Ukraine

Doctors' desperate, but futile, attempt to save a little Ukrainian girl hit by Russian bombing ... is prompting an angry, defiant and graphic message to Vladimir Putin.

This image of the 6-year-old girl being rushed out of an ambulance shows the start of a fight to save her life in the port city of Mariupol. Russians are advancing on the city, and on Sunday they shelled it heavily ... and she was taken to a hospital in very bad shape.

Her father was also bloodied and wounded, but furiously hoped doctors could save his daughter. One hospital staffer reportedly yelled, “Take her out! Take her out! We can make it!” ... as they wheeled her gurney into the hospital.

The medical team pumped her chest, gave her oxygen and even used defibrillators ... but they were unable to resuscitate the child. An AP photographer was in the ER documenting the efforts of nurses and doctors -- and, as several staffers wept, the doctor turned to the photog and said, "Show this to Putin. The eyes of this child, and crying doctors.”

Ukraine got a mention during the SAG Awards this weekend -- but it was somewhat brief and fleeting ... as Hollywood seemed determined to keep things light for the show.

The crisis was quickly addressed Sunday during the opening few minutes, with presenter Leslie Odom Jr. saying they were all hoping for peace in Ukraine, before the categories got underway.

LOJ was part of the first group to come up and talk on stage -- he was up there with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Daveed Diggs ... none of whom talked Ukraine in the initial moments.

Eventually, after playing a quick montage of standout acting moments from the past year ... the camera panned back to Odom Jr., who said what he said -- which amounted to a few seconds of screen time.

Many suspect Ukraine would be a big topic of the night ... but so far, as the ceremony gets rolling, it doesn't seem too many of the hosts and winners are going out of their way to talk about it much.

A U.S. congressman has the internet dumbfounded by a cryptic tweet aimed at young folks -- and while some try to figure out what he means ... it's music to others peoples' ears.

Representative Clay Higgins -- who reps Louisiana's 3rd congressional district -- fired off a bizarre message Sunday ... seemingly pissed off at liberals -- but his insult kinda fell flat, because no one really knows what the hell he's even saying.

Higgins wrote, "You millennial leftists who never lived one day under nuclear threat can now reflect upon your woke sky. You made quite a non-binary fuss to save the world from intercontinental ballistic tweets."

There's a lot to unpack here ... millennial leftists ... woke sky ... non-binary fuss ... intercontinental ballistic tweets??? Indeed, there's a lot of good standout imagery here -- and as a result, it's got many thinking these are great band names and/or album titles.

Others imagined this as something a comic book character might say in a panel ... just 'cause it's so dang flowery and ominous. And even more yet thought it was poetic!

Even Dictionary.com got in on the fun ... directly responding to Rep. Higgins by asking the obvious -- whatcha mean, man??? They wrote, "We’re not entirely sure what this tweet is supposed to mean, and we’re literally the dictionary."

As for what CH is actually getting at ... it appears to be related to Ukraine -- and without reading too much into it ... he seems to be parroting far-right talking points that have bubbled up during this whole fiasco -- namely, about how this is all about culture wars.

Yes, even in this dire time ... it would seem some simply can't let go of that mindset -- and even crazier, just as many, in some cases, are even embracing and cozying up to Russia right now, sympathizing with their cause!

The Russian national soccer team will be allowed to take the pitch ahead of some World Cup qualifying games -- because FIFA's letting them proceed ... despite some sanctions.

The international governing body for the game announced Sunday they would let Russia's players play against some neighboring countries in soon-to-come matches -- like against Poland, for example -- stopping short of an all-out ban ... which many were calling for.

Instead of kicking them out of the competition entirely, FIFA says they are, instead, not going to allow the Russian flag to be displayed, and won't play the Russian anthem either. They're also going to force the team to go by a new moniker -- the Football Union of Russia ... and no fans are allowed either.

Perhaps the biggest restriction FIFA is laying down in response to Putin's invasion ... not allowing any matches to be played in Russia itself, insisting on neutral territories.

Poland, the Czech Republic and Sweden were set to dive into a 4-team playoff round -- with games scheduled to be played in Russia itself -- and have since said they wouldn't square off against Russia at all ... no matter where the games were situated.

Seeing how Poland was supposed to play Russia first in this tournament -- they responded to FIFA's announcement shortly thereafter, reportedly calling it "totally unacceptable" and again reaffirming their commitment to not playing against Russia no matter what.

The Ukraine crisis is still very much underway, and yet ... some are already opining about who could play Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a movie -- and Jeremy Renner seems to be it.

Twitter users are up in arms again over this one ... perhaps for good reason. Essentially, this is a debate about whether talking about a would-be biopic is appropriate when the situation is unfolding live -- let alone musing about which actor could star as Ukraine's president.

Of course, some Tweeters couldn't help themselves ... firing off takes about how Hollywood is already cooking up a flick behind the scenes, and how Renner may well be the top choice to portray VZ.

The reason ... well, they look high-key alike -- almost dead ringers, if we're being honest. Same type of facial structure and everything ... and they're especially similar in appearance when wearing fatigues and whatnot.

But even if they are doppelgangers of one another, the other question is ... what difference does it make??? A good majority of folks online argue -- *now* is NOT the time to be discussing a possible film about Zelenskyy or Ukraine, because it's a serious situation.

Indeed, people are dying and/or fleeing for their lives ... so it does seem like a bad time to be making light of things -- and publicly spit-balling about a possible biopic down the road certainly feels like that ... namely, it's too freakin' soon to even bring up as a topic.

Interestingly, those who are batting this type of thinking down are attributing it to a uniquely American mindset -- suggesting that U.S. citizens often seem to be more interested in entertainment than real-life lives that are actually at risk.

We'll leave that philosophical ball for the Twittersphere to kick around -- but here's one thing that can't be denied ... Renner and Zelenskyy do bear a striking resemblance, and yes ... Renner is a fantastic actor, proven time and again in his pre-Marvel days.

And yes ... there may even be a studio out there that has a script in mind -- that's certainly not outside the realm of possibility, as Tinseltown never sleeps on the next big thing, and Zelenskyy's life story alone is totally worthy of the movie treatment (objectively).

Still, it sounds like what's got people pissed off is, obviously, the timing of such discussions -- but also, the callousness and lack of thoughtfulness in cavalier posts like these.

Renner, meanwhile, is minding his own business out in the woods of Lake Tahoe ... so ya gotta figure he might be upset to hear how he's getting roped into this nonsense.

As millions of people attempt to leave Ukraine and seek refuge in neighboring countries, a disturbing trend has surfaced ... namely, Africans, allegedly, being discriminated against.

Several videos and accounts have emerged over the past 24 hours or so from Africans and other POC, who claim they are not being allowed to board certain trains and other modes of transportation to flee Ukraine -- and they think it's because of the color of their skin.

This mostly appears to be happening at the Ukrainian-Polish border in the northwest region, where many allege that border agents and local police are literally letting white Ukrainians hop on in ... while refusing access -- or at the very least, limiting access -- to Black people.

Multiple clips appear to show scores of African migrants and/or expatriates being left behind at train stations -- and not just that, but actually being pushed back as they try to enter.

One clip shows a group of Africans who appear to have weapons drawn on them, and they shout that they're unarmed students ... tensions escalating quickly. It's unclear who exactly may be deciding who's able to book it out of there first and how -- but the feeling among those on standby (in some cases for days, it seems) is that they're a second-rate class.

As you can imagine, this is creating resentment and frustration -- especially for those who see this from afar and can't help but wonder ... how can racism persist in a time of war???

It's a fair question ... especially if what looks to be happening here is, in fact, going down as described. There isn't much context in a lot of the videos beyond what's being claimed by the person on camera and/or the person posting it. Still ... it looks damning on the face of things.

Many users -- African-American and otherwise -- are sounding off online ... noting that even when Black people show solidarity against a nation in crisis -- those on the ground still might have to go above and beyond for a shred of dignity or mere safety, while others are being afforded exactly that without a blink of the eye. That's the consensus, anyway.

As we've told you ... Russia continues to invade Ukraine, and the military there is trying its best to defend itself -- while Western allies keep putting the financial squeeze on Putin and his people.

'SNL' broke from tradition Saturday night ... there were no laughs in the cold open -- instead, there was a moving tribute to Ukraine.

The show opened with Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong somberly introducing the Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York. The choir sang a mournful song called "Prayer for Ukraine."

The Chorus has a deep connection to both Ukraine and the U.S. ... Ukrainian immigrants back in the 1940's created the Chorus to preserve their Ukrainian heritage and celebrate music ... something deeply important in Ukrainian culture.

A table filled with candles was center stage, spelling the name of the capital -- Kyiv.

'SNL' has broken from tradition with serious cold opens only a few times in the past -- notably, after 9/11 Paul Simon sang "The Boxer" as first responders and then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani stood by.

The Ukrainian people have mounted a heroic resistance to Russian aggression ... people from all walks of life, including beauty queens.

Anastasiia Lenna, aka former Miss Grand Ukraine, is now a member of Ukraine's fighting force to block Russia from taking over her country.

Lenna has influence, for sure ... with more than 115,000 Instagram followers. She's also a bad ass, writing, "Everyone who crosses the Ukrainian border with the intent to invade will be killed!"

She paid homage to the person who has become a worldwide hero -- President Volodymyr Zelensky, referring to him as "a true and strong leader."

She's been posting pics of her in military issue ... sporting the guns she's more than willing to use to protect her homeland.

Lenna has been blasting out pleas for donations to allow her military to fight off the Russians.

Ukraine is under attack, and while you might think its President would get the hell outta there ASAP ... Volodymyr Zelenskyy is doing the exact opposite, sticking around to fight.

Ukraine's fearless leader is showing his guts by staying on the ground in and around Kyiv -- the nation's capital -- and making sure his people know ... he isn't abandoning them in a time of crisis.

Case in point ... AP reports that sometime on Friday, Zelenskyy turned down an offer from U.S. officials to flee the country -- apparently with their help -- and instead told them ... "The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride," per sources familiar with the convo.

He later posted a video of himself next to fellow cabinet members in the middle of the night, assuring everyone there he hadn't fled -- contrary to reports, it seems -- and that he was dedicated to staying in Ukraine as long as possible to defend their sovereignty.

VZ threw up yet another video on Saturday morning echoing the same sentiment.

He said, "I am here. We are not putting down arms. We will be defending our country, because our weapon is truth, and our truth is that this is our land, our country, our children, and we will defend all of this."

BTW, reports say the Ukrainians are actually holding their own in the battle -- and, in some cases, are actually fending off Russian soldiers pretty well with the forces they currently have.

Zelenskyy further addressed Ukrainians Saturday with some encouraging news -- saying he'd gotten reassurance from neighboring countries that they'd help feed oil to Ukraine during this fight ... and not just that, but he also announced Russia had, in fact, been nixed from SWIFT.

SWIFT is an international banking communications system that Russia -- and a ton of other countries -- rely on to talk finance and money ... and removing them will further isolate Putin beyond sanctions already in place, with more consequences likely to follow.

It also sounds like President Zelenskyy has been on the horn nonstop with Western allies -- many of whom, including the U.S., are vowing support via resources and in some cases ... on-the-ground troops if needed.

It's a tricky situation, because a misstep here can unleash an all-out world war -- but all things considered ... Zelenskyy is navigating this as best as possible, and in many cases ... being hailed a hero for leading his people through a turbulent situation.

Here's the crazy part about Zelenskyy's tenure -- the guy is actually a comedian/TV star who actually played the Ukrainian Prez on his own show years before he manifested that into the real thing. He's been likened to Jon Stewart with his biting satire ... and now, he leads a war-torn nation in real life.

Americans and Canadians are banding together to kick a bad habit -- chucking Russian vodka by the liter in protest of Putin's invasion of Ukraine ... in hopes of sending a message.

Of course, President Biden and other world powers are already imposing sanctions against Russia as a way to deter Putin from continuing his takeover -- but if that wasn't enough ... local liquor stores and restauranteurs are doing their part as well with a heavy pour.

And, we're not talking about ones for a shot either -- business owners from Oregon to Vegas and Vermont -- and, perhaps, soon even in Virginia -- are draining their Russian-based spirits down the sink and into the streets ... just to show solidarity with Ukrainians.

Bill McCormick -- who runs the Pine Tavern Restaurant in Bend, OR -- did an interview with KTVZ21 to talk about why he was nixing brands like Stolichnaya and others ... saying he doesn't wanna support any facet of the Russian regime, even if it means one less drink sold.

Ditto for the guys over at the Evel Pie pizzeria in Vegas ... who posted a photo of themselves emptying bottles of Russian Standard, among other brands, right onto the curb. The folks over at the Magic Mountain Ski Resort in Londonberry, VT are also following suit.

Another place that's speaking out ... Southern Spirits in Fort Mill, SC -- which posted something to Facebook declaring they would be avoiding promotion of Russian products.

They write, "We will sell down the inventory we currently have but will be moving the displays from the floor. Instead, we will continue to promote and carry Kozak which is an outstanding vodka from Ukraine. Thank you for your understanding."

Like we said ... Canada is getting in on the boycott too, with provincial powers that handle a good majority of liquor imports and sales announcing bans in their own backyard.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation expressed exactly that, writing ... "The Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation, along with other Liquor jurisdictions throughout Canada, has made the decision to remove products of Russian origin from its shelves. These include Russian Standard Vodka and Russian Standard Platinum Vodka."

There are Canadian officials that are joining the chorus as well, like Ontario's Minister of Finance -- Peter Bethlenfalvy -- stating his support of bans in the area of Russian vodka.

The brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine is hard for some Americans to understand, so Bill Maher broke it down in terms a pop culture consumer can easily grasp.

Maher broke it down Friday night on "Real Time," equating Ukraine to Kim Kardashian, NATO to Pete Davidson, and -- sorry Ye -- you're Russia.

So, the idea ... Kim (Ukraine) wants her freedom, but she's boldly taken steps to move on from her marriage by forging a romantic alliance with Pete (NATO), and Kanye (Russia) is now throwing up all these false scenarios, claiming they're making his life difficult, so he's now showing unbridled aggression.

Now you get it?

Maher ended his show in true Bill fashion ... showing unbridled contempt for the Republican Party, while blasting the Democrats for squandering an opportunity to avert midterm disaster.

He noted Trump's stranglehold on the Republican Party seems to be waining ... the poll numbers show a drop in support as dramatic as the decline of Omicron.

So, his point ... a lot of folks who were drawn to Trump who felt disenfranchised are now jumping off that train in droves, so they're ripe for the pickin', assuming Democrats don't attack them for having supported Trump in the past. In other words ... show graciousness.

There's a fabulous sports metaphor Obama once used to describe this very opportunity ... and Bill recounts it well.

The Ukrainians are not only a stronger force than the Russians expected, but they're also bringing attitude to the fight, and they're doing it in an awesome fashion.

Check out this video ... some Ukrainians were driving and came upon a Russian tank that apparently ran out of gas and was simply stuck in the road. Rather than hightailing it out of there, the Ukrainians mocked the Russians, asking if they wanted a tow back to Russia.

Here's the translation of how the convo went ...

Ukrainians: You guys broke down?

Russians: What?

Ukrainians: You broke down? Maybe you need a tow back to Russia.

*Both sides laugh*

Ukrainians: Do you know where you're headed?

Russians: No.

Ukrainians: Well you're headed toward Kyiv.

Russians: What are people saying?

Ukrainians: Everything is going our way. Your side is surrendering well because none of your guys know where they're headed. I asked a whole caravan of guys like you and none of you know where you're headed.

The brutal reality ... the Russian assault on Ukraine has intensified over the last 12 hours, but the Russian troops have met with intense resistance. The capital -- Kyiv -- and is the flashpoint.

Putin's brutality against Ukraine has upset the world, and Kim's about to become a single woman again, much to the dismay of Kanye. So, we gotta ask ...

New evidence of the brutality Ukrainian civilians are suffering at the hands of Russian forces -- video of a tank flattening a car on the streets of Kyiv, but somehow the driver is still alive.

The horrifying scene unfolded in Ukraine's capital as a tank rolled down a desolate surface street ... until it suddenly, and intentionally, swerved to crush a sedan driving in the opposite direction.

The citizens recording the scene screamed out, obviously thinking the driver had been killed. Aftermath video does show the car severely damaged, but you also see the man behind the wheel alive ... though clearly injured.

Several people gathered around to peel back the car's frame ... attempting to free the man from the wreckage.

As you can see, the top of the car was torn off, and the rescuers had to use a crowbar to pry open the driver's side door.

The video started going viral Friday, and there are conflicting reports about whether the tank belongs to the Russian army or a Ukrainian tank hijacked by Russian troops.

Russian tennis star Andrey Rublev had a simple, yet powerful message as his country and Ukraine collide on the world stage ... writing "no war please" on a camera following his match in Dubai.

Andrey -- the world's No.7 ranked tennis player -- knocked off his opponent, Hubert Hurkacz, on Friday ... and then made his mark for all to see.

Rublev spoke more in-depth about the conflict after the match ... saying, "You realize how important it is to have peace in the world and to respect each other no matter what, to be united."

"We should take care of our earth and of each other. This is the most important thing."

Rublev -- who's from Russia's capital city, Moscow -- says he's been receiving negative comments online because of the invasion in Ukraine.

Fellow tennis great Daniil Medvedev -- who's also from Russia -- spoke about the importance of using his platform to promote peace.

"By being a tennis player, I want to promote peace all over the world," Medvedev said. "It's just not easy to hear all this news. I'm all for peace."

But, despite the major accomplishment, Rublev expressed certain issues transcend the realm of sports -- and the situation in Ukraine is one of them.

"In these moments, you realize that my match is not important," Andrey said. "It's not about my match, how it affects me. What's happening is much more terrible."

Dozens of Ukrainian infants born in the middle of the Russian invasion are now getting intensive care in a makeshift bomb shelter ... as hospital staff huddles around the newborns.

This footage is from a children's hospital in Dnipro, a city in eastern Ukraine -- an area Russia is targeting with missiles -- and you can see the tough conditions these babies and their caretakers are now forced to endure.

The babies were moved from the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit -- so, they were medically vulnerable under the best conditions ... but now they've been forced to seek refuge in a basement area of the building.

You can see nurses doing their best to hook them up to oxygen tanks and other medical devices.

It's another heartbreaking video from the front lines of the conflict ... much like that video of a Ukrainian father sobbing as he sends his daughter to safety.