United States President Joe Biden has issued a disaster declaration for the state of Texas, where a major winter storm has left millions without power and water.

In a statement on Saturday morning, the White House said Biden declared “a major disaster exists” in the US state and authorised federal funding and other forms of assistance to aid state and local authorities.

“Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster,” the White House statement reads.

Millions of Texans have suffered power outages and water service interruptions after a severe winter storm hit the state on February 11.

Nearly two dozen people have died as a result of the storm and subzero temperatures.

Biden said this week he is weighing a trip to Texas, if it would not create a burden on local authorities.

Power has been restored to many across the state, with just over 78,000 households still without electricity as of Saturday morning, according to PowerOutage.US, which tracks power outages across the country.

But the “disaster has firmly transitioned into a water crisis”, the Texas Tribune reported on Friday. The news outlet said about half the state was dealing with water problems after pipes and water lines burst.

On Friday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the state’s main priority remained restoring power to homes, followed by restoring clean water access. He said three mobile water testing labs have been set up, while authorities consulted with a plumbing board to quickly repair burst pipes.

The state is also working to provide food and supplies to residents and to help refineries get back up and running to provide fuel, Abbott said in a statement.

“We know that this past week has been challenging for far too many Texans. Our state agencies are working around the clock to restore power and water, and to ensure Texans have food and supplies,” he said.

Meanwhile, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday announced plans to open an investigation into the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which supplies power to more than 26 million people in the state, and other power companies over what happened.

Paxton said the probe will examine power outages, emergency plans, energy pricing and other issues that came up during the disaster.

“While Texans pulled together to get their communities through this disaster, they were largely left in the dark,” Paxton said in a statement. “We will get to the bottom of this power failure and I will tirelessly pursue justice for Texans.”

_______________________________________________________________________ Groundbreaking Guide For Lawyers: Adigwe Publishes ‘Artificial Intelligence For Lawyers’ With Free Research eBook The book also examines Nigeria's legal ecosystem, focusing on the LPELR and NBA AI Guidelines. As a bonus, every purchase comes with a FREE eBook titled: How to Use the AI Features in LegalPedia and LawPavilion. Ohio Books Ltd praises the publication, stating: "....this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic." How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626 Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACIarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria. _______________________________________________________________________

“Order Justice Omolaye-Ajileye’s Electronic Evidence Books Now” — Essential Guides On Evidence Act, Case Law And Digital Proof

Two leading books on electronic evidence by Hon. Justice Professor Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye, Rtd., PhD, FICMC, are now available for purchase. The publications, Electronic Evidence (Second Edition), With The Evidence Act, 2011 and Compendium Of Cases On Electronic Evidence, Volume II, 2020–2025, provide practical guidance, legal analysis and recent judicial authorities on electronic evidence in Nigeria.Order directly from the author here: https://velvety-cendol-7387ed.netlify.app/ ______________________________________________________________________ [A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
“Evidence Act: Complete Annotation” by renowned legal experts Sanni & Etti.
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation ________________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence

Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via: 0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888 Website: www.alexandernigeria.com

_______________________________________________________________________