Ukrainian families faced with impossible choices as war tears them apart

PHILADELPHIA - The United Ukrainian-American Relief Committee in Philadelphia continues to see an influx of donations from locals who want to help people besieged by war in Ukraine. The committee started taking donations from the community when Russia's army first invaded Ukraine two weeks ago. Now, Executive Director Mortja Watters says their headquarters on Cottman Avenue is packed to the brim and they're looking for a larger facility. "It's a little overwhelming., people are so gracious," Watters said.

Coca-Cola cap and Russian flag displayed on a phone screen are seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on March 6, 2022. (Photo illustration by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) ATLANTA - The Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Company said it would be suspending business in Russia following the country’s attack on neighboring Ukraine.The move comes amid the growing pressures for American companies to break ties with the waring country.In a statement released Tuesday, The Coca-Cola Company wrote:"Our hearts are with the people who are enduring unconscionable effects from these tragic events in Ukraine. "We will continue to monitor and assess the situation as circumstances evolve."A growing number of multinational businesses have cut Russia off from vital financial services or stopped operating in the country.

WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia’s economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine, according to a person familiar with the matter."We're banning all imports of Russian oil and gas and energy. That means Russian oil will no longer be accepted at U.S. ports," the president announced on Tuesday.The move follows pleas by Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy to U.S.

As the tire tracks fade from the so-called “freedom convoy” that occupied downtown Ottawa streets, some of the Telegram forums devoted to the convoy have taken up the torch of a new cause: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

KYIV, Ukraine - Russia's invasion of Ukraine is continuing unabated, with 2 million people — half of them children — forced to flee the country as Europe’s worst refugee crisis since World War II grows even more severe.The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and UNICEF confirmed the figures as more people headed for the borders Tuesday.

WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia’s economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine, according to a person familiar with the matter.The move follows pleas by Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy to U.S. and Western officials to cut off the imports, which had been a glaring omission the massive sanctions put in place on Russia over the invasion.

While people in Russia are being fed government propaganda and limited from seeing the truth inside their own country, former Russians who now live in Canada can see the full picture — and are horrified of what their homeland is doing in Ukraine.

Ahead of Saskatchewan’s provincial budget unveiling, the war in Ukraine has led to gains in oil, potash, uranium and other key commodities.

The families of healthcare workers who died with Covid-19 in the first phases of the pandemic will be eligible for a €100,000 payment from the State.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. She’s well aware that anyone who speaks out against the Kremlin could be in danger – but personal safety is the least of Baronova’s concerns. "The problem is, I know these people very well.

With COVID-19 travel regulations easing, some Albertans have opted for European vacations once again. But amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, industry experts have some advice for people before they make their way to the continent.

PHILADELPHIA - The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine deepened Monday as Russian forces intensified their shelling and food, water, heat and medicine grew increasingly scarce, in what the country condemned as a medieval-style siege by Moscow to batter it into submission.A third round of talks between the two sides ended with a top Ukrainian official saying there had been minor, unspecified progress toward establishing safe corridors that would allow civilians to escape the fighting. Russia’s chief negotiator said he expects those corridors to start operating Tuesday.Meanwhile, many families with loved ones trapped in Ukraine are praying for their safety as intense battles continue.

Several tornadoes were confirmed near Des Moines, Iowa, as a "large and extremely dangerous" storm took over the area, on Saturday, March 5, the National Weather Service said. (Credit: Jacob Tiernan via Storyful) DES MOINES, Iowa - Four of the seven people killed in devastating storms that tore through central Iowa were members of the same family who had sought shelter inside a home that was razed by a powerful tornado, authorities said.Two children, their father and their grandmother all died when a tornado hit the grandmother’s home near rural Winterset on Saturday afternoon, Madison County Sheriff Jason Barnes told television station KCCI.The children and their parents, from Blue Springs, Missouri, were visiting their grandmother, Melissa Bazley, 63, when the tornado hit.

The Chinese Foreign Minister on Monday called Russia Beijing’s “most important strategic partner” amid China’s continued refusal to condemn the invasion of Ukraine.

KYIV, Ukraine - Russia’s invasion of Ukraine entered its 12th day following what Ukrainian authorities described as increased shelling of encircled cities and another failed attempt to start evacuating hundreds of thousands of civilians from the besieged southern port of Mariupol.Russia announced yet another cease-fire and humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to flee Ukraine starting Monday. Two previous cease-fire attempts have failed.

“Having to use a food bank would be my worst nightmare,” laughs John, exasperated.

A non-profit organization that initially started helping young girls escape human trafficking is now helping those same girls evacuate Ukraine safely by making perogies.

Ukraine, incited by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Feb. 24, prices aren’t expected to go down anytime soon, experts say.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau departed for Europe on Sunday to meet with allies about the intensifying situation in Ukraine. He will meet on Monday with the prime ministers of Britain and the Netherlands in London. Abigail Bimman reports.

Russia, the companies said Saturday, in the latest blow to the country’s financial system after its invasion of Ukraine.Mastercard said cards issued by Russian banks will no longer be supported by its network and any card issued outside the country will not work at Russian stores or ATMs.“We don’t take this decision lightly,” Mastercard said in a statement, adding that it made the move after discussions with customers, partners and governments. Canada targets Russia and Belarus with tariffs, sends more lethal aid to Ukraine Visa said it’s working with clients and partners in Russia to cease all Visa transactions over the coming days.“We are compelled to act following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and the unacceptable events that we have witnessed,” Visa Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Al Kelly said in a statement.The suspensions are a follow-up to more limited moves earlier in the week to block financial institutions from the networks that serve as arteries for the payments system.

As the war rages on in Ukraine, we bring you the story of a man who’s been working in Alberta but chose to extend a visit home to fight for his country.

A Lanarkshire MSP visited a East Kilbride-based hospice to discuss the challenges of the COVID pandemic.

Coronation Street, as she begins stalking him and members of his family.Intent on destroying his relationship with wife Sarah, what lengths will Lydia go to in future weeks? Only time will tell.Adam Barlow has become one of Coronation Street's most familiar faces, ever since returning to look after grandfather Ken Barlow in 2016, following Ken's stroke.He is one many Barlow family members to call Weatherfield their home throughout the years, but will Lydia's reign of terror rising, will he remain in the street for long?As viewers wait to see what happens, Daily Star takes a closer look at the famous Barlow family and the stars who play them.Ken Barlow is one of the original Coronation Street residents, becoming a familiar face to viewers throughout the generations.From the death of his first wife Valerie Tatlock, to the birth of his children and a longstanding feud with Mike Baldwin, fans have gone through all of Ken's ups and downs throughout the years.Not only is he one of Coronation Street's longest serving actors, but he also holds the Guinness World Record as the longest serving television star in a continuous role.

FAIRMOUNT - The family of the young man whose body was found burnt in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park near Kelly Drive held an emotional vigil Saturday night.It would have been Naasire Johnson's 21st birthday.Johnson was missing for several days before police say his body was discovered burning in Fairmount Park off Kelly Drive."I just want Justice," his grandmother Cynthia Johnson cried. "He didn’t deserve what they did to him.MORE HEADLINES:As the family came together to celebrate what would have been his 21st birthday, they are hopeful police will find the person responsible for committing such a heinous act."He started at community college in business administration, but his ultimate goal was to become a psychologist to help people," his godmother Rashonda Powers explained.

As Russian troops closed in on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, Anastasiia Yalanskaya insisted she would stay, even while her friends and family fled around her.

Just a few short years ago, he made a career out of entertaining Ukraine. Now as the nation’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s defiance is inspiring people amid the Russian invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has survived at least one assassination attempt since Russia invaded his country over a week ago, according to official accounts, with media reports suggesting he may have dodged two more.Ukrainian officials have confirmed one of the attempts, which they say was to be carried out by a unit of Kadyrovites, an elite special forces team based in Chechnya that serves the country’s president Ramzan Kadyrov.Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, told a media briefing on Tuesday that the plot was foiled last weekend after anti-war agents of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) — the successor to the KGB — tipped the Ukrainians off.“We are well aware of the special operation that was to take place directly by the Kadyrovites to eliminate our president,” Danilov said.“I can say that we have received information from the FSB, who today do not want to take part in this bloody war. And thanks to this, I can say that Kadyrov’s elite group was directly destroyed, which came here to eliminate our president.” Zelenskyy criticizes NATO for refusing to impose no-fly zone over Ukraine The Times of London reported Thursday that two more attempts to kill Zelenskyy have been carried out in recent days by members of the Wagner Group, a private mercenary group whose leader is tied to Russian President Vladimir Putin.Those attempts were also stopped by Ukrainian forces protecting the president, the paper reported, with the mercenary groups suffering losses.

Refugee seen crying in Przemysl and Medyka on March 4, 2022. (Photo by Maciej Luczniewski/NurPhoto via Getty Images) The office of President Emmanuel Macron said France will propose concrete measures to ensure the safety and security of Ukraine’s five main nuclear sites.

President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Western sanctions on Russia were akin to a declaration of war and warned that any attempt to impose a no-fly zone in Ukraine would be tantamount to entering the conflict.

The requirement for Covid certificates and passenger locator forms for those arriving into the country will end from midnight.

Russia declared a partial ceasefire on Saturday to allow humanitarian corridors out of Ukrainian cities that have suffered heavy casualties during the deadly invasion that has now entered its 10th day.

Canada’s deputy chief public health officer says mask-wearing is a “personal choice” and he’ll personally continue to wear a mask as the ongoing easing of COVID-19 public health measures continues.

PHILADELPHIA - Alina Bushma prepared for perhaps the biggest match of her squash career at Drexel when her mother texted her a snapshot from her day in Ukraine. Inna Bushma wanted to show her daughter the camouflage nets she made as a volunteer helping Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces."Looks like grass," Alina Bushma said, laughing.Bushma much preferred the photos her parents sent earlier in the week -- champagne for a toast for their daughter who helped lead Drexel to a runner-up finish in the Collegiate Squash Championships."I’m just a girl from Ukraine where squash is not even that popular," she said Friday.The 21-year-old Bushma scored the winning point last Saturday that sent the Dragons into the CSA championship match, where they lost to Harvard.

KYIV, Ukraine - Russia’s war on Ukraine is now in its ninth day. Russian forces have shelled Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, sparking a fire there that was extinguished overnight. The U.N.

Police officers detain a man during a protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine in central Moscow on March 3, 2022. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images) DUSSELDORF, Germany - Russians could face prison sentences of up to 15 years for spreading information that goes against the Russian government's position on the war in Ukraine, a move that comes as authorities block access to foreign media outlets.The Russian parliament voted unanimously Friday to approve a draft law criminalizing the intentional spreading of what Russia deems to be "fake" reports.Russian authorities have repeatedly decried reports of Russian military setbacks or civilian deaths in Ukraine as "fake" reports.

On a busy pedestrian street in the town of Daugavpils, in Latvia’s Latgale region, Alesja Klescenoka is visibly distressed as she tries to articulate her feelings about the war in Ukraine.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland announced on Thursday that Canada will become the first country to revoke Russia and Belarus’ status as a most-favoured-nation trade partner under law. This includes the imposition of 35 per cent tariffs on goods from both countries as Moscow’s war in Ukraine rages on.

The war in Ukraine comes with a horrific toll on the people involved: emotional and financial. It’s costing Russia an estimated $20 million a day to continue the invasion.

WARSAW - The ongoing war in Ukraine has led to one of the largest humanitarian crises in a century, with many fleeing Ukrainians searching for refuge in neighboring countries. The United Nations said Thursday that 1 million people have now fled Ukraine since Russia’s invasion less than a week ago, an exodus without precedent in this century for its speed.The tally from the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees amounts to more than 2% of Ukraine’s population — which the World Bank counted at 44 million at the end of 2020 — on the move across borders in just seven days.

AUSTIN, Texas - Aleksei Nikolin attempts to hold a crying, wiggling toddler inside his cramped car as he video chats with a FOX 7 reporter.  "Yes. You see that they are crying because we are tired.

It’s estimated that 1 million Ukranians have now fled the country. Mike Armstrong reports from Poland detailing the refugee situation unfolding there.

PHILADELPHIA - Several Ukrainian communities around Philadelphia have organized relief efforts to help their homeland that continues to valiantly defend itself against an invasion from Russia. The Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center is collecting thousands of boxes of supplies, community leaders are coming together to help, and businesses are holding fundraisers.Craft Hall in Old City held a fundraiser Thursday where every dollar donated was doubled for Voices of Children.Adam Hornik, Craft Hall Owner, partnered with Ukrainian-born DJ Irene Whoo for the event."This organization provides them both psychological and financial and logistical support to help them deal with this tragedy that they are going through," Hornik said.Whoo accompanied the fundraising effort by playing traditional Ukrainian music that she fell in love with as a youth. "We grew up listening to traditional dance, fun, Ukrainian music," Whoo said. "Lots of instruments lots of horns, violins.  It’s drinking music, my people they are rambunctious and fun and happy."Her family fled Ukraine in the early 90’s during the Russian Occupation. The daily rhythms of life that play in her head have been overshadowed by the sounds of war that are breaking her heart."I really just wanted to put something together for everyone to not even talk about anything but positive things," Whoo said. "Hugging each other, be happy, dance."Local pastry chefs are coming together to 'Bake for Ukraine' and there's ways that you can help their cause!Volunteers at the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center in Jenkintown worked tirelessly to process, package, and ship thousands of boxes of donations to support families in Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin to sit down for talks while urging the West to offer a stronger military assistance to Ukraine to fight the Russian invasion.In a sarcastic reference to a long table Putin used for his recent meetings with foreign leaders and Russian officials, Zelenskyy said: "Sit down with me to negotiate, just not at 30 meters," adding, "I don’t bite. What are you afraid of?"During Thursday's news conference, Zelenskyy said that prospects for another round of talks between Russian and Ukrainian negotiations don’t seem promising, but emphasized the need to negotiate, adding that "any words are more important than shots."RELATED: Who is Volodymyr Zelenskyy?: How this comedian became a wartime presidentHe said the world was too slow to offer support for Ukraine and prodded Western leaders to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine to deny access to the Russian warplanes.

Most of the Thompson family members are shown on the left; on the right is "M," whom they're trying to rescue and adopt from Ukraine. (Colleen Thompson) As Russia continues its attack against Ukraine, Colleen Thompson of Fort Thomas, Kentucky, told Fox News Digital on Wednesday about her family's desperate efforts to help orphans in Ukraine get out of the country safely.One orphan in particular, "M," is a future member of their family — a teenage girl whom the family had begun the process of adopting about three years ago.

COVID-19 will soon become a matter of personal choice rather than an obligation.The province announced Wednesday that mask mandates will be lifted by mid-April at the latest, but Luc Boileau said Thursday that the change could happen as soon as the third week of March.Boileau told a news conference that he’s encouraged by recent projections that indicate cases and hospitalizations have continued to decline.

Bryson Woolsey is trading in his chef’s apron and the luxury of home for ammunition and danger to help people in Ukraine during their time of crisis.

A new poll suggests almost two-thirds of Canadians believe the Russian invasion of Ukraine has the potential to develop into a world war.

People who have fled from war in Ukraine arrive at a temporary shelter set up in a former shopping center in Przemysl, Poland. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images) WASHINGTON - Airbnb says they are working to offer free temporary housing for up to 100,000 refugees fleeing Ukraine during the Russian invasion.