokesperson said it had been "an extremely upsetting case for everyone". They added that "the current lack of regulation and oversight" of rehoming centres was a "major concern".
Adam Levy, head of rehoming operations at the Dogs Trust, said the case "highlights the urgent need for stronger regulation of rehoming organisations, including licensing and regular inspections".
Rahman previously admitted to 11 counts of fraud by false representation and one count of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, relating to 22 animals in his care.
On Friday, he admitted an additional charge of possessing an XL bully - a banned dog breed.
He was jailed for a total of five years and given a lifetime order banning him from owning any animals.