The business community is working with school districts to lobby for full funding. DALLAS — Public schools are the backbone of a thriving economy, and when they are underfunded, the future workforce suffers, warns a new coalition of Texas business groups. “Before we talk about anything else in the education conversation, we need to prioritize…… MORE
A federal judge in Texas is allowing three other states to pursue a challenge seeking to restrict access to the abortion pill mifepristone nationwide. The states of Idaho, Kansas and Missouri can now move ahead with their efforts in U.S. District Court in Amarillo, Texas, where a nominee of former President Donald Trump is the…… MORE
LOS ANGELES (AP) — It could be a week or more before homeowners in the Los Angeles area are allowed to check on their fire-damaged properties. Authorities said Thursday that teams must first assess the threat of potentially toxic ash and debris left by the blazes that have blackened neighborhoods across the region. More than…… MORE
David Lynch has died at 78. The filmmaker was celebrated for his uniquely dark vision in such movies as “Blue Velvet” and “Mulholland Drive” and the TV series “Twin Peaks.” His family announced the death in a Facebook post on Thursday. The cause of death and location was not immediately available, but Lynch had been…… MORE
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden won’t enforce a ban on the social media app TikTok that is set to take effect a day before he leaves office, a U.S. official says. That leaves TikTok’s fate in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump. Congress last year in a law signed by Biden required that TikTok’s…… MORE
American consumers wrapped up the year in a spending mood, shopping for all sorts of merchandise from furniture to clothing, and eating out at restaurants, according to the latest government snapshot. The figures, announced Thursday, marked a clear sign that consumers are still able and willing to shop, and the data bodes well for 2025…… MORE
LONDON (AP) — U.K.-based oil company is cutting 4,700 jobs worldwide and a further 3,000 contractor roles as part of a cost-saving drive. CEO Murray Auchincloss sent an email to staff on Thursday that has been seen by The Associated Press. Auchincloss said that the job losses “account for much of the anticipated reduction this…… MORE
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision could come Friday in the case about whether TikTok must shut down in a few days under a federal law that seeks to force its sale by the Chinese company that owns the social media platform. TikTok is used by 170 million people in the U.S. The…… MORE
General Motors will be banned for five years from disclosing data that it collects from drivers to consumer reporting agencies as part of a settlement with the government to resolve claims that the automaker shared such data without consumers’ permission. GM and subsidiary OnStar, which operates a roadside assistance service, will be banned from sharing…… MORE
SpaceX has caught its Starship rocket back at the pad following liftoff. But the spacecraft launched on top Thursday was destroyed. Elon Musk’s company confirmed the loss just minutes into the flight from the southern tip of Texas. The spacecraft’s engines shut down one by one, and contact soon was lost. SpaceX says it will…… MORE
