Joe Bidens recent diagnosis of "aggressive" prostate cancer has sparked concerns about how far the disease has advanced.The former presidents prostate cancer has been characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (grade group 5) with "metastasis to the bone."The score of 9 indicates "high-grade" prostate cancer with very abnormal cells that are likely to grow quickly, experts say.BIDEN'S PROSTATE CANCER DESCRIBED AS 'AGGRESSIVE' WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE DISEASE'S PROGNOSIS"While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management," the statement said. "The president and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians."The fact that Bidens cancer has been classified as "hormone-sensitive" means it could be more responsive to hormone therapies, and thus more treatable.Hormone-sensitive prostate cancer needs androgens (male hormones) to grow, according to the National Cancer Institute. When those androgens are reduced or blocked, the cancer stops growing.Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and Fox News senior medical analyst, said the hormone-sensitive designation doesnt necessarily mean Biden has already been taking hormone therapies, which is unknown.GLEASON SCORE FOR PROSTATE CANCER: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT BIDEN'S DIAGNOSIS"You can tell under a microscope if this is the type of cancer that could respond to hormone therapy, but no matter what it looks like, you dont know until you try it," he told Fox News Digital."And sometimes it looks like there will be an effect, but it ends up being resistant to therapy."Prostate cancer has long been known to feed on the male hormone testosterone, according to Dr. Bilal Siddiqui, M.D., a medical oncologist and prostate cancer researcher at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center."The overwhelming majority of prostate cancers 99% plus are hormone-sensitive and dependent on testosterone in the beginning," he told Fox News Digital."I would say its a very reasonable assumption [of hormone sensitivity], but we would know definitively once hormone therapy has started."The backbone of treatment for any metastatic prostate cancer is "androgen deprivation therapy," which is geared toward decreasing the body's level of testosterone."Typically, when you start the androgen deprivation therapy, testosterone levels will decrease and the PSA levels will decrease along with it, and that's your definitive proof that the cancer is hormone-sensitive," Siddiqui said.Historically, androgen (hormone) deprivation therapy was done surgically through removal of the testes but todays typical methods include pills or injections, according to the oncologist."That eliminates about 80 to 85% of the testosterone that's produced in the body," he said.In many cases, doctors may add other drugs to block testosterone from secondary sources in the body, such as the adrenal glands that sit above the kidneys.NEW PROSTATE CANCER TEST PINPOINTS DISEASE BETTER THAN PSA OPTION, STUDY FINDSNorth Carolina family physician Dr. Alexa Mieses Malchuk reiterated that prostate cancer that shrinks or slows in progression after blocking testosterone qualifies as hormone-sensitive."This means that it grows or shrinks in relation to how much androgen or testosterone is circulating in the body," she told Fox News Digital."If you suppress testosterone and the cancer does not shrink and continues to grow or spread, then the cancer is independent of the amount of hormone circulating in the body."There are a number of different ways to monitor disease progression, but its most commonly done by a combination of PSA blood tests and imaging studies, the doctor noted.Eventually, metastatic prostate cancer will progress to become hormone-resistant, which means it no longer responds to hormone therapy, according to Siddiqui."It can vary in how long it takes to get to that point," the oncologist said. "It's usually a couple of years before it evolves from hormone-sensitive to hormone-resistant."The "ultimate test" of whether cancer has become hormone-resistant is to lower testosterone levels and observe where the cancer goes, he noted.There may also signs of the disease getting worse."That might mean a rising PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test, new pain or symptoms, or new tumors that show up on the scan," Siddiqui told Fox News Digital.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTERThe U.S. Preventive Services Task Force states that men aged 55 to 69 years should have the option to undergo periodic prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screening to monitor for prostate cancer."Before deciding whether to be screened, men should have an opportunity to discuss the potential benefits and harms of screening with their clinician and to incorporate their values and preferences in the decision," the USPSTF states.Siegel questioned this guidance to skip screening for older men.For more Health articles, visitwww.foxnews.com/health"I dont agree with guidelines to not test over 70 years of age, especially with so many treatments to offer for prostate cancer," he said.In addition to hormone therapy, some men may be candidates for robotic prostate surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, Siegel added.

The family of a U.S. Air Force veteran who was wrongfully detained in Venezuela since November 2024, on Tuesday, said he was released.Joseph St. Clair, a four-tour Afghanistan War veteran from Hansville, Washington, first went missing in November while getting PTSD treatment in Colombia."This news came suddenly, and we are still processing itbut we are overwhelmed with joy and gratitude," said Scott and Patti St. Clair, Joseph's parents.The family also thanked President Donald Trump, as well as his administration, for securing St. Clair's release.This story is breaking. Please check back for updates.

A massive inferno ripped through a three-story mansion Tuesday morning in an upscale neighborhood in northwest Washington, D.C., just blocks away from the home of former President Barack Obama.The blaze prompted nearby evacuations and a large emergency response in the Kalorama district, according to the D.C. Fire and EMS Department, adding there was a separate fire at the same home Monday night caused by an accidental electrical issue.The mansion was an unoccupied building undergoing renovations, authorities said. Public records show the six-bedroom, 5-bathroom 1928 English Manor was purchased last month for $8.575 million.While the first fire was contained to mostly one floor and required one truck to extinguish the blaze, Tuesdays incident escalated to a two-alarm fire that became a "defensive operation using large outside streams," the fire department said. Approximately 20 vehicles and 100 firefighters responded to the blaze that engulfed every floor of the building, and both sides of the house were evacuated as a precaution.2 DEAD AFTER SEPARATE FIRES STRIKE WASHINGTON, DCAuthorities added that "there was a mayday that was resolved with the firefighter safe and uninjured."2 DEAD AFTER HOUSE BURNS DOWN IN NEW JERSEY FOLLOWING 'GIGANTIC EXPLOSION,' CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION UNDERWAYOne firefighter fell into an elevator shaft but was quickly pulled to safety and was hospitalized as a precaution, FOX5 DC reported, citing D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly.No other injuries were reported, and the blaze was under control by late morning. Fire investigators are still working to determine the cause of Tuesdays fire.

Comedian and podcaster Tim Dillon rejected claims that he and other prominent comedians formed a "new establishment" that contributed to former Vice President Kamala Harris' loss in the 2024 presidential election during an interview with CNN on Monday.Dillon told CNN reporter Elle Reeve that he doesn't "buy the narrative" that several comedians with podcasts were responsible for sinking the Harris campaign or determining the outcome of the race.Reeve asked Dillon whether he believed he was part of a newly emerging establishment, and he pushed back, saying, "I dont think Im part of the new establishment."TIM DILLON SAYS REBRANDING OF CORE AMERICAN VALUES AS 'RIGHT-WING' IS THE 'CRAZIEST THING' HE'S EVER HEARDDillon continued, noting that Harris entered the race under challenging conditions: "But this is a very specific circumstance in which Kamala Harris ran for president. She was somewhat unpopular, and she was not a star in Democratic politics before this at all. And her communication strategy was pretty weak. I think most people admitted that. So to hang this defeat all on a few podcasts and to say that they were the problem, I just dont buy the narrative."The comedian dismissed the notion that "a few comedians with podcasts" were able to go toe-to-toe with the "multibillionaires, huge media institutions, a whole political party apparatus" that supported Harris' campaign."I think it seems like a great way to excuse running an unpopular candidate on a platform that American people werent sold on," Dillon said.After being pressed further by Reeve on comedians' influence on politics, Dillon mocked the idea that he and other comedians have power that "is equal to the CIA.""The idea that, like, the power that Theo Von has would be equal to, like, the intelligence agencies or these massive legacy media institutions seems crazy," he stated, referencing fellow comedian Theo Von.COMEDIAN THEO VON BACKS TRUMP'S TARIFF PLAN TO BRING LIFE BACK TO 'EMPTY' US TOWNSReeve maintained that comedians had significant sway, arguing they had formed an 'establishment' with substantial influence over large audiences. Dillon eventually interrupted, challenging this notion."Well, just, you used the word establishment," Dillon interjected. "I didnt say that we didnt have any power or that audiences werent powerful. But when you use the term establishment, I think that thats more than just having an audience. Thats having an institutional component that I dont think we have."The comedian continued, offering a counter narrative to the reporter's argument that podcasters had the power to have a major influence on an election.TRUMP VICTORY PROVES IMPORTANCE OF CANDID, LONGFORM PODCASTS AS PLATFORM SHOWED HUMAN SIDE OF ONE CANDIDATE"But I think legacy media does. I think the government and the intelligence communities do. I think Hollywood certainly does. And I think all of those people, all of those power factions have worked together for a very, very, very long time. So to say that a few comedians with podcasts equal that seems crazy to me," he said.

The Milwaukee judge accused of helping an illegal immigrant evade Immigration and Customs Enforcement is back in the spotlight this time because of the liberal federal judge presiding over her trial.U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman, 85, was randomly assigned to preside over the jury trial of Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan, who was indicted earlier this month for allegedly shielding an illegal immigrant from ICE in her courtroom. Adelman, a former Democratic lawmaker and outspoken judge, faces mounting criticism and scrutiny of his record as he handles the high-profile case.Adelman spent 20 years as a Democrat in the Wisconsin state Senate before then-President Bill Clinton nominated him in 1997 to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.Though the judge hasnt been active in politics for years, critics note recent rulings and writings in which hes taken aim at President Donald Trump, Chief Justice Roberts and others.TRUMP CONSIDERS FORMER DEFENSE ATTORNEY EMIL BOVE FOR FEDERAL APPEALS COURT VACANCYSome fear this continued political bias could risk his impartiality in presiding over Dugan's trial or at least the perceptions of it, in the eyes of Trump allies. Adelman did not respond to a request for comment.In 2020, Adelman published an article for Harvard Law & Policy Review, titled, "The Roberts Courts Assault on Democracy" that set off a torrent of criticism from Trump allies and court commentators alike.The article accused Chief Justice John Roberts of breaking with his Senate confirmation testimony in 2005 instead ushering in a "hard-right majority" on the Supreme Court, and "actively participating in undermining American democracy."Adelman also took aim at Trump, whose temperament he said "is that of an autocrat," but who he said "is also disinclined to buck the wealthy individuals and corporations who control his party."Adelman used the article to advocate for "righting the ship" of the high court, in part by embracing an approach similar to the Warren Court known both for its landmark civil rights rulings and a slew of other progressive decisions.100 DAYS OF INJUNCTIONS, TRIALS AND 'TEFLON DON': TRUMP SECOND TERM MEETS ITS BIGGEST TESTS IN COURTAdelman was later admonished by the Civility Committee for the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals for his remarks in the article.They found his remarks did not violate prohibited political activity under the Canons of Judicial Conduct, but issued the following rebuke:"The opening two sentences regarding the Chief Justice and the very pointed criticisms of Republican Party policy positions could be seen as inconsistent with a judge's duty to promote public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary and as reflecting adversely on the judge's impartiality," the committee said.Adelman later issued a public apology for those remarks.Adelman was also at the center of a major case involving Wisconsin's voter ID law, which sought to make it harder for citizens to vote.He blocked the law from taking force ahead of the elections a decision that was later reversed by the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, which again issued a sharp rebuke of his ruling.In "our hierarchical judicial system, a district court cannot declare a statute unconstitutional just because he thinks (with or without the support of a political scientist) that the dissent was right and the majority wrong," the appeals court said, noting that Adelman did not rely on any Supreme Court precedent to base his decision.In light of his previous remarks and progressive rulings, court-watchers expect his behavior here to be closely scrutinized.It's unclear whether his behavior could assuage the concerns of longtime critics among them, Mike Davis of the Article III Project, and conservative scholar Josh Blackman, who took aim at Adelman's 2020 remarks in a blog post at the time.This is due in part to the canons of judicial ethics, Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley noted in an op-ed for The Hill."Because of these ethical principles, judges are usually highly restrained in their public comments, particularly about political or ideological matters," he said.JUDGES V TRUMP: HERE ARE THE KEY COURT BATTLES HALTING THE WHITE HOUSE AGENDADugan's trial comes at a time when Trump and his allies have blasted so-called "activist" judges who they see as acting politically to block his agenda suggesting her trial, and Adelman's behavior will be under especially close scrutiny.But others noted that federal judges often take great caution to avoid the appearance of political bias, even more so in public remarks, understanding that doing so could violate the canons for judicial behavior.Many also see their roles on the court as a serious job that requires them to be impartial arbiters of the law looking to precedent, rather than politics as their guide.In presiding over Dugan's case, experts hope Adelman will do the same."When I have served on panels with sitting federal judges, they often balk at even discussing the scope of constitutional rights out of concern for these canons," Turley noted in the an op-ed. "Federal judges are expected to speak through opinions in court decisions rather than in editorials or law review articles."

A man who murdered an 18-year-old woman in Utah four decades ago has finally been identified, authorities said Thursday.Christine Gallegoswas found dead on May 16, 1985, along Jefferson Street in Salt Lake City, the Salt Lake City Police Department said. She had been beaten, stabbed, sexually assaulted and shot to death near an area known then as Dirks Field.Detectives were unable to find any leads despite years of investigative efforts and multiple rounds of forensic testing. The case went cold and remained so until 2023, when advances in DNA and genealogical testing connected the case to a man named Ricky Lee Stallworth.Stallworth was a 27-year-old airman stationed at Hill Air Force Base at the time of the Gallegos murder, according to police. He died of natural causes in July 2023.FAMILY OF MOM MURDERED IN RITZY DC SUBURB DECADES AGO GETS JUSTICE AS PERP NOBODY EXPECTED PLEADS GUILTY"We missed being able to talk to him and interview him just by a matter of months," Detective Cordon Parks said at a news conference on Thursday. "I wish we could have got to him before he died."Stallworth was first named a likely suspect after the case was reexamined in 2023, with efforts focusing on identifying an unknown male DNA profile that had been previously entered into the Combined DNA Index System, a database of DNA profiles from convicted offenders, unsolved crime scene evidence and missing persons.Othram Labs in The Woodlands, Texas, came up with the likely match after detectives sent evidence to the lab in late 2023 for advanced DNA analysis.One of Stallworths family members then provided detectives with a voluntary DNA sample, which police said confirmed Stallworth as a match.Parks said an investigation into Stallworth revealed him to be "sort of a State Street stalker.""Even though he was married, he would tell his spouses that he was going out for the night," Parks said. "He'd leave late in the night, and he wouldn't come back until early, early the next morning."Detectives said a motive remains unclear and any potential relationship between Gallegos and Stallworth remains unanswered. Investigators have said it was "very obvious" that Gallegos struggled with the suspect before she was shot and stabbed."She left a blood trail up to the gutter of Jefferson Street," Parks said.DETECTIVES' TRUE CRIME PODCAST HELPS DIG UP BREAKTHROUGH IN CASE THAT HAUNTED FAMILY: DREW AUDIBLE GASP'Gallegos mother, Leah, thanked investigators for "never giving up" on solving the case."You never quit thinking about it. You never quit crying about it," Leah Gallegos said when reporters asked about her memories of her daughter."I wonder about the kids that she would have" she added. "She was outgoing, she was sweet ... they took so much away when they took her away."Utah State Bureau of Investigation Agent Steve OCamb said he hoped that identifying the killer would bring the family closure."Handcuffs, however, do not equal healing," OCamb said. "The resolution of Christines case is a prime example. We werent able to arrest a suspect, but hopefully we achieved some measure of justice for her and the family and friends that loved her."

The recent escape of ten inmates from a New Orleans jail is the latest wake-up call proving that federal consent decrees do more harm than good when it comes to public safety. The jail, part of the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office system, has operated under a federal consent decree since 2013a full 12 years of federal oversight with little to show in terms of competence, safety, or accountability.This wasnt a jailbreak from a maximum-security fortress. These inmatesincluding several facing charges for violent felonies, including murdersimply walked out of a minimum-security facility that was staffed at 60% of the required personnel. It was hours before they were even noticed missing. As of this writing, multiple escapees remain at large.Consent decrees were originally intended as a way to reform abusive or corrupt police and correctional systems. But in practice, they often become sprawling bureaucratic disasters. Expensive, unaccountable, and slow to adapt, they tie the hands of local officials while encouraging a mindset of avoidance rather than enforcement.MASSIVE JAIL BREAK IN NEW ORLEANS 'IMPOSSIBLE' WITHOUT STAFF INVOLVEMENT, SAYS EX-FBI FUGITIVE HUNTERAdding insult to injury, the so-called federal "monitor" of these consent decrees is usually a private law firmone that bills taxpayers for millions of dollars in oversight fees. These firms have no incentive to wrap things up quickly, and every delay becomes another invoice paid by the public, not for safety or reform, but for paper-pushing and partner bonuses.The truth is, once instituted, federal monitorships become essentially interminable, with new "concerns" surfacing from the worthies-in-charge whenever the decree is in danger of expiring.Some monitorships literally go on for decades.LOUISIANA GOVERNOR BLASTS 'PROGRESSIVE PROMISES' AFTER NEW ORLEANS JAIL ESCAPEThats why, under the Trump administration, an Executive Order was issued last month to review and wind down federal consent decrees imposed on law enforcement agencies across the country. The rationale was simple: let local officials do their job without long-distance interference from Washington lawyers and ideologues who have no stake in the neighborhoods affected.The New Orleans debacle offers a textbook case in how these agreements backfire. The consent decree for the jail, overseen by a federal judge and an out-of-town monitor, was supposed to improve conditions. Instead, it has delivered chronic understaffing, poor morale, and a culture of indecision. Because one result of consent decrees is often the inability to answer a simple, vital question: Who is running things?All of this is unfolding as progressive politicians continue pushing the "decarceration" movement nationwideanother ideological train wreck that treats fewer jail beds as moral progress, regardless of public safety consequences. In New York City, for example, Rikers Island, the city jail, is slated to be closed soon in favor of scattered, "borough-based" jails with a diminution of roughly 30% in available prisoner beds.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONNew York City locks barely locks anybody up now. Were going down 30 percent?At some point, we have to admit the obvious: systems engineered by federal judges, consultants, academics and law firms arent delivering safety or reform. They're delivering escapes, lawsuits, public distrust and cops and corrections officers fearful of doing their jobs without being second-guessed.The lefts obsession with de-carceration and federal micromanagement is proving to be just another failed experiment in soft-on-crime governance. New Orleans just became its latest victim.Lets hope there arent anymore, as the escapees remain at large.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM PAUL MAURO

Israels Foreign Ministry issued a fiery statement after the U.K. suspended free trade talks over Jerusalems handling of the war in Gaza. The U.K. simultaneously imposed new sanctions on the West Bank as it condemned the "persistent cycle of serious violence undertaken by extremist Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank."The ministry claimed that talks for a new U.K.-Israel free trade agreement were already at a standstill before Londons announcement on Tuesday. Additionally, it accused the U.K. of harming its own citizens due to its "anti-Israel obsession and domestic political considerations.""Even prior to todays announcement, the free trade agreement negotiations were not being advanced at all by the current UK government," Israels Foreign Ministry wrote. "More than that, the agreement would serve the mutual benefit of both countries. If, due to anti-Israel obsession and domestic political considerations, the British government is willing to harm the British economy that is its own prerogative."Israel also slammed the additional sanctions on the West Bank in light of the recent death of Tzeela Gez, an Israeli woman who was shot and killed in a terror attack while she was en route to the hospital to give birth. The Israeli Foreign Ministry noted that doctors are still "fighting for her newborns life."ISRAELI AMBASSADOR LASHES OUT AT UN OFFICIAL, CONDEMNS UK, FRANCE, CANADA STATEMENT ON AIDThe ministry dismissed the U.K.s threats toward the end of the post, saying, "[T]he British Mandate ended exactly 77 years ago. External pressure will not divert Israel from its path in defending its existence and security against enemies who seek its destruction."HAMAS CAPTIVITY SURVIVORS APPEAL TO NETANYAHU, TRUMP AFTER EDAN ALEXANDER'S RELEASEU.K. Foreign Minister David Lammy announced the suspension of trade talks as he addressed British lawmakers, saying Israels latest offensive in Gaza, Operation Gideons Chariot, marked a "dark new phase in this conflict." In his announcement, Lammy said "the Netanyahu governments actions have made this necessary."Lammy reiterated U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmers demand that Israel allow aid to flow into the Gaza Strip. In a joint statement from the U.K., France and Canada, the countries urged Israel to work with the United Nations to "ensure a return to delivery of aid in line with humanitarian principles.""If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response," the statement read.Israel stopped the flow of aid into the Gaza Strip 11 weeks ago, but has resumed allowing limited aid. Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon told Fox News that the NGOs that are being allowed to distribute aid have ensured that Hamas has not infiltrated their ranks or taken aid meant for civilians.ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER SLAMS UN, CALLS IT 'ROTTEN, ANTI-ISRAEL, AND ANTISEMITIC BODY'While aid is being allowed to enter Gaza, Israel has faced backlash over the stringent restrictions, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Nol Barrot saying it was "insufficient."Tom Fletcher, the U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator who recently accused Israel of committing genocide, described the aid as "a drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed" and called for "significantly more aid" to Gaza."We have been reassured that our work will be facilitated through existing, proven mechanisms. I am grateful for that reassurance, and Israels agreement to humanitarian notification measures that reduce the immense security threats of the operation. I am determined that our aid reach those in greatest need, and that the risk of theft by Hamas or other armed groups is minimized," Fletcher said in a statement.Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt fielded questions from the children of journalists and White House officials to celebrate Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day on Tuesday.The children's questions focused mainly on President Donald Trump, with Leavitt being forced to reveal the president's favorite flavor of ice cream, what super power he most wants to have, and whether he likes to give hugs."Oh, does he like to give hugs? You know, I think he does. I have seen him give many hugs to children and his family and our beautiful first lady. So, yes, I do think he likes to gives hugs," Leavitt told her first questioner."What is the funnest part about your job, and the hardest part?" the next child asked.MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE"I think the most fun part about my job is doing things like this with all of you in the briefing room and answering so many great questions. I think that the hardest part of my job is also doing things like this in the briefing room and answering all of these questions," she responded, to laughter.HOUSE GOP TARGETS ANOTHER DEM OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF BLOCKING ICE AMID DELANEY HALL FALLOUT"And reading the news is a big part of my job every day. I wake up and read the newspaper and watch the news and listen to all of the things that your parents are reporting on in the news, and that's a big part of my job every day," she added.The next child asked about Trump's favorite food, and Leavitt said he prefers steak to anything else.Leavitt informed the next child that Trump's favorite ice cream flavor is a classic ice cream sundae."If the president could have a superpower, what would it be? That is a very good question," Leavitt responded to the next child. "I think if he had a superpower it would be to just snap his fingers and solve all of our country's problems just like that, because he likes to get things done very quickly but sometimes it takes a little bit longer."Like today, he had to go to Capitol Hill to convince people to vote for his one big beautiful bill. I bet if he had a superpower he would snap his fingers and get it passed immediately, but Life doesn't work that way, unfortunately," she added.First lady Melania Trump also spent time with kids outside the White House. Many of them could be seen wearing dark blue hats that said "Gulf of America" in bright red letters.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is instructing the Pentagon to launch a comprehensive review into the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.President Joe Biden removed U.S. troops from Afghanistan in 2021, following up on existing plans from the first Trump administration in 2020 with Taliban leaders to end the war in the region.Thirteen U.S. service members were killed during the withdrawal process due to a suicide bombing at Abbey Gate, outside of Hamid Karzai International Airport, and the Taliban quickly seized control of Kabul."The Department of Defense has an obligation, both to the American people and to the warfighters who sacrificed their youth in Afghanistan, to get to the facts," Hegseth said in a Tuesday memo. "This remains an important step toward regaining faith and trust with the American people and all those who wear the uniform and is prudent based on the number of casualties and equipment lost during the execution of this withdrawal operation."As a result, Hegseth is directing Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell to spearhead a special review panel to evaluate previous investigations and to "analyze the decision making that led to one of Americas darkest and deadliest international moments.""This team will ensure ACCOUNTABILITY to the American people and the warfighters of our great Nation," Hegseth said in the memo.This is a breaking news story and will be updated.