From coverage of the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine, to the news of former President Jimmy Carter entering hospice care, here's the top national stories from the past week.
Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone
When Morrill High School coach April Ott broke the news to Katrina Kohel that she was the only one left on the cheer squad, she promised her that even if she couldn’t compete at the state tournament, they could still enjoy the whole experience.
They’d get fun coffee drinks, watch the more than 2,700 girls and 225 teams compete in the three-day cheer and dance competition in Grand Island and just have a good time.
Morrill High School cheerleader Katrina Kohel competed alone at the state cheer and dance competition in Grand Island. Other teams had four to more than 20 people on their squads.
Darin Boysen, executive director of the Nebraska Coaches Association, said it was the first time that a cheerleader had competed by herself at state. The rest of the 115 teams in the cheer competition varied in size from four to 20 or more girls.
Katrina Kohel said competing alone was so nerve-racking that her mind went blank when she started her routine. Muscle memory and the cheers of the crowd carried her through.
1938: Joe Louis knocks out Nathan Mann in third round to defend his world heavyweight title
1938 — Joe Louis knocks out Nathan Mann in the third round to defend his world heavyweight title at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Heavyweight champion Joe Louis, during training on June 21, 1938, at his Pompton Lakes, New Jersey, training camp for his fight with Max Schmeling at the Yankee Stadium in New York on June 22. (AP Photo)
AP FILE
1960: Carol Heiss captures first gold medal for US in the Squaw Valley Winter Olympics.
1960 — Figure skater Carol Heiss captures the first gold medal for the U.S. in the Squaw Valley Winter Olympics.
Carol Heiss comes out of a spin during the figure skating competition of the VIII Winter Olympic Games at Squaw Valley, Ca. on Feb. 23, 1960. She won America's first gold medal of the 1960 Winter Games. (AP Photo)
AP FILE
1968: Wilt Chamberlain becomes first player to score 25,000 points in NBA
1968 — Wilt Chamberlain becomes first player to score 25,000 points in the NBA.
Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia 76ers watches his 25,000th career point start through the hoop with 1:51 left on the score board in the second quarter of the basketball game with the Detroit Pistons in Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 23, 1968. Chamberlain made the shot on a free throw. (AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy)
AP FILE
1980: Eric Heiden wins his fifth gold medal, shatters world record by six seconds
1980 — Eric Heiden wins his fifth gold medal and shatters the world record by six seconds in 10,000-meter speed skating at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics.
Eric Heiden, of Madison, Wis. speeds past banner waving fans,, Saturday, Feb. 23, 1980 as he is on way to a new world record in the 10,000 meter speed skating event, which he finished in 14:28.13. (AP Photo)
AP FILE
1985: Indiana coach Bob Knight ejected after throwing chair across court
1985 — Indiana coach Bob Knight is ejected five minutes into the Hoosiers’ 72-63 loss to Purdue when he throws a chair across the court. Knight, after two fouls called on his team, is hit with his first technical. While Purdue was shooting the technical, Knight picks up a chair from the bench area and throws it across the court, earning his second technical.
This Feb. 23, 1985, file photo shows Indiana coach Bob Knight winding up and pitching a chair across the floor during Indiana's 72-63 loss to Purdue, in Bloomington, Ind. Knight and Ralph Sampson are among the eight members of the Class of 2011 of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
2006 — Japan’s Shizuka Arakawa, the 2004 world champion, stuns favorites Sasha Cohen of the United States and Irina Slutskaya of Russia to claim the women’s figure skating gold medal at the Winter Olympics.
Shizuka Arakawa, of Japan, performs during the Women's Free Skate in Turin, Italy during the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2006. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
AP FILE
2007: Tiger Woods' PGA Tour winning streak comes to shocking end
2007 — Tiger Woods’ winning streak on the PGA Tour, which began in July, comes to a shocking end. Woods fails to notice a ball mark in the line of his 4-foot birdie putt that would have won his third-round match against Nick O’Hern. Woods misses, then loses in 20 holes when O’Hern saves par with a 12-foot putt at the Accenture Match Play Championship.
Tiger Woods reacts after missing a birdie putt on the sixth hole during his third round match against Nick O'Hern at the World Golf Championships Accenture Match Play Championship in Marana, Ariz., Friday Feb. 23, 2007. (AP Photo/Matt York)
AP FILE
2010: Dutch skater Sven Kramer loses gold medal when his coach sends him wrong way on changeover
2010 — Dutch skater Sven Kramer loses the gold medal at the Vancouver Olympics when his coach Gerard Kemkers sends him the wrong way on a changeover during the 25 laps of the 10,000-meter speedskating race. Kramer had not lost a 10,000 in three years.
Netherlands's Sven Kramer throws his glasses away after being disqualified for he forgot to switch a lane during the men's 10,000 meter speed skating race at the Richmond Olympic Oval at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010. At right is his coach Gerard Kemkers. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
AP FILE
2012: National League MVP Ryan Braun’s 50-game suspension is overturned
2012 — National League MVP Ryan Braun’s 50-game suspension is overturned by baseball arbitrator Shyam Das, the first time a baseball player successfully challenged a drug-related penalty in a grievance.
This July 10. 2008 file photo shows Milwaukee Brewers' Ryan Braun (8) celebrating with teammates after scoring a run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeff Hanisch, File)
AP FILE
2013: Ronda Rousey wins the UFC’s first women’s bout
2013 — Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche make history just by stepping into the UFC cage. Rousey wins the UFC’s first women’s bout, beating Carmouche on an armbar, her signature move, with 11 seconds left in the first round of their bantamweight title fight at UFC 157.
Ronda Rousey fights Liz Carmouche during their UFC 157 women's bantamweight championship mixed martial arts match in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. Rousey won by tapout in the first round. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
AP FILE
2014: Jason Collins becomes first openly gay athlete in United States' four major pro leagues
2014 — Jason Collins becomes the first openly gay athlete in the United States four major pro leagues, playing 10 scoreless minutes with two rebounds and five fouls in the Brooklyn Nets' 108-102 victory of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Brooklyn Nets center Jason Collins looks on from the bench during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
AP FILE
Charity: Former President Jimmy Carter enters hospice care
ATLANTA — Former President Jimmy Carter, who at 98 years old is the longest-lived American president, has entered home hospice care in Plains, Georgia, a statement from The Carter Center confirmed Saturday.
Photos: Former President Jimmy Carter through the years
Jimmy Carter is shown at age 6, with his sister, Gloria, 4, in 1931 in Plains, Georgia. (AP Photo)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This is a 1932 photo of Jimmy Carter at age 7 in Plains, Ga. (AP Photo)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lt. Jimmy Carter peers at instruments on submarine USS K-1 in a 1952 photo. Directly in front of Carter, smoking a cigar, is Don Dickson. He had forgotten he ever served with Carter until he came upon the photo during Christmas, 1977. A friend got it to the White House where Carter wrote: "To my friend Donald Dickson - Jimmy Carter, USS K-1 to White House." (AP Photo)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
FILE - In this Sept. 15, 1966 file photo, then Georgia State Sen. Jimmy Carter hugs his wife, Rosalynn, at his Atlanta campaign headquarters.
Horace Cort
Jimmy Carter, winner in Georgia's runoff primary in the Democratic Party to determine the party's candidate for the November election for governor, 1970. (AP Photo)
Anonymous
Former State Sen. Jimmy Carter listens to applause at the Capitol in Atlanta on April 3, 1970, after announcing his candidacy or governor. In background, his wife Rosalyn holds two-year-old daughter Amy who joined in the applause. Carter, 45, of Plains, Ga., finished third in the 1966 Democratic Primary behind Gov. Lester Maddox and Ellis Arnall. (AP Photo/Charles Kelly)
CHARLES KELLY
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn clutch the microphones as he claims victory in a runoff election at campaign headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, September 24, 1970. Carter beat former Georgia Governor Carl Sanders for the nomination and will face Republican candidate Hal Suit, veteran television newsman, in the general election Nov. 3, 1970. (AP Photo/Charles Kelly)
Charles Kelly
Former state Sen. Jimmy Carter breaks into a broad smile after early returns gave him a lead of almost 2-1 in the Democratic runoff against former Gov. Carl Sanders, Sept. 23, 1970, in Atlanta, Ga. The winner will meet the Republic Hal Suit for the governorship of Georgia on the Nov. 3 general election. (AP Photo/Charles Kelly)
Charles Kelly
Governor-elect Jimmy Carter and his daughter Amy, 3, walk about the grounds by the fountain at the Governor's Mansion in Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 10, 1971, as they get to know the place where they will live for the next four years. Carter will be sworn in as governor of Georgia Tuesday. (AP Photo)
UNCREDITED
Judge Robert H. Jordan administers the oath of office to Gov. Jimmy Carter during ceremonies at the state capitol in Atlanta. Ga., Jan. 12, 1971. Next to the judge is former Gov. Lester Maddox, who will take over as lieutenant governer of Georgia. (AP Photo)
Anonymous
Jimmy Carter of Georgia, seen here Feb. 6, 1971, already described as a symbol of a new breed of moderate southern politician, says that the race question has ceased to be a major issue "between or among candidates" running for office in the old confederacy. (AP Photo)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jimmy Carter, Governor of Georgia, is shown at his desk in Atlanta, on February 19, 1971. (AP Photo)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Georgia's Gov. Jimmy Carter reaches for pen February 25, 1972 to sign a Georgia Senate House resolution opposing forced busing to achieve integration in the classrooms of the United States.
Anonymous
Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter joins a half-dozen Rockettes in a high kick, September 21, 1973, at Radio City Music Hall in New York, while visiting backstage before an afternoon performance. Carter is in New York to induce the film industry to make pictures in his state. (AP Photo/stf)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter, right, and Delaware Gov. Sherman Tribbitt say hello to Atlanta Braves Hank Aaron, left, following a rain canceled game with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Sept. 27, 1973, Atlanta, Ga. The cancellation slowed Aaron’s opportunity to tie or break Babe Ruth’s home run record. (AP Photo)
Anonymous
Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter spoke to 18,000 messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention on Thursday, June 13, 1974 in Dallas, Texas. He urged Baptists to use their personal and political influence to return the nation to ideals of stronger commitment and higher ethics. He said "there is no natural division between a man's Christian life and his political life." (AP Photo/Greg Smith)
GREG SMITH
Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter tells a gathering, Saturday, Oct. 5, 1974 at the National Press Club in Washington about his ideas concerning energy conservation. (AP Photo)
AP
In this Thursday, Aug. 14, 1975 file photo, former Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter announces in Washington that he qualified for federal matching funds to help finance his campaign for the 1976 Democratic presidential nomination.
BJ
Former Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter, right, drew about 5,000 people to Youngstown's Federal Plaza in Youngstown, Ohio, in his quest for support in Tuesday's Ohio Democratic primary, June 7, 1976. The presidential hopeful waded into the crowd, shaking hands and signing autographs. Carter, speaking to the largest crowd to assemble during his Ohio campaign, said 1976 would be a Democratic year because of the Watergate aftermath and other national ills. (AP Photo)
UNCREDITED
In this Monday, Aug. 23, 1976 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Jimmy Carter gives an informal press conference in Los Angeles during a campaign tour through the West and Midwest. On Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015. (AP Photo)
STF
Democratic Presidential nominee Jimmy Carter, left, eats some freshly roasted barbecue chicken with his brother Billy Carter at Billy's gas station, Sept 11, 1976, Plains, Ga. The nominee had returned the night before from a week of campaigning, and planned to hold an impromptu press conference at the gas station. (AP Photo/Jeff Taylor)
JEFF TAYLOR
Democratic presidential nominee, Jimmy Carter, is all smiles as he talks with his brother Billy at the Carter Family Peanut warehouse, September 18, 1976. (AP Photo)
AP
Jimmy Carter stands in a large mound of peanuts at the Carter Peanut Warehouse in Plains, Ga., September 22, 1976. The Democratic party presidential nominee took an early morning walk through the warehouse to inspect some of the harvest. (AP Photo)
AP
FILE - In this Oct. 6, 1976 file photo with his wife Rosalynn Carter looking on at center, Democratic presidential candidate Jimmy Carter, center left, shakes hands with President Gerald Ford at the conclusion of their debate at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater in San Francisco, Calif. (AP Photo, File)
Anonymous
Jimmy Carter, Democratic candidate for president, is joined by his daughter, Amy, as he waves from the rostrum at Fort Worth Convention Center, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 1, 1976. Carter and his family have been campaigning Texas, making a last minute bid for the state's 26 electoral votes. The others are not identified. (AP Photo)
AP
U.S. President-elect Jimmy Carter waves to supporters as he is surrounded by family members at a hotel in Atlanta, Ga., on Nov. 3, 1976. Carter won the presidential election by 297 electoral votes to 241 for Ford. Standing next to him is his wife, Rosalynn, and their daughter Amy Lynn, far right. The others are unidentified. (AP Photo)
AP
President-elect Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn wipe tears from their eyes after returning to their home town in Plains, Ga., Nov. 3, 1976. The Carter family was greeted by local residents after returning from Atlanta. (AP Photo)
UNCREDITED
President-elect Jimmy Carter leans over to shake hands with some of the people riding the "Peanut Special" to Washington D.C., Jan. 19, 1977. They will travel all night, arriving in Washington in time for Carter's inauguration as President tomorrow. (AP Photo)
Anonymous
Jimmy Carter takes the oath of office as the nation's 39th president during inauguration ceremonies in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20, 1977. Carter's wife, Rosalynn, holds the Bible used in the first inauguration by George Washington as U.S. Chief Justice Warren Burger administers the oath. Looking on at left are, Happy Rockefeller, Betty Ford, Joan Mondale, Amy Carter, and outgoing President Gerald Ford. Behind Carter is Vice President Walter Mondale. At far right is former Vice President Nelson Rockefeller. (AP Photo)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rosalynn Carter, left, looks up at her husband Jimmy Carter as he takes the oath of office as the 39th President of the United States at the Capitol, Thursday, Jan. 20, 1977, Washington, D.C. Mrs. Carter held a family Bible for her husband. (AP Photo)
Anonymous
Jimmy Carter and first lady Rosalynn Carter walk down Pennsylvania Avenue after Carter was sworn in as the nations 39th President, Jan. 20, 1977, Washington, D.C. (AP Photo)
AP
FILE - In this Thursday, Jan. 20, 1977 file photo, President Jimmy Carter waves to the crowd while walking with his wife, Rosalynn, and their daughter, Amy, along Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House following his inauguration in Washington. (AP Photo/Suzanne Vlamis)
Suzanne Vlamis
In this Jan. 24, 1977 file photo, President Jimmy Carter is interviewed in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington.
STF
In this file photo dated May 1977, U.S. President Jimmy Carter, right, and Britain's Queen Elizabeth II with French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing, at Buckingham Palace in London.
Anonymous
In this Feb. 20, 1978, file photo, President Jimmy Carter listens to Sen. Joseph R. Biden, D-Del., as they wait to speak at fund raising reception at Padua Academy in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Barry Thumma, File)
Barry Thumma
President Jimmy Carter tucks his thumbs into his jeans and laughs as he prepares to head down the Salmon River in Idaho August 1978 for a three day rubber raft float. (AP Photo)
AP
United States President Jimmy Carter, on a visit to West Germany in 1978, rides with Chancellor Helmut Schmidt during a review of United States Forces at a base near Frankfurt. (AP Photo)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, left, U.S. President Jimmy Carter, center, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin clasp hands on the north lawn of the White House after signing the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel on March 26, 1979. (AP Photo/ Bob Daugherty)
BOB DAUGHERTY
President Jimmy Carter, left, and Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev, right, sign the documents of the SALT II Treaty in the Vienna Imperial Hofburg Palace, Monday, June 18, 1979, Vienna, Austria.
Anonymous
President Jimmy Carter leans across the roof of his car to shake hands along the parade route through Bardstown, Ky., Tuesday afternoon, July 31, 1979. The president climbed on top of the car as the parade moved toward the high school gym, where a town meeting was held. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty)
BOB DAUGHERTY
In this April 25, 1980 file photo, President Jimmy Carter prepares to make a national television address from the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, on the failed mission to rescue the Iran hostages.
STF
President Jimmy Carter applauds as Sen. Edward Kennedy waves to cheering crowds of the Democratic National Convention in New York's Madison Square Garden, Aug. 14, 1980. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty)
Bob Daugherty
President Jimmy Carter raises a clenched fist during his address to the Democratic Convention, August 15, 1980, in New York's Madison Square Garden where he accepted his party's nomination to face Republican Ronald Reagan in the general election. (AP Photo/stf)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy greets President Jimmy Carter after he landed at Boston's Logan Airport, Aug. 21, 1980. President Carter is in Boston to address the American Legion Convention being held in Boston. (AP Photo)
Anonymous
President Jimmy Carter, left, and Gov. Bill Clinton of Arkansas enjoy a chuckle during a rally for Carter in Texarkana, Texas, Oct. 22, 1980. Texarkana was the last stop for Carter on a three-city one-day campaign swing through Texas. (AP Photo/John Duricka)
John Duricka
In this Oct. 28, 1980 file photo, President Jimmy Carter shakes hands with Republican Presidential candidate Ronald Reagan after debating in the Cleveland Music Hall in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Madeline Drexler, File)
Madeline Drexler
Former US President Jimmy Carter, who had negotiated for the hostages release right up to the last hours of his Presidency, lifts his arm to the crowd, while putting his other hand around the shoulders of a former hostage in Iran, believed to be Bruce Laingen, at US AIR Force Hospital in Wiesbaden, Germany, Wednesday, January 21, 1981.
AP FILE
Former Pres. Jimmy Carter, center, is joined by his wife Rosalynn and his brother Billy Carter during session of the Democratic National Convention, Tuesday, July 19, 1988, Atlanta, Ga. Billy had been recently diagnosed with cancer. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty)
Bob Daugherty
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter speaks to newsmen as PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat, right, looks on after the two men met in Paris Wednesday, April 4, 1990. Carter said he felt some leaders did not represent the region's yearning for peace. (AP Photo/Pierre Gieizes)
AP
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, center, introduces his wife Rosalynn, right, to Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Jiang Zemin, April 14, 1991 in Beijing. (AP Photo/Mark Avery)
Mark Avery
Former President Jimmy Carter gestures at a United Nations news conference in New York, April 23, 1993 about the world conference on Human Rights to be held by the United Nations in Vienna June 14-25. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Richard Drew
Former Presidents George Bush, left, and Jimmy Carter, right, stand with President Clinton and wave to volunteers during a kick-off rally for the President's Volunteer Summit at Marcus Foster Stadium in Philladelphia, PA., Sunday morning April 27, 1997. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
STEPHAN SAVOIA
President Bill Clinton presents former President Jimmy Carter, right, with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, during a ceremony at the Carter Center in Atlanta Monday, Aug. 9, 1999. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
JOHN BAZEMORE
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter adjusts his glasses during a press conference in Managua, Nicaragua, Thursday, July 6, 2006. The former president and 2002 Nobel Peace Prize winner is heading a delegation from the democracy-promoting Carter Center, based at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, to observe preparations for Nicaragua's Nov. 5 presidential election. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
ESTEBAN FELIX
In this Friday, Dec. 8, 2006 file photo, former President Jimmy Carter signs copies of his book "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid" at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Ga. (AP Photo/Ric Feld)
Ric Feld
Former President George H.W. Bush, left, watches as Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton chat during a dedication ceremony for the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, May 31, 2007. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
Gerry Broome
Former President Jimmy Carter poses for a portrait during the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Monday, Sept. 10, 2007. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Carolyn Kaster
Former President Jimmy Carter poses on the red carpet for the documentary film, "Jimmy Carter: Man From Plains" during the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Monday, Sept. 10, 2007. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Carolyn Kaster
Former President Jimmy Carter, right, and his wife Rosalynn wave to the audience at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Monday, Aug. 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Jae C. Hong
Former President Jimmy Carter, right, and former first lady Rosalynn Carter are seen on stage at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Monday, Aug. 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Paul Sancya
Former President Jimmy Carter waves to the crowd as he goes on stage at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Monday, Aug. 25, 2008.(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Paul Sancya
Former President Jimmy Carter, right, is seen with Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Paul Sancya
President-elect Barack Obama is welcomed by President George W. Bush for a meeting at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009, with former presidents, from left, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
J. Scott Applewhite
In this photo taken Saturday, May 29, 2010, former South Africa president Nelson Mandela, right, reacts with former US president Jimmy Carter, during a reunion with The Elders, three years after he launched the group, in Johannesburg, South Africa. (AP Photo/Jeff Moore, Pool)
Jeff Moore
Former US President Jimmy Carter, center, one of the delegates of the Elders group of retired prominent world figures, holds a Palestinian child during a visit to the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Menahem Kahana, Pool)
Menahem Kahana
Former President Jimmy Carter, 86, leads Habitat for Humanity volunteers to help build and repair houses in Washington's Ivy City neighborhood, Monday, Oct. 4, 2010. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
J. Scott Applewhite
FILE - In this Friday, Oct. 22, 2010 file photo, former president of Ireland, Mary Robinson, background right, looks at former U.S. president, Jimmy Carter, center, while visiting a weekly protest in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. The protest was organized by groups supporting Palestinians evicted from their homes in east Jerusalem by Israeli authorities. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Bernat Armangue
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, his wife, Rosalynn, and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan conclude a visit to a polling center the southern capital of Juba Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011. (AP Photo/Pete Muller)
Pete Muller
Former President Jimmy Carter signs his name in the guest book at the Jewish Community center in Havana, Cuba, Monday March 28, 2011. Carter arrived in Cuba to discuss economic policies and ways to improve Washington-Havana relations, which are even more tense than usual over the imprisonment of Alan Gross, a U.S. contractor, on the island. C (AP Photo/Adalberto Roque, Pool)
ADALBERTO ROQUE
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter pauses during an interview as he and his wife Rosalynn visit a Habitat for Humanity project in Leogane, Haiti, Monday Nov. 7, 2011. The Carters joined volunteers from around the world to build 100 homes in partnership with earthquake-affected families in Haiti during a week-long Habitat for Humanity housing project. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
Ramon Espinosa
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, sits prior to a meeting with Israel's President Shimon Peres at the President's residence in Jerusalem, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012. Peres met two of 'The Elders', a group composed of eminent global leaders brought together by Nelson Mandela. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
Sebastian Scheiner
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter watches baseball players work out before Game 2 of the National League Division Series between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, Oct. 4, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
Dave Martin
Former President Jimmy Carter speaks during a forum at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014. Among other topics, Carter discussed his new book, "A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power." (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Elise Amendola
President Jimmy Carter, left, and Rosalynn Carter arrive at the 2015 MusiCares Person of the Year event at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Richard Shotwell
In this July 10, 2015, file photo, former President Jimmy Carter is seen in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
Matt Rourke
In a Sunday, Aug. 23, 2015 file photo, former President Jimmy Carter teaches Sunday School class at Maranatha Baptist Church in his hometown, in Plains, Ga. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
David Goldman
Former President Jimmy Carter answers questions during a news conference at a Habitat for Humanity building site Monday, Nov. 2, 2015, in Memphis, Tenn. Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, have volunteered a week of their time annually to Habitat for Humanity since 1984, events dubbed "Carter work projects" that draw thousands of volunteers and take months of planning. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Mark Humphrey
Former President Bill Clinton, left, and former president Jimmy Carter shake hands after speaking at a Clinton Global Initiative meeting Tuesday, June 14, 2016, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
John Bazemore
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter holds a morning devotion in Memphis, Tenn., on Monday, Aug. 22, 2016, before he and his wife Rosalynn help build a home for Habitat for Humanity. (AP Photo/Alex Sanz)
Alex Sanz
Former president Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter arrive during the 58th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Friday, Jan. 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Andrew Harnik
In this Feb. 8, 2017, file photo, former President Jimmy Carter speaks during a ribbon cutting ceremony for a solar panel project on farmland he owns in his hometown of Plains, Ga. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
David Goldman
Former President George W. Bush, center, speaks as fellow former Presidents from right, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter look on during a hurricanes relief concert in College Station, Texas, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017. All five living former U.S. presidents joined to support a Texas concert raising money for relief efforts from Hurricane Harvey, Irma and Maria's devastation in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
LM Otero
Former President Jimmy Carter, 93, sits for an interview about his new book "Faith: A Journey For All" which will debut at no. 7 on the New York Times best sellers list, pictured before a book signing Wednesday, April 11, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)
John Amis
Former President Jimmy Carter speaks as Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams listens during a news conference to announce Abrams' rural health care plan Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, in Plains, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
John Bazemore
Former President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter are seen ahead of an NFL football game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
John Bazemore
Former President Jimmy Carter takes questions submitted by students during an annual Carter Town Hall held at Emory University Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)
John Amis
Democratic presidential candidate former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, left, meets with former President Jimmy Carter, center, at Buffalo Cafe in Plains, Ga., Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Matt Rourke
69-year-old suffered stroke in his N.C. home; Realtor showing house left him there. He died Wednesday.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Randy Vaughan wouldn’t miss his grandson’s birthday.
“Never. He’d always at least call,” said Doug Vaughan, Randy’s younger brother.
'Never saw such hell': Intercepted phone calls home by Russian soldiers reveal horrors of war
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — How do people raised with a sense of right and wrong end up involved in terrible acts of violence against others?
That's the human mystery at the heart of 2,000 intercepted phone calls from Russian soldiers in Ukraine. These calls obtained by The Associated Press offer an intimate new perspective on Russian President Vladimir Putin's year-old war, seen through the eyes of Russian soldiers themselves.
Timeline: A look at key moments in a year of war between Russia and Ukraine
A month-by-month timeline of the war in Ukraine
The war in Ukraine that began a year ago has killed thousands, forced millions to flee their homes, reduced entire cities to rubble and has fueled fears the confrontation could slide into an open conflict between Russia and NATO.
A look at some of the main events in the conflict.
Feb. 24, 2022: Russia invades Ukraine
On Feb. 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin launches an invasion of Ukraine from the north, east and south. He says the "special military operation" is aimed at "demilitarization" and "denazification" of the country to protect ethnic Russians, prevent Kyiv's NATO membership and to keep it in Russia's "sphere of influence." Ukraine and the West say it's an illegal act of aggression against a country with a democratically elected government and a Jewish president whose relatives were killed in the Holocaust.
Russian troops quickly reach Kyiv's outskirts, but their attempts to capture the capital and other cities in the northeast meet stiff resistance. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy records a video outside his headquarters to show he is staying and remains in charge.
About the photo: Traffic jams are seen as people leave the city of Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022.
AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File
March 2, 2022: Russia takes Kherson, gets stuck near Kyiv
On March 2, Russia claims control of the southern city of Kherson. In the opening days of March, Russian forces also seize the rest of the Kherson region and occupy a large part of the neighboring Zaporizhzhia region, including the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe's largest.
The Russian army soon gets stuck near Kyiv, and its convoys — stretching along highways leading to the Ukrainian capital — become easy prey for Ukrainian artillery and drones.
About the photo: Russian's army tanks move down a street on the outskirts of Mariupol, Ukraine, Friday, March 11, 2022.
AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File
March 29, 2022: Russia withdraws from Kyiv, shifts focus east
Moscow announces the withdrawal of forces from Kyiv and other areas March 29, saying it will focus on the eastern industrial heartland of the Donbas, where Russia-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian forces since 2014 following the illegal annexation of Crimea.
About the photo: People with Ukrainian flags walk toward Russian army trucks during a rally against the Russian occupation in Kherson, Ukraine, on March 20, 2022. As Russian forces sought to tighten their hold on Melitopol, hundreds of residents took to the streets to demand the mayor's release.
AP Photo/Olexandr Chornyi, File
April 2022: Mass graves discovered in Bucha
The Russian pullback from Kyiv reveals hundreds of bodies of civilians in mass graves or left in the streets of the town of Bucha, many of them bearing signs of torture in scenes that prompt world leaders to say Russia should be held accountable for possible war crimes.
About the photo: Police work to identify civilians who were killed during the Russian occupation in Bucha, Ukraine, on the outskirts of Kyiv, before sending the bodies to the morgue, Wednesday, April 6, 2022.
AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File
April 9, 2022: Russia strikes train station, killing 52 civilians
On April 9, a Russian missile strike on a train station in the eastern city of Kramatorsk kills 52 civilians and wounds over 100.
Intense battles rage for the strategic port of Mariupol on the Sea of Azov, and Russian air strikes and artillery bombardment reduce much of it to ruins.
About the photo: People board buses during their evacuation, with a Soviet MiG-17 fighter jet monument in the background, in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, Saturday, April 9, 2022. After the bombing of the train station, residents continued their attempts to leave the city on buses and other transports.
AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko, File
April 13, 2022: Ukraine sinks Russian missile cruiser
On April 13, the missile cruiser Moskva, the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, is hit by Ukrainian missiles and sinks the next day, damaging national pride.
About the photo: The Russian missile cruiser Moskva, the flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet is seen anchored in the Black Sea port of Sevastopol, on Sept. 11, 2008.
AP file
May 16, 2022: Ukraine defenders surrender key steel mill
On May 16, Ukrainian defenders of the giant Azovstal steel mill, the last remaining Ukrainian stronghold in Mariupol, agree to surrender to Russian forces after a nearly three-month siege. Mariupol's fall cuts Ukraine off from the Azov coast and secures a land corridor from the Russian border to Crimea.
About this photo: In this photo provided by Azov Special Forces Regiment of the Ukrainian National Guard Press Office, a Ukrainian soldier stands inside the ruined Azovstal steel plant prior to surrender to the Russian forces in Mariupol, Ukraine, May 16, 2022.
Dmytro Kozatski/Azov Special Forces Regiment of the Ukrainian National Guard Press Office via AP, File
May 18, 2022: Finland, Sweden apply for NATO membership
On May 18, Finland and Sweden submit their applications to join NATO in a major blow to Moscow over the expansion of the military alliance.
About the photo: NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg displays documents as Sweden and Finland applied for membership in Brussels, Belgium, May 18, 2022.
Johanna Geron, Pool via AP, file
June 2022: Western weapons flow into Ukraine
More Western weapons flow into Ukraine, including U.S.-supplied HIMARS multiple rocket launchers.
About the photo: Ukrainian soldiers fire at Russian positions from a U.S.-supplied M777 howitzer in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region June 18, 2022.
AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File
June 30, 2022: Russian troops pull back from Snake Island
On June 30, Russian troops pull back from Snake Island, located off the Black Sea port of Odesa and seized in the opening days of the invasion.
About the photo: In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry Press Office on Thursday, July 7, 2022, Ukrainian soldiers install the state flag on Snake island, in the Black Sea.
Ukrainian Defence Ministry Press Office via AP, File
July 22, 2022: Deal struck on grain exports
On July 22, Russia and Ukraine, with mediation by Turkey and the United Nations, agree on a deal to unblock supplies of grain stuck in Ukraine's Black Sea ports, ending a standoff that threatened global food security.
About the photo: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and U.N. Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, sit as Sergei Shoigu, Russia's Defense Minister, and Hulusi Akar, Turkey's Defense Minister, shake hands during a signing ceremony at Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul, Turkey, July 22, 2022.
AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File
July 29, 2022: 53 killed in missile strike on prison
On July 29, a missile strike hits a prison in the Russia-controlled eastern town of Olenivka where Ukrainian soldiers captured in Mariupol were held, killing at least 53. Ukraine and Russia trade blame for the attack.
About the photo: In this photo taken from video a view of a destroyed barrack at a prison in Olenivka, in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces, eastern Ukraine, Friday, July 29, 2022.
AP file
Aug. 9, 2022: Ukraine strikes air base in Crimea
On Aug. 9, powerful explosions strike an air base in Crimea. More blasts hit a power substation and ammunition depots there a week later. signaling the vulnerability of the Moscow-annexed Black Sea peninsula that Russia has used as a major supply hub for the war. Ukraine's top military officer later acknowledges that the attacks on Crimea were launched by Kyiv's forces.
About the photo: Rising smoke can be seen from the beach at Saky after explosions were heard from the direction of a Russian military airbase near Novofedorivka, Crimea, Aug. 9, 2022.
UGC via AP, File
Aug. 20, 2022: Daughter of Russian ideologist killed in car bombing
On Aug. 20, Darya Dugina, the daughter of Russian nationalist ideologist Alexander Dugin, dies in a car bomb explosion outside Moscow that the Russian authorities blame on Ukraine.
About the photo: Philosopher Alexander Dugin speaks during the final farewell ceremony for his daughter Daria Dugina in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022.
AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov, File
Sept. 6, 2022: Ukraine counteroffensive retakes parts of Kharkiv region
On Sept. 6, the Ukrainian forces launch a surprise counteroffensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region, quickly forcing Russia to pull back from broad areas held for months.
About the photo: A Ukrainian national guard serviceman stands atop a destroyed Russian tank in an area near the border with Russia, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Sept. 19, 2022.
On Sept. 21, Putin orders mobilization of 300,000 reservists, an unpopular move that prompts hundreds of thousands of Russian men to flee to neighboring countries to avoid recruitment. At the same time, Russia hastily stages illegal "referendums" in Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions on whether to become part of Russia. The votes are widely dismissed as a sham by Ukraine and the West.
About the photo: Riot police block a street during a protest against mobilization in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022.
AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File
Sept. 30, 2022: Putin claims annexation of 4 regions
On Sept. 30, Putin signs documents to annex the four regions at a Kremlin ceremony.
About the photo: From left, Moscow-appointed head of Kherson Region Vladimir Saldo, Moscow-appointed head of Zaporizhzhia region Yevgeny Balitsky, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Denis Pushilin, leader of self-proclaimed of the Donetsk People's Republic and Leonid Pasechnik, leader of self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic pose for a photo during a ceremony to sign the treaties for four regions of Ukraine to join Russia, at the Kremlin in Moscow, Friday, Sept. 30, 2022.
Dmitry Astakhov, Sputnik, Government Pool Photo via AP, File
October 2022: Bridge linking Crimea and Russia attacked
On Oct. 8, a truck laden with explosives blows up on the bridge linking Crimea to Russia's mainland in an attack that Putin blames on Ukraine. Russia responds with missile strikes on Ukraine's power plants and other key infrastructure.
After the first wave of attacks on Oct. 10, the barrage continues on a regular basis in the months that follow, resulting in blackouts and power rationing across the country.
About the photo: Flame and smoke rise from the Crimean Bridge connecting Russian mainland and the Crimean peninsula over the Kerch Strait, in Kerch, Crimea, Oct. 8, 2022.
AP file
November 2022: Russia retreats from Kherson
On Nov. 9, Russia announces a pullback from the city of Kherson under a Ukrainian counteroffensive, abandoning the only regional center Moscow captured, in a humiliating retreat for the Kremlin.
About the photo: Ukrainian servicemen check the trenches dug by Russian soldiers in a retaken area in Kherson region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022.
AP Photo/Leo Correa, File
Dec. 5, 2022: Ukraine uses drones to hit Russian targets
On Dec. 5, the Russian military says Ukraine used drones to target two bases for long-range bombers deep inside Russian territory. Another strike takes places later in the month, underlining Ukraine's readiness to up the ante and revealing gaps in Russian defenses.
About the photo: Ukrainian soldiers watch a drone feed from an underground command center in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022.
AP Photo/Libkos, File
Dec. 21, 2022: Zelenskyy visits US
On Dec. 21, Zelenskyy visits the United States on his first trip abroad since the war began, meeting with President Joe Biden to secure Patriot air defense missile systems and other weapons and addressing Congress.
About the photo: Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., right, react as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presents lawmakers with a Ukrainian flag autographed by front-line troops in Bakhmut, in Ukraine's contested Donetsk province, as he addresses a joint meeting of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022.
On Jan. 1, just moments into the New Year, scores of freshly mobilized Russian soldiers are killed by a Ukrainian missile strike on the city of Makiivka. Russia's Defense Ministry says 89 troops were killed, while Ukrainian officials put the death toll in the hundreds.
About the photo: Workers clean rubbles after Ukrainian rocket strike in Makiivka, in Russian-controlled Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.
AP file
Jan. 12, 2023: Russia claims capture of Soledar
After months of ferocious fighting, Russia declares the capture of the salt-mining town of Soledar on Jan. 12, although Kyiv does not acknowledge it until days later. Moscow also presses its offensive to seize the Ukrainian stronghold of Bakhmut.
About the photo: Ukrainian servicemen fire a 120mm mortar towards Russian positions at the frontline near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023.
AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File
Jan. 14, 2023: Russian strike kills 45 in apartment building
On Jan. 14, when Russia launches another wave of strikes on Ukraine's energy facilities, a Russian missile hits an apartment building in the city of Dnipro, killing 45.
About the photo: Emergency workers clear the rubble after a Russian rocket hit a multistory building leaving many people under debris in the southeastern city of Dnipro, Ukraine, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023.
AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File
Feb. 20, 2023: Biden makes surprise visit to Kyiv
On Feb. 20, U.S. President Joe Biden makes a surprise visit to Kyiv where he meets with the Ukrainian president in a remarkable and defiant display of solidarity.
About the photo: US President Joe Biden, center, meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, and Olena Zelenska, left, spouse of President Zelenskyy, at Mariinsky Palace during an unannounced visit in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Feb. 20, 2023.
Photos: In Ukraine, searing images capture a year of war
Natali Sevriukova is overcome with emotion as she stands outside her destroyed apartment building following a rocket attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Emilio Morenatti
Ukrainians crowd under a destroyed bridge as they try to flee by crossing the Irpin River on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Emilio Morenatti
Stanislav says goodbye to his 2-year-old son, David, and wife, Anna, after they boarded a train that will take them to Lviv, from the station in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 3. 2022. Stanislav stayed to fight as his family sought refuge in a neighboring country. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Emilio Morenatti
A child in a stroller is lifted across an improvised path as people flee Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
Felipe Dana
Ukrainian emergency personnel and police officers evacuate injured pregnant woman Iryna Kalinina, 32, from a maternity hospital that was damaged by a Russian airstrike in Mariupol, Ukraine, March 9, 2022. "Kill me now!" she screamed, as they struggled to save her life at another hospital even closer to the frontline. The baby was born dead, and a half-hour later, Iryna died too. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Evgeniy Maloletka
A man runs after recovering items from a burning shop following a Russian attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday, March 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
Felipe Dana
An elderly woman is assisted while crossing the Irpin River on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by Ukrainian troops designed to slow any Russian military advance, while fleeing the town of Irpin, Ukraine, March 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
Vadim Ghirda
Bodies are placed into a mass grave on the outskirts of Mariupol, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Evgeniy Maloletka
A woman reacts as she waits for a train trying to leave Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Emilio Morenatti
Cadets practice with gas masks during a lesson in a bomb shelter on the first day of school at a cadet lyceum in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Sept. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
Efrem Lukatsky
Armored vehicles destroyed during the fighting between Ukrainian and Russian armed forces lie on a bank of the frozen Siverskiy Donets River in the recently-liberated village of Bogorodychne, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Evgeniy Maloletka
An explosion erupts from an apartment building at 110 Mytropolytska St., after a Russian army tank fired on it in Mariupol, Ukraine, Friday, March 11, 2022. On the seventh floor of the building, two elderly women Lydya and Nataliya were stuck in their apartment because they couldn't make it down to the shelter, and were killed in the explosion. The two heavily burned bodies were buried by neighbors in front of the building. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Evgeniy Maloletka
Destroyed Russian tanks sit on a main road after battles near Brovary, north of Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
Felipe Dana
Ira Gavriluk holds her cat as she stands near the bodies of her husband and brother who were killed in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
Rodrigo Abd
Ludmila, left, says goodbye to her granddaughter, Kristina, who, with her son, Yaric, departs by train from Odesa, southern Ukraine, on Tuesday, March 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Petros Giannakouris
The body of a man with his hands tied behind his back lies on the ground in Bucha, Ukraine, Sunday, April 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
Vadim Ghirda
A man and child ride a bicycle as bodies of civilians lie in the street in the formerly Russian-occupied Kyiv suburb of Bucha, Ukraine, Saturday, April 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
Vadim Ghirda
Children look out of the window of an unheated Lviv-bound train, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, March 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
Vadim Ghirda
A civilian wears a Vladimir Putin mask as a spoof, while a Ukrainian soldier stands atop a destroyed Russian tank in Bucha, Ukraine, outside of Kyiv, on April 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
Rodrigo Abd
Nina Shevchenko mourns over the body of her 15-year-old son, Artem Shevchenko, who was killed in a Russian attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday, April 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
Felipe Dana
The body of an elderly woman lies inside a house in Bucha, outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, April 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
Felipe Dana
Elderly men lie in beds at a hospice in Chasiv Yar city, Donetsk district, Ukraine, Monday, April 18, 2022. At least 35 men and women, some in wheelchairs and most of them with mobility issues, were helped by volunteers to flee from the region that has been under attack in the last few weeks. They are being transported to Khmelnytskyi, in western Ukraine. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Petros Giannakouris
Ukrainian soldiers carry the coffin of Volodymyr Losev, 38, during his funeral in Zorya Truda in the Odesa region of Ukraine, Monday, May 16, 2022. The 38-year-old Ukrainian volunteer soldier was killed on May 7 when the military vehicle he was driving ran over a mine in eastern Ukraine. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Francisco Seco
Nila Zelinska holds her granddaughter's doll found in her destroyed house in Potashnya on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 31, 2022. Zelinska had just returned to her hometown after escaping war to find out she is homeless. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Natacha Pisarenko
Volodymyr, 66, injured from a strike, sits on a chair in his damaged apartment in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, Thursday, July 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)
Nariman El-Mofty
Relatives and friends pay their last respects to Liza, a 4-year-old girl killed in a Russian attack, during a mourning ceremony in an Orthodox church in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, Sunday, July 17, 2022. Wearing a blue denim jacket with flowers, Liza was among 23 people killed, including two boys aged 7 and 8, in a missile strike three days earlier in Vinnytsia. Her mother, Iryna Dmytrieva, was among the scores injured. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
Efrem Lukatsky
Anastasia Ohrimenko, 26, is comforted by relatives as she cries next to the coffin of her husband, Yury Styglyuk, a Ukrainian serviceman who died in combat on Aug. 24, in Maryinka, Donetsk, during his funeral in Bucha, Ukraine, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Emilio Morenatti
Ukrainian soldiers fire artillery towards Russian positions near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. (AP Photo/LIBKOS)
Libkos
A woman warms her dog in her coat in Kivsharivka, Ukraine, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022. Residents in Kivsharivka have been living without gas, electricity or running water for around three weeks. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Francisco Seco
Ukrainian family members reunite for the first time since Russian troops withdrew from the Kherson region in the village of Tsentralne, southern Ukraine, on Nov. 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Bernat Armangue
A resident wounded after a Russian attack lies inside an ambulance before being taken to a hospital in Kherson, southern Ukraine, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Bernat Armangue
A woman transporting the coffin holding the body of her son, a soldier who was killed in fighting with Russians, sits in a boat crossing the Siverskyi Donets River near Staryi Saltiv, Kharkiv region on Wednesday Jan. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Erik Marmor)
Erik Marmor
A woman walks with a flashlight during a power outage in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
Felipe Dana
Ukrainian military doctors treat an injured comrade who was evacuated from the battlefield at the hospital in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. The serviceman did not survive. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Evgeniy Maloletka
The body of a woman lies under rubble after a Russian rocket hit a multistory building leaving many people under debris in the southeastern city of Dnipro, Ukraine, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Evgeniy Maloletka
Emergency workers clear the rubble after a Russian rocket hit a multistory building leaving many people under debris in the southeastern city of Dnipro, Ukraine, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Evgeniy Maloletka
Relatives mourn over the body of Oleksiy Zavadskyi, a Ukrainian serviceman who died in combat on Jan. 15 in Bakhmut, during his funeral in Bucha, Ukraine, on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
Daniel Cole
Ambulance paramedic Oleksandr Konovalov performs CPR on a girl injured by shelling in a residential area, next to her father, left, after arriving at the city hospital in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. The girl did not survive. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Evgeniy Maloletka
Residents prepare tea in a basement being used as a bomb shelter in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
Felipe Dana
A woman takes shelter in a basement with no electricity in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
Here's a breakdown of the dilemma, the potential fixes and the harsh politics around Social Security and Medicare.
Here are 5 ways the war in Ukraine has changed the world
LONDON (AP) — War has been a catastrophe for Ukraine and a crisis for the globe. The world is a more unstable and fearful place since Russia invaded its neighbor on Feb. 24, 2022.
One year on, thousands of Ukrainian civilians are dead, and countless buildings have been destroyed. Tens of thousands of troops have been killed or seriously wounded on each side. Beyond Ukraine’s borders, the invasion shattered European security, redrew nations’ relations with one another and frayed a tightly woven global economy.
5 ways war in Ukraine has changed the world
1. The return of European war
Three months before the invasion, then-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson scoffed at suggestions that the British army needed more heavy weapons. “The old concepts of fighting big tank battles on European landmass,” he said, “are over.”
Johnson is now urging the U.K. to send more battle tanks to help Ukraine repel Russian forces.
Despite the role played by new technology such as satellites and drones, this 21st-century conflict in many ways resembles one from the 20th. Fighting in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region is a brutal slog, with mud, trenches and bloody infantry assaults reminiscent of World War I.
The conflict has sparked a new arms race that reminds some analysts of the 1930s buildup to World War II. Russia has mobilized hundreds of thousands of conscripts and aims to expand its military from 1 million to 1.5 million troops. The U.S. has ramped up weapons production to replace the stockpiles shipped to Ukraine. France plans to boost military spending by a third by 2030, while Germany has abandoned its longstanding ban on sending weapons to conflict zones and shipped missiles and tanks to Ukraine.
Before the war, many observers assumed that military forces would move toward more advanced technology and cyber warfare and become less reliant on tanks or artillery, said Patrick Bury, senior lecturer in security at the University of Bath.
But in Ukraine, guns and ammunition are the most important weapons.
"It is, for the moment at least, being shown that in Ukraine, conventional warfare — state-on-state — is back,” Bury said.
Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP, File
2. Alliances tested and toughened
Russian President Vladimir Putin hoped the invasion would split the West and weaken NATO. Instead, the military alliance has been reinvigorated. A group set up to counter the Soviet Union has a renewed sense of purpose and two new aspiring members in Finland and Sweden, which ditched decades of nonalignment and asked to join NATO as protection against Russia.
The 27-nation European Union has hit Russia with tough sanctions and sent Ukraine billions in support. The war put Brexit squabbles into perspective, thawing diplomatic relations between the bloc and awkward former member Britain.
“The EU is taking sanctions, quite serious sanctions, in the way that it should. The U.S. is back in Europe with a vengeance in a way we never thought it would be again,” said defense analyst Michael Clarke, former head of the Royal United Services Institute think tank.
NATO member states have poured weapons and equipment worth billions of dollars into Ukraine. The alliance has buttressed its eastern flank, and the countries nearest to Ukraine and Russia, including Poland and the Baltic states, have persuaded more hesitant NATO and European Union allies, potentially shifting Europe’s center of power eastwards.
There are some cracks in the unity. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Putin’s closest ally in the EU, has lobbied against sanctions on Moscow, refused to send weapons to Ukraine and held up an aid package from the bloc for Kyiv.
Western unity will come under more and more pressure the longer the conflict grinds on.
“Russia is planning for a long war,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at the end of 2022, but the alliance was also ready for the “long haul.”
AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File
3. A new Iron Curtain
The war has made Russia a pariah in the West. Its oligarchs have been sanctioned and its businesses blacklisted, and international brands including McDonald's and Ikea have disappeared from the country’s streets.
Yet Moscow is not entirely friendless. Russia has strengthened economic ties with China, though Beijing is keeping its distance from the fighting and so far has not sent weapons. The U.S. has recently expressed concern that may change.
China is closely watching a conflict that may serve as either encouragement or warning to Beijing about any attempt to reclaim self-governing Taiwan by force.
Putin has reinforced military links with international outcasts North Korea and Iran, which supplies armed drones that Russia unleashes on Ukrainian infrastructure. Moscow continues to build influence in Africa and the Middle East with its economic and military clout. Russia’s Wagner mercenary group has grown more powerful in conflicts from the Donbas to the Sahel.
In an echo of the Cold War, the world is divided into two camps, with many countries, including densely populated India, hedging their bets to see who emerges on top.
Tracey German, professor of conflict and security at King’s College London, said the conflict has widened a rift between the “U.S.-led liberal international order” on one side, and angry Russia and emboldened rising superpower China on the other.
Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File
4. A battered and reshaped economy
The war’s economic impact has been felt from chilly homes in Europe to food markets in Africa.
Before the war, European Union nations imported almost half their natural gas and third of their oil from Russia. The invasion, and sanctions slapped on Russia in response, delivered an energy price shock on a scale not seen since the 1970s.
The war disrupted global trade that was still recovering from the pandemic. Food prices have soared, since Russia and Ukraine are major suppliers of wheat and sunflower oil, and Russia is the world’s top fertilizer producer.
Grain-carrying ships have continued to sail from Ukraine under a fragile U.N.-brokered deal, and prices have come down from record levels. But food remains a geopolitical football. Russia has sought to blame the West for high prices, while Ukraine and its allies accuse Russia of cynically using hunger as a weapon.
The war "has really highlighted the fragility” of an interconnected world, just as the pandemic did, German said, and the full economic impact has yet to be felt.
The war also roiled attempts to fight climate change, driving an upsurge in Europe’s use of heavily polluting coal. Yet Europe’s rush away from Russian oil and gas may speed the transition to renewable energy sources faster than countless warnings about the dangers of global warming. The International Energy Agency says the world will add as much renewable power in the next five years as it did in the last 20.
AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File
5. A new age of uncertainty
The conflict is a stark reminder that individuals have little control over the course of history. No one knows that better than the 8 million Ukrainians who have been forced to flee homes and country for new lives in communities across Europe and beyond.
For millions of people less directly affected, the sudden shattering of Europe’s peace has brought uncertainty and anxiety.
Putin’s veiled threats to use atomic weapons if the conflict escalates revived fears of nuclear war that had lain dormant since the Cold War. Fighting has raged around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, raising the specter of a new Chernobyl.
Patricia Lewis, director of the international security program at think-tank Chatham House, said Putin's nuclear saber-rattling had provoked “more anger than fear” in the West. But concerns about nuclear escalation were heightened by Putin's Feb. 21 announcement that he was suspending Russia's participation in its sole remaining nuclear arms control treaty with the U.S.
Putin stopped short of withdrawing completely from the New START treaty and said Moscow would respect the treaty’s caps on nuclear weapons, keeping a faint glimmer of arms control alive.
AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu, File
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Timeline: A look at key moments in a year of war between Russia and Ukraine
A month-by-month timeline of the war in Ukraine
The war in Ukraine that began a year ago has killed thousands, forced millions to flee their homes, reduced entire cities to rubble and has fueled fears the confrontation could slide into an open conflict between Russia and NATO.
A look at some of the main events in the conflict.
Feb. 24, 2022: Russia invades Ukraine
On Feb. 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin launches an invasion of Ukraine from the north, east and south. He says the "special military operation" is aimed at "demilitarization" and "denazification" of the country to protect ethnic Russians, prevent Kyiv's NATO membership and to keep it in Russia's "sphere of influence." Ukraine and the West say it's an illegal act of aggression against a country with a democratically elected government and a Jewish president whose relatives were killed in the Holocaust.
Russian troops quickly reach Kyiv's outskirts, but their attempts to capture the capital and other cities in the northeast meet stiff resistance. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy records a video outside his headquarters to show he is staying and remains in charge.
About the photo: Traffic jams are seen as people leave the city of Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022.
AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File
March 2, 2022: Russia takes Kherson, gets stuck near Kyiv
On March 2, Russia claims control of the southern city of Kherson. In the opening days of March, Russian forces also seize the rest of the Kherson region and occupy a large part of the neighboring Zaporizhzhia region, including the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe's largest.
The Russian army soon gets stuck near Kyiv, and its convoys — stretching along highways leading to the Ukrainian capital — become easy prey for Ukrainian artillery and drones.
About the photo: Russian's army tanks move down a street on the outskirts of Mariupol, Ukraine, Friday, March 11, 2022.
AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File
March 29, 2022: Russia withdraws from Kyiv, shifts focus east
Moscow announces the withdrawal of forces from Kyiv and other areas March 29, saying it will focus on the eastern industrial heartland of the Donbas, where Russia-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian forces since 2014 following the illegal annexation of Crimea.
About the photo: People with Ukrainian flags walk toward Russian army trucks during a rally against the Russian occupation in Kherson, Ukraine, on March 20, 2022. As Russian forces sought to tighten their hold on Melitopol, hundreds of residents took to the streets to demand the mayor's release.
AP Photo/Olexandr Chornyi, File
April 2022: Mass graves discovered in Bucha
The Russian pullback from Kyiv reveals hundreds of bodies of civilians in mass graves or left in the streets of the town of Bucha, many of them bearing signs of torture in scenes that prompt world leaders to say Russia should be held accountable for possible war crimes.
About the photo: Police work to identify civilians who were killed during the Russian occupation in Bucha, Ukraine, on the outskirts of Kyiv, before sending the bodies to the morgue, Wednesday, April 6, 2022.
AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File
April 9, 2022: Russia strikes train station, killing 52 civilians
On April 9, a Russian missile strike on a train station in the eastern city of Kramatorsk kills 52 civilians and wounds over 100.
Intense battles rage for the strategic port of Mariupol on the Sea of Azov, and Russian air strikes and artillery bombardment reduce much of it to ruins.
About the photo: People board buses during their evacuation, with a Soviet MiG-17 fighter jet monument in the background, in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, Saturday, April 9, 2022. After the bombing of the train station, residents continued their attempts to leave the city on buses and other transports.
AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko, File
April 13, 2022: Ukraine sinks Russian missile cruiser
On April 13, the missile cruiser Moskva, the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, is hit by Ukrainian missiles and sinks the next day, damaging national pride.
About the photo: The Russian missile cruiser Moskva, the flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet is seen anchored in the Black Sea port of Sevastopol, on Sept. 11, 2008.
AP file
May 16, 2022: Ukraine defenders surrender key steel mill
On May 16, Ukrainian defenders of the giant Azovstal steel mill, the last remaining Ukrainian stronghold in Mariupol, agree to surrender to Russian forces after a nearly three-month siege. Mariupol's fall cuts Ukraine off from the Azov coast and secures a land corridor from the Russian border to Crimea.
About this photo: In this photo provided by Azov Special Forces Regiment of the Ukrainian National Guard Press Office, a Ukrainian soldier stands inside the ruined Azovstal steel plant prior to surrender to the Russian forces in Mariupol, Ukraine, May 16, 2022.
Dmytro Kozatski/Azov Special Forces Regiment of the Ukrainian National Guard Press Office via AP, File
May 18, 2022: Finland, Sweden apply for NATO membership
On May 18, Finland and Sweden submit their applications to join NATO in a major blow to Moscow over the expansion of the military alliance.
About the photo: NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg displays documents as Sweden and Finland applied for membership in Brussels, Belgium, May 18, 2022.
Johanna Geron, Pool via AP, file
June 2022: Western weapons flow into Ukraine
More Western weapons flow into Ukraine, including U.S.-supplied HIMARS multiple rocket launchers.
About the photo: Ukrainian soldiers fire at Russian positions from a U.S.-supplied M777 howitzer in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region June 18, 2022.
AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File
June 30, 2022: Russian troops pull back from Snake Island
On June 30, Russian troops pull back from Snake Island, located off the Black Sea port of Odesa and seized in the opening days of the invasion.
About the photo: In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry Press Office on Thursday, July 7, 2022, Ukrainian soldiers install the state flag on Snake island, in the Black Sea.
Ukrainian Defence Ministry Press Office via AP, File
July 22, 2022: Deal struck on grain exports
On July 22, Russia and Ukraine, with mediation by Turkey and the United Nations, agree on a deal to unblock supplies of grain stuck in Ukraine's Black Sea ports, ending a standoff that threatened global food security.
About the photo: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and U.N. Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, sit as Sergei Shoigu, Russia's Defense Minister, and Hulusi Akar, Turkey's Defense Minister, shake hands during a signing ceremony at Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul, Turkey, July 22, 2022.
AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File
July 29, 2022: 53 killed in missile strike on prison
On July 29, a missile strike hits a prison in the Russia-controlled eastern town of Olenivka where Ukrainian soldiers captured in Mariupol were held, killing at least 53. Ukraine and Russia trade blame for the attack.
About the photo: In this photo taken from video a view of a destroyed barrack at a prison in Olenivka, in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces, eastern Ukraine, Friday, July 29, 2022.
AP file
Aug. 9, 2022: Ukraine strikes air base in Crimea
On Aug. 9, powerful explosions strike an air base in Crimea. More blasts hit a power substation and ammunition depots there a week later. signaling the vulnerability of the Moscow-annexed Black Sea peninsula that Russia has used as a major supply hub for the war. Ukraine's top military officer later acknowledges that the attacks on Crimea were launched by Kyiv's forces.
About the photo: Rising smoke can be seen from the beach at Saky after explosions were heard from the direction of a Russian military airbase near Novofedorivka, Crimea, Aug. 9, 2022.
UGC via AP, File
Aug. 20, 2022: Daughter of Russian ideologist killed in car bombing
On Aug. 20, Darya Dugina, the daughter of Russian nationalist ideologist Alexander Dugin, dies in a car bomb explosion outside Moscow that the Russian authorities blame on Ukraine.
About the photo: Philosopher Alexander Dugin speaks during the final farewell ceremony for his daughter Daria Dugina in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022.
AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov, File
Sept. 6, 2022: Ukraine counteroffensive retakes parts of Kharkiv region
On Sept. 6, the Ukrainian forces launch a surprise counteroffensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region, quickly forcing Russia to pull back from broad areas held for months.
About the photo: A Ukrainian national guard serviceman stands atop a destroyed Russian tank in an area near the border with Russia, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Sept. 19, 2022.
On Sept. 21, Putin orders mobilization of 300,000 reservists, an unpopular move that prompts hundreds of thousands of Russian men to flee to neighboring countries to avoid recruitment. At the same time, Russia hastily stages illegal "referendums" in Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions on whether to become part of Russia. The votes are widely dismissed as a sham by Ukraine and the West.
About the photo: Riot police block a street during a protest against mobilization in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022.
AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File
Sept. 30, 2022: Putin claims annexation of 4 regions
On Sept. 30, Putin signs documents to annex the four regions at a Kremlin ceremony.
About the photo: From left, Moscow-appointed head of Kherson Region Vladimir Saldo, Moscow-appointed head of Zaporizhzhia region Yevgeny Balitsky, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Denis Pushilin, leader of self-proclaimed of the Donetsk People's Republic and Leonid Pasechnik, leader of self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic pose for a photo during a ceremony to sign the treaties for four regions of Ukraine to join Russia, at the Kremlin in Moscow, Friday, Sept. 30, 2022.
Dmitry Astakhov, Sputnik, Government Pool Photo via AP, File
October 2022: Bridge linking Crimea and Russia attacked
On Oct. 8, a truck laden with explosives blows up on the bridge linking Crimea to Russia's mainland in an attack that Putin blames on Ukraine. Russia responds with missile strikes on Ukraine's power plants and other key infrastructure.
After the first wave of attacks on Oct. 10, the barrage continues on a regular basis in the months that follow, resulting in blackouts and power rationing across the country.
About the photo: Flame and smoke rise from the Crimean Bridge connecting Russian mainland and the Crimean peninsula over the Kerch Strait, in Kerch, Crimea, Oct. 8, 2022.
AP file
November 2022: Russia retreats from Kherson
On Nov. 9, Russia announces a pullback from the city of Kherson under a Ukrainian counteroffensive, abandoning the only regional center Moscow captured, in a humiliating retreat for the Kremlin.
About the photo: Ukrainian servicemen check the trenches dug by Russian soldiers in a retaken area in Kherson region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022.
AP Photo/Leo Correa, File
Dec. 5, 2022: Ukraine uses drones to hit Russian targets
On Dec. 5, the Russian military says Ukraine used drones to target two bases for long-range bombers deep inside Russian territory. Another strike takes places later in the month, underlining Ukraine's readiness to up the ante and revealing gaps in Russian defenses.
About the photo: Ukrainian soldiers watch a drone feed from an underground command center in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022.
AP Photo/Libkos, File
Dec. 21, 2022: Zelenskyy visits US
On Dec. 21, Zelenskyy visits the United States on his first trip abroad since the war began, meeting with President Joe Biden to secure Patriot air defense missile systems and other weapons and addressing Congress.
About the photo: Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., right, react as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presents lawmakers with a Ukrainian flag autographed by front-line troops in Bakhmut, in Ukraine's contested Donetsk province, as he addresses a joint meeting of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022.
On Jan. 1, just moments into the New Year, scores of freshly mobilized Russian soldiers are killed by a Ukrainian missile strike on the city of Makiivka. Russia's Defense Ministry says 89 troops were killed, while Ukrainian officials put the death toll in the hundreds.
About the photo: Workers clean rubbles after Ukrainian rocket strike in Makiivka, in Russian-controlled Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.
AP file
Jan. 12, 2023: Russia claims capture of Soledar
After months of ferocious fighting, Russia declares the capture of the salt-mining town of Soledar on Jan. 12, although Kyiv does not acknowledge it until days later. Moscow also presses its offensive to seize the Ukrainian stronghold of Bakhmut.
About the photo: Ukrainian servicemen fire a 120mm mortar towards Russian positions at the frontline near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023.
AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File
Jan. 14, 2023: Russian strike kills 45 in apartment building
On Jan. 14, when Russia launches another wave of strikes on Ukraine's energy facilities, a Russian missile hits an apartment building in the city of Dnipro, killing 45.
About the photo: Emergency workers clear the rubble after a Russian rocket hit a multistory building leaving many people under debris in the southeastern city of Dnipro, Ukraine, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023.
AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File
Feb. 20, 2023: Biden makes surprise visit to Kyiv
On Feb. 20, U.S. President Joe Biden makes a surprise visit to Kyiv where he meets with the Ukrainian president in a remarkable and defiant display of solidarity.
About the photo: US President Joe Biden, center, meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, and Olena Zelenska, left, spouse of President Zelenskyy, at Mariinsky Palace during an unannounced visit in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Feb. 20, 2023.
AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool
Bruce Willis' family 'closer' amid dementia battle, Rihanna's dad found out she was pregnant when we did, and more celeb news
Bruce Willis' family 'closer than ever' amid dementia battle
Kim Kardashian's alleged stalker arrested after breaching restraining order
Kim Kardashian's alleged stalker has breached a restraining order she obtained against him.
Kim, 42, was granted the restraining order against Jomoine Victor Zigler, 28, last month after he reportedly showed up at her home on numerous occasions, called her his wife and sent her a diamond ring.
'Kim and Mýa were nice': Pink shades Lady Marmalade collaborator Christina Aguilera
Pink has hinted at tensions with Christina Aguilera on the set of 'Lady Marmalade'.
The 43-year-old singer admitted shooting the video with Christina, Lil' Kim and Mýa for their 2001 cover version of the song was not enjoyable and hinted that Christina was the problem.
Alicia Silverstone struggled to cope with Clueless fame
Alicia Silverstone struggled to cope with her 'Clueless' fame.
The 46-year-old actress - who is best known for her leading role in 1995 movie- admitted she didn't know what to do with all of attention the role brought and she soon decided to step back from Hollywood.
Richard Gere is recovering after being rushed to hospital in Mexico during a family vacation.
The 73-year-old actor was celebrating his wife Alejandra Silva's 40th birthday at their holiday home in Nuevo Vallarta but their celebrations were put on hold after Gere was reportedly admitted to the local hospital with pneumonia.
Kylie Minogue's sister Dannii has been her 'rock' since split from Paul Solomons
Kylie Minogue's sister Dannii has been "her rock" following her split from Paul Solomons.
The 'I Should Be So Lucky' hitmaker, 54, dated the British GQ executive, 47, for five years before reportedly calling it quits in early February, with the pair allegedly unable to make their long-distance romance work after she left London after two decades to relocate back to her native Australia.
Kelis has got "100 animals" on her farm in California.
The 43-year-old singer lives on a remote farm with her three kids - Knight, 13, Shepherd, seven, and Galilee, two - and Kelis has admitted to loving her unusual surroundings.
Australia will become a republic, says Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman thinks it's "inevitable" that Australia will become a republic.
King Charles became Australia's monarch following the death of Queen Elizabeth in September - but the 54-year-old actor feels it's "natural" that the country will become a republic one day.
Pedro Pascal feels like he is "going blind" when he dons his 'Mandalorian' costume.
The 47-year-old actor's alter ego, Din Djarin, removes his helmet as little as possible on the show and though his armour makes him feel "powerful, protected and dangerous", there's disadvantages to his signature outfit because he "can't see s***" and constantly finds himself stumbling and falling.
Niall Horan sees 'no point' in releasing Lewis Capaldi collaboration
Niall Horan has insisted there is "no point" releasing the songs he's recorded with Lewis Capaldi because they are "not good enough".
The former One Direction singer confirmed he has been into the recording studio with the 'Someone You Loved' hitmaker but there is no plans for the tracks they put together to see the light of day because neither of them "adored" them enough.
John Lennon's former home inspired this Judas Priest hit
John Lennon's former home inspired Judas Priest's 1980 classic 'Living After Midnight'.
The heavy metal band's guitarist Glenn Tipton has recalled how the song came about while the band were working on their iconic LP 'British Steel' at Tittenhurst Park, where the old residence of the late Beatles frontman is situated in Berkshire, England.
'It's not that weird': Alison Brie doesn't find it 'uncomfortable' having husband Dave Franco direct her sex scenes
Alison Brie doesn't feel "uncomfortable" with her husband, Dave Franco, directing her sex scenes.
The 40-year-old actress gets intimate with Jay Ellis in her latest film 'Somebody I Used To Know' but she insisted neither she nor her 37-year-old spouse were fazed by the fact he was the person behind the camera because the project comes first.
Princess Diana's former butler wants to 'share her secrets' with Princes William and Harry
Princess Diana's former butler believes he "must share her secrets" with her sons, Princes William and Harry.
Paul Burrell - who worked for the late royal for a decade until her death in 1997 - is preparing to undergo surgery for prostate cancer and is haunted by the idea he may be running out of time to tell the estranged brothers "the truth".
Kellie Pickler's husband has died in an apparent suicide.
Police were called to the country singer's home in Nashville on Friday (18.02.23) at around 1.21pm after the former 'Dancing With the Stars' contestant was unable to find her spouse Kyle Jacobs - who she married in 2011 - and she and her personal assistant were unable to open the door to a room in the house.
Shania Twain admits she swears less when she's in the UK
Shania Twain curbs her swearing when she's in the UK.
The superstar - who is a new panellist on the UK talent contest 'Starstruck' - admits she has a potty mouth like her fellow Canadians, but she tries not to curse as much when she's this side of the Atlantic.
Dua Lipa is worried her third album could leak online.
The 'Levitating' singer's record company bosses are desperately trying to ensure recordings for the highly-anticipated LP are secure after a song she worked on with Pharrell Williams appeared online this week, with the offcut from 'Future Nostalgia' the latest in a series of unreleased tracks from the 27-year-old pop star to have made it into the public domain.
Ed Sheeran undergoes dramatic transformation to play homeless addict in new movie
Ed Sheeran plays a homeless drug addict in 'Sumotherhood'.
The 'Castle on the Hill' hitmaker's casting in a mystery role in Adam Deacon's upcoming movie was announced last year, and it has now been revealed he underwent a dramatic transformation for his short appearance in the action comedy.
Chris Brown goes nuclear over Rihanna attack: 'Kiss my whole entire a** if you still hate me'
Chris Brown has declared critics who still "hate" him for attacking Rihanna can kiss his "whole entire a**".
The 'Run It!' rapper, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of felony assault for beating up his singer ex-girlfriend before the 2009 Grammys, but has now appeared to back a string of artists who have been accused of abuse in a foul-mouthed tirade on social media on Friday (17.02.23), in which he also ranted about people still pushing a "narrative" about his assault on Rihanna.
Emily Ratajkowski sparks speculation she's ended 'situationship' with Eric André
Emily Ratajkowski has prompted speculation she's broken up with her latest boyfriend Eric André.
The model and 'Gone Girl' actress, 31, went 'Instagram official' with the 39-year-old comedian on Valentine's Day when she appeared in only a bra in two snaps of him lounging naked on a sofa, but on Friday (17.02.23) posted a TikTok video about moving on from a "situationship".
'The Nutty Professor' actress Stella Stevens dead aged 84 after Alzheimer's fight
'The Nutty Professor' actress Stella Stevens has died aged 84 after an Alzheimer's battle.
The actress, who worked alongside Elvis Presley and Jerry Lewis in her heyday as a screen siren, passed away after a long struggle with dementia, her actor-producer son Andrew Stevens confirmed to Deadline on Friday. (17.02.23)
Liam Neeson blasts Disney's 'Star Wars' spin-offs: 'They've robbed the movies of their magic!'
Liam Neeson has blasted Disney's 'Star Wars' spin-offs for robbing the film franchise of its "magic" and "mystery".
The 70-year-old 'Schindler's List' actor played Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn in 1999's 'Star Wars: The Phantom Menace', and despite having roles in other projects linked to the series including TV shows 'The Clone Wars' and 'The Rise of Skywalker', he said he would not be returning to any more.
More Kris Jenner engagement rumours as new ring valued at $1.2m
Kris Jenner's rumoured engagement ring from her long-term partner Corey Gamble has been valued at $1.2 million.
The 67-year-old Kardashian clan's "momager" - who started dating talent manager Corey, 42, in 2014 after they met at a party in Ibiza while she was in the midst of her split from Caitlyn Jenner - kicked off rumours they are planning to marry after she shared a close-up snap of herself on her Instagram Stories on Valentine's Day wearing a huge diamond ring on her wedding finger.
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Dementia-stricken Bruce Willis 'misfired gun on film set as brain condition worsened'
Dementia-stricken Bruce Willis allegedly misfired a gun on a film set and needed someone to read his lines to him through an earpiece as his brain condition aphasia worsened.
The 67-year-old 'Die Hard' actor's family revealed on Thursday (16.02.23) the condition had developed into a rare and "cruel" form of dementia - 11 months after witnesses spoke out to claim his deepening health woes were evident while filming three years before he quit acting in 2022.
Florence Pugh spent three years messaging Lisa Rinna
Florence Pugh has struck up an unlikely friendship with reality TV star Lisa Rinna.
The 'Don't Worry Darling' star is a big fan of Lisa's show 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' and spent three years messaging her online before the pair finally met for the first time during a trip to UK when they were brought together on Thursday (16.02.23) at Harris Reed's London Fashion Week show at the Tate Modern.
Olivia Newton-John's widower John Easterling still feels her presence
Dame Olivia Newton-John's husband John Easterling still talks to her out loud six months after her death.
The 'Grease' star died in August aged 73 after a long battle with cancer and her grieving husband has given his first interview since the tragedy in which he opened up about life without his partner - admitting he still feels her presence and often chats to her as he walks around the house they shared.
Michael Cera doesn't have a smartphone and avoids social media
Michael Cera doesn't have a smartphone and avoids social media.
The 34-year-old 'Superbad' star is determined to live without the latest technology because he's happy being off the grid but insists his decision not to join sites like Twitter or Instagram wasn't "conscious" - he just never got around to it because he doesn't find them interesting.
Pink was told her career would be over if she had children
Pink was told her music career "would be over" if she had children.
The 'Never Gonna Not Dance Again' hitmaker - who has daughter Willow, 11, and son Jameson, six, with her husband Carey Hart - was told she would put her career in jeopardy if she started a family, however, the 43-year-old pop star believes it actually "began" after she became a mother.
Mark Consuelos delighted he'll 'get paid' to listen to wife Kelly Ripa talk on Live
New 'Live' presenter Mark Consuelos is delighted he's found a way to "get paid" to listen to his wife Kelly Ripa.
The 'Riverdale' actor is set to replace Ryan Seacrest as co-host of the ABC daytime show and after sending his well-wishes to his friend, he joked it is a sign of how "great" the US is that he'll be earning money for working alongside his spouse, who has fronted the show for over 20 years.
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A Big Hunk O' Ice Cream: Austin Butler drank microwaved ice cream to pile on pounds for Elvis role
Austin Butler drank microwaved ice cream and dozens of doughnuts to pile on the pounds to play Elvis Presley.
The former Disney star - who won the Golden Globe for Best Actor for his portrayal of the late King of Rock and Roll in Baz Luhrmann's biopic 'Elvis' and is hotly-tipped to walk away with the Oscar in the same category at the upcoming Academy Awards - was inspired by Hollywood actor Ryan Gosling's method for gaining weight for a role.
Paris Hilton feared she was asexual before meeting Carter Reum
Paris Hilton feared she was asexual before meeting her husband Carter Reum.
The 42-year-old socialite has opened up about her past difficulties with sex revealing she used to be "terrified" of "anything sexual" and admitting many of her previous relationships ended because she wouldn't go further than kissing - but that all changed when she met businessman Carter.
Priscilla Presley and Riley Keough not speaking amid row over Lisa Marie Presley's trust
Priscilla Presley and Riley Keough are no longer speaking amid the row over Lisa Marie Presley's trust.
The late singer died on 12 January aged 54 and two weeks later, her mother Priscilla filed a petition questioning the "authenticity and validity" of an amendment made to her daughter's trust - which includes her late father Elvis Presley's iconic home Graceland and 15 percent ownership of his estate -in 2016 which removed her and business manager Barry Siegel as trustees and appointed Lisa Marie's children, Riley and the late Benjamin Keough instead.
Niall Horan admits it's 'really scary' releasing new music after 3 years
Niall Horan admits it's "really scary" releasing new music after being away for a while.
The Irish pop star - who shot to fame as a member of the chart-topping boy band One Direction - is back today (17.02.23) with his first new music since his 2020 LP 'Heartbreak Weather', 'Heaven', from his upcoming third solo album 'The Show'.
Coffee with orange juice: Ashton Kutcher reveals surprise obsession
Ashton Kutcher puts orange juice in his coffee.
The 45-year-old actor - who has two children with wife Mila Kunis - insisted there was a valid reason for his unusual drink combination and the sweetness of the fruit helped enhance the flavours in his caffeinated beverage.
Raven-Symoné wants to direct a Cheetah Girls reunion movie
Raven-Symoné wants to direct a 'Cheetah Girls' reunion movie.
The 37-year-old actress was a fixture on the Disney Channel in the early 2000s with her 'That's So Raven' sitcom - which was revived as 'Raven's Home in 2017 - but also starred alongside Adrienne Bailon, Kiely Williams, and Sabrina Bryan in the 2003 musical comedy film for the network which followed four girls on a quest for musical superstardom and admitted that she would be up for a reboot of the franchise, as long as she could step behind the camera.
Emily Ratajkowski sets record straight on how most of world has been saying her name wrong
Emily Ratajkowski has set the record straight on how her surname is pronounced and it turns out most of the world has been saying it wrong.
The 'Gone Girl' actress and model, 31, who previously told Rolling Stone magazine about the "trick" behind the correct pronunciation, again told how it is correctly said in an interview shot during New York Fashion Week.
'I'm not a model!' Selena Gomez discusses recent weight gain
Selena Gomez has gained weight as a result of her medication she's taking.
The 30-year-old pop star was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease lupus in 2014 and explained that her weight tends to fluctuate because of water retention when she is on medication but wanted to urge others who may be struggling with their figure for similar reasons to remember that they are still "beautiful" and "wonderful."
Drake and 21 Savage settle lawsuit with Vogue publishers after being sued for 4m
Drake and 21 Savage have settled their lawsuit with Vogue magazine's publishers.
The pair were sued by Conde Nast last November for at least $4 million in damages for allegedly using the fashion bible's name without permission to promote their album 'Her Loss', and earlier this week, the two stars agreed to pay the company an undisclosed sum before the case went to court, TMZ reports.
Ryan Reynolds won't share any details about new baby
Ryan Reynolds "ain't telling" the sex of his new baby.
The 'Deadpool' actor's wife Blake Lively revealed on Sunday (12.02.23) that their fourth child - a sibling for daughters James, eight, Inez, six, and three-year-old Betty - had been born via an Instagram post showing her baby bump had gone, and the 46-year-old actor insisted the pair have no plans to make a formal announcement about the tot's birth.
Armie Hammer has temporary restraining order case against him dropped
Armie Hammer has had a temporary restraining order case against him dropped.
The embattled 'Call Me by Your Name' actor, 36, who is still fighting to claw back his Hollywood career after a string of his messages featuring extreme sexual fantasies emerged in 2021, saw the court throw it out on Wednesday (15.02.23) after an accuser aged 26 did not turn up at the hearing.
Leonardo DiCaprio 'desperate to overhaul reputation for only dating women under 25'
Leonardo DiCaprio is said to be desperate to overhaul his reputation for only dating models and actresses aged under 25.
The Oscar-winning 'Gangs of New York' actor, who is due to turn 49 in November, has been ridiculed by commentators for his habit of dating women around half his age, and faced a backlash from his critics when he was this month linked with 19-year-old Israeli model Eden Polani, following his split from Camila Morrone after she turned 25.
Paris Hilton is super-secret over her son: 'I wore disguise day he was born!'
Paris Hilton wore a disguise and checked into hospital under an alias the day her son was born.
The 41-year-old socialite's boy, who she had with her venture capitalist husband Carter Reum, 42, arrived in January, and Paris said even her loved ones were kept in the dark about his birth until just before she announced it on Instagram as part of a new bid to keep that part of her life private.
Things to know about Nikki Haley, GOP presidential hopeful
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Republican Nikki Haley joined the 2024 race for president this week, becoming the first major rival to former President Donald Trump in a field that is expected to grow in coming months.
Here are some things to know about the former South Carolina governor and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations:
Here are 20 Republicans considering 2024 presidential runs
Donald Trump
Donald Trump: The former president officially launched his campaign in November, days after the midterm elections. And he never really stopped running after 2020, continuing to hold campaign-style rallies with supporters.
AP file
Nikki Haley
Nikki Haley: Haley launched her presidential campaign Feb. 14. It was a shift from her previous insistence she would not run against Trump. "It's time for a new generation of leadership to rediscover fiscal responsibility, secure our border and strengthen our country, our pride and our purpose," she said in a video announcing her bid.
AP file
Ron DeSantis
Ron DeSantis: The Florida governor emerged as the top alternative to Trump in many conservatives' eyes after his dominant reelection victory. A DeSantis announcement is likely months away, with Florida currently in the middle of its legislative session. But his memoir, accompanied by a media blitz, will drop at the end of February, and top advisers are building a political infrastructure.
AP file
Mike Pence
Mike Pence: The former vice president's split with Trump over the events of Jan. 6, 2021, kicked off a consistent return to political travel. He has made clear that he believes the GOP will move on from Trump. "I think we're going to have new leadership in this party and in this country," Pence told CBS in January.
AP file
Tim Scott
Tim Scott: The South Carolina senator would make a second Palmetto State Republican in the 2024 field if, as expected, he enters the race in the near future. Scott is building a political infrastructure, including hiring for a super PAC, and is set to visit Iowa for an event his team billed as focused on "faith in America."
AP file
Ted Cruz
Ted Cruz: The Texas senator and 2016 GOP contender has not ruled out another presidential bid. But he is also seeking reelection in 2024. "I think there will be plenty of time to discuss the 2024 presidential race. I'm running for reelection to the Senate," he told the CBS affiliate in Dallas in February.
AP file
Glenn Youngkin
Glenn Youngkin: The Virginia governor's 2021 victory offered Republicans a new playbook focused on parental power in education. His political travel, including stops for a series of Republican gubernatorial candidates last year, makes clear Youngkin has ambitions beyond Virginia. He faced a setback to his push for a 15-week abortion ban when Democrats won a state senate special election earlier this year, expanding their narrow majority.
AP file
Chris Sununu
Chris Sununu: The New Hampshire governor's timeline isn't clear, but he recently established a political action committee that borrowed his state's motto: "Live Free or Die." He has positioned himself as a strong Trump opponent and alternative within the GOP. He would also start with the advantage of being universally known in an early-voting state. "I think America as a whole is looking for results-driven leadership that calls the balls and strikes like they see them and is super transparent," Sununu told Axios this week.
AP file
Kristi Noem
Kristi Noem: The South Dakota governor who won reelection in November has certainly cultivated a national profile, becoming a regular at conservative gatherings and donor confabs. But she hasn't committed to a presidential run. "I'm not convinced that I need to run for president," she told CBS in January.
AP file
Greg Abbott
Greg Abbott: The Texas governor who cruised past a 2020 presidential contender, former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, to win his third term in November is unlikely to make any official 2024 moves until his state's legislative session wraps up at the end of May. He told Fox News in January that a 2024 run "is it's not something I'm ruling in right now. I'm focused on Texas, period."
AP file
Larry Hogan
Larry Hogan: The former Maryland governor is another Trump opponent. He told Fox News he is giving a 2024 run "very serious consideration."
AP file
Asa Hutchinson
Asa Hutchinson: The former Arkansas governor is a rare Republican from a deep-red state who has been willing to criticize Trump. Now weeks removed from office, he also doesn't have the at-home responsibilities facing other governors. He told CBS that he'll decide on a 2024 by "probably April." He said he believes voters are "looking for someone that is not going to be creating chaos, but also has got the record of being a governor, of lowering taxes."
AP file
Chris Christie
Chris Christie: The former New Jersey governor is one of several 2024 GOP prospects headed to Texas for a private donor gathering in late February, along with Pence, Haley, Scott, Sununu and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Christie said on ABC earlier this year he doesn't believe Trump could beat President Joe Biden in 2024.
AP file
Mike Pompeo
Mike Pompeo: Trump's secretary of state and the former Kansas congressman said during a tour for his new book, "Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love," that he would decide on a presidential run in the coming months. He's been among the Republicans most openly considering a run, traveling to early-voting states for more than a year.
AP file
Liz Cheney
Liz Cheney: The former Wyoming congresswoman who emerged as the foremost GOP critic of Trump's lies about widespread election fraud lost her House seat to a Trump-backed primary challenger. She launched a political action committee last year and made clear she intends to try to purge the GOP of Trump's influence. But what that means in the context of a potential 2024 bid is not yet clear.
AP file
Will Hurd
Will Hurd: The former Texas congressman who represented a border district recently traveled to New Hampshire, an early-voting state, though it's not clear whether or when he would enter the race. "I always have an open mind about how to serve my country," he told Fox News.
AP file
Keep an eye on: Brian Kemp
Brian Kemp: The Georgia governor, who fended off a Trump-backed primary challenge on the way to reelection last year, has added political staffers and is sometimes mentioned as a vice presidential prospect.
AP file
Keep an eye on: Rick Scott
Rick Scott: The Florida senator has said he won't run for president, but things can change. He has taken steps to build his national profile.
AP file
Keep an eye on: Josh Hawley
Josh Hawley: The Missouri senator has also said he won't run but, like Scott, has taken steps to build his national profile.
AP file
Keep an eye on: John Bolton
John Bolton: Trump's former national security adviser has teased a run as a Trump foil.
AP file
Photos: Nikki Haley through the years
Nikki Haley takes the oath as Governor of South Carolina Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011, at the Statehouse in Columbia, S.C. Chief Justice Jean Toal , left, administers the oath of office as Haley's husband Michael and children Rena and Nalin join her at the podium. (AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain)
Mary Ann Chastain
From left to right, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Republican presidential candidate former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and his wife Ann Romney, shake hands with supporters during a rally at Boiling Springs Fire Station, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)
Rainier Ehrhardt
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, right, speaks, as Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney looks on during a town hall meeting at Memminger Auditorium, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011, in Charleston, S.C. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)
Rainier Ehrhardt
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley signs a bill into law as former South Carolina governors and officials look on Thursday, July 9, 2015, at the Statehouse in Columbia, S.C. The law enables the removal of the Confederate flag from the Statehouse grounds more than 50 years after the rebel banner was raised to protest the civil rights movement. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
John Bazemore
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley stands behind the podium for a test in front of a picture display of Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, in the Tampa Bay Times Forum at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. Armstrong died Saturday. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
David Goldman
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, left, comforts her son, Nalin, 10, and her daughter, Rena, 14, as her husband, Capt. Michael Haley, right, gets ready for a deployment ceremony for the South Carolina Army National Guard 3/49 Agribusiness Development Team at McCrady Training Center, Thursday, Jan. 10, 2013, at Ft. Jackson, S.C. The deployment is scheduled for a year including one month of training in Indiana prior to leaving for Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)
Rainier Ehrhardt
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., stands with, from second from left, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., during a rally, Friday, Feb. 19, 2016, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
John Bazemore
UN Ambassador-designate, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, accompanied by her husband Michael, left, prepares to testify on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017, at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Evan Vucci
Vice President Mike Pence administers the oath of office to U.S. Ambassador to the UN, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017, in the Vice Presidential Ceremonial Office in the Eisenhower Executive Office building on the White House complex in Washington. Holding the bible is Haley staffer Rebecca Schimsa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Evan Vucci
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 28, 2017, before the House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing: 'Advancing U.S. Interests at the United Nations'. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Andrew Harnik
British Ambassador to the United Nations Matthew Rycroft, left, and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley vote during a Security Council meeting on a new sanctions resolution that would increase economic pressure on North Korea to return to negotiations on its missile program, Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017 at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
Mary Altaffer
Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, left, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, center, and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice participate in a panel discussion at a forum sponsored by the George W. Bush Institute in New York, Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Seth Wenig
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks at the U.N. General Assembly, Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017, at United Nations headquarters. President Donald Trump's threat to cut off U.S. funding to countries that oppose his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital has raised the stakes in Thursday's U.N. vote and sparked criticism of his tactics, with one Muslim group calling it bullying or blackmail. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Mark Lennihan
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley talks with Chinese deputy ambassador Wu Haitao, Friday, Dec. 22, 2017, at United Nations headquarters. The council is to vote on proposed new sanctions against North Korea, including sharply lower limits on its refined oil imports, the return home of all North Koreans working overseas within 12 months, and a crackdown on the country's shipping. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Mark Lennihan
President Donald Trump talks to Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, at the United Nations General Assembly, Monday, Sept. 24, 2018, at U.N. Headquarters. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Evan Vucci
President Donald Trump meets with outgoing U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Evan Vucci
Former Ambassador to the U.N Nikki Haley speaks at the 2019 American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) policy conference, at Washington Convention Center, in Washington, Monday, March 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Jose Luis Magana
Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks during the Republican National Convention from the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Susan Walsh
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, left, cheers alongside U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace during a campaign rally ahead of South Carolina's GOP primary elections, Sunday, June 12, 2022, in Summerville, S.C. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard)
Meg Kinnard
Court filing: Prosecutors drop possibility of 5-year sentence in Alec Baldwin film set shooting case
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Prosecutors have dropped the possibility of a sentence enhancement that could have carried a mandatory five-year sentence against Alec Baldwin in a fatal film-set shooting, according to new court filings made public Monday.
The actor-producer's attorneys had earlier objected to the enhancement, saying it was unconstitutional because it was added after the October 2021 shooting.
The 2012 musical comedy isn’t one of Alec Baldwin’s better-known movies, and he seems content to keep it that way. The same year it was released, he called it “a complete disaster” in an interview with The Wrap.
New Line Cinema
The most famous of the Baldwin clan has a notoriously fraught relationship with the paps, once even suggesting that paparazzi should be waterboarded in 2012. He was accused of striking a photographer that same year.
Bonnie Biess/Getty Images/New York Daily News/TNS
Betty White, left, speaks at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Looking on from right are Alec Baldwin and Kate McKinnon. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Chris Pizzello
Famously hot-tempered Alec Baldwin worked as a nightclub bouncer before hitting it big—at New York City’s famed Studio 54, no less.
Overall wins: 8 Total nominations: 20 TV wins: 8 Movie wins: 0 The actor with the most SAG Award wins is Alec Baldwin. He has been nominated 20 times in his acting career and has won eight of them. His first win came in 2007 in the category of Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in “30 Rock.” He went on to win the same award in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. To round out his eight wins, “30 Rock” won Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2009.
Actor Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Thomas, a yoga instructor, married in 2011 and have four children together. Hilaria says she didn’t know anything about the "30 Rock” actor when they met. After learning Baldwin was pre-diabetic, his health-conscious wife helped the actor adopt a healthier diet to shed 30 pounds.
Season 32, Episode 5 IMDb rating: 7.6 IMDb votes: 93 Airdate: November 11, 2006 In 2006, “SNL” had assembled one of its strongest casts ever, thanks to a lineup that included Andy Samberg, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Seth Meyers, and Bill Hader. This particular episode included Tina Fey and Tracy Morgan guest-starring in Baldwin's monologue.
Santa Actor: Alec Baldwin
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 80%
Santa Claus goes full fantasy in this epic that encompasses all the holiday patrons — the Easter Bunny, the Boogeyman, even the Tooth Fairy — as they band together to fight an ancient, recently awakened evil. While it’s a good movie, it’s not very Christmasy with Alec Baldwin’s hardened, battle-worn Santa. When he laughs, his belly shakes like a bowl full of cement.
Alec Baldwin attends the "The Boss Baby" panel on day 1 of Comic-Con International on Thursday, July 21, 2016, in San Diego. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Chris Pizzello
Alec Baldwin accepts the award for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for "Saturday Night Live" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Chris Pizzello
Alec Baldwin, left, and Betty White are seen on stage at the 17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, Jan. 30, 2011 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Mark J. Terrill
Gunman kills 6 in shootings in Mississippi, North Korea reportedly fires missile into the sea, and more morning headlines
Today is Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023.
Get caught up on today's top stories, as well as celebrity birthdays and a look back at this date in history.
1928 — At Moritz, Switzerland, Sonja Henie becomes the youngest Olympic figure skating champion. At 15 years and 315 days, easily beats Austria’s Fritzi Burger and American Beatrix Loughran.
1932 — Sonja Henie wins her sixth straight World Figure Skating title.
Sonja Henie practices in Oslo, Norway, Jan. 24, 1928. Henie will compete in the Figure Skating Ladies Single at the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in St. Moritz. (AP Photo)
AP FILE
1944: 15-year-old Joe Nuxhall signs with the Cincinnati Reds
1944 — One day after playing in a high school basketball game, 15-year-old Joe Nuxhall signs with the Cincinnati Reds.
Joe Nuxhall, age 15, is shown in a Cincinnati Reds uniform in Cincinnati, Ohio, on June 10, 1944, when he entered a game and pitched two-thirds of an inning to become the youngest player to ever participate in a major league game. (AP Photo)
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1973: Richard Petty wins his fourth Daytona 500
1973 — Richard Petty wins his fourth Daytona 500. Petty gets two breaks when Cale Yarborough blows his engine on the 153rd lap and Baker blows his engine with 15 miles to go.
Richard Petty and Bobby Allison, rear, give a push to Cale Yarborough after his racer stopped as he was returning to the garage area after a practice run for the Daytona 500 stock car race Feb. 18, 1973. (AP Photo)
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1990: Derrick Cope wins Daytona 500 after Dale Earnhardt blows tire on last lap
1990 — Dale Earnhardt blows a tire with one mile remaining in the Daytona 500, giving unheralded Derrike Cope the biggest upset in stock car racing history.
Derrike Cope drives his Chevrolet across the finish line ahead of Terry Labonte's Oldsmobile to win the Daytona 500, Sunday, Feb. 18, 1990. (AP Photo/Mark Foley)
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1994: American speedskater Dan Jansen breaks his jinx by winning gold in the Lillehammer Games
1994 — After numerous Olympic setbacks, American speedskater Dan Jansen breaks his jinx by winning the gold in the 1000-meter race at the Lillehammer Winter Games.
American speed skater Dan Jansen of Greenfield, Wis., exults after winning the gold medal in the men?s 1,000 meter speedskating race on Friday, Feb. 18, 1994 at Hamar Olympic Hall in Hamar, Norway. Jansen set a world record in his performance in 1 minute, 12:43 seconds. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
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2006: Shani Davis becomes first Black athlete to win individual gold in Winter Olympic history
2006 — Shani Davis becomes the first Black athlete to win an individual gold medal in Winter Olympic history, capturing the men’s 1,000-meter speedskating race. Joey Cheek makes it a 1-2 American finish at the Turin Games.
United States Shani Davis, from Chicago, Ill., races on his way to the gold medal during the Winter Olympics men's 1,000 meter speedskating competition at the Oval Lingotto in Turin, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2006. (AP Photo/Jasper Juinen)
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2010: Evan Lysacek becomes first U.S. male figure skater to win Olympic gold medal since 1988
2010 — Figure skater Evan Lysacek becomes the first U.S. man to win the Olympic gold medal since Brian Boitano in 1988, shocking everyone with an upset of defending champion Evgeni Plushenko.
In this Feb. 18, 2010 file photo, Evan Lysacek waves the U.S. flag during the victory ceremony after winning the gold medal in the men's free program figure skating competition at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
AP FILE
2011: Dale Earnhardt killed in crash on last turn of Daytona 500
2001 — Dale Earnhardt, the greatest stock car star of his era, is killed in a crash on the last turn of the last lap of the Daytona 500 as he tries to protect Michael Waltrip’s victory.
In this Feb. 18, 2001, file photo, Dale Earnhardt's (3) window pops out of the car after being hit by Ken Schrader (36) during the Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Greg Suvino, File)
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2012: St. John's hands UConn first home loss to unranked team in 19 years
2012 — Shenneika Smith’s 3-pointer from the wing with 8 seconds left lifts St. John’s to a 57-56 win over No. 2 Connecticut, snapping the Huskies’ 99-game home court winning streak. It’s the Huskies’ first home loss to an unranked opponent in nearly 19 years.
St. John's Shenneika Smith, right, runs for the basket while pursued by Connecticut's Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis in the second half of an NCAA women's college basketball game at Storrs, Conn., Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012. St. John's defeated Connecticut 57-56. (AP Photo/Bob Child)
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2013: Baylor's Brittney Griner scores 3,000th point of career, rallying Bears past UConn
2013 — Brittney Griner scores 25 points, including the 3,000th of her career, to help No. 1 Baylor rally past third-ranked Connecticut 76-70. Griner is the eighth player in Division I history to reach the milestone.
Baylor's Brittney Griner, left, is pressured by Connecticut's Stefanie Dolson during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Hartford, Conn., Monday, Feb. 18, 2013. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
AP FILE
2017: Mikaela Shiffrin wins a third straight slalom title at the ski world championships
2017 — Mikaela Shiffrin wins a third straight slalom title at the ski world championships to retain her unbeaten record at major events. The 21-year-old American beats home crowd favorite, Wendy Holdener of Switzerland. Shiffrin’s gold medal streak in slalom includes each world championships she entered, starting in 2013, and the 2014 Olympics. Her victory gives the United States its first world title at St. Moritz in the 10th of 11 medal events.
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin poses with the gold medal of the women's slalom, at the alpine ski World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Feb.18, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)
AP FILE
2018: LeBron James scores go-ahead layup, wins his third All-Star Game MVP
2018 — LeBron James scores 29 points and hits the go-ahead layup with 34.5 seconds to play, winning his third All-Star Game MVP award while his hand-picked team rallies to win an uncommonly entertaining showcase, beating Team Stephen 148-145. For the first time in All-Star Game history, the league abandons the traditional East-West format used since 1951 and allows team captains James and Stephen Curry to choose their own rosters.
Team LeBron's LeBron James, of the Cleveland Cavaliers, holds the MVP trophy after his team defeated Team Stephen at the NBA All-Star basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018, in Los Angeles. Team LeBron won 148-145. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP FILE
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Inside the Trump grand jury: A member describes the secretive process of investigating 2020 election meddling
ATLANTA (AP) — They were led down a staircase into a garage beneath a downtown Atlanta courthouse, where officers with big guns were waiting. From there, they were ushered into vans with heavily tinted windows and driven to their cars under police escort.
For Emily Kohrs, these were the moments last May when she realized she wasn't participating in just any grand jury.
11 searing moments of Jan. 6: From 'an attempted coup' to chaos
'An attempted coup'
The first hearing, aired in prime time and watched by more than 20 million viewers, set the stage for the next seven.
It laid out the conclusion that the panel would come back to in every hearing: that Trump conspired to overturn his own defeat, taking actions that sparked the violent insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, when hundreds of his supporters beat police and broke through windows and doors to interrupt the certification of Biden’s victory.
“January 6th was the culmination of an attempted coup, a brazen attempt, as one rioter put it shortly after January 6th, to overthrow the government,” said the committee chairman, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. “The violence was no accident. It represents seeing Trump’s last stand, most desperate chance to halt the transfer of power.”
AP file
'Carnage' at the Capitol
Capitol Police Officer Caroline Edwards (pictured), one of two witnesses at the first hearing, described what she saw outside the Capitol on Jan. 6 as a “war scene.” As some Republicans, including Trump, have tried to play down the violence of the insurrection, calling it “peaceful,” Edwards recalled the brutality she experienced on the front lines. She suffered a traumatic head injury that day as some of the first protesters barreled through the flimsy bike rack barriers that she and other officers were trying to hold.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Edwards testified. “There were officers on the ground. You know, they were bleeding. They were throwing up. … It was carnage. It was chaos.”
AP file
'Detached from reality'
The committee has used clips of its interview with former Attorney General Bill Barr (pictured) in almost every hearing, showing the public over and over his definitive statements that the election was not stolen by Biden — and Barr's description of Trump’s resistance as he told the president the truth.
At the second hearing, the committee showed a clip of Barr recalling how he told Trump to his face that the Justice Department had found no evidence of the widespread voter fraud that Trump was claiming. Barr said he thought Trump had become “detached from reality” if he really believed his own theories and said there was “never an indication of interest in what the actual facts were.”
“And my opinion then and my opinion now is that the election was not stolen by fraud and I haven’t seen anything since the election that changes my mind on that,” Barr said.
AP file
A tense conversation
One question going into the hearings was what Trump and Vice President Mike Pence talked about in a phone call the morning of Jan. 6. The conversation came after Trump had pressured his vice president for weeks to try and somehow object or delay as he presided over Biden’s certification. Pence firmly resisted and would gavel down Trump's defeat — and his own — in the early hours of Jan. 7, after rioters had been cleared from the Capitol.
While only Trump and Pence were on the Jan. 6 call, White House aides filled in some details at the committee’s third hearing by recounting what they heard Trump say on his end of the line.
“Wimp is the word I remember,” said former Trump aide Nicholas Luna. “You’re not tough enough,” recalled Keith Kellogg, Pence’s national security adviser. “It became heated” after starting out in a calmer tone, said White House lawyer Eric Herschmann.
“It was a different tone than I’d heard him take with the vice president before,” said Ivanka Trump.
HOGP
40 feet away
Encouraged by Trump’s tweet, after the attack had started, that Pence “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done,” rioters at the Capitol singled out the vice president. Many chanted “Hang Mike Pence!” as they moved through the building. Pence evacuated the Senate just minutes before the chamber was breached, and later was rushed to safety as rioters were just 40 feet away.
Greg Jacob, the president’s lawyer, testified at the third hearing and said he had not known they were that close.
Jacob said Secret Service agents wanted them to leave the building but Pence refused to get in the car. “The vice president didn’t want to take any chance” that the world would see him leaving the Capitol, Jacob said.
AP file
'I will not break my oath'
At the committee’s fourth hearing, state officials detailed the extraordinary pressure the president put on them to overturn their states’ legitimate and certified results. Rusty Bowers (pictured), Arizona’s House speaker, told the committee how Trump asked him directly to appoint alternate electors, falsely stating that he had won the state of Arizona and not Biden.
Bowers detailed additional calls with Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani. “I will not do it,” Bowers told him, adding: “You are asking me to do something against my oath, and I will not break my oath.”
AP file
Lives upended
Georgia election workers Wandrea “Shaye” Moss (left) and her mother, Ruby Freeman, also testified in the fourth hearing, describing constant threats after Trump and his allies spread false rumors that they introduced suitcases of illegal ballots and committed other acts of election fraud. The Justice Department debunked those claims.
The two women said they had their lives upended by Trump’s false claims and his efforts to go after them personally. Through tears, Moss told lawmakers that she no longer leaves her house.
In videotaped testimony, Freeman said there is “nowhere I feel safe” after the harassment she experienced.
AP file
Justice Department resists the scheme
When his efforts to overturn his defeat failed in the courts and in the states, Trump turned his focus to the leadership of the Justice Department.
Richard Donoghue (right), the acting No. 2 at the time, testified about his resistance to entreaties by another department official, Jeffrey Clark, who was circulating a draft letter recommending that battleground states reconsider the election results. Trump at one point floated replacing then-acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen (center) with Clark, but backed down after Donoghue and others threatened to resign.
“For the department to insert itself into the political process this way, I think would have had grave consequences for the country,” Donoghue testified. “It may very well have spiraled us into a constitutional crisis.”
AP file
'They're not here to hurt me'
In a surprise sixth hearing, former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson (pictured) recounted some of Trump’s actions on Jan. 6, including his dismissive response when told that some in the crowd waiting for him to speak outside the White House were armed.
“I was in the vicinity of a conversation where I overheard the president say something to the effect of, ‘I don’t effing care that they have weapons,’” Hutchinson said. “'They’re not here to hurt me. Take the effin’ mags away. Let my people in. They can march to the Capitol from here.'”
Upset that the crowd didn’t appear larger, Trump told his aides to take the metal-detecting magnetometers away. In the coming hours, he would step on the stage and tell them to “fight like hell.”
Hutchinson also described Trump’s anger after security officials told him he couldn’t go to the Capitol with his supporters after he had told them he would. She said she was told that the president even grabbed the steering wheel in the presidential SUV when he was told he couldn’t go.
For the president to have visited the Capitol during Biden’s certification, and as his supporters descended on the building, would have been unprecedented.
AP file
'Unhinged' White House meeting
At its seventh hearing, the committee painstakingly reconstructed a Dec. 18 meeting at the White House where outside advisers to Trump pushing election fraud claims clashed with White House lawyers and others who were telling him to give up the fight.
The six-hour meeting featured profanity, screaming and threats of fisticuffs, according to the participants, as Trump lawyer Sidney Powell and others threw out conspiracy theories, including that the Democrats were working with Venezuelans and that voting machines were hacked. Pat Cipollone (pictured), the top White House lawyer, testified that he kept asking for evidence, to no avail.
Hours later, at 1:42 a.m., Trump sent a tweet urging supporters to come for a “big protest” on Jan. 6: “Will be wild,” Trump promised.
AP file
187 minutes
The final hearing focused on what Trump was doing for 187 minutes that afternoon, between his speech at the rally and when he finally released a video telling the rioters to go home at 4:17 p.m.
They showed that Trump was sitting at a dining room table near the Oval Office, watching Fox News coverage of the violence. But he made no calls for help — not to the Defense Department, the Homeland Security Department or the attorney general — even as his aides repeatedly told him to call it off.
In the video released at 4:17 p.m., as some of the worst of the fighting was still happening down the street, Trump told rioters to go home but said they were “very special.”
The committee showed never-before-seen outtakes of a speech Trump released on Jan. 7 in which he condemned the violence and promised an orderly transition of power. But he bristled at one line in the prepared script, telling his daughter Ivanka Trump and others in the room, “I don’t want to say the election is over.”
AP file
'An attempted coup'
The first hearing, aired in prime time and watched by more than 20 million viewers, set the stage for the next seven.
It laid out the conclusion that the panel would come back to in every hearing: that Trump conspired to overturn his own defeat, taking actions that sparked the violent insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, when hundreds of his supporters beat police and broke through windows and doors to interrupt the certification of Biden’s victory.
“January 6th was the culmination of an attempted coup, a brazen attempt, as one rioter put it shortly after January 6th, to overthrow the government,” said the committee chairman, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. “The violence was no accident. It represents seeing Trump’s last stand, most desperate chance to halt the transfer of power.”
AP file
'Carnage' at the Capitol
Capitol Police Officer Caroline Edwards (pictured), one of two witnesses at the first hearing, described what she saw outside the Capitol on Jan. 6 as a “war scene.” As some Republicans, including Trump, have tried to play down the violence of the insurrection, calling it “peaceful,” Edwards recalled the brutality she experienced on the front lines. She suffered a traumatic head injury that day as some of the first protesters barreled through the flimsy bike rack barriers that she and other officers were trying to hold.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Edwards testified. “There were officers on the ground. You know, they were bleeding. They were throwing up. … It was carnage. It was chaos.”
AP file
'Detached from reality'
The committee has used clips of its interview with former Attorney General Bill Barr (pictured) in almost every hearing, showing the public over and over his definitive statements that the election was not stolen by Biden — and Barr's description of Trump’s resistance as he told the president the truth.
At the second hearing, the committee showed a clip of Barr recalling how he told Trump to his face that the Justice Department had found no evidence of the widespread voter fraud that Trump was claiming. Barr said he thought Trump had become “detached from reality” if he really believed his own theories and said there was “never an indication of interest in what the actual facts were.”
“And my opinion then and my opinion now is that the election was not stolen by fraud and I haven’t seen anything since the election that changes my mind on that,” Barr said.
AP file
A tense conversation
One question going into the hearings was what Trump and Vice President Mike Pence talked about in a phone call the morning of Jan. 6. The conversation came after Trump had pressured his vice president for weeks to try and somehow object or delay as he presided over Biden’s certification. Pence firmly resisted and would gavel down Trump's defeat — and his own — in the early hours of Jan. 7, after rioters had been cleared from the Capitol.
While only Trump and Pence were on the Jan. 6 call, White House aides filled in some details at the committee’s third hearing by recounting what they heard Trump say on his end of the line.
“Wimp is the word I remember,” said former Trump aide Nicholas Luna. “You’re not tough enough,” recalled Keith Kellogg, Pence’s national security adviser. “It became heated” after starting out in a calmer tone, said White House lawyer Eric Herschmann.
“It was a different tone than I’d heard him take with the vice president before,” said Ivanka Trump.
HOGP
40 feet away
Encouraged by Trump’s tweet, after the attack had started, that Pence “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done,” rioters at the Capitol singled out the vice president. Many chanted “Hang Mike Pence!” as they moved through the building. Pence evacuated the Senate just minutes before the chamber was breached, and later was rushed to safety as rioters were just 40 feet away.
Greg Jacob, the president’s lawyer, testified at the third hearing and said he had not known they were that close.
Jacob said Secret Service agents wanted them to leave the building but Pence refused to get in the car. “The vice president didn’t want to take any chance” that the world would see him leaving the Capitol, Jacob said.
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'I will not break my oath'
At the committee’s fourth hearing, state officials detailed the extraordinary pressure the president put on them to overturn their states’ legitimate and certified results. Rusty Bowers (pictured), Arizona’s House speaker, told the committee how Trump asked him directly to appoint alternate electors, falsely stating that he had won the state of Arizona and not Biden.
Bowers detailed additional calls with Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani. “I will not do it,” Bowers told him, adding: “You are asking me to do something against my oath, and I will not break my oath.”
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Lives upended
Georgia election workers Wandrea “Shaye” Moss (left) and her mother, Ruby Freeman, also testified in the fourth hearing, describing constant threats after Trump and his allies spread false rumors that they introduced suitcases of illegal ballots and committed other acts of election fraud. The Justice Department debunked those claims.
The two women said they had their lives upended by Trump’s false claims and his efforts to go after them personally. Through tears, Moss told lawmakers that she no longer leaves her house.
In videotaped testimony, Freeman said there is “nowhere I feel safe” after the harassment she experienced.
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Justice Department resists the scheme
When his efforts to overturn his defeat failed in the courts and in the states, Trump turned his focus to the leadership of the Justice Department.
Richard Donoghue (right), the acting No. 2 at the time, testified about his resistance to entreaties by another department official, Jeffrey Clark, who was circulating a draft letter recommending that battleground states reconsider the election results. Trump at one point floated replacing then-acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen (center) with Clark, but backed down after Donoghue and others threatened to resign.
“For the department to insert itself into the political process this way, I think would have had grave consequences for the country,” Donoghue testified. “It may very well have spiraled us into a constitutional crisis.”
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'They're not here to hurt me'
In a surprise sixth hearing, former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson (pictured) recounted some of Trump’s actions on Jan. 6, including his dismissive response when told that some in the crowd waiting for him to speak outside the White House were armed.
“I was in the vicinity of a conversation where I overheard the president say something to the effect of, ‘I don’t effing care that they have weapons,’” Hutchinson said. “'They’re not here to hurt me. Take the effin’ mags away. Let my people in. They can march to the Capitol from here.'”
Upset that the crowd didn’t appear larger, Trump told his aides to take the metal-detecting magnetometers away. In the coming hours, he would step on the stage and tell them to “fight like hell.”
Hutchinson also described Trump’s anger after security officials told him he couldn’t go to the Capitol with his supporters after he had told them he would. She said she was told that the president even grabbed the steering wheel in the presidential SUV when he was told he couldn’t go.
For the president to have visited the Capitol during Biden’s certification, and as his supporters descended on the building, would have been unprecedented.
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'Unhinged' White House meeting
At its seventh hearing, the committee painstakingly reconstructed a Dec. 18 meeting at the White House where outside advisers to Trump pushing election fraud claims clashed with White House lawyers and others who were telling him to give up the fight.
The six-hour meeting featured profanity, screaming and threats of fisticuffs, according to the participants, as Trump lawyer Sidney Powell and others threw out conspiracy theories, including that the Democrats were working with Venezuelans and that voting machines were hacked. Pat Cipollone (pictured), the top White House lawyer, testified that he kept asking for evidence, to no avail.
Hours later, at 1:42 a.m., Trump sent a tweet urging supporters to come for a “big protest” on Jan. 6: “Will be wild,” Trump promised.
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187 minutes
The final hearing focused on what Trump was doing for 187 minutes that afternoon, between his speech at the rally and when he finally released a video telling the rioters to go home at 4:17 p.m.
They showed that Trump was sitting at a dining room table near the Oval Office, watching Fox News coverage of the violence. But he made no calls for help — not to the Defense Department, the Homeland Security Department or the attorney general — even as his aides repeatedly told him to call it off.
In the video released at 4:17 p.m., as some of the worst of the fighting was still happening down the street, Trump told rioters to go home but said they were “very special.”
The committee showed never-before-seen outtakes of a speech Trump released on Jan. 7 in which he condemned the violence and promised an orderly transition of power. But he bristled at one line in the prepared script, telling his daughter Ivanka Trump and others in the room, “I don’t want to say the election is over.”
