Conversion Therapy Case, $4 Gas, & Income Peak

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Adam Rogers
April 01, 2026

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The Supreme Court ruled 8–1 that states cannot ban conversion therapy for minors, finding such restrictions violate the First Amendment by limiting what licensed professionals can say to clients. Writing for the majority, Neil Gorsuch said the government cannot “enforce orthodoxy in thought or speech.”
The case, Chiles v. Salazar, was brought by a Colorado counselor who argued the state’s ban blocked her from offering faith-based talk therapy. The ruling does not affect states’ ability to regulate medical treatments like drugs or surgery, but it limits their power to restrict counseling conversations. The decision drew unusual alignment, with Elena Kagan (D) joining conservatives in the majority while saying Colorado’s law went too far by allowing some counseling while banning other approaches.
In dissent, Ketanji Brown Jackson warned the ruling could undermine states’ authority to regulate healthcare and pose risks to patients. Additional rulings on transgender issues are expected later this year.

US gas prices rose above $4 a gallon for the first time since 2022, driven by the war with Iran, which has pushed crude oil above $100 per barrel from roughly $70 before the conflict. The national average hit $4.02 Tuesday, with prices climbing even higher in some states.
The surge follows major disruptions to global oil flows, including halted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — a key route for about one-fifth of the world’s oil — and strikes on energy infrastructure. The International Energy Agency has moved to release emergency reserves, while the US has eased some sanctions and shipping rules to boost supply, though relief may take time to reach consumers.
Higher fuel costs are beginning to ripple through the economy, raising transportation and delivery expenses and putting upward pressure on prices for goods like groceries. Prices could climb further if disruptions persist, potentially approaching the $5-per-gallon levels seen in 2022.

Researchers found that common lab gloves made from nitrile and latex can contaminate samples and inflate microplastics readings, potentially leading scientists to overestimate pollution levels. The study showed these gloves shed particles that can be mistaken for plastics during analysis.
The research, from the University of Michigan and published in RSC Analytical Methods, traced the issue to stearates, soap-like additives used in glove manufacturing. These particles closely resemble plastics under common testing methods, and routine handling of lab equipment transferred thousands of false signals per square millimeter in simulated experiments.
Researchers say the findings don’t undermine the broader microplastics problem but highlight measurement challenges in the field. They recommend switching to cleaner alternatives like stearate-free gloves and applying new methods to distinguish real plastics from contamination, which could help refine past studies and improve future accuracy.

The Army suspended four pilots and launched a formal investigation after two Apache helicopters flew low over Kid Rock's Nashville home Saturday/ (More)

A federal judge ordered the University of Pennsylvania to comply with a government subpoena seeking contact information for Jewish employees as part of a federal antisemitism investigation. (More)

A federal judge temporarily blocked construction of Trump's proposed $400 million White House ballroom, ruling no law gives the president authority to build it without congressional approval. (More)

A Russian tanker carrying 730,000 barrels of oil docked in Cuba, the first to reach the island in three months, after the Trump administration allowed it through a U.S. energy blockade. (More)

Israel's parliament passed a law allowing the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of terror attacks, with no appeals or clemency allowed and executions required within 90 days. (More)

Germany and Syria set a goal for 80% of the roughly one million Syrian refugees in Germany to return home within three years, though officials offered few details on how. (More)

US stock markets closed higher on Tuesday (S&P +2.91%, Nasdaq +3.83%, Dow +2.49%) after reports gave investors hope that the Iran war could end soon. (More)

McCormick agreed to buy Unilever's food business, including Hellmann's and Marmite, for about $45 billion in a cash-and-equity deal that will make Unilever shareholders majority owners of the combined company. (More)

Eli Lilly will buy Centessa Pharmaceuticals for up to $7.8 billion, adding a narcolepsy drug candidate currently in mid-stage clinical trials to its neuroscience portfolio. (More)

Tiger Woods announced he is stepping away to seek treatment days after pleading not guilty to DUI charges following a rollover crash near his Florida home. (More)

Italy lost to Bosnia in a penalty shootout Tuesday, missing a third straight World Cup and becoming the first former champion to fail to qualify three consecutive times. (More)

The Basketball Hall of Fame's Class of 2026 will include WNBA stars Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne, Bucks coach Doc Rivers, and former Suns star Amar'e Stoudemire, per ESPN. (More)

Oxford researchers developed engineered cells that hunt and kill drug-resistant bacteria, eliminating over 97% of a targeted superbug strain in lab tests within 48 hours. (More)

SpaceX lost contact with a Starlink satellite after it broke apart in orbit on March 29, the second such unexplained incident since December. (More)

Google will now let US users change their Gmail address once a year without losing data, with the old address staying active as an alternate login. (More)

Watch a 9-year-old deadlift 180lbs.

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The surprising age when your income usually peaks.

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