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

About 13 million Texans -- or nearly half the state's approximately 29 million residents -- were under an advisory to boil drinking water, according to reports. Houston and San Antonio were among the cities planning to distribute drinkable water on Friday, reports said.

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

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

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

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

The boil-water advisories followed record low temperatures that damaged infrastructure and pipes, FOX 4 reported. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON OUR TOP STORY.

In other developments:
]- San Antonio apartments ablaze from suspected water tank explosion amid deadly winter storm
- Sean Hannity blasts Biden for deciding to 'take a snow day' amid Texas disaster
- Border mayor begs Biden to stop releasing illegal immigrants into his city amid winter storm
- Rick Perry says Texans would go longer without power just to keep feds ‘out of their business’
- Texas power outages spark AOC Green New Deal claim, which spurs critics

Cuomo nursing home scandal a lower priority for media than Cruz Mexico trip
The media's priorities were on clear display Thursday. ABC's "World News Night" devoted roughly four times more coverage to the Cancun controversy surrounding Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, than to the growing legal problems faced by Democrat New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

With Texans still struggling following deadly winter storms that have devastated the state's power grid, Cruz landed in hot water late Wednesday after photos emerged on social media showing him and his family flying to Mexico for a vacation. A humbled Cruz flew back to Houston on Thursday amid the backlash.

Meanwhile, Cuomo's administration was reportedly facing investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn, N.Y., after critics accused officials of covering up the true number of COVID-19 nursing home deaths in the state. Early in the pandemic, the governor ordered assisted living facilities to accept COVID-positive patients in order to keep hospital beds free.

Judging by Thursday's broadcast, it appeared ABC News believed Cruz's vacation episode was far more consequential than Cuomo's nursing home scandal.

"World News Tonight" dedicated nearly four minutes to the GOP senator's round trip snafu and just 55 seconds to the Democrat's growing legal controversy. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

In other developments:
- Cruz admits to having 'second thoughts almost immediately' after boarding flight to Cancun
- Cruz pounded by Democrats over Cancun excursion
- NY Assembly Republicans push for Cuomo impeachment commission to investigate nursing home scandal
- Dem who accused Cuomo of threat to ‘destroy’ him is latest to say governor bullied them

NASA's Perseverance rover sends back photos after landing on Mars
NASA has unveiled the first photos from its fifth Mars rover, Perseverance, after a successful landing on the red planet's Jezero crater at approximately 3:55 p.m. Thursday.

"This landing is one of those pivotal moments for NASA, the United States, and space exploration globally – when we know we are on the cusp of discovery and sharpening our pencils, so to speak, to rewrite the textbooks," acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk said in statement. "The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission embodies our nation’s spirit of persevering even in the most challenging of situations, inspiring, and advancing science and exploration."

Perseverance, the most technologically advanced robot NASA has sent to date, traveled 293 million miles to reach Mars over the course of more than six months after launching on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Station on July 30. It will remain on Mars for nearly two years, searching for signs of ancient life and exploring the planet's surface.

The mission will help prepare the agency for future human exploration on Mars in the 2030s. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

In other developments:
- 'Building blocks of life exist' on Mars, former NASA administrator confirms
- Chinese spacecraft enters Mars' orbit, joining Arab ship

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TODAY'S MUST-READS:
- Bob Dole says he's been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer
- South Carolina veteran uses butt of his shotgun to kill home intruder who attacked his wife
- AOC goes vegetarian for Lent to honor colleague’s late son
- Alaska woman visits outhouse, bear takes a bite out of her backside: report
- California parent outraged by school board members’ viral comments: ‘We thought they had our backs’
- NYPD arrests suspect who attacked woman in another bout of violence against Asian Americans

THE LATEST FROM FOX BUSINESS:
- Bill Ackman hires first woman for his investment team and reports record 2020 returns
- Ford recalling over 150,000 vehicles for safety issues related to airbags, rear suspension
- Boeing clearing out of Commercial Airplanes HQ as remote work continues: report
- These are the safest states during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Third stimulus check: Why some Americans should file their taxes ASAP for a bigger payment
- Will more stimulus follow Democrats' $1.9 trillion relief bill?

#The Flashback: CLICK HERE to find out what happened on "This Day in History."

SOME PARTING WORDS

Stephen Miller, a senior adviser to former President Donald Trump, discussed the Democratic immigration plan with Laura Ingraham on "The Ingraham Angle" on Thursday night, calling it, "the most radical immigration bill ever written, ever drafted, ever submitted in the history of this country."

"It is breathtaking," he added. "Just a few examples: Under this bill, every single illegal alien in this country who merely submits an application to the U.S. government, if they want to work, they are work-authorized – immediately. Just submit the application, you are work-authorized.

"Furthermore, every employer in the country is immediately allowed to hire illegal aliens – even if they haven’t even submitted their applications. In other words, you may hire an illegal alien if they haven’t submitted their applications."

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Fox News First was compiled by Fox News' Jack Durschlag. Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! Stay safe and we’ll see you in your inbox first thing Monday.