Picturing Palestine
As a Palestinian in diaspora, I am constantly frustrated with how American fiction depicts my people...
Human Rights
‘It Will Take the Breath Out of You’: Prisoners Describe Extreme Nighttime Heat in Texas Units
TDCJ will allocate $85 million to provide more air conditioning. In the meantime, people are sweltering in their beds.
A Courtroom Drama About Feeding Unhoused Houstonians
The Observer follows Food Not Bombs volunteers fighting against Bayou City’s anti-food sharing ordinance.
Ignoring Water Worries, Texas Permits Lignite Mine Expansion
The state has issued only two new coal mining permits in 10 years to a company with a controversial environmental legacy.
Abbott’s Billion-Dollar Barrier
Texas’ border wall is rearing its head—concerns about wildlife, public thrift, and property rights notwithstanding.
Homegrown Neo-Fascist Movement Marches in Austin
Researchers have identified dozens of members of the white nationalist group—and no, they’re not “feds.”
Texans Die from Heat After Governor Bans Mandatory Water Breaks
House Bill 2127 preempts local governments from enacting legislation in eight areas—with potentially deadly results.
The Awful 88th
Losers included taxpayers, teachers, trans youths, and anyone who uses electricity.
‘May Their Memory Be a Blessing’: Hundreds Gather for Uvalde Anniversary Vigil
A year later, law enforcement has faced nothing approaching systemic accountability for failures at Robb Elementary.
Wrecking Women’s Healthcare
Low-income Texans depend on family planning clinics. The clinics depend on a program that's in trouble.