POLITICS
A border wall through Big Bend appears to be on hold after public outcry, but questions remain
Read full article: A border wall through Big Bend appears to be on hold after public outcry, but questions remainWhile the federal government hasn’t made a public statement about its plans, official maps show a “virtual wall” going through the region rather than a physical barrier.
This state agency was created to investigate Texas universities. How that works is a mystery.
Read full article: This state agency was created to investigate Texas universities. How that works is a mystery.Office of the Ombudsman has no written policies on how to investigate allegations that education laws are being broken, even though it’s been accepting complaints for three months.
Georgia lawmakers end annual session without settling conflict on voting machines
Read full article: Georgia lawmakers end annual session without settling conflict on voting machinesThe Georgia General Assembly has ended its annual session without a plan for new equipment to overhaul the state’s voting system by a July deadline.
A look at how the Epstein files dogged Pam Bondi's time as attorney general
Read full article: A look at how the Epstein files dogged Pam Bondi's time as attorney generalAfter Pam Bondi became U.S. attorney general last year, conservative influencers, online sleuths and others who wanted the government to disclose all it knew about Jeffrey Epstein thought they might have a champion in the Department of Justice.
Trump budget seeks $1.5T in defense spending alongside cuts in domestic programs
Read full article: Trump budget seeks $1.5T in defense spending alongside cuts in domestic programsPresident Donald Trump has proposed boosting defense spending to $1.5 trillion in his 2027 budget released Friday, the largest such request in decades, reflecting his emphasis on U.S. military investments over domestic programs.
A look at Todd Blanche, the ex-Trump lawyer who's the president's pick for acting attorney general
Read full article: A look at Todd Blanche, the ex-Trump lawyer who's the president's pick for acting attorney generalBefore picking Todd Blanche to help lead and now run the Justice Department, President Donald Trump was his client.
Hegseth says he will allow troops to take personal weapons onto military bases
Read full article: Hegseth says he will allow troops to take personal weapons onto military basesDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth says he will allow service members to carry personal weapons onto military installations.
Rubio accuses China of 'bullying' for holding up Panama-flagged ships after canal clash
Read full article: Rubio accuses China of 'bullying' for holding up Panama-flagged ships after canal clashU.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has accused China of “bullying” by detaining or holding up dozens of Panama-flagged ships.
Texas attorney general’s office under scrutiny for letting donors use hotel room bookings
Read full article: Texas attorney general’s office under scrutiny for letting donors use hotel room bookingsThe attorney general’s office reallocated taxpayer-funded rooms to donors and other private citizens, some of whom initially failed to cover the cost of the stay.
Trump unveils 100% tariff on some patented drugs on 'Liberation Day' anniversary
Read full article: Trump unveils 100% tariff on some patented drugs on 'Liberation Day' anniversaryPresident Donald Trump has signed an executive order that could slap long-threatened pharmaceutical tariffs of up to 100% on some patented drugs from companies that don’t reach deals with his administration in the coming months.
Democratic congressional candidate Bobby Pulido toured with bandmate convicted of child sex crime
Read full article: Democratic congressional candidate Bobby Pulido toured with bandmate convicted of child sex crimeThe revelation reported first by the New York Post is the latest hit against the Democratic rising star who Republicans are casting as morally depraved because of his past social media posts.
Hegseth asks the Army's top uniformed officer to step down while US wages war against Iran
Read full article: Hegseth asks the Army's top uniformed officer to step down while US wages war against IranDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ousted the Army’s top uniformed officer and two other generals as the U.S. wages a war against Iran.
At least 175 measles cases reported in Texas this year, most of them in West Texas Detention Facility
Read full article: At least 175 measles cases reported in Texas this year, most of them in West Texas Detention FacilityTexas has added 28 more measles cases in the last two weeks. Most infections so far this year have occurred inside West Texas Detention Facility in Hudspeth County.
White House scales back plan to dismantle the CFPB but still wants to slash staff by two-thirds
Read full article: White House scales back plan to dismantle the CFPB but still wants to slash staff by two-thirdsThe Trump administration has scaled back its plans to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Tyler embraces a families-first approach as it grows faster than any other East Texas city
Read full article: Tyler embraces a families-first approach as it grows faster than any other East Texas cityTyler has spent the last decade remaking its parks and sidewalks to allure families. At the same time, a constellation of groups are helping parents take care of their families.
Tyler city employees are bringing their newborns to work
Read full article: Tyler city employees are bringing their newborns to workThe city, which does not have a paid family leave policy, established the program to help new parents return to work without sacrificing bonding with their new babies.
Judge allows Attorney General Ken Paxton to withdraw from representing comptroller’s office in voucher case
Read full article: Judge allows Attorney General Ken Paxton to withdraw from representing comptroller’s office in voucher caseThe Houston federal judge said Paxton’s office can pull out of the case as soon as acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock finds new lawyers. The unusual request comes amid a bubbling feud between the two Republicans.
Colorado court orders resentencing for former county clerk in election fraud scheme
Read full article: Colorado court orders resentencing for former county clerk in election fraud schemeA Colorado appeals court has ruled that a former county clerk convicted in a scheme that attempted to find proof of fraud in the 2020 presidential election should be resentenced.
Trump’s White House ballroom gets final approval days after a judge ordered a halt to construction
Read full article: Trump’s White House ballroom gets final approval days after a judge ordered a halt to constructionPresident Donald Trump's new White House ballroom has gotten final approval from a key commission.
Trump uses Iran war address to urge an increasingly skeptical electorate to give him a bit more time
Read full article: Trump uses Iran war address to urge an increasingly skeptical electorate to give him a bit more timePresident Donald Trump has used his first major address since launching his war in Iran to assure Americans all his military objectives will be completed “shortly” and urge a skeptical electorate to give him more time.
Texas is cutting undocumented immigrants off from school, work and driving
Read full article: Texas is cutting undocumented immigrants off from school, work and drivingThe sweeping rule changes, all enacted outside the typical legislative process, have upended life for noncitizens, including those who are here legally.
Hands-on telehealth helps reach rural Texas communities
Read full article: Hands-on telehealth helps reach rural Texas communitiesA new approach aims to tailor telehealth to the realities of an older, rural population by offering a physical place with reliable connectivity and an on-site nurse.
It’s International Fact-Checking Day. Refresh your AI identification skills
Read full article: It’s International Fact-Checking Day. Refresh your AI identification skillsArtificial intelligence-generated content is everywhere these days, making it increasingly difficult to separate fact from fiction, particularly when it comes to breaking news.
Diabetes advocates cross their fingers as a bipartisan bill revives efforts to lower insulin costs
Read full article: Diabetes advocates cross their fingers as a bipartisan bill revives efforts to lower insulin costsA bipartisan group of senators is aiming to relieve high insulin costs for more Americans.
Trump says he'll sign order to resume pay for Homeland Security. His move bypasses Congress
Read full article: Trump says he'll sign order to resume pay for Homeland Security. His move bypasses CongressPresident Donald Trump says he'll soon sign an order to pay all Department of Homeland Security employees who have gone without paychecks during the partial government shutdown that has reached 48 days.
South Texas officials dismissed from woman’s wrongful arrest lawsuit in controversial abortion case
Read full article: South Texas officials dismissed from woman’s wrongful arrest lawsuit in controversial abortion caseStarr County remains the sole defendant in a suit seeking $1 million in damages filed by Lizelle Gonzalez, who accused local officials of malicious prosecution and conspiracy.
DHS boss rescinds restrictive $100,000 approval process, giving hope to FEMA relief efforts
Read full article: DHS boss rescinds restrictive $100,000 approval process, giving hope to FEMA relief effortsHomeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has rescinded a rule that DHS expenditures over $100,000 be personally approved by his office.
Takeaways from Trump's address: No end date for Iran war and few details on strategy ahead
Read full article: Takeaways from Trump's address: No end date for Iran war and few details on strategy aheadPresident Donald Trump sought to explain his rationale for the war against Iran in a primetime address Wednesday.
Trump ally testifies in trial over secret Venezuela lobbying effort
Read full article: Trump ally testifies in trial over secret Venezuela lobbying effortThe criminal trial of a former congressman is offering a glimpse into the prehistory of the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Republican leaders in Congress announce plan to end Homeland Security shutdown
Read full article: Republican leaders in Congress announce plan to end Homeland Security shutdownHouse Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune have announced a plan to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security and try to end a record partial government shutdown.
Whispers in the Supreme Court as Trump takes a front-row seat for oral arguments
Read full article: Whispers in the Supreme Court as Trump takes a front-row seat for oral argumentsPresident Donald Trump has attended oral arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court, marking a first for a sitting president.
Trump isn't immune from civil claims his Jan. 6 rally speech incited riot, judge says
Read full article: Trump isn't immune from civil claims his Jan. 6 rally speech incited riot, judge saysA federal judge has ruled that President Donald Trump isn’t immune from civil claims that he incited a mob of his supporters to attack the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
White Texans, students previously in private school or home-school make up bulk of voucher applicants
Read full article: White Texans, students previously in private school or home-school make up bulk of voucher applicantsOf the almost 275,000 students who applied for vouchers, 45% are white and 75% attended a private school or home-school in 2024-25, final numbers show.
The Latest: Supreme Court arguments over Trump's birthright citizenship order end after two hours
Read full article: The Latest: Supreme Court arguments over Trump's birthright citizenship order end after two hoursThe U.S. Supreme Court has finished hearing arguments over the constitutionality of President Donald Trump’s order to end birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to someone in the country illegally or temporarily.
Explore our newly redesigned Texas Public Schools Explorer with expanded data
Read full article: Explore our newly redesigned Texas Public Schools Explorer with expanded dataThe explorer now shows long-term trends, school funding data, and newly released Texas Academic Performance Reports, among other updates.
T-Squared: We’re relaunching our Texas Public Schools Explorer to better serve parents and teachers
Read full article: T-Squared: We’re relaunching our Texas Public Schools Explorer to better serve parents and teachersToday, we are unveiling our most ambitious update yet to The Texas Tribune’s schools explorer, with more information and added context to help Texans interpret information about our schools.
AI-aligned super PACs are pouring millions into Texas congressional races
Read full article: AI-aligned super PACs are pouring millions into Texas congressional racesGroups funded by artificial intelligence industry leaders have spent more than $2.8 million in the state, mostly on U.S. House GOP candidates who favor a light regulatory touch.
Rubio's and Vance's differing postures on Iran war highlight their challenges ahead of 2028 election
Read full article: Rubio's and Vance's differing postures on Iran war highlight their challenges ahead of 2028 electionSecretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance are both seen as the Republican Party’s strongest potential candidates in the next presidential election, but the Iran war could prove to be a political millstone for them.
From TMZ to Trump, pressure grows to bring Congress back during partial shutdown
Read full article: From TMZ to Trump, pressure grows to bring Congress back during partial shutdownTMZ is turning its celebrity lens on Congress, tracking lawmakers on recess as a nearly six-week Department of Homeland Security shutdown drags on.
Supreme Court seems poised to reject Trump's birthright citizenship limits as he attends arguments
Read full article: Supreme Court seems poised to reject Trump's birthright citizenship limits as he attends argumentsThe Supreme Court seems poised to reject President Donald Trump’s restrictions on birthright citizenship in a consequential case that was magnified by his unparalleled presence in the courtroom.
TDCJ official confirms in trial testimony that it could cost $1.5 billion to fully cool Texas prisons
Read full article: TDCJ official confirms in trial testimony that it could cost $1.5 billion to fully cool Texas prisonsCurrent and former heads of Texas’ prison system defended asking for lesser amounts to air-condition facilities during a federal trial on extreme heat in TDCJ facilities.
Trump plans to attend Wednesday's Supreme Court hearing on his bid to limit birthright citizenship
Read full article: Trump plans to attend Wednesday's Supreme Court hearing on his bid to limit birthright citizenshipPresident Donald Trump is scheduled to attend a Supreme Court hearing in which judges will hear arguments on his executive order limiting birthright citizenship.