HARD NUMBERS: SCOTUS affirm transition care ban, OpenAI dons combat boots, and more

June 18, 2025

People demonstrations outside the Supreme Court against gender-affirming care for transgender children in Washington, DC, on December 4, 2024. The Court is hearing oral arguments in the United States vs. Skirmetti, which challenges Tennessee’s ban on transgender care for minors. The ruling could affect the 26 states that criminalize gender-affirming care for children.

(Photo by Allison Bailey/NurPhoto)

6-3: In a 6-3 vote with national implications, the US Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee law that bans gender-affirming care for children, deciding that it doesn’t contravene the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. Tennessee is one of 25 states that have banned gender transition care for minors.

$200 million: OpenAI landed a $200-million contract to develop artificial intelligence tools for the US Department of Defense. The Pentagon said the company’s work will help address national security challenges in warfighting. The contract is the first under OpenAI’s new initiative to work with governments.

5,000: North Korea will send 5,000 construction workers to support rebuilding efforts in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukraine launched a surprise offensive last year. The announcement followed Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu’s visit to Pyongyang on Tuesday. North Korea has previously sent troops to fight on Russia’s behalf in Kursk.

24: The UAE rescued 24 crewmembers after two oil tankers collided in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday. The strait is a vital gateway into the Persian Gulf, with over one fifth of global oil supply flowing through it daily.

How the circular economy empowers small businesses

Imagine an economy where products are designed to be reused, repaired, and regenerated instead of ending up as waste. That’s the circular economy, a model that redefines recycling and transforms how small businesses operate. In this episode of Local to Global: The power of small business, host JJ Ramberg sits down with Ellen Jackowski, Chief Sustainability Officer at Mastercard, and Rachel McShane, Chief Financial Officer at Depop, to discuss the scale of the circular economy, why circular practices boost both sustainability and profitability, and where the industry is headed next.

HARD NUMBERS: SCOTUS affirm transition care ban, OpenAI dons combat boots, and more

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HARD NUMBERS: SCOTUS affirm transition care ban, OpenAI dons combat boots, and more

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Subscribe to GZERO Media's newsletter: Signal

More from GZERO Media

Are there more autocracies than democracies in the world today, and why does it matter? María del Carmen Sacasa (UNDP LAC) argues we’re in a paradigm shift, not a terminal crisis.

Household debt rose to $18.39T in Q2. Payments are manageable now, but higher mortgage costs and student loan delinquency may soon strain household spending. Can consumers sustain resilience if the labor market continues to soften? Subscribe to Bank of Institute to read the full report.

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Subscribe to GZERO Media's newsletter: Signal

Here is a look at how many workers of the 2 million civilian federal workers are in jeopardy until the government reopens.

After a spate of Russian drones appeared in European airspace, the European Commission is exploring a so-called “drone wall,” an air defense system that aims to detect and destroy drones that pass through Europe’s eastern borders.