>> what what if it good morning, america, for our viewers in the west. breaking overnight, a dangerous, new assault by russian troops on a nuclear power plant. the war in ukraine. civilians in the crosshairs. dash cam video captures the moment a missile strike hits a residential neighborhood. and overnight, europe's largest nuclear power plant under attack. russian shelling causing a fire to break out. this morning, the nuclear facility now in the hands of the russians, as troops advance across the country, after capturing their first major city. while the people of kyiv, brace for more fighting in the capital. desperate race to escape. the dire humanitarian crisis. more than 1 million refugees, half of them children. "world news tonight" anchor david muir, live on the border in poland, with stories of separation and survival. abc news exclusive.

one-on-one with "dancing with the stars" pro maks chmerkovskiy. after documenting the horrors inside in ukraine on social media, maks speaks out for the first time about his arrest before leaving and his escape. >> is there guilt you feel about getting out or wanting to? >> i feel bad. i feel shame. i feel upset. driving up gas prices. the war sending prices soaring. averaging $5 a gallon in some areas and driving some to danger extremes, and reported thefts on the rise. web of lies. a new twist in the case of the california mother who vanished in 2016 and turned up three weeks later, claiming she was kidnapped. now facing charges, accused of faking the whole thing. the schoolteacher caught on camera. the indiana man once named teacher of the year, captured on video hitting a student in the head. now arrested and facing possible criminal charges. this morning, why some parents

are defending this teacher. there's no place like home. after more than 40 years, duke basketball legend, coach k., says good-bye to the home of the blue devils. and you won't believe how much one ticket costs. ♪ rolling rolling ♪ and roll tide. "rise & shine." our gio benitez takes us through a wild ride rolling through alabama. we're exploring the historymaking moments of the great state, to the magic of the gulf. >> here we go, cheers. >> as we say, good morning from sweet home alabama. good morning, america. we hope you're doing well this friday. we want to get right to our top story, the war in ukraine. russian forces kept up their relentless assault across the country, targeting civilians. you see devastating images right now. they are shocking. >> and the refugee crisis is escalating. more than 1 million people have fled so far. the russian aggression escalates. "world news tonight" anchor

david muir is standing by at the polish border with more on that. >> this as ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy speak president biden to tell you about the frightening development, the russian assault on europe's largest nuclear power plant. president zelenskyy still standing firm in the capital. >> our top foreign correspondent is there, ian pannell starts us off. good morning, ian. >> reporter: good morning, george. from independent square, this was the seat of the revolution of dignity in 2014, when the ukrainians rose up to express their desire to move away from russia and closer to the west. well, today the barricades are being set up here for a much more bloody and brutal battle. we watched the scenes developing overnight. about 2:00 a.m., we were watching a live stream of a battle taking place outside of a nuclear power plant. it was almost unbelievable, the scenes that we were seeing. president zelenskyy just speaking, saying, ukrainians, we survived the night. saying it could have caused as many as six chernobyls, referring to the nuclear

disaster back in the 1980s. but nuclear scientists saying the situation appears to be under control. but russia is bearing down across ukraine this morning. this morning, more civilian infrastructure hit, as videos circulating online show the devastation, including this school west of kyiv, destroyed. this is the latest escalation, as russia ramps up its war machine, increasingly bombing indiscriminately. there seems to be almost total disregard for civilians caught in the middle. 90 miles north of kyiv, dash cam video showing the moments a missile strike hits a residential neighborhood. city emergency services saying 47 people were killed, 18 wounded. if confirmed, it would be the deadliest single attack on civilians since the invasion began. and overnight, pitch battles at europe's largest nuclear power plant. in a highly dangerous development, russian troops

shelling the site with trace fire lighting up the sky. the plant streaming the attacks online. president zelenskyy pleading for international intervention. warning, if there's an explosion, it's the end of everything. the end of europe. this morning, the nuclear facility, now in the hands of the russians and the nuclear watchdog, the iaea, saying none of the facility's essential equipment has been damaged. a fire in the building has been extinguished. western regulators say they've seen no change in radiation levels. >> nuclear power plants were not designed to be -- survive military conflicts. >> reporter: earlier in the day, the city's mayor posted the verified videos of explosions outside of the town. in the southern part of the country, the russians seizing kherson, the first major city to fall to their hands. with troops bearing down on

mykolaiv and the navy approaching odesa, it appears they are trying to cut ukraine and the black sea off. kharkiv in the east, the second-largest city, has been under siege for days. this week, a resident was recording a video message when one of the air strikes hit. as the russian forces approached the capital, the people of kyiv, ready to put up a fight. this is a city, this is a country, now on a total war footing. we're in the heart of kyiv. and as you can see, concrete barricades, tank traps have been set up. and everyone is bracing for an assault. president zelenskyy, speaking with reporters at a secret location inside the capital. >>. [speaking foreign language] >> reporter: he told me i don't know how long. it doesn't depend on time. it depends on us. a senior u.s. official saying they believe putin plans to rush kyiv, already selected and prepared a puppet government to replace zelenskyy. this comes as the second round of talks between ukrainian and

russian delegations wrap up. both sides have provisionally agreed to possible temporary cease-fires and for a humanitarian corridor for civilians to leave cities under siege. cecilia, i've seen this playbook before. i saw it in syria, in the city of aleppo, where putin with bashar al assad, bombed residential neighborhoods to try to drive people out, punishment and total disregard for civilian life. cecelia? >> the world needs to hear these stories. ian, thank you so much. we turn to the breaking news overnight. russia's parliament, passing a new law, bringing a new media crackdown. our foreign correspondent james longman has more from moscow. we were talking to you just this week. and you expressed serious concern for our russian colleagues there. >> reporter: yeah, absolutely, t.j. that concern is just growing. this is a serious development here.

russian's parliament has made fake news a crime, punishable up to 15 years in jail. that's news they don't agree with. it's a major attack on free press. according to the government it's been introduced to target those, quote, who knowingly dispute the purpose, role and tasks of armed forces during special military and other operations. they had banned the use of the words war and invasion. now, journalists in this country face the prospect of a much wider-ranging law, that could land them lengthy jail sentences. free media has been under attack for many years here. but we're starting to see the complete dismantling of independent press in moscow. moscow's last independent tv station went off air this week in the face of such draconian measures. the state has now blocked the russian language bbc services. facebook and other sites are being purposefully slowed down or blocked. we're not sure what this means for foreign news reporting. the law passed today could go into effect as early as tomorrow morning.

cecelia. >> troubling development. james, thank you. we're going to turn to the latest on the growing refugee crisis. more than 1 million people, so many of them children, have fled ukraine in the face of this russian violence. thousands more on the move, desperate to get out of this country quickly. david muir, "world news tonight" anchor there on the border with poland. david, the stories you're hearing, they are just heartbreaking. >> reporter: they really are, cecilia. and another extraordinary scene playing out right here this morning. another train has just arrived here at the train station. we're just across the border here from ukraine in poland. you can see the families here gathering. hundreds of mothers and young children getting off of the train here this morning. inside this train station, the scope of the need is crushing. so many of the mothers telling me they spent 20, 22 hours on trains, just to get here. one mother saying her children slept on the floor of the train. they tell their children, they will be going home soon, but the parents admit to me, they don't

know if that's true. this morning, these are the faces of the growing humanitarian crisis here. children who have left their homes behind. they have just crossed the border. the u.n. now says there's more than 1 million refugees and that half of them are children. and we hear the cries. the frightened children, the boy crying to his mother, saying, i am tired, i am so tired. so many of these families traveling for days. it's an extraordinary thing to witness here. the train has arrived from ukraine in poland. you can see the baby here in this carriage. so many young children brought here by their families to safety, and as you walk through the crowd here, you can see the sheer number of families who have arrived here, children with their winter coats, but little else. many parents telling me, it was simply too dangerous to stay. some had been hiding in

basements for days. two young mothers, sisters, who escaped ukraine, with their children. what has this journey been like? [speaking foreign language] they tell me, this is their fate, what else can we do? we have to keep our children alive. we ask about the fathers. >> have either of them stayed behind to fight the russians? [speaking foreign language] >> reporter: alla says her husband is not in the army, but, yes, he stayed behind to fight. >> you believe you will go back home? [speaking foreign language] >> reporter: like so many of the children we met here, their children carry stuffed animals, too. alexei and his favorite dog. >> yes. yes, i do. >> you do. you have your dog. >> reporter: and this family

from ukraine's second-largest city, kharkiv, under assault from the russians. >> you came all the way from kharkiv? >> yes. >> reporter: they told me they could hear the bombs, the missiles, landing all around them. >> rocket just -- [speaking foreign language] >> terrifying. and you tried to stay as long as you could? >> my father's still in ukraine because he can't leave his country. >> reporter: she fears for her father's life. >> i hope that ukraine will -- >> survive? >> yes. and we -- [speaking foreign language] >> you don't know. >> and we come to home, our ukraine. >> reporter: we head into this room where we find strangers who have come from all over, holding signs. a couple from denmark holding their sign. they have room for eight persons, free. >> we all go together. >> you have offered to take people with you? >> yes. >> what made you decide to do this? >> we needed to do something.

>> reporter: there is so much need here. a little boy sleeping on a bench in the middle of the train station. and families unsure where they will sleep tomorrow. that's an unanswerable question for so many of these families. as i look behind me, even again here this morning, they arrive with just a backpack over their shoulders. i saw a little boy carrying a paperback with belongings carried with them. they have no idea where they will end up. we had so many messages sent my way on instagram and twitter, asking the same questions, over and over, from americans back home, how can we help? if you would like to help, you can reach out to unicefusa.org/abc. we put the information online for you there. if you think about this, one week in, 1 million refugees already. >> hard to wrap your head around that number. david, thank you. you'll have the latest on "world news" tonight. and you're bringing us a special edition of "20/20," "putin's war: the battle to save ukraine"

tonight at 8:00 eastern right here on abc. george? >> we want to turn to gas soaring because of the war in ukraine. the national average up 26 cents last week. we have reporters with the pain on the pump being felt nationwide. we have kaylee hartung in new york. good morning, kaylee. >> reporter: hey, good morning, george. this is the reality here right in the middle of los angeles. the cheapest gallon of gas at this station, $6.65. so if you bring a standard-size vehicle here and you want to fill up a 12-gallon tank, that will cost you about $80. this is as bad as it gets. the average for a gallon of regular in l.a., is a record on its own. it's above $5 for the first time ever in this region. over the past month, the average has jumped 43 cents. there's a new record set nearly every day. compare to one year ago, a gallon here is $1.38 more expensive today.

this is happening all across the state. now, in california, the average is spiking just under $5, which is a new record average high in the golden state. cecilia? >> okay, kaylee. let's turn to elwyn lopez with prices around the country. she is live in atlanta. elwyn, what are you seeing? >> reporter: good morning. here in georgia, regular unleaded up 24 cents a gallon in the last week. 46 cents in the past month. and that uptick at the pumps, felt not only here in georgia and california, but take a look at illinois, up to $4.10 a gallon there, new york and pennsylvania also breaking $4, and michigan close behind at $3.83. back here in georgia, this photo obtained by wsb, showing a hole in a gas tank. a driver says someone drilled underneath his car to steal fuel. others reporting similar steps across several communities here. authorities say they are looking into this. but, t.j., experts say these high prices are expected to go up, as crude prices continue to climb.

>> all right. elwyn lopez, thank you, as always. we want to turn to the end of an era in sports. an icon, after more than 40 year at the helm, duke basketball coach mike krzyzewski, most know him as coach k. he is getting ready for his final home game. will reeve is here with a look at his legacy. what a final game, duke versus north carolina. >> reporter: this is the best it can get. tomorrow night, mike krzyzewski, coach k., will coach his last home game. he's retiring at the end of this season, the 47th year as a coach. the last 42 years, he spent taking the duke blue devils to unprecedented heights. he's won five national titles and made more final four appearances, 12, than he has letters, 10, in his complex last name. and that that name is synonymous with success. for years, legions of dedicated fans have camped outside in a tent city called krzyzewskiville for getting a shot to see the

winningest coach in college basketball history leading his contenders on coach k. court. and tomorrow night, the final night, the average ticket price, more than $5,000. that's more expensive than all but three super bowls in the last decade-plus. and many of his former players, celebrity sports fans alike will be packing that 9,000-seat arena rooting for coach k. against the storied arch rival, the north carolina tarheels, t.j. >> that's going to be fun. last time at cameron indoor, but not the last time we see coach k. coach. >> certainly not. the good stuff is just beginning. duke is one of the best teams in the country this year. they'll play their conference tournament in brooklyn. then, they hope to get a top seed in the big dance, the ncaa tournament. coach k. looking to go out on top, with one more national title. >> this is fantastic. he did a final four in the early '90s. they did a whole bit about his last name.

nobody could pronounce it. we all know how to say his name now. north carolina takes on duke tomorrow, 6:00 eastern on espn. a special night. don't miss it. a lot more coming up on "gma" including our exclusive with our friend, maks chmerkovskiy from "dancing with the stars." he escaped ukraine. he's out for the first time and going to talk with t.j. about that emotional and dangerous journey. and a california mom who made national headlines in 2016 claiming she was kidnapped. she's now been arrested in connection with her own d disappearance. first, hey rob. >> there's snow levels. this may have triggered a massive boulder coming off of the hill on the way to tahoe. winter storm warnings and watches from southern california to the great lakes. this will bring severe weather over the weekend. time for a look at your local forecast.

it is national snack day. stay with us. with guaranteed 4pm checkout at fine hotels + resorts properties.

one of the many reasons you're with amex platinum. i brought in ensure max protein, with thirty grams of protein. those who tried me felt more energy in just two weeks! (sighs wearily) here i'll take that! (excited yell) woo-hoo! ensure max protein. with thirty grams of protein, one gram of sugar, and nutrients to support immune health. s you covered.m of sugar, [girls laugh] -nice smile, brad. -nice! thanks? crest 3d white. 100% stain removal. crest. the #1 toothpaste brand in america.

(christine) what you're doing is not just hurting you. if you can't make up your mind to quit for yourself, do it for those who love you. (announcer) for free help, call 1-800-quit now. ♪ ♪ fight fleas and ticks with seresto. eight months continuous protection against fleas and ticks. it's effective and vet recommended. seresto. learn more at seresto.com. ♪ ♪ every business is on a journey. and along the ride, you'll find many challenges. ♪ your dell technologies advisor can help you

find the right tech solutions. so you can stop at nothing for your customers. allergies don't have to be scary. spraying flonase daily stops your body from overreacting to allergens all season long. psst! psst! flonase all good. she's smiling because her small culinary supply store, titans pans, is up and running. and this, is nfl star derrick henry, accidentally tagging “titans pans,” instead of his loyal fans. which, very unexpectedly, has her business trending. and trending. and trending. and oh my. das internet auf dem telefon. and there goes the internet. good thing maya uses fedex to help prepare for unexpected demand. because you never know what's next. ♪ you pour your heart into everything you do, which is a lot. so take care of that heart with lipton. because sippin' on unsweetened lipton

can help support a healthy heart. lipton. stop chuggin'. start sippin'. building a better bay area moving forward finding solutions . this is abc seven news. good morning. reggie aqui from abc. seven mornings u. c. berkeley will have to slash new enrollment after a ruling from the california supreme court. the decision stems from a legal battle with a group of residents over traffic, noise and other environmental concerns. in a statement, u. c. berkeley officials said the ruling is devastating news for thousands of students who worked hard to earn a c in the fall 2022 class. full now not receiving emission offer. good morning, everyone. we're going to check in on traffic here and begin with the live camera outside, and, uh, well, we just passed it, but i do want to touch on the sig alerts here. so this is the first one. it's on north. um 17 before. i don't want all roads. these are down to around six mph in the area, and we really have seen sig alerts remain in effect

for a long time this morning. this one in marin would has been in effect for several hours on south bouton one and miller creek road. injuries were reported here after a car flipped over. so just be aware of the conditions

live doppler seven showing you have some light showers moving out of the south bay right now and as those showers move out, we'll find increasing sunshine to alive looking exploratorium camera. these clouds will clear out later on this morning, but the winds will pick up the future track or wind gusts. later on this afternoon wind advisory goes into effect for those wind gusts over 30 mph. it's bright, but it's winning today, reggie temps in the fifties to sixties drew. thank you coming up with good morning america and abc news exclusive interview with a dancing with the stars favorite. maximum markovski is on his talking about his escape from ukraine. another abc seven news update in about 30 minutes, you can always find us on our news, app and abc

seven news .com. good luck! you too! erin jackson wins u.s. gold! a selfless act from brittany bowe to give up her spot. bitter rivals but absolute respect. ♪ ahhh! oh my! okay it's my turn, i'm going to drive. ♪ you've been, you've been ♪

♪ running through my mind ♪ ♪ and i've been thinking that it's just about time ♪ ♪ we get together, together ♪ ♪ i've been, i've been ♪ ♪ doing just fine ♪ ♪ and you've been, you've been doing alright ♪ ♪ let's get together, ♪ ♪ together ♪ ♪ so come on ♪

lactaid is 100% real milk, just without the lactose. so you can enjoy it even if you're sensitive to dairy. so anyone who says lactaid isn't real milk is also saying mabel here isn't a real cow. and she really hates that. spring into savings at kohl's! get up to 50% off patio furniture... mabel here isn't a real cow. sandals for $34.99 and under... and must-have tops starting at $11.99. plus, kohl's rewards members save even more... and everyone earns kohl's cash! kohl's. if you're always asking, "where next?" capital one has a new class of travel card for you. venture x. earn 10x miles on hotels and 5x miles on flights booked through capital one travel. venture x. what's in your wallet? hello, how can i? through capital one travel. sore throat pain? ♪honey lemon♪ try vicks vapocool drops in honey lemon chill for fast acting sore throat relief

♪ahhh!♪ wooo! vaporize sore throat pain with ♪ working 9 to 5 what a way to make a living ♪ welcome back to "gma." that is dolly parton with one of her greatest hits. i don't need to tell you that. what i do need to tell you is dolly is joining us live on "gma" on monday morning. that's going to be spectacular. >> definitely is. she is so sweet. following a lot of headlines this morning. we have the latest on the war in ukraine. more civilian targets have been hit. video circulating online overnight showing the shelling that caused a fire to break out at the nuclear power plant. the facility is in the lands of the russians and russia's parliament has brought a new media crackdown on reporters there. and the police charged with recklessly shooting into an apartment building on the raid on breonna taylor was found not

guilty of three counts of wanton endangerment. he fired ten bullets into the apartment, some of way went into a neighbor's apartment while a family was sleeping. te jury deliberated for three hours before returning its verdict. f-35 fighter jet. it crashed in late january, trying to land on an aircraft carrier in the south china sea. it's been recovered. the navy showing the $1 million stealth jet. it's like a parcel there. they were concerned that china would try to salvage it because of its advanced technology. got that thing back. coming up, more ahead on "gma." my interview with maks chmerkovskiy, a friend of our show here, but you know him from "dancing with the stars," and he told me about his dangerous escape from ukraine. that's coming up. >> seeps like a harrowing trip, t.j. we're going to turn to a

mother from california that disappeared in 2016. she showed up on thanksgiving day claiming she was kidnapped. now she has been arrested in connection with her disappearance. kaylee hartung has that story. >> reporter: when sherri was found alive, her family and so much of the country rejoiced. but her husband admitted, all the attention was a double-edged sword. he heard the scrutiny his story was under, people wanting proof her abduction was a hoax. well, it turns out, authorities say it was. more than five years after her mysterious disappearance and reappearance captured headlines, sherri papini arrested by federal authorities. the 39-year-old charged with making false statements to a law enforcement officer and engaging in mail fraud. the department of justice saying she could face up to 25 years in prison. just before thanksgiving 2016, the young mother of two disappeared in broad daylight in northern california. >> i just got home from work. my wife wasn't there, which is unusual. >> reporter: in an exclusive interview with abc news, her husband keith describing the

urgency and fear he felt making that 911 call. >> i wanted to make a clear message, this is real. you need to get here now. >> reporter: with a nationwide search under way, her community on edge and the country engrossed in her story, three weeks later, she was found bound and beaten by the side of the road about 150 miles from home. keith racing to the hospital, finding a woman almost unrecognizable. >> i just ran past everybody. i throw open the curtain. she was there in a bed. and her poor face -- i just hugged her. i just held her. i felt like i hugged her for like 20 minutes. >> reporter: as an investigation searched for her captors, papini painting a graphic picture of an abduction by two hispanic women at gun point and the torture she suffered. the family standing by that

story even when a federal agent warned her in 2020, it's a crime to lie to federal agents and present her with evidence that she was not abducted. now, authorities calling out her web of lies. the criminal complaint revealing investigators discovered papini was staying with a former boyfriend and harmed herself to support her false statements. cell phone data, dna evidence, and testimony from the ex-boyfriend unraveling papini's story. missy mcarthur was the mayor of reading during her disappearance. she spoke with "gma" overnight. >> i totally believed her. i thought she had ptsd and she had been beaten and was mistreated completely. our community really got behind her and the papini family. disappointment. disappointment. disheartenment. >> reporter: and sherri papini's family is keeping a united front, telling abc news overnight, that sherri and keith have cooperated with law enforcement's requests, despite

repeated attempts to unnecessarily pit them against each other. they say they are confused by several aspects of the charges and hope to get clarification. cecilia? >> what an incredible story, kaylee. thank you so much. we're going to turn to the former teacher of the year, caught on camera slapping a student in the face. he's been arrested and facing possible criminal charges, as some parents are defending him and the school board allowed him to take early retirement with his full pension. alex perez has the latest on this story. good morning, alex. >> reporter: good morning, cecilia. the teacher had been at the district for some four decades and received a number of accolades, but school officials say his actions were simply unacceptable. the video is tough to watch. this morning, former indiana high school teacher mike hosinski arrested and possibly facing criminal charges after that disturbing video. school officials say it captured him stopping a student for wearing a hoodie to class at jimtown high school a week ago today. cornering him and then forcefully striking the student so hard, that student's head

slams into the wall. the student seconds later collapses. the boy sustained injuries and needed medical treatment. some filled with outrage after the incident. a man who identified himself as the student's father, yelling at school board members, a grown man smacked my son, but some parents defending his actions. >> that's a friend of mine. and for something like that to happen, there had to have been something that was going on that would have caused that person to just snap. >> reporter: and this week, before the video was made public, some students staged a walkout supporting hosinski. >> the administration has not only failed the students but our jimtown high school staff. i've never been more embarrassed to be a jimtown jimmy. >> reporter: officials say the 40-year veteran of the school district was named teacher of the year in 2020. >> those who had mr. hosinski thought the world of him. >> reporter: the prosecutor's office now investigating the case and formal charges against

hosinski. he never returned to work after the incident. those formal charges against him could come in the next few days. guys? >> tough to watch that video. >> it is horrible to watch. thank you so much. coming up here, exclusive interview with maks chmerkovskiy. he spoke for the first time about his escape from ukraine, and how he feels now about leaving. stay with us. ♪

♪ we swear to stream the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. everybody has a reason to lie. judy has a new home on imdb tv. in front of millions of people. this is "judy justice." when you want it. i mean i'm not stupid. wherever you want it. if you're not stupid, don't play stupid. imdb tv original "judy justice." always entertaining. always free. why hide your skin if dupixent has your moderate-to-severe eczema or atopic dermatitis under control? hide my skin? not me. by hitting eczema where it counts, dupixent helps heal your skin from within keeping you one step ahead of eczema. hide my skin? not me. and that means long-lasting clearer skin...

and fast itch relief for adults. with dupixent, you can show more skin with less eczema. hide my skin? not me. don't use if you're allergic to dupixent. serious allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems such as eye pain or vision changes, including blurred vision, joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines without talking to your doctor. when you help heal your skin from within, you can change how your skin looks and feels. and that's the kind of change you notice. talk to your eczema specialist about dupixent, a breakthrough eczema treatment.

one prilosec otc in the morning tal blocks heartburn all dayst about dupixent, and all night. prilosec otc prevents excess acid production that can cause heartburn. so don't fight heartburn, block it with prilosec otc. back now with t.j.'s

exclusive interview with maksim chmerkovskiy. the "dancing with the stars" performer narrowly escaped the war in ukraine. t.j., that must have been something. >> it was. he's been a friend of the show for years. it was good to see him back home. he was born in ukraine. he is a u.s. citizen now. he was born in ukraine. he was in kyiv when the war broke out. he managed to flee, and documented it all on social media. while he was getting out of there, he documented it on social media, and he denounced vladimir putin and calling on the world to help. >> at the time of war, you do what you can. this was not me trying to publicize a situation. this was me trying to cry for help. i literally was just screaming out look, this is what i just saw. i just want you to see it, whoever you are. >> reporter: he's best known to the world as a ballroom dancer on "dancing with the stars." but for the last week, maks chmerkovskiy has been stuck in ukraine, as russian forces closed in.

>> you know me, i'm not a social media guy at times of some kind of personal difficulty. this is definitely not the time when i would normally would be posting anything on social media. but i'm here in kyiv. contrary to what i should have done. >> reporter: chmerkovskiy was filming a dance show in kyiv and started documenting what he saw happening around him on social media. >> this is reality. that's the center of kyiv right the there. honestly i'm getting really emotional. i want to go back home. >> reporter: now, home in the u.s. the 42-year-old is opening up about what he saw for the first time. >> it's good to see your face, brother. >> thank you. >> the face looks a little different than what we're seeing on social media. a little more relief. >> a bit surreal, to be honest.

this is a country and the country is under fire. it's very difficult to process for me because, you know, we're used to fly out, do some stuff, experience some things and always fly back. here i am, i'm unable to fly home. that to me was the biggest sort of moment of understanding. you are in trouble. >> reporter: chmerkovskiy who was born in ukraine and immigrated to the u.s. in the '90s, was able to return to the u.s. >> i'm still very much in that fight or flight. i'm a big boy. i know for a fact i'm going through something mentally. i know for a fact because i get into these cry moments, emotional. you know, i can't control it. i cried on the way from the airport. i felt embarrassed. i felt embarrassed the entire ride back because i was the only man on the train among all women and children. there's the train, five cars, 130 people each. there's one car that's all sicker kids and people.

so, it's not as packed, but all the others are packed. >> reporter: he says before leaving, he was arrested for breaking curfew. >> they're like passport. i pull out my american passport. i start speaking english with me. i was, like, i speak russian. then i regretted saying that, you know, i thought maybe i was wrong. then, the guy next to him goes, oh, that's the judge from "dancing with the stars." that's maks. i know him. he's from tv. i'm like -- he goes, get inside right now. >> maks, you being a recognizable face, saved you in that moment? >> absolutely. i mean, saved me like -- it's not like i was going to get shot. i was going to get probably put somewhere where i can sit until they figure out who i am and check my identity or whatever it is. i would have been fine. but i felt like things got real and all of a sudden i don't actually have all of the things needed to feel safe in this place at all. i'm not built for this at all. i'm just realizing that i have -- i'm not in the place i should be.

>> what was that like when you get to the train station? what was that scene? what did it look like? >> horrible. it was horrible. it's horrible. i realized after we took off, right? i'm not skipping, but i realized that all the people that didn't get in have to now sleep right there, in that train station. it's not heated. it's just a giant building. it's cold. there's kids everywhere. kids everywhere. i'm dying inside because this is still very emotional stuff for me. there's kids everywhere. it's babies everywhere. it's negative temperature. >> is there guilt you feel for getting out? >> yeah, i feel guilty. i feel guilty. i feel bad. i feel ashamed. i feel upset. >> he was here in the u.s. days before he went back. it was ramping up. the world was watching and war was coming. he said, for the folks of ukraine, they stay in this heightened place of tension with russia. so until we hear a siren or an explosion, we just think it's

the norm, and that's why he actually went back because he didn't think it was going to happen. it was incredible to hear. incredible to hear. >> what a story. coming up next on "gma," we are going to head to alabama and "rise & shine." stay with us. check out this vrbo. oh man. ♪ come on. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

small in size, mighepic in taste.... heart-healthy. a good source of fiber. and provides lasting energy. there's no denying delicious quaker oats are the the grain of all time. quaker oats. a super-trusted superfood. your mission: stand up to moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. and take. it. on... ...with rinvoq. rinvoq a once-daily pill can dramatically improve symptoms... rinvoq helps tame pain, stiffness, swelling. and for some...rinvoq can even significantly reduce ra fatigue. that's rinvoq relief. with ra, your overactive immune system attacks your joints. rinvoq regulates it to help stop the attack. rinvoq can lower your ability to fight infections, including tb. serious infections and blood clots, some fatal; cancers, including lymphoma and skin cancer; death, heart attack, stroke, and tears in the stomach or intestines occurred. people 50 and older with at least one heart disease risk factor have higher risks. don't take if allergic to rinvoq

as serious reactions can occur. tell your doctor if you are or may become pregnant. talk to your rheumatologist about rinv r rinvoq. make it your mission. learn how abbvie could help you save on rivnoq. ♪ ♪ when you shop at target, you leave with what you value most. like healthy foods and brands that lift our communities. at target, the things that matter are always within reach. what we value most, shouldn't cost more. [ music ends ] nope - c'mon him? - i like him! nooooo... nooooo... quick, the quicker picker upper! bounty picks up messes quicker and is 2x more absorbent, so you can use less. bounty, the quicker picker upper. where does your almondmilk come from? almond breeze starts here with our almond trees in our blue diamond orchard in california. my parents' job is to look after them. and it's my job to test the product. the best almonds make the best almondmilk. blue diamond almond breeze.

your shipping manager left to “find themself.” leaving you lost. you need to hire. i need indeed. indeed you do. indeed instant match instantly delivers quality candidates matching your job description. visit indeed.com/hire when a truck hit my car, matching your job description. the insurance company wasn't fair. i didid't t kn whahatmy c caswa, so i called the barnes firm. i'm rich barnes. it's hard for people to k how much their accident case is worth.h barnes. t ouour juryry aorneneys hehelpou i'm a millionaire! i'm not a millionaire? i'm a millionaire? i'm not a millionaire. crypto is complicated. but as a tax expert with crypto experience, you can hand your taxes off to me. you do your thing, we've got your taxes. intuit turbotax live. back now on "gma," with our "rise & shine" series. and this morning, we are heading to alabama. that's where gio benitez is.

gio, what you got going on? >> reporter: t.j., i've been coming to alabama for the past two weeks. i have to tell you it is absolutely magical. just take a look at this beach here, so smooth. the food, the people, also incredible. i cannot wait to take you to space camp. you know i love that. this is the largest space camp in the world. kids come from all over the planet to learn how to be an astronaut. i had a blast learning how to blast off. that's all coming up as we say, "rise & shine," alabama. >> he's trying. he's been trying. >> nothing lights up gio like space. >> on to space camp. we're on to you, gio. you have fun. we'll hear much more from gio in the next hour. and coming up, it's national snack day. a national holiday, celebrating, some of us more than others here. re. ♪ how do they fit? i don't know, dad.

i'm not comfortable trying on pants. aw, come on. i bet they look sharp. you don't know who else has tried them on. let me take a look. switch to progressive, and you can save hundreds. you know, like the sign says. oh, that's a handsome pair of jeans right there. best foods wants to tackle food waste. so they hired this legend. save that! (clattering) you can make grilled cheese. (grunts)

yeah, don't waste food. i got it, mayo. best foods. make taste, not waste, baby! to support a strong immune system your body needs a routine. yeah, don't waste food. i got it, mayo. centrum helps your immune defenses every day, with vitamin c, d and zinc* season after season. ace your immune support with centrum. now with a new look! want fresher drives every day? get febreze car vent clips. just click, install and febreze steady release technology uses your fan to circulate freshness throughout your car. so, you can enjoy up to 40 days of consistent scent. febreze car. ♪ ♪ ♪ "how bizarre" by omc ♪ no annual fee on any discover card.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ hey, i get it, commitment can be scary. but not when you're saving up to 15% with subscribe and save at amazon. you get free repeat delivery on your favorite items and if things don't work out, you can always cancel. seriously, no one will judge you if you call it off. ok! learn all the ways to save with amazon. [♪] if you have diabetes, it's important to have confidence in the nutritional drink you choose. try boost glucose control®. it's clinically shown to help manage blood sugar levels and contains high quality protein

to help manage hunger and support muscle health. try boost® today. remember last fall they were getting dumped with snow and rain across northern california? january and february, the driest on record. just 63% of normal and you see the before and after right there, snow coming your way, but we need a lot more here in the next couple of months. there you go. maybe 6 to 12 inches and 5,000 to 6,000 feet. this gets into colorado as well. coming up, the marine veteran joining the fight in ukraine right after getting married. also, disgraced theranos founder elizabeth holmes awaits sentencing, the twists in

building a better bay area moving forward finding solutions . this is abc. seven news. good morning. i'm reggie aqui from abc. seven mornings house friday . traffic giovino for the first time this morning. i actually have some good news to share for traffic because our singular so we've been following in lexington hills and a marine would have clear so we're bringing in the graphic series so you can see the impacted areas. hopefully in just a moment because speeds are down to around 25 mph there and just want to check the sea. do we have graphics? there we go. so that crouton on one at miller creek road that has cleared and then also so that was marine wood and then lexington hills here at north beyond 17 before idle while will wrap up here with a live look at the richmond san or excuse me. san mateo bridge where we it's cloudy but not actively raining anymore. drew no. we saw some wet roadways out there. live doppler seven, tracking the tail end of showers moving through the south bay right now winds ramp up this afternoon wind advisory is at four pm with those winds.

casting 30 to 40 mph so increasing sunshine today it's bright afternoon, but it's windy temperatures later on reggie in the fifties to sixties drew. thank you coming up and good morning america, the newlywed marine veteran heading to ukraine right after he got married, why he's doing it.

nowadays, mediocre wifi just won't cut it. but xfinity has wifi faster than a gig to power a house full of connected devices. it can handle all this all at the same time. oh! can your internet do that? i've been meaning to catch up on this. uh, that was my chair. get $200 back when you get gig speed internet or get started with xfinity internet for $19.99 a month for tweleve months. switch today. at adp, we understand business today looks nothing like it did yesterday. while it's more unpredictable, its possibilities are endless. from paying your people from anywhere to supporting your talent everywhere,

we use data driven insights to design hr solutions and services to help businesses of all size work smarter today. so, they can have more success tomorrow. ♪ one thing leads to another ♪ in new york city, ♪ ♪ there's always something new to discover. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ come be a part of it. plan your next vacation at iloveny.com ♪ ♪ i'm here for - your annual eye exam. because i'm having trouble - reading? exactly. they sort of make me feel... like i'm the most fabulous thing you've ever seen? exactly. i'll take 'em. ♪ ♪

good morning, america. it's 8:00 a.m. the war in ukraine, civilians in the crosshairs. europe's largest nuclear power plant under attack. russian shelling causes a fire to break out. this morning, the nuclear facility now in the hands of the russians. while the people of kyiv brace for more fighting in the capital. two men at war. the first look at the documentary about the men in the middle of the fight for ukraine. volodymyr zelenskyy, the former actor now center stage, and vladimir putin. >> how would you describe vladimir putin? >> don't trust putin. we can never tell him the truth. >> from the politicians, ambassadors and experts who know them best. why an american newlywed marine veteran is putting his honeymoon on hold to fight on the front lines in ukraine. new twist.

as convicted theranos founder elizabeth holmes awaits sentencing, her former boyfriend and business partner set to stand trial. how his lawyers are fighting to keep documents considered a smoking gun in trial out of court. ♪ i feel alive ♪ "rise & shine" and sweet home, alabama. from the wild outdoors to the rich civil rights history and even going to infinity and beyond. ♪ can't get enough of your love, baby ♪ we can't get enough snacks. we're celebrating with our favorites for national snack day from george's, to t.j.'s, to all of mine. as we say good morning, america. >> i have to tell you, i was surprised. i thought it would be t.j. with the piles of snacks, but he's been cutting back. >> thank you. >> and i take on the load. >> happy friday, everybody. >> happy friday. when i came to get my mic on,

sherry said i look like a skittle or a star burst to celebrate this national holiday. i'm dressed for it, everybody. good morning. also going to see more of gio's "rise & shine" from alabama. >> there he is on dolphin island. gio's our transportation correspondent. we sent him to space camp. he's been trying to go to space for quite some time, george. he'll eventually get there. we'll check in with him. >> that's coming up. we begin with the breaking news overnight about the war in ukraine. president zelenskyy is speaking out again this morning, standing firm in the capital. you see him right there as the massive russian convoy is just outside of kyiv. russian shells hit the nuclear plant overnight. let's go back to our senior foreign correspondent, ian pannell, in kyiv. good morning, ian. >> reporter: good morning, george. we have had to move underground below independence square because we've just been hearing the sound of the air raid warnings blaring out across the city. we have been hearing this sound almost every hour this morning. as you say, president zelenskyy speaking out this morning saying ukraine, we survived the night in reference to those

astonishing scenes at that nuclear power plant. the u.s. embassy in ukraine tweeting this morning that to attack a power plant like that is war crime. this morning, more civilian infrastructure hit as video circulating online showed the devastation, including the school west of kyiv, destroyed. this is just the latest escalation, as russia ramps up its war machine, increasingly bombing indiscriminately. there now seems to be total disregard for civilians caught in the middle. just 90 miles north of kyiv, dash cam video showing the moment a missile strike hits a residential neighborhood. city emergency services saying 47 people were killed, 18 wounded. if confirmed, it will be the deadliest single attack on civilians since the invasion began. and overnight, pitch battles at europe's largest nuclear power plant. in a highly dangerous development, russian troops

shelling the site with tracer fire lighting up the sky. the plant streaming the attacks online. this morning, the nuclear facility now in the hands of the russians and the nuclear watchdog, the iaea, saying none of the facility's essential equipment has been damaged. a fire in the building has been extinguished. western regulators say they have seen no change in the radiation levels. in the southern part of the country, the russians seizing kherson. with troops bearing down on mykolaiv and odesa, it appears they're trying to cut ukraine off from the black seacoast. the people of kyiv are ready to put up a fight. president zelenskyy, speaking with reporters at a secret location in the capital. >> how long can you hang on? [speaking foreign language] >> reporter: he told me i don't know how long. it doesn't depend on time, it depends on us. a senior u.s. official saying they believe putin intends to crush kyiv.

already having selecting and preparing a puppet government to replace zelenskyy. vladimir putin speaking with the french president emmanuel macron overnight. the palace telling abc news, they are concerned that the worst is yet to come. and i think that reflects the fears here in kyiv and across the country. with this switching of tactics, indiscriminate bombardment of civilian areas, this is part of the putin playbook we saw in syria. george? >> he seems unleashed right now. ian, thanks very much. cecilia? we turn to those soaring gas prices due to the war in ukraine. the national average for a gallon of gas up 26 cents from last week along. kaylee hartung is in los angeles with this pain at the pump. good morning, kaylee. >> reporter: look at the shocking prices behind me. you can't get gas for cheaper

than $6.65. if you want to fill up your 12-gallon tank, that's going to cost about $80. the average of a gallon of gas in l.a. is up about 43 cents. there's a new record set every day. compared to one year ago a gallon is $1.38 more expensive today. it's nowhere worse than california at just over-california. also illinois, new york, pennsylvania, all $4 or more. kes i can't? >> thank you, kaylee. coming up, we'll hear from the newlyweds that postponed their honeymoon so the groom can join the fight in ukraine. they're going to tell us why it's so important for them to get involved. and the new twist in the elizabeth holmes saga, as she awaits sentencing with her former boyfriend going to trial. as cecilia informed us all, it is national snack day. we're celebrating with chef dan.

he's taking some all-time favorite snacks and giving them easy upgrades. he has a lot on cecilia's list to work with. >> don't judge. plus, the drought-lander is over. "outlander" star sam heughan is with us. he has snacks, too. we'll be right back. ♪ before discovering nexium 24hr to treat her frequent heartburn... claire could only imagine enjoying chocolate cake. now, she can have her cake and eat it too. nexium 24hr stops acid before it starts for all-day, all-night protection.

can you imagine 24 hours without heartburn? ♪ ♪ ♪ find the silver lining in flight delays. vacation starts at the airport with centurion lounge access. one of the many reasons you're with amex platinum. (geri) i smoked, and i have copd. my children are really worried. my tip is, send your kids a text. it may be the last time that you do. (announcer) you can quit. for free help, call 1-800-quit-now. ♪ ♪ for free help, irresistibly smooth chocolate. to put the world on pause. lindor. made to melt you. by the lindt master chocolatier. inner voice (kombucha brewer): as a new small business owner, i find it useful to dramatically stare out of the window... ...so that no one knows i'm secretly terrified inside. inner voice (sneaker shop owner): i'm using hand gestures and pointing... ...so no one can tell i'm unsure about my business finances.

inner voice (furniture maker): i'm constantly nodding... ...because i know everything about furniture... ...but with the business side... ...i'm feeling a little lost. quickbooks can help. an easy way to get paid, pay your staff and know where your business stands. new business? no problem. yeah. success starts with intuit quickbooks. ♪ whatever the morning brings, sip your sunshine! with 100% vitamin c, tropicana. ♪ limu emu and doug.♪ and it's easy to customize your insurance at libertymutual.com so you only pay for what you need. isn't that right limu? limu? limu? sorry, one sec. doug blows several different whistles.

doug blows several different whistles. [a vulture squawks.] there he is. only pay for what you need. ♪liberty, liberty, liberty, liberty♪ new densify from crest pro-health. like bones, your teeth lose density over time, but crest has you covered. crest densify actively rebuilds tooth density to extend the life of teeth. crest, the number one toothpaste brand in america.

and welcome back to "gma." want to get right to our cover story. it's about a newlywed putting his honeymoon on hold to join the fight in ukraine. the former marine is leaving his wife for now, putting his life on the line. kayna whitworth is in salt lake city with the story. good morning, kayna. >> reporter: george, good morning. they have been married for about 48 hours, and first decision of

their marriage was to answer president zelenskyy's call for help. so right now brian is in his house packing his gear getting ready to go to ukraine as part of a grassroots effort to help on the battlefield. since russian's invasion began, the world has seen a remarkable resolve of ukrainian citizens stepping up to defend their democracy. now, one former u.s. marine from utah is leaving his new bride to fight alongside the ukrainians. >> if i don't go say no to it, it's just the same as me saying that that's okay. i need to be one of the people that shows up and says no. >> reporter: brian and his wife, mia, who asked us to call them by those names for this report, got engaged in 2014 but made it official this week. >> we wanted to make sure, if the worst happens, that mia's taken care of. >> reporter: the 40-year-old who has no connections to ukraine and is not in active duty with

the u.s. military, is joining forces with other independent, trained military personnel from around the world, who feel it's their duty to join the cause. >> i can weld and fix cars. if they need that, i'll do it. if they need me to fight, that's exactly what i will do. ultimately, my goal is, i think i can probably do it better than a 14-year-old, 15-year-old, 16-year-old ukrainian. if i can take their place on the line, i want to go take their place on the line. >> reporter: for mia, it's bittersweet. finally, marrying the love of her life, only to say good-bye for now. >> my heart breaks for the people who are there. but now, when i watch, i just know that the next flash explosion i see, he might be in the middle of it. as hard as it is, i think he's doing the right thing. >> reporter: the couple saying they remain focused on a bright future together. and as for the honeymoon -- >> she definitely would love italy.

i was pushing for, you know, a little more tropical. >> somewhere with no dishes to wash. that's the baseline. >> yeah. >> reporter: it's the little things, right? but the u.s. state department has issued a travel advisory asking americans not to go to ukraine. for brian, he feels this is something he has to do as a good citizen of the global and as a good american. cecelia, he said he's not alone. he said he knows thousands of other people making the same decision. we're going to turn to the incredible rise and fall of theranos founder, elizabeth holmes. while the former billionaire awaits sentencing, her former boyfriend and business partner is set to go on trial next week. rebecca jarvis who has been tracking this story from the very beginning is here with the details. good morning, rebecca. >> reporter: good morning, twin cecelia. elizabeth holmes promised to revolutionize blood testing and faces up to decades in prison after being convicted of fraud.

now, a new twist. this morning, as theranos founder elizabeth holmes awaits sentencing, a new twist. lawyers for her former boyfriend and theranos coo sunny balwani, fighting to keep documents that legal experts say were a smoking gun in her trial out of court at his upcoming trial. the so-called smoking gun, these three reports, that holmes admitted to altering, adding respected pharmaceutical company logos to the top, that were then used by theranos to sell investors who bet millions on holmes' blood testing company. >> sunny balwani's team is fighting tooth and nail to keep that evidence out of his trial. they are saying sunny had no idea that these reports were doctored in this way. we have elizabeth holmes admitting to doing so on the stand. we know the government is not going to call elizabeth holmes in balwani's case. she has the fifth amendment right against self-incrimination. >> reporter: the trials were severed after holmes raised allegations of abuse at the

hands of balwani. claims balwani denied. in january, after being convicted of four counts of criminal fraud, holmes was photographed by "the daily mail" on a family hike with her current romantic partner, hotel heir billy evans, their son and their mothers. holmes is facing a sentence up to 20 years behind bars per count. >> elizabeth holmes' legal team is no doubt preparing their arguments why the judge should impose a sentence lower than the guidelines otherwise would have it. there's a lot more leeway at sentencing in terms of what attorneys can argue about their client. so, her whole history will come into play here. and they will be arguing about potential mitigating factors for why the court should give her a below-guideline sentence. >> tonight on abc's "20/20," you'll hear from new voices at the heart of elizabeth holmes rise and con, whistle-blowers who tried to speak out, the

jurors, the court sketch artist who sat next to holmes' family during her trial. a lot of people asked why there's so much attention around this particular story. one reason psychologists say is because we all want to spot a con. we don't want to get snookered, but i've said this, if it sounds too good to be true, you want to ask questions. it often times is. >> those are good words, rebecca. you've been at the forefront with your podcast and this tonight, the "20/20" event, "the dropout: rise and con of elizabeth holmes" airs tonight at 9:00 on abc and the next day on hulu. thank you, rebecca. t.j.? time to "rise & shine." say hello to alabama. the home of historymaking moments in the civil rights movement. and gio benitez explored the magic of the gulf, great food, and is live in dauphin island. good morning, gio. >> reporter: t.j., good morning to you. this island we're on is home to just 1,200 people. there's not a single traffic

light on this island. take a look. it is truly a hidden gem. we're talking about gorgeous beaches. we're talking about incredible seafood. it's just one of the many things alabama has to offer. from majestic caves to the birthplace of mardi gras in mobile, and white water rafting, "rise & shine" in alabama. from the gulf shores to the chat hoo chee river, "rise & shine" from alabama. it's a state full of history. a portion of the civil rights trail running through it, including the rosa parks museum, honoring the brave woman who refused to give up her seat. and the edmund pettus bring where john lewis joined the history-making march in 1965. and john lewis has a presence here on the shelves of birmingham's alabama booksmith, which sells only signed copies of books from the likes of lewis, betty white, and this one that is still for sale.

>> this is book number 1 of 500 books that barbra streisand signed. and it's only 2,500 bucks. >> all: "rise & shine" alabama! >> reporter: in gulf shores, the seafood at lulu's buffet is sourced mainly out of the gulf of mexico. after reopening, following another covid hurdle, owner lucy buffet has found a silver lining. >> it showed the resilience of our team. i'm grateful that we kept going. >> reporter: down on the coast on dauphin island, captain charlie gray takes me out on the water. when we asked him to take us somewhere unique, he knew just the place. murder point oyster farm, home to some of the country's most sought-after oysters. there are 11 million oysters, and some of them may be ending up at your dinner table because they are being sent all across this country. lane zirlott is the founder and owner. >> all the hard work and everything that goes into an

oyster, it's love, man. >> cheers. >> go ahead and hit it. rich, creamy, buttery agitation on the back of your palate. >> reporter: from the sea to the sweets, dessert maker kristal thomas turned her passion project into profit at k and j's pastry. >> a lot of people traveling for hours to try our milk shakes and business is way up. >> reporter: she's teaching me how to make the perfect cupcake. >> i love it. >> this is your first gluten-free, dairy-free. >> yes, just for you. >> the start of something big? >> i hope so. >> we going to call it the gio? >> yes. that's a great idea. >> reporter: the pandemic shut them down for two months. >> i don't know how we made it through. it was such a struggle for us as a small business. >> reporter: they pivoted to selling minicakes, and taking pinky, the cupcake truck into neighborhoods. and today, the business is booming. >> was there any silver lining? >> i would say, more than anything, it brought us closer together. >> reporter: before we left, they had a surprise for me.

>> we got a big surprise for you, gio. >> are you kidding? that's incredible. >> eight-hour process. we all chipped in. projects like this are the things that we absolutely love to do. >> reporter: we just absolutely love kristal. you know, i had a taste of all of the cupcakes. you know that i had to make sure you did, too. guys, in the studio, kristal had fresh ones made and sent over to you for you to taste. go ahead and enjoy those. but make sure you stay tuned. coming up, we're taking you to space camp. >> oh, my goodness. this is going to be a high-calorie segment coming up here. gio, thank you, brother. let's head over to rob. >> it's national snack day. my favorite snacks are sour gummi warms and peanut butter pretzels, neither of which you should eat directly before you do a weather segment. north carolina, sunny skies. cookietown, oklahoma. who doesn't want to live there?

76 degrees. popcorn, indiana, 58. pretzel park, one of my favorites, 41. ice cream island, delaware, 43. thanks for the shot. the surfers out on cocoa beach, looking smooth. springlike temperatures across the southeastern third of the country, looking for more records to fall today and tomorrow and sunday as well. that's a check of what's happening nationally on this national snack day. it is essentially christmas in march. national snack day. and this morning, we are celebrating by upgrading some of

our favorite snacks like twizzlers. dan churchill chef of charlie street joins us. we have some classic twists. excited about this. we all have to workout later. start with the favorite that seems to be on everybody's list. everybody but these two guys. oreos. they have a healthy list. i don't. they are on my list. what are you doing with this classic? >> we got oreos next level. so, we got oreos inside the cookie, but oreo crumb. we get a little cashew cream. >> making a sandwich. >> exactly. you grab your cookie. spoon on some of your cashew cream. >> lovely. what's in the cashew cream? >> coconut milk, cashew, and maple, and that's it. soak in the bliss. sandwich it together and roll. roll it. >> the audience participation is pretty excellent, guys. >> yes.

>> and judge the ruling. >> this is something you don't eat on television. that much i know. >> you crushed it. thank you very much. >> george? >> mine started out simple. almonds. >> george is an almond guy. we love that. we want to do a little extra, chocolate drops here just melted and add in your almonds. honestly, this is like arts and crafts. >> yeah. >> we got some corn flakes. >> okay. >> and on top of that, marshmallows, too. this is great for kids because they get to have fun and games, and also watching you have your almonds. >> excellent. there you go. >> got little marshmallow, corn flake situation. >> i'm blown away by that sandwich thing you made with cecilia. mine is buttery popcorn, my thing. what do i do with that? >> popcorn is epic. >> yes. >> why not make it with a honey comb base and drizzle with

melted chocolate? once you make your honeycomb, just break down the sugar and add in some baking soda. you add some popcorn and press it into your surface. >> this is baked already. >> you want to do this soon after it comes on the tray because it stays soft. and it will harden quickly. once you've done that, you drizzle in your chocolate. and there's nothing better than watching chocolate drizzle on live television. i'm going to get that shot right there. >> he knows the audience. >> wins on this day. >> and it turns out, when you break it off. this is the honeycomb popcorn chocolate drizzle for t.j. >> that looks amazing. >> who picked cauliflower? >> no one. he is trying to sneak in the healthy stuff. i'm a chips fan. and the emoji where the head is exploding, that's what's happening. you're combining chips and cauliflower. what is this? >> you have classic cauliflower.

it's delicious just roasted. if you want to add little flavor, we have dorito nacho cheese. you can vary it by just rolling it in your wonderful -- >> am i doing the sauce first? >> yes. >> what is in the sauce? >> flour, olive oil and a little of your favorite milk. and just roast them away. and you can do this with chicken if you want to kick your wings as well. it's best to do that, depending on what dorito flavor you want, as well. >> the food we didn't know we needed. love it. thank you. you can get these recipes on our website, goodmorningamerica.com. coming up, he likes this, sam heughan, he is joining us live in times square. stay with us.

>> -->> building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions, this is abc 7 news. kumasi: good morning, i'm come us to from abc7 mornings. getting a check in on traffic. jobina: we have a systemwide delay on bart. you can expect trains to be at least 20 minutes late. there was police activity at the lake merritt station. there are what conditions are there. a live look in walnut creek, 680 is backed up as you had southbound due to an earlier stall. the toll plaza at the bay bridge is clear. is clear. kumasi: age before beauty? why not both? visibly diminish wrinkled skin in... crepe corrector lotion... only from gold bond.

in new york city, ♪ ♪ there's always something new to discover. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ come be a part of it. plan your next vacation at iloveny.com nowadays, mediocre wifi just won't cut it. but xfinity has wifi faster than a gig to power a house full of connected devices. it can handle all this all at the same time. oh! can your internet do that? i've been meaning to catch up on this. uh, that was my chair. get $200 back when you get gig speed internet or get started with xfinity internet for $19.99 a month

for tweleve months. switch today. after my car accident, wondnder whahatmy c cas. so i called the barnes firm. i'm rich barnes. youour cidedentase e woh than insurance offered? call the barnes firm now to find out. yoyou ght t beurprpris >> "live with kelly and ryan" is coming up. 9:00 on abc seven. drew: looking at life doppler seven, any showers in the south bay are pushing out over the next hour. we have cloud cover with peaks of sunshine from our export rate camera. clouds move out, winds move in. wind advisory in effect, winds gusting over 30 miles per hour. temperatures later today, upper 50's to lower 60's. you feel that cool air, it continues for saturday. kumasi: we will have another abc

seven news about 30 minutes. you can find the latest at abc7news.com. welcome back to "gma," live from times square. it's time for our "gma buzz pick." we highlight exciting new stories and the independent book stores where they're sold. helping us out this week is emma nichols. >> good morning, america. i'm one of the co-owners of the norwich bookstore here in norwich, vermont. for this week's buzz pick, i'm wreck me recommending "olga was

dreaming." this is a book that i think will appeal to almost anyone. on the one hand, it's a very personal, very singular story, but it's also a sweeping story about class, colonialism, gentrification, and believe it or don't, wedding women. and it made me laugh out loud. if you're in the upper valley, stop by the norwich bookstore. >> "the new york times" best seller, starring jesse williams. the book is out now. read along with us on instagram @gmabookclub. >> all right, george. we're excited. after two years, "outlander" is coming back for its sixth season. and the star of the time-traveling love story right here, in the flesh, sam heughan. welcome back. so good to see you in person. >> thanks for having me back. good to see you guys in person. >> and you came on what a momentous day for the show, national snack day. >> oh, yeah. the best day, right? >> i'm told we brought a gift for you. and we've got some snacks. what i need to understand is, is this your go-to snack or are we imposing healthy snacks upon you? >> i was trying to be really healthy. almond butter, peanut butter, snacks.

i was upstairs and saw those snacks. come on. that big thing. i feel a little hard done by here. >> did you tell him who that belonged to? >> that was all mine. >> do you want to swap? >> nope. that's a george snack right there. >> it's following me around in the studio. can't get rid of it. >> she introduced you and said after a two-year wait. people have been waiting. not just two years. they've been counting down exactly, 656 days. >> they did the math, right? >> they did the math. people have been waiting that long, they only have a little while longer to wait. but still, we got you here. give them a little something. what can they expect? >> two more days with "outlander" season six premiers. we had droughtlander. that's what they like to call it. it's extended. we can't wait for it to be out. we're picking up a short time after season five. the war of independence is fast approaching. claire is struggling with the assault that happened to her and my character is facing an old adversary, as well. >> let's look at a clip.

>> hello. >> at least it will be an honorable scar. >> why on earth would he say that? those are honorable scars. >> flogging, he saw my back. must have thought i had done something to deserve them. >> you and your character changed a lot since the first season. what more can we expect? >> yeah. as we said there, he is going to face his old adversary. jamie's gone from a young warrior, to now in north carolina and facing the war of independence. and he's on the wrong side. he knows from claire's knowledge of the future, he's on the losing side. he needs to at some point switch. there's a lot going on. >> a lot has been going on because a few days ago, in that very seat, we had damson idris from "snowfall." you're sitting there now.

both of you have been thrown around as potentially the next james bonds. >> ah. >> like you're surprised. >> i will have to borrow your suit. you would be a good contender. >> don't deflect. what do you think of the idea that your name is being thrown into that mix? a lot of british actors, anyone that has worn a suit has been thrown in the mix. i did audition for it, when they did bond 21 with daniel craig. they were going to go younger. anyone would jump at the chance. >> if not bond, we get to see you in a rom-com. you are in "text for you." priyanka chopra jonas, celine dion, come on, this cast. >> yeah. firstly, priyanka is honestly the most beautiful human being. she's fantastic. celine dion, her acting debut and she's supplying a lot of the

songs for the movie. i'm really excited. >> have you belted out to her yet? >> did you sing? >> did you do it? >> there may be a bit of -- you know what, i'm suddenly hungry. there's a bit of shower singing. you never know. >> we get to say happy early birthday. you got big plans coming up? >> the big, big birthday coming up. i will be 42 in april. yeah. i think i'll be probably back on set in scotland. be a working birthday. >> happy early birthday. we're so glad you're here. >> thank you for having me. >> everyone is excited. "outlander" season six, this sunday on starz. switching gears, a closer look at the two men in the war on ukraine and their paths to power.

meet apartment 2a, 2b and 2c.

2a's monitoring his money with a simple text. like what you see abe? yes! 2b's covered with zero overdraft fees when he overdraws his account by fifty bucks or less. and 2c, well, she's not going to let a lost card get her stressed. am i right? that's right. that's because these neighbors all have chase. alerts that help check. tools that help protect. one bank that puts you in control. chase. make more of what's yours.

we're back now with an in-depth look at the two men at the center of the war of ukraine, putin and zelenskyy. two presidents, one the aggressor in a war of choice, the other defending his country in a war of necessity. in my documentary this weekend dropping on hulu, we're going to look at the rise to power and what led to this moment in history for these two men. here's a preview. in a new documentary, the two men in the center of the war russia is waging in ukraine, are profiled by reporters, ambassadors and more. the march to invasion began months ago. >> diplomacy failed with vladimir putin because he was not interested in diplomacy. he had decided to conduct this war many months ago.

he has been preparing for it for a long time. >> reporter: journalist and historian ann applebom has reported on putin for years. >> what he's trying to do is undermine our sense of what is good and evil. who is a nazi? what does it mean? the language begins to lose meaning and i think that's part of his goal. >> reporter: facing down putin is volodymyr zelenskyy, the former actor now leading his country in europe's first war since world war ii. >> an actor knows one thing particularly well, how to read his audience. and zelenskyy's audience at the moment is the western world. and what he's done in a way that's been extraordinarily successful is understand how he needs to tell people what it means to be ukrainian today. >> reporter: and we'll look back at putin through the years, from this moment on "nightline" in 2000 -- >> even for an acting president, what you did earlier this week, when you flew backseat in a

fighter jet to grozny was unusual. what was the symbolism there? >> translator: sometimes it does no harm to see and feel for myself what the real power of the armed forces is all about. >> reporter: -- to the moment barbara walters sat down with him just two months after 9/11. >> when you became president, there was some apprehension because you had been with the kgb. people thought that you were very authoritarian. they described you in somewhat scary terms. how would you describe yourself? >> translator: we have a saying, you should judge about someone not by what he says about himself, but by what he does. >> reporter: to now, in an interview this week, with former ukrainian president, petrol poroshenko. >> how would you describe vladimir putin? >> please don't trust putin. putin never telling the truth. >> this is one of the moments when history is hinging on the decision of individuals. these two men are at the center of it.

both in some ways, unlikely leaders. putin has been a leader for a long time. he was a mid-level bureaucrat in east germany for the kgb. and volodymyr zelenskyy was a comedian, was a star on ukrainian television playing a president and led to a landslide victory. a lot of people did not think he could rise to this moment. i think he has proven them wrong. >> what a heroic leader he's been. >> he sure has. "two men" streams on hulu. let's go to rob. >> we'll go to the neighbors of russia. that's finland. this is right at the arctic circle. the northern lights are popping in lapland. santa claus is getting to work. summer is coming. not so much across the northeast. it's cold right now. 14 in boston. 11 in cleveland. the warm-up is coming to the southeast and builds into the eastern two-thirds of the country. records will fall. 80s and 70s, as far north as new york city.

now, to a woman who fought a mysterious illness that her doctors struggled to diagnosis. a nearly 20-year journey that took over her life. in her new book, "the invisible kingdom" megan o'rourke relives her battle for answer. she spoke with our stephanie ramos. >> reporter: for nearly two decades, acclaimed writer megan o'rourke says she was covered by an invisible cloak of illness. a medical mystery, that began in her 20s, when she felt the sensation of tiny electric shocks all over her body. >> i started experiencing strange bouts of fatigue, drenching night sweats, brain fog, joint pain. what was strange, though, is that the symptoms kind of came and went. >> what were doctors saying? >> they said, this is strange. but nothing really showed up on

my labs. and so, quickly, it became, you might be under a lot of stress. but these seemingly small things kind of were escalating to more and more of my life was spent being sick. the hardest part was suffering physically and not having anyone be able to see it. that was what almost killed me. >> reporter: in her new book, "the invisible kingdom: re-imagining chronic illness," o'rourke details her quest for a diagnosis. >> it took 15 years but i was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and lyme disease and a genetic condition that may contribute to some of the symptoms. >> reporter: also exploring the challenges to the model of health care, as some doctors struggle to diagnosis and manage complex illnesses, like some autoimmune diseases and now long covid. >> it's my hope that the book can be part of a national conversation. as more and more people live with long covid, to reform health care, so that it is

delivering for the whole patient what a person with these complex illnesses really needs. >> reporter: finally, armed with a better understanding of her conditions, the mom of two, is now in treatment. >> you have two sons. how will you approach this conversation with them? >> i do talk to them about it. >> you do? >> yeah. i say, sometimes i'm not well. and i'm so sad that on those days i can't play with you and do the things i want to do with you. but most of the time i can. >> what advice do you have for people that battle with chronic illness? >> trust yourself. you're the person in your body. it's hard to be assertive about seeking answers, but you owe it to yourself to do that. >> reporter: for "good morning america," stephanie ramos, abc news, new york. >> "the invisible kingdom: re-imagining chronic illness" is out right now. coming up, gio benitez takes us to space camp in alabama.

behold...unlimited wireless for only 30 bucks. that's pretty cool, but you know what's cooler?

saving up to 400 bucks! exactly. and if we really want to take it up a notch... get all that and nationwide 5g included. oh nice shot, send that to me. i got you. break free from the big three and get connected to the nations most reliable 5g network. get the new samsung galaxy s22 series on xfinity mobile. and right now, save big with up to $750 off a new samsung device. switch today. ♪ free, free, free. that's right, turbotax free edition is free. see details at turbotax.com.

back now here on "gma," with more from alabama. as we "rise & shine" this morning, our gio benitez is there. i don't think i quite nail it by saying you're there. you're on a floating tiki bar. >> reporter: absolutely, t.j. i wanted to show you this because how could i not? and this here, we had brilliant dockmakers like ann hamilton here, they got a dock, threw some motors on it and it's the tiki boat. it's quite special. i bet if you're out here at

night star gazing, you probably get a great view with these clear skies. it's no wonder why. alabama happens to be home to the camp for the cosmos. ♪ ♪ this is a full-scale model of the stat saturn 5. the only rocket to have taken hum humans to the moon so far. at 363 feet, it's a big welcome to the u.s. space and rocket center. we are here to "rise & shine." >> welcome to the u.s. space and rocket center, home of space camp. >> reporter: there it is. that's amazing. for four decades space camp has brought over 1 million kids, 15 going on to become real life astronauts, and 3 going on the next mission to the moon. like record-setting astronaut christina cook, who spent 328 days in space, the longest single space flight by a woman. when the pandemic hit, space camp's doors slammed shut. the shutdown so financially devastating, that space camp was prepared to close permanently.

facing permanent closure, they launched a last chance save space camp campaign. and in just seven days, they got enough donations to keep them afloat. it's counity effortthea save we're bk. >> reporter: first up, the daunting multi-axis trainer. >> it's designed to teach astronauts how to reorient themselves in space. >> if you're feeling disoriented in space, that's what this is mimicking. this is awesome. let's go to the next one. >> we have the perfect astronaut in training, miss alia. >> reporter: space camp alum alia lowery, will give us a feel of what it's like to walk on the moon. >> when you did this for the first time, what were the kids saying? >> i think a lot of them laughing at me and telling me to jump higher and faster. >> you did that perfectly.

>> okay. what are we doing now? >> you're preparing to enter the flight deck of the orbiter. you're going to be launching off. >> you ready to go to infinity? >> and beyond. >> let's go. >> preparing for liftoff. special crew of "good morning america." >> three, two, one. >> brace yourselves. >> we're starting to see stars. houston, we have a problem. >> going to go to panel 06 and find gpc mode 3. >> did i actually land this thing? >> welcome home, "discovery." that was a perfect landing. >> reporter: we made it. >> well done. >> reporter: such an incredible experience there, in no small part because of the people. lori and don managing the boat here. and annette, it is her birthday today. what a birthday to "rise & shine" in alabama. all of the people have been so welcoming here in this beautiful state. guys, you got to come down here. when you do, call me up, i got recommendations. t.j., i know you spent some time at space camp, meeting the folks there.

you know how incredible the people are. >> i did a remote here for "gma," a few years back there. as a kid, the first vacation i ever remember going on, my parents drove us to that space camp in huntsville. had a little space shuttle, my favorite toy for years. >> wow. you have memories of space camp. i have memories of tiki bars. >> amazing. >> versatile bunch here at "gma." we got it all. gio, you're the best, man. thank you so much. folks, we're right back here on "gma." ♪

i d d so my y quesonons eouout hicacase.y y son, cacalledhehe bars s fi i d d soit was the best call eouout hii could've made. call the barnes firm and find out what your case all could be worth.uld've made. ♪ call one eight hundred, eight million ♪ in new york city, and find out what your case all could be worth.uld've made. ♪ ♪ there's always something new to discover. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ come be a part of it. plan your next vacation at iloveny.com at adp, we understand business today

looks nothing like it did yesterday. while it's more unpredictable, its possibilities are endless. from paying your people from anywhere to supporting your talent everywhere, we use data driven insights to design hr solutions and services to help businesses of all size work smarter today. so, they can have more success tomorrow. ♪ one thing leads to another ♪

♪ all right. thanks to our "rise & shine" crew in alabama. there they are. >> thanks for watching, everybody. happy national snack day.

( ♪ ) (chiming) ( ♪ ) (laughter) ( ♪ ) hi, i'm mike holmes. i'm here with ivan from agm renovations america's kitchen and bathroom renovators i'm excited to introduce agm's 3d creator. it allows you to create your new kitchen or bathroom online, and get an exact quote in minutes. [ivan] that's right mike! design your kitchen or bathroom in 3d,

choose your fixtures and finishes, without leaving your home or inviting strangers in. visit agmrenovations.com and create your new kitchen or bathroom today! ♪ agmrenovations.com ♪ [announcer] call now and get $3,000 off! and vonetta flowers from alabama. no african american ♪ a athlete has ever ♪ won gold in the olympic winter games. gold medal, usa! she's ready. this is elana meyers taylor we're talking about. elana meyers taylor for team usa goes to the top!

>> building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions. this is abc 7 news. >> good morning. here is a look at traffic. jobina: they can you do struggling with the same issues we were 30 mins ago. but so you the part delay. it will be systemwide, 20 minutes waiting on the trains. earlier please activity and an equipment problem at the daly city station. we wrap up with a live look at walnut creek showing up 680. speed 12 under the mid-. drew: we are finding showers in the south bay have moved out. this is our san rafael camera. blue skies coming out. sunshine in full effect later on this afternoon for everybody. wind will ramp up as well. an advisory is in effect because of winds gusting over 30 miles per hour. cool today. upper 50's lower 60's. kumasi: that is time for live with kelly and ryan.

we are back at 11:00 for midday live. hope to see you then. >> announcer: it's "live with kelly and ryan!" today, from the hit drama, "outlander," sam heughan. and a performance from broadway star normally was. plus, how to unplug on national day of unplugging. plus, maria menounos returns for another day of cohosting. all next on "live!" [cheers and applause] and now, here are ryan seacrest and maria menounos! [cheers and applause] >> ryan: good morning. hey, hey. >> maria: thank you. >> ryan: flying out here. very excited. >> maria: hi. >> ryan: why am