News for June 30, 2026
Supreme Court upholds state laws banning transgender girls and women from school athletic teams
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is upholding state laws barring transgender girls and women from playing on school athletic teams, in another setback for transgender people. The court’s conservative majority has repeatedly ruled against transgender Americans in the past year. It rules Tuesday that state bans in Idaho and West Virginia don’t violate the Constitution or the federal law known as Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education. More than two dozen other Republican-led states have adopted bans on female transgender athletes. Left unresolved by the outcome are lawsuits challenging state laws and regulations in Connecticut, California and elsewhere that permit transgender athletes to compete consistent with their gender identity.
Supreme Court strikes down limits on party spending in federal elections, backing Republican appeal
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has erased limits on how much political parties can spend in coordination with candidates for Congress and president, striking down a federal election law that’s more than 50 years old. Prodded by a Republican-led Ohio lawsuit, the court’s conservative justices Tuesday were again in the majority of the latest decision that upended congressionally enacted limits on raising and spending money to influence elections. The court’s 2010 Citizens United decision opened the door to unlimited independent spending in federal elections. The party spending limits stem from a desire to prevent large donors from skirting caps on individual contributions to a candidate. Democrats wanted the court to uphold the law.
Aid groups warn Venezuela’s healthcare system is near its limit after earthquakes
LA GUAIRA, Venezuela (AP) — Aid groups are warning that Venezuela’s healthcare system is at its breaking point nearly a week after two powerful earthquakes hit the South American country. Damaged hospitals are overwhelmed, and conditions in the disaster zone are worsening. The government death toll has surpassed 1,900. A humanitarian crisis is also unfolding, with thousands of displaced people living in unsanitary conditions. On Tuesday, the U.N. expressed concern about the spread of infectious diseases. The healthcare system has been strained by years of underinvestment. Many hospitals are damaged, and specialist doctors are missing, adding to the chaos.
US envoys arrive in Qatar for meetings on Iran, with tensions high over Hormuz
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. envoys arrived in Qatar for meetings with mediators working to negotiate an end to the war with Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump’s special Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, flew to Qatar on Tuesday following a weekend of crossfire in the Persian Gulf over efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial ships. A spokesman for Qatar’s foreign ministry says the U.S. delegation won’t have any direct negotiations with Iranian diplomats. But Iran is sending representatives to the Qatari capital of Doha this week. That opens the possibility for Qatari mediators to pass messages between the two sides.
Roof of tutoring center collapses in eastern Pakistan, killing at least 14 children, police say
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A roof collapse at a tutoring center under construction in Lahore, Pakistan, has killed at least 14 schoolchildren. Police and rescue officials report that the tragedy happened Tuesday. Eight other children are injured and receiving treatment at a hospital. A senior police official says the owner of the tutoring center and another person have been arrested. Rescuers continue to clear the rubble, fearing more children could be trapped. The center was in an aging building, and the roof of its second floor was under construction and collapsed due to poor construction. Building collapses are common in Pakistan due to poorly enforced construction standards.
Four days to make victims fall in love: How global scammers use US tech to fleece people
Technology from American companies is being used to power a revolution in the scam industry, playing a key role in the industrialization and globalization of fraud in ways that have not been clear until now, an AP/“FRONTLINE” investigation has found. Watchdogs say these companies have the technical capacity to do more to protect against abuse but lack the legal, regulatory and business incentives to crack down on a crime the Federal Trade Commission estimates cost Americans nearly $200 billion in losses in 2024.
Forecasters cite ‘dangerous’ conditions as heat scorches Midwest while on its way to the East
DETROIT (AP) — It’s a hot one for millions of people in the Midwest and Great Lakes states. Intense heat and humidity are baking the regions with no immediate relief. The National Weather Service says conditions are “dangerous.” The heat index is exceeding 100 degrees in some areas. The heat index is how hot it feels when air temperature and humidity are combined. In suburban Detroit, George Liller says it took only 15 minutes for someone to claim his free window air conditioner. The misery will shift later this week to the eastern U.S.
US stocks rise and trim their losses for June
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose and trimmed their losses in what had been a rocky June. The S&P 500 gained 0.8% Tuesday, though it still fell to its first losing month following two fabulous ones. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.3% to another record, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.5%. Stocks in the artificial-intelligence industry were strong following sharp swings earlier in the month on worries they’d grown too expensive. Treasury yields rose in the bond market, and oil prices eased. Stock indexes rose in much of Europe and Asia, while the Japanese yen fell near a 40-year low against the U.S. dollar.
LeBron hits free agency: James not returning to Lakers, plans to play 24th season elsewhere
LeBron James will not be back with the Los Angeles Lakers and plans to play a record-extending 24th NBA season elsewhere. His decision is perhaps the biggest domino that will fall during the NBA’s offseason player movement window, alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo being traded by Milwaukee to Miami — one of James’ former stops. The Lakers released a statement Tuesday thanking James for his eight seasons with the club. James can begin talking officially to new clubs after 6 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, when the league’s free agent period opens. He will not be able to sign with a new team until July 6.
