NEW YORK —

A judge has rejected an effort by New York's attorney general to put the National Rifle Association out of business, but will allow her lawsuit accusing top executives of illegally diverting tens of millions of dollars from the powerful gun advocacy organization to proceed.

Manhattan Judge Joel M. Cohen said allegations of NRA officials misspending on personal trips, no-show contracts and other questionable expenditures can be addressed by other remedies, such as fines and restitution, and do not warrant the “corporate death penalty” that Attorney General Letitia James had sought.

Video above from 2021: New York to press ahead with lawsuit against NRA

James' lawsuit, filed in August 2020, tells “a grim story of greed, self-dealing, and lax financial oversight" at the NRA's highest levels, but it does not allege any financial misconduct benefited the organization or harmed the public, or that the NRA is incapable of “continuing its legitimate activities on behalf of its millions of members,” Cohen wrote in a 42-page decision.

The judge also raised concerns that shutting down the NRA could impinge the free speech and assembly rights of its millions of members. Nevertheless, he said, James' lawsuit can continue against the NRA, its longtime leader Wayne LaPierre, and three men who have served as executives with the organization.

In addition to recouping money that was allegedly misspent, James is seeking to ban LaPierre and the other executives from serving in the leadership of any not-for-profit or charitable organization conducting business in New York, which would effectively remove them from any involvement with the NRA.

The NRA, LaPierre and one other defendant had filed motions to dismiss the case.

NRA President Charles Cotton called Wednesday's ruling a “resounding win for the NRA, its 5 million members, and all who believe in this organization."

“The message is loud and clear," Cotton said in a statement. "The NRA is strong and secure in its mission to protect constitutional freedom.”

James said she was “heartened that the judge rejected the NRA’s attempts to thwart most of the claims in our case,” but disappointed that he ruled against dissolving the organization.

“We are considering our legal options with respect to this ruling," James said in a statement. "We remain committed to enforcing New York law regardless of how powerful any individual or organization may be.”

Messages seeking comment were left with lawyers for the other defendants: LaPierre; the NRA's general counsel John Frazer; its former treasurer Wilson Phillips; and former chief of staff Joshua Powell.

LaPierre, the CEO who has been in charge of the NRA's day-to-day operations since 1991, is accused in the lawsuit of spending millions on private travel and personal security and accepting expensive gifts — such as African safaris and use of a 107-foot (32-meter) yacht — from vendors.

He is also accused of setting himself up with a $17 million contract with the NRA if he were to exit the organization, spending NRA money on travel consultants, luxury car services, and private jet flights for himself and his family — including more than $500,000 on eight trips to the Bahamas over a three-year span.

Some of the NRA’s excess spending was kept secret, the lawsuit said, under an arrangement with the organization’s former advertising agency, Ackerman McQueen. The advertising firm would pick up the tab for expenses for LaPierre and other NRA executives and then send a lump sum bill to the organization for “out-of-pocket expenses,” the lawsuit said.

Though headquartered in Virginia, the NRA was chartered as a nonprofit in New York in 1871 and is incorporated in the state. James is the state’s chief law enforcement officer and has regulatory power over nonprofit organizations incorporated in the state, such as the NRA. In the lawsuit, James' office argued that one way to remedy the alleged misspending at the organization was by closing it down.

In January 2021, the NRA declared bankruptcy and sought to move its state of incorporation from New York to Texas, but a judge blocked the move, saying the NRA’s bankruptcy was not filed in good faith. In the process, the NRA had made clear it sought to escape regulatory oversight in New York, in part because of the lawsuit's threat to its existence.

In a court filing last year, lawyers for the organization called the lawsuit filed by James, a Democrat, “a blatant and malicious retaliation campaign against the NRA and its constituents based on her disagreement with the content of their speech.”

WASHINGTON —

Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson is meeting with congressional leaders Wednesday, taking her first steps toward confirmation as Democratic senators and the White House push for a swift timeline.

Jackson met in the morning with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and afterward was going to see Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Later, she will visit with the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and the committee's top Republican, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa.

As Schumer and Jackson sat down in the Capitol to talk, he told reporters that he was pleased President Joe Biden chose a nominee "with such amazing qualifications and breadth of experience.”

Jackson, a federal appeals court judge, will make the customary rounds of Senate visits in the coming days as the committee prepares for hearings expected in mid-March. Democrats are hoping they can vote on her confirmation to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer by mid-April.

If confirmed, Jackson would be the first Black woman to serve as a justice in the court’s 200-plus year history. Breyer has said he won’t leave the bench until this summer, when the court’s session is over, but Democrats are taking no chances in case there is any shift in a 50-50 Senate where Vice President Kamala Harris provides the deciding vote.

Biden cited Jackson's nomination and honored Breyer in his State of the Union speech on Tuesday evening.

“One of our nation’s top legal minds, who will continue Justice Breyer’s legacy of excellence,” he said of Jackson.

Jackson, 51, was confirmed last year as an appeals court judge in Washington after eight years on the district court. She once worked as one of Breyer’s law clerks and served on the U.S. Sentencing Commission, the agency that develops federal sentencing policy.

Biden said she was a “consensus builder,” noting her work as a private litigator and as a federal public defender, and that she comes from a family of public school educators and police officers.

In a 149-page questionnaire Jackson returned to the Senate committee this week, she disclosed that she was first contacted by the White House Jan. 30, three days after Breyer announced his retirement. Jackson, a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, had long been seen as Biden’s top candidate for the job, which he had promised would go to a Black woman.

Jackson met with Harris in a video call on Feb. 11 and then interviewed with Biden at the White House on Feb. 14, she says in the questionnaire. Biden called and offered her the nomination on Feb. 24, a day before he made his decision public.

The questionnaire provides the committee with a record of every job she has held and the decisions she has made in her nine years as a federal judge, as well as any recusals and potential conflicts of interest. Senators and staff will be able to vet that information much more quickly than they would have for other candidates since they just considered her last year for her current position.

Jackson's list of her most significant cases contains only one new entry from the appeals court, describing an opinion she wrote for a unanimous three-judge panel that came out in favor of labor unions.

Durbin said Monday he’s still hoping to win some GOP votes for her confirmation, even though many Republicans have expressed skepticism that Jackson is too liberal. Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina were the only Republicans who voted to confirm Jackson to the appeals court last year.

While Collins has appeared open to voting for Jackson again, Murkowski said in a statement last week that her previous vote did not mean she would be supportive this time.

Graham had pushed for a different candidate from his home state, federal Judge J. Michelle Childs, and expressed disappointment that she was not Biden’s pick.

WASHINGTON —

Addressing a concerned nation and anxious world, President Joe Biden vowed in his first State of the Union address Tuesday night to check Russian aggression in Ukraine, tame soaring U.S. inflation and deal with the fading but still dangerous coronavirus.

Biden declared that he and all members of Congress, whatever their political differences, are joined “with an unwavering resolve that freedom will always triumph over tyranny.” He asked the lawmakers crowding the House chamber to stand and salute the Ukrainians as he began his speech. They stood and cheered.

It was a notable show of unity after a long year of bitter acrimony between Biden’s Democratic coalition and the Republican opposition.

Biden’s 62-minute speech, which was split between attention to war abroad and worries at home — reflected the same balancing act he now faces in his presidency. He must marshal allied resolve against Russia’s aggression while tending to inflation, COVID-19 fatigue and sagging approval ratings heading into the midterm elections.

Biden highlighted the bravery of Ukrainian defenders and the commitment of a newly reinvigorated Western alliance that has worked to rearm the Ukrainian military and cripple Russia’s economy through sanctions. He warned of costs to the American economy, as well, but warned ominously that without consequences, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression wouldn’t be contained to Ukraine.

“Throughout our history we’ve learned this lesson – when dictators do not pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos,” Biden said. “They keep moving. And, the costs and threats to America and the world keep rising.”

As Biden spoke, Russian forces were escalating their attacks in Ukraine, having bombarded the central square of country’s second-biggest city and Kyiv’s main TV tower, killing at least five people. The Babi Yar Holocaust memorial was also damaged.

Biden announced that the U.S. is following Canada and the European Union in banning Russian planes from its airspace in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine. He also said the Justice Department was launching a task force to go after crimes of Russian oligarchs, whom he called “corrupt leaders who have bilked billions of dollars off this violent regime.”

“We are coming for your ill-begotten gains,” he said, pledging that the U.S. and European allies were coming after their yachts, luxury apartments and private jets.

“Putin may circle Kyiv with tanks, but he will never gain the hearts and souls of the Ukrainian people," Biden said. "He will never extinguish their love of freedom. He will never weaken the resolve of the free world.”

Even before the Russian invasion sent energy costs skyrocketing, prices for American families had been rising, and the COVID-19 pandemic continues to hurt families and the country’s economy.

Biden outlined plans to address inflation by reinvesting in American manufacturing capacity, speeding supply chains and reducing the burden of childcare and eldercare on workers.

“Too many families are struggling to keep up with the bills,” Biden said. “Inflation is robbing them of the gains they might otherwise feel. I get it. That’s why my top priority is getting prices under control.”

Biden entered the House chamber without a mask, in a reflection of the declining coronavirus case counts and new federal guidance meant to nudge the public back to pre-pandemic activities. But the Capitol was newly fenced due to security concerns after last year’s insurrection.

Set against unease at home and danger abroad, the White House had conceived Tuesday night's speech as an opportunity to highlight the improving coronavirus outlook, rebrand Biden's domestic policy priorities and show a path to lower costs for families grappling with soaring inflation. But it took on new significance with last week's Russian invasion of Ukraine and nuclear saber-rattling by Putin.

As is customary, one Cabinet secretary, in this case Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, was kept in a secure location during the address, ready to take over the government in the event of a catastrophe.

In an interview with CNN and Reuters, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he urged Biden to deliver a strong and “useful” message about Russia’s invasion. In a show of unity, Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova joined First Lady Jill Biden in the gallery.

In a rare discordant moment, Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado yelled out that Biden was to blame for the 13 service members who were killed during last August’s chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

“You put them in. Thirteen of them,” Boebert yelled as Biden mentioned his late son Beau, a veteran who died from brain cancer and served near toxic military burn pits, used extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan. Biden is pursuing legislation to help veterans suffering exposure and other injuries.

Rising energy prices as a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine risk exacerbating inflation in the U.S., which is already at the highest level in 40 years, eating into people's earnings and threatening the economic recovery from the pandemic. And while the crisis in Eastern Europe may have helped to cool partisan tensions in Washington, it didn't erase the political and cultural discord that is casting doubt on Biden’s ability to deliver.

A February AP-NORC poll found that more people disapproved than approved of how Biden is handling his job, 55% to 44%. That's down from a 60% favorable rating last July.

Ahead of the speech, White House officials acknowledged the mood of the country was “sour,” citing the lingering pandemic and inflation. Biden, used his remarks to highlight the progress from a year ago — with the majority of the U.S. population now vaccinated and millions more people at work — but also acknowledged that the job is not yet done, a recognition of American discontent.

“I have come to report on the state of the union,” Biden said. “And my report is this: The state of the union is strong—because you, the American people, are strong. We are stronger today than we were a year ago. And we will be stronger a year from now than we are today.”

Before Biden spoke, House Republicans said the word “crisis” describes the state of the union under Biden and Democrats — from an energy policy that lets Russia sell oil abroad to challenges at home over jobs and immigration.

“We’re going to push the president to do the right thing,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

At least a half dozen lawmakers, including Reps. Jamie Raskin and Pete Aguilar, both members of the committee investigating last year’s Capitol riot, and Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., had tested positive for COVID-19 and were not expected at the Capitol for the speech.

“Tonight, I can say we are moving forward safely, back to more normal routines,” Biden said, outlining his administration's plans to continue to combat COVID-19 and saying, “It’s time for Americans to get back to work and fill our great downtowns again.” He announced that people will be able to order another round of free tests from the government and that his administration was launching a “test to treat” initiative to provide free antiviral pills at pharmacies to those who test positive for the virus.

Where his speech to Congress last year saw the rollout of a massive social spending package, Biden this year largely repackaged past proposals in search of achievable measures he hopes can win bipartisan support in a bitterly divided Congress before the elections.

The president also highlighted investments in everything from internet broadband access to bridge construction from November’s $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law as an example of government reaching consensus and delivering change for the nation.

He also appealed to lawmakers to compromise on rival competitiveness bills that have passed the House and Senate, both meant to revitalize high-tech American manufacturing and supply chains in the face of growing geopolitical threats from China.

“Instead of relying on foreign supply chains – let’s make it in America,” Biden said.

As part of his pitch to voters, he also put a new emphasis on how proposals like extending the child tax credit and bringing down child care costs could bring relief to families as prices rise. He was said his climate change proposals would cut costs for lower- and middle-income families and create new jobs.

Biden called for lowering health care costs, pitching his plan to authorize Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, as well as an extension of more generous health insurance subsidies now temporarily available through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces where 14.5 million people get coverage.

He proposed initiatives on mental health that dovetail with growing bipartisan interest in Congress amid evidence that the pandemic has damaged the national psyche, and discussed new ways to improve access to health benefits for veterans sickened by exposure to the burning of waste during their service.

Biden also appealed for action on voting rights, which has failed to win GOP support. And as gun violence rises, he returned to calls to ban assault weapons, a blunt request he hadn’t made in months. He called to “fund the police with the resources and training they need to protect our communities.”

In addition, Biden led Congress in a bipartisan tribute to retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and pressed the Senate to confirm federal Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be the first Black woman on the high court to replace him. He nominated her last week.

___

Associated Press writers Darlene Superville, Fatima Hussein, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar and Lisa Mascaro in Washington and Jason Dearen in New York contributed to this report.

KYIV, Ukraine —

Russian forces shelled Ukraine's second-largest city on Monday, rocking a residential neighborhood, and closed in on the capital, Kyiv, in a 17-mile convoy of hundreds of tanks and other vehicles, as talks aimed at stopping the fighting yielded only an agreement to keep talking.

Here's the latest on the Ukraine-Russia conflict as of 7:50 p.m. (eastern):

• The United States is expelling 12 Russian diplomats at the United Nations for engaging in activities not in accordance with their responsibilities and obligations as diplomats
• The European Union has slapped sanctions on 26 more Russians, including oligarchs, senior officials and an energy insurance company
• Ukraine's leader Zelenskyy has applied for Ukraine to join the 27-nation European Union on the fifth day of the Russian invasion
• Russian teams have been suspended from international soccer after the country's invasion of Ukraine
• The U.N. reports that at least 406 civilians have been hurt or killed in Ukraine
• The State Department has closed the U.S. Embassy in Belarus and is allowing non-essential staff at the U.S. Embassy in Russia to leave the country

Amid ever-growing international condemnation, Russia found itself increasingly isolated five days into its invasion, while also facing unexpectedly fierce resistance on the ground in Ukraine and economic havoc at home.

For the second day in a row, the Kremlin raised the specter of nuclear war, announcing that its nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarines and long-range bombers had all been put on high alert, following President Vladimir Putin's orders over the weekend.

Stepping up his rhetoric, Putin denounced the U.S. and its allies as an “empire of lies.”

Meanwhile, an embattled Ukraine moved to solidify its ties to the West by applying to join the European Union — a largely symbolic move for now, but one that is unlikely to sit well with Putin, who has long accused the U.S. of trying to pull Ukraine out of Moscow’s orbit.

A top Putin aide and head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, said that the first talks held between the two sides since the invasion lasted nearly five hours and that the envoys “found certain points on which common positions could be foreseen.” He said they agreed to continue the discussions in the coming days.

As the talks along the Belarusian border wrapped up, several blasts could be heard in Kyiv, and Russian troops advanced on the city of nearly 3 million. The convoy of armored vehicles, tanks, artillery and support vehicles was 17 miles from the center of the city, according to satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies.

People in Kyiv lined up for groceries after the end of a weekend curfew, standing beneath a building with a gaping hole blown in its side.

Messages aimed at the advancing Russian soldiers popped up on billboards, bus stops and electronic traffic signs across the capital. Some used profanity to encourage Russians to leave. Others appealed to their humanity.

“Russian soldier — Stop! Remember your family. Go home with a clean conscience,” one read.

Video from Kharkiv, meanwhile, showed residential areas being shelled, with apartment buildings shaken by repeated, powerful blasts. Flashes of fire could be seen and gray plumes of smoke.

Footage released by the government from Kharkiv depicted what appeared to be a home with water gushing from a pierced ceiling. What looked like an undetonated projectile was on the floor.

Authorities in Kharkiv said at least seven people had been killed and dozens injured. They warned that casualties could be far higher.

“They wanted to have a blitzkrieg, but it failed, so they act this way,” said 83-year-old Valentin Petrovich, who watched the shelling from his downtown apartment and gave just his first name and his Russian-style middle name out of fear for his safety.

The Russian military has denied targeting residential areas despite abundant evidence of shelling of homes, schools and hospitals.

Fighting raged in other towns and cities across the country. The strategic port city of Mariupol, on the Sea of Azov, is “hanging on,” said Zelenskyy adviser Oleksiy Arestovich. An oil depot was reported bombed in the eastern city of Sumy.

In the seaside resort town of Berdyansk, dozens of protesters chanted angrily in the main square against Russian occupiers, yelling at them to go home and singing the Ukrainian national anthem. They described the soldiers as exhausted young conscripts.

“Frightened kids, frightened looks. They want to eat,” Konstantin Maloletka, who runs a small shop, said by telephone. He said the soldiers went into a supermarket and grabbed canned meat, vodka and cigarettes.

"They ate right in the store,” he said. “It looked like they haven’t been fed in recent days.”

Across Ukraine, terrified families huddled overnight in shelters, basements or corridors.

“I sit and pray for these negotiations to end successfully, so that they reach an agreement to end the slaughter,” said Alexandra Mikhailova, weeping as she clutched her cat in a makeshift shelter in Mariupol. Around her, parents tried to console children and keep them warm.

For many, Russia's nuclear high alert stirred fears that the West could be drawn into direct conflict with Russia. But a senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States had yet to see any appreciable change in Russia’s nuclear posture.

As far-reaching Western sanctions on Russian banks and other institutions took hold, the ruble plummeted, and Russia’s Central Bank scrambled to shore it up, as did Putin, signing a decree restricting foreign currency.

But that did little to calm Russian fears. In Moscow, people lined up to withdraw cash as the sanctions threatened to drive up prices and reduce the standard of living for millions of ordinary Russians.

In yet another blow to Russia's economy, the oil giant Shell said it is pulling out of the country because of the invasion. It announced it will withdraw from its joint ventures with state-owned gas company Gazprom and other entities and end its involvement in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project between Russia and Europe.

The economic sanctions, ordered by the U.S. and other allies, were just one contributor to Russia's growing status as a pariah country.

Russian airliners are banned from European airspace, Russian media is restricted in some countries, and some high-tech products can no longer be exported to the country. On Monday, in a major blow to a soccer-mad nation, Russian teams were suspended from all international soccer.

The U.N. human rights chief said at least 102 civilians have been killed and hundreds wounded — warning that figure is probably a vast undercount — and Ukraine’s president said at least 16 children were among the dead.

More than a half-million people have fled the country since the invasion, another U.N. official said, many of them going to Poland, Romania and Hungary.

Among the refugees in Hungary was Maria Pavlushko, 24, an information technology project manager from a city west of Kyiv. She said her father stayed behind to fight the Russians.

“I am proud about him,” she said, adding that many of her friends were planning to fight too.

The negotiators at Monday's talks met at a long table with the blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flag on one side and the Russian tricolor on the other.

But while Ukraine sent its defense minister and other top officials, the Russian delegation was led by Putin’s adviser on culture — an unlikely envoy for ending a war and perhaps a sign of how seriously Moscow took the talks.

It wasn’t immediately clear what Putin is seeking in the talks, or from the war itself, though Western officials believe he wants to overthrow Ukraine’s government and replace it with a regime of his own, reviving Moscow’s Cold War-era influence.

At this stage, Ukraine is many years away from reaching the standards for achieving EU membership. Any addition to the 27-nation bloc must be approved unanimously by its members, and Ukraine's deep-seated corruption could make it hard for the country to win acceptance.

Still, in an interview with Euronews on Sunday, EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said: “We want them in the European Union.”

___

Isachenkov and Litvinova reported from Moscow. Robert Burns in Washington; Francesca Ebel, Josef Federman and Andrew Drake in Kyiv; Lorne Cook in Brussels; and other AP journalists from around the world contributed to this report.

The standoff between the United States and Russia over the conflict in Ukraine has so far mainly played out on diplomatic and economic fronts.But now, as Russia invades Ukraine and the United States imposes new sanctions on Russia, there are concerns that may change. The U.S. government is on high alert for the possibility of the conflict spilling over into cyberspace, where Russia has shown an ability to cause significant disruption and damage in the past.On Tuesday, a senior FBI cyber official warned U.S. businesses and local governments that they should be vigilant against potential ransomware attacks, just days after multiple U.S. agencies issued a similar warning to executives at major U.S. banks, according to people with knowledge of both meetings.What are some of the best tips to keep your money safe?Keep some cash on hand: Some cyber attacks can impact at ATMs, making withdrawing money difficult, according to consumer podcaster Clark Howard. Having cold hard cash on hand can better help you cope until your bank comes back online.Change your passwords often: Try to swap out your passwords as much as you can. And avoid using a password that you already use for another account. With that said, consumers are at relatively low risk of losing funds in the event of a cyber attack on their financial institution. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, supplies insurance to banks so that a customer can be refunded if money is taken from their account without their permission. Precedent for Russian cyberattacksIf the recent past is any indication, there are a number of ways Russian hackers could disrupt U.S. businesses and the general public.Some of the biggest cyberattacks against U.S. infrastructure in the past two years have been linked to suspected Russian hackers. The list includes the SolarWinds hack that infiltrated several government agencies in 2020, the ransomware attack that forced a shutdown of one of America's largest fuel pipelines for several days last year and another attack on one of the world's largest meat producers, JBS.Russia has also been repeatedly accused of perpetrating online disinformation campaigns targeting the United States, including, most notably, efforts to interfere with U.S. elections and sow discord. U.S. officials this week also accused Russian intelligence of spreading disinformation about Ukraine.While many online attacks can't directly be linked to the Russian state, there's a widespread belief that hackers operate with Russia's blessing, according to Herb Lin, a senior research scholar for cyber policy and security at Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation."They don't operate directly for the Russian government, but they operate under a set of rules that says: 'you guys do what you want... don't target Russian stuff and we won't bother you,'" Lin told CNN Business.Spillover from UkraineUkraine has already faced multiple cyberattacks since the conflict with Russia started, including one on Wednesday that targeted the website of the country's parliament as well as several banks and government agencies.Analysts say even targeted cyberattacks against Ukraine could potentially have implications beyond the country's borders (both physical and virtual). In a report Tuesday, analysts at S&P Global Ratings flagged "a heightened risk of cyberattacks on Ukraine... which could create knock-on effects for corporations, governments, and other parties in the region and beyond."Companies worldwide that work with organizations in Ukraine need to be particularly careful, the analysts added, "since connections to Ukrainian systems might be used as a pivot point to other targets."

WASHINGTON —

President Joe Biden on Thursday announced a new round of sanctions targeting Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, charging that Russian leader Vladimir Putin “chose this war" and that his country will bear the consequences of his action.

The sanctions target Russian banks, oligarchs and high-tech sectors, Biden said. The United States and its allies will block assets of four large Russian banks, impose export controls and sanction oligarchs.

Biden also said the U.S. will be deploying additional forces to Germany to bolster NATO after the invasion of Ukraine, which is not a member of the defense organization.

The penalties fall in line with the White House’s insistence that it would look to hit Russia’s financial system and Putin's inner circle, while also imposing export controls that would aim to starve Russia’s industries and military of U.S. semiconductors and other high-tech products.

“Putin is the aggressor,” Biden said. “Putin chose this war, and now he and his country will bear the consequences."

Biden, for now, held off imposing some of the most severe sanctions, including cutting Russia out of the SWIFT payment system, which allows for the transfers of money from bank to bank around the globe, or Russia's energy sector.

Biden announced the sanctions while Ukraine’s government reported mounting casualties as Russian forces attack from the east, north and south.

Biden spoke to Americans from the White House hours after holding a virtual meeting with the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Italy and Japan. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also joined the meeting.

The president also met with his national security team on Thursday morning in the Situation Room as he looked to flesh out U.S. moves in the rapidly escalating crisis.

While Biden described the sanctions as severe, Ukrainian officials urged the U.S. and West to go further and cut the Russians from the SWIFT financial system.

“We demand the disconnection of Russia from SWIFT, the introduction of a no-fly zone over Ukraine and other effective steps to stop the aggressor,” Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a tweet.

The Biden administration, however, has shown some reluctance to cut Russia from SWIFT, at least immediately, because of concerns the move could also have enormous ramifications for Europe and other Western economies. Biden, answering questions from reporters, appeared to push a decision on SWIFT to European allies.

“It is always an option but right now that’s not the position that the rest of Europe wishes to take,” Biden said. He also contended that the financial sanctions he announced would be more damaging to Russia.

Russian lawmakers gave President Vladimir Putin permission to use military force outside the country on Tuesday — a move that could presage a broader attack on Ukraine after the U.S. said an invasion was already underway there.

Several European leaders said earlier in the day that Russian troops have moved into rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine after Putin recognized their independence. But it was unclear how large the movements were, and Ukraine and its Western allies have said Russian troops have been fighting in the region since the separatist conflict erupted in 2014. Moscow denies those allegations.

Members of the upper house, the Federation Council, voted unanimously to allow Putin to use military force outside Russia — effectively formalizing a Russian military deployment to the rebel regions, where an eight-year conflict has killed nearly 14,000 people.

The White House on Tuesday began referring to Russian troop deployments in eastern Ukraine as an “invasion” after initially hesitating to use the term — a red line that President Joe Biden has said would result in the U.S. levying severe sanctions against Moscow.

“We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia’s latest invasion into Ukraine,” said Jon Finer, principal deputy national security adviser, said in an interview on CNN. “An invasion is an invasion and that is what is underway.”

The White House decided to begin referring to Russia’s actions as an “invasion” because of the situation on the ground, according to a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

The administration resisted initially calling the deployment of troops because the White House wanted to see what Russia was actually going to do. After assessing Russian troop movements, it became clear it was a new invasion, the official added.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki also alluded to the Russian action as being an invasion in a twitter post commenting on Germany chancellor Olaf Scholz decision to halt the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in response to Russia’s actions.

The U.S. president “made clear that if Russia invaded Ukraine, we would action would act with Germany to ensure Nord Stream 2 does not move forward,” Psaki said.

For weeks, Western powers have been bracing for an invasion as Russia massed an estimated 150,000 troops on three sides of neighboring Ukraine. They warned an attack would cause massive casualties, energy shortages in Europe and economic chaos around the globe — and promised swift and severe sanctions if it materialized. The European Union and Britain announced Tuesday that some of those measures were coming.

Western leaders have long warned Moscow would look for cover to invade — and just such a pretext appeared to come Monday, when Putin recognized as independent two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, where government troops have fought Russia-backed rebels in a conflict that has killed over 14,000 people. The Kremlin then raised the stakes further Tuesday, by saying that recognition extends even to the large parts now held by Ukrainian forces.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia has recognized the rebel regions’ independence “in borders that existed when they proclaimed” their independence in 2014 — broad territories that extend far beyond the areas now under the rebel control and that include the major Azov Sea port of Mariupol.

Putin's move to recognize the territories' independence opened the door for him to formalize his hold on them and send forces in, though Ukraine and its Western allies have charged Russian troops have been fighting there for years. Moscow denies those allegations.

Condemnation from around the world was quick. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would consider breaking diplomatic ties with Russia and Kyiv recalled its ambassador in Moscow.

But confusion over what exactly was happening in eastern Ukraine threatened to hobble a Western response. While the U.S. clearly called it an invasion, some other allies hedged.

“Russian troops have entered in Donbas,” the name for the area where the two separatist regions are located, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in Paris. “We consider Donbas part of Ukraine.”

But in a distinction that could complicate a European and Western response, he added: “I wouldn’t say that (it is) a fully fledged invasion, but Russian troops are on Ukrainian soil.”

Poland's Defense Ministry and British Health Secretary Sajid Javid also said Russian forces had entered Ukraine's east, with Javid telling Sky News that “the invasion of Ukraine has begun.”

Not all in Europe saw it that way. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares noted “if Russia uses force against Ukraine, sanctions will be massive.”

The Kremlin hasn't confirmed any troop deployments to the rebel east, saying it will depend on the security situation. Vladislav Brig, a member of the separatist local council in Donetsk, told reporters that the Russian troops already had moved in, but more senior rebel leaders didn't confirm that. Late Monday, convoys of armored vehicles were seen rolling across the separatist-controlled territories. It wasn’t immediately clear if they were Russian.

In response to the moves thus far, top EU officials said the bloc was prepared to impose sanctions on several Russian officials and banks financing the Russian armed forces and move to limit Moscow’s access to EU capital and financial markets. They gave few details.

EU foreign ministers are meeting later Tuesday to discuss the measures — but they did not appear to include the massive punishment repeatedly promised in case of a full-fledged invasion.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said the U.K. would slap sanctions on five Russian banks and three wealthy individuals.

While he said that Russian tanks have already rolled into eastern Ukraine, he warned a full-scale offensive would bring “further powerful sanctions.”

The White House has also moved to respond, issuing an executive order to prohibit U.S. investment and trade in the separatist regions, and additional measures — likely sanctions — were to be announced Tuesday. Those sanctions are independent of what Washington has prepared in the event of a Russian invasion, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.

The Russian moves also pushed Germany to suspend the certification process for Nord Stream 2 pipeline that was to bring natural gas from Russia. The pipeline was built to help Germany meet its energy needs, particularly as it switches off its last three nuclear power plants and phases out the use of coal, and it has resisted calls by the U.S. and others to halt the project.

As world leaders scrambled to decide on their response, legislation that will likely set the stage for a deeper move into Ukrainian territory moved through Russia's parliament.

The bills, which sailed quickly through the Kremlin-controlled parliament, envisage military ties between Moscow and the separatist regions, including possible deployment of Russian military bases in the separatist regions.

Even as alarm spread across the globe, Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, sought to project calm, telling the country in an address overnight: “We are not afraid of anyone or anything. We don’t owe anyone anything. And we won’t give anything to anyone.”

His foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, will be in Washington on Tuesday to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the State Department said.

Russia has long denied it has any plans to invade Ukraine, instead blaming the U.S. and its allies for the current crisis and describing Ukraine’s bid to join NATO as an existential challenge to Russia. Putin reiterated those accusations in an hourlong televised speech on Monday, when he announced that Russia would recognize the rebels.

“Ukraine’s membership in NATO poses a direct threat to Russia’s security,” he said.

Russia says it wants Western guarantees that NATO won’t allow Ukraine and other former Soviet countries to join as members. Moscow has also demanded the alliance halt weapons deployments to Ukraine and roll back its forces from Eastern Europe — demands flatly rejected by the West.

Putin warned Monday that the Western rejection of Moscow's demands gives Russia the right to take other steps to protect its security.

Three Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights sat by and “chose to do nothing” as Floyd pleaded for air and then went silent, a federal prosecutor said Tuesday at the start of closing arguments in their trial.

Prosecutor Manda Sertich singled out each former officer — Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane — as the state wrapped up its monthlong case.

All three are charged with depriving Floyd of his right to medical care as Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for 9 1/2 minutes. Lane held the 46-year-old Black man’s feet, Kueng knelt on his back and Thao held back bystanders.

Kueng and Thao are also charged with failing to intervene to stop Chauvin during the May 25, 2020, killing that triggered protests worldwide and a reexamination of racism and policing.

“Make no mistake, this is a crime.” Sertich told jurors.

Chauvin pleaded guilty in the federal case in December, months after he was convicted of state murder and manslaughter charges.

Closing arguments in the current trial were expected to take most of Tuesday before the case goes to the jury, which appears to be mostly white.

The trial was wrapping up just as another major civil rights trial in Georgia resulted in the conviction of three white men on hate crimes charges in the death of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man who was chased and shot in February 2020.

In the Minnesota trial, prosecutors have argued that the officers violated their training by not rolling Floyd onto his side or giving him CPR. They said at the start of the trial that the officers stood by as Chauvin slowly killed Floyd in front of them.

They presented weeks of testimony and evidence about the officers’ training, arguing that they knew they had a duty to intervene to stop Chauvin and render medical aid. Prosecutors have argued that Floyd’s condition was so serious that even bystanders without basic medical training could see he needed help.

Defense attorneys argued that the Minneapolis Police Department’s training was inadequate. They also attacked a police culture that they said teaches officers to defer to their seniors, saying that Chauvin called all the shots at the scene. Lane and Kueng, who were both rookies, argued that they deferred to Chauvin.

Lane testified that he asked twice if Floyd should be rolled over but was rebuffed, and that he held his position because an ambulance was on the way.

Kueng testified that Chauvin was his former training officer and that he had considerable sway over his career. He said he trusted Chauvin’s advice.

Thao testified that he was watching the bystanders and he trusted that the officers behind him were caring for Floyd.

At the start of the monthlong trial, U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson selected 18 jurors, including six alternates. Fifteen people now remain — 12 who will deliberate and three alternates. The court did not release demographic information, but the jury appeared largely white, with one woman who appeared to be of Asian descent, among the 12 expected to deliberate.

Lane, who is white, Kueng, who is Black, and Thao, who is Hmong American, also face a separate trial in June on state charges alleging that they aided and abetted murder and manslaughter.

Here's what to watch for on Day 15 of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games:

Alpine skiing

The last Alpine skiing race of the Beijing Olympics was moved from Saturday to Sunday because of too-strong wind, making Mikaela Shiffrin wait to get one last chance to bring home a medal from China.

Gusts at up to about 40 mph led to the announcement of two one-hour delays for the mixed team parallel event, before the International Ski Federation eventually said it would not be possible to hold the competition at all on Saturday.

About 75 minutes later, after what the ski federation called a meeting “to discuss the potential rescheduling of the event,” the race was shifted to Sunday at 9 a.m.

Freestyle halfpipe

Figure skating

Pairs free skate is set for early Saturday morning and will feature Americans Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc along with Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier.

LeDuc became Team USA's first openly nonbinary Winter Olympian when they took the ice the night before. Their score of 74.13 points was a season best and put them squarely in the top 10 entering Saturday’s free skate.

Sui Wenjing and Han Cong of China set a world record with their short program, and they lead Russians Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov heading into the pairs' free skate.

Bobsled

Kaillie Humphries and Elana Meyers Taylor finished 1-2 for the U.S. in the monobob — the first time Americans had done that at the Olympics since 1932.

They'll each have a teammate now in the two-woman event. Humphries will be pushed by Kaysha Love and Meyers Taylor by Sylvia Hoffman.

Humphries won the world title in this event last year, competing with Lolo Jones.

Here's what to expect on Day 14 of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games:

Halfpipe

Even when Eileen Gu's simply taking a celebratory stroll through the halfpipe, she's still so stylish and makes it look so effortless.

The 18-year-old American-born freestyle skier who represents China captured Olympic gold in the women's halfpipe on a breezy and cold Friday morning to become the first action-sports athlete to pick up three medals at the same Winter Games.

With hands on her hips, Gu visualized her first two runs at the top of the Secret Garden halfpipe course. Then, she flawlessly executed her plan. She warmed up with a 93.25 on her first pass before going even higher and bigger to post a 95.25 on her second.

But this was the sort of run Gu visualized all along — a nice relaxed jaunt as the last competitor and with the contest sealed. She had fun with her victory run, too, going big off the walls one last time and bending back her skis — a high-flying, picture-perfect moment to culminate another successful day at her office.

"I feel at peace. I feel grateful. I feel proud," Gu said.

Figure skating

The fallout from Kamila Valieva's nightmarish free skate will likely reverberate through the figure skating world for a while, but there's one more competition left at the Beijing Games — the pairs short program Americans Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc along with Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier are competing.

Curling

The U.S. men had their Olympic title defense end with a semifinal loss to Britain. They still have a chance to win the bronze medal when they face Canada.

Speedskating

The men's 1,000-meter speedskating event kicks off early Friday morning.

A group of Republican senators is pushing back against an effort supported by some of the airline industry to create a government blacklist of violent and disruptive passengers.

"Creating a federal 'no-fly' list for unruly passengers who are skeptical of this mandate would seemingly equate them to terrorists who seek to actively take the lives of Americans and perpetrate attacks on the homeland," the senators wrote in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland dated Monday.

Nearly 500 unruly passenger incidents have been reported in the first six weeks of 2022, Federal Aviation Administration data show, for a total of more than 6,400 since the start of 2021. About two-thirds of the reports this year allege violations of the federal mask mandate. The FAA said Wednesday it has referred a total of 80 incidents to the Justice Department to consider criminal prosecution.

The spike in incidents has airlines calling for a government-coordinated "no-fly list" for passengers who create in-flight disturbances. Proponents say it would be separate from the existing government-run list that is part of the FBI's Terrorist Screening Database.

Airlines may ban an unruly passenger from their own flights, but competition rules mean that information is not shared with other carriers. CNN broke news of the industry's ask to the government in September, and Delta Air Lines renewed the request this month in a letter to the Justice Department.

The Senate group says they "strongly condemn" the violence, but urge the Justice Department to reject the request.

"The creation of this list by DOJ would result in a severe restriction on the ability of citizens to fully exercise their constitutional right to engage in interstate transportation," they wrote, and said the matter should be decided by Congress.

The letter was signed by Republican Sens. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Mike Lee of Utah, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Marco Rubio of Florida, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Ted Cruz of Texas, John Hoeven of North Dakota and Rick Scott of Florida.

A major flight attendant group responded sharply to the letter. Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants, called it "irresponsible and political brinkmanship that puts our economic security at risk right along with our lives."

"We've been punched, kicked, spit on, and sexually assaulted," Nelson wrote. "We urge the FAA, TSA, and DOJ to come together to implement a plan with due process to keep dangerous flyers on the ground."

CNN has reached out to the Justice Department for comment.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg suggested to CNN last fall that a federal no-fly list for violent airplane passengers "should be on the table," and he told CNN last week that federal authorities were still "looking at" such policy recommendations.

But, he acknowledged, "there are enormous implications in terms of civil liberties, in terms of how you administer something like that. I mean, even when it was over terrorism, it was not a simple thing to set up."

Frustration over mask mandates

There have been multiple in-flight disruptions in recent days. Two passengers were charged this week with interfering with flight crew members after attempting to open aircraft exits in flight. In one of those incidents, four passengers helped American Airlines crewmembers subdue a passenger armed with plastic utensils and a wine bottle who was pulling on a door handle.

Buttigieg declined in a recent CNN interview to say whether the mask mandate will be allowed to expire in mid-March or whether it might be extended or lifted earlier.

"When we have the guidance saying that is the right thing to do, I will be as relieved as any traveling American that we can move on to the next phase," he said.

The FAA's announcement that it has referred 80 incidents since the start of last year to the Justice Department marks about a doubling of referrals since President Joe Biden called for an increased role for the Justice Department in October. In November, the FAA said it had referred 37 cases for prosecution.

Not all cases can be referred for prosecution and many of the cases referred to the FBI for criminal review involve physical assault on crew or passengers, and sexual assault or harassment cases on a passenger or crew, a FAA spokesperson said.

The FAA called the issue a priority and said the agency, along with the FBI, are "continuing to work together so unruly passengers face criminal prosecution when warranted." The Transportation Security Administration is also revoking expedited screening privileges through the PreCheck program in some cases, the agencies said.

Here's what to expect on Day 13 of the Beijing Olympic Games:

Hockey

American assistant captain Hilary Knight calls it “a beautiful rivalry.” Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin sums it up as “very fun.”

Don’t be fooled by the pleasantries.

One of international sports’ fiercest and longest-running grudge matches will play out for the second time at the Beijing Olympics, with the next meeting between the United States and Canada determining who goes home with gold.

"These are the the games that we live for," U.S. captain Kendall Coyne Schofield said following a 4-1 semifinal win over Finland. "Everyone’s been so resilient through the pandemic with the ups and downs, the cancellations, postponements and finding ways to train, and it’s for this moment. We’re going to empty the tanks, and this is what we came here to do.”

The U.S. is the defending Olympic champion after rallying to beat Canada 3-2 in a shootout at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

The Canadians are considered the favorites this time after steamrolling to a 6-0 record and outscoring opponents 54-8, including a 4-2 win over the U.S. in group play.

Canada also had the edge over its cross-border rivals since Poulin scored the gold-medal-winning goal in a 3-2 overtime win over the U.S. at the world championships in August to end the Americans’ streak of five tournament titles. Canada is 5-1-1 in the past seven meetings against the U.S. since.

Overall at the Olympics, which added women’s hockey in 1998, Canada is 6-3 against the U.S., with four gold medals to the Americans’ two.

Figure skating

The women's figure skating event ends early Thursday — the competition portion, at least.

It remains to be seen how much longer it will be adjudicated.

Kamila Valieva is in first place after the short program. That part isn't a surprise — but the 15-year-old Russian's path to this point has been anything but smooth. And there's no indication that will change anytime soon.

Valieva's positive drug test from an event in December put her participation in doubt, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that she could compete while officials conduct a full investigation.

If Valieva finishes in the top three, the International Olympic Committee has said there will be no medals ceremony. The Russians have a chance to sweep the top three spots, with Anna Shcherbakova second and Alexandra Trusova fourth after the short program.

Valieva's free skate is to Maurice Ravel's “Bolero” — a popular skating tune that ice dancers Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean famously performed to at the Sarajevo Games in 1984.

Alpine skiing

Mikaela Shiffrin geared up for the Olympic Alpine combined by setting the fastest time in a downhill training session on Wednesday.

The two-time Olympic champion so far has failed to win a medal at the Beijing Games, skiing out in the giant slalom and the slalom — the two events she has gold medals in — and finishing ninth in the super-G and 18th in Tuesday’s downhill.

Next up is the combined race, which adds the times from one downhill run and one slalom run.

Shiffrin is the world champion in combined and also won silver in the event at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

The 26-year-old Shiffrin is far less experienced in the downhill but finished Wednesday’s training session 0.93 seconds ahead of Wendy Holdener of Switzerland.

Curling

American John Shuster and the defending Olympic curling champions won a last-chance match to qualify for the playoffs at the Beijing Olympics. They beat Denmark 7-5 to keep their hopes of a repeat gold medal alive.

The Americans will play Britain in the semifinals later Thursday night. Reigning silver medalist Sweden will meet Canada, which finished fourth a year ago.

Four years after winning five straight elimination games to take gold -- just the second Olympic curling medal in U.S. history -- Shuster’s foursome was again in a desperate position.

This time there was a twist, though: Even with a loss, they could have made the playoffs if Italy beat Norway. (The Americans beat Norway 7-6 in the round-robin to claim the tiebreaker.)

In the end, Italy lost. The Americans needed to win, and they did.

Speedskating

Brittany Bowe already made a big contribution to the U.S. medal haul when she gave up her spot in the 500 meters so teammate Erin Jackson could compete. Jackson then won the event.

Bowe, a fine skater in her own right, finished 10th in the 1,500 and 16th in the 500. She is the world record holder in the 1,000, which she'll compete in early Thursday morning.

Also of note

Eileen Gu of China, one of the stars of these Olympics, competes in qualifying for the freestyle halfpipe. The men's aerials final is also set for Wednesday night.

Max Scherzer won’t be starting spring training workouts Wednesday in the warmth of Mets camp in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Marcus Stroman won’t be shaking off rust amid the cactus at the Cubs complex in Mesa, Arizona.

No crack of bats or thwacks of balls popping into mitts.

No free agents putting on new uniforms for the first time.

No veterans hugging teammates following months apart.

No kids leaning on chain-link fences waiting for autographs.

No sign of getting ready for an opening day that may not happen on March 31.

Not even a negotiating session.

Neither side made any public statement this week to acknowledge the obvious: Spring training is failing to start on schedule for the first time since 1995, victim of a lockout that stretches into its 77th day Wednesday as players and management squabble over how to apportion an industry with $10 billion annual revenue.

So instead of debating RBIs and ERAs, Major League Baseball has been reduced to disputing CBTs and AAVs.

Pitchers and catchers won't be reporting to camp as scheduled, but MLB doesn't plan to announce a disruption to spring training until Feb. 26 exhibition openers can't be played.

If talks stretch into March — all signs are they will— season openers are likely to be pushed back.

"I am an optimist and I believe we will have an agreement in time to play our regular schedule,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said at a news conference last Thursday. “I see missing games as a disastrous outcome for this industry, and we’re committed to making an agreement in an effort to avoid that.”

Those were Manfred's first comments to media since Dec. 2, the day baseball's ninth work stoppage began, its first since 1995.

Pace of bargaining has been even slower than pace of games.

There have been just five negotiating sessions on core economics since the lockout started: a Zoom gathering on Jan. 13 followed by in-person meetings on Jan. 24-25 and Feb. 1 and 12. Reliever Andrew Miller has been the only player to attend in person and Rockies CEO Dick Montfort the only owner.

Players have demanded significant change, angered that payrolls were $4.05 billion last year, down 4.6% from their record high of just under $4.25 billion in 2017, the first year of the just-expired labor contract.

The union has asked for salary arbitration eligibility to be expanded to two years of major league service, its level from 1974-86, proposed a decrease in revenue sharing and wants new methods for top young players to be credited with additional service time, which the union says would address its allegations of service time manipulation.

Management has said it won't consider cutting revenue sharing or expanding arbitration. The sides are far apart on minimum salaries, the amount of a proposed bonus pool for young stars, and luxury tax thresholds and rates.

“The league was not required to declare a lockout,” union head Tony Clark said on Dec. 2 in his only comments to media since the lockout began. “Players consider it unnecessary and provocative. This lockout won't pressure or intimate players into a deal that they don't believe is fair.”

Manfred said the lockout was “defensive,” citing the union's decision to strike late in the 1994 season, which led to a 7 1/2-month stoppage and the first canceled World Series in 90 years.

“If you play without an agreement, you’re vulnerable to a strike at any point in time,” he said. “What happened in 1994 is the MLBPA picked August, when we were most vulnerable because of the proximity of the large revenue dollars associated with the postseason. We wanted to take that option away and try to force the parties to deal with the issues and get an agreement now, which is what we continue to believe is best for the fans.”

Both sides seem to believe the other won't make significant moves until the verge of opening day being threatened. Manfred said last week that perhaps four weeks of training would be needed, with additional time for ratification and players to travel to camps.

When players were locked out in 1990, the sides said a minimum three weeks of training were needed ahead of April 2 openers. When March 12 passed without an agreement, MLB said it would wait four additional days before making any announcement. Owners made a new proposal on March 16, leading to weekend negotiations and the announcement of an agreement at 1:18 a.m. EST on March 19.

Training camps opened March 20, exhibition games began March 26 and opening day was pushed back a week to April 9. After announcing on the night of the agreement that a 158-game schedule was contemplated, the sides struck a deal on March 22 to extend the end of the regular season by three days and have each team play a full 162.

In the meantime, these negotiations appear to be a game of chicken.

“The issues that the players are interested in engaging on has been the same leading up to bargaining, throughout bargaining and will continue to be the same moving forward," Clark said on the day the lockout began. "A fair contract that maintains a market system and addresses the competitive integrity issues that we’ve highlighted for some time.”

Here's what happened during Day 12 at the Beijing Olympic Games:

Hockey

The United States is out of the men's hockey tournament at the Olympics in stunning fashion after blowing a late lead.

Marek Hrivik scored with 43.7 seconds left in regulation, Peter Cehlarik had the winner and Slovakia beat the U.S. 3-2 in a shootout Wednesday to knock the top-seeded Americans out in the quarterfinals. The U.S. led for almost half the game before the tying goal when Slovakia pulled its goaltender for an extra attacker to play 6-on-5.

The U.S. had gotten accustomed to playing tight games in the tournament, beating Canada by two goals and Germany by one. But blown coverage in front allowed Hrivik to knock a loose puck past goalie Strauss Mann, who was impressive until that point.

Coming up empty on four power plays, including three in the third period, came back to bite the Americans. Matty Beniers hit the post on one of the best scoring chances the U.S. had in the third, but the team could not crack Patrik Rybar, who was playing a second consecutive day in net for Slovakia.

Freestyle Skiing

Freestyler skier Alex Hall led a 1-2 American finish in the men’s Olympic slopestyle competition on Wednesday with a trick on his first run where he stopped his rotation midair and turned in the other direction before softly landing.

Hall’s opening run drew a score of 90.01, which no one could match in three runs. His teammate Nick Goepper turned in a creative run on his second pass to earn silver. Jesper Tjader of Sweden took home bronze.

The American men have captured six of nine Olympic medals since the event made its debut in 2014. Goepper has three of them, adding Wednesday to his silver from the 2018 Pyeongchang Games and bronze from the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

“So proud of the boys and so proud of how they skied,” said Skogen Sprang, the head coach of the U.S. freeski slopestyle pro team. “They've put in a ton of work and they stayed true to the way they want to ski and that’s what we’re all about in this sport. ... Landing it when it counts is huge."

Here's what to expect on Day 11 of the Olympics:

Figure skating

After days of off-ice drama, it's finally time for the women's figure skating competition to start.

The saga of Russian star Kamila Valieva moves on to the short program — which she can participate in after a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. A test that Valieva took in December was flagged for a banned heart medication, but CAS ruled that the 15-year-old Valieva, a "protected athlete" because of her age, can compete.

Even if she wins a medal in this event, it could be taken away later, and the International Olympic Committee has even said if Valieva finishes in the top three, there will be no medal ceremony during the Beijing Games. There will also be no ceremony for the team event won by Valieva and the Russian team earlier.

The short program could go a long way toward indicating whether any of the American women have a good shot at a medal. Two-time U.S. champion Alysa Liu will perform just before Valieva.

Snowboarding

Su Yiming gave host China its second gold medal at Big Air Shougang, matching Eileen Gu with a stunning show in front of fans at the repurposed steel mill and winning the country’s first top prize in Olympic snowboarding.

The 17-year-old child actor-turned-rider followed up his unexpected silver in slopestyle — he would’ve taken gold if not for a judging blunder — by joining Gu in cementing his celebrity status with a big air gold. Gu won the freestyle skiing best-trick contest last week on her final jump, and the celebration briefly broke Chinese social media website Weibo.

Alpine Skiing

The only skier to beat Sofia Goggia in a downhill over the last two seasons beat Sofia Goggia again to win the Olympic gold medal in the event at the Beijing Games.

Corinne Suter, a 27-year-old Swiss skier who injured both of her legs early in the season, edged Goggia by 0.16 seconds.

Goggia hurt her left knee about a month ago but still managed to take the lead by nearly half a second. She let out a lengthy roar after crossing the line and then kissed a television camera.

Goggia has dominated the downhill in recent seasons and would have been the favorite if not for getting injured during a super-G in Cortina d’Ampezzo less than a month ago. The 29-year-old Italian partially tore a ligament in her left knee and sustained a minor fracture in that leg, along with tendon damage.

Goggia had won the last eight World Cup downhills she finished, a streak that began in December 2020. But Suter won the last downhill race before the Olympics.

Mikaela Shiffrin, who did not finish her opening runs in either of her initial two events, finished in 18th place, 2.49 behind Suter.

Take Two

Eileen Gu took home another medal from the Beijing Games with a second-place finish in the women’s ski slopestyle competition. That means she could still become the first action-sports athlete to capture three medals at the same Winter Games.

Gu’s bid for another gold medal was thwarted by Mathilde Gremaud. The freestyle skier from Switzerland won the event on a bitterly cold and hazy day when temperatures hovered around minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 20 Celsius). Kelly Sildaru of Estonia took home bronze.

Gu, the 18-year-old American-born freestyler who is competing for her mother’s home country of China, won the big air contest last week. She’s also competing in the halfpipe competition.

Sitting in eighth place after two runs, Gu used a strong final run to work her way onto the podium. She couldn’t catch Gremaud, who scored an 86.56 on her second run.

A technical issue prevented the national anthem from being played at a basketball game in New Hampshire, so the crowd stepped up. Students at Conant High School sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" themselves before a varsity basketball game last week. The energy carried over into the game and Conant won on senior night!

BEIJING —

Mixed team snowboard cross is a variation on that chaotic event that is making its Olympic debut this year.

Each team consists of one man and one woman. The men go first, then the women start in a staggered fashion, based on how the men finished in their race.

Meanwhile, the U.S. men's hockey team faces Canada.

Here are some things to watch:

Snowboarding

Lindsey Jacobellis has won her second gold medal of the Olympics, teaming with 40-year-old Nick Baumgartner for the title in the new event of mixed snowboardcross.

The 36-year-old Jacobellis took gold earlier this week in the women’s event; it came 16 years after a late showboat move as she was cruising in for an apparent win cost her the title at the Turin Games.

After a slow start, the U.S. now has five gold medals and 11 overall at the Games. Jacobellis accounts for two, while snowboarder Chloe Kim has another.

The Italian team of Omar Visintin and Michela Moioli came in second and the Canadian duo of Eliot Grondin and Meryeta O’Dine finished third.

Hockey

Brendan Brisson scored his second goal of the tournament and Strauss Mann made 35 saves to help the United States beat Canada 4-2 in men's hockey at the Olympics.

The young Americans went hit for hit with the bigger, stronger and more experienced Canadians. The victory puts the U.S. in the driver's seat to win the group and earn a spot in the quarterfinals.

Ice Dance

The Americans have a chance to earn two ice dance medals in the same Games for the first time. Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue finished fourth at Pyeongchang and second at last year's world championships. Madison Chock and Evan Bates were fourth at worlds.

Four-time world champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France are heavy favorites. They finished second in Pyeongchang to Canadian duo Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, who have since retired.

PHOENIX —

A man who shot his ex-girlfriend at a Phoenix home early Friday ambushed the first officer on the scene, seriously injuring him, then opened fire on other police as they tried to rescue a baby that was left outside the door.

The woman later died. In all, five officers were shot, including four who were wounded while trying to take the baby to safety. Four more officers were injured by shrapnel or ricocheting bullets, police said.

Of the five shot directly, four remain hospitalized. All of the officers were expected to survive, and the baby girl was unharmed.

"I cannot recall an incident in city history where so many officers were injured," Mayor Kate Gallego said at a news conference near the scene. "A baby is safe today because of our Phoenix police officers."

The most seriously injured officer was the first to arrive at the home, around 2:15 a.m., following a report of a woman shot. He was invited inside, Phoenix police Sgt. Andy Williams said.

"As he approached the doorway, the suspect ambushed him with a gun and shot him several times," he said. "That officer was able to get back and get away to safety."

Video from the scene shows another man coming outside holding a baby and a satchel. The man put the satchel on the ground and then laid down the infant, wrapped in a blanket, between the satchel and the front door. He raised his hands to surrender while backing away from the house.

After that man was detained, other officers approached the doorway to get the baby girl, and the suspect fired more shots. The police returned fire, which then led the suspect to barricade himself. Eight of the officers were wounded by bullets or shrapnel in that exchange, Williams said.

Police were able to get the baby to safety as a SWAT unit took over.

The suspect remained barricaded for several hours and was later found dead from a gunshot wound inside the home.

They also found the suspect's ex-girlfriend, who had been shot and was critically injured. She died hours later, police said. Williams said the baby was believed to be the woman and suspect's child. She is now in state custody.

The man who brought the baby outside suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Williams said he's a family member and is cooperating with police.

"No information suggests that he's part of the ambush, but it's an ongoing investigation," Williams said.

Police identified the gunman as 36-year-old Morris Jones and said they were still trying to learn about the circumstances preceding the incident. Detectives were gathering evidence and processing the scene Friday morning.

Williams declined to say whether Morris has a criminal record or if police had been called to the home before.

"This is just one more example of the dangers that officers face every day keeping us and our community safe," Police Chief Jeri Williams said at an early morning news conference. "If I seem upset, I am. This is senseless. It does not need to happen and it continues to happen over and over again."

Chris Grollnek, an active shooter expert, told The Associated Press on Friday that it's important to know how the incident was initially reported. Was it a 911 call from the woman pleading for help? A neighbor reporting gunfire and screaming?

The immediate information will determine how the first officers respond as they get to the scene, he said.

Traditionally, a barricaded suspect buys the police time to set up a perimeter and call a SWAT team, which could take 20 minutes to arrive. But if someone is injured inside, "the human factor takes over," Grollnek said. "I'm the first one there, I'm going in."

Charles "Sid" Heal, former commanding officer of Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's SWAT unit, said department policies often give the decision-making authority to the responding officer.

Both Heal and Grollnek described firing on officers who are trying to save a baby as "evil." They said police protocols simply cannot cover such a scenario.

"Hopefully it doesn't happen often enough that we'll ever have a protocol for it," Heal said.

He added he cannot imagine a situation where the officers would have left the baby exposed because it was too dangerous for them to rescue the child.

"The moral factors far exceed the physical risk," he said.

The middle-class neighborhood in southwest Phoenix where the shooting occurred has newly constructed stucco houses tightly packed together and sits next to large shipping and fulfillment facilities for businesses. The home had its second-story windows shot out.

Frank DeAguilar, its owner, said the residence is a rental and he didn't know anything about the people living there, including their names. He said a property management firm handles the details.

"It's just a sad situation," DeAguilar said.

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Associated Press writers Jonathan J. Cooper and Paul Davenport in Phoenix and Stefanie Dazio in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Here's what happened on Day 7 of the Games:

Last hurrah

Japan's Ayumu Hirano has won gold with a boundary-pushing run in the men's halfpipe at the Beijing Olympics. Three-time gold medalist Shaun White was fourth in what he has said would be his final competition.

There was no doubt over the winner after Hirano’s electric performance as the last rider to go. His run included an intricate and unprecedented series of flips and spins that pushed a sport obsessed with progression to new heights. His score of 96 reflected that and the two-time Olympic silver medalist moved past Scotty James of Australia. Jan Scherrer of Switzerland took bronze.

White fell on the final run of a career that’s seen the American star win three Olympic titles. He lifted up his goggles and waved to the crowd on his way down the halfpipe. He teared up as the sparse crowd bid adieu and his fellow riders lined up to hug him.

“I wanted it,” White said. “My legs were giving out on me every hit.”

The stage was being set for some controversy after the second run. James took over the lead with his second attempt. Hirano followed with an impressive run that included the difficult-to-do triple cork, but wasn’t rewarded by the judges. The crowd booed and social media was buzzing.

Alpine skiing

Mikaela Shiffrin completed the super-G at the Beijing Olympics on Friday in a time way out of medal contention — but for the first time in three races at the 2022 Games, she made it to the finish.

The two-time Olympic Alpine gold medalist crossed the line at the bottom of a course known as The Rock with a time of 1 minute, 14.30 seconds. That left her 0.79 seconds behind champion Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland and in ninth place overall after all 44 entrants had taken their turns down the slope.

The 26-year-old American never had entered a super-G at an Olympics before, although she did win a gold in the event at the 2019 world championship and a bronze at last year's worlds.

"I didn't think there was a very big chance to come in and win, or even medal, in this race," Shiffrin said. "It's a really big relief to be here now in the finish. ... I wasn't skiing safe or anything. But I also did get to the finish and that's really nice for my heart to know."

The next women's Alpine event is the downhill on Tuesday. While Shiffrin planned to enter all five individual races in Beijing, it's not known for sure whether that actually will end up happening.

Single elimination

The U.S. women's hockey team faces the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals.

BEIJING —

Nathan Chen has been building toward this for years. He's one good free skate away from Olympic gold.

After setting a world record with his short program, Chen goes for an Olympic title Wednesday. It could be a big day for the United States, with Chloe Kim also expected to contend for a snowboarding gold medal.

Here are some things to watch (all times Eastern):

Figure skating

Not only did Chen perform superbly in the short program, his rival, Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu, was eighth. That made Chen's path to gold even clearer. Chen, a three-time world champion, finished fifth at the 2018 Olympics but now appears poised to take Hanyu's crown.

"You can never really count out any of these athletes. The competition’s not one program," Chen said. "Whatever happens in the short program is not indicative of what will happen in the free program."

Snowboarding

American Chloe Kim has won gold in the women's halfpipe at the Beijing Olympics.

She turned in a strong opening run as she easily defended her Olympic halfpipe title.

The last rider to drop into the halfpipe, and the contest already over, the 21-year-old American still attempted to go big one last time.

She fell, quickly got back up and casually glided the rest of the way down the halfpipe Thursday as the Olympic champion. She greeted her fellow medalists at the bottom with an embrace.

The only real drama was for second place, with 32-year-old Queralt Castellet of Spain taking silver at her fifth appearance at the Olympic Games. Sena Tomita of Japan held off Cai Xuetong of China for bronze.

No one was matching Kim’s height or demanding array of tricks. Not after an opening performance that featured a variety of different spins and rotations, including a front and backside 1080 (three spins each). That flawless run even appeared to surprised her as she covered her mouth in excitement. She later told her coach it was the best one she’s done.

Short track drama

Maybe it was inevitable, but there's already been some contentiousness over the short track speedskating results. South Korea filed complaints with the International Skating Union and the International Olympic Committee after two of its skaters were disqualified in the semifinals of the men's 1,000 meters. South Korea’s chef de mission, Yoon Hong Geun, said fans in South Korea are so upset that they are urging the team to return home immediately.

Here's what to expect on Day 5 of the Beijing Games:

Snowboard Stars

Some of America's biggest Olympic standouts will begin competing. Shaun White, the three-time gold medalist who said recently the Beijing Games would be his last competition, begins qualifying for the halfpipe. So does Chloe Kim, who, like White is a defending champion in that event.

"I really want to finish my career strongly on my own terms and put down some solid runs," White said. "If I could do that, I’ll be very happy."

The chaotic, high-flying snowboardcross also begins with the women's competition. Lindsey Jacobellis, who missed out on gold in 2006 when she fell after grabbing her board in premature celebration, is still chasing an Olympic title.

Slalom Showdown

Two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin's second race at the Beijing Games ended even more quickly than her first.

The 26-year-old American skidded out of control about five seconds into the opening run of the slalom Wednesday and is out of the event.

That was even less time than her trip down the course lasted in the first run of the giant slalom on Monday.

This time, Shiffrin went over to the side of the hill, sat in the snow and bowed her head.

Shiffrin came to China as one of the biggest stars of her — or any — sport at the Winter Olympics, a dominant-at-times Alpine skiier who has been in the spotlight since she was a teenager.

ROME —

Retired Pope Benedict XVI asked forgiveness Tuesday for any “grievous faults" in his handling of clergy sex abuse cases, but denied any personal or specific wrongdoing after an independent report criticized his actions in four cases while he was archbishop of Munich, Germany.

Benedict's lack of a personal apology or admission of guilt immediately riled abuse survivors, who said his response reflected the Catholic hierarchy's “permanent” refusal to accept responsibility for the rape and sodomy of children by priests.

Benedict, 94, was responding to a Jan. 20 report from a German law firm that had been commissioned by the German Catholic Church to look into how cases of sexual abuse were handled in the Munich archdiocese between 1945 and 2019. Benedict, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, headed the archdiocese from 1977 to 1982.

The report faulted Benedict’s handling of four cases during his time as archbishop, accusing him of misconduct for having failed to restrict the ministry of the four priests even after they had been convicted criminally. The report also faulted his predecessors and successors, estimating there had been at least 497 abuse victims over the decades and at least 235 suspected perpetrators.

The Vatican on Tuesday released a letter that Benedict wrote to respond to the allegations, alongside a more technical reply from his lawyers who had provided an initial 82-page response to the law firm about his nearly five-year tenure in Munich.

The conclusion of Benedict’s lawyers was resolute: “As an archbishop, Cardinal Ratzinger was not involved in any cover-up of acts of abuse,” they wrote. They criticized the report's authors for misinterpreting their submission, and asserted that the authors provided no evidence that Benedict was aware of the criminal history of any of the four priests in question.

Benedict’s response was more nuanced and spiritual, though he went on at length to thank his legal team before even addressing the allegations or the victims of abuse.

“I have had great responsibilities in the Catholic Church,” the retired pope said in his letter. “All the greater is my pain for the abuses and the errors that occurred in those different places during the time of my mandate.”

Benedict issued what he called a “confession,” though he didn't confess to any specific sin or fault. He recalled that daily Mass begins with believers confessing their sins and asking forgiveness for their faults and even their “grievous faults.” Benedict noted that in his meetings with abuse victims while he was pope, “I have seen at first hand the effects of a most grievous fault.

“And I have come to understand that we ourselves are drawn into this grievous fault whenever we neglect it or fail to confront it with the necessary decisiveness and responsibility, as too often happened and continues to happen,” he wrote. “As in those meetings, once again I can only express to all the victims of sexual abuse my profound shame, my deep sorrow and my heartfelt request for forgiveness.”

His response drew swift criticism from Eckiger Tisch, a group representing German clergy abuse survivors, who said it fit into the church's "permanent relativizing on matters of abuse -- wrongdoing and mistakes took place, but no one takes concrete responsibility,” the group said in a statement.

“Joseph Ratzinger can’t bring himself simply to state that he is sorry not to have done more to protect the children entrusted to his church,” the group said. “That would be an honest sentence."

The response will likely complicate efforts by German bishops re-establish credibility with the faithful, whose demands for accountability have only increased as the church has come to terms with decades of abuse and cover-up.

The head of the German bishops conference, Limburg Bishop Georg Baetzing, had previously said that Benedict needed to respond to the report by distancing himself from his lawyers and advisers. “He must talk, and he must override his advisers and essentially say the simple sentence: ’I incurred guilt, I made mistakes and I apologize to those affected,” Baetzing said. ”It won’t work any other way.”

In a tweet Tuesday, Baetzing noted that Benedict had said he would respond and has now honored that pledge.

”I am grateful to him for that and he deserves respect for it,” Baetzing wrote. The tweet didn't address the substance of Benedict’s response.

The law firm report identified four cases in which Ratzinger was accused of misconduct in failing to act against abusers.

Two cases involved priests who offended while Ratzinger was archbishop and were punished by the German legal system but were kept in pastoral work without any limits on their ministry. A third case involved a cleric who was convicted by a court outside Germany but was put into service in Munich. The fourth case involved a convicted pedophile priest who was allowed to transfer to Munich in 1980, and was later put into ministry. In 1986, that priest received a suspended sentence for molesting a boy.

Benedict’s team had earlier clarified an initial “error” in their submission to the law firm that had insisted Ratzinger was not present at the 1980 meeting in which the priest’s transfer to Munich was discussed. Ratzinger was there, but his return to ministry was not discussed, they said.

Benedict said he was deeply hurt that the “oversight” about his presence at the 1980 meeting had been used to “cast doubt on my truthfulness, and even to label me a liar.” But he said he had been heartened by the letters and gestures of support he had received, including from his successor.

“I am particularly grateful for the confidence, support and prayer that Pope Francis personally expressed to me,” he said.

The Vatican had already strongly defended Benedict’s record in the aftermath of the law firm report, recalling that Benedict was the first pope to meet with victims of abuse, that he had issued strong norms to punish priests who raped children and had directed the church to pursue a path of humility in seeking forgiveness for the crimes of its clerics.

The Vatican’s defense, however, focused primarily on Benedict’s tenure as head of the Holy See’s doctrine office and his eight-year papacy.

Benedict reflected on his legacy at the end of his letter, noting that he is at the end of his life and will soon be judged by God.

“Quite soon, I shall find myself before the final judge of my life,” he wrote. “Even though, as I look back on my long life, I can have great reason for fear and trembling, I am nonetheless of good cheer. For I trust firmly that the Lord is not only the just judge, but also the friend and brother who himself has already suffered for my shortcomings."

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Geir Moulson contributed from Berlin.

BEIJING —

Here are some things to watch as Day 4 of the Beijing Olympics get underway:

Hockey

Marie-Philip Poulin capped a three-goal run by scoring on a penalty shot with 2:35 left in the second period, and Canada upended the defending Olympic champion United States 4-2 on Tuesday to claim the women's hockey tournament's top seed entering the playoff round.

Barring a major upset, the two global hockey powers are expected to meet once more in the gold-medal final next week.

In a fierce rivalry dating to before the women’s first Olympic tournament at the 1998 Nagano Games, and won by the Americans, the U.S. and Canada put on yet another entertaining show at the Beijing Games in a fast-paced outing, with both teams trading leads.

Brianne Jenner scored twice, Poulin had a goal and assist and Jamie Lee Rattray also scored for Canada, which improved its Olympic record to 6-3 against the U.S. Anne-Renee Desbiens stopped 51 shots.

Figure Skating

Nathan Chen has set the world record during his short program at the Beijing Olympics, scoring 113.97 points to break the previous mark set by longtime rival Yuzuru Hanyu and putting himself in position to win his long-sought gold medal.

The third skater from the end, Chen opened with a perfect quad flip, breezed through the triple axel that sometimes gives him problems and drilled a quad lutz-triple toe loop that by itself scored more than 21 points.

His total was more than five points ahead of Yuma Kagiyama, who sits in second place, and nearly 20 points ahead of Hanyu, the two-time Olympic champion who bailed on his opening quad attempt during a calamitous short program.

All that’s left for Chen, whose poor short program four years ago cost him a medal opportunity in Pyeongchang, is to hold onto his lead through Thursday’s free skate at historical Capital Indoor Stadium.

Speedskating

Two short track speedskating gold medals are at stake in the women's 500 and men's 1,000. The Americans haven’t won an individual speedskating medal since 2010.

Big Air

American-born Eileen Gu of China cranked out the first 1620 of her career on her final jump, stunning Tess Ledeux of France and earning the first of what she hopes will be three gold medals at the Beijing Olympics in women’s freestyle big air Tuesday.

Nicknamed the “Snow Princess,” Gu is among the biggest local names in Beijing. She is a medal favorite in big air, slopestyle and halfpipe. Her first attempt at gold came down to the last round.

Ledeux is the only other woman to ever land a 1620 — 4 1/2 spins — in competition, and she stomped one out with a slight wobble on the landing in Round 1.

Gu hinted after qualifying Monday that she might be able to match Ledeux. With everything on the line, she did.

The 18-year-old from San Francisco shrieked when she landed the jump, then dropped to her knees when her score of 94.50 was announced.

Curling

The mixed doubles competition wraps up when Italy faces Norway for the gold medal. Sweden and Britain will battle for will show the bronze medal.

Amos Mosaner and Stefania Constantini have already clinched Italy’s first-ever Olympic curling medal by reaching the final.

"That feels great," coach Claudio Pescia said. "Not only that we have a medal, but the performance these two athletes made this week is amazing."

Luge

Germany’s Natalie Geisenberger is trying for her third consecutive gold medal in singles luge.

Geisenberger can become the first three-time women’s singles gold medalist in Olympic history.