War in Ukraine: Some Russian oligarchs speak out against invasion

The new character, Ameera, is scheduled to premiere next week on “Ahlan Simsim” — the local version of “Sesame Street” in the Middle East and North Africa. (Credit: Sesame Workshop) NEW YORK - Sesame Workshop, the educational organization behind "Sesame Street," has unveiled a new muppet character with a spinal cord injury, the non-profit announced Monday. The new muppet, Ameera, is scheduled to premiere next week on "Ahlan Simsim" — the local version of "Sesame Street"in the Middle East and North Africa. "A witty, inquisitive 8-year-old girl with a passion for science and basketball, Ameera uses her bright purple wheelchair or forearm crutches to get around due to a spinal cord injury," Sesame Workshop wrote in a press release.

Today we are reporting 15,250 community cases, 830 hospitalisations and 22 deaths.

Organisations representing doctors and nurses have called on the Government to reintroduce some measures to tackle the spread of Covid-19.

The Razzie Awards and director Kevin Smith on Wednesday issued apologies for past criticism of Bruce Willis in the wake of news that the actor was 'stepping away' from his career after he was diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that impact's one's ability to understand or process speech.The Razzie Awards, a satire on the Oscars that lampoons critically-maligned movies, had promoted a new category titled 'Worst Performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 Movie,' after the 67-year-old actor appeared in eight straight-to-video films in 2021.They included American Siege, Apex, Cosmic Sin, Deadlock, Fortress, Midnight in the Switchgrass, Out of Death, and Survive the Game. The latest:The Razzie Awards and director Kevin Smith, 51, on Wednesday issued apologies for past criticism of Bruce Willis, 67, in the wake of news that the actor was retiring after he was diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that impact's one's ability to understand or process speech.

snow and ice on this system's colder side in portions of the Great Lakes and central Appalachians.Severe storms will impact some of the same places that were hit hard by last week's outbreak of severe weather, which resulted in more than 60 confirmed tornadoes over three days. While there will likely be several tornadoes – some of which could be strong – with Wednesday's outbreak, there is an even greater threat of widespread wind gusts over 75 mph, particularly from the lower Mississippi Valley into western and southern Alabama, West Tennessee and the western Florida Panhandle.Here's what to expect through Thursday.

Gas prices in some provinces are set to rise Friday as the federal carbon tax increases.

BRISTOL, Pa. - A large contingent of law enforcement officers traveled to Bucks County on Wednesday for a viewing for Pennsylvania State Trooper Martin Mack III, who was killed by an alleged drunk driver on I-95 in Philadelphia in March."We have to continue to pray for them every day they’re doing a very difficult job and obviously it can have deadly consequences and I just feel awful," Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said. The deadly crash happened over a week ago on Interstate 95 in South Philadelphia near the sports complex. Investigators said Mack, 33, and fellow Pennsylvania State Trooper Branden Sisca, 29, were called to the area to assist a man who was walking on the highway. A large number of Pennsylvania State Troopers showed up to Trooper Mack's viewing.

LOS ANGELES - The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Wednesday said that Will Smith was asked to leave Sunday's Oscar ceremony after hitting Chris Rock but refused to do so.The academy’s board of governors met Wednesday to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Smith for violations against the group’s standards of conduct. The academy said disciplinary action for Smith could include suspension, expulsion or other sanctions.Many have focused on why Smith was allowed to remain seated front row in the Dolby Theatre after the incident. On Wednesday, the academy suggested that it attempted to remove the actor from the audience.RELATED: Jim Carrey ‘sickened’ by celebs applauding Will Smith’s Oscar win after slap"Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated," the academy said.

PHILADELPHIA - A Ukrainian cathedral in Northern Liberties is offering sanctuary to two women who fled their war-torn homeland of Ukraine as the Russian invasion continues. Alla Pukhtetska and Veronika Matviienko arrived at the Saint Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral Wednesday night after being picked up by Vice President and Choir Director Susan Guz, and Bishop Lukeat JFK Airport. They will live in the rectory of the church and are likely to be joined by others as church member have raised $20,000 to help refugees.The women lived in Kiev and worked together in a cathedral there. They told FOX 29's Jeff Cole that they feared they would be killed in the bombardment of the city."I was afraid not to have time to escape," Pukhtetska said.

The Ford government says it is taking aim at planning and implementation slowdowns which it says are among the main causes of high housing costs. But the government is not adopting changes designed to increase population density in existing residential neighbourhoods because it says they’re too radical for municipalities.

The Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield will today host a media briefing to provide updates on the response to the Omicron outbreak.

FILE-Florida, Miami Beach, South Pointe Park, Carnival Splendor cruise ship Departing. (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) WASHINGTON - Federal health officials are dropping the warning they have attached to cruising since the beginning of the pandemic, leaving it up to vacationers to decide whether they feel safe getting on a ship.Cruise-ship operators welcomed Wednesday’s announcement, which came as many people thought about summer vacation plans.An industry trade group said the move by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention validated measures that ship owners have taken, including requiring crew members and most passengers to be vaccinated against the virus.RELATED: Norwegian Cruise Line announces additional cancellationsThe CDC removed the COVID-19 "cruise ship travel health notice" that was first imposed in March 2020, after virus outbreaks on several ships around the world.However, the agency expressed reservations about cruising.RELATED: More cruise ships under CDC investigation due to rising COVID cases"While cruising will always pose some risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers will make their own risk assessment when choosing to travel on a cruise ship, much like they do in all other travel settings," CDC spokesman Dave Daigle said in an email.Daigle said the CDC's decision was based on "the current state of the pandemic and decreases in COVID-19 cases onboard cruise ships over the past several weeks."COVID-19 cases in the United States have been falling since mid-January, although the decline has slowed in recent weeks, and the current seven-day rolling average for daily new cases in the U.S.

SAPPORO, Japan - Ex-MLB player Tsuyoshi Shinjo marked his first home game as manager of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in spectacular style on March 29.Fan video shows the Japanese baseball manager and former Major League Baseball player riding on a hoverbike and flying over the field. RELATED: MLB, players reach agreement, paving way to end months-long lockoutShinjo, who is also known as Big Boss, was hovering an XTURISMO Limited Edition hoverbike, according to local media. While Shinjos’ entrance was a flying start to the season, it didn’t end well for the team. The Fighters lost 4-0 to the Saitama Seibu Lions, leaving them still searching for a first win of the season.Tsuyoshi Shinjo is a former Japanese professional baseball outfielder and a current manager for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).He played for the Hanshin Tigers in Japan between 1990 and 2000, before signing with Major League Baseball’s New York Mets and San Francisco Giants. RELATED: Mets' Pete Alonso 'thankful to be alive' after car accident, kicked out windshield to escapeIn 2002, Shinjo became the first Japan-born player to play in the World Series. AdvertisementThis story was reported from Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES - After hosting the 2022 Oscars alongside co-hosts Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes, comedian Amy Schumer is speaking out about that onstage viral debacle between Chris Rock and Will Smith.In an Instagram post, Schumer started by joking that "the best way to unpack what happened is to stream my series @lifeandbethhulu." She goes on to address "what happened," saying "But for real. Still triggered and traumatized," she continued. "I love my friend @chrisrock and believe he handled it like a pro.

Alberta is proposing rules that would make it easier for entrepreneurs to test products in the emerging field of cryptocurrencies and online banking.

There is a common type of scam that targets seniors specifically. It’s called the ‘grandparent scam’ and while it may not be new, it appears to be on the rise.

Alberta Health Minister Jason Copping announces more pharmacies in the province now have access to the COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid.

Health Minister Jason Copping says 70 per cent of positive COVID-19 cases in Alberta are now the Omicron variant BA.2.

Alberta Health Minister Jason Copping says both positivity rates from PCR tests and wastewater data are showing initial signs of increased COVID-19 transmission.

Thomas Rhett joins TMS with a special performance of ‘Angels’ off his new album ‘Where We Started’ out April 1.

report from Castellum.ai, a global sanctions-tracking database. Russia has now become the target of nearly 3,000 new sanctions after dozens of nations condemned President Vladimir Putin’s attempts to overthrow the Ukrainian government. With the combination of sanctions against Russia that had already been put in place before the invasion as well as the latest penalties, Russia has racked up a historic 5,532 sanctions.Russian sanctions even surpassed Iran who faces over 3,600 sanctions mostly for its continued efforts to manufacture a nuclear program as well as its financial support of well-known terrorist organizations. The United States and its allies have retaliated against Russia with a series of financial penalties, reflecting a massive change in how conflicts can be waged in a world that is globalized, digital and highly dependent on accessing money electronically.There have been economic targets in the past that depended on military maneuvers such as factory bombings, blockades and the capture of strategic resources.

PHILADELPHIA - The price of gas across the country will likely continue to balloon after President Joe Biden banned Russian oil imports Tuesday to turn the screws on Russian leader Vladimir Putin's assault of Ukraine. "We're banning all imports of Russian oil and gas and energy. That means Russian oil will no longer be accepted at U.S.

Russia-Ukraine crisis continues. President Joe Biden announced Tuesday the U.S. will ban all Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia’s economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine, but he acknowledged it will bring costs to Americans, particularly at the gas pump.According to auto club AAA, the price of regular gasoline on average across the U.S.

With Russia intensifying its war on Ukraine, killing civilians and triggering a mass refugee crisis, President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced a U.S. ban on imported Russian oil. Critics of Russia have said that sanctioning its energy exports would be the best — perhaps only — way to force Moscow to pull back.

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.

Novelty Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dodgecoin tokens arranged at a cryptocurrency exchange in Hong Kong, China. (Paul Yeung/Bloomberg via Getty Images) WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden is expected to sign an executive order on cryptocurrency this week that will mark the first step toward regulating how digital currency is traded.The move comes as administration officials have raised concerns in recent weeks about Russia’s use of cryptocurrency to evade the impact of crushing sanctions in response to its invasion of Ukraine.

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.

SUPERIOR, Wis. (FOX 9) - As war rages in Europe and rising prices cause economic uncertainty in the U.S., President Joe Biden is visiting the Duluth-Superior region Wednesday for his first event after the State of the Union address.During a speech at the University of Wisconsin-Superior's student union, Biden will promote infrastructure spending and call on Congress to move forward with his stalled climate and child care agenda.The president, along with First Lady Jill Biden, landed in Duluth, Minn.

Joe Biden announced Tuesday night in his State of the Union address that the U.S. is banning Russian flights from its airspace in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine.The move follows similar action by Canada and the European Union this week.

KYIV, Ukraine - As Day 7 of the Russia-Ukraine conflict dawned, Russia continued its attacks on crowded Ukrainian cities and a lengthy convoy of Russian tanks and other vehicles advanced slowly toward the capital of Kyiv.Russia's escalation Wednesday came as President Joe Biden, in his State of the Union speech to Americans on Tuesday night, warned that if the Russian leader didn’t "pay a price" for the invasion, the aggression wouldn’t stop with one country.Here's a look at key things to know about the conflict:A Kremlin spokesman said a Russian delegation will be ready Wednesday evening to resume talks with Ukrainian officials about the war in Ukraine.Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that "in the second half of the day, closer to evening, our delegation will be in place to await Ukrainian negotiators."There was no immediate word from the Ukrainian authorities about their plans.Police officers stand guard at the site of yesterday's airstrike that hit Kyiv's main television tower in Kyiv on March 2, 2022. (Photo by DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images) A 40-mile convoy of hundreds of Russian tanks and other vehicles advanced slowly on Kyiv, a city of nearly 3 million people.

U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that the U.S. would become the latest country to ban Russian planes from its airspace, joining Canada, the European Union and others in doing so amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

COVID-19 need no longer controls the lives of the Americans.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Addressing a concerned nation and anxious world, President Joe Biden vowed in his first State of the Union address Tuesday night to check Russian aggression in Ukraine, tame soaring U.S. inflation and deal with the fading but still dangerous coronavirus.Biden declared that he and all members of Congress, whatever political differences there may be, were joined "with an unwavering resolve that freedom will always triumph over tyranny." He asked the lawmakers crowding the House chamber to stand and salute the Ukrainians as he began his speech. They stood and cheered.Biden highlighted the bravery of Ukrainian defenders and the commitment of a newly reinvigorated Western alliance that has worked to rearm the Ukrainian military and cripple Russia’s economy through sanctions.

WASHINGTON - Madam Speaker, Madam Vice President, our First Lady and Second Gentleman. Members of Congress and the Cabinet. Justices of the Supreme Court.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Addressing a concerned nation and anxious world, President Joe Biden vowed in his first State of the Union address Tuesday night to check Russian aggression in Ukraine, tame soaring U.S. inflation and deal with the fading but still dangerous coronavirus.Biden declared that he and all members of Congress, whatever political differences there may be, were joined "with an unwavering resolve that freedom will always triumph over tyranny." He asked the lawmakers crowding the House chamber to stand and salute the Ukrainians as he began his speech. They stood and cheered.Biden highlighted the bravery of Ukrainian defenders and the commitment of a newly reinvigorated Western alliance that has worked to rearm the Ukrainian military and cripple Russia’s economy through sanctions.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Joe Biden will vow to make Vladimir Putin "pay a price" for Russia's invasion of Ukraine in his first State of the Union address, rallying allies abroad while also outlining his plans at home to fight inflation and the fading but still dangerous coronavirus.In addition to recounting U.S. and allied economic sanctions against Russia, Biden planned to announce that the U.S.

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, April 28, 2021.

Vladimir Putin’s implied threat to turn the Ukraine war into a broader nuclear conflict presents President Joe Biden with choices rarely contemplated in the atomic age, including whether to raise the alert level of U.S. nuclear forces.The turn of events is all the more remarkable for the fact that less than a year ago, Putin and Biden issued a statement at their Geneva summit that seemed more in keeping with the idea that the threat of nuclear war was a Cold War relic.

In early November 2021, Crew-2 ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet photographed the space station from above during the return trip home aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour (NASA/ESA/SpaceX) In response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, President Joe Biden announced new sanctions Thursday targeting the Russian economy and attempting to cut off access to emerging technology, which could impact the Russian space program, Roscosmos. "Between our actions and those of our allies and partners, we estimate that will cut off more than half of Russia's high-tech imports and will strike a blow to their ability to continue to modernize their military," Biden said Thursday. "It'll degrade their aerospace industry, including their space program, and hurt their ability to build ships, reducing their ability to compete economically."While Russian and U.S.

MOSCOW, RUSSIA - FEBRUARY 24, 2022: Russia's President Vladimir Putin is seen during a meeting with members of Russian business community in the Moscow Kremlin. Alexei Nikolsky/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS (Photo by Alexei N BRUSSELS - With a military intervention in Ukraine off the table, and countries around the world looking to heap more financial punishment on Moscow, the United States, Britain and European Union said Friday they will move to sanction Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.The Russian military is in the middle of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.The EU’s unanimous decision, part of a broader sanctions package, indicated that Western powers are moving toward unprecedented measures to try to force Putin to stop the brutal invasion of Russia’s neighbor and from unleashing a major war in Europe.

A Delta Air Lines plane taxis toward a gate between other Delta planes at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, U.S., on Monday, July 20, 2009.

Family of ukrainian refugees cross Polish-Ukrainian border in Medyka, Poland on February 25, 2022. (Maciej Luczniewski/NurPhoto via Getty Images) NEW YORK - The pandemic, mass shootings, natural disasters, terror attacks.

BRUSSELS - U.S. President Joe Biden and his NATO counterparts agreed Friday to reassure member countries on the alliance’s eastern flank by sending parts of the organization’s response force to help protect them following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.With Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealing for help, NATO members ranging from Russia’s neighbor Estonia in the north down to Bulgaria on the Black Sea coast triggered urgent consultations about their security.

WASHINGTON - Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, President Joe Biden announced a new round of sanctions targeting Moscow.Biden decried the Kremlin’s military aggression during an address from the White House, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin "chose this war" and that his country will bear the consequences of his actions. Ukraine’s government has reported mounting casualties as Russian forces attack from the east, north and south. The sanctions are aimed at Russian banks, oligarchs and high-tech sectors in hopes of crippling Russia’s financial system and Putin’s inner circle. U.S. President Joe Biden arrives to deliver remarks about Russia's "unprovoked and unjustified" military invasion of neighboring Ukraine in the East Room of the White House on February 24, 2022 in Washington, DC.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" in the country while warning those who attempt to intervene would lead to "consequences they have never seen.""I have a few words for those who could feel tempted to interfere with ongoing developments: whoever tries to impede us, let alone create threats for our country and its people must know that the Russian response will be immediate and lead to the consequences you have never seen in history," Putin said.Images from journalists on the ground captured Russian troops and military vehicles advancing through Ukraine. Explosions were reported in several cities in addition to Kharkiv, including Kyiv and Odessa.Russian military tanks and armored vehicles advance in Donetsk, Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

There is a growing chorus of condemnation from world leaders and diplomats after Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a special military operation into eastern Ukraine on Thursday.

BRUSSELS - Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a military operation in Ukraine, and he is warning other countries that any attempt to interfere with the Russian action would lead to "consequences they have never seen."U.S. President Joe Biden says the world will "hold Russia accountable."The Ukrainian president earlier rejected Moscow’s claims that his country poses a threat to Russia and made a passionate plea for peace.Before Putin’s announcement, world leaders worked to maintain a united stance and vowed to impose tougher sanctions in the event of a full-fledged invasion.The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting Wednesday night at Ukraine’s request.Here are the things to know about the conflict over Ukraine and the security crisis in Eastern Europe:PUTIN MAKES HIS MOVEPutin said the military operation was needed to protect civilians in eastern Ukraine — a claim the U.S.

KYIV, Ukraine - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday announced a military operation in Ukraine and warned other countries that any attempt to interfere with the Russian action would lead to "consequences they have never seen."He said the attack was needed to protect civilians in eastern Ukraine – a claim the U.S. had predicted he would falsely make to justify an invasionIn a televised address, Putin accused the U.S.