A vital but embattled river that shapes borders and livelihoods
The Presidio dispute over the border wall has culminated in a court ruling that denies a stay, while the government continues with plans to deploy the barrier, raising flood and environmental concerns for the town and surrounding areas.
The government has ordered a halt to drilling new wells in New Mexico while a groundwater strategy is developed with state and federal agencies. Ranchers warn that pumping could threaten livestock and livelihoods as drought presses on; officials say all non-tribal wells require permits, and eight wells have been found drilled without authorization along the Roosevelt Reservation.
The U.S. CBP says the border-area wall will close a security gap, while the Tohono O’odham Nation accuses the administration of trespass and warns of damage to sacred lands. Construction on the Roosevelt Reservation has drawn protests, legal disputes, and a federal court decision allowing work to continue. Tribal officials vow further legal action.
President Donald Trump has proposed renaming the Strait of Hormuz to "Trump Strait" in a Truth Social post and has repeated earlier moves to relabel bodies of water. His post follows an executive order renaming Lake Ontario and earlier declarations renaming the Gulf of Mexico; officials have not explained how a change to an international waterway would be implemented.
The White House has put up arcade-style games on its site to promote policy, including a Tetris-inspired Build the Wall. Tetris Corp denies involvement and says it takes copyright infringement seriously; takedown reports follow as other games remain online.
Pantheon Regeneration plans to restore peatlands from Virginia to Florida, blocking ditch networks to raise water levels, reduce carbon emissions, and sell credits to fund conservation; the project seeks to protect biodiversity and defend large coastal and inland peat systems from degradation.
Landowners in Texas’s Big Bend region resist the administration’s border-wall plans, challenging survey access and pursuing court action as a judge halts work amid a broad, bipartisan backlash and a $7.5 billion investment to fortify the border.
Florida Governor has withdrawn a death warrant for William Lee Thompson, 74, who was scheduled for execution, while another inmate, James Robertson, is set to be executed. The move comes amid ongoing debate over death penalty practices in the state and follows a botched Tennessee execution where Christa Pike survived lethal injections.
AP and Independent reports reveal a surge of U.S. troops at the Rio Grande border, with officials citing cartel activity and human trafficking concerns. The coverage notes opposition from landowners in Big Bend and broader political implications as midterm politics loom.