A group of 45 African migrants, stranded on an inflatable raft in the Mediterranean Sea, sent out an SOS message in hopes of being rescued and taken to Italy. Instead of a rescue ship, they were approached by a Libyan Coast Guard vessel. The coast guard provided first aid and life preservers but also brandished an AK-47 to compel the migrants, who were suffering from dehydration and exposure to saltwater, to board their vessel. The migrants were then forcibly returned to Libya, which is currently a conflict zone.

Oleksander Kharchenko, a 40-year-old programmer, bids farewell to his family at a train station in Lviv, Ukraine, as he prepares to join the resistance against Russian forces. Despite the Ukrainian government's ban on men aged 18 to 60 leaving the country, Kharchenko is determined to stay and fight. He hopes his wife and children can reach the United States. The article highlights the desperation of people fleeing the war, the intensification of Russian attacks, and the emotional farewells at the Lviv train station.

Oleksander Kharchenko, a 40-year-old programmer from Kharkiv, Ukraine, bids farewell to his family at the Lviv train station as he prepares to join the Ukrainian resistance against Russian forces. Despite the Ukrainian government's prohibition on men aged 18 to 60 leaving the country, Kharchenko would have stayed to fight regardless. He hopes his wife and children can reach the United States, where they have family. The article highlights the emotional toll of the war on civilians and the desperate conditions at the Lviv train station as people flee the conflict.

Since the early days of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the speed at which Ukrainians have been repairing destruction around Kiev has been remarkable. Regardless of the extent of damage, efforts to clean and rebuild commence swiftly. In the suburbs of Irpin, Butcha, and Hostomel, the population is striving to return to normalcy, with streets being cleaned, asphalt being replaced, and electricity restored in most homes. The debris from Russian armored vehicles has been cleared, and even in the absence of gas, residents cook outside with wood. The destroyed bridge connecting Irpin and Kiev has not been rebuilt, but a new passage has been constructed, allowing safe and quick transit. Checkpoints are less heavily armed, and there is a sense of calm, making it difficult to compare the current state to the chaos captured in photographs taken just weeks prior.

Oleg, a 47-year-old Ukrainian, successfully rescued his 15-year-old son with cerebral palsy, his ex-wife, and his ex-mother-in-law from the besieged city of Mariupol. They faced obstacles such as landmines and checkpoints during their four-day journey to Dnipro. Oleg described Mariupol as a complete disaster with widespread destruction. Despite the risks, including Russian soldiers who could have confiscated his vehicle, Oleg plans to return to rescue more family members. The Ukrainian forces in Mariupol are determined to fight, while the Russian military, which includes many non-Russian ethnic soldiers, behaves as if they have permanent control. Oleg, who works for a humanitarian organization, and his family are now in a shelter in Dnipro, and he intends to send them to his sister in Germany.

Oleg, a 47-year-old Ukrainian, successfully rescued his 15-year-old son with cerebral palsy, his ex-wife, and his ex-mother-in-law from the besieged city of Mariupol. They faced obstacles such as landmines and checkpoints during their four-day journey to Dnipro. Oleg described Mariupol as a complete disaster with ruins and improvised cemeteries. Despite the risks, he plans to return to rescue more family members. The Ukrainian military remains determined to fight for Mariupol, while Russian forces and Donetsk People's Republic soldiers impose harsh conditions on the local population. Oleg, who works for a humanitarian organization, intends to relocate his family further west to Germany.

Natalia, a 54-year-old resident of Mariupol, recounts her harrowing experience during the siege of the city by Russian forces. On March 5, following a ceasefire agreement, she and her family sought refuge in a drama theater, which was later bombed. Natalia, now in a hospital in Zaporizhia, describes the dire conditions they faced, including lack of food, water, and heating, as well as the constant bombardment that turned Mariupol into ruins. Despite the ceasefire, the theater was attacked, resulting in numerous casualties. Natalia was injured and eventually evacuated to a hospital, but her son-in-law Volodimir's fate remains unknown, and she is uncertain about her mother's survival. Russia denies targeting the theater and claims not to target civilians, but independent verification has not been possible.

Hundreds of Ukrainians, marked with the word 'children' on their windshields, queue in Zaporizhia to enter Mariupol, which has been besieged by Russian troops for four weeks. Mariupol is a strategic location, and its capture would connect Crimea to the Donbass region. Failed ceasefire negotiations have prevented civilian evacuation and hindered humanitarian NGOs like the International Committee of the Red Cross. An estimated 2,400 civilians have been identified as killed in Mariupol as of March 15, according to Piotr Andriuchtchenko, an advisor to the local government, with the total possibly reaching 20,000. Civilians, including Oleg, are attempting to return to rescue family members, despite the risks and lack of communication since March 2.

Haliana Ivanivna, a 63-year-old woman from Mariupol, recounts the harrowing experience of sheltering 172 people, including 50 children, in a former Soviet dormitory during the Russian invasion. The shelter, promised support by the local government, was targeted in attacks, leaving the inhabitants without electricity, gas, and eventually food. Despite the danger, Haliana and her daughter cooked for the sheltered people until a rocket attack injured them and destroyed their supplies. Haliana, her daughter, and her family eventually left the hospital and Mariupol, reaching Zaporizhia, where she is recovering and has regained the ability to walk.

Residents of Mariupol, Ukraine, besieged by the Russian Army, are living in terror, unable to access humanitarian corridors. Over 80% of homes have been destroyed, and leaving the city is risky due to broken Russian promises. Civilians, including Christina Cherkess and her family, have endured days without electricity, heating, or water, hiding in basements. Corpses are accumulating on the streets, and despite attempts by Russian and Ukrainian authorities to establish humanitarian corridors, a comprehensive ceasefire has not been achieved. Around 30,000 people have fled Mariupol, with many heading to Zaporizhia, which has also experienced Russian bombardments. The Ukrainian government has managed to evacuate 190,000 civilians from war-affected areas.