Mexico successfully awarded bids for three out of five available offshore drilling contracts in its second public oil auction. Nonresident scholar Miriam Grinstein comments on the progress in Gulf Today: http://bit.ly/1PeVBDw.
Political science fellow Mark Jones explains why the city's pension burden has become a political talking point. Houston Chronicle (subscription): http://bit.ly/1VyUsfg.
Fellow in Disease and Poverty Peter Hotez discusses concerns about the potential for neglected tropical diseases to spread in impoverished areas of Houston.
Texas state Rep. Jonathan Stickland has drawn a challenger in his re-election bid for House District 92. Political science fellow Mark Jones comments on how the race may divide social conservatives and Tea Party voters. Fort Worth Star-Telegram: http://bit.ly/1KRfjzT.
Shell announced plans to end its Arctic drilling efforts due to operational losses and concerns from environmental groups. Kenneth Medlock, senior director of the Center for Energy Studies, comments in McClatchyDC: http://bit.ly/1h7nj7f.