(SALT LAKE CITY) — Team Giannis bested Team LeBron 184-175 to win Sunday night’s NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Boston Celtics small forward Jayson Tatum led Team Giannis with 55 points, setting the record for the most points scored in an All-Star Game. The previous record holder was power forward Anthony Davis, who scored 52 points in 2017.
Tatum, 24, was crowned the MVP of the night for his record-breaking performance.
Watch the biggest moments from the 2023 NBA All-Star Game below:
(PHILADELPHIA) — An 18-year-old man was arrested Sunday for the fatal shooting of a Temple University police officer in north Philadelphia, authorities said.
Miles Pfeffer, 18, of Buckingham Township, Pennsylvania, is facing charges including murder, murder of a law enforcement officer, robbery, carjacking and related offenses in the shooting on Saturday night that killed Officer Christopher Fitzgerald, according to the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.
Fitzgerald encountered Pfeffer during the course of an “incident investigation” near Temple’s campus, the DA’s office said. Pfeffer allegedly shot Fitzgerald in the head, killing him. Pfeffer also allegedly attempted to rob Fitzgerald of his gun and is said to have gone through his pockets while the officer was laying on the ground and fatally wounded.
Pfeffer is alleged to have committed a carjacking a short time after, near the location of the officer’s murder, authorities said.
The suspect was taken into custody Sunday morning in Bucks County by the U.S. Marshals and local law enforcement and transferred to Philadelphia shortly after the arrest.
“We join law enforcement and people across the region in expressing our heartbreak and outrage over this horrific crime,” Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said in a statement. “Officer Fitzgerald’s life was ripped from him and his loved ones violently and senselessly. As the DA’s Homicide Unit begins the work of holding Miles Pfeffer accountable for his alleged crimes, our Victims Services team will also be extending loving support to Officer Fitzgerald’s family and loved ones.”
Temple President Jason Wingard said he was “heartbroken,” in a statement.
“There are simply no words that can make sense of this tragedy,” he said.
The death of the officer was the first for a Temple University officer in the line of duty, Jennifer Griffin, the university’s vice president for public safety, said at a news conference Saturday night.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro offered his condolences on the death of the officer.
“Lori and I are devastated for the family of the Temple University police officer who was killed in the line of duty tonight, bravely serving his community. We’re sending prayers to his loved ones, Temple Police, and the entire @TempleUniv community. May his memory be a blessing,” Shapiro tweeted Saturday.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said he was “heartbroken and outraged” by the death and pledged that “The City will continue to work with Temple Police to support them during this difficult time.”
Temple University alerted shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday that a shooting was reported on the 1700 block of Montgomery Avenue.
“Use caution. Avoid the area. Police are responding,” the school tweeted.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Sunday’s sports events:
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Team Giannis 184, Team LeBron 175
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Minnesota 4, Nashville 3
Ottawa 7, St. Louis 2
Colorado 6, Edmonton 5 (OT)
Chicago 5, Toronto 3
New Jersey 4, Winnipeg 2
Arizona 3, Columbus 2 (OT)
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
(2)Houston 72, Memphis 64
(3)Purdue 82, Ohio St. 55
(23)NC State 77, North Carolina 69
(NEW YORK) — Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced a new paid subscription for its platforms on Sunday, which, among other features, would allow users to pay for a verified account.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the service, dubbed “Meta Verified,” in a Sunday morning Facebook post and said the move is about “increasing authenticity and security across our services.”
Zuckerberg added that the service would cost users who subscribe via an internet browser $11.99, or $14.99 if purchased through a Meta iOS app.
The news comes as social media companies seek to cut costs and increase revenue, with several others, such as Telegram, Snapchat and Twitter, launching their own services with varying features.
Meta released its third consecutive quarter of revenue declines this month and laid off 11,000 employees — 13% of its workforce — in November to become “a leaner and more efficient company,” Zuckerberg said.
In addition to a blue verification badge on profiles, Meta said the service would also offer “extra impersonation protection” for subscribers, direct access to a live support agent for account issues and increased reach and visibility on the platform.
Subscribers must also submit a government ID that matches their profile name and photo, be at least 18 years old and have a prior posting history.
Meta’s announcement follows a plan by Twitter CEO Elon Musk to offer a similar service called Twitter Blue, which allows users to pay for a verification check and will eventually prioritize tweets from verified users in comments and searches. Musk also promised to phase out Twitter’s previous verification system, which required users to be notable.
However, Twitter Blue’s rollout became overwhelmed by a wave of imposter accounts that forced the company to temporarily pull the verification feature down.
It was relaunched a few weeks later, with Twitter ultimately preventing users from changing aspects of their profile or face losing their verification checks to stamp out impersonators. Twitter Blue does not require users to submit a government ID to become verified.
New subscribers to Meta Verified will also be unable to change any profile details, like the picture, name and username, “without going through the Meta Verified subscription and verifications application process again.”
Meta said there will be “no changes to accounts on Instagram and Facebook that are already verified based on prior requirements, including authenticity and notability.”
The new service begins launching this week with a gradual test to “learn what’s most valuable” before a global launch.
“We’ll be rolling out in Australia and New Zealand this week,” Zuckerberg said, “and more countries soon.”
(NEW ORLEANS) — Five people were shot, one fatally, at the Krewe of Bacchus Parade in New Orleans on Sunday night, police said.
All five victims — three males and two females — were transported to local hospitals. One of them is a juvenile, according to the New Orleans Police Department.
A male victim died from his injuries at the hospital. The other four victims, including the juvenile, were listed in stable condition, police said.
New Orleans resident Camryn Lafleur, 19, said she was watching the parade when “gunshots were fired across the street,” triggering panic and a stampede. She said she sought cover before retreating into a relative’s nearby house.
“I couldn’t see, but I was hearing them,” Lafleur told ABC News of the gunshots. “It was a continuous loud noise that kept going off. And when I saw people coming from the other side, running across the street, like, in front of the float to us and I saw their faces with pure horror, that’s when I realized something’s not right. This must be a shooting.”
“It didn’t used to be like this,” she added. “It didn’t used to be this dangerous in the city at all.”
Longtime resident Kristie Bowerman, 49, said the incident on Sunday night marked the third time she has witnessed a shooting at a Mardi Gras parade. She described the scene as “mass chaos.”
“The shots just rang out and then, instantly, people were just stampeding in all different directions,” Bowerman told ABC News. “People were being, you know, knocked out of their chairs onto the ground.”
Bowerman said she and her husband were watching the parade from a balcony and ducked for cover as the shots rang out, knowing that they needed to “get down and get as flat as possible and then get out of the way.” She said they tried to convince another couple, who believed the shots were just fireworks, to also take shelter, yelling at them: “No, those aren’t fireworks — those are gunshots! You need to get down!”
Bowerman recalled looking down at the aftermath to see “people sobbing everywhere.”
“Some people were injured,” she told ABC News. “I think a lot of people were in shock and I think a lot of people were scared.”
An unidentified suspect was arrested “just moments after shots were fired,” police said. Two weapons were also recovered from the scene, according to police.
Investigators are still working to determine whether others had fired shots or were involved in the incident. Anyone with information is urged to contact the New Orleans Police Department’s Sixth District at 504-658-6060, or anonymously call CrimeStoppers of Greater New Orleans at 504-822-1111.
(NEW YORK) — Almost a year after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion into neighboring Ukraine, the two countries are engaged in a struggle for control of areas throughout eastern and southern Ukraine.
Putin’s forces pulled out of key positions in November, retreating from Kherson as Ukrainian troops led a counteroffensive targeting the southern port city. Russian drones have continued bombarding civilian targets throughout Ukraine, knocking out critical power infrastructure as winter sets in.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Feb 20, 5:39 AM EST
Biden in Kyiv says Putin was ‘dead wrong’
U.S. President Joe Biden said Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was “dead wrong” when he started the war in Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.
“When Putin launched his invasion nearly one year ago, he thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided,” Biden said in a statement. “He thought he could outlast us. But he was dead wrong.”
The White House released the statement from Biden as he made an unannounced visit to the war-torn country, arriving in Kyiv on Monday morning.
“As the world prepares to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, I am in Kyiv today to meet with President Zelenskyy and reaffirm our unwavering and unflagging commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” Biden said.
“Today, in Kyiv, I am meeting with President Zelenskyy and his team for an extended discussion on our support for Ukraine. I will announce another delivery of critical equipment, including artillery ammunition, anti-armor systems, and air surveillance radars to help protect the Ukrainian people from aerial bombardments,” he continued. “And I will share that later this week, we will announce additional sanctions against elites and companies that are trying to evade or backfill Russia’s war machine. Over the last year, the United States has built a coalition of nations from the Atlantic to the Pacific to help defend Ukraine with unprecedented military, economic, and humanitarian support — and that support will endure.”
Biden added: “I also look forward to traveling on to Poland to meet President Duda and the leaders of our Eastern Flank Allies, as well as deliver remarks on how the United States will continue to rally the world to support the people of Ukraine and the core values of human rights and dignity in the UN Charter that unite us worldwide.”
Feb 20, 5:21 AM EST
Biden makes surprise visit to Ukraine
U.S. President Joe Biden made an unannounced visit to war-torn Ukraine on Monday, arriving in Kyiv as Washington signals its ongoing support ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion.
Biden’s visit came ahead of a planned meeting with NATO allies in Poland. He is expected to give a speech at the Royal Castle Arcades in Warsaw on Tuesday evening to offer an appraisal of international support during the first year of the war and to address “how we will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes,” White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement earlier this month.
Biden also plans to meet in Poland with leaders of the Bucharest Nine, a group of eastern NATO allies formed in 2015 in response to Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a dramatic visit to the United States in December, his first known international trip since the Russian invasion began in February 2022. Zelenskyy met with Biden at the White House in Washington, D.C., before addressing members of U.S. Congress on Capitol Hill.
Feb 19, 1:03 PM EST
Russia planning nuclear exercises to disrupt Biden’s Europe visit, Ukrainian military says
Ukraine’s military intelligence agency has accused Russia of planning to stage “large-scale nuclear exercises” to coincide with President Joe Biden’s visit to Europe next week.
The GUR said Russia is preparing for test launches of nuclear capable missiles from land and sea, the agency said in a statement Sunday on its official Telegram channel.
The GUR said a nuclear armed submarine has been placed on the “highest level” of combat readiness and that strategic bombers have been moved to a base in Tambov, Russia.
The agency claimed the exercises are intended disrupt President Joe Biden’s European trip.
“Such actions of the military and political leadership of the Russian Federation, in particular, are an attempt to hinder Joe Biden’s visit to Europe, which is scheduled for February 20-22, through direct nuclear blackmail and to weaken international support for Ukraine,” the GUR statement said.
– ABC News’ Patrick Reevell
Feb 18, 11:41 AM EST
Harris meets with British, Finnish, Swedish PMs
Vice President Kamala Harris met with the British, Finnish and Swedish prime ministers before departing Munich on Saturday.
Amid concerns in Europe that Republican lawmakers could dampen U.S. aid to Ukraine, the Finnish prime minister, Sanna Marin, thanked Harris for saying U.S. support for Ukraine would persevere domestic political differences.
Both Marin and Swedish prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, spoke with hope about joining NATO. But in recent days, there have been signals from NATO, the Finnish and the Swedish that perhaps they will not join at the same time as they had hoped due to continued Turkish objections over Swedish membership.
-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson
Feb 17, 3:41 PM EST
White House previews Biden trip to Poland
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby provided a preview Friday of President Joe Biden’s upcoming trip to Poland, saying the president’s main message will be continued support from the United States in the face of Russian aggression.
“On Tuesday evening, local time, President Biden will deliver remarks in Warsaw on how the United States has rallied the world to support the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and democracy. President Biden will make it clear that the United States will continue to stand with Ukraine, as you’ve heard him say many times, for as long as it takes,” Kirby said of Biden’s major planned address.
“As we approach the one-year mark since this invasion, we can proudly say that our support for Ukraine remains unwavering and our alliances and our international coalition in support of Ukraine remain stronger than ever,” he added.
Biden is scheduled to arrive in Poland on Tuesday morning and meet with Polish President Andrzej Duda. On Wednesday, he’ll meet with leaders from the so-called Bucharest Nine –Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia — which are nine NATO countries in Eastern Europe.
Kirby was asked about Biden meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, or traveling anywhere besides Warsaw, like the border town of Rzeszow, but he shot down both ideas.
“There is no meeting with President Zelenskyy scheduled for the trip right now,” he said. “Right now, the trip is going to be in Warsaw.”
Feb 17, 2:11 PM EST
Harris meets allies amid pressure over Ukraine aid
Vice President Kamala Harris met with the leaders of France and Germany Friday as part of a U.S. diplomatic push in Munich to show strong, continued support for Ukraine.
Questions lingering over the leaders in Munich include how long the West can maintain its support for Ukraine –- amid declining public and political support at home –- and how Ukraine will withstand the expected Russian offensive.
A White House official said that at the meetings, the vice president planned to “recognize the courage and resilience shown by the people of Ukraine; reaffirm the support of American people for Ukraine; commend the international community on the historic actions taken since February 2022; celebrate Transatlantic unity and clarity of purpose; reaffirm our security commitments to our European allies; and condemn Russia’s continued illegal and brutal actions while calling for accountability and justice.”
She also planned to discuss “relations with China and actions to address the climate crisis,” the official said.
Feb 17, 1:20 PM EST
Belarus ready to make Russian attack planes, president says at meeting with Putin
Belarus is ready to make Russian attack planes, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
“Belarus has been making up to a thousand components for MC-21 and Superjet 100 planes. There used to be repair plants, but now they also make component parts,” Lukashenko said.
“We are even ready to make it in Belarus with a little support from Russia,” Lukashenko said.
Feb 16, 5:28 PM EST
Ukrainian vice prime minister tells remaining civilians in Bakhmut to evacuate
Vice Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk called on the roughly 6,000 civilians still in Bakhmut to evacuate “immediately.”
Officials said they don’t want the people still in the city to put themselves and their children at risk and don’t want them to interfere with the Ukrainian army. Five civilians were killed and nine others were injured on Thursday, according to the vice prime minister.
“Frankly speaking, I am very surprised that 6,000 civilians are still working there,” Vereshchuk said in a statement.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
Feb 16, 3:25 PM EST
Belarus will fight alongside Russia if it is attacked, president warns
Belarus would only join the war in Ukraine, fighting alongside Russia, if it is attacked, President Alexander Lukashenko told state-run Belta news agency.
“We don’t want a war. And in no case are we going to send our troops into the territory of Ukraine. Unless you commit aggression against the territory of Belarus from there. Here is my answer. It was given a long time ago,” Lukashenko said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed Lukashenko’s threat in an interview with the BBC.
“I hope [Belarus] won’t join [the war],” he said. “If it does, we will fight and we will survive.”
Allowing Russia to use Belarus as a staging post for an attack again would be a “huge mistake,” he added.
Russian forces launched part of their full-scale invasion from Belarus 12 months ago. They drove south toward Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, but were fought back and made to retreat within weeks, after suffering heavy casualties.
Lukashenko is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky and Tanya Stukalova
Feb 16, 3:11 PM EST
Zelenskyy rules out territorial deal with Putin in BBC interview
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has ruled out giving up any of his country’s territory in a potential peace deal with Russia.
In a BBC interview to mark a year since Russia’s full-scale invasion, he warned conceding land would mean Russia could “keep coming back,” while Western weapons would bring peace closer.
However, he does believe Ukrainian forces can keep resisting Russia’s advance until they are able to launch a counteroffensive — although he repeated his calls for more military aid from the West.
“Of course, modern weapons speed up peace. Weapons are the only language Russia understands,” Zelensky told the BBC.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
Feb 16, 12:13 AM EST
Russian strikes hit infrastructure in Lviv, Ukrainians shoot down eight Russian missiles: Officials
An infrastructure object was hit in Lviv in the early morning hours of Thursday, the head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration, Maksym Kozytskyi, said on Telegram.
There were no casualties, and the fire from the impact has since been put out, Kozytskyi said.
Six Kalibr missiles were also shot down over the Mykolaiv region, and two Kalibr missiles were shot down over the Kherson region overnight, Odesa Military Administration spokesman Serhii Bratchuk posted on Telegram.
All eight of the missiles were fired from a Russian ship in the Black Sea, Bratchuk said in the post.
Feb 15, 2:48 PM EST
6 ‘reconnaissance’ balloons shot down over Kyiv
Authorities in Kyiv are investigating who owns six balloons that were in Ukraine’s airspace and what the balloons were doing over Kyiv. The balloons were shot down by Ukrainian air defense.
After a preliminary assessment, authorities think the balloons had intelligence gathering equipment.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
Feb 14, 11:43 AM EST
If Bakhmut falls, won’t have ‘strategic impact’ on Ukraine war: White House
White House spokesman John Kirby said during a briefing Tuesday that the U.S. could not “predict one way or the other” whether Bakhmut will fall to the Russians and if it does fall, “on what timeline.”
“We’re watching this every day, and it is certainly true that the Russians are continuing to make incremental progress there,” Kirby said. “Again, I can’t predict one way or the other whether it falls or it doesn’t fall or on what timeline. They have made incremental progress again in just the last 24, 48 hours.”
He added that the U.S. did not think Russia obtaining control of Bakhmut would have any “strategic impact” on either the overall war or even fighting in that part of the country.
The U.S. thinks Russia — and specifically the Wagner Group and its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, which is doing much of the fighting for Bakhmut — wants to take over and benefit financially from gypsum and salt mines located in the area, Kirby said.
“Even if Bakhmut were to fall, it would not have a strategic impact on the overall war,” Kirby said. “I would go so far as to say it won’t even have, necessarily, a strategic impact on the fighting in that part of the country. We think one of the reasons why Prigozhin is so interested in Bakhmut is because there’s a gypsum mine there, and up in Soledar, there’s a salt mine. And it’s entirely possible that Mr. Prigozhin sees some economic benefit to him and his company to take Bakhmut and to take and hold Soledar.”
-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson
Feb 11, 9:43 AM EST
US surveillance data ‘crucial’: Ukrainian commander
Ukrainian Lt. Gen. Serhiy Nayev told ABC News in an interview that the U.S. provides “surveillance data,” allowing the Ukrainian Armed Forces to more accurately pinpoint Russian targets within Ukraine’s borders.
“This help is crucial for us,” he said.
Nayev said he was in “constant contact” with American generals stationed in other parts of Europe. An exchange of data between the Ukrainians and Americans helped the Ukrainian military to pinpoint targets using US-supplied HIMARS rocket systems.
“This work goes perfectly in real time,” he said.
-ABC News’ Tom Soufi Burridge, Dragana Jovanovic and Ale Pavone
Feb 10, 3:09 PM EST
Biden to visit Poland on eve of first anniversary of invasion of Ukraine
President Joe Biden will visit Poland on Feb. 20, on the eve of the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Biden will meet with Polish President Andrzej Duda as well as the leaders of the Bucharest Nine, a group of our eastern flank NATO allies, and he’ll deliver remarks to mark the one-year anniversary, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday.
“President Biden will deliver remarks ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, addressing how the United States has rallied the world, to support the people of Ukraine, as they defend their freedom and democracy, and how we will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes,” Jean-Pierre said.
-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson
Feb 10, 12:25 PM EST
Russian missile comes within 22 miles of Romanian border with Ukraine
Romania, a member of NATO, said Friday a Russian missile had come within 22 miles of its border but that it did not cross into the country’s territory, countering a claim made by the Ukrainian military.
“The Romanian Air Forces’ air surveillance system detected on Friday, February 10th, an aerial target launched by a Russian Federation’s ship, navigating in the Black Sea, nearby the Crimean Peninsula. The target is most likely a cruise missile, which flew over the air space of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova and reentered the Ukrainian air space without ever infringing Romania’s air space,” Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tîlvăr said in a statement Friday.
Ukrainian officials had said earlier Friday that two Russian missiles crossed into the airspace of Moldova and Romania before entering Ukraine and being directed at targets in the country.
“Several Russian missiles passed through the airspace of Moldova and Romania. These missiles are a challenge to NATO and collective security. This is terror that can and must be stopped,” Zelenskyy said Friday.
The whole gang — judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and host Ryan Seacrest — have returned to search for the next singing sensation.
Here’s a look at the night’s talent:
Haven Madison, 16: Accompanied by her dad on the piano, Haven sang her original song, titled “15,” for the judges and immediately blew them away with her talent, earning herself a ticket to Hollywood.
Lucy Love, 28: Second time was the charm for Lucy, who was given another chance to impress the judges after her audition of Marvin Gaye‘s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” fell flat. She redeemed herself and earned a golden ticket with Donny Hathaway’s “A Song for You.”
Lyric Medeiros, 21: The daughter of singer Glenn Medeiros had to prove she could bring some grit after playing it safe with Kelsea Ballerini‘s “Love Me Like You Mean It.” After some coaching from Katy and Luke, she was able to bring out the fierceness with Carrie Underwood‘s “Before He Cheats” and secure a ticket to Hollywood.
Michael Williams, 21: This Ohio native had the judges mesmerized with his audition of “Talking to the Moon” by Bruno Mars, so much so, that Katy even deemed him “Top 10” worthy and sent him through to Hollywood.
Megan Danielle: Megan got the surprise of a lifetime when, while singing Lauren Daigle‘s “You Say,” the Grammy winner and former Idol contestant appeared and joined her for a duet. After singing together, Megan was given a ticket to the next round of competition.
Tyson Venegas, 17: Tyson showed off his piano and vocal skills on Billy Joel‘s “New York State of Mind,” leaving the judges so impressed that they handed him the first platinum ticker of the season, which allows him to skip the first day of Hollywood week.
Kya Monee: A returning contestant, Kya was inspired to return to the competition by runner-up Willie Spence, who she was paired up with during duets week in season 4. She delivered an emotional performance of “I’m Here” from The Color Purple as a tribute to Spence, who died in a tragic car accident last year. She received a unanimous vote to go to Hollywood.
Other contestants who made it through to Hollywood include Zachariah Smith, William Guy Tongi, and Colin Stough.
It wouldn’t fully be American Idol if there wasn’t a bit of comedic relief, which viewers got in the form of a montage of singing hopefuls that bore the same first and last names as Katy, Luke, Lionel, and even Ryan. There was also a contestant who brought his bird with him to the audition.
(KYIV, Ukraine) — President Joe Biden on Monday made an unannounced visit to war-torn Ukraine, arriving in Kyiv as the United States’ signals its ongoing support ahead of the anniversary of Russia’s invasion.
Biden planned to meet for extended discussions with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other officials, he said in a statement. He also planned to announce the delivery of “critical equipment, including artillery ammunition, anti-armor systems, and air surveillance radars.”
Biden’s arrival in the Kyiv — a city the Ukrainians successfully defended early in the war — was marked by an increased security presence, with downtown blocks brought to a standstill by police and military vehicles. He was also met with air raid sirens, a near constant sound in a city where civilians have often been targeted by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s missiles.
“When Putin launched his invasion nearly one year ago, he thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided,” Biden said in a statement. “He thought he could outlast us. But he was dead wrong.”
He said the visit reaffirmed that the United States has “unwavering and unflagging commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”
Biden’s visit comes ahead of a planned meeting with NATO allies in Poland. He’s scheduled on Tuesday evening to give a speech at the Royal Castle Arcades in Warsaw.
His remarks in Poland are expected to offer an appraisal of international support during the first year of the war, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement earlier this month. He’ll also address “how we will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes,” she said.
Biden also plans to meet in Poland with leaders of the Bucharest Nine, a group of eastern NATO allies formed in 2015 in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
Ukrainian officials had accused Russia of planning “large-scale nuclear exercises” to coincide with Biden’s European visit.
Biden’s surprise visit comes two months after Zelenskyy’s December address to Congress in Washington. That marked Zelenskyy’s first known international trip since the invasion began in February 2022.
The Ukrainian leader had sought further U.S. aid for the fight against Russia, telling lawmakers that they could “speed up our victory.”
“Your money is not charity. It’s an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way,” Zelesnkyy said at the time.
Biden in January approved additional military aid to Ukraine, including sending 31 Abrams tanks. Those weapons would help Ukraine “achieve its strategic objectives,” Biden said.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi as House speaker had led a group of U.S. lawmakers on a similarly unannounced visit to Kyiv, the capital, in May 2022.
“Our delegation traveled to Kyiv to send an unmistakable and resounding message to the entire world: America stands firmly with Ukraine,” she said in a statement at the time.
(PLAINS, Ga.) — Former President Jimmy Carter will receive hospice care following a series of short hospital stays, the Carter Center announced Saturday.
Carter, 98, is both the oldest living and longest-lived U.S. president.
“After a series of short hospital stays, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter today decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention,” the Carter Center said in a statement. “He has the full support of his family and his medical team. The Carter family asks for privacy during this time and is grateful for the concern shown by his many admirers.”
Carter, who held office from 1977 to 1981 as the 39th president, has seen serious health challenges in recent years. In 2019, he suffered from various falls and underwent hip surgery. He has also survived metastatic melanoma.
As the son of a Georgia peanut farmer, he grew up not only to be president, but also a Nobel Peace Prize winner and a Grammy Award winner. He was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Among his administration’s most notable achievements were the Camp David Accords, which Carter brokered between Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in 1978. Carter’s time in office also saw the start of the Iran hostage crisis, and on the domestic front, the first efforts toward developing a policy for energy independence.
Post-presidency, Carter and his wife, former first lady Rosalynn Carter, founded the human rights organization the Carter Center, which helped spearhead a successful campaign to eradicate Guinea worm disease. They have also been prominent supporters of Habitat for Humanity, the nonprofit devoted to affordable housing.
They have four children together — three sons and a daughter.
One of their grandchildren, Jason Carter, tweeted in the wake of the announcement that he saw his grandparents on Friday and they are “at peace and — as always — their home is full of love.”
President Joe Biden reacted to the news with his own tweet, on Sunday, addressing Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter directly to say he and first lady Jill Biden “are with you in prayer and send you our love.”
“We admire you for the strength and humility you have shown in difficult times. May you continue your journey with grace and dignity, and God grant you peace,” Biden wrote.
The Carter Center on Sunday encouraged any well-wishers to send their thoughts about Jimmy Carter or his family to an online. “We really appreciate all the kind words we’ve received from President Carter’s admirers,” the center wrote on Twitter.
In Atlanta, where The Carter Center is based, some reacted to Jimmy Carter’s decision by remarking on all the work he did after the White House — a common refrain.
“When I think of Jimmy Carter, I think of not so much his political career, certainly, but his life after being in the limelight,” one out-of-town visitor told ABC affiliate WSB.
At the weekly Sunday service at the Carters’ Maranatha Baptist Church, parishioners reflected on the former president’s legacy. Jimmy Carter’s niece Kim Fuller led the congregation and shared a quote from her uncle: “My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I can, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference.”
ABC News’ Adam Carlson contributed to this report.
Nic Antaya for The Washington Post via Getty Images
(EAST LANSING) — Five students injured during the shooting at Michigan State University remain in critical condition.
Grief counselors and a bolstered police presence will be on hand Monday at Michigan State University, as in-person classes resume eight days after a gunman came onto the East Lansing campus and fatally shot three students and injured five others, officials said Sunday.
The decision to resume classes was announced Sunday, despite many students expressing fear about returning to classes so soon after the shooting, school officials said.
“We know that everybody heals at their own pace and in their own manner. So getting it exactly right will not be possible,” Thomas Jeitschko, MSU’s interim provost said. “But we will do the best we can and support each other.”
Jeitschko acknowledged that reopening the school for in-person classes just a week after the rampage should not be construed as a “resumption of normal operations.”
He said that experts the school consulted advised that being back in spaces that are familiar and interacting with people who are familiar, “is helpful in the process of healing and grieving.”
Berkey Hall and the MSU Union building, where the shootings occurred, will remain closed for the rest of the school year, and about 300 classes will be moved to other locations on campus, officials said.
“I’d like to emphasize that coming back to a normal week this semester is not going to be normal,” Jeitschko said. “So that’s an important recognition and we’ve worked with academic leadership, we’ve worked with faculty leadership and we’ve tried to imagine and envision what will be needed and what might make this return possible and helpful.”
The shooting erupted just after 8 p.m. on Feb. 13, when the gunman entered Berkey Hall through an unlocked door and proceeded to a classroom where he opened fire, striking several victims, including two students who later died, according to police. While responding to the scene, police received reports of another shooting at the MSU Union building, located nearby.
One of the victims shot at the Union building also died, police said.
After an hourslong manhunt, police found the suspect — 43-year-old Anthony McRae — dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound off campus.
Four of the students wounded in the incident remained in critical condition Sunday, officials said.
Jeitschko said academic advisors will be available to accommodate students struggling with returning to school.
“We have advisors ready to work with them to find what is the best path and what does that entail,” Jeitschko said.
He said more than 1,000 faculty members attended a presentation Friday by two renowned experts on teaching in a trauma-informed way, especially on the first day back to class.
Alexis Travis, assistant provost and executive director for health and well-being for the university, said she anticipates many students who witnessed the shooting and the panic that ensued, may experience post traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, grief and anger.
“There’s no expectations that our faculty members will be mental health practitioners in these settings. But they will be empathetic and each of them with their classes will figure out what are the best ways forward,” Jeitschko said.
Despite reassurances that the campus is safe to return, Joe Kovatch, the MSU student body president, said “frankly, students are scared.”
“Students desperately need flexibility, empathy and options coming back to campus,” said Kovatch, adding that many students are asking for online options for courses.
In addition to making mental health counselors available to students returning to campus, MSU Police and Public Safety Interim Deputy Chief Chris Rozman said a large police presence will be on campus Monday, including officers from surrounding agencies.
Rozman has not updated on the investigation of the shooting, including a motive for the rampage.
Officials said MSU will cover all funeral costs for the victims killed and pay for the medical bills of those wounded, with more than $250,000 donated to the Spartan Strong Fund, established after the shooting.
