Turkey earthquake live updates: Fevered rescues underway as death toll tops 11,500 in Turkey, Syria

February 8, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — More than 11,500 people are dead after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked southeastern Turkey and northwestern Syria early Monday, according to officials.

The pre-dawn quake was centered in the town of Pazarcik in Turkey’s southeastern Kahramanmaras province and was followed by several powerful aftershocks. Thousands of buildings were toppled on both sides of the border, and the death toll was expected to rise as rescue workers searched for survivors in the massive piles of rubble.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Feb 08, 12:50 PM EST
Turkey stock exchange suspended

Istanbul’s stock exchange operator suspended trading for five days in an unprecedented step and announced that all trades that took place on Wednesday would be canceled in the wake of the earthquake.

“Due to the increase in volatility and extraordinary price movements after the earthquake disaster; in order to ensure the reliable, transparent, efficient, stable, fair and competitive functioning of the markets, Equity Market and Equity & Index Derivatives in the Derivatives Market have been closed,” Borsa Istanbul, the stock exchange operator, said in a statement on Wednesday.

-ABC News’ Will Gretsky

Feb 08, 10:46 AM EST
Death toll tops 11,500 in Turkey, Syria

The death toll in Monday’s earthquake is now up to 11,577, according to authorities in Turkey and Syria.

The massive earthquake and powerful aftershocks have killed at least 9,057 people and injured 40,910 others in southeastern Turkey, according to the Turkey Disaster and Emergency Management Authority.

Meanwhile, at least 2,520 were killed and 4,654 were injured in both government- and rebel-controlled areas of northwestern Syria, according to combined figures from the Syrian Ministry of Health and the Syrian civil defense and medical group that operates in opposition-held areas, known as the White Helmets.

-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti

Feb 08, 9:16 AM EST
Over 600 aftershocks since Monday’s quake

Since a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southeastern Turkey before dawn on Monday, there have been a total of at least 648 aftershocks in the region.

Feb 08, 6:17 AM EST
Death toll tops 11,000 in Turkey, Syria

Monday’s massive earthquake and powerful aftershocks have killed at least 8,574 people and injured 40,910 others in southeastern Turkey, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Meanwhile, at least 2,520 were killed and 4,654 were injured in both government- and rebel-controlled areas of northwestern Syria, according to combined figures from the Syrian Ministry of Health and the Syrian civil defense and a medical group that operates in opposition-held areas, known as the White Helmets.

Feb 07, 10:42 PM EST
CENTCOM prepares to support quake relief efforts

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Tuesday that it is prepared to support the earthquake relief efforts.

CENTCOM said it’s working with U.S. European Command to work through options to send support to the hard-hit country.

-ABC News’ Luis Martinez

Feb 07, 10:31 PM EST
70 countries, 14 international organizations offer aid to Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that approximately 70 countries and 14 international organizations have offered aid to Turkey.

The United Nations announced a $25 million grant from the U.N. Central Emergency Response Fund to help “provide urgent life-saving assistance in the region,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the secretary-general of the United Nations, said Tuesday.

The U.S. is sending two American urban search and rescue teams with 170,000 pounds of specialized tools and equipment to impacted regions in Turkey.

According to the E.U., 19 member countries, including Croatia, Estonia, France, Spain and Greece, have offered support to Turkey.

Greece sent a team of 21 rescuers, two rescue dogs and a special rescue vehicle, along with a structural engineer, five doctors and seismic planning experts in a military transport plane to Turkey, according to The Associated Press.

Israel sent the IDF Medical and a delegation from the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Health to southern Turkey on Wednesday to create a “field hospital” and provide additional support.

According to the Russian news service Interfax, Russia sent rescue teams from the Emergency Ministry to help with cleanup efforts in Syria on Tuesday.

China will provide $6 million in aid to Turkey, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said. The country will also deploy “heavy urban rescue teams and medical teams” to provide “relief materials urgently needed” by the Turkish.

Mexico sent rescue teams to Turkey to assist with humanitarian recovery efforts from the earthquake, including 16 of their search and rescue dogs.

-ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman, Jordana Miller, Shannon Crawford, Christine Theodorou, Natalia Shumskaia, Anastasia Bagaeva and Emma Ogao

Feb 07, 4:17 PM EST
Death toll rises to over 7,700 in Turkey, Syria

The death toll from Monday’s earthquake is now 7,766 according to officials.

The massive earthquake and powerful aftershocks have killed at least 5,894 people in southeastern Turkey, according to the latest figures from the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority.

Meanwhile, at least 1,872 were killed in both government- and rebel-controlled areas of northwestern Syria, according to combined figures from the Syrian Ministry of Health and the Syrian civil defense and medical group that operates in opposition-held areas, known as the White Helmets.

-ABC News’ Will Gretsky

Feb 07, 3:45 PM EST
Baby born in earthquake rubble in Syria

A baby girl has been rescued after she was born amid the earthquake rubble in Jindires, Syria, according to The Associated Press.

None of her family survived, according to the AP.

Feb 07, 3:43 PM EST
4-year-old girl pulled from rubble

A 4 year-old girl has been pulled from the rubble of a destroyed building, 42 hours after the devastating earthquake struck.

The little girl, named Beyza, is in good health, the Antalya Municipality Search and Rescue Team told ABC News.

Her parents remain trapped in the building.

-ABC News’ Marcus Moore

Feb 07, 3:09 PM EST
American search and rescue teams to start work Wednesday

Stephen Allen, USAID’s Disaster Assistance Response Team leader for the agency’s earthquake response, said his top priority is getting two American urban search and rescue teams to the region.

“Every hour does count in the first few days,” he said.

The responders are en route to Turkey, where they are expected to land at Incirlik Air Base in Adana Wednesday morning local time, Allen said. They’ll immediately start the long journey to Adıyaman, a city in southeastern Turkey that’s been heavily impacted by the quake, but has not had access to many search and rescue teams, Allen said.

The Americans are bringing about 170,000 pounds of specialized tools and equipment, including hydraulic concrete breaking gear, saws, torches, drills and advanced medical supplies to treat and triage the wounded, he said. They will also have about a dozen dogs who Allen said will play a “very key” role in looking for survivors strapped in the rubble.

Sending search and rescue teams to a disaster site so far away is “not something that we would normally do, frankly,” he said, however Turkey officials asked for assistance because its own considerable national search and rescue capabilities are outmatched by the “size and scale” of the devastation.

“I do need to emphasize the level of devastation, the level of damage, and the expected result in loss of life is massive. It’s massive,” he said.

-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford

Feb 07, 2:37 PM EST
Death toll rises to over 7,000 in Turkey, Syria

The death toll from Monday’s earthquake is now 7,266, according to officials.

The massive earthquake and powerful aftershocks have killed at least 5,434 people in southeastern Turkey, according to the latest figures from the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority.

Meanwhile, at least 1,832 were killed in both government- and rebel-controlled areas of northwestern Syria, according to combined figures from the Syrian Ministry of Health and the Syrian civil defense and medical group that operates in opposition-held areas, known as the White Helmets.

-ABC News’ Will Gretsky

Feb 07, 1:24 PM EST
Mexico sends rescue dogs to Turkey

Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard tweeted photos and videos of rescue dogs headed from Mexico to Turkey to help with the rescue operations.

Feb 07, 1:08 PM EST
Major port suffers damage in earthquake

The Port of Iskenderun in southern Turkey sustained heavy damage on Monday.

The port, located on the Mediterranean coast in the southern province of Hatay, was damaged due to the earthquake that struck Turkey and neighboring Syria.

“The Port of Iskenderun remains closed until further notice, as teams look to repair the significant damage caused by the disaster and subsequent fire,” shipping group AP Moller Maersk said in a statement Tuesday. “We are currently unable to say exactly how long operations will be stopped at the port, but we will keep customers informed of the latest developments as soon as possible.”

Maersk said it was not accepting any new bookings to or from the port and were developing contingency plans with nearby hubs.

-ABC News’ Will Gretsky

Feb 07, 12:41 PM EST
Death toll rises to over 6,200 in Turkey, Syria

The death toll from Monday’s earthquake is now 6,256, according to officials.

The massive earthquake and powerful aftershocks have killed at least 4,544 people in southeastern Turkey, according to the latest figures from the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority.

Meanwhile, at least 1,712 were killed in both government- and rebel-controlled areas of northwestern Syria, according to combined figures from the Syrian Ministry of Health and the Syrian civil defense and medical group that operates in opposition-held areas, known as the White Helmets.

-ABC News’ Will Gretsky

Feb 07, 11:02 AM EST
Professional soccer player among the injured

Christian Atsu, a professional soccer player for the Turkish team Hatayspor, was among the more than 8,000 people rescued from the rubble in Turkey, according to his team.

Atsu was injured in the quake. The sporting director for Atsu’s team remains under the rubble, according to a team vice president.

Atsu was on Ghana’s 2014 World Cup team and also played for Newcastle United in the English Premier League.

-ABC News’ Will Gretsky

Feb 07, 9:16 AM EST
150,000 people left homeless in Turkey

At least 150,000 people in Turkey have been left homeless due to Monday’s deadly earthquake and aftershocks, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Feb 07, 9:13 AM EST
Twenty-three million people affected in Turkey, Syria

Some 23 million people in Turkey and Syria have been affected by Monday’s massive earthquake and powerful aftershocks, according to Turkish and Syrian authorities.

About 13.5 million of them are in Turkey, according to Turkish Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum.

Rescue efforts have been hampered by snow and freezing temperatures in the 10 affected Turkish provinces, Kurum said during a press conference Tuesday in the city of Gaziantep, near the quake’s epicenter.

Feb 07, 9:00 AM EST
Turkey declares three-month state of emergency

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday declared a disaster zone in the 10 southeastern provinces affected by the devastating earthquakes, imposing a state of emergency in the region for at least three months.

Erdogan said 70 countries have offered to help with the search and rescue operations in Turkey and that his government plans to open up hotels in the southwestern resort city of Antalya to temporarily house people impacted by the disaster.

Feb 07, 7:32 AM EST
Over 8,000 people rescued in Turkey

More than 8,000 people have been rescued in southeastern Turkey since a powerful earthquake and aftershocks struck the region, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Some 24,000 first responders are on the ground, including more than 3,200 first responders from 14 other countries who traveled to Turkey to assist with the massive search and rescue effort following Monday’s quake. They are carefully combing through the wreckage and looking for survivors amid the 6,000 buildings that have been either damaged or destroyed, according to Oktay.

Feb 07, 7:04 AM EST
Death toll tops 5,000

Monday’s massive earthquake and powerful aftershocks have killed at least 3,419 people and injured another 20,534 in southeastern Turkey, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay announced during a press conference on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, at least 1,603 were killed and 3,649 injured in both government- and rebel-controlled areas of northwestern Syria, according to combined figures from the Syrian Ministry of Health, the Syrian civil defense and a medical group that operates in opposition-held areas, known as the White Helmets.

Feb 07, 6:41 AM EST
ABC News witnesses rescue operation in Diyarbakir, Turkey

More than 24 hours after devastating earthquakes, ABC News reporters on the ground are witnessing the fevered effort to rescue survivors at a collapsed apartment building in southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir.

ABC News learned that crews had recently rescued a woman from what used to be an eight-story apartment building, where the top half now rests on three flattened floors below. The front wall had fallen away, exposing what used to be homes with furniture, pillows and air conditioning units.

In and around the collapsed building, there was a flurry of activity — but then a moment when it all came to a grinding halt. Generators were turned off, everyone stopped talking and the block went silent. Search and rescue teams thought they may have found another survivor. It was quiet for several minutes, but then the urgent effort returns.

Rescuers continued working in the cold, wet weather while also facing the threat of aftershocks. None of that has deterred them. They know this is a race against time.

Feb 06, 9:39 PM EST
More than 4,000 people dead in Turkey, Syria following earthquake: AFAD

The death toll continues to climb in Turkey and Syria 24 hours after the earthquake struck.

More than 4,300 people have died in the two countries following the devastating earthquake, officials said.

According to the Turkish Emergency and Disaster Management Organization (AFAD), 2,921 people have died in the country from the earthquake, with 15,834 people sustaining injuries.

Approximately 6,217 buildings have collapsed and about 7,840 people have been rescued from the debris and rubble, according to AFAD officials.

In Syria, 1,411 people have died since the earthquake struck the region, officials said.

Feb 06, 6:12 PM EST
Biden calls Erdogan, offers support following quake

President Biden called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this afternoon, following the earthquake that caused devastation in Turkey and Syria, the White House said.

Biden extended condolences and “reaffirmed the readiness of the United States to provide any and all needed assistance to our NATO Ally [Turkey] in response to this tragedy,” according to the White House.

“[Biden] noted that U.S. teams are deploying quickly to support Turkish search and rescue efforts and coordinate other assistance that may be required by people affected by the earthquakes, including health services or basic relief items,” the White House said.

-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson

Feb 06, 5:16 PM EST
No US citizens among Turkey casualties so far: State Dept.

State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters Monday that while the department has not confirmed that any Americans were killed in the recent earthquakes abroad, officials were “realistic” about the high chances of that changing.

“We’re all very sober about the implications of this and the fact that many countries, many nationalities are likely to be implicated just given the massive toll and destruction that this earthquake has cost,” Price said.

In the meantime, he confirmed that all State Department staff in Turkey are accounted for.

The American consulate in Adana, Turkey, would be able to host first responders coming in from foreign countries, Price added.

-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford

Feb 06, 4:54 PM EST
13,000 injured in Turkey

As the death toll climbs to 2,316 in Turkey, another 13,000 people in the country are reported to be injured, according to Turkish Emergency Management.

At least 5,606 buildings in Turkey have been completely destroyed, according to Turkish Emergency Management.

-ABC News’ Will Gretsky

Feb 06, 4:25 PM EST
Death toll climbs to 3,700

At least 3,727 lives have been lost in the devastating quake.

The death toll in Turkey has climbed to 2,379 across 10 Turkish provinces, according to Turkish Emergency Management.

In Syria, at least 1,411 people died in three cities, according to the Syrian Health Ministry.

-ABC News’ Will Gretsky

Feb 06, 2:04 PM EST
Death toll climbs over 2,700

At least 2,701 lives have been lost in the devastating quake.

The death toll in Turkey has climbed to 1,651 across 10 Turkish provinces, according to Turkish Emergency Management.

In Syria, at least 1,050 people died in three cities, according to the Syrian Health Ministry.

Feb 06, 1:28 PM EST
Turkey declares seven days of mourning

Turkey has declared a seven-day mourning period in the wake of the devastating quake, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

“Our flag will be hoisted at half-mast until sunset on Sunday, February 12, 2023, in all our country and foreign representations,” Erdogan said.

More than 3,400 buildings in Turkey have been destroyed and over 11,000 people are hurt, according to Turkish officials.

Feb 06, 1:19 PM EST
US deploying two search and rescue teams

The U.S. is deploying two 79-person urban search and rescue teams to Turkey, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said.

“The president has authorized an immediate U.S. response. So right now, in addition to personnel currently on the ground, we are in the process of deploying additional teams, including two 79-person urban search and rescue teams, to support Turkish search and rescue efforts and to help address the needs of all those who have been hurt or displaced by the earthquake,” Kirby said.

Feb 06, 12:40 PM EST
Death toll nears 2,500

At least 2,494 people have died in Turkey and Syria.

The death toll in Turkey has climbed to 1,651 across 10 Turkish provinces, according to the Turkish Emergency Management Agency.

In Syria, at least 843 people have been killed in three cities, according to the Syrian Health Ministry.

Feb 06, 11:34 AM EST
No casualties on US base

There are no known casualties among U.S. personnel assigned to Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, and no major damage to facilities, a base spokesperson told ABC News.

The base is roughly 125 miles from the earthquake’s epicenter.

The 39th Air Base Wing at Incirlik “is still mission operational,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

The Air Force is prepared to assist Turkey if called upon, according to the spokesperson.

Feb 06, 11:03 AM EST
More than 4,200 buildings destroyed

More than 2,800 buildings across Turkey have been completely destroyed, according to Turkey’s Emergency Management Agency, while over 1,400 buildings were demolished in Syria, according the Syrian Civil Defense Agency.

At least 45 nations have pledged to send volunteers and other aid to Turkey, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

Feb 06, 10:45 AM EST
Death toll climbs to 2,300

At least 2,343 people have died in Turkey and Syria.

The death toll in Turkey has climbed to 1,500 across 10 Turkish provinces, according to the Turkish Emergency Management Agency.

In Syria, at least 843 people have been killed in three cities, according to the Syrian Health Ministry.

Feb 06, 9:54 AM EST
Biden ‘deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation’

President Joe Biden tweeted that he’s “deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation” from the earthquake.

“I have directed my team to continue to closely monitor the situation in coordination with Turkey and provide any and all needed assistance,” he tweeted.

Feb 06, 9:14 AM EST
UK deploys emergency response teams to Turkey

The United Kingdom announced Monday it is “immediately” deploying emergency response teams to Turkey to assist rescue efforts following a deadly earthquake and powerful aftershocks.

According to a press release from the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, 76 U.K. search and rescue specialists, four search dogs as well as rescue equipment will arrive in Turkey on Monday evening. A U.K. emergency medical team is also being sent to assess the situation on the ground.

“We stand ready to provide further support as needed,” U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in a statement.

In northwestern Syria, where the quake was also felt, the U.K.-aid funded volunteer organization White Helmets has activated a significant search and rescue response and mobilized all its resources to respond to emerging needs. The U.K. government is in contact with the United Nations on emergency humanitarian support to those affected in Syria, according to the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

“The British Embassy in Ankara is in close contact with the Turkish authorities to understand how we can best support those on the ground,” Jill Morris, British Ambassador-Designate to Türkiye said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with all those affected by the earthquakes today We pay tribute to the brave Turkish first responders working to save lives.”

The U.K. government’s announcement came on the heels of the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) declaring a “level 4 alarm” in the wake of the pre-dawn earthquake, calling for international assistance.

Feb 06, 7:25 AM EST
Monday’s quake was as powerful as the strongest ever recorded in Turkey

Monday’s deadly earthquake in Turkey, which was felt in Syria and other surrounding countries, was as strong as the most powerful one on record in Turkish history.

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck northeastern Turkey in 1939, killing approximately 30,000 people. Monday’s quake in southeastern Turkey had the same magnitude, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Earthquakes frequently occur in Turkey, which is situated on top of major fault lines.

Some 18,000 people were killed in powerful earthquakes that hit northwestern Turkey in 1999.

Feb 06, 7:02 AM EST
7.5 magnitude aftershock hits Turkey

Several hours after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked southeastern Turkey early Monday, a powerful aftershock measuring 7.5 hit the country’s Kahramanmaras province around 1:30 p.m. local time, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Feb 06, 5:42 AM EST
Death toll jumps to over 1,200 in Turkey, Syria

Monday’s earthquake has killed at least 912 people in several Turkish provinces and injured 5,382 others, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced during a press conference.

Thousands of buildings were destroyed, Erdogan said.

Turkey’s disaster and emergency management agency, AFAD, is deploying 1,898 search and rescue workers along with 150 vehicles in response to the deadly earthquake. Turkey’s national police force has deployed 130 tactical unit members with mobile command centers and kitchens to the city of Kahramanmaras, near the quake’s epicenter. A total of 300,000 blankets were also sent to the region, which is deep in winter weather.

Meanwhile, at least 239 people were killed and some 600 were injured in government-held areas of Syria, according to Syrian state media. In rebel-controlled areas, at least 147 people were killed, according to the Syrian civil defense and medical group that operates in opposition-held areas, known as the White Helmets.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a United Kingdom-based monitoring group, put the overall death toll at 320.

Feb 06, 12:12 AM EST
US ‘profoundly concerned’ by ‘destructive earthquake’ in Turkey, Syria

The United States “is profoundly concerned” by the reports of the “destructive earthquake” in Turkey and Syria, and “will continue to closely monitor the situation,” U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement late Sunday night.

“We stand ready to provide any and all needed assistance,” Sullivan added, noting that U.S. President Joe Biden “has directed USAID and other federal government partners to assess U.S. response options to help those most affected.”

The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake in Turkey at magnitude of 7.8.

-ABC News’ Lauren Minore

Zelenskyy addresses Parliament in London as UK prepares to increase ‘lethal aid,’ military training

February 8, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Victoria Jones/PA Images via Getty Images

(LONDON) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed Parliament in London on Wednesday, as the United Kingdom announced plans to increase its deliveries of “lethal aid.”

“I have come here to stand before you on behalf of the brave,” Zelenskyy said after receiving a standing ovation from members of both Houses of Parliament.

He thanked Britain for training troops “who will be then deployed to the front line — front line — skilled, eager and equipped to win.”

The visit was Zelenkyy’s second known international trip since the Russian invasion began almost a year ago. The trip underscored the United Kingdom’s “unbreakable friendship” with Ukraine, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in a statement.

Downing Street announced the surprise visit on Wednesday morning, saying it comes as the United Kingdom expands it training for Ukrainian armed forces. Zelenskyy also met with King Charles at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, after saying he wanted to thank him for his support.

“The King was an Air Force pilot, and In Ukraine every Air Force pilot is a king,” Zelenskyy told Parliament members.

Zelenskyy and Sunak were expected to discuss what the United Kingdom’s described as its “two-pronged” approach to aiding Ukraine, which included a “surge” in the supply of military equipment and long-term support with training for troops.

“As part of today’s talks, the Prime Minister will offer to bolster the UK’s training offer for Ukrainian troops, including expanding it to fighter jet pilots to ensure Ukraine can defend its skies well into the future” U.K. officials said in a statement.

About 10,000 Ukrainian troops have been trained in the United Kingdom in the last six months, officials said. More than 20,000 additional troops are expected to be trained this year.

British officials said they expected the program to continue scaling throughout the year. Zelenskyy on Wednesday planned to meet with U.K. defense officials to discuss the training.

“I am proud that today we will expand that training from soldiers to marines and fighter jet pilots, ensuring Ukraine has a military able to defend its interests well into the future,” Sunak said in a statement ahead of the visit.

British officials said they planned on Wednesday to also announce further sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion. The sanctions will target people who’ve helped Russian President Vladimir Putin build personal wealth, along with “companies who are profiting from the Kremlin’s war machine,” officials said.

Zelesnkyy also laid out a proposal under which any country that acts as an aggressor or terrorist state will eventually be held financially responsible for its crimes.

He called an eventual victory for Ukraine and its allies the “most important victory of our lifetime,” which would amount to a warning for Russia and any other countries considering attacking a sovereign neighbor.

“Any aggressor is going to lose,” he said.

ABC News’ Joe Simonetti, Guy Davies and Zoe Magee contributed to this report.

What to know about Texas ruling that could see abortion drug taken off the market

February 8, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A ruling from a federal judge in Texas — that may come as soon as Friday — could potentially block use of an abortion medication across the United States.

A lawsuit is asking that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone be revoked and that the drug be pulled from the market.

If the judge rules in favor of the plaintiffs, there would be a nationwide injunction on mifepristone, affecting even states where the procedure is legal. Another drug used in combination with mifepristone for abortions, called misoprostol, would still be available, but it’s not approved by the FDA to be used for abortions on its own.

Abortion rights groups fear the decision will restrict abortion even more so than the Supreme Court did when it overturned Roe v. Wade last summer.

“This would be devastating,” Kirsten Moore, director of the EMAA Project, which works to expand access to medication abortion, told ABC News of the ruling’s impact. “This would be taking an FDA approved drug off the market for no public health reason.”

What is mifepristone?

Mifepristone is a drug typically used in combination with another drug to induce an abortion or to help manage an early miscarriage.

The medication works by blocking the hormone progesterone, which the body needs to continue a pregnancy.

This causes the uterine lining to stop thickening and to break down, detaching the embryo. The second drug, misoprostol, taken 24 to 48 hours later, causes the uterus to contract and dilates the cervix, which will expel the embryo.

Mifepristone was authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2000. In the U.S., the drugs are approved up to 10 weeks’ gestation, although the World Health Organization says they can be taken up until the 12-week mark.

Medication abortion now accounts for more than half of all abortion in the U.S., according to the Guttmacher Institute.

In December 2021, the FDA announced it permanently lifted its restriction that abortion pills had to be dispensed in-person. Last month, it went further by allowing retail pharmacies to provide the drug too, either by mail or in person, so long as they meet certain requirements.

What is the lawsuit?

In November 2022, a lawsuit was filed by Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian conservative legal advocacy group working to outlaw abortion, on behalf of four anti-abortion medical groups and four physicians, who claim they have used the drug to treat patients.

The FDA says mifepristone is safe and effective when used as directed and no new safety concerns have arisen in the more than two decades since it was approved.

ADF claims the federal health agency “chose politics over science and approved chemical abortion drugs for use in the United States,” according to the lawsuit.

The 113-page lawsuit also argues the FDA exceeded its authority and ignored “intense side effects” because it was under pressure to approve the drug under then-U.S. President Bill Clinton.

“This case is unusual, because it’s challenging a drug that’s been on the market for over 20 years and extremely safe,” Rabia Muqaddam, a senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, told ABC News. “The evidence that they suggest shows medication abortion is unsafe, has been repeatedly rejected by the FDA. And despite the claims having very little legal merit, and the plaintiffs not really having any injury, this case, has the potential to really undermine the remaining access to abortion that exists.”

What would the case decide?

The case was filed in Amarillo, Texas — a state where abortion is already severely limited — and assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who was nominated by former President Donald Trump.

Kacsmaryk is known for his conservative stance on issues and, last year, he issued a decision on Title X, a federal grant program that provides confidential family planning and preventive health services.

He ruled that teenagers can’t access birth control without their parents’ permission under the program because it “violates the constitutional right of parents to direct the upbringing of their children.”

If Kacsmaryk rules in favor of ADF, mifepristone would, at least temporarily, be taken off the market and all states where abortion is legal would only be able to offer in-clinic procedures.

This means patients will not be able to access telehealth services to get abortion pills and clinics already experience a surge of patients from states where abortion is illegal could be even more inundated.

“It’s going to impose a really significant burden and cause significant congestion at the clinics that still remain,” Muqaddam said. “We’re seeing long wait times, so many patients trying to travel to access state to seek care. It’s been a huge challenge. It’s going to cause a pretty immediate and extreme constriction and the accessibility of abortion.”

The decision could come as early as Feb. 10, which is the deadline both sides in the case have to file briefs.

Zelenskyy addresses Parliament in London as UK prepares to increase ‘lethal aid’ aid, military training

February 8, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(LONDON) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed Parliament in London on Wednesday, as the United Kingdom announces plans to increase its deliveries of “lethal aid.”

“I have come here to stand before you on behalf of the brave,” Zelenskyy said after receiving a standing ovation from members of both Houses of Parliament.

He thanked Britain for training troops “who will be then deployed to the front line — front line — skilled, eager and equipped to win.”

The visit is Zelenkyy’s second known international trip since the Russian invasion began almost a year ago. The trip will underscore the United Kingdom’s “unbreakable friendship” with Ukraine, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in a statement.

Zelenskyy is also scheduled to meet with King Charles at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.

Zelenskyy and Sunak are expected to discuss what the United Kingdom’s described as its “two-pronged” approach to aiding Ukraine, which includes a “surge” in the supply of military equipment and long-term support with training for troops.

Downing Street announced the surprise visit on Wednesday morning, saying it comes as the United Kingdom expands it training for Ukrainian armed forces.

About 10,000 Ukrainian troops have been trained in the United Kingdom in the last six months, officials said. More than 20,000 additional troops are expected to be trained this year.

British officials said they expect the program to continue scaling throughout the year. Zelenskyy on Wednesday plans to meet with U.K. defense officials to discuss the training.

Zelesnkyy also laid out a proposal under which any country that acts as an aggressor or terrorist state will eventually be held financially responsible for its crimes.

“Any aggressor is going to lose,” he said.

Pregnancy blood pressure screening draft recommendations expanded for first time

February 8, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Doctors and healthcare providers should monitor pregnant patients’ blood pressure regularly during and after pregnancy, according to a new draft recommendation.

The recommendation was published Tuesday by the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force, a volunteer panel of experts that is highly influential in setting medical guidance.

The new draft guidance expands on existing recommendations to include screening for all types of blood pressure disorders during pregnancy. It recommends monitoring blood pressure at each doctors’ visit, starting early in pregnancy and ending six weeks after birth.

Left untreated, high blood pressure during pregnancy can lead to a range of health problems, including stroke, organ damage, seizures and low birth weight for newborns, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

One of the most common conditions associated with high blood pressure during pregnancy, preeclampsia, happens in around 1 in 25 pregnancies in the United States, according to the CDC.

Other conditions that can result from high blood pressure include gestational hypertension, eclampsia, and chronic hypertension with and without superimposed preeclampsia, the task force says, noting that risk factors for high blood pressure in pregnancy include a previous adverse pregnancy outcome, having gestational diabetes or chronic hypertension, having a high BMI prior to pregnancy and being 35 years or older.

Regular screening for blood pressure during and after pregnancy can help because it will give health care providers more opportunities to intervene with treatments that can can help reduce health risks, according to the task force. It emphasized the need for expanded blood pressure screenings because of racial disparities that put pregnant Black and Native American women at greater risk.

In the U.S., Black women and Native American women are two to three times as likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women, according to the CDC. Across all races, the U.S. has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, with around 700 women dying each year as a result of complications due to pregnancy.

The task force’s new guidance follows a trend of increasing rates of high blood pressure among pregnant women, particularly among women of color.

Blood pressure-related disorders during pregnancy are a leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States.

Black and Native American women experience a disproportionately high rate of blood pressure conditions, according to the CDC
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“Importantly, we are using this draft recommendation statement to call attention to the inequities related to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy,” Task Force vice chair Dr. Wanda Nicholson, senior associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion and professor of prevention and community health at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University, said in a statement. “While taking blood pressure throughout pregnancy is an important first step, screening alone cannot fully address these inequities. We have highlighted additional promising ways to improve health outcomes for those at increased risk and are calling for more research to address this important issue.”

The task force is now seeking comments on the draft guidance, and says more research is needed before it is finalized.

Five takeaways from Biden’s State of the Union and Republican response

February 8, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Jacquelyn Martin/AP/Bloomberg via Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday delivered his second State of the Union address, balancing a push for bipartisanship in a divided Washington and advocacy for his own policies heading into next year’s election.

Standing in front of Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. — a visual reminder of the back-and-forth in store for at least the next two years — Biden drew applause lines for pleas for cooperation and heckles over thrown elbows for Republican policies.

A victory lap, but pleas for cooperation

Biden started the speech with his version of a victory lap, touting surprisingly strong job growth and a string of legislative achievements as well as continued consensus in supporting Ukraine against Russia. He also noted Democrats in November expanded their majority in the Senate.

“Unemployment rate at 3.4%, a 50-year low. Near record unemployment for Black and Hispanic workers,” he said. “We’ve already created, with your help, 800,000 good-paying manufacturing jobs, the fastest growth in 40 years.”

But throughout his speech, Biden repeatedly said that the country’s accomplishments were achieved with “your help” — ad libs that were not included in his prepared remarks — and insisted that he looked forward to working with Republicans.

“Mr. Speaker, I don’t want to ruin your reputation, but I look forward to working together,” he said at the top of his speech.

Biden went on to boast of 300 bipartisan laws that he signed, maintaining that more could be on the way — if the House, under new GOP management, would work with him despite conservatives campaigning on being a check on what they said was a reckless, dangerous administration.

“To my Republican friends, if we could work together in the last Congress, there is no reason we can’t work together and find consensus on important things in this new Congress,” he said. “The people sent us a clear message: Fighting for the sake of fighting, power for the sake of power, conflict for the sake of conflict, gets us nowhere.”

Still, heckles throughout

Despite Biden’s calls for bonhomie — and jovial moments like him FaceTiming with a congressman’s baby son at home after his speech — the president was heckled throughout his remarks.

Biden, reprising an attack line employed in recent months, accused Republicans of seeking to cut funds for Social Security and Medicare, seeming to pin the accusation on a plan released by Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., that would sunset all federal funding after five years and make money for the program repeatedly subject to renewal.

However, McCarthy has said such cuts are “off the table” as they negotiate on lifting the debt ceiling, sparking a wave of boos and Republicans asking for Biden to name the people pushing for the cuts.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., a populist firebrand, was heard calling Biden a liar — a callback to a similar accusation leveled at former President Barack Obama during one of his congressional speeches that marked a sharp break of that era’s rules of decorum.

“I will not allow them to be taken away,” Biden said of the programs after the uproar, with Republicans saying that’s not going to be a problem.

Elbows were also thrown when Biden discussed the opioid crisis, with one Republican shouting “it’s your fault” when he lamented the spread of fentanyl.

Biden also took jabs of his own, saying that Republicans on the campaign trail have been boasting of the benefits of the bipartisan infrastructure law they opposed.

“To my Republican friends who voted against it but still ask to fund projects in their districts, don’t worry,” Biden said, joking that money would still go to areas they represent.

Pushing for his agenda in the new Congress — and new election cycle

Besides the push for bipartisan or share of barbs — depending on the moment — Biden also took the opportunity to lay out sprawling policies he wants advanced in the next two years.

Heading into an expected reelection bid, Biden leaned heavily on economic messaging, pushing for wealthy individuals and corporations to pay more taxes, renewing the expanded child tax credit and eliminating junk fees for people paying for entertainment.

“The idea that in 2020, 55 of the largest companies in America, the Fortune 500, made $40 billion in profits and paid zero in federal income taxes? Folks, simply not fair. But now, because of the law I signed, billion-dollar companies have to pay a minimum of 15%. God love them,” he said.

“Under my plan, nobody earning less than $400,000 a year will pay an additional penny in taxes. Nobody. Not one penny. But let’s finish the job, there’s more to do,” he said. “No billionaire should pay a lower tax rate than a school teacher or a firefighter.”

Biden also touched on a spate of social issues, repeating his calls for an assault-style weapons ban and the codification of federal abortion rights — two issues that drew head shakes from Republicans and standing ovations from most Democrats.

Biden keeps up uphill climb on policing reform

The president also pushed for criminal justice changes, praising the parents of Tyre Nichols, the Black man who recently died after being attacked by police officers in Memphis, Tennessee.

“Here’s what Tyre’s mom shared with me when I asked her how she finds the courage to carry on and speak out: with faith in God. She said her son ‘was a beautiful soul and something good will come of this,'” Biden said. “Imagine how much courage and character that takes. It’s up to us. To all of us.”

Policing reform has been a white whale for Congress since the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota in 2020 sparked calls for changes to how policing in America works.

However, bipartisan conversations have repeatedly broken down over qualified immunity, which shields police officers from lawsuits over their actions.

In response, Sarah Sanders focuses on social issues and Democratic ‘failures’

Newly elected Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders gave the official GOP response to Biden’s speech, focusing heavily on culture war issues and casting Biden as out of touch with the American people.

Sanders, 40, is the youngest governor in the country and swiftly contrasted her youth with Biden, who is 80 and the oldest president ever.

“I’m the first woman to lead my state. He’s the first man to surrender his presidency to a woke mob that can’t even tell you what a woman is,” she said.

The response did not address much of what Biden discussed in his speech, particularly given the lack of deep culture war discussions in Biden’s remarks. Still, Sanders lambasted what she labeled Democrats’ emphasis on “radical” social policies.

“While you reap the consequences of their failures, the Biden administration seems more interested in woke fantasies than the hard reality Americans face every day,” she said.

“Every day, we are told that we must partake in their rituals, salute their flags, and worship their false idols, all while big government colludes with big tech to strip away the most American thing there is — your freedom of speech,” she said. “That’s not normal. It’s crazy, and it’s wrong.”

As Zelenskyy arrives in London, Britain prepares to increase ‘lethal aid’ for Ukraine

February 8, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(LONDON) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in London on Wednesday to address Parliament and meet with the prime minster, as the United Kingdom “steps up” its deliveries of “lethal aid.”

Zelenskyy is also scheduled to meet with King Charles at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.

Downing Street announced the surprise visit on Wednesday morning, saying it comes as the United Kingdom expands it training for Ukrainian armed forces.

About 10,000 Ukrainian troops have been trained in the United Kingdom in the last six months, officials said. More than 20,000 additional troops are expected to be trained this year.

British officials said they expect the program to continue scaling throughout the year. Zelenskyy on Wednesday plans to meet with U.K. defense officials to discuss the training.

Turkey earthquake live updates: Fevered rescues underway as death toll tops 11,000 in Turkey, Syria

February 8, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — More than 11,000 people are dead after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake rocked southeastern Turkey and northwestern Syria early Monday, according to officials.