Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Wednesday.
Justices upheld a state ban on transgender care for minorsThe Supreme Court announced today that it had upheld a Tennessee law that prohibits some medical treatments for transgender youths. The decision, which shielded similar laws in more than 20 other states, was supported by the court’s six conservative justices. All three liberal justices dissented. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion that the ban did not violate the Constitution’s equal protection principles, dismissing the argument that it discriminated based on sex. He acknowledged the “fierce scientific and policy debates about the safety, efficacy and propriety” of the treatments, but wrote that those questions should be resolved by elected legislators. (See our annotated version of the court’s decision here.) Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in dissent that the court’s decision “authorizes, without second thought, untold harm to transgender children and the parents and families who love them.” For more: These 27 states have restricted gender-transition treatments for minors since 2021. Go deeper: “The Protocol” is a new Times podcast about the development of medical treatment for transgender minors and how it became a target of the Trump administration. Listen to it here.
Trump’s cryptic Iran comments fueled fears of a wider warPresident Trump told reporters at the White House today that he “may” order U.S. forces to attack Iran’s nuclear sites. But, he said, “I may not. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do,” adding, “I can tell you this, Iran’s got a lot of trouble.” Later in the day, Trump told reporters, “I like to make a final decision one second before.” Israel has asked the U.S. to help it cripple Iran’s nuclear program, and across Washington, Jerusalem and Tehran, millions of people waited to see if Trump would plunge the U.S. into the war. Here’s the latest. Trump blamed Iran’s leaders for the violence. “Why didn’t you negotiate with me before all this death and destruction?” he said. “You would have had a country.” Iran was, in fact, in talks with the Americans, but they were suspended after Israel began its bombing campaign last week. The president’s comments came hours after Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, rejected Trump’s call for a surrender. “The Americans should know that any U.S. military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage,” Ayatollah Khamenei said. For more on the war:
The D.N.C.’s financial situation has grown bleakKen Martin became the leader of the Democratic National Committee after a divisive campaign. Now, after a public fight with David Hogg, the young activist turned D.N.C. vice chair, and the departure of two prominent labor leaders from the committee, some Democrats have grumbled that Martin has become too distracted by internal battles to deal with the D.N.C.’s problems. His biggest challenge may be financial. Big donations have dried up, and he has yet to speak with some of the party’s top donors. Top D.N.C. officials have even discussed whether they need to borrow money to pay bills.
Study found ‘addictive use,’ not screen time, put youth at riskRising rates of suicidal behavior among children have alarmed American policymakers. Many blame the hours that children spend glued to smartphones. But a new study, which followed more than 4,000 adolescents, concluded that screen time alone was not a significant risk. Instead, the researchers found, children were at higher risk when their use of technology became addictive. More top news
Springsteen revealed his paths not takenLater this month, Bruce Springsteen will unveil a huge, almost entirely unknown trove of songs that he recorded over the past several decades. They show musical paths — mostly pensive, occasionally rowdy — that he chose to set aside. Through the collection, one subject keeps reappearing. “The past always weighs heavy on me,” Springsteen said in an interview with The Times at his home studio in New Jersey. “So that is a theme that constantly recurs to me, and I’m always rewriting it, trying to get it right.”
The design genius who gave American women pocketsThe designer Claire McCardell made many contributions to the world of women’s clothing that remain in circulation, including ballet flats, leggings, hoodies and spaghetti straps. But she has slipped out of the mainstream, perhaps because few of her successors embody her driving ethos: Women’s clothes can be practical, stylish and affordable — and have pockets. Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson’s new book about McCardell aims to put her back in the pantheon. Our reviewer called it an “exceptional biography.”
Dinner table topics
Cook: This shrimp tikka is a flavor-packed meal that takes minimal effort. Watch: Here are this month’s best under-the-radar streaming picks. Listen: Sabrina Carpenter’s latest single has plenty of Dolly Parton energy. Prepare: Experts explained what to pack in a travel first-aid kit. Tend: Our gardening columnist has tips for avoiding common ecological mistakes. Clean: Wirecutter tested 28 dish soaps. This one was the best. Play: Here are today’s Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here. |
