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Italian ambassador Luca Attanasio and Italian carabiniere, or paramilitary police officer, Vittorio Iacovacci that were killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo were killed in a gun battle, not by execution.

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italian ambassador died in gunbattle in drc

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Italian ambassador died in gunbattle in DRC, not execution, prosecutor says

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The two Italians killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday died in a gunbattle, and were not killed execution-style, prosecutor Alberto Pioletti told CNN on Thursday.

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Due to weather rand the power outages Texans have been told to boil drinking water.

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The eyes of Texas turned to an emerging water crisis Thursday evening after electrical power had been restored to nearly 2 million homes -- though hundreds of thousands of residents remained in the dark.

About 13 million Texans -- or nearly half the state's approximately 29 million residents -- were under an advisory to boil drinking water, according to reports.

The water crisis prompted Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to ask President Biden to declare a major disaster in the state, FOX 4 of Dallas reported.

"We need to make sure we use every tool possible to get water restored to our fellow Texans," Abbott said, according to the station.

"We need to make sure we use every tool possible to get water restored to our fellow Texans."
- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott

Biden approved an emergency declaration for Texas along with Oklahoma and Louisiana that will move resources, supplies and equipment to the states, the Washington Post reported.

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) would be sending 729,000 liters of water to the state and some of the power generators it planned to supply would be sent to water treatment plants, the report said.

The boil-water advisories followed record low temperatures that damaged infrastructure and pipes, FOX 4 reported.

The effects of a brutal winter storm that slammed the Lone Star State this week showed no signs of letting up. The storm caused a massive power grid failure as officials were forced to cut power to stabilize the grid.

The storm has left more than two dozen people dead across the state.

A Houston-area family died earlier this week from carbon monoxide as their car idled in their garage. A woman and her three grandchildren were killed in a fire that authorities said might have been caused by a fireplace they were using.
SAN ANTONIO APARTMENTS CATCH ON FIRE FROM SUSPECTED WATER TANK EXPLOSION AMID DEADLY WINTER STORM

Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) officials, which operates the power grid that covers most of the state, said it has made "significant progress" in getting power turned back on and the remaining blackouts are likely from damage to distribution systems caused by the ice storm and others need to be restored manually, the Texas Tribune reported.

ERCOT officials said Thursday the grid was "seconds and minutes" away from a catastrophic, uncontrolled failure that could have left residents without power for months, according to the Tribune.

"It needed to be addressed immediately," Bill Magness, president of ERCOT, said of the rolling blackouts that have lasted days rather than hours. "It was seconds and minutes [from possible failure] given the amount of generation that was coming off the system."

He added if ERCOT had waited to cut the power "then what happens in that next minute might be that three more [power generation] units come offline, and then you're sunk."
CRUZ ADMITS CANCUN TRIP 'OBVIOUSLY A MISTAKE' AS HE RETURNS TO FIND PROTESTERS OUTSIDE HIS TEXAS HOME
If the grid had completely gone down it could have taken months to repair, The Tribune reported.

"The operators who took those actions to prevent a catastrophic blackout and much worse damage to our system, that was, I would say, the most difficult decision that had to be made throughout this whole event," Magness said.

On Thursday evening, Abbott wrote on Twitter that no remaining residential power outages werower generation.

"If any residence doesn't have power," the governor wrote, "it is due to downed power lines or the need for the power company to manually reconnect."

But the state's water supply was a different story. Water pressure fell after lines froze, and many people left faucets dripping to prevent pipes from icing over. Abbott urged residents to shut off water to their homes, if possible, to prevent more busted pipes and preserve pressure in municipal systems.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said he expects that residents will have to boil tap water before drinking it until Sunday or Monday.

In Austin, "tens of thousands" of leaks in the water system, as well as burst pipes inside homes, were hurting that city's water supply, city Water Director Greg Meszaros told the Austin American-Statesman.

Austin saw 325 million gallons of water leak out of its system between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, the report said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
"That is an incredible amount of water," Meszaros told the newspaper.

Two of Houston Methodist's community hospitals had no running water but still treated patients, with most non-emergency surgeries and procedures canceled for Thursday and possibly Friday, and burst pipes were repaired as they happened, said spokeswoman Gale Smith.

Meanwhile, ERCOT Senior Director of System Operations Dan Woodfin warned that limited rolling blackouts could return if electricity demand rises as people get power and heating back..
Fox News' Bradford Betz contributed to this report.

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Texas now grapples with water crisis as power returns to nearly 2 million homes

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The eyes of Texas turned to an emerging water crisis Thursday evening after electrical power had been restored to nearly 2 million homes -- though hundreds of thousands of residents remained in the dark. About 13 million Texans -- or nearly half the state's approximately 29 million residents -- were under an advisory to boil drinking water, according to reports.

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A senator named Bob Dole is diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. Bob was very involved into politics and has been for almost 5 decades.

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Former Kansas Sen. Bob Dole announced Thursday he began treatment this week for stage 4 lung cancer.
RUSH LIMBAUGH, CONSERVATIVE TALK RADIO PIONEER, DEAD AT 70
"While I certainly have some hurdles ahead, I also know that I join millions of Americans who face significant health challenges of their own," he said in a statement.

Dole, 97, is a World War II veteran, former Senate Majority Leader and was the Republican Party's 1996 presidential nominee. His political career spanned nearly five decades.
TRUMP REVEALS STORY BEHIND RUSH LIMBAUGH'S PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM
Stage 4 cancer is the most advanced stage of the illness and is the least likely to be cured or end up in remission.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP
The former senator's announcement comes a day after conservative talk show pioneer Rush Limbaugh died following a year-long battle with stage 4 lung cancer.

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Bob Dole says he's been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer

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Former Kansas Sen. Bob Dole announced Thursday he began treatment this week for stage 4 lung cancer. RUSH LIMBAUGH, CONSERVATIVE TALK RADIO PIONEER, DEAD AT 70 "While I certainly have some hurdles ahead, I also know that I join millions of Americans who face significant health challenges of their own," he said in a statement.

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Dr. Anthony Fauci predicts that it will be an "open season" for vaccines in April, and anyone who wants it can get it.

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As vaccine demand continues to far outpace supply, the nation's leading infectious disease expert made a stunning prediction. "By the time we get to April, that would be what I call for lack of better wording, open season. Namely, virtually everybody and anybody in any category can start to get vaccinated," Dr. Anthony Fauci said.

But vaccination sites still need doses and that's a big problem for Maryland. "We need more damn vaccines," Governor Larry Hogan said. "We have no control whatsoever over this supply problem."

It's the same in Los Angeles. "It is a little bit of Hunger Games out there," Mayor Eric Garcetti said. "This week we only received 16,000 new doses. That is down 90,000 from the week before. That is unacceptable."

The shortage is forcing several Los Angeles vaccine sites to close for two days, starting Friday. A site at the iconic Crenshaw Christian Center already ran out. The surrounding area includes some of the city's hardest hit communities. The battle at Crenshaw Christian Center is personal - founder Frederick K.C. Price is now fighting COVID-19.

In Alabama, which ranks last in the U.S. in per capita vaccinations, all sites are now booked through April.

Irene Cozad, 70, beat colon cancer and says she is desperate for the vaccine. "I'm on the computer, checking and I don't know how much more I can do," she said. "Disheartening, it's almost like where I thought there was hope and light at the end of the tunnel. Now I'm getting depressed about it."

Some relief is on the way as the federal government started shipping vaccine doses directly to pharmacies on Thursday.

Also Thursday, President Biden stressed the need to boost vaccine supply while touring the National Institutes of Health labs where the Moderna vaccine was developed.

"It's really turned out to be gigantic logistical issue for us," he said. "My predecessor - I'll be very blunt about it - did not do his job in getting ready for the massive challenge of vaccinating hundreds of millions."

Mr. Biden announced the U.S. had just signed contracts for 100 million more doses each of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. The vaccines would arrive by the end of July, he said.

How far some are willing to go to skip the line is evident in a Craigslist ad offering to drive 75-year-olds to get their vaccine. In Massachusetts, the governor announced those accompanying seniors to their vaccine appointments can also get the shot.

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Dr. Fauci predicts "open season" for vaccinations in April

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As vaccine demand continues to far outpace supply, the nation's leading infectious disease expert made a stunning prediction. "By the time we get to April, that would be what I call for lack of better wording, open season. Namely, virtually everybody and anybody in any category can start to get vaccinated," Dr. Anthony Fauci said.

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Teen that was accepted to her dream college. Emptied her college savings to help pay for her mothers rent so she didn't get evicted.

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A Texas high school senior emptied her college savings account to pay her mother's rent in order to keep the family from being evicted from their home.

Just weeks earlier, Alondra Carmona, a senior at Yes Prep East End in Houston, had been accepted to her dream school: Barnard College.
FLORIDA MAN PAYS NEIGHBORS' UTILITY BILLS FOR 2ND STRAIGHT CHRISTMAS
The teen grew up in a single-parent household where her mom "worked everyday to pay rent," according to a GoFundMe page she created.

Last year, her mom injured her ankle, making it even harder for her to work. When the pandemic struck, it only "added to the financial problems we already had," Carmona said.

What she didn't realize was that her mom had been out of work for the past three months and the family was facing the possibility of eviction in March.

"She owes two months of rent and will most likely get evicted in March," she wrote. "All of my college savings will go to paying the rent that we are behind on."
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The teen said she had turned to the online fundraising platform "as a last resort" since the school was reportedly not able to change her financial package.

Within days, she well surpassed her initial goal of $75,000. As of Thursday, the donations topped $145,000.

"College is hard enough without worrying about mom's rent on top. All the best to you with your studies," one donor commented.

The teen added that she is "tremendously grateful" for the grant that Barnard did offer her as well as the "generosity" of the donors on GoFundMe.

Jennifer Fondiller, Barnard College's vice president for enrollment and communications, told Fox News that the school is "honored and excited to welcome" Carmona next year.

"Alondra's dedication to her family, not to mention her community's support of her, are ideals perfectly aligned with the tight-knit Barnard community," Fondiller said.

While the school can't comment on the financial situation of any specific student, Fondiller said it is already working with Carmona "and all of our students to make Barnard affordable to those with need through generous financial aid programs."

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Teen uses college savings to help pay mom's rent

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A Texas high school senior emptied her college savings account to pay her mother's rent in order to keep the family from being evicted from their home. Just weeks earlier, Alondra Carmona, a senior at Yes Prep East End in Houston, had been accepted to her dream school: Barnard College.

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Republican law makers in Tennessee are proposing a new bill. This new bill would allow the biological father of an unborn child, to petition against an abortion. They want to allow the father to stop the pregnant woman from getting an abortion. It doesn't have an exception for 🤬 or incest, and if someone is found to have gone against it they may be tried for civil, or criminal contempt.

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tennessee lawmakers are proposing a bill that would let biological fathers to stop abortions - cnnpolitics

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Tennessee lawmakers are proposing a bill that would let biological fathers petition to stop abortions

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In another anti-abortion push by Republican lawmakers, lawmakers in Tennessee have introduced a bill that would allow a person to stop a woman who is pregnant with their unborn child from receiving an abortion.

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Texas is having record breaking cold temperatures and it is causing many national issues. Because it is so cold Texans are using excess power, causing shortages for a large part of the midwest.

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What you need to know

A deadly winter storm severely strained power facilities in Texas and left millions in the cold and dark for days.

The storm was expected to move east today, bringing half an inch of ice to parts of North Carolina and Virginia. More than 100 million people stretching from Texas to Massachusetts were under a winter storm warning or winter weather advisory.

Is your power out? Bookmark CNN's lite site for text-only top stories.

Our live coverage of the storm has ended, but you can track the snow and ice here

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said flying to Cancun while much of his state suffers without power or water was a mistake.

"Look, it was obviously a mistake, and in hindsight I wouldn't have done it," the Republican lawmaker told reporters after returning to his Houston home Thursday night.

"I was trying to be a dad. And all of us have made decisions, when you got two girls who have been cold for two days and haven't had heat or power and they're saying, 'Hey look, we don't have school, why don't we go. Let's get out of here.' I think there are a lot of parents that would be like, 'Alright let me see if I can do this, great!' That's what I wanted to do."

Cruz also said he regretted leaving his home state in the middle of a crisis almost as soon as he boarded the plane for Cancun.

"I started having second thoughts almost the moment I sat down on the plane, because on the one hand, all of us who are parents have a responsibility to take care of our kids, take care of our family, that's something Texans have been doing across the state," Cruz said.

"But I also have a responsibility that I take very seriously of for the state of Texas and frankly, leaving when so many Texans were hurting didn't feel right and so I changed my return flight and flew back on the first available flight I could take," Cruz continued.

"I couldn't take a morning flight because the current restrictions require a Covid test, so I had to get a Covid test this morning, before I could get on a flight back, so I took the first flight I could get after getting the Covid test and testing negative."

With protesters audible outside his home, Cruz said he understands the anger many Texans feel toward his decision.

"Of course, I understand why people are upset. Listen, we're in a strange time where we're Twitter's been going crazy and the media is going crazy and there's a lot of venom and vitriol that I think is unfortunate frankly on both sides," Cruz said. "I think everyone ought to treat each other with respect and decency and try to understand each other more particularly at a time of crisis."

Cruz lauded Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for calling for an investigation into the Electric Reliability Council of Texas' activities once power is restored.

The Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency in Texas Thursday, following the brutal winter storms that pounded the state.

The action is retroactive to Feb.11 and provides a wide range of relief, particularly for recipients of various forms of federal aid.

HHS Acting Secretary Norris Cochran said the actions will "protect access to healthcare."

"HHS stands ready to assist the state of Texas to get aid to those individuals and families most impacted by these storms," Cochran said in a statement.

President Biden declared an emergency for the state last week. The HHS declaration gives health care providers more flexibility to help those in need of health services during the disaster, the department said.

Some immigration detention facilities in Texas are experiencing intermittent power outages as well as interruptions in water service as a result of the winter storm, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The facilities, which house adults and families, have back-up generator power.

"ICE staff at each facility is closely monitoring the situation and making adjustments to ensure the health and safety of detainees in our care. Food, water and heat are being provided to all individuals in custody," the agency said in a statement.

"The agency is committed to ensuring that those in our custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments and under appropriate conditions of confinement. We continue to monitor the changing situation and make accommodations that are in the best interest of the individuals in our custody and our staff," the statement concluded.

Customs and Border Protection is similarly experiencing limited issues, such as intermittent power outages, due to the weather.

"Back-up generators are available to most facilities in the event of loss of power or utilities to CBP facilities," CBP said in a statement. "Resources are reallocated in cases where power is lost and back-up generators are not available in order to meet mission requirements."

Six suspected weather-related deaths have been reported in Taylor County, Texas, according to local authorities.

The Abilene Fire Department said in a news release it has been made aware of three separate events "where circumstances due to the recent freezing temperatures may have contributed to the loss of life to Abilene citizens."

A 67-year-old male was found unresponsive outside of a local business on Monday, according to the fire department. The agency added the man "appears to be a transient who spent the night outside and possibly succumbed to the freezing temperatures."

Abilene Fire responded to a medical emergency at a home Wednesday, where they found a 60-year-old male dead. The man's wife told the fire department the residence had been without power for three days.

"AFD crews noted that the temperature inside of the residence felt as cold as the temperature outside," the fire department said in the release.

The wife, 72, was transported to a local hospital after she was found to be experiencing a medical issue.

Also Wednesday, Abilene Fire was informed by a local ambulance provider that a patient had died at a medical facility that was "unable to provide necessary treatment due to the loss of water pressure at that facility." The fire department said in the release the patients was scheduled for transfer to another facility to receive the needed treatment but died before that. The transfer was not delayed due to weather conditions, the fire department noted in the release.

Taylor County Sheriff Ricky Bishop told CNN three men were found dead in their respective homes in two different cities on Wednesday.

One of the men was found on the porch of his Tuscola home, while the other two were found inside their homes in Buffalo Gap. Bishop said two of them did not have power in their homes.

While autopsies have not been conducted yet to determine the cause of death, Bishop told CNN all three deaths are suspected to be weather-related.

GOP Texas Gov. Greg Abbott expressed optimism in the increased ability to generate power Thursday afternoon, and added that any remaining outages across the state are tied to downed power lines and the need to manually reconnect lines after the storm.

"There will be more cold temperatures in various regions across the state of Texas tonight, ERCOT will continue to work to manage the power to ensure that power will not go down in residential areas across the state, but we still have to deal with the uncertainty of what is going on in the power generation facilities," Abbott said.

"We hope and anticipate no location will be without power tonight. The good news is we are starting the evening with every residence in the state of Texas not lacking a generation of power," the governor continued.

"Also, I am told as it concerns the power companies that do the repair of the power lines and as well as the connection to houses that every available repair truck has been dispatched to repair those downed power lines," Abbott noted.

The governor's comments come as the federal Department of Energy said in a new report Thursday that 4% of customers in Texas are now without power, down from more than 25% in the department's Wednesday update.

As of 5 p.m. ET, more than 365,000 customers in Texas remained without power, according to PowerOutrages.us.

Nearly 800 public drinking water systems across the state of Texas are experiencing issues due to winter weather, according to Toby Baker, executive director for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Out of the 7,000 public drinking water systems in Texas, 797 water systems are reporting issues such as frozen or broken pipes or high usage, Baker said.

There are about 725 systems under boil water advisories, which impacts about 13 million Texans, according to Baker.

Baker said his office is reaching out to systems across the state to identify those experiencing problems.

They are also reaching out to labs to make sure they are prepared to process the samples that will be needed to end boil water notices across the state.

Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief W. Nim Kidd said that the state focuses on three groups of water - emergency drinking water, agricultural water, and industrial water, such as that used in hospitals.

Kidd explained that industrial water replenishment will remain the biggest challenge as typically other areas of the state would be able to help during an emergency like a hurricane. But in this situation, the entire state is experiencing water difficulties.

They are asking that people who have water to conserve it as they work through the emergency.

18 hr 7 min ago
Here's a look at the storm's impact over the past week

The National Weather Service Prediction Center shared striking images today of the winter storm's impact on the country in just over a week.

The image from Feb. 12 shows how little snowfall was impacting the US. By Feb. 18, much of the US was blanketed with heavy snow and ice and dealing with cold temperatures.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pledged to reform the independent organization that operates the state's power grid, saying the events of this week are "absolutely unacceptable and can never be replicated again."

Abbott blasted the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) in his news conference Thursday, saying again that an investigation will shortly be underway.

"We have already begun the process to make sure that events like this, never again happen in Texas, and it starts with reforming the agency in charge of electric reliability in Texas, which is not what happened this week," he said.

"Five days before the winter storm hit, the ERCOT CEO assured ERCOT, and I quote, 'We're ready for the cold temperatures coming our way.'"

"ERCOT's annual winter assessment, which is designed to ensure that the state is prepared, assured the public that there would be enough power to meet peak demand this winter," Abbott continued. "ERCOT failed on each of these measures that they said they had undertaken."

Abbott said he has issued an executive order adding emergency items to the upcoming legislative session, and also asked the state legislature to investigate what happened at ERCOT before and during this week's deadly winter storm.

"Texans deserve answers about why the shortfalls occurred, and how they're going to be corrected and Texans will get those answers," he said.

Power has been restored to nearly two million homes since yesterday afternoon, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said during a news conference Thursday afternoon.

He added that 325,000 Texans remain without power.

Abbott explained that those without power are not without power because of a lack of ability to generate it, but because of different reasons such as downed power lines or a need to manually reconnect premises to power.

Abbott also said he has signed a major disaster declaration that is awaiting approval by President Biden. If the declaration is granted, it will give Texans the ability to apply for individual assistance to restore damage to homes that is not covered by private insurance, he added.

What you need to know

A deadly winter storm severely strained power facilities in Texas and left millions in the cold and dark for days.

The storm was expected to move east today, bringing half an inch of ice to parts of North Carolina and Virginia. More than 100 million people stretching from Texas to Massachusetts were under a winter storm warning or winter weather advisory.

Is your power out? Bookmark CNN's lite site for text-only top stories.

Our live coverage of the storm has ended, but you can track the snow and ice here

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said flying to Cancun while much of his state suffers without power or water was a mistake.

"Look, it was obviously a mistake, and in hindsight I wouldn't have done it," the Republican lawmaker told reporters after returning to his Houston home Thursday night.

"I was trying to be a dad. And all of us have made decisions, when you got two girls who have been cold for two days and haven't had heat or power and they're saying, 'Hey look, we don't have school, why don't we go. Let's get out of here.' I think there are a lot of parents that would be like, 'Alright let me see if I can do this, great!' That's what I wanted to do."

Cruz also said he regretted leaving his home state in the middle of a crisis almost as soon as he boarded the plane for Cancun.

"I started having second thoughts almost the moment I sat down on the plane, because on the one hand, all of us who are parents have a responsibility to take care of our kids, take care of our family, that's something Texans have been doing across the state," Cruz said.

"But I also have a responsibility that I take very seriously of for the state of Texas and frankly, leaving when so many Texans were hurting didn't feel right and so I changed my return flight and flew back on the first available flight I could take," Cruz continued.

"I couldn't take a morning flight because the current restrictions require a Covid test, so I had to get a Covid test this morning, before I could get on a flight back, so I took the first flight I could get after getting the Covid test and testing negative."

With protesters audible outside his home, Cruz said he understands the anger many Texans feel toward his decision.

"Of course, I understand why people are upset. Listen, we're in a strange time where we're Twitter's been going crazy and the media is going crazy and there's a lot of venom and vitriol that I think is unfortunate frankly on both sides," Cruz said. "I think everyone ought to treat each other with respect and decency and try to understand each other more particularly at a time of crisis."

Cruz lauded Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for calling for an investigation into the Electric Reliability Council of Texas' activities once power is restored.

The Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency in Texas Thursday, following the brutal winter storms that pounded the state.

The action is retroactive to Feb.11 and provides a wide range of relief, particularly for recipients of various forms of federal aid.

HHS Acting Secretary Norris Cochran said the actions will "protect access to healthcare."

"HHS stands ready to assist the state of Texas to get aid to those individuals and families most impacted by these storms," Cochran said in a statement.

President Biden declared an emergency for the state last week. The HHS declaration gives health care providers more flexibility to help those in need of health services during the disaster, the department said.

Some immigration detention facilities in Texas are experiencing intermittent power outages as well as interruptions in water service as a result of the winter storm, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The facilities, which house adults and families, have back-up generator power.

"ICE staff at each facility is closely monitoring the situation and making adjustments to ensure the health and safety of detainees in our care. Food, water and heat are being provided to all individuals in custody," the agency said in a statement.

"The agency is committed to ensuring that those in our custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments and under appropriate conditions of confinement. We continue to monitor the changing situation and make accommodations that are in the best interest of the individuals in our custody and our staff," the statement concluded.

Customs and Border Protection is similarly experiencing limited issues, such as intermittent power outages, due to the weather.

"Back-up generators are available to most facilities in the event of loss of power or utilities to CBP facilities," CBP said in a statement. "Resources are reallocated in cases where power is lost and back-up generators are not available in order to meet mission requirements."

Six suspected weather-related deaths have been reported in Taylor County, Texas, according to local authorities.

The Abilene Fire Department said in a news release it has been made aware of three separate events "where circumstances due to the recent freezing temperatures may have contributed to the loss of life to Abilene citizens."

A 67-year-old male was found unresponsive outside of a local business on Monday, according to the fire department. The agency added the man "appears to be a transient who spent the night outside and possibly succumbed to the freezing temperatures."

Abilene Fire responded to a medical emergency at a home Wednesday, where they found a 60-year-old male dead. The man's wife told the fire department the residence had been without power for three days.

"AFD crews noted that the temperature inside of the residence felt as cold as the temperature outside," the fire department said in the release.

The wife, 72, was transported to a local hospital after she was found to be experiencing a medical issue.

Also Wednesday, Abilene Fire was informed by a local ambulance provider that a patient had died at a medical facility that was "unable to provide necessary treatment due to the loss of water pressure at that facility." The fire department said in the release the patients was scheduled for transfer to another facility to receive the needed treatment but died before that. The transfer was not delayed due to weather conditions, the fire department noted in the release.

Taylor County Sheriff Ricky Bishop told CNN three men were found dead in their respective homes in two different cities on Wednesday.

One of the men was found on the porch of his Tuscola home, while the other two were found inside their homes in Buffalo Gap. Bishop said two of them did not have power in their homes.

While autopsies have not been conducted yet to determine the cause of death, Bishop told CNN all three deaths are suspected to be weather-related.

GOP Texas Gov. Greg Abbott expressed optimism in the increased ability to generate power Thursday afternoon, and added that any remaining outages across the state are tied to downed power lines and the need to manually reconnect lines after the storm.

"There will be more cold temperatures in various regions across the state of Texas tonight, ERCOT will continue to work to manage the power to ensure that power will not go down in residential areas across the state, but we still have to deal with the uncertainty of what is going on in the power generation facilities," Abbott said.

"We hope and anticipate no location will be without power tonight. The good news is we are starting the evening with every residence in the state of Texas not lacking a generation of power," the governor continued.

"Also, I am told as it concerns the power companies that do the repair of the power lines and as well as the connection to houses that every available repair truck has been dispatched to repair those downed power lines," Abbott noted.

The governor's comments come as the federal Department of Energy said in a new report Thursday that 4% of customers in Texas are now without power, down from more than 25% in the department's Wednesday update.

As of 5 p.m. ET, more than 365,000 customers in Texas remained without power, according to PowerOutrages.us.

Nearly 800 public drinking water systems across the state of Texas are experiencing issues due to winter weather, according to Toby Baker, executive director for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Out of the 7,000 public drinking water systems in Texas, 797 water systems are reporting issues such as frozen or broken pipes or high usage, Baker said.

There are about 725 systems under boil water advisories, which impacts about 13 million Texans, according to Baker.

Baker said his office is reaching out to systems across the state to identify those experiencing problems.

They are also reaching out to labs to make sure they are prepared to process the samples that will be needed to end boil water notices across the state.

Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief W. Nim Kidd said that the state focuses on three groups of water - emergency drinking water, agricultural water, and industrial water, such as that used in hospitals.

Kidd explained that industrial water replenishment will remain the biggest challenge as typically other areas of the state would be able to help during an emergency like a hurricane. But in this situation, the entire state is experiencing water difficulties.

They are asking that people who have water to conserve it as they work through the emergency.

18 hr 7 min ago
Here's a look at the storm's impact over the past week

The National Weather Service Prediction Center shared striking images today of the winter storm's impact on the country in just over a week.

The image from Feb. 12 shows how little snowfall was impacting the US. By Feb. 18, much of the US was blanketed with heavy snow and ice and dealing with cold temperatures.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pledged to reform the independent organization that operates the state's power grid, saying the events of this week are "absolutely unacceptable and can never be replicated again."

Abbott blasted the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) in his news conference Thursday, saying again that an investigation will shortly be underway.

"We have already begun the process to make sure that events like this, never again happen in Texas, and it starts with reforming the agency in charge of electric reliability in Texas, which is not what happened this week," he said.

"Five days before the winter storm hit, the ERCOT CEO assured ERCOT, and I quote, 'We're ready for the cold temperatures coming our way.'"

"ERCOT's annual winter assessment, which is designed to ensure that the state is prepared, assured the public that there would be enough power to meet peak demand this winter," Abbott continued. "ERCOT failed on each of these measures that they said they had undertaken."

Abbott said he has issued an executive order adding emergency items to the upcoming legislative session, and also asked the state legislature to investigate what happened at ERCOT before and during this week's deadly winter storm.

"Texans deserve answers about why the shortfalls occurred, and how they're going to be corrected and Texans will get those answers," he said.

Power has been restored to nearly two million homes since yesterday afternoon, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said during a news conference Thursday afternoon.

He added that 325,000 Texans remain without power.

Abbott explained that those without power are not without power because of a lack of ability to generate it, but because of different reasons such as downed power lines or a need to manually reconnect premises to power.

Abbott also said he has signed a major disaster declaration that is awaiting approval by President Biden. If the declaration is granted, it will give Texans the ability to apply for individual assistance to restore damage to homes that is not covered by private insurance, he added.

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february 18 winter storm and power outage updates

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By Judson Jones, Melissa Macaya, Melissa Mahtani, Meg Wagner and Veronica Rocha, CNN

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February 18 winter storm and power outage updates

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What you need to know A deadly winter storm severely strained power facilities in Texas and left millions in the cold and dark for days. The storm was expected to move east today, bringing half an inch of ice to parts of North Carolina and Virginia.

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Experts say that the virus may become a seasonal thing but be less of a deadly plague and be more like the flu.

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Millions of people around the globe are hoping that between lockdowns and vaccines, the virus that causes COVID-19 might soon be eradicated from our lives. Now, experts are warning that the virus might be with us forever -- but it won't always be a deadly plague.

"This coronavirus is going to be here to stay," explained Dr. John Brownstein, chief innovation officer at Boston Children's Hospital and an ABC News contributor. "Eradication of this new coronavirus is basically impossible."

Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center and professor of pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, concurred, adding that he is also "not sure we're ever going to really eliminate this virus. ... It's not like measles, where you get life-long sterilizing immunity."

But even if the virus sticks around, new vaccines and new drugs to fight the virus mean it's unlikely to cause severe illness in the future. Offit predicts "that eventually, it will cause fewer deaths than influenza."

It is possible, experts say, that COVID-19 could become a seasonal illness, like the flu. Virologists call this an "endemic" disease -- one that is constantly circulating among us. In the years and decades to come, many people will be exposed to it in childhood and develop some immunity, which would protect them later in life against serious disease.

A child wears a coronavirus protective mask while being carried in Los Angeles, Feb. 10. 2021.

Meanwhile, current vaccines have shown great success preventing symptomatic and severe disease, which will help save lives even if the virus continues to transmit at low levels.

"The hope is that with enough natural immunity and immunizations, this becomes part of the natural cycle of cold season, but doesn't have the same impact," Brownstein said.

"I think it will become seasonal. All acute respiratory viral infections are," added Sarah Cobey, an epidemiologist and evolutionary biologist at the University of Chicago.

Whether this coronavirus does become endemic depends a lot on our behavior, Stephen S. Morse, professor of epidemiology at Columbia University, told ABC News. "Early on, when the virus was much more limited in distribution, it might have been possible to stop the pandemic ... if the world had acted earlier in a coordinated way."

However, given how the pandemic has been handled so far, it is likely that it will become endemic, with the virus probably taking a similar route to the four existing "human" coronaviruses that are already in circulation and cause upper respiratory infections, Morse said.

"We dismissed the human coronaviruses as a 'common cold' or 'flu-like illness,'" Morse said. "But they've been with us for a while" and evolved into endemic coronaviruses. "I suspect we're probably seeing the same process repeating itself with this virus, eventually perhaps a fifth 'human coronavirus.'"

"I'd say it's already endemic," Cobey said. "The "endemic" flu is also a pandemic in the sense that it sweeps the globe every year. However, she continued, recurring epidemics of the virus will probably not be as severe as the first.

People should not rely on achieving "herd immunity" as a way to curb COVID-19 infections, according to Jennie Lavine, a postdoctoral fellow at Emory University and lead author of a study conducted by researchers from Emory and Penn State University.

"Based on our analysis, we do not expect herd immunity to arise in the case of COVID-19," Lavine said. That is because if the immunity that prevents transmission wanes, people will continue to have periodic reinfections.

Experts say it is still unclear as to how long immunity lasts after a COVID-19 infection, though evidence seems to suggest that, unlike some viruses, COVID-19 is unlikely to give you lifelong immunity. But even if you are infected again, the second infection will likely be less serious and probably won't make you as sick as the first.

Due to uncertainty around immunity after receiving a vaccine, it is still a bit too early to determine if people will need a yearly COVID-19 shot, according to experts, who add that they also don't know how quickly the virus will continue to evolve.

"If CoV-2 experiences antigenic evolution at rates that are similar to influenza, annual shots for vulnerable populations may well be necessary. This is something we will need to continue to measure in the coming years," Levine added.

A Covid-19 test is administed at a mobile clinic in the Brooklyn borough of New York Jan. 27, 2021.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Brownstein predicted that as more and more adults develop immunity through vaccination or natural infection, "the virus will naturally gravitate to younger age groups, because essentially that becomes the natural pool of people that are susceptible."

Immunizations have been shown to reduce rates of severe cases and thus hospitalizations and deaths. If the virus continues to mutate and evade vaccines, scientists may have to adapt vaccines to more closely match the dominant strain.

"[We] will have to be nimble to be able to adjust readily, to make versions of the vaccine that actually are specifically directed towards whatever mutation is actually prevalent at any given time," Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert said in a White House briefing Jan. 29.

Although experts said it's impossible to predict the future, they agreed that the virus that causes COVID-19 is unlikely to be completely eradicated by current vaccines and prevention measures. Rather, it will likely transform into a milder illness that can be managed seasonally, like the annual flu.

"We may have to think about rewiring our brains around how we view this virus," Brownstein said. He said everyone should prepare for a yearly evolutionary arms race, similar to the one against the seasonal flu, and ultimately acknowledge that COVID-19 is here to stay.

In addition, if we can curb transmission as much, and as rapidly as possible, with inoculations as well as by staying vigilant with "non-pharmaceutical interventions," such as masks, distancing, hand hygiene and ventilation, we could prevent or slow down the emergence of new variants, Morse told ABC News.
ABC News' Sony Salzman contributed to this report.

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COVID-19 could become a seasonal illness like the flu, experts say

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Millions of people around the globe are hoping that between lockdowns and vaccines, the virus that causes COVID-19 might soon be eradicated from our lives. Now, experts are warning that the virus might be with us forever -- but it won't always be a deadly plague.

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The Mavs(NBA Team) stopped playing the national anthem in a game so the NBA made is mandatory for every team to play it before.

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The Dallas Mavericks have not been playing "The Star-Spangled Banner" before home games all season, but said they would Wednesday and going forward after the NBA said all teams were required to play the national anthem.

The anthem has not been played at any of the 13 preseason and regular season games played so far at American Airlines Center at the direction of Mavs owner Mark Cuban, Mavericks communications manager Renee Felton told NBC News on Wednesday.

The Athletic was the first to notice the change during Monday's game, the first played with some fans in attendance.

Cuban confirmed to The Athletic and ESPN that he had altered the pregame ritual, but declined to explain further.

Following the news, NBA Chief Communications Officer Mike Bass issued a statement saying the anthem must be played by all teams.

"With NBA teams now in the process of welcoming fans back into their arenas, all teams will play the national anthem in keeping with longstanding league policy," Bass said in the statement.

Shortly after the NBA's statement was released Wednesday, Mavericks spokesman Dave Maurer said the anthem would be played before Wednesday's game.

Cuban said in a statement: "We respect and always have respected the passion people have for the anthem and our country. I have always stood for the anthem with the hand over my heart - no matter where I hear it played. But we also hear the voices of those who do not feel the anthem represents them."
Video: Dallas Mavericks will play the National Anthem, reversing prior decision (CNBC)
"We feel they also need to be respected and heard, because they have not been heard. The hope is that those who feel passionate about the anthem being played will be just as passionate in listening to those who do not feel it represents them," Cuban said.

The NBA's rules have required players to stand during the anthem, NBC Sports reported. However, NBA commissioner Adam Silver has not enforced that rule in recent years as players chose to kneel during the anthem in protests of police brutality and social injustice.

"Under the unique circumstances of this season, teams are permitted to run their pregame operations as they see fit," NBA spokesman Tim Frank said.

Cuban's position on players kneeling during the anthem has changed over the years.

In 2019, when then-President Donald Trump denounced NFL players who knelt during the anthem, Cuban said: "This is America, and I'm proud of people who speak out civilly. That's who we are as a country," but "I'll be standing there with my hand over my heart. I think the players will be. I expect them to be."

In a June interview with ESPN's "Outside the Lines," he changed his tune.

"If they were taking a knee and they were being respectful, I'd be proud of them," he said. "Hopefully I'd join them."

Cuban even got in a Twitter spat with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, over the issue in July.

The pregame national anthem is a staple of American sports at both the professional and collegiate level, but is far less commonplace at professional sporting events in other countries.

The Mavs, in fact, did not play the anthem but instead played "God Bless America" before games during the franchise's first 16 seasons, The Dallas Morning News reported.

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NBA says all teams must play national anthem after Dallas Mavericks stop playing it

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The Dallas Mavericks have not been playing "The Star-Spangled Banner" before home games all season, but said they would Wednesday and going forward after the NBA said all teams were required to play the national anthem.

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A model was found dead on the side of the road in Pennsylvania after being shot multiple times.

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A former model was found dead in western Pennsylvania over the weekend.

Rebecca Landrith, 47, was discovered by a PennDot worker early Sunday morning in Union County on the side of an Interstate 80 ramp, authorities said, PhillyVoice reported Wednesday.

Landrith, originally from Virginia, had gunshot wounds to her head, neck, throat, chest and hand, Union County Coroner Dominick Adamo said in a statement to the outlet. The coroner ruled her death as a homicide.

Adamo did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

When she was found, Landrith did not have identification on her, but investigators were able to identify her using fingerprints on some receipts she had with her when she died. Landrith is believed to have recently traveled through Indiana and Wisconsin, based on the receipts.

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On Wednesday, a man was arrested in connection to Landrith's death, Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers said. Pennsylvania State Police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

Tracy Rollins - whose name had been found on a note in Landrith's pocket - was arrested in Connecticut and charged with criminal homicide and abuse of corpse, PhillyVoice reported Thursday.
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Rollins, a 28-year-old truck driver, was allegedly linked to the locations that had appeared on Landrith's receipts by surveillance video and cell phone data obtained by police, a criminal complaint obtained by the outlet said.
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Police allegedly found blood and shell casings in Rollins' truck, and noted that bleach and cleaning solution had recently been used in his vehicle, PhillyVoice reported.

Connecticut State Police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. It was not clear if Rollins has legal representation or has entered a plea at this time.

Landrith was a finalist in the 2014 Miss Manhattan contest and America's It Girl Miss Lady Liberty.

"I adore fashion and the industry and am a warm weather person with a warm heart," the model said in a bio on an iStudio page. "I have worked with some really great photographers and fantastic people in this industry."

In addition to modeling, Landrith was also an "accomplished violinist," her bio said.

Landrith's brother, George Landrith, told PennLive that his younger sister had been estranged from the family for about five years.

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Model Rebecca Landrith Found Dead on Side of the Road in Pennsylvania After Being Shot Multiple Times

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A former model was found dead in western Pennsylvania over the weekend. Rebecca Landrith, 47, was discovered by a PennDot worker early Sunday morning in Union County on the side of an Interstate 80 ramp, authorities said, PhillyVoice reported Wednesday.

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Nigerian government urges #EndSARS supporters to "shelve renewed protests" after fatal shooting on October 20th.

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nigerian government urges #endsars movement to shelve the planned protests at lekki toll gate - cnn

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Nigerian government urges #EndSARS movement to shelve the planned protests at Lekki Toll Gate

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The Nigerian government has urged sympathizers of the #EndSARS movement to shelve plans for renewed protests at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos.

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JJ Watt one of the best football players in the league has parted ways with the Texans, a team he has been a part of for 10 seasons. This is not a huge surprise because Watt has been unhappy for a little bit.

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Veteran defensive end J.J. Watt announced Friday that he is parting ways with the Houston Texans after 10 seasons, saying the team has granted his request to be released.

Watt made the surprising announcement in a video posted to social media, saying he wanted fans to hear the news "directly from me."
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"I have sat down with the McNair family and I have asked them for my release and we have mutually agreed to part ways at this time," Watt began. "I came here 10 years ago as a kid from Wisconsin who had never really been to Texas before and now I can't imagine my life without Texas in it."

He continued: "Since [draft] day, I have tried to do everything in my power to work and earn your respect and try and make you proud on and off the field. You guys have given me everything and more and I can only hope that you feel like I've given you everything I have."

Watt went on to recall all the incredible people he's met and moments he's had while playing in Houston.

"The connection is special and I will never, ever take that for granted because I know how rare it is," he said.
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Watt added that while he was "excited and looking forward to a new opportunity," the decision to leave is "tough."

"I just want you guys to know that I love you," he added. "I appreciate you. I appreciate the McNair family for drafting me and giving me and giving me my first opportunity in the NFL. Thank you, Houston. I love you."

Watt was drafted No. 11 overall by the Texans in 2011. A five-time Pro Bowler and three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Watt set several franchise records including sacks, tackles for loss, quarterback hits and forced fumbles. He has totaled 531 tackles, 61 passes defended and 16 fumble recoveries over 10 seasons.

"Change is never easy, especially when it involves the ones you love," Texans Chair and CEO Cal McNair said in a statement posted to the team's website. "J.J.'s impact on not only our organization, but the entire Houston community, is unlike any player in our franchise's history."
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Watt's departure is the latest shakeup in Houston. Quarterback DeShaun Watson is rumored to have requested a trade, despite the organization's unwillingness to move on from him.

According to the NFL Network, Houston saved $17.5 million in 2021 cash and salary cap space by releasing Watt, who is now a free agent.

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JJ Watt, Texans 'mutually' part ways after 10 seasons

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Veteran defensive end J.J. Watt announced Friday that he is parting ways with the Houston Texans after 10 seasons, saying the team has granted his request to be released. Watt made the surprising announcement in a video posted to social media, saying he wanted fans to hear the news "directly from me."

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Dr. Fauci predicts that in April, the vaccine will be available to anyone that wants it.

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As vaccine demand continues to far outpace supply, the nation's leading infectious disease expert made a stunning prediction. "By the time we get to April, that would be what I call for lack of better wording, open season. Namely, virtually everybody and anybody in any category can start to get vaccinated," Dr. Anthony Fauci said.

But vaccination sites still need doses and that's a big problem for Maryland. "We need more damn vaccines," Governor Larry Hogan said. "We have no control whatsoever over this supply problem."

It's the same in Los Angeles. "It is a little bit of Hunger Games out there," Mayor Eric Garcetti said. "This week we only received 16,000 new doses. That is down 90,000 from the week before. That is unacceptable."

The shortage is forcing several Los Angeles vaccine sites to close for two days, starting Friday. A site at the iconic Crenshaw Christian Center already ran out. The surrounding area includes some of the city's hardest hit communities. The battle at Crenshaw Christian Center is personal - founder Frederick K.C. Price is now fighting COVID-19.

In Alabama, which ranks last in the U.S. in per capita vaccinations, all sites are now booked through April.

Irene Cozad, 70, beat colon cancer and says she is desperate for the vaccine. "I'm on the computer, checking and I don't know how much more I can do," she said. "Disheartening, it's almost like where I thought there was hope and light at the end of the tunnel. Now I'm getting depressed about it."

Some relief is on the way as the federal government started shipping vaccine doses directly to pharmacies on Thursday.

Also Thursday, President Biden stressed the need to boost vaccine supply while touring the National Institutes of Health labs where the Moderna vaccine was developed.

"It's really turned out to be gigantic logistical issue for us," he said. "My predecessor - I'll be very blunt about it - did not do his job in getting ready for the massive challenge of vaccinating hundreds of millions."

Mr. Biden announced the U.S. had just signed contracts for 100 million more doses each of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. The vaccines would arrive by the end of July, he said.

How far some are willing to go to skip the line is evident in a Craigslist ad offering to drive 75-year-olds to get their vaccine. In Massachusetts, the governor announced those accompanying seniors to their vaccine appointments can also get the shot.

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Dr. Fauci predicts "open season" for vaccinations in April

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As vaccine demand continues to far outpace supply, the nation's leading infectious disease expert made a stunning prediction. "By the time we get to April, that would be what I call for lack of better wording, open season. Namely, virtually everybody and anybody in any category can start to get vaccinated," Dr. Anthony Fauci said.