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Supreme Court to rule on state bans on transgender students’ participation in girls’ and women’s sports

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WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday waded into the legal fight over state laws that ban transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s school and college sports, taking up cases from West Virginia and Idaho.

The court will hear cases involving two transgender students, Becky Pepper-Jackson and Lindsay Hecox, who challenged state bans in West Virginia and Idaho, respectively.

Both won injunctions that allow them to continue to compete in sports. Pepper-Jackson, now 15, takes puberty blocking medication, while Hecox, a 24-year-old college student, has received testosterone suppression and estrogen treatments.

The court’s decision to hear the case comes two weeks after the conservative majority delivered a major blow to transgender rights by upholding a Tennessee law that bans gender-affirming care for young people. In doing so, the court left various legal questions about transgender rights unresolved.

“Categorically excluding kids from school sports just because they are transgender will only make our schools less safe and more hurtful places for all youth,” said Joshua Block, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union, who is part of the legal team representing both students. “We believe the lower courts were right to block these discriminatory laws, and we will continue to defend the freedom of all kids to play.”

West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey welcomed the Supreme Court’s intervention.

“The people of West Virginia know that it’s unfair to let male athletes compete against women; that’s why we passed this commonsense law preserving women’s sports for women,” he said.

Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador, who is defending that state’s law, echoed those sentiments, saying that “women and girls deserve an equal playing field.”

Oral arguments will likely take place later this year, with a ruling expected by June 2026.

The states both enacted bans that categorically bar transgender students from participating in girls’ or women’s sports. More than half the 50 states now have such laws, but legal challenges have not been decisively resolved.

The fight for and against the expansion of transgender rights has become a flashpoint nationwide and was an issue in the recent presidential election, with Donald Trump denigrating Democrats for supporting the effort. His administration has begun to roll back measures taken by President Joe Biden to expand protections for transgender people.

In February, the National Collegiate Athletic Association also changed course, announcing a new policy to limit women’s sports to “student-athletes assigned female at birth only.”

In Pepper-Jackson’s case, a federal judge initially ruled in her favor but concluded in January 2023 that the law was most likely legal and allowed it to be enforced against her. Pepper-Jackson appealed, and the Richmond, Virginia-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked West Virginia officials from enforcing it against her.

The Supreme Court in April 2023 rejected the state’s attempt to enforce the law against Pepper-Jackson while the litigation continues, meaning she has been able to continue to participate in school sports, namely cross-country and track.

Hecox, who plays soccer and also runs, similarly obtained an injunction from a district court judge against Idaho officials. She also won on appeal at the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Pepper-Jackson and Hecox both failed to qualify for running teams at their respective schools, according to court papers. Pepper-Jackson did place third in the state for middle school discus and sixth in middle school shot put, losing out to cisgender girls. She finished 67th out of 68 in a cross-country event in eighth grade.

In barring transgender girls from participating in girls sports at the middle school, high school and college levels, the West Virginia law enacted in 2021 says gender is “based solely on the individual’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” As such, it says, a female is a person “whose biological sex determined at birth as female.”

The Idaho law, passed in 2020, states that sports “designated for females, women, or girls should not be open to students of the male sex.”

Both cases concern whether such laws violate the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which requires that the law apply equally to everyone. Pepper-Jackson’s case also raises a claim under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits sex discrimination in education.

The Biden administration unveiled proposals on how Title IX applies to transgender athletes, saying that blanket bans would be unlawful but concluding that it may be lawful to limit involvement in competitive sports.

But the the Trump administration has reversed course, with the White House issuing an executive order titled: “Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports.”

In 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that federal law barring sex discrimination in employment protected LGBTQ people, a ruling that angered conservatives. The court is yet to rule on whether the same reasoning applies to Title IX.




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Amazon Prime Day 2025 hi-fi deals live: huge discounts on headphones, turntables, speakers and more

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July 7, 2025

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Five-star wired open-back headphones deal

(Image credit: Grado)

One of our favourite wired headphones is enjoying a lowest-ever price deal, and it’s not even part of the Amazon Prime Day deals.

The Grado SR325x open-back headphones are a repeat What Hi-Fi? Award winner and a team favourite for their terrific sound quality, even if the retro-utilitarian looks and foam earbuds aren’t to everyone’s tastes. Now available for £247 at Peter Tyson – a £82 saving over its RRP – this is a great headphones deal that you won’t find on Amazon.

Top 5 hi-fi deals to look out for

WiiM Ultra music streamer

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

Hi all, Kash here. The Prime Day deals don’t kick off until tomorrow, but as with every year, I always keep an eye on a handful of five-star products to see if they have a discount. These products are great value at full price anyway, but any money off makes it all that sweeter.

So here are my top 5 products to look out for, and what deal price you should expect.

WiiM Pro Plus music streamer – current price £219
Our favourite budget music streamer can do it all. A tiny box that brings you easy wi-fi streaming from all the most popular apps and streaming methods, any money off the Pro Plus is worth pouncing upon. We’ve seen the price drop to £179 before, but I’d personally be happy with any deal price under £200.

WiiM Ultra music streamer – current price £349
WiiM’s top-of-the-range streamer is its best yet, with lively, engaging sound and a powerful platform. The touch-screen interface is a joy to use, and its only con is that it lacks AirPlay. We’ve not seen a deal on the Ultra yet, but I’m hoping it goes down to £319 at least.

Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3 speakers – current price £499
Award-winning speakers that deliver a punchy, detailed and clear sound, these small-ish speakers are crowd-pleasers that work with a variety of partnering kit and all kinds of music genres. They originally cost £599 and have been £499 for the last couple of years, so I have my fingers crossed that they will go down at least to £449 – £50 off is pretty great savings for such a good pair of bookshelf speakers.

Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M – current price £349
This unit may be a few years old, but I still use the DacMagic 200M at home: it’s the perfect desktop size, has extensive hi-res audio support (and MQA files) and is a dream to use. Used with a good pair of wired headphones, this DAC and headphone amp will boost your laptop-based music performance considerably. It’s a nicely made DAC, too. If the price comes down to £299 – you know it’s a great discount.

Technics SL-1500C turntable – current price £879
Usually, it’s the affordable, fully automatic and Bluetooth-toting Sony PS-LX310BT (£199) that I have my eye on for a turntable deal. But this year it’s the pricier Technics SL-1500C that I’m hoping will come down in price. The SL-1500C is a former Award-winner and is incredibly fuss-free to use thanks to a built-in phono stage and direct-drive operation. Add in a detailed, musical and powerful sound with a rock-solid build, and this turntable will keep you entertained for years to come. I’ve seen the price drop down to £799 before, so if you are looking for a new turntable and see this Technics on a discount? Snap it up.

Meet the team looking after this hub! If you’re curious about which of our experts are handling this hub over Prime Day this week, fear not, you’re in good hands. Read below to know more about the people behind it and why you should be taking their advice.

Kashfia Kabir

Kashfia Kabir

Kash is the veteran professional shiny things chaser who runs our hi-fi and audio section. She first joined What Hi-Fi? 13 years and has spent a good chunk of that time reviewing everything from premium stereo amplifiers and turntables to affordable DACs and speakers. If you’re after some hi-fi this Prime Day, she’s the person you want to speak to.

Andy Madden author bio pic

Andy Madden is one of the most seasoned and senior members of the What Hi-Fi? editorial team. Though he’s reviewed pretty much every category we cover in his career, in the past few years, he’s become one of our main headphone expert. Whether it’s a pair of premium wireless headphones from Focal or an affordable but musical set of earbuds, he’ll be on hand here offering his expert advice on which is the best pair to get.

Harry McKerrell headshot

Harry McKerrell

Though he’s the youngest member of our audio team, Harry brings a fresh perspective to our coverage. Though he initially focused on reviewing headphones, he has since branched out and helped us test everything from record players to floorstanding speakers to all-in-one systems. This gives him a fantastic holistic knowledge of the hi-fi market.

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 over-ear headphones

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

Looking for a set of wireless headphones over Prime Day, but not sure which to get?

Then you’ll want to check out this handy guide by our deputy editor, Andy Madden. In it our veteran hi-fi and headphone reviewer details the five big sets he’s personally keeping an eye on over this year’s deals bonanza.

These range from flagship, five-star pairs from Bowers & Wilkins to affordable options from Sony. We have fully reviewed them all and know first-hand they are worth your hard-earned cash, even at full price. So a good deal on any of these models is worth a look.

On top of that, each choice is based on the product’s price history and Andy’s honed instincts, having covered Prime Day more years than he cares to reveal.

Read the full story: 5 wireless headphones deals to look out for during Amazon Prime Day

Welcome to our 2025 Amazon Prime Day hi-fi deals live hub! In it, our team of experts will be live reporting on all the latest and greatest deals we’ve spotted this week.

We’re currently in the warm-up period for this year’s sale, which is set to start at midnight and run until the clock strikes 12.00am on Friday.

If you’re worried you’ve gotten here too early, don’t be. Though the sale event hasn’t started yet, our experts are checking all the stores, including specialist hi-fi retailers, to make sure you know about the actual best audio deals doing the rounds – not just the ones on Amazon.

And with that in mind, we’ve already spotted solid savings on everything from affordable bookshelf speakers to top-of-the-line wireless headphones.

Our experts will also use the run up to the event to offer advice, flagging which products they’ll be keeping a particularly close eye on and why.

So make sure to keep this page open and check back regularly!



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Texas floods: At least 75 dead in single county after flash floods, officials say as more rain expected

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2 hours ago

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July 7, 2025

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Multiple factors contributed to these devastating floods

Matt Taylor
BBC Weather

Several factors came together to create the devastating outcome
we saw in Texas last week.

First there was the weather patterns at the time.

The remnants
of an ex-tropical storm had become embedded within a broader area of very
unstable air within the region. Unstable air is air which has the ability to
rise rapidly to form large storm clouds.

Tropical Storm Barry, that caused flooding across the Yucatan
Peninsula in Mexico a week earlier, had tracked across the Gulf of Mexico to decay
over north-east Mexico. This had meant there was already large supply of
moisture in the atmosphere.

Wind patterns across the region at the time also
resulted in a flow of humid, moisture-laden air from Gulf too.

The next factor was the geography and topography of the area: Kerr County, where the worst of the floods occurred, is a hillier area which forced moisture-laden
air upwards helping to build huge storm clouds.

The ones that formed over the area were so large they effectively became
their own weather system, producing huge amounts of rain over a larger area.

It was slow-moving, adding to the rain totals and creating further
thunderstorms along a zone that continued to affect the area containing the
Guadalupe River.



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Camp Mystic says it’s grieving 27 counselors and campers

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July 7, 2025

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Camp Mystic confirmed Monday it is “grieving the loss of 27 campers and counselors” following the devastating floods in Texas over the weekend.

The all-girls Christian camp, which has been a summertime retreat for generations of Texas girls, has become the focus of floods’ aftermath. The camp is Kerr County along the Guadalupe River, where water reached catastrophic levels overnight Friday. About 10 inches of rain fell within a few hours, causing the river to rise 26 feet in 45 minutes.

“Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy,” the camp wrote in a statement to their website. “We are praying for them constantly.”

The camp said it has been in communication with local and state authorities who are conducting searches for the missing girls.

Officials have confirmed at least 79 deaths as of Sunday from the floods in Central Texas, including 40 adults and 28 children in Kerr County. It was not immediately clear Monday morning how many of the girls from Camp Mystic were included in that official count. A press conference has been scheduled for 10 a.m.

Camp Mystic’s director Richard “Dick” Eastland is among those who have been confirmed dead. According to Eastland’s son, the director died trying to save campers as the floodwaters began engulfing the camp.

“We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from community, first responders, and officials at every level,” the camp said on its website.

Questions about a lack of sufficient warnings have continued to grow since the flash floods. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch Thursday afternoon, predicting up to seven inches of isolated rainfall early Friday morning.

At 1:14 a.m. Friday, the NWS issued the first flash flood warning. At 4:03 a.m., the NWS issued a flash flood emergency, warning of an “extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation.”

Local and state officials have since said the NWS forecasts did not accurately predict the intensity of the rainfall.

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TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.



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