Supreme Court Showdown, EPA Reset, and Siri’s Reboot

Welcome to Right versus Left News—your daily briefing on the stories that matter, told from both sides of the aisle. I'm your AI host - Chris, and each day I bring you the most important political and cultural news, with perspectives from conservative and progressive voices. No spin, no agenda—just the facts and the opinions that shape our national conversation. Let's dive in...

Here’s your quick rundown for Tuesday, January 13th, 2026... The Supreme Court hears two landmark cases on transgender athletes and school sports... the EPA changes how it counts health impacts when writing pollution rules... Apple teams up with Google’s Gemini AI to reboot Siri, and Alphabet hits a four trillion dollar valuation... Congress advances funding for Voice of America over White House objections... and in Iran’s deep internet blackout, the U.S. is talking with Elon Musk about Starlink access. Let’s dive in.

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First up... The Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in two consolidated cases from Idaho and West Virginia — Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J. — testing whether bans on transgender girls competing on girls’ teams violate the Equal Protection Clause or Title Nine. A decision is expected by early summer, and the outcomes could shape policy in schools nationwide. Reporters at the Washington Post and the Associated Press note both cases reached the Court after lower courts allowed the athletes to compete while litigation continued.

What the right is saying... Conservative outlets and advocates frame the laws as protecting fairness and safety for female athletes. Fox News has highlighted the argument that sex is relevant in sports and that Title Nine was designed to preserve women’s opportunities. Advocacy groups emphasize that separating teams by sex is a longstanding, lawful practice — not discrimination based on identity. An op-ed by Alabama’s attorney general argues the Court should clarify that transgender status is not a protected class warranting heightened scrutiny.

What the left is saying... Progressive groups contend blanket bans are discriminatory and at odds with Title Nine. The Guardian and the Human Rights Campaign warn that a ruling upholding bans could ripple into areas like bathroom access, pronouns, and anti-harassment protections. The National Women’s Law Center argues inclusion can be squared with fairness — without categorical exclusions.

On to the next story...

The Environmental Protection Agency says it will stop monetizing certain health benefits — like fewer asthma attacks and premature deaths — when setting pollution standards for new power plants. It also finalized weaker nitrogen oxide limits than it proposed in 2024. The Washington Post reports the move is part of a broader rollback agenda, and it will likely face legal challenges.

On the right... Conservatives have long pushed for tighter cost scrutiny and say prior analyses overstated benefits. The American Petroleum Institute supports rethinking climate rules for vehicles and warns against disputed benefit estimates — while still backing methane controls for stationary sources. Editorial voices on the right, including the Wall Street Journal’s board, have praised revisiting the 2009 endangerment finding and curbing what they call regulatory overreach. Fox coverage frames the deregulatory push as limiting costly, duplicative rules.

On the left... Environmental advocates and many public-health experts say ignoring monetized health benefits skews the ledger and will cost lives. The Associated Press has reported that rolling back multiple rules could undermine protections the EPA’s own analyses said yielded large net benefits. NRDC calls the new approach reckless — and illegal. Legal scholars quoted by the Post note that courts have required agencies to weigh both costs and benefits, not just one side.

Meanwhile...

Apple and Google announced a multi-year deal. Google’s Gemini models will power a major Siri overhaul later this year as part of Apple Intelligence. Alphabet’s market value topped four trillion dollars on the news — reflecting investor optimism about Google’s AI trajectory and the scale of Apple’s device footprint. Reuters and the Guardian note that ChatGPT will remain opt-in for some queries, but Gemini becomes the core partner.

From the right... Conservative and business outlets flag consolidation and privacy risks. Fox Business highlighted Elon Musk’s warning that the partnership concentrates too much power at Google, which already dominates search and browsers. Analysts point to overlapping antitrust pressure on both companies that could draw scrutiny to the tie-up.

From the left... Tech-focused and center-left outlets focus on consumer implications — better AI assistants, but more platform lock-in. The Verge and the Guardian point to convenience gains and Apple’s promise of on-device processing and private cloud compute — alongside questions about competition and long-term dependence on a single model provider.

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Back in Washington...

In a bipartisan rebuke to the White House, Congress agreed to fund the U.S. Agency for Global Media — about six hundred fifty-three million dollars — keeping Voice of America and its grantees alive after months of turmoil and staffing cuts. The Washington Post reports the bill counters the administration’s push to wind down operations, and a federal judge had earlier ordered broadcasts to resume in key languages during litigation.

On the right... Some conservatives argue USAGM had become biased and bloated. Fox News covered Kari Lake’s testimony calling the agency rotten to the core, aligning with the administration’s case for deep cuts and consolidation. Supporters of the cuts say it’s smart to streamline U.S. overseas broadcasting and curb waste.

On the left... Press-freedom advocates and many Democrats say gutting VOA undercuts U.S. soft power in places like Iran, Russia, and China. The Committee to Protect Journalists and prior court rulings have warned that shuttering or starving USAGM defies congressional intent and aids authoritarian propaganda. The Post’s reporting underscores those concerns as Congress moves to restore funding.

Overseas...

Amid Iran’s most severe internet blackout in years, the White House says it’s engaging Elon Musk about using Starlink to reconnect Iranians. The Washington Post reports Iran has tried to jam Starlink signals, and Reuters has documented patchy access continuing in some regions despite near-nationwide shutdowns. Activists say connectivity is critical to documenting alleged mass killings during the crackdown.

From the right... Many see Starlink as a freedom tool — and favor tough measures on Tehran. They argue U.S. tech should help protesters bypass censorship, and that pressure, including tariffs or sanctions, should escalate until the regime relents. Starlink’s role in other crises strengthens the case for leveraging private innovation to counter authoritarian controls.

From the left... Progressive voices warn that relying on a single private platform for geopolitically sensitive communications raises accountability and escalation risks. The Guardian details Iran’s aggressive countermeasures — including criminal penalties for satellite access — while analysts caution that overt U.S. involvement could prompt retaliation and endanger users on the ground.

Quick recap... The Supreme Court’s sports cases could redefine how schools apply Title Nine... the EPA’s cost-benefit shift triggers a new fight over health in rulemaking... Apple’s Gemini-powered Siri raises convenience — and competition — questions... Congress is keeping VOA on the air... and Starlink is at the center of a high-stakes struggle over information freedom in Iran. We’ll keep watching all five.

That's it for today's episode of Right versus Left News. Remember, understanding both sides isn't about picking a team—it's about being informed. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and join us tomorrow for another balanced look at the day's biggest stories. Until next time, stay curious and stay informed.