House Republicans on Thursday will demand to know whose decision it was to keep Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s hospital stays a secret from the White House and Congress.
In a hearing before the GOP-led House Armed Services Committee, Austin has been called to testify for the first time since undergoing surgery for prostate cancer and being treated for underlying complications.
White House officials said they were unaware of Austin’s situation until he had been hospitalized for several days in the intensive care unit.
“It’s totally unacceptable that it took over 3 days to inform the President that the Secretary of Defense was in the hospital and not in control of the Pentagon,” said Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican chairman of Alabama, in remarks prepared for Thursday.
“Wars were raging in Ukraine and Israel, our ships were under fire in the Red Sea, and our bases were bracing for attack in Iraq and Syria. But the Commander in Chief did not know that his Secretary of Defense was out of action,” according to Rogers’ prepared remarks.
An internal review by the Pentagon concluded there was no indication of “ill intent or an attempt to obfuscate” by Austin’s aides. Instead, the report found, staff was worried about concerns about medical privacy and unsure of protocol in a rapidly changing situation.
Austin has said he never directed his staff to keep his hospitalization quiet.
But the Pentagon review didn’t answer key questions about about when individual aides became aware of Austin’s condition, why each individual chose not to alert the chain of command and whether the defense secretary himself was advised to alert the White House but chose not to. It’s also unclear if Austin’s aides instructed others within the department not to share the information.
In his testimony on Thursday, Austin was expected to say the mishap was his responsibility.
Earlier this month, Austin described the cancer diagnosis as a “gut punch” and said his first instinct was to keep it private. That was a mistake, he said.
“We did not handle this right. I did not handle this right,” Austin said.
Several large wildfires continue to tear through northern Texas, including one that has grown into the second-largest blaze in state history.
The Smokehouse Creek Fire that ignited in Hutchinson County remained active as of Wednesday night, having burned an estimated 850,000 acres and was just 3% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. The flames, which cover an area roughly the size of Rhode Island, have spread across state lines into parts of Oklahoma.
Hutchinson County Public Engagement Coordinator Deidra Thomas confirmed there was at least one wildfire-related fatality in the small town of Stinnett, Texas, according to Amarillo ABC affiliate KVII.
The Windy Deuce Fire that ignited in Moore County was also still active as of Wednesday night, having burned an estimated 142,000 acres and was 30% contained. The Grape Vine Fire that ignited in nearby Gray County had burned an estimated 30,000 acres and was 60% contained as of early Wednesday, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.
The raging wildfires have consumed swathes of the Turkey Track Ranch, a 120-year-old, 80,000-acre private property located along the Canadian River in the Texas Panhandle. The sprawling, historic ranch has been up for sale and is listed at $180 million.
“The loss of livestock, crops, and wildlife, as well as ranch fencing and other infrastructure throughout our property as well as other ranches and homes across the region is, we believe, unparalleled in our history,” managers of the Turkey Track Ranch Family Group said in a statement Wednesday. “Our early assessment estimates that The Turkey Track Ranch has suffered and lost approximately 80% of our pastures, plains, and creek bottom vegetation. We continue to assess the total damage to other infrastructure and the loss of livestock.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday declared a disaster declaration for 60 counties due to “widespread wildfire activity throughout the state.”
The weather forecast for Thursday shows relative humidity will be high, with cooler temperatures and a chance of rain and snow for the Texas Panhandle, which would help with firefighting efforts. Wind gusts could get up to 30 miles per hour, but aren’t expected to be as extreme as they were earlier in the week.
However, unseasonably warm and windy weather is expected to return to wildfire-ravaged region this weekend, creating ideal conditions for critical fire danger. Temperatures in the Texas Panhandle are forecast to surpass 70 and even 80 degrees Fahrenheit from Friday through Sunday, while wind gusts could be 30 to 45 mph.
ABC News’ Max Golembo and Marilyn Heck contributed to this report.
LONDON — Ghana’s parliament has passed a controversial new anti-LGBTQ bill following months of debate that could make it illegal to identify as a citizen of the LGBTQ in the West African nation.
The bill — named the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill — was passed by the national legislature on Wednesday in a unanimous vote by lawmakers.
The proposed law which was sent to ABC News states that it aims to “provide for proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values.”
It now awaits being signed into law by Ghana’s president Nana Akufo-Addo.
The bill is one of the harshest of its kind in Africa and, if signed into law, it could see people who identify as “gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, pansexual, nonbinary, queer … or any other sexual or gender identity that is contrary to the binary categories of male and female” sentenced to up to three years in prison.
Those found guilty of the “promotion, sponsorship or support of LGBTQ+ activities” could also face a prison sentence of up to five years in prison.
Gay sexual acts are already illegal in the West African nation and being convicted of the crime carries a prison sentence of up to three years.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has condemned the passage of the bill, calling for it not to become law.
“The bill broadens the scope of criminal sanctions against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transexual and queer people – simply for being who they are,” said Türk in response to the proposed bill. “I call for the bill not to become law. I urge the Ghanaian government to take steps to ensure everyone can live free from violence, stigma, and discrimination, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Consensual same-sex conduct should never be criminalized.”
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill was first introduced to parliament in 2021 following a wave of anti-LGBTQ sentiments after the opening of Ghana’s first LGBTQ+ community center.
“We did not expect such an uproar,” Alex Kofi Donkor, director of LGBT+ Rights Ghana, which hosted an opening event in Ghana’s capital city of Accra told Reuters in 2021.
“We expected some homophobic organizations would use the opportunity to exploit the situation and stoke tension against the community, but the anti-gay hateful reaction has been unprecedented,” Donkor said.
A total of 31 of Africa’s 54 countries criminalize homosexuality and the passage of Ghana’s bill follows Uganda’s passage of the Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill in 2023.
The United States has said it is “deeply troubled” by the passage of the bill, saying it poses a threat to “Ghanaian’s constitutionally protected freedoms of speech, press and assembly.”
“Ghana’s tradition of tolerance, peace, and respect for human rights is a source of stability and prosperity that has long served as a model for countries around the globe. This legislation is inconsistent with these values and will, if it becomes law, undermine this laudable tradition,” the U.S. State Department said.
At least one person is dead and several others have been injured following a shooting in Orlando, Florida, police said.
At approximately 11 p.m., officers from the Orlando Police Department responded to the area of Iron Wedge Drive and South Lake Orlando in reference to several shots fired and, upon arrival, located multiple victims, including one dead.
“We are working to identify all victims and their conditions,” Orlando police said. “This is an ongoing investigation, once we have more information we will make that available.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Paul Weaver/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
(NEW YORK) — Illinois, Florida and California had the largest total increases in the number of abortions performed in the first 15 months after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, according to data gathered in the WeCount report released by the Society of Family Planning on Wednesday.
Researchers estimate that more than 120,000 people were not able to get abortion care from a provider in their state in the first 15 months after Roe was overturned, according to Dr. Ushma Upadhyay, WeCount co-chair and professor at the University of California, San Francisco.
Illinois had more than 28,000 more abortions than expected in the first 15 months after Roe was overturned, compared to data prior to the Supreme Court decision. In June 2023 alone, Illinois saw a 45.4% increase in the number of abortions compared to April 2022.
Florida had over 15,000 more abortions than expected in the first 15 months after Roe was overturned. In June 2023 alone, Florida saw a 48.2% increase in the number of abortions performed in the state compared to April 2022, before Roe was overturned.
California had over 12,000 more abortions than expected in the first 15 months after Roe. The state saw an 11.2% increase in the number of abortions performed in June 2023 alone, compared to April 2022.
While the majority of the surges in the number of abortions were in states that bordered bans, the report also found increases in states distant from bans including New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts.
Meanwhile, the report found that there were only 10 abortions performed in Texas in June 2023, a sharp 99.7% decline when compared to April 2022.
In the 14 states that have ceased nearly all abortion services, there were over 120,000 fewer abortions compared to before Roe was overturned. The states with the greatest decline in abortion volume include Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana and Alabama, according to the report.
The report highlighted that 16% of all abortion care provided nationwide was provided via Telehealth. In September 2023 there were 13,770 Telehealth abortions.
“For people who are not able to travel from a state with an abortion ban some have gotten medication abortion through mail, as described in the telehealth data. Others have been forced to remain pregnant against their will,” Upadhyay said.
“We don’t know from our WeCount data, what happens to the people who can’t get out of their states and don’t get pills by mail, or how many of them are forced to stay pregnant,” Upadhyay said.
(MONTGOMERY, Ala.) — Authorities on Wednesday released images of an unknown person of interest as they investigate an explosive device left outside the Alabama attorney general’s office.
The device was detonated outside the AG’s office in Montgomery at about 3:42 a.m. Saturday, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said.
No injuries or damage was reported and the area was deemed safe, the agency said.
The ALEA, FBI and Alabama Attorney General’s Office are now asking the public to help them identify a person of interest who they say “may have information related to this crime,” the ALEA said in a statement Wednesday.
While a motive has not been released, the incident came one day after Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said he wouldn’t prosecute in vitro fertilization providers or families in the wake of a state Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos should be considered children.
Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit information online here.
(AMARILLO, Texas) — Multiple fires are impacting the Texas Panhandle, including what has quickly grown to become the second-largest wildfire in Texas history.
Gov. Greg Abbott declared a disaster declaration for 60 counties on Tuesday due to “widespread wildfire activity throughout the state.” The largest of the blazes — the Smokehouse Creek Fire — has burned an estimated 850,000 acres since initially reported on Monday and was 3% contained as of Wednesday afternoon, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.
The massive blaze is the second-largest wildfire in the state’s history, with Texas A&M Forest Service records going back to 1988. The largest fire in the state’s history is the East Amarillo Complex of 2006, which burned 907,245 acres.
The Texas A&M Forest Service is also monitoring several other wildfires in the region. They include the Windy Deuce Fire, which is an estimated 90,000 acres and 25% contained as of midday Wednesday, and the Grapevine Creek Fire, which is an estimated 30,000 acres and 60% contained as of Tuesday night. The agency alerted the public about both fires on Monday.
Several factors came together to produce an extreme wildfire event in the area, according to the National Weather Service.
Tough terrain with fuel to burn
The Smokehouse Creek Fire began in the Canadian River Valley, more rugged terrain than the flat area of the Texas Panhandle that is harder to access, according to Mike Gittinger, head meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Amarillo.
“The initial fire attack by firefighters was delayed due to the topography,” Gittinger told ABC News. “Also, that area has more vegetation, since it’s near the river, not just grassland, hence more fuel for burning.”
Wet conditions over the spring and summer last year means more fuel to burn now, Gittinger said.
“Parts of the Texas Panhandle received up to 13 inches of rain in just 30 days — this was months worth of rain for the area,” Gittinger said. “Due to this factor, vegetation was able to grow and be available to burn with this fire.”
Hot, dry, windy conditions
February is shaping up to be one of the top-10 warmest on record for Amarillo. The temperature on Monday in Amarillo hit a record 82 degrees — helping dry things out more and enhance the fire.
Winds gusted to 50 mph on Monday and 70 mph on Tuesday in the Amarillo area, along with very low relative humidity, which also helped the fire spread.
Climatologically speaking, the Texas Panhandle is entering the peak of its wildfire season — March and April. At this time of the year, the vegetation was dormant, due to the earlier winter freeze, so it was extra dry.
Forecast
As the Smokehouse Creek Fire burns largely out of control, the next 48 hours are expected to see improving conditions — including lighter winds with increased humidity and a chance for rain and snow.
By this weekend, winds are expected to increase once again — gusting 30 to 45 mph — and temperatures are expected to return into the 70s, well above the average of 59 degrees. However, overall fire weather conditions are forecast to not be as critical.
(WASHINGTON) — House and Senate leaders on Wednesday reached a bipartisan deal to avert a partial government shutdown ahead of Friday’s looming deadline.
Under the terms of the deal, the House is expected to vote Thursday on a temporary funding bill. The Senate will vote soon after.
With Democratic support, the legislation is expected to pass the House. It could face procedural hurdles in the Senate if one member objects to expediting the voting process, potentially pushing a vote past the shutdown deadline.
With Democratic support, the legislation is expected to pass the House. It could face procedural hurdles in the Senate if one member objects to expediting the voting process, potentially pushing a vote past the shutdown deadline.
If it passes, the deal would avert a partial shutdown this Friday of roughly 20% of the government, and create new funding deadlines: March 8 for that 20% and March 22 for the remaining 80%.
A March 8 deadline could leave President Joe Biden delivering his State of the Union address the night before the deadline to avert a partial shutdown.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(NEW YORK) — More than 570,000 people in Gaza are on the brink of experiencing famine levels of hunger amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, according to a United Nations official.
About one-quarter of the population — 576,000 people — are “one step away from famine” and facing a “grave situation,” Ramesh Rajasingham, director of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said during a briefing Tuesday.
One in six children under the age of 2 in northern Gaza is suffering from acute malnutrition, he said, and that it was predicted the entire population of Gaza would be suffering from high levels of food insecurity by February 2024, which would be the highest share of a population worldwide ever recorded.
“Practically the entire population of Gaza [is] left to rely on woefully inadequate humanitarian food assistance to survive,” Rajasingham said. “Unfortunately, as grim as the picture we see today, there is every possibility for further deterioration.”
Rajasingham said the military operations being carried out in Gaza, as well as the restrictions on what goods can enter the strip, have had a detrimental effect on food production and agriculture.
Since the terrorist group Hamas came to power in 2007, Israel — with the support of Egypt — has restricted the movement of goods and people in and out of Gaza. Following Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel in October 2023, Israel tightened those restrictions and increased inspections, with Israeli officials saying they were attempting to limit Hamas’ access to weapons.
The U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has previously said Israel doesn’t provide enough authorization to deliver sufficient aid and, even when it does give authorization, the fighting makes it difficult to deliver that aid. Israel disputes the criticisms.
The Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday said it helped with humanitarian aid airdrops this week in cooperation with the United States, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar, Egypt and France, transferring about 160 packages of food and medical equipment to some 17 locations in southern Gaza on Tuesday. According to the Israeli prime minister’s office, 174 aid trucks entered Monday and a convoy of 31 trucks carrying food made its way to northern Gaza, adding that almost 50 trucks were transferred to northern Gaza over the past three days. Israeli officials have said Hamas steals aid once it enters Gaza and claim looting is also a problem.
Israel has denied accusations that it isn’t letting enough aid into Gaza, with officials saying the U.N., its partners and other aid agencies have created logistical challenges, resulting in a bottleneck. The U.N. disputes these claims.
The IDF did not address images released of people standing on the Gaza shoreline and rushing to receive the aid as it fell during an airdrop Monday.
The northern Gaza Strip has been isolated by the Israeli military and largely cut off for months now, according to the U.N., which, along with multiple aid organizations, continues to warn about the threat of famine for those still living there.
“Food security experts warn of complete agricultural collapse in northern Gaza by May if conditions persist, with fields and productive assets damaged, destroyed or inaccessible,” Rajasingham said Tuesday. “Many have had little choice but to abandon productive farmland due to evacuation orders and repeated displacement.”
Additionally, the limited amounts of water, fuel and electricity have stopped food production, Rajasingham said, and Gaza’s mills ceased operations in November. Fishing has also been halted due to sea access for boats being cut off, according to Rajasingham.
This is not the first time humanitarian organizations have warned about the population of Gaza potentially facing starvation.
In December 2023, nonprofit CARE International shared an Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report that said 100% of the Gazan population is facing a hunger crisis, and though Gazans are facing varying levels of hunger, “virtually all households are skipping meals every day.”
Hamas officials have previously called on the World Health Organization to declare the Gaza Strip a “famine zone.” Some people in northern Gaza have told ABC News they’re using bird feed in place of flour to stave off starvation.
Since Hamas’ unprecedented surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, more than 29,954 people have been killed in Gaza and more than 70,325 others have been injured, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. More than 1,200 people have been killed in Israel since Oct. 7, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office. Israeli officials say 576 IDF soldiers have been killed, including 237 since the ground operations in Gaza began.
(WASHINGTON) — The Supreme Court has agreed to hear Donald Trump’s appeal of a unanimous lower court decision rejecting his claims of sweeping presidential immunity in the face of a special counsel case against him for alleged election interference in 2020.
The justices said they will take up this question in oral arguments the week of April 22.
Trump is facing four felony counts, including conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction, in connection with his plot to remain in power. He pleaded not guilty to the charges last year.
A trial date was initially set for March 4 but was pushed back due to Trump’s attempts to have the case dismissed on the grounds he is totally immune from prosecution for any actions taken while he was serving in the White House.
Trump’s immunity claim presents novel legal questions for the judicial system, as he is the first president (current or former) to ever face criminal charges.
Two courts have already rejected his immunity arguments, the most recent being a three-judge panel in the U.S. Court of Appeals.
“For the purpose of this criminal case, former President Trump has become citizen Trump, with all of the defenses of any other criminal defendant,” the judges wrote. “Former President Trump lacked any lawful discretionary authority to defy federal criminal law and he is answerable in court for his conduct.”
The judges warned that if his stance were accepted, it would “collapse our system of separated powers.”
Trump’s team swiftly filed a request to the U.S. Supreme Court asking them to stay the ruling, stating the justices should allow the appeals process to play out given the stakes for the 2024 election.
The special counsel urged the nation’s highest court to deny Trump’s request.
“The charged crimes strike at the heart of our democracy,” Smith’s team wrote in a filing. “A President’s alleged criminal scheme to overturn an election and thwart the peaceful transfer of power to his successor should be the last place to recognize a novel form of absolute immunity from federal criminal law.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
