 More than 1.7 million homes and businesses in Texas lacking electricity. Beryl is now in the northeast U.S. Also at townhall.com, Israel's defense minister announcing the country will begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men in the military next month. Many of Israel's ultra-Orthodox Jews believe military service is incompatible with their way of life. Other Israelis argue that the long-standing exemption is unfairly burdensome and investigative.