promoearn: 'We are ready with diplomacy'

Tuesday, February 15

Prívate Pablo, 41, sits in an underground barrack at the position of his unit at the contact line near Svitlodarsk, in Donestsk region on February 13, 2022 in Svitlodarsk, Ukraine. Russian forces were conducting large-scale military exercises in Belarus, across Ukraine's northern border, amid a tense diplomatic standoff between Russia and Ukraine's Western allies.

President Biden wants Russia to give diplomacy a chance over Ukraine. It's Tuesday's news.

President Biden said a Russian invasion of Ukraine remains a distinct possibility but is holding out hope for a diplomatic breakthrough. And Sandy Hook families settled with gunmaker Remington for $73 million.

👋 Hey! It's Laura. It's Tuesday, and we've got a lot of news, so let's get to it.

But first, why is nature so scary? There's nothing like a good old-fashioned scene from the apocalypse. Birds. Falling from the sky. Hundreds of them. 😳 I'll be indoors until further notice.

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Biden speaks on situation in Ukraine

During a day of continued negotiations and developments over the pending crisis, President Joe Biden delivered his first comments about the situation in Ukraine directly to the American people on Tuesday. "We are ready with diplomacy," Biden said. "And we are ready to respond decisively to a Russian attack on Ukraine, which is still very much a possibility." Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was ready for talks with the U.S. and NATO on limits for missile deployments and military transparency, a second signal Tuesday of a potential tension release in the conflict between Russia and the West over Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukraine's information security center said Tuesday that the country's ministry of defense and at least two banks had come under cyberattack, shutting down websites and access to information and accounts. The center did not attribute the attacks, but suggested Russia was responsible.

•	Ukraine, Russia, NATO and the former USSR: A guide to Eastern Europe.
•	Why is the White House being so public with Russia-Ukraine intel? Behind the unusual strategy.

Prince Andrew settles with Virginia Giuffre in sexual abuse lawsuit

Prince Andrew and his accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre have settled the sex abuse lawsuit she filed against him, which has damaged his reputation and threatened to overshadow his mother Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations this summer. Lawyers for both sides filed documents Tuesday in federal court in New York, declaring the parties had reached an out-of-court settlement for an undisclosed sum and a "substantial donation" to Giuffre's charity "in support of victim's rights." The Duke of York, 61, also expressed regret for his former friendship with convicted American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who Giuffre alleged had trafficked her to Andrew when she was 17. Since she began accusing him publicly in 2015, Andrew has vigorously denied her allegations.

•	Key events in Prince Andrew case: From official denials to out-of-court settlement.
•	Queen Elizabeth removes the Duke of York's military titles, patronages amid allegations.

Virginia Roberts Giuffre with her lawyer David Boies in New York, Aug. 27, 2019.

Bebeto Matthews/AP

What everyone's talking about

•	💍 Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and Texans safety Jonathan Owens announce their engagement.
•	Kanye West and the problematic attention surrounding his behavior.
•	Alec Baldwin, 'Rust' sued for wrongful death by Halyna Hutchins' family after fatal shooting.
•	How much is a seat on Virgin Galactic? $450,000. Here's what each trip includes.
•	No longer the 'mask police': End of mandates brings relief for (some) business owners.

The Short List is free, but several stories we link to are subscriber-only. Consider supporting our journalism and become a USA TODAY digital subscriber today.

Sandy Hook families settle with gunmaker for $73M

Families of nine victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre agreed Tuesday to a $73 million settlement against the maker of the gun used in the deadly 2012 shooting. The settlement follows several years of litigation with Remington Arms, the maker of the Bushmaster AR-15-style rifle that was used to kill 20 first-graders and six teachers at the elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. Nicole Hockley, whose son Dylan was one of the students killed, called the settlement a "landmark, historic victory." Hockley is also the co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise Foundation, a nonprofit focused on gun violence prevention founded by family members of Sandy Hook victims. "The gun industry has been shielded from being held accountable for their part in these tragedies," she said at a Tuesday news conference. "Today, that changes." Four insurers for Remington, which has filed for bankruptcy twice in two years, agreed to pay the $73 million.

Roses with the faces of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School victims in Newtown, Connecticut on Jan. 3, 2013, shortly after the Dec. 14, 2012 shooting.

TIMOTHY A. CLARY, AFP/Getty Images

Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva delivers emotional performance

After spending a week at the center of a doping scandal, Russian Kamila Valieva returned to the ice at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Tuesday night. Valieva, 15, touched the ice after attempting a triple axel during her short program performance and scored 82.16. She finished in first place and will compete in the long program on Thursday. The teen has been embroiled in controversy since testing positive for trimetazidine, a heart medication banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency due to it its ability to improve endurance and blood flow. Her attorneys argued she ingested the banned substance because of a medication her grandfather takes, veteran IOC member Denis Oswald confirmed earlier Tuesday. She was initially suspended but was reinstated after her appeal.

•	Russian Kamila Valieva says failed drug test was because of grandfather's medication. Is that possible?
•	From Disturbed to Daft Punk: Olympic figure skaters share how they pick the music they use.

Kamila Valieva competes in the women's figure skating short program during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at Capital Indoor Stadium, Feb. 15, 2022.

Rob Schumacher, USA TODAY SPORTS

Real quick

•	Suspect charged with attempted murder, accused of trying to shoot Louisville mayoral candidate.
•	Snakes on a plane! Slithering reptile in overhead lights forces flight to reroute.
•	A priest incorrectly performed thousands of baptisms for decades – by changing one word.
•	2 officers charged in George Floyd's death plan to testify in civil rights trial.
•	American Airlines flight attendant smashes coffee pot on passenger trying to open exit door.
•	400 Kohl's stores will get a Sephora beauty shop in 2022. Is your store on the list?
•	Just how bad is it to be in ICU with COVID-19? Far more miserable than people realize.

🌝 Snow moon coming soon

February's full moon, known as the "snow" moon, will soon light up a night sky near you! On Tuesday, the snow moon will rise in the east, crossing the skies until it sets Wednesday morning in the west. Though it's out of sight for Americans when it becomes a full moon at noon EST on Wednesday, sky gazers will be able to see it Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Why is it called the snow moon? Full moons have different nicknames based on the seasons, and for thousands of years, Native Americans named each month's full moon by taking cues from nature. February typically is the snowiest month of the year, which is why it's called the snow moon. The worm moon will grace the sky in March. I'm afraid to ask why it's called that. 😬

•	More on the moon: A visual guide to full moons around the year.
•	🌨 Here's the snow: Big storm to wallop the US with snow, floods, possible tornadoes.

February 27, 2021: A full moon rises over Milwaukee. The full moon is also referred to as the snow moon due to the snow cover on the ground at this time of year.

Mike De Sisti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY NETWORK

A break from the news

•	🙇‍♀️ We're lonely. Why's it so hard to do something about it?
•	🏞 Keep your distance at these 10 hotels with private cottages and cabins – or just go look at the pictures. So dreamy.
•	😑 Is your manager being a jerk? Here's how to deal with it without losing your cool (or your job).

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