Texas

• De goed gouvernants-groep Common Cause heeft haar agressieve pleidooi voor herindeling gematigd, nadat zij eerder controverse opriep door Californiës gouverneur Gavin Newsom op dit punt gelijk te stellen aan de Republikeinen uit Texas. • De organisatie kreeg kritiek op deze vergelijking, die volgens critici feitelijk misleidend was en haar geloofwaardigheid als onpartijdige hervormingspleitbezorger schaadde. • De verschuiving van Common Cause weerspiegelt een groeiend debat binnen de progressieve gemeenschap over de vraag of nationale normen voor herindeling uniform moeten worden toegepast of rekening moeten houden met staatsspecifieke contexten.

• De ontdekking werd gedaan door een medewerker van Union Pacific die een stilstaande trein inspecteerde op het rangeerterrein in Laredo voordat deze zijn reis naar het noorden voortzette. • Spoorwegmedewerkers in Texas vonden zondagmiddag zes dode mensen in een goederenwagon op een terrein vlakbij de Mexicaanse grens, aldus functionarissen. • De vondst werd gedaan door een medewerker van Union Pacific tijdens de inspectie van de gestopte trein in Laredo, maakte een woordvoerder van de politie van Laredo bekend, verwijzend naar het spoorwegbedrijf.

• Democratic Congressman Beto O’Rourke has announced he will seek sanctions against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over what he calls an “outright lie” in a campaign‑finance‑related statement. • The dispute centers on Paxton’s claims about O’Rourke’s campaign‑finance practices, which Paxton’s critics say distort evidence and mislead the public. • Ethics watchdogs say the complaint could prompt a formal review by the Texas State Bar or an ethics committee, though such actions rarely result in immediate discipline.

All people onboard Cessna 421C dead after crash late at night in city 40 miles south-west of state capital AustinA small plane crashed among trees in Texas Hill Country, killing all five people onboard, officials said on Friday.The crash happened in the dark late on Thursday night in Wimberley, a city about 40 miles south-west of the state capital, Austin, the Hays county judge, Ruben Becerra, said in a post on Facebook. Continue reading...

Anthony Odiong is accused of sexually abusing three spiritually vulnerable female congregants in WacoPlans are under way for the Roman Catholic archdiocese of New Orleans to remove a priest’s name from a chapel he helped build outside the city as a criminal trial looms in Texas for the clergyman on criminal charges that he sexually abused three spiritually vulnerable female congregants there, the Guardian has learned.Anthony Odiong had reportedly raised $600,000 to build and then open Our Lady of Guadalupe Healing Chapel in Luling, Louisiana, in 2020, while he was the pastor at an adjacent church, years before authorities criminally charged him in Texas, where he had also previously ministered. His name has since appeared on various inscriptions outside the chapel and on the structure itself even as the criminal case against him has progressed toward trial. Continue reading...

Decision follows pressure from lawmakers and families as investigations continue into response to deadly disasterThe embattled Camp Mystic organization on Thursday halted plans to reopen this summer in a decision that followed months of intensifying outrage by political leaders in Texas and the families of 27 young campers killed last July when massive floodwaters swept through the all-girls Christian camp in the middle of the night.The decision comes after days of pointed questioning by Texas lawmakers who are investigating camp officials’ response to the devastating flood on July 4 that claimed the lives of the campers and two teenage counselors. The camp’s owner, Dick Eastland, also died in the flooding. Continue reading...

• No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies (34-8) scored nine runs on 11 hits to defeat Tarleton State 9-7 in a midweek game at Olsen Field on Tuesday evening. • Caden Sorrell led with two home runs, his fifth multi-homer game this season. • The late rally secures momentum ahead of SEC series.

• A new report from Harris County Public Health reveals Houston has the highest tuberculosis rates in Texas, highlighting urban transmission risks. • The data shows elevated cases linked to dense populations and socioeconomic factors in the Houston area. • Rising TB incidence demands targeted screening and treatment expansions to curb spread in high-risk communities.

Gámez-Cuéllar brothers were arrested alongside parents in February and later released after bipartisan backlashThree teenage mariachi musicians who were temporarily detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in February have been tapped to open for country singer Kacey Musgraves at several upcoming shows in Texas.On Monday, Musgraves announced that the Gámez-Cuéllar brothers Antonio, 18; Caleb, 14; and Joshua, 12, would join her for performances at Gruene Hall from 3 to 5 May as part of her Middle of Nowhere tour. Continue reading...

TPOR poll of 1,018 likely voters puts Talarico ahead of John Cornyn by three percentage points and Ken Paxton by fiveUS politics live – latest updatesDemocrats’ hopes of winning control of the US Senate in November’s midterm elections have been boosted by a poll showing James Talarico, the party’s candidate in Texas, leading in a head-to-head matchup against two potential Republican opponents.The Texas public opinion research (TPOR) survey has Talarico, a Democratic state legislator, ahead of the GOP incumbent senator, John Cornyn, and his internal party challenger, Ken Paxton, in one-on-one contests. Continue reading...

Redrawn map could flip up to five seats to Republicans as Trump’s party seeks to keep control of CongressThe US supreme court formally reinstated on Monday a redrawn Texas electoral map that was designed to add more Republicans to the US House of Representatives, as Donald Trump’s party seeks to keep control of Congress in the November congressional elections.The move by the court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, formalizes an interim decision it made in December to revive the map of US House districts in Texas. Continue reading...

Extreme weather likely to continue after devastating homes and endangering millions in US south and midwestAt least one person was killed after a very powerful tornado struck northern Texas on Saturday night, as extreme weather continued to devastate homes and put millions across the south and midwestern US at risk, with wildfires also raging on in parts of Georgia.Officials from Wise county in Texas said the storm reached the area at around 10pm and caused significant damage across multiple neighborhoods. In addition to the confirmed death, six people were treated or transported by emergency responders to be treated for storm-related injuries. Continue reading...

Camp Mystic must make changes to its emergency notification processes to receive its operating licenseThe Texas Christian summer camp where 27 girls and counselors died in a catastrophic flood in July 2025 may not be allowed to open again this upcoming summer after state officials found it has not met health and safety requirements.Camp Mystic must make several changes, including to its emergency and parent-notification processes, in order to receive its license to operate, according to a letter from the Texas department of state health services. Continue reading...

• President Trump's redistricting power grab in Texas concluded in a stalemate for parties, deemed a loss for the nation. • The effort warped minority and majority rights balance according to critics. • This outcome affects congressional representation and future elections in the state.

• Elon Musk announced that Tesla will utilize Intel's advanced 14A process technology for its Terafab chip manufacturing project at Giga Texas, representing a major partnership between the two companies. • The complex will produce semiconductors for Tesla vehicles, Optimus robots, and AI data centers, with initial research fab construction already underway on the Giga Texas campus. • This initiative signals Tesla's push toward vertical integration in chip production to support its expanding autonomous and AI capabilities.

Mara Flavia Souza Araujo drowns early on SaturdayRescue crews locate body after athlete vanishedA Brazilian fitness influencer has died after getting into difficulty during the swimming portion of an ironman event in Texas.Mara Flavia Souza Araujo was reported as a “lost swimmer” around 7.30am at the Ironman Texas in Lake Woodlands near Houston on Saturday. According to KPRC 2 News, safety crews could not immediately locate Araujo. The 38-year-old’s body was discovered around 90 minutes later in 10ft of water by divers. She was pronounced dead on the scene. Continue reading...

• President Donald Trump announced Dr. Jennifer Shuford, Texas' top public health official and infectious disease physician, as his nominee for CDC chief medical officer on Thursday via Truth Social. • Shuford oversaw the country's largest measles outbreak in 30 years; other nominees include Dr. Erica Schwartz as CDC director, Sean Slovenski as deputy director and COO, and Dr. Sara Brenner as senior counselor to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. • The appointments aim to reshape CDC leadership amid ongoing public health challenges in the US.

Meenu Batra, the state’s only licensed Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu interpreter, says she was treated ‘like a criminal’Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxA Texas court interpreter who was arrested by ICE after living in the US for more than 35 years is speaking out from detention, saying she has been “treated like a criminal” and fears being deported to a country where she has never been.Meenu Batra is the only licensed Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu court interpreter in the state, and has served as an interpreter for hundreds of people in immigration court. Continue reading...

Camp’s medical officer testified at a hearing as state health agency reviews camp’s application to reopen this summerSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe medical officer for Camp Mystic, the Christian summer camp in Texas where 27 girls and counselors were killed in a catastrophic flood last year, testified this week she has still not officially reported the deaths to the state health agency reviewing the camp’s application to reopen.Mary Liz Eastland, a member of the family that owns and operates the camp, appeared in court this week as part of a hearing tied to a lawsuit brought by the family of eight-year-old camper Cecilia “Cile” Steward, whose body has not been found. The family is seeking to temporarily close off the camp’s flooded areas to preserve the damage as evidence while their lawsuit proceeds. Continue reading...

• Former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke has announced plans to seek sanctions against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, accusing him of making an "outright lie." • The legal action represents escalating political conflict between O'Rourke and state leadership over unspecified disputed statements or conduct. • The case highlights ongoing partisan disputes within Texas politics involving high-profile Democratic and Republican figures.

• Texas A&M researchers developed a nasal spray therapy that reverses brain aging by healing inflammation and restoring memory function. • The treatment targets age-related cognitive decline, turning 'brain fog to brain focus' in preclinical models. • Announced on April 14, 2026, it reshapes future therapies for neurodegenerative diseases.

FBI alleges Daniel Moreno-Gama, 20, captured on camera throwing explosive device outside home of OpenAI chiefA Texas man was charged with hurling a molotov cocktail at the home of OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman and attempting to set fire to the AI firm’s headquarters.Daniel Moreno-Gama, 20, was captured on surveillance video throwing an incendiary device outside Altman’s San Francisco residence, according to a Federal Bureau of Investigation affidavit filed in federal court on Monday. Continue reading...

Exclusive: US state is targeting corporate heavyweights in the UK with subsidies and incentives Y’all Street: Bullish Dallas aims to steal New York’s crownThe US state of Texas is putting UK businesses in its crosshairs with the launch this month of a dedicated London office to lure jobs and investment to the low-tax Lone Star State.Texas recently secured approval for the new site, adding to a growing list of international offices from which it can try to draw corporate heavyweights across its borders. Continue reading...

• The Texas Rangers signed future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer to a four-year, $80 million contract to bolster their 2026 rotation. • Scherzer, 41, posted a 3.28 ERA across 28 starts last season with the New York Mets, demonstrating continued durability. • The Rangers project as World Series contenders with the addition of Scherzer joining Corey Seager and Kyle Schwarber in their lineup.

Clarence Curtis Jordan was convicted in 1978 but hadn’t had a lawyer for over 30 yearsThe Texas court of criminal appeals has overturned the death sentence of Clarence Curtis Jordan, a 70-year-old man with intellectual disabilities, who spent nearly 50 years on death row – much of that time without a lawyer.Jordan was convicted in 1978 for the murder of Joe L Williams, a 40-year-old grocer in Houston, and was sentenced to death. In the years that followed, courts determined that Jordan, who has intellectual disabilities, was “incompetent”, making him ineligible for execution under constitutional standards. Continue reading...

• Texas health officials reported 156 measles cases as of April 7, 2026, in a Dallas County outbreak starting March 15, with 12 hospitalizations. • 89% of cases unvaccinated, including 45 children under 5; infection rate 90% among exposed susceptibles. • Declared public health emergency; impacts 2 million residents, straining ERs amid 83% vaccination goal miss.

• Following the closure of a rural Texas hospital, a local health center has expanded services to prevent care deserts for patients now traveling miles across county lines. • The initiative addresses immediate gaps in primary and emergency care in underserved areas, maintaining access for vulnerable populations. • Rural hospital closures exacerbate public health challenges, with this response demonstrating community health centers' role in continuity.

• Measles cases from Texas federal detention facilities infected at least 4 El Paso residents who worked there, marking a community outbreak. • Infectious disease expert Flor M. stated, 'By definition, when more than 2 measles cases occur in a community where there should be 0 cases, this is an outbreak.' • The incident highlights risks of contagious diseases escaping confined settings into wider US populations amid ongoing vaccination policy debates.