The Texas Tribune

Editor's note: This story has been updated with a statement from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office.

The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request from Texas and 19 other states to block a landmark federal rule requiring power plants to slash emissions of mercury, acid gases and other toxic metals — a setback for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a case where he saw earlier success. 

Editor's note: This story has been updated throughout.

WASHINGTON — During oral arguments Wednesday in a case challenging the constitutionality of Texas’ abortion restrictions, U.S. Supreme Court justices found little on which to agree as they dissected the state law that could leave Texas with as few as 10 clinics.

• by Kiah Collier, The Texas Tribune
• Feb. 26, 2016

*Correction appended.

Texas superintendents have overwhelmingly approved a rule making birth certificates the official determinant of a student-athlete's gender for playing high school sports, a policy transgender advocates have decried as exclusionary and outdated.

HOUSTON — Their school may be hosting Thursday's GOP presidential debate, but University of Houston students have about as much chance of scoring tickets as they do of becoming president themselves.

The Texas Supreme Court on Friday handed a victory to farmers, ranchers and other longstanding water rights holders by declining to take up a Brazos River case with widespread implications for future water battles in drought-prone Texas.

CIUDAD JUÁREZ - In the days leading up to Pope Francis’s scheduled arrival to this gritty industrial city once known as one of the world’s deadliest, the energy – and agendas – can’t go unnoticed.

For Jose González, it’s a chance to spotlight the need for immigration reform. For Jeff Katt, it’s an opportunity to tell people church and rosary beads aren’t necessarily the way to salvation.

Early voting starts Tuesday in Texas, and the races for the presidential nominations are not — in spite of all that noise they’re making — the only contests on the ballot. Here are the most competitive contests for state and federal seats on the state ballot. *

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional comment.

Texas A&M University is conducting an investigation after a group of students visiting campus from an inner-city Dallas high school were harassed Tuesday with racial slurs and a demand to "go back where you came from."