Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem pushed back against her department’s inspector general, who told Congress in a letter that she had “systematically obstructed” his office’s work.

The battle to lower costs has reached the State Capitol, where concerns have emerged about the fate of a 2019 climate law and its ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

State media and online propagandists are striking a confident posture, despite heavy losses. Some of the content was generated by artificial intelligence.