Start Here

As the number of Ukrainian refugees quickly surpasses 3 million, a mother tells "Start Here" what it's like to pack up belongings, kiss family members goodbye, and flee Kyiv with her children.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fighting escalates in Kyiv, sending even more victims fleeing to Ukraine's borders. American military commanders begin exercises in the Arctic Circle as tensions rise. And authorities search for a suspect shooting homeless men along the East Coast. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russia unleashes an attack barely 10 miles from the Polish border. A second Ukrainian mayor is kidnapped from the city he leads. And a controversial Texas policy on transgender teenagers is halted.

On a new episode of ABC's "Close Up," Lin-Manuel Miranda shares never-heard-before anecdotes from behind the scenes of his buzziest projects: "Encanto," "In the Heights," "Hamilton" and "tick, tick…BOOM!" Miranda talks with "Close Up" host Kelley Carter about how he knows when he’s nailed a lyric, what it’s like writing songs with his kids, and what love advice he’d give his younger self. Plus, hear what Steven Spielberg told him when he snuck onto the "Westside Story" set.

"Close Up" features interviews with Hollywood's biggest names about their individual journeys to stardom, their creative processes and the defining moments in their lives and careers. And each week host Kelley Carter invites fellow industry insiders to share expert insights and unique perspectives on the latest entertainment news. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening now by searching for "Close Up."

Two years into a global crisis, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky joins "Start Here" to discuss the next stages of the pandemic. New census data suggests certain groups were significantly undercounted in 2020. And as the U.S. tries to make Russia pay, one of America's most recognizable basketball players has been under arrest in Russia.

As a Russian strike destroys a maternity hospital, military analysts say Vladimir Putin has begun a new cruel strategy. Power is shut off to Chernobyl, worrying nuclear scientists. And President Biden orders agencies to consider a pivot to cryptocurrency.

The White House issues new sanctions on oil from Russia, all but promising a steep rise in gas prices. The first trial of a January 6th attendee results in several guilty verdicts. And Florida's so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill advances to the governor's desk.

Ukraine’s president makes a plea to Americans in an ABC News exclusive interview, as the country’s humanitarian crisis deepens. China is cozying up to Russia, raising fears about its own military ambitions. And cryptocurrency scams are spreading on online dating apps.

The U.S. resists Ukraine’s pleas for a no-fly zone as Russia escalates its attacks on Ukrainian civilians. Lawmakers push for a ban on Russian oil imports, despite soaring gas prices. And a California woman is accused of faking her own kidnapping.

Ukraine's most hunted man invites reporters into his bunker to answer questions as Russia gains control of multiple cities. A police officer who shot blindly into Breonna Taylor's home is acquitted of wanton endangerment. And an ABC News investigation reveals how easy it is to obtain discredited medicines for COVID.