COVID-19 restrictions in Texas have officially been lifted. Businesses in Texas will now be allowed to fully open authorities have lifted the mask mandate as well.

United States: Texas authorities lift mask mandate & occupancy restrictions

US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden </a>on Wednesday criticised Republican-ruled states Texas and Mississippi for dropping measures to wear masks, calling it "Neanderthal thinking".

"The last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking, that in the meantime everything's fine -- take off your mask, forget it. It still matters," the US president said.&nbsp;

Biden's remarks came after Texas Governor Greg Abbott lifted mask mandate in the state on Tuesday, saying it's time to open "100 per cent".

Watch |&nbsp;

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He said the opening of businesses up to 75 per cent have hurt small players and the state now has the "tools" to protect the Texans from the deadly virus.&nbsp;

Mississippi, which announced lifting compulsory mask-wearing on Wednesday hit back at Biden's comments, with Governor Tate Reeves saying "Mississippians don't need handlers". &nbsp;

"As numbers drop, they can assess their choices and listen to experts. I guess I just think we should trust Americans, not insult them," the Republican governor wrote in a tweet.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USCDC) have also warned of dropping guard to prevent the spread of Covid-19, saying it could lead to a potential fourth wave of the virus in the country.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/adult-population-of-us-to-be-vaccinated-by-may-joe-biden-367551">Adult population of US to be vaccinated by May: Joe Biden</a>

"Now is not the time to release all restrictions," Rochelle Walensky, USCDC said.

"Continue wearing your well-fitted mask and taking the other public health prevention actions that we know work."&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday criticised Republican-ruled states Texas and Mississippi for dropping measures to wear masks, calling it "Neanderthal thinking".

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday criticised Republican-ruled states Texas and Mississippi for dropping measures to wear masks, calling it "Neanderthal thinking". "The last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking, that in the meantime everything's fine -- take off your mask, forget it. It still matters," the US president said. Biden's remarks came after Texas Governor Greg Abbott lifted mask mandate in the state on Tuesday, saying it's time to open "100 per cent". Watch | He said the opening of businesses up to 75 per cent have hurt small players and the state now has the "tools" to protect the Texans from the deadly virus. Mississippi, which announced lifting compulsory mask-wearing on Wednesday hit back at Biden's comments, with Governor Tate Reeves saying "Mississippians don't need handlers". "As numbers drop, they can assess their choices and listen to experts. I guess I just think we should trust Americans, not insult them," the Republican governor wrote in a tweet. Meanwhile, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USCDC) have also warned of dropping guard to prevent the spread of Covid-19, saying it could lead to a potential fourth wave of the virus in the country. Also read | Adult population of US to be vaccinated by May: Joe Biden "Now is not the time to release all restrictions," Rochelle Walensky, USCDC said. "Continue wearing your well-fitted mask and taking the other public health prevention actions that we know work."

'Neanderthal thinking': Joe Biden slams Texas, Mississippi for dropping mask-wearing requirements

Texas’ power grid chief executive officer Bill Magness has been fired, as the fallout continues from a deadly blackout last month that left residents without heat, power or water for days.

The mid-February winter storm caused widespread blackouts across Texas, a state unaccustomed to extreme cold, knocking out power to more than 4 million people at its peak. It temporarily knocked out up to half the state’s generating plants, triggering outages that killed dozens and pushed power prices to 10 times the normal rate.

Magness' departure followed fierce criticism by state lawmakers of the handling of the crisis by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT).

Seven of ERCOT’s 15 directors have resigned in the last week and the head of the state’s Public Utility Commission, which supervised ERCOT, resigned on Monday.

ERCOT said in a statement cited by multiple media organisations that its board had directed that Magness be given a 60 days’ termination notice. The board would begin an immediate search for a new CEO.

Magness worked at ERCOT for more than a decade and became its CEO and president in 2016 after working as its general counsel, the Texas Tribune newspaper reported.

Brad Jones, former head of New York’s power grid, is the leading candidate to replace Magness as ERCOT’s CEO, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the board’s thinking.

Texas’ power grid chief executive officer Bill Magness has been fired, as the fallout continues from a deadly blackout last month that left residents without heat, power or water for days.

Texas’ power grid chief executive officer Bill Magness has been fired, as the fallout continues from a deadly blackout last month that left residents without heat, power or water for days. The mid-February winter storm caused widespread blackouts across Texas, a state unaccustomed to extreme cold, knocking out power to more than 4 million people at its peak. It temporarily knocked out up to half the state’s generating plants, triggering outages that killed dozens and pushed power prices to 10 times the normal rate. Magness' departure followed fierce criticism by state lawmakers of the handling of the crisis by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). Seven of ERCOT’s 15 directors have resigned in the last week and the head of the state’s Public Utility Commission, which supervised ERCOT, resigned on Monday. ERCOT said in a statement cited by multiple media organisations that its board had directed that Magness be given a 60 days’ termination notice. The board would begin an immediate search for a new CEO. Magness worked at ERCOT for more than a decade and became its CEO and president in 2016 after working as its general counsel, the Texas Tribune newspaper reported. Brad Jones, former head of New York’s power grid, is the leading candidate to replace Magness as ERCOT’s CEO, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the board’s thinking.

Texas power grid CEO fired after deadly February blackouts

Texas on Tuesday lifted a state mask mandate as the governor called for opening the state "100 per cent".&nbsp;

Texas Governor Greg Abbott was criticised by fellow Republicans for making masks compulsory in the state last July. His latest announcements come as President Joe Biden's administration insists on not dropping the measures such as wearing masks and maintaining social distancing to avoid the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">novel coronavirus</a>.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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In a speech, Abbott said that for about half a year businesses have been open up to 75 per cent, which caused many small players to "struggle to pay their bills".&nbsp;

"This must end. It is now time to open Texas 100 per cent," the Texas governor said while addressing the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce amid cheers and applause.&nbsp;

"Every business that wants to be open should be open."

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/potential-fourth-surge-of-coronavirus-possible-soon-cdc-chief-warns-367345">Potential 'fourth surge' of coronavirus possible soon, CDC chief warns</a>

He said the restrictions have been lifted because of the arrival of Covid-19 vaccines, and since now they have better testing and treatment.&nbsp;

"Texas now has the tools to protect Texans from the virus," Abbott said.&nbsp;

The move by the Republican governor comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned states to not drop the guard of stopping the spread of Covid-19.&nbsp;

"I am really worried about reports that more states are rolling back the exact public health measures we have recommended to protect people from Covid-19," Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.&nbsp;

"Now is not the time to relax the critical safeguards that we know can stop the spread of Covid-19," the director said, adding: "Continue wearing your well-fitted mask and taking the other public health prevention actions that we know work."&nbsp;

Over 43,000 people have died in Texas due to Covid-19, making the state the third-worst in the US.

Texas's death toll and infection rate are still amongst the highest in the country.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Texas on Tuesday lifted a state mask mandate as the governor called for opening the state "100 per cent". Texas Governor Greg Abbott was criticised by fellow Republicans for making masks compulsory in the state last July.

Texas on Tuesday lifted a state mask mandate as the governor called for opening the state "100 per cent". Texas Governor Greg Abbott was criticised by fellow Republicans for making masks compulsory in the state last July. His latest announcements come as President Joe Biden's administration insists on not dropping the measures such as wearing masks and maintaining social distancing to avoid the novel coronavirus. Watch | In a speech, Abbott said that for about half a year businesses have been open up to 75 per cent, which caused many small players to "struggle to pay their bills". "This must end. It is now time to open Texas 100 per cent," the Texas governor said while addressing the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce amid cheers and applause. "Every business that wants to be open should be open." Also read | Potential 'fourth surge' of coronavirus possible soon, CDC chief warns He said the restrictions have been lifted because of the arrival of Covid-19 vaccines, and since now they have better testing and treatment. "Texas now has the tools to protect Texans from the virus," Abbott said. The move by the Republican governor comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned states to not drop the guard of stopping the spread of Covid-19. "I am really worried about reports that more states are rolling back the exact public health measures we have recommended to protect people from Covid-19," Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. "Now is not the time to relax the critical safeguards that we know can stop the spread of Covid-19," the director said, adding: "Continue wearing your well-fitted mask and taking the other public health prevention actions that we know work." Over 43,000 people have died in Texas due to Covid-19, making the state the third-worst in the US. Texas's death toll and infection rate are still amongst the highest in the country.

Coronavirus in US: Masks no longer compulsory in Texas despite warnings

The US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a> made good of his word and visited the snow storm-stuck state of Texas on Friday. Marking his first official trip to the state, Biden offered comfort and federal relief to the storm-hit state.

Biden visited the Harris County Emergency Operations Center and met volunteers of the Houston Food Bank.&nbsp;

The President was accompanied by the First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS), Jill Biden, who toured the Houston Food Bank and helped package food and water for the ailing community.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/texas-snowstorm-why-are-people-burning-snow-366595">WATCH|</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/texas-snowstorm-why-are-people-burning-snow-366595/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Jill and I wanted to visit Texas today for a couple reasons," Joe Biden said at a federal vaccination site at NRG stadium.&nbsp;

"First and foremost, to let the people of Texas know our prayers are with you in the aftermath of this winter storm. And secondly, to let you know ... that we will be true partners to help you recover and rebuild from the storm and this pandemic and the economic crisis. We're in it for the long haul," he added.

Biden also met and thanked a group of armed military personnel, applauding them for their unaltered service during such a difficult time for the state of Texas. He also appreciated their efforts of making sure the distribution of coronavirus vaccine does not get affected despite the heavy snowstorm in the state.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fake-snow-conspiracy-theories-claim-texas-frozen-due-to-manipulated-weather-366042">Fake snow? Conspiracy theories claim Texas frozen due to 'manipulated' weather</a>

"You know, I learned a long time — I've been in public life a long time, a senator, a vice president — I learned a long time ago, you want to get something done, you get someone in uniform. So thank you, thank you, thank you," he said.

His trip to the state came almost a week after he approved a major disaster status for the state, which allowed Governor Greg Abbott to gain easy and quick access to federal relief funds for the state.

"It's a hell of an operations center, probably the best one in the country. Thank you for what you're doing," he told locals and Abbott.&nbsp;

Republican Governor Abbott also praised Biden, a Democrat, for quickly providing federal help to the state. "He did, he said yes before I even asked the question," he said.

The US President Joe Biden made good of his word and visited the snow storm-stuck state of Texas on Friday. Marking his first official trip to the state, Biden offered comfort and federal relief to the storm-hit state.

The US President Joe Biden made good of his word and visited the snow storm-stuck state of Texas on Friday. Marking his first official trip to the state, Biden offered comfort and federal relief to the storm-hit state. Biden visited the Harris County Emergency Operations Center and met volunteers of the Houston Food Bank. The President was accompanied by the First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS), Jill Biden, who toured the Houston Food Bank and helped package food and water for the ailing community. WATCH| "Jill and I wanted to visit Texas today for a couple reasons," Joe Biden said at a federal vaccination site at NRG stadium. "First and foremost, to let the people of Texas know our prayers are with you in the aftermath of this winter storm. And secondly, to let you know ... that we will be true partners to help you recover and rebuild from the storm and this pandemic and the economic crisis. We're in it for the long haul," he added. Biden also met and thanked a group of armed military personnel, applauding them for their unaltered service during such a difficult time for the state of Texas. He also appreciated their efforts of making sure the distribution of coronavirus vaccine does not get affected despite the heavy snowstorm in the state. Also read| Fake snow? Conspiracy theories claim Texas frozen due to 'manipulated' weather "You know, I learned a long time — I've been in public life a long time, a senator, a vice president — I learned a long time ago, you want to get something done, you get someone in uniform. So thank you, thank you, thank you," he said. His trip to the state came almost a week after he approved a major disaster status for the state, which allowed Governor Greg Abbott to gain easy and quick access to federal relief funds for the state. "It's a hell of an operations center, probably the best one in the country. Thank you for what you're doing," he told locals and Abbott. Republican Governor Abbott also praised Biden, a Democrat, for quickly providing federal help to the state. "He did, he said yes before I even asked the question," he said.

'In it for long haul': Joe Biden visits storm-stuck Texas; promises quick relief

Netizens say the snowstorm in Texas was fake. It was supposedly part of a bigger conspiracy planned by Bill Gates. Many claim they have evidence. WION's Palki Sharma brings you a report

Gravitas: Was the Texas snowstorm fake?

The United States this week will begin processing people held in the Matamoros migrant camp at the Texas border for entry into the country after the area was hit hard by severe weather, the Department of Homeland Security said on Wednesday.

The camp, across the Rio Grande from Brownsville, Texas, is home to hundreds of migrants, most from Central America, hoping to be granted refuge across the border. They have endured sub-zero temperatures over the last week while living in flimsy tents.

"The migrant camp in Matamoros has recently been hard hit by extreme weather in northern Mexico. As President Biden continues to rebuild the nation`s border management in a way that reflects America`s values, addressing humanitarian needs in Matamoros has become a priority," the department said in a statement.

It said new arrivals at the camp will not gain entry into the United States through this limited process.

The statement came after DHS abruptly canceled plans last Monday to bring asylum seekers into Texas at two ports of entry.

Some camp residents have lived there for more than a year under former President Donald Trump`s controversial Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program requiring asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for U.S. court hearings.

The Biden administration has said a new process will gradually begin to allow thousands of MPP asylum seekers to await courts’ decisions within the United States.

U.N. agencies will begin preparing camp residents for possible entry on Wednesday, conducing in-person registration of Matamoros` estimated 750 residents, the U.N.

Refugee Agency said in a statement. An initial group could be allowed to enter the United States this week, pending approval by U.S. authorities, it said.

There will be strict enforcement of health and safety protocols including testing for COVID-19, DHS said.

Its statement also contained a warning, as the Biden administration tries to head off a surge of migrants flocking to the border after a crackdown on immigration under Trump.

"Individuals should not believe smugglers or others claiming the border is now open. The administration will enforce existing immigration laws," it said.

The United States this week will begin processing people held in the Matamoros migrant camp at the Texas border for entry into the country after the area was hit hard by severe weather, the Department of Homeland Security said on Wednesday.

The United States this week will begin processing people held in the Matamoros migrant camp at the Texas border for entry into the country after the area was hit hard by severe weather, the Department of Homeland Security said on Wednesday. The camp, across the Rio Grande from Brownsville, Texas, is home to hundreds of migrants, most from Central America, hoping to be granted refuge across the border. They have endured sub-zero temperatures over the last week while living in flimsy tents. "The migrant camp in Matamoros has recently been hard hit by extreme weather in northern Mexico. As President Biden continues to rebuild the nation`s border management in a way that reflects America`s values, addressing humanitarian needs in Matamoros has become a priority," the department said in a statement. It said new arrivals at the camp will not gain entry into the United States through this limited process. The statement came after DHS abruptly canceled plans last Monday to bring asylum seekers into Texas at two ports of entry. Some camp residents have lived there for more than a year under former President Donald Trump`s controversial Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program requiring asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for U.S. court hearings. The Biden administration has said a new process will gradually begin to allow thousands of MPP asylum seekers to await courts’ decisions within the United States. U.N. agencies will begin preparing camp residents for possible entry on Wednesday, conducing in-person registration of Matamoros` estimated 750 residents, the U.N. Refugee Agency said in a statement. An initial group could be allowed to enter the United States this week, pending approval by U.S. authorities, it said. There will be strict enforcement of health and safety protocols including testing for COVID-19, DHS said. Its statement also contained a warning, as the Biden administration tries to head off a surge of migrants flocking to the border after a crackdown on immigration under Trump. "Individuals should not believe smugglers or others claiming the border is now open. The administration will enforce existing immigration laws," it said.

US to admit asylum seekers from hard-hit camp at Texas border

After being swept by an unusual winter storm, Texas is facing a dire aftermath situation. 8.8 million people without water, at least 15,000 people still without electricity & rampant food shortages. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Texas faces dire aftermath situation

After days of no power and heat in a harsh winter storm, the state of Texas has now successfully restored power.

While that came as a piece of good news, locals are having to struggle for safe and drinkable water statewide.

Out of nearly 29 million locals, almost 14.3 million locals are living without any supply of water as of now, authorities reported.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/worlds-largest-snow-maze-now-even-bigger-for-social-distancing-365094" hreflang="en">World's largest snow maze now even bigger for social distancing</a>

"Due to lack of power, frozen pipes, high use at certain times, we've seen the number of systems go up that are reporting (water) issues," said Toby Baker, executive director of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Over the weekend, several officials, volunteers and locals got out of their homes and distributed fresh water and food packets in their nearby areas.

"Water distribution, bottled water distribution still seems to be our number one priority," Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management informed. "As of last night, we had ordered 9.9 million bottles of water through our federal partners... 2.1 million have been distributed so far."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/texas-governor-says-texans-will-overcome-challenges-after-state-slammed-by-winter-storm-365083">WATCH|</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/texas-governor-says-texans-will-overcome-challenges-after-state-slammed-by-winter-storm-365083/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) reported that while power has been restored in the majority of areas, there are still nearly 50,000 customers who are living without any power or heat as the officials are struggling to repair downed lines.

This relief has come after nearly 70 people have lost a battle with the extreme cold waves the Texas locals have had to ber due to the power outage.

Looking at the circumstances, US President Joe Biden declared a major disaster declaration for 77 of the hardest-hit counties of the state of Texas.

The declaration of disaster has given permission to the Homeland Security Department and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to allot immediate funds and provide assistance and relief efforts on an emergency basis.

After days of no power and heat in a harsh winter storm, the state of Texas has now successfully restored power. While that came as a piece of good news, locals are having to struggle for safe and drinkable water statewide.

After days of no power and heat in a harsh winter storm, the state of Texas has now successfully restored power. While that came as a piece of good news, locals are having to struggle for safe and drinkable water statewide. Out of nearly 29 million locals, almost 14.3 million locals are living without any supply of water as of now, authorities reported. Also read| World's largest snow maze now even bigger for social distancing "Due to lack of power, frozen pipes, high use at certain times, we've seen the number of systems go up that are reporting (water) issues," said Toby Baker, executive director of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Over the weekend, several officials, volunteers and locals got out of their homes and distributed fresh water and food packets in their nearby areas. "Water distribution, bottled water distribution still seems to be our number one priority," Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management informed. "As of last night, we had ordered 9.9 million bottles of water through our federal partners... 2.1 million have been distributed so far." WATCH| The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) reported that while power has been restored in the majority of areas, there are still nearly 50,000 customers who are living without any power or heat as the officials are struggling to repair downed lines. This relief has come after nearly 70 people have lost a battle with the extreme cold waves the Texas locals have had to ber due to the power outage. Looking at the circumstances, US President Joe Biden declared a major disaster declaration for 77 of the hardest-hit counties of the state of Texas. The declaration of disaster has given permission to the Homeland Security Department and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to allot immediate funds and provide assistance and relief efforts on an emergency basis.

As power restores in Texas, locals still struggle for water amid harsh winter storm

President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Texas on Saturday as the state struggles with the fallout from a winter storm that killed at least two dozen people and caused widespread blackouts and water shortages.

Biden approves Texas disaster declaration following deadly freeze

SAN ANTONIO — Carrol Anderson spent much of his life in southeast Texas, where the most feared natural disasters spin up from the Gulf of Mexico during the warm months of hurricane season. But last week, Anderson, a 75-year-old who breathed with the help of oxygen tanks, knew that a different kind of storm was heading his way.

To prepare, he ordered a fresh supply of oxygen that his stepdaughter said never arrived. There was a spare tank, however, in the pickup outside his one-story brick house in Crosby, Texas, just northeast of Houston.

So when Anderson, an Army veteran who went by Andy, was found dead inside his truck Tuesday, his stepdaughter figured he had gone outside to retrieve it. His main tank, back in the house, runs on electricity, and the power had gone out the night before as a deadly cold descended on much of Texas.

While the final tally could be much higher, Anderson was among at least 58 people who died in storm-affected areas stretching to Ohio, victims of carbon monoxide poisoning, car crashes, drownings, house fires and hypothermia.

In Galveston County, along the Texas Gulf Coast, the authorities said two residents had died from exposure to the cold and one person from possible carbon monoxide poisoning. Four other deaths remained under investigation and were possibly linked to the frigid weather.

County Judge Mark Henry, the county’s top elected official, said he would have evacuated some of his most vulnerable residents before the winter storm had he known that power outages would plunge the county into darkness for a few days. He said the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages the state’s power grid, had warned only of rolling blackouts. Instead, most residents were without power for at least 48 hours.

“We would have been happy to order an evacuation if we’d been told Sunday the power was going to go out and stay out for four days,” he said, noting the county is more accustomed to ordering evacuations before hurricanes.

A spokeswoman for ERCOT said Friday that the surge in demand stressed the power grid, a crisis so dire that the “local utilities were not able to rotate the outages.”

At its height, about 4 million Texans were without power this week as temperatures plummeted to the teens and single digits. About 165,000 remained without electricity on Friday, though millions were still without running water or under notices to boil their tap water.

Still, there were signs of relief. In hard-hit Austin, City Manager Spencer Cronk said Friday that more than 1 million gallons of water would arrive over the next two days. The city plans to set up distribution centers, and Cronk said water would be delivered to the city’s most vulnerable citizens, such as older people and those without homes.

Greg Meszaros, the director of Austin’s water utility, said he expected that most residents would have their water pressure restored over the weekend. Boil water advisories should be lifted sometime next week, he said.

Coming into clearer view were the dimensions of a public health crisis exacerbated by poverty, desperation and, in some cases, a lack of understanding of cold-weather safety. Texas hospitals and health providers saw more than 700 visits related to carbon monoxide poisoning between Monday and Wednesday. Thayer Smith, division chief with the Austin Fire Department, said his city had seen dozens of incidents of toxic exposure from people burning charcoal in their homes.

The weather also hampered the response to the coronavirus pandemic. The White House on Friday said 6 million doses of coronavirus vaccines had been held up because of snowstorms across the country, creating a backlog affecting every state and throwing off the pace of vaccination appointments over the next week.

In Texas, hospitals spent the week grappling with burst pipes, power outages and acute water shortages, making it difficult to care for patients.

In Abilene, authorities said a man died at the Hendrick Medical Center after he was unable to get dialysis treatment at the site. Large amounts of filtered water, in addition to electricity and heat, are required to properly provide care for dialysis patients, and water at the hospital was shut down, said Cande Flores, the Abilene fire chief.

Flores said that at least four people had died in Abilene as a result of the state power grid failure, including a homeless man who died from exposure to the cold, a 60-year-old man who was found dead in his home and an 86-year-old woman whose daughter found her frozen in her backyard.

Elsewhere in the state, a 69-year-old man was found dead inside his home in a rural community south of San Antonio, where he lived alone. He did not have electricity, and the authorities said his bedroom was 35 degrees when they found him.

In Houston, an Ethiopian immigrant died in her idling car, which was parked in her garage, where she sat while charging her phone. The woman, Etenesh Mersha, was talking to a friend when she started to feel tired.

“She tried to drink water,” said Negash Desta, a relative by marriage to Mersha. “After she told her friend she couldn’t talk anymore, there was no response after that.”

The friend tried to call the police in Houston but did not have an address, Desta said. The friend turned to Facebook, where she found Desta. Hours later, he eventually received a message about what had happened and alerted the police. They found an entire family, poisoned.

“When they get in, they found the mother and daughter were just dead and the son and father alive. They had all fainted,” he said, adding that the car had still been running. The daughter, Rakeb Shalemu, was 7 years old.

Mersha’s husband and 8-year-old son were hospitalized. Desta said that the husband has since been released and that the boy, Beimnet Shalemu, was still in the intensive critical unit.

Near Houston in Conroe, Texas, an 11-year-old boy, Cristian Pineda, was found dead in his bed on Monday morning. His family had no power the night before, and the parents, the boy and his siblings had huddled together in one bedroom, Lt. James Kelemen of the Conroe Police Department said Friday.

Like Anderson and Mersha and her family, Cristian was the focus of a hastily assembled GoFundMe page. It requested donations to cover the expenses of his burial in Honduras, where his family is from. It had raised more than $38,000 as of Friday afternoon.

The page showed a picture of a boy in a thin red hoodie, smiling and standing in the snow.

On Tuesday, while Anderson’s wife was mopping up their living room after a frozen pipe burst, he walked to the garage to try to get a generator going, hoping he could help clean up with a Shop-Vac.

His wife would not know until later that he had walked to his truck in search of oxygen, said his stepdaughter, Brandi Campanile. It was 19 degrees. His spare oxygen tank, it would turn out, was empty.

“He was trying to get oxygen and it was just a losing battle,” Campanile said Friday. “Texas is not meant to handle freezing temperatures. It’s not something that happens out here.”

SAN ANTONIO — Carrol Anderson spent much of his life in southeast Texas, where the most feared natural disasters spin up from the Gulf of Mexico during the warm months of hurricane season.

SAN ANTONIO — Carrol Anderson spent much of his life in southeast Texas, where the most feared natural disasters spin up from the Gulf of Mexico during the warm months of hurricane season. But last week, Anderson, a 75-year-old who breathed with the help of oxygen tanks, knew that a different kind of storm was heading his way. To prepare, he ordered a fresh supply of oxygen that his stepdaughter said never arrived. There was a spare tank, however, in the pickup outside his one-story brick house in Crosby, Texas, just northeast of Houston. So when Anderson, an Army veteran who went by Andy, was found dead inside his truck Tuesday, his stepdaughter figured he had gone outside to retrieve it. His main tank, back in the house, runs on electricity, and the power had gone out the night before as a deadly cold descended on much of Texas. While the final tally could be much higher, Anderson was among at least 58 people who died in storm-affected areas stretching to Ohio, victims of carbon monoxide poisoning, car crashes, drownings, house fires and hypothermia. In Galveston County, along the Texas Gulf Coast, the authorities said two residents had died from exposure to the cold and one person from possible carbon monoxide poisoning. Four other deaths remained under investigation and were possibly linked to the frigid weather. County Judge Mark Henry, the county’s top elected official, said he would have evacuated some of his most vulnerable residents before the winter storm had he known that power outages would plunge the county into darkness for a few days. He said the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages the state’s power grid, had warned only of rolling blackouts. Instead, most residents were without power for at least 48 hours. “We would have been happy to order an evacuation if we’d been told Sunday the power was going to go out and stay out for four days,” he said, noting the county is more accustomed to ordering evacuations before hurricanes. A spokeswoman for ERCOT said Friday that the surge in demand stressed the power grid, a crisis so dire that the “local utilities were not able to rotate the outages.” At its height, about 4 million Texans were without power this week as temperatures plummeted to the teens and single digits. About 165,000 remained without electricity on Friday, though millions were still without running water or under notices to boil their tap water. Still, there were signs of relief. In hard-hit Austin, City Manager Spencer Cronk said Friday that more than 1 million gallons of water would arrive over the next two days. The city plans to set up distribution centers, and Cronk said water would be delivered to the city’s most vulnerable citizens, such as older people and those without homes. Greg Meszaros, the director of Austin’s water utility, said he expected that most residents would have their water pressure restored over the weekend. Boil water advisories should be lifted sometime next week, he said. Coming into clearer view were the dimensions of a public health crisis exacerbated by poverty, desperation and, in some cases, a lack of understanding of cold-weather safety. Texas hospitals and health providers saw more than 700 visits related to carbon monoxide poisoning between Monday and Wednesday. Thayer Smith, division chief with the Austin Fire Department, said his city had seen dozens of incidents of toxic exposure from people burning charcoal in their homes. The weather also hampered the response to the coronavirus pandemic. The White House on Friday said 6 million doses of coronavirus vaccines had been held up because of snowstorms across the country, creating a backlog affecting every state and throwing off the pace of vaccination appointments over the next week. In Texas, hospitals spent the week grappling with burst pipes, power outages and acute water shortages, making it difficult to care for patients. In Abilene, authorities said a man died at the Hendrick Medical Center after he was unable to get dialysis treatment at the site. Large amounts of filtered water, in addition to electricity and heat, are required to properly provide care for dialysis patients, and water at the hospital was shut down, said Cande Flores, the Abilene fire chief. Flores said that at least four people had died in Abilene as a result of the state power grid failure, including a homeless man who died from exposure to the cold, a 60-year-old man who was found dead in his home and an 86-year-old woman whose daughter found her frozen in her backyard. Elsewhere in the state, a 69-year-old man was found dead inside his home in a rural community south of San Antonio, where he lived alone. He did not have electricity, and the authorities said his bedroom was 35 degrees when they found him. In Houston, an Ethiopian immigrant died in her idling car, which was parked in her garage, where she sat while charging her phone. The woman, Etenesh Mersha, was talking to a friend when she started to feel tired. “She tried to drink water,” said Negash Desta, a relative by marriage to Mersha. “After she told her friend she couldn’t talk anymore, there was no response after that.” The friend tried to call the police in Houston but did not have an address, Desta said. The friend turned to Facebook, where she found Desta. Hours later, he eventually received a message about what had happened and alerted the police. They found an entire family, poisoned. “When they get in, they found the mother and daughter were just dead and the son and father alive. They had all fainted,” he said, adding that the car had still been running. The daughter, Rakeb Shalemu, was 7 years old. Mersha’s husband and 8-year-old son were hospitalized. Desta said that the husband has since been released and that the boy, Beimnet Shalemu, was still in the intensive critical unit. Near Houston in Conroe, Texas, an 11-year-old boy, Cristian Pineda, was found dead in his bed on Monday morning. His family had no power the night before, and the parents, the boy and his siblings had huddled together in one bedroom, Lt. James Kelemen of the Conroe Police Department said Friday. Like Anderson and Mersha and her family, Cristian was the focus of a hastily assembled GoFundMe page. It requested donations to cover the expenses of his burial in Honduras, where his family is from. It had raised more than $38,000 as of Friday afternoon. The page showed a picture of a boy in a thin red hoodie, smiling and standing in the snow. On Tuesday, while Anderson’s wife was mopping up their living room after a frozen pipe burst, he walked to the garage to try to get a generator going, hoping he could help clean up with a Shop-Vac. His wife would not know until later that he had walked to his truck in search of oxygen, said his stepdaughter, Brandi Campanile. It was 19 degrees. His spare oxygen tank, it would turn out, was empty. “He was trying to get oxygen and it was just a losing battle,” Campanile said Friday. “Texas is not meant to handle freezing temperatures. It’s not something that happens out here.”

Extreme cold killed Texans in their bedrooms, vehicles and backyards

After days of the harsh winter storm in Texas, US President Joe Biden is planning to visit the state next week and declare a major disaster.

"As I said when I ran, I’m going to be a president for all Americans," he said. "If I can do it without creating a burden for folks, I plan on going."

The declaration of disaster in the state will allow the Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, to claim federal aid benefits for immediate and long-term recovery efforts.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-a-brutal-blast-of-winter-weather-leads-to-blackouts-in-texas-364929">WATCH|</a>

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Biden's request for approval for the declaration of disaster has come following a request from Abbott.

The acting administrator at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), Bob Fenton, has been asked to look into the approval process. Biden also contacted Fenton to let him know that he would approve the measure as soon as he receives the formal request from the agency.

This decision has been taken as the state of Texas has been battling the harsh winter storm from the past few days, leaving thousands of houses without any power and safe drinking water.

After days of the harsh winter storm in Texas, US President Joe Biden is planning to visit the state next week and declare a major disaster. "As I said when I ran, I’m going to be a president for all Americans," he said.

After days of the harsh winter storm in Texas, US President Joe Biden is planning to visit the state next week and declare a major disaster. "As I said when I ran, I’m going to be a president for all Americans," he said. "If I can do it without creating a burden for folks, I plan on going." The declaration of disaster in the state will allow the Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, to claim federal aid benefits for immediate and long-term recovery efforts. WATCH| Biden's request for approval for the declaration of disaster has come following a request from Abbott. The acting administrator at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), Bob Fenton, has been asked to look into the approval process. Biden also contacted Fenton to let him know that he would approve the measure as soon as he receives the formal request from the agency. This decision has been taken as the state of Texas has been battling the harsh winter storm from the past few days, leaving thousands of houses without any power and safe drinking water.

Joe Biden to declare Texas winter storm as 'disaster'

In the latest fallout from a crippling winter storm, more than 14 million Texans on Friday (February 19) had to endure disrupted water service, leaving many longing for a hot shower just as the state's power grid jerked back to life after five days of blackouts.

Texas Governor says Texans will "overcome" challenges after state slammed by winter storm

The winter storm in Texas has killed at least 30. More than 200,000 homes are without power. Millions have been told to boil tap water. Can climate change be blamed for the crisis in Texas? WION's Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: A brutal blast of winter weather leads to blackouts in Texas

Thousands still remained without power and water in Texas as an ice storm hit the state. Texas government said that power generation plants in the state are back on line but the reality on the ground is different.

WION Dispatch | Texas Snowstorm: Some electricity restored but water woes persist

As Texas finds itself in the midst of a rare and brutal blast of winter, people across the US state have been left without power after high demand for electricity caused the power grid to repeatedly fail. Over 20 deaths have been attributed to the unprecedented winter storm so far in the state.

Storm causes widespread blackouts in energy-rich Texas

An unusually severe winter storm is battering much of North America. Texas was hit hardest; more than 2.7 million homes and businesses remained without electricity on Tuesday.

US Snowstorm: 21 people killed across 4 states, 2.7 million Texas homes lack power

The cold snap in Texas is affecting animal life in addition to creating difficult situation for residents. The temperature has gone down unusually and turtles, not used to such low temperature have been affected. Thousands of turtles have been washing up on the beaches of South Padre Island. Volunteers have rescued about 4700 turtles. The turtles have been brought to a convention center and are being kept in tubs and enclosures. They will be released when ocean water warms up.

Video shot by Ed Caum, executive director of the South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau referred to the turtles as being 'cold-stunned'. It is a condition where cold-blooded animals suddenly exhibit hypothermic reactions such as lethargy and an inability to move when the temperature in the environment around them drops.

"We've brought them to the convention center to get their core temperatures back up," said Caum, narrating one of the videos.

In the latest video posted on Facebook on Wednesday (February 17), Caum related how the center's power and water supplies were restored overnight.

"We've expanded down both wings. The heat is coming back up in the corridor," Caum said as the video shows a passageway filled with turtles lying end-to-end on blue canvas.

In addition to the cold wave, Texas has been hit by power outage for last several days. Millions of Texans don't have electricity. This has added to their difficulties during the cold wave.

USA's National Weather Service (NWS) issued winter warning for areas from east Texas to the East Coast state of Maryland.

The NWS said the storm would bring ice, sleet and heavy snow to parts of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi as it tracks to the northeast, causing power outages, tree damage and making driving hazardous.&nbsp;

More than 30 storm-related deaths have been reported by media in the United States since the cold weather arrived last week, many in traffic accidents.

A man in Louisiana died when he hit his head after slipping on ice, and a 10-year-old Tennessee boy perished after he and his six-year-old sister fell through the ice into a pond Sunday.

A dozen animals -- including one 58-year-old female chimpanzee -- died during the freeze at rescue sanctuary Primarily Primates near San Antonio, the organization said on its website Wednesday.

(With AFP inputs)

The cold snap in Texas is affecting animal life in addition to creating difficult situation for residents. The temperature has gone down unusually and turtles, not used to such low temperature have been affected.

The cold snap in Texas is affecting animal life in addition to creating difficult situation for residents. The temperature has gone down unusually and turtles, not used to such low temperature have been affected. Thousands of turtles have been washing up on the beaches of South Padre Island. Volunteers have rescued about 4700 turtles. The turtles have been brought to a convention center and are being kept in tubs and enclosures. They will be released when ocean water warms up. Video shot by Ed Caum, executive director of the South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau referred to the turtles as being 'cold-stunned'. It is a condition where cold-blooded animals suddenly exhibit hypothermic reactions such as lethargy and an inability to move when the temperature in the environment around them drops. "We've brought them to the convention center to get their core temperatures back up," said Caum, narrating one of the videos. In the latest video posted on Facebook on Wednesday (February 17), Caum related how the center's power and water supplies were restored overnight. "We've expanded down both wings. The heat is coming back up in the corridor," Caum said as the video shows a passageway filled with turtles lying end-to-end on blue canvas. In addition to the cold wave, Texas has been hit by power outage for last several days. Millions of Texans don't have electricity. This has added to their difficulties during the cold wave. USA's National Weather Service (NWS) issued winter warning for areas from east Texas to the East Coast state of Maryland. The NWS said the storm would bring ice, sleet and heavy snow to parts of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi as it tracks to the northeast, causing power outages, tree damage and making driving hazardous. More than 30 storm-related deaths have been reported by media in the United States since the cold weather arrived last week, many in traffic accidents. A man in Louisiana died when he hit his head after slipping on ice, and a 10-year-old Tennessee boy perished after he and his six-year-old sister fell through the ice into a pond Sunday. A dozen animals -- including one 58-year-old female chimpanzee -- died during the freeze at rescue sanctuary Primarily Primates near San Antonio, the organization said on its website Wednesday. (With AFP inputs)

Thousands of cold-stunned turtles rescued in Texas

Millions of people in Texas continued to shiver in cold as they were forced to spend winter days with no electricity. The oil and gas capital of the US is witnessing unusual winter storm that pummeled southeastern part of the country. USA's National Weather Service (NWS) issued winter warning for areas from east Texas to the East Coast state of Maryland.

The NWS said the storm would bring ice, sleet and heavy snow to parts of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi as it tracks to the northeast, causing power outages, tree damage and making driving hazardous.&nbsp;

Even though the Arctic air mass was beginning to lose its grip on an area of the country not used to such extreme cold, the frigid temperatures would continue, the NWS said.

"The Arctic air will also continue over the Plains and Mississippi Valley with temperatures of 25 to 40 degrees below average," the NWS reported Wednesday afternoon.

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&nbsp;

Storm claims lives

More than 30 storm-related deaths have been reported by media in the United States since the cold weather arrived last week, many in traffic accidents.

A man in Louisiana died when he hit his head after slipping on ice, and a 10-year-old Tennessee boy perished after he and his six-year-old sister fell through the ice into a pond Sunday.

A dozen animals -- including one 58-year-old female chimpanzee -- died during the freeze at rescue sanctuary Primarily Primates near San Antonio, the organization said on its website Wednesday.

The winter storm spawned at least four tornadoes, according to Atlanta-based weather.com, including one in North Carolina on Monday that killed at least three people and injured 10.

Across the southern border, Mexican officials said six people died after temperatures plunged.

Water shortage

Hundreds of thousands of residents of the Texas metropolis of Houston are suffering from both power outages and a loss of water pressure.

"Water pressure is very low," Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner tweeted. "Please do not run water to keep pipes from bursting."

Several Texas cities advised residents to boil their water before drinking it or using it for cooking.

David Hernandez, 38, spent the night at a Houston church with other people who have fled their homes.

"My car got stranded and I was trying to sleep in the car but it was just too cold," Hernandez said. "Liquids in my car were actually turning to ice so it was like sleeping in an ice box.

"I had to come here," he said. "There's no choice."

Power companies in Texas have implemented rolling blackouts to avoid grids being overloaded as residents crank up the heat.

According to PowerOutage.US, about 2.4 million customers were still without power by Wednesday evening in Texas, the only one of the US's 48 continental states to have its own independent power grid.

'Nearly a failed state'

Beto O'Rourke, a former Democratic presidential candidate from Texas, told MSNBC television the situation in the Lone Star State was "worse than you are hearing."

"Folks have gone days now without electricity. They're suffering," he said.

"So much of this was avoidable," O'Rourke added.&nbsp;

"The energy capital of North America cannot provide the energy needed to warm and power people's homes in this great state. We are nearing a failed state in Texas."

Austin Energy, the local power company in the capital city of 950,000, said tens of thousands of area customers were without electricity, but that they were able to start restoring power in some spots.&nbsp;

"However, this power will NOT stay on indefinitely due to anticipated grid conditions continuing," the company's Twitter account said Wednesday afternoon, warning of future rotating outages.&nbsp;

The energy company published the locations of "warming centers" set up in local schools.

(With AFP inputs)

Millions of people in Texas continued to shiver in cold as they were forced to spend winter days with no electricity. The oil and gas capital of the US is witnessing unusual winter storm that pummeled southeastern part of the country.

Millions of people in Texas continued to shiver in cold as they were forced to spend winter days with no electricity. The oil and gas capital of the US is witnessing unusual winter storm that pummeled southeastern part of the country. USA's National Weather Service (NWS) issued winter warning for areas from east Texas to the East Coast state of Maryland. The NWS said the storm would bring ice, sleet and heavy snow to parts of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi as it tracks to the northeast, causing power outages, tree damage and making driving hazardous. Even though the Arctic air mass was beginning to lose its grip on an area of the country not used to such extreme cold, the frigid temperatures would continue, the NWS said. "The Arctic air will also continue over the Plains and Mississippi Valley with temperatures of 25 to 40 degrees below average," the NWS reported Wednesday afternoon. × Storm claims lives More than 30 storm-related deaths have been reported by media in the United States since the cold weather arrived last week, many in traffic accidents. A man in Louisiana died when he hit his head after slipping on ice, and a 10-year-old Tennessee boy perished after he and his six-year-old sister fell through the ice into a pond Sunday. A dozen animals -- including one 58-year-old female chimpanzee -- died during the freeze at rescue sanctuary Primarily Primates near San Antonio, the organization said on its website Wednesday. The winter storm spawned at least four tornadoes, according to Atlanta-based weather.com, including one in North Carolina on Monday that killed at least three people and injured 10. Across the southern border, Mexican officials said six people died after temperatures plunged. Water shortage Hundreds of thousands of residents of the Texas metropolis of Houston are suffering from both power outages and a loss of water pressure. "Water pressure is very low," Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner tweeted. "Please do not run water to keep pipes from bursting." Several Texas cities advised residents to boil their water before drinking it or using it for cooking. David Hernandez, 38, spent the night at a Houston church with other people who have fled their homes. "My car got stranded and I was trying to sleep in the car but it was just too cold," Hernandez said. "Liquids in my car were actually turning to ice so it was like sleeping in an ice box. "I had to come here," he said. "There's no choice." Power companies in Texas have implemented rolling blackouts to avoid grids being overloaded as residents crank up the heat. According to PowerOutage.US, about 2.4 million customers were still without power by Wednesday evening in Texas, the only one of the US's 48 continental states to have its own independent power grid. 'Nearly a failed state' Beto O'Rourke, a former Democratic presidential candidate from Texas, told MSNBC television the situation in the Lone Star State was "worse than you are hearing." "Folks have gone days now without electricity. They're suffering," he said. "So much of this was avoidable," O'Rourke added. "The energy capital of North America cannot provide the energy needed to warm and power people's homes in this great state. We are nearing a failed state in Texas." Austin Energy, the local power company in the capital city of 950,000, said tens of thousands of area customers were without electricity, but that they were able to start restoring power in some spots. "However, this power will NOT stay on indefinitely due to anticipated grid conditions continuing," the company's Twitter account said Wednesday afternoon, warning of future rotating outages. The energy company published the locations of "warming centers" set up in local schools. (With AFP inputs)

Texas continues to shiver amid power outage, more than 20 deaths reported

President Joe Biden has approved a state of emergency in Texas where a surge in demand for electricity has led to widespread power cuts.

US: Millions without power in Texas as snow blankets Southern plains

extreme weather conditions griped various parts of US on Sunday bringing heavy snowfall in the region. Thousands of people remained without power in the pacific northwest. A winter storm blankets parts of US . US President Joe Biden declared a federal emergency in Texas.

Winters storm brings snow, ice to Oklahoma, Texas

At least five people lost their lives and dozens wounded on Thursday when some 130 cars crashed in a pileup on a highway in Texas in the United States.&nbsp;

Authorities said the accident took place on a busy interstate road north of downtown Fort Worth when about 130 vehicles collided with each other. \

Watch |&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
GRAPHIC VIDEO of the +100 car pileup in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FortWorth?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FortWorth</a> Texas this morning. Dozens of people were injured &amp; several killed. This ice storm is expected to impact millions of people in the coming days. Please be careful out there! Video via Cristal Floran Alonzo on FaceBook <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TXwx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TXwx</a> <a href="https://t.co/NjMd71mcJo">pic.twitter.com/NjMd71mcJo</a>
— MyRadar Weather (@MyRadarWX) <a href="https://twitter.com/MyRadarWX/status/1359958513653604355?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Preliminary investigation has revealed that ice could be the factor behind the incident.&nbsp;

Fort Worth Fire Department spokesman Michael Drivdahl said at least five people had died and 36 were hospitalised.&nbsp;

The toll could increase as the rescue workers are continuing to run a check on the vehicles, the spokesperson added.&nbsp;

Aerial images from the place of the incident showed several damaged large tractor-trailers standing on top of one another.

A number of vehicles were also seen badly crashed in the site, which a local official says stretched to about 0.8 km, reports news agency Reuters.

Jason McLaughlin, a professional storm chaser, put out a video on Twitter he shot which showed several damaged cars and trucks

Jason McLaughlin, a professional storm chaser, posted a video on Twitter he'd filmed at the scene showing dozens of mangled cars and trucks.

"It's still chaos," McLaughlin told The Weather Channel.&nbsp;

"It looks like a couple of vehicles lost control and when that happened, everything just piled up behind them."

The severe winter conditions in the coasts on Thursday have greatly affected driving and the National Weather Service warned of persistent freezing rain and sleet in Texas.&nbsp;

At least five people lost their lives and dozens wounded on Thursday when some 130 cars crashed in a pileup on a highway in Texas in the United States. Authorities said the accident took place on a busy interstate road north of downtown Fort Worth when about 130 vehicles collided with each other.

At least five people lost their lives and dozens wounded on Thursday when some 130 cars crashed in a pileup on a highway in Texas in the United States. Authorities said the accident took place on a busy interstate road north of downtown Fort Worth when about 130 vehicles collided with each other. \ Watch | GRAPHIC VIDEO of the +100 car pileup in #FortWorth Texas this morning. Dozens of people were injured & several killed. This ice storm is expected to impact millions of people in the coming days. Please be careful out there! Video via Cristal Floran Alonzo on FaceBook #TXwx pic.twitter.com/NjMd71mcJo — MyRadar Weather (@MyRadarWX) February 11, 2021 Preliminary investigation has revealed that ice could be the factor behind the incident. Fort Worth Fire Department spokesman Michael Drivdahl said at least five people had died and 36 were hospitalised. The toll could increase as the rescue workers are continuing to run a check on the vehicles, the spokesperson added. Aerial images from the place of the incident showed several damaged large tractor-trailers standing on top of one another. A number of vehicles were also seen badly crashed in the site, which a local official says stretched to about 0.8 km, reports news agency Reuters. Jason McLaughlin, a professional storm chaser, put out a video on Twitter he shot which showed several damaged cars and trucks Jason McLaughlin, a professional storm chaser, posted a video on Twitter he'd filmed at the scene showing dozens of mangled cars and trucks. "It's still chaos," McLaughlin told The Weather Channel. "It looks like a couple of vehicles lost control and when that happened, everything just piled up behind them." The severe winter conditions in the coasts on Thursday have greatly affected driving and the National Weather Service warned of persistent freezing rain and sleet in Texas.

Over 130 cars collide with each other in Texas; at least 5 dead

Tobey King, owner of Tobey Time Crochet out of Corpus Christi, Texas, turned the sensational meme of Bernie Sanders into Crochet doll. She raised around $40,000 through these dolls and donated the money to charity.

Texas Tobey king raised $40,000 for a charitable organisation through Bernie Sanders' Crochet doll

A coalition of 38 states filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google Thursday focusing on the design of the tech giant’s search engine. It’s the third major antitrust lawsuit filed against the search giant this year.

According to a statement from the New York attorney general's office, the states are asking the court to stop Google's illegal conduct and "restore a competitive marketplace."

"Google sits at the crossroads of so many areas of our digital economy and has used its dominance to illegally squash competitors, monitor nearly every aspect of our digital lives, and profit to the tune of billions," said New York Democratic Attorney General Letitia James.

Google responded to the new lawsuit, saying while scrutiny of big companies is important, it seeks to redesign Search in ways that would deprive Americans of helpful information and hurt businesses` ability to connect directly with customers.

"We look forward to making that case in court, while remaining focused on delivering a high-quality search experience for our users," said Adam Cohen, Director, Economic Policy at Google.

This is the third major antitrust lawsuit filed against the search giant this year.

Texas and nine other US states on Wednesday filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google, accusing it of monopolising or attempting to monopolise products and services used by advertisers and publishers in online-display advertising.

The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, alleges that Google entered into an anti-competitive agreement with Facebook to boost its online advertising business.

The US Justice Department also filed its own lawsuit against Google in October, along with 11 Republican state attorneys general, focusing on Google`s exclusive contracts with Android smartphone manufacturers and Apple to set its own search engine as the default option on these devices.

Google vehemently defended its position. Claiming that the lawsuit relies on dubious antitrust arguments, the company said that like countless other businesses, it pays to promote its services.

For digital services, when you first buy a device, it has a kind of home screen "eye-level shelf.

"On mobile, that shelf is controlled by Apple, as well as companies like AT&amp;T, Verizon, Samsung and LG. On desktop computers that shelf space is overwhelmingly controlled by Microsoft," argued Kent Walker, SVP of Global Affairs at Google.

(With inputs from agencies)

A coalition of 38 states filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google Thursday focusing on the design of the tech giant’s search engine. It’s the third major antitrust lawsuit filed against the search giant this year.

A coalition of 38 states filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google Thursday focusing on the design of the tech giant’s search engine. It’s the third major antitrust lawsuit filed against the search giant this year. According to a statement from the New York attorney general's office, the states are asking the court to stop Google's illegal conduct and "restore a competitive marketplace." "Google sits at the crossroads of so many areas of our digital economy and has used its dominance to illegally squash competitors, monitor nearly every aspect of our digital lives, and profit to the tune of billions," said New York Democratic Attorney General Letitia James. Google responded to the new lawsuit, saying while scrutiny of big companies is important, it seeks to redesign Search in ways that would deprive Americans of helpful information and hurt businesses` ability to connect directly with customers. "We look forward to making that case in court, while remaining focused on delivering a high-quality search experience for our users," said Adam Cohen, Director, Economic Policy at Google. This is the third major antitrust lawsuit filed against the search giant this year. Texas and nine other US states on Wednesday filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google, accusing it of monopolising or attempting to monopolise products and services used by advertisers and publishers in online-display advertising. The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, alleges that Google entered into an anti-competitive agreement with Facebook to boost its online advertising business. The US Justice Department also filed its own lawsuit against Google in October, along with 11 Republican state attorneys general, focusing on Google`s exclusive contracts with Android smartphone manufacturers and Apple to set its own search engine as the default option on these devices. Google vehemently defended its position. Claiming that the lawsuit relies on dubious antitrust arguments, the company said that like countless other businesses, it pays to promote its services. For digital services, when you first buy a device, it has a kind of home screen "eye-level shelf. "On mobile, that shelf is controlled by Apple, as well as companies like AT&T, Verizon, Samsung and LG. On desktop computers that shelf space is overwhelmingly controlled by Microsoft," argued Kent Walker, SVP of Global Affairs at Google. (With inputs from agencies)

Google accused of search manipulation in third major antitrust lawsuit

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced that he was leading a lawsuit against Google, accusing the tech giant of taking "illegal" actions to hurt competition in the advertising technology market.

In a tweet on Wednesday, Paxton said his suit centres on the lucrative market for digital ads, where Google obtains most of its revenue.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: Texas takes the lead once more! Today, we’re filing a lawsuit against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Google?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Google</a> for anticompetitive conduct. 
 
This internet Goliath used its power to manipulate the market, destroy competition, and harm YOU, the consumer. Stay tuned… <a href="https://t.co/fdEVEWQb0e">pic.twitter.com/fdEVEWQb0e</a>
— Texas Attorney General (@TXAG) <a href="https://twitter.com/TXAG/status/1339283520099856384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Google didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

The case marks the second antitrust action against Goggle after the US Justice Department filed a landmark monopolisation case against the company in October.

The lawsuit is yet another legal battle for Google, which is facing a Justice Department antitrust lawsuit on its search practices and imminent legal action from a separate group of state attorneys general who have also been investigating the company for anti-competitive behaviour.

Texas' lawsuit will go after Google's stranglehold on its corner of the ad tech market, which it and fellow tech giant Facebook dominate.

The suit accuses Google of abusing its market power to rig auctions for placing ads and drive up online advertising pricing.

The suit will be filed by multiple states, Paxton said in an announcement video, though he didn't identify what other states are involved.

Paxton has long been a foe of tech companies, and Texas is part of the recently filed multi-state lawsuit against Facebook for alleged anti-competitive acquisitions and behaviour.

"This Goliath of a company is using its power to manipulate the market, destroy competition and harm you, the consumer," Paxton said.

"Google effectively eliminated its competition and crowned itself the head of online advertising." The Justice Department is also investigating Google's role in the ad tech market and may still file a lawsuit in the matter. The suit it already filed focuses on Google's use of contracts to lock its search engine in as the default on web browsers and mobile devices.

Texas is one of a dozen states that have joined the DOJ on its suit, filed in October.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced that he was leading a lawsuit against Google, accusing the tech giant of taking "illegal" actions to hurt competition in the advertising technology market.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced that he was leading a lawsuit against Google, accusing the tech giant of taking "illegal" actions to hurt competition in the advertising technology market. In a tweet on Wednesday, Paxton said his suit centres on the lucrative market for digital ads, where Google obtains most of its revenue. #BREAKING: Texas takes the lead once more! Today, we’re filing a lawsuit against #Google for anticompetitive conduct. This internet Goliath used its power to manipulate the market, destroy competition, and harm YOU, the consumer. Stay tuned… pic.twitter.com/fdEVEWQb0e — Texas Attorney General (@TXAG) December 16, 2020 × Google didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The case marks the second antitrust action against Goggle after the US Justice Department filed a landmark monopolisation case against the company in October. The lawsuit is yet another legal battle for Google, which is facing a Justice Department antitrust lawsuit on its search practices and imminent legal action from a separate group of state attorneys general who have also been investigating the company for anti-competitive behaviour. Texas' lawsuit will go after Google's stranglehold on its corner of the ad tech market, which it and fellow tech giant Facebook dominate. The suit accuses Google of abusing its market power to rig auctions for placing ads and drive up online advertising pricing. The suit will be filed by multiple states, Paxton said in an announcement video, though he didn't identify what other states are involved. Paxton has long been a foe of tech companies, and Texas is part of the recently filed multi-state lawsuit against Facebook for alleged anti-competitive acquisitions and behaviour. "This Goliath of a company is using its power to manipulate the market, destroy competition and harm you, the consumer," Paxton said. "Google effectively eliminated its competition and crowned itself the head of online advertising." The Justice Department is also investigating Google's role in the ad tech market and may still file a lawsuit in the matter. The suit it already filed focuses on Google's use of contracts to lock its search engine in as the default on web browsers and mobile devices. Texas is one of a dozen states that have joined the DOJ on its suit, filed in October.

Texas suing Google over alleged anti-competitive ad tech practices

Business software maker Oracle Corp said on Friday it was moving its corporate headquarters to Austin, Texas from Redwood City, California.

Oracle is the latest tech firm to exit Silicon Valley after the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a broader shift to remote work, making companies reconsider California’s higher operational costs and hefty taxes.

Employees can pick their office location and choose whether to work from home part-time or full-time, Oracle said in a regulatory filing.

“We believe these moves best position Oracle for growth and provide our personnel with more flexibility about where and how they work,” the 43-year-old company said.

In 2018, Oracle set up a campus in Austin that could support a 10,000-strong workforce, in a bid to meet increasing demand for its cloud business.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise, a spinoff of the decades-old corporation often mentioned in the accounts of the founding of Silicon Valley, said earlier this month it would move its headquarters from California to the Lone Star State.

Data analytics firm Palantir Technologies also shifted headquarters to Denver, Colorado from Palo Alto, California in August.

Earlier this week, electric car-maker Tesla Inc’s Elon Musk said he had relocated to Texas from California, which has the highest personal income tax rate in the United States.

Business software maker Oracle Corp said on Friday it was moving its corporate headquarters to Austin, Texas from Redwood City, California. Oracle is the latest tech firm to exit Silicon Valley after the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a broader shift to remote work, making companies reconsider California’s higher operational costs and hefty taxes.

Business software maker Oracle Corp said on Friday it was moving its corporate headquarters to Austin, Texas from Redwood City, California. Oracle is the latest tech firm to exit Silicon Valley after the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a broader shift to remote work, making companies reconsider California’s higher operational costs and hefty taxes. Employees can pick their office location and choose whether to work from home part-time or full-time, Oracle said in a regulatory filing. “We believe these moves best position Oracle for growth and provide our personnel with more flexibility about where and how they work,” the 43-year-old company said. In 2018, Oracle set up a campus in Austin that could support a 10,000-strong workforce, in a bid to meet increasing demand for its cloud business. Hewlett Packard Enterprise, a spinoff of the decades-old corporation often mentioned in the accounts of the founding of Silicon Valley, said earlier this month it would move its headquarters from California to the Lone Star State. Data analytics firm Palantir Technologies also shifted headquarters to Denver, Colorado from Palo Alto, California in August. Earlier this week, electric car-maker Tesla Inc’s Elon Musk said he had relocated to Texas from California, which has the highest personal income tax rate in the United States.

Oracle moves headquarters to Texas from Silicon Valley

US President Donald Trump lashed out at US Supreme Court after it dealt what is perceived as a final and fatal blow to his claims of fraud in US Presidential Election 2020. US Supreme Court rejected lawsuit by Texas and other states that demanded&nbsp;throwing out of election results in four states. Trump called the decision a 'legal disgrace'.

"The Supreme Court really let us down. No Wisdom, No Courage!" wrote Trump, adding in a later Tweet, "It is a legal disgrace, an embarrassment to the USA!!!"

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“We’ve not gotten any court to judge this (the vote) on its merit.” <a href="https://twitter.com/DanPatrick?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DanPatrick</a> of Texas. It is a legal disgrace, an embarrassment to the USA!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1337634953211817984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The decision by US Supreme Court has cleared way for US electoral college to cast its votes and formally certify Joe Biden's victory. The Electoral College will meet on Monday (December 14)

Biden, a Democrat, has amassed 306 votes to Trump's 232 in the state-by-state Electoral College, which allots votes to all 50 states and the District of Columbia based on population.

The four states in question - Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin - contributed a combined 62 votes to Biden's total. To win the White House, 270 votes are needed.

Trump is yet to concede the election. Ever since it was certain that Joe Biden had defeated him in presidential elections, Trump has made baseless claims of election fraud without providing any evidence. Even when he suffered number of legal defeats prior to Supreme Court verdict, he was not willing to concede.

Trump's goal had long been for a case to reach the Supreme Court, where he had placed three new justices in his first term and where conservatives hold a 6-3 majority. The lawsuit brought by Texas and supported by 17 other states and more than 100 Republican members of Congress gave him that opportunity.

In the run-up the Nov. 3 election, Trump had pushed for the swift confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett, with the publicly stated hope that she could be in a position to help rule on an election challenge.

But Barrett and the two other justices appointed by Trump - Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh - signed onto the court's order derailing the Texas suit without comment.

(With Reuters inputs)

US President Donald Trump lashed out at US Supreme Court after it dealt what is perceived as a final and fatal blow to his claims of fraud in US Presidential Election 2020.

US President Donald Trump lashed out at US Supreme Court after it dealt what is perceived as a final and fatal blow to his claims of fraud in US Presidential Election 2020. US Supreme Court rejected lawsuit by Texas and other states that demanded throwing out of election results in four states. Trump called the decision a 'legal disgrace'. "The Supreme Court really let us down. No Wisdom, No Courage!" wrote Trump, adding in a later Tweet, "It is a legal disgrace, an embarrassment to the USA!!!" “We’ve not gotten any court to judge this (the vote) on its merit.” @DanPatrick of Texas. It is a legal disgrace, an embarrassment to the USA!!! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 12, 2020 × The decision by US Supreme Court has cleared way for US electoral college to cast its votes and formally certify Joe Biden's victory. The Electoral College will meet on Monday (December 14) Biden, a Democrat, has amassed 306 votes to Trump's 232 in the state-by-state Electoral College, which allots votes to all 50 states and the District of Columbia based on population. The four states in question - Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin - contributed a combined 62 votes to Biden's total. To win the White House, 270 votes are needed. Trump is yet to concede the election. Ever since it was certain that Joe Biden had defeated him in presidential elections, Trump has made baseless claims of election fraud without providing any evidence. Even when he suffered number of legal defeats prior to Supreme Court verdict, he was not willing to concede. Trump's goal had long been for a case to reach the Supreme Court, where he had placed three new justices in his first term and where conservatives hold a 6-3 majority. The lawsuit brought by Texas and supported by 17 other states and more than 100 Republican members of Congress gave him that opportunity. In the run-up the Nov. 3 election, Trump had pushed for the swift confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett, with the publicly stated hope that she could be in a position to help rule on an election challenge. But Barrett and the two other justices appointed by Trump - Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh - signed onto the court's order derailing the Texas suit without comment. (With Reuters inputs)

'Legal disgrace', says Trump as US Supreme Court gives final blow to his election fraud claims

It's raining monoliths and they seem to pop up in different corners of earth. While it remains to be ascertained that whether this is a precursor to a massive alien invasion or simply pranksters' acts in different countries, one more monolith has appeared, this time in El Paso in Texas.

This monolith has appeared in car parking lot in a shopping and entertainment complex in the city, as per local media reports.

Given the hype around the monoliths, locals thronged to check the new one out. As per videos posted online, the monolith in Texas appears to be hollow and "not sturdy"

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The monolith sounds hollow as hell really light easy to tip over and move <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ElPaso?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ElPaso</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/monolith?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#monolith</a> <a href="https://t.co/AVq0pSVx71">pic.twitter.com/AVq0pSVx71</a>
— Unelectable Airwaves Podcast 🌹 🔮 (@UnelectableA) <a href="https://twitter.com/UnelectableA/status/1336156215059992577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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As per media reports, the monolith has disappeared. It is likely that the local authorities have removed it but there is no concrete info as yet.

Appearance of monoliths has taken social media by storm since last month. The very first one was found in Utah desert. This was followed by monoliths in Romania, in Califonia, on the Isle of Wight and in Belgium. Monoliths have also been found in Spain, Germany and Colombia. The one found in Colombia was a golden one.

It's raining monoliths and they seem to pop up in different corners of earth. While it remains to be ascertained that whether this is a precursor to a massive alien invasion or simply pranksters' acts in different countries, one more monolith has appeared, this time in El Paso in Texas.

It's raining monoliths and they seem to pop up in different corners of earth. While it remains to be ascertained that whether this is a precursor to a massive alien invasion or simply pranksters' acts in different countries, one more monolith has appeared, this time in El Paso in Texas. This monolith has appeared in car parking lot in a shopping and entertainment complex in the city, as per local media reports. Given the hype around the monoliths, locals thronged to check the new one out. As per videos posted online, the monolith in Texas appears to be hollow and "not sturdy" The monolith sounds hollow as hell really light easy to tip over and move #ElPaso #monolith pic.twitter.com/AVq0pSVx71 — Unelectable Airwaves Podcast 🌹 🔮 (@UnelectableA) December 8, 2020 × As per media reports, the monolith has disappeared. It is likely that the local authorities have removed it but there is no concrete info as yet. Appearance of monoliths has taken social media by storm since last month. The very first one was found in Utah desert. This was followed by monoliths in Romania, in Califonia, on the Isle of Wight and in Belgium. Monoliths have also been found in Spain, Germany and Colombia. The one found in Colombia was a golden one.

Another monolith pops up, in Texas this time

Seven contract workers were injured in a fire on Saturday at the Magellan Midstream Partners petroleum storage tank farm in Corpus Christi, Texas, according to company and city officials.

The fire broke out at about 10 a.m. CST (1600 GMT) on Saturday, said Magellan spokesman Bruce Heine.

"The tank was being cleaned by contractors at the time of the incident," Heine said. "The fire has been extinguished at this time."

During a televised news conference on Saturday afternoon, Corpus Christi Deputy Fire Chief Richie Quintero said seven workers were injured in the fire. Four of the injured were in critical condition and one person was taken for treatment to a burn center in San Antonio, Texas.

Also at the news conference, Mark Calhoun, Magellan`s local operations manager, said the seven contract workers were cleaning the large above ground storage tank, which is done periodically prior to inspection.

"This fire started near a tank that was being cleaned and inspected," Calhoun said. "This is an above-ground storage tank that was holding residual light crude oil."

The Magellan tank farm has 60 storage tanks capable of holding 37 million barrels of petroleum and petroleum products and is located near Valero Energy Corp`s and Citgo Petroleum Corp`s refineries in Corpus Christi. Both companies told KRIS-TV the fire was not at their refineries.

Magellan operates pipelines, storage farms and terminals for petroleum products.

Seven contract workers were injured in a fire on Saturday at the Magellan Midstream Partners petroleum storage tank farm in Corpus Christi, Texas, according to company and city officials.

Seven contract workers were injured in a fire on Saturday at the Magellan Midstream Partners petroleum storage tank farm in Corpus Christi, Texas, according to company and city officials. The fire broke out at about 10 a.m. CST (1600 GMT) on Saturday, said Magellan spokesman Bruce Heine. "The tank was being cleaned by contractors at the time of the incident," Heine said. "The fire has been extinguished at this time." During a televised news conference on Saturday afternoon, Corpus Christi Deputy Fire Chief Richie Quintero said seven workers were injured in the fire. Four of the injured were in critical condition and one person was taken for treatment to a burn center in San Antonio, Texas. Also at the news conference, Mark Calhoun, Magellan`s local operations manager, said the seven contract workers were cleaning the large above ground storage tank, which is done periodically prior to inspection. "This fire started near a tank that was being cleaned and inspected," Calhoun said. "This is an above-ground storage tank that was holding residual light crude oil." The Magellan tank farm has 60 storage tanks capable of holding 37 million barrels of petroleum and petroleum products and is located near Valero Energy Corp`s and Citgo Petroleum Corp`s refineries in Corpus Christi. Both companies told KRIS-TV the fire was not at their refineries. Magellan operates pipelines, storage farms and terminals for petroleum products.

Seven injured in fire at Magellan Corpus Christi, Texas, tank farm

The Texas Supreme Court on Sunday denied a Republican-led petition to toss nearly 127,000 ballots cast at drive-thru voting places in the Houston area.

Texas Supreme Court denies Republican petition to toss votes

A federal judge in Texas scheduled an emergency hearing for Monday on whether Houston officials unlawfully allowed drive-through voting and should toss more than 100,000 votes in the Democratic-leaning area.

In a brief order, US&nbsp;District Judge Andrew Hanen in Houston on Friday agreed to hear arguments by a Republican state legislator and others that votes already cast at drive-through voting sites in the Houston area should be rejected.

The lawsuit was brought on Wednesday by plaintiffs including Steve Hotze, a conservative activist, and state Representative Steve Toth. They accused Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins, a Democrat, of exceeding his constitutional authority by allowing drive-through voting as an alternative to walk-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/on-final-weekend-before-nov-3-vote-trump-and-biden-press-closing-arguments-339318" hreflang="en">On final weekend before Nov 3 vote, Trump and Biden press closing arguments</a>

Harris County, home to about 4.7 million people, is the third most populous county in the United States. It currently has 10 drive-through polling sites, which are available to all voters.

The lawsuit came after the Texas Supreme Court, one of the most conservative state courts in the United States, rejected similar bids to halt drive-through voting in Harris County.

The plaintiffs ask the court to “reject any votes it finds were cast in violation of the Texas Election Code” and “requir[e] all memory cards from the 10 drive-thru voting locations be secured and not entered or downloaded into the Tally machine until this Court issues an order on this Complaint.”

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-ant-man-star-paul-rudd-offers-cookies-to-early-voters-of-us-election-339370" hreflang="en">Watch: Ant Man star Paul Rudd offers cookies to early voters of US election</a>

Hanen was appointed by President George W. Bush, a Republican.

The request is “wholly unreasonable,” Democratic groups, including the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said on Friday in a motion asking to intervene in the case.

“Plaintiffs ask this Court to throw Texas’s election into chaos by invalidating the votes of more than 100,000 eligible Texas voters who cast their ballots at drive-thru voting locations at the invitation of county officials and in reliance on the Texas Supreme Court’s decision to allow drive-thru voting to proceed,” the groups said.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-than-90-million-voters-cast-ballots-two-days-before-us-election-2020-339354" hreflang="en">More than 90 million voters cast ballots two days before US election 2020</a>

Michael Morley, a professor of election law at Florida State University, called the lawsuit meritless and said it proposes an “extreme remedy.”

“I think the county has a strong legal basis under state law for implementing these voting alternatives during a pandemic,” Morley said. “Even if the court disagreed, however, a remedy would most likely be purely prospective - prohibiting continued use of these mechanisms while still counting votes already cast.”

Texas, the second largest US state, is a traditionally Republican state, but polls show President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden close, with more than 9 million ballots already cast, eclipsing total turnout from 2016.

A federal judge in Texas scheduled an emergency hearing for Monday on whether Houston officials unlawfully allowed drive-through voting and should toss more than 100,000 votes in the Democratic-leaning area.

A federal judge in Texas scheduled an emergency hearing for Monday on whether Houston officials unlawfully allowed drive-through voting and should toss more than 100,000 votes in the Democratic-leaning area. In a brief order, US District Judge Andrew Hanen in Houston on Friday agreed to hear arguments by a Republican state legislator and others that votes already cast at drive-through voting sites in the Houston area should be rejected. The lawsuit was brought on Wednesday by plaintiffs including Steve Hotze, a conservative activist, and state Representative Steve Toth. They accused Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins, a Democrat, of exceeding his constitutional authority by allowing drive-through voting as an alternative to walk-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic. Also read| On final weekend before Nov 3 vote, Trump and Biden press closing arguments Harris County, home to about 4.7 million people, is the third most populous county in the United States. It currently has 10 drive-through polling sites, which are available to all voters. The lawsuit came after the Texas Supreme Court, one of the most conservative state courts in the United States, rejected similar bids to halt drive-through voting in Harris County. The plaintiffs ask the court to “reject any votes it finds were cast in violation of the Texas Election Code” and “requir[e] all memory cards from the 10 drive-thru voting locations be secured and not entered or downloaded into the Tally machine until this Court issues an order on this Complaint.” Also read| Watch: Ant Man star Paul Rudd offers cookies to early voters of US election Hanen was appointed by President George W. Bush, a Republican. The request is “wholly unreasonable,” Democratic groups, including the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said on Friday in a motion asking to intervene in the case. “Plaintiffs ask this Court to throw Texas’s election into chaos by invalidating the votes of more than 100,000 eligible Texas voters who cast their ballots at drive-thru voting locations at the invitation of county officials and in reliance on the Texas Supreme Court’s decision to allow drive-thru voting to proceed,” the groups said. Also read| More than 90 million voters cast ballots two days before US election 2020 Michael Morley, a professor of election law at Florida State University, called the lawsuit meritless and said it proposes an “extreme remedy.” “I think the county has a strong legal basis under state law for implementing these voting alternatives during a pandemic,” Morley said. “Even if the court disagreed, however, a remedy would most likely be purely prospective - prohibiting continued use of these mechanisms while still counting votes already cast.” Texas, the second largest US state, is a traditionally Republican state, but polls show President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden close, with more than 9 million ballots already cast, eclipsing total turnout from 2016.

US judge to hear Republican bid to void 100,000 votes in Texas

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