A woman cries as she and others appeal to Ukrainian police troops at the site of clashes with protesters in Kiev Jan. 24. Since mid-January violent clashes have escalated between police and the demonstrators, who had gathered peacefully urging stronger ties with Western Europe. The growing violence prompted the U.S. Ukrainian Catholic bishops to issue a statement Jan. 23 supporting the church in Ukraine “in this time of duress.” (CNS photo/Gleb Garanich, Reuters) (Jan. 24, 2014) See UKRAINE Jan. 24, 2014.