Thousands of people from around the world have already volunteered to join the newly formed army of the International Legion of Ukraine following a call from the president Green yesterday.

UkraineDeputy Defense Minister Hannah Maliar wrote to Facebook on Monday, he said thousands of people had responded to Zelenski’s call.

Among them are American veterinarians who apply to go to the region through the Ukrainian embassy in DC.

Six special veterinarians are already there, and two infantry officers have to go to the Polish border.

Maliar said on Monday: “We already have several thousand statements from foreign nationals who want to join the resistance against the Russian occupiers and the protection of world security from the Putin regime.”

She later announced that the government was offering its own troops 100,000 hryvnias – the equivalent of $ 3,300 a month – for enrollment.

Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar wrote on Facebook on Monday that thousands of people had appeared after Zelensky’s call

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on Monday signed a petition for Ukraine’s accession to the EU. On Sunday, he called on international volunteers to join the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine

War in Ukraine, day 5: Russian forces are now trying to bypass Kyiv and encircle it from the west. Troops fighting the Crimea continue to succeed and are likely to surround Mariupol soon, while reaching the outskirts of a key Ukrainian nuclear power plant. Fighting in the east continues to be heavy, with no breakthrough for Putin

Military reporter Nolan Peterson said Monday that he had been informed by one of the American volunteers fighting in the region that he had almost died “on the first day”.

“Ukraine will pay its soldiers 100 thousand hryvnia per month – the Cabinet decree.

“The relevant decision was made today by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on the implementation of the President’s orders.

“Soldiers who take part directly in hostilities or provide measures for national security and defense, divert and limit armed aggression, being directly in the areas and during the period of said action ̶ ̶ the amount of the additional reward is increased to 100 000 UAH per month, in proportion to the time of participation in such actions and events, “she said.

Accompanying statement of the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, which Alexei Reznikov said that this is not a “thank you” to the troops, but a sign of gratitude.

“This is not done to say thank you. This is done so that our defenders and defenders know that their country is grateful.

War in Ukraine: the latest

• Ukraine says Russia has lost 5,300 troops, 29 planes, 29 helicopters and 151 tanks
• Russia admitted for the first time that it had suffered losses, but declined to say how much
• Russia’s economy falls into free fall as Western sanctions imposed over the weekend take effect, with the ruble falling to its lowest level ever
• Moscow’s central bank has more than doubled interest rates to 20 percent
• Russia orders people and companies to sell 80% of their income in foreign currency, forcing them to buy the ruble to help maintain it
• The Moscow Stock Exchange will not open at least 15:00 in an attempt to prevent a total collapse
• Zelensky allows Ukrainian prisoners to be released if they join the defense forces to “pay off their debt”
• The President of Ukraine also announced the creation of an “international brigade” for foreign volunteers wishing to join the military, after “thousands” applied
• Spanish foreign minister calls Putin’s order to bring nuclear forces on high alert “another sign [his] absolute irrationality “
• Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says his country should be open to deploying nuclear weapons
• Germany announces $ 112 million fund to rebuild the country’s armed forces, more than double its current self-defense budget
• EU announces for the first time in its history that it will send funds to Ukraine for weapons – including fighter jets

“The state must pay decently for this important work,” Reznikov said.

Wartime on Monday, it said it had received requests from several American veterans who had expressed interest in going to Ukraine to join the effort.

To do so, they must apply through the Ukrainian embassy in Washington, prove their military experience and wait for approval.

This is a long process that military experts say is needed to avoid inexperienced civilians rushing into the conflict zone and hampering efforts, but this could delay aid to landowners in need. her.

The steps are listed as follows;

“(1) Apply to the Embassy of Ukraine in your country with the intention of joining the Foreign Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine (ask a military diplomat or consul for details). Applicants can visit the embassy in person, call or send an email to begin the process.

‘2) Arrange your documents. This includes an identity card, a passport for traveling abroad, documents confirming military service or work with law enforcement and participation in hostilities.

“3) Arrive at the embassy with documents for an interview with the Defense Attaché and for resolving any visa issues with the consul.

‘4) Write an application for enrollment in the Territorial Defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for military service under a contract on a voluntary basis. (This is in addition to Step 1.)

‘5) Get instructions on how to arrive in Ukraine and what to bring. Military clothing, equipment, helmet, bulletproof vests, combat gloves, tactical goggles, belts and vests are recommended. “Not necessarily,” the officer said, “but a foreign soldier in his national uniform looks good to the International Legion.”

‘6) Go to Ukraine in an organized way. Representatives of Ukrainian embassies, consulates (abroad) and territorial defense in Ukraine will provide assistance along the way. Contacts will be provided at the Embassy of Ukraine in your country.

The Ukrainian embassy in the District of Columbia did not respond to inquiries Monday about the number of applications received.

This photo shows Russian GAZ Tiger infantry vehicles destroyed in a battle in Kharkiv, located about 50 km from the Ukrainian-Russian border, on February 28, 2022.

People remove debris on the site of a military base building that Ukrainian forces say was destroyed by an air strike in the town of Okhtyrka in the Sumy region of Ukraine on February 28, 2022.

Ukrainians in Zaporozhye on Sunday make their own Molotov cocktails to fight the enemy

President Zelensky signed a petition on Monday for Ukraine’s accession to the EU, hoping to strengthen ties with the West.

The Biden administration provided $ 350 million in arms and aid yesterday, and Canada approved $ 25 million on Monday.

Zelensky remained in the capital, Kyiv, fighting the invading enemy along with the nation’s citizens.

Peace talks with Belarus failed on Monday without a resolution.

By Monday evening, huge explosions were heard throughout the city of Kyiv.

A dramatic video showed the night sky lit up by a huge fireball that reportedly came from a military radar communications center in the capital’s Brovary suburb.

The new explosion came hours after the Kremlin warned civilians to leave the city on a “safe route” to the southwest, amid fears that the city was on the verge of another heavy attack.

Russia has used similar tactics in Syrian cities while fighting alongside Bashar al-Assad before its forces bombarded them heavily.

Russian armored vehicles were working to encircle Kyiv with tanks maneuvering to cut it off from the west after attacks by advanced forces failed to penetrate the outskirts.

New satellite images also showed a military convoy spanning more than 17 miles (27km) approaching the capital, a private US company said.

A second round of talks aims to end Russia attack on Ukraine is scheduled to take place after the end of the first meeting without a decision.

The first set of negotiations that took place in Belarus on Monday afternoon, ended with criticism of Kyiv for the destructive processes in Russia.

A member of the Ukrainian delegation said today that the five-hour discussions were difficult and the Russian side was biased.

This was said by the adviser to the President Mikhail Podoliak Twitter: “Unfortunately, the Russian side still has a very biased view of the destructive processes it has begun.”

Meanwhile, Russian officials said: “We have identified certain points from which we can predict common positions.”

Ukrainian President Vladimir Green he previously admitted that he was not confident in the positive decision, adding that he owed his people at least to try to get involved.

A new round of talks is set to take place in the coming days, according to an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Vladimir Medinski said: “Another round of talks has been agreed.

“Mykhailo Podoliak, Supreme Adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, gave little details, except that talks near the Ukraine-Belarus border focused on a possible ceasefire and that a second round could be held.” near future.’

“The next meeting will take place in the coming days on the Polish-Belarusian border, there is an agreement on that,” Medinski said.

A second round of talks aimed at ending Russia’s attack on Ukraine is expected to take place after the first meeting (pictured) ended without a resolution.

Zelensky did not agree to negotiate Belarusa country used as a base for the Russian invasion and now ready to join the war, offering to meet instead in Istanbul, Warsaw or Baku.

Ukraine has said it will call for a ceasefire and a full withdrawal of Russian forces, but Moscow has remained silent on what will lead to talks at noon in Gomel in southeastern Belarus.

This comes as columns of Belarusian military vehicles were spotted heading east from the southwest corner of the country today in preparation for joining the invasion of Ukraine.

Some observers have warned that talks could be a pretext for Moscow to step up its attacks on Ukraine if Kyiv officials deny Russian demands.

The first set of talks, held in Belarus on Monday afternoon, ended with Kyiv’s criticism of Russia’s destructive processes. Above: Members of the Ukrainian delegation arriving for Monday’s talks

Columns of Belarusian military vehicles were spotted heading east from the southwest corner of the country on Monday in what appeared to be preparations for joining the invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has admitted he is not confident of a positive decision, adding that he owes his people at least an attempt to commit.

Among those in attendance were Ukraine’s defense minister, chief adviser in the president’s office and deputy foreign minister.

But while Ukraine sent its defense minister and other senior officials, the Russian delegation was led by Putin’s cultural adviser, an unlikely envoy to end the war and perhaps a sign of Moscow’s view of the talks.

Meanwhile, ahead of Monday’s peace talks, Russian military officials ordered heavy strategic bomber flights as part of efforts to prevent international aid from reaching Ukraine.

Observers have warned that the order suggests that Vladimir Putin’s forces are preparing to intensify bombing of Ukraine in the coming days.

Richard Nass, president of the Foreign Affairs Council, warned that recent events meant that the most likely development of the conflict was a “conventional” military escalation from Russia, not a diplomatic breakthrough.

He wrote to us on Twitter that he was speculating that Moscow was using the talks to “seem somewhat reasonable” to delay sanctions against Russia, as well as to help Ukraine.

But he warned that Kremlin forces were likely to turn to “more destructive munitions” if peace talks failed, using the failure to negotiate a diplomatic breakthrough as a pretext.

Delegations from Ukraine and Russia, including aides to Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Zelensky, hold peace talks in Gomel region of Belarus

Ukrainian delegation leaves Belarusian military helicopter after landing in Gomel region ahead of peace talks with Russian officials on Monday

Russian delegation gets off bus in Gomel region of Belarus ahead of peace talks with Ukraine on Monday

War in Ukraine, day 5: Russian forces are now trying to bypass Kyiv and encircle it from the west. Troops fighting the Crimea continue to succeed and are likely to surround Mariupol soon, while reaching the outskirts of a key Ukrainian nuclear power plant. Fighting in the east continues to be heavy, with no breakthrough for Putin

Kyiv has been fighting for days against Russian attempts to break through the outskirts of the city, with tanks now trying to encircle it and a large column of armor approaching amid fears that fighting could worsen

As superior but determined Ukrainian forces have delayed Russia’s offensive and sanctions have crippled Russia’s economy, the military has confirmed that its nuclear forces are on high alert, following an order from President Vladimir Putin.

Although this raised the unimaginable specter of nuclear conflict, it was unclear what practical effect it had.

Until Monday morning in Kyiv there was a tense calm, explosions and shootings were heard in the cities of eastern Ukraine and terrified Ukrainian families huddled at night in shelters, basements or corridors.

The nail-biting video shows the dramatic moment when a father put his life – and his body – at risk to save his son from a raging bull in Texas rodeo.

Landis Hooks of Louisiana has been hailed as a hero for coming to the rescue of his 18-year-old bull rider, Cody Hooks, who fell from an animal during an exhibition at the Bell County Expo Center in Belton earlier this month.

In the already viral video shared on InstagramCody can be seen being thrown out of the bull moments after the animal jumped out of its stand and climbed onto the crowded arena.

Unconscious from the fall, Cody can be seen in the footage lying motionless as the angry bull continues to run and spin around the ring.

Scroll down for video:

The devastating video shows the dramatic moment in which the father of the character Landis Hooks put his life – and his body – at risk to save his son, a bull rider, Cody Hooks, from a raging bull in a Texas rodeo

The footage shows several cowboys and rodeo clashes trying to wind the beast, but to no avail, while the bull continues to roam the arena.

At one point in the video, which lasts less than 20 seconds, you can see how the animal is charging for Cody, who is still unconscious.

Seemingly aware of the gravity of the situation, Landis, who was in the crowd as a spectator to watch his son’s performance, quickly jumped into action just seven seconds after Cody was hit on the floor, jumping a fence in the ring and running to his son. .

As the bull rushes forward, Landis does the unthinkable and drapes his body over his boy, forming a human shield to protect him.

In the already viral video shared on Instagram, the young Cody can be seen being thrown out of the bull moments after the animal jumped out of its stall and appeared in the crowded arena

Cody was unconscious from the fall. The footage shows several cowboys and rodeo employees trying to wind the bull while the animal continues to roam the arena – dangerously close to the still-downloaded Cody

“You see, this cowboy has put his life on top,” a announcer can be heard in the heartbreaking video.

The video then shows Landis blocking a blow from the animal, using his own body, placing it between the bull and Cody’s head, which would probably have been hit – and even drunk – if the quick-thinking father hadn’t acted.

Social media users now call Landis – who took the brunt of the blow but suffered only minor injuries from the incident – a hero of the mind-boggling feat after his son posted the footage on his Instagram account.

“Not one to fall, but many thanks to my father @ hooks.landis and the bullfighters last night in Belton, Tx could have been a hell of a lot worse,” wrote the teenager, who came out of the match unscathed and had a professional bull ride last year. – from his father’s courageous act.

18-year-old Cody Landis, who is from Louisiana, walked away from the incident without any injuries

At one point in the video, you can see the animal attacking Cody while still unconscious – but Landis is activated just in time, covering his unconscious son with his own body.

The video then shows Landis blocking an attack by the animal, using his own body to protect his son’s head, which would probably have been hit – and even fed – if the quick-thinking father hadn’t acted.

They both left the incident without serious injuries, with Landis hailed as a hero on thousands of social media for his heroic deed.

Others quickly followed suit as the video continued to attract widespread national attention.

“Every dad hopes to take action like this. Impressive, “wrote one user in response to a repost of the Twitter video, which garnered more than a million views.

“Father, ready to give his life for his son!” Another wondered.

“We’re glad you’re fine! Rest! someone else writes.

Another added, “This is the devilish dad you have!”

“I just wanted to say that both you and your father are amazing human beings,” exploded an additional user. “It made me cry like a mother watching your relationship and your father’s love for you. Strong men! I’m glad you’re both fine!

Social media users are called Landis – who took the brunt of the blow but suffered only minor injuries from the incident – the hero of the mind-boggling feat after his son posted the footage on his Instagram account earlier this month

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 The vaccine has done little to protect inoculated children ages 5 to 11 from infection, according to data released by New York government officials on Monday.

Researchers from the New York State Department of Health assessed the degree of infection of minors who had Pfizer blow made available to them. The children were divided into two age groups, one for children aged 5 to 11 and the other for children aged 12 to 17.

They found that the two-dose Pfizer injection was only 12 percent effective in preventing infection in the younger age group just one month after receiving it.

The findings have far-reaching implications for the use of vaccines and whether parents will want to prick their children.

Children are not at high risk of the virus, and hospitalizations and deaths are particularly rare.

The main argument in favor of vaccinating them is to prevent the spread of the virus, although these findings suggest that the vaccine does little to prevent this anyway.

In cities like New York, five-year-olds were forced to show proof of a vaccine to enter indoor dining, fitness and entertainment venues. The children also had to be vaccinated in order to take part in some school activities.

This has probably influenced some parents’ decisions about the vaccine – as vaccination has been relatively low in younger age groups – and official government figures are now showing that the vaccine has done little to protect children. from infection.

Some parents also had significant fears about the potential side effects of the vaccine and risked giving their child the injection only to find that it was not potentially as effective as advertised.

New York State officials said Monday that children aged 5 to 11 receiving the COVID-19 vaccine had a only 12 percent lower risk of infection. Pictured: A young child in France receives a vaccine against COVID-19

Researchers in New York collected data on 852,384 children aged 12 to 17 and 365,502 children aged 5 to 11 for the study.

The study that is prepress and pending peer review, collected data from the Omicron period of the pandemic, from December 2021 and January 2022.

Study participants were followed and compared with general data from unvaccinated populations.

One major difference between the study groups was the dosage of the vaccine. While children aged 12 and over receive a 30 microgram vaccine, it is only ten micrograms for the five to 11 age group.

The researchers found that 28 to 34 days after receiving the second dose – about a month – the effectiveness of the vaccine in the younger age group decreased from 67 percent to 11 percent compared to the variant.

This compares with a much smaller decline from 66% to 51% in the older age group.

There was also a significant difference found between 11 and 12-year-olds – the section where the vaccine dose was changed – suggesting that lower doses were less effective.

Pfizer has faced a similar problem with its dosage in children aged six months to four years.

For this age group, the stroke was reduced to three micrograms, although initial experiments showed that three- and four-year-olds had a small immune response to the smaller stroke.

Since then, the company has introduced a third blow to vaccine testing, and the FDA’s approval for the vaccine has been suspended as these data have been collected.

However, Pfizer is in trouble. The company wants to launch injections for younger age groups and has even been forced by regulators to apply before the third dose is available.

Adding millions of young children to extended vaccine eligibility would also make the New York-based company a good sum of money.

With the only photo available to people under the age of 18 in America, it has effectively squeezed an extremely lucrative market.

However, the mRNA technology used in the vaccine is now a problem.

Pfizer reduced doses in younger age groups to help understand the risk of vaccine recipients developing myocarditis.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that recipients of vaccines distributed by Pfizer and Moderna – who also have Covid jab mRNA – are at risk of developing rare heart disease. This risk is especially prevalent in young men.

Although this did not cause as many Pfizer injections as Moderna – which has been restricted in some Scandinavian countries due to fears of heart inflammation – the company had to adjust its dosage levels to avoid an increased risk of young people.

This may have left children on the edge of any age group, those aged 11 and 4, with a vaccine that provides them with little in terms of vaccine protection.

“These results underscore the potential need to study alternative vaccine dosing for children and the continuing importance of multilayer protections, including wearing masks, to prevent infection and transmission,” the New York researchers wrote in the study.

Some questions about whether the vaccine is needed at all for younger children due to the extremely low risk they face from the virus.

According to the CDC, children have accounted for less than 0.1 percent of COVID-19 deaths in the United States since the pandemic began in March 2020.

A study from October last year also found that about half of Covid’s pediatric cases were asymptomatic, and that was before the milder version of Omicron became dominant in the United States.

When infected, children also release fewer virus particles into the air, making them less likely to spread the virus and study published by a German research team last week found.

HELVETIA, WV — As the sun set behind the Appalachian mountain ranges on a Saturday night, revelers donned fantastic papier-mâché masks — a bright red creature with striped horns, a boar with a floral headdress, an autumn leaf — and happily marched at a masquerade ball to open sky.

The celebration included Swiss folk songs, tiny Swiss flags and paper lanterns. The climax was a parade through the streets of the village, led by an effigy of Old Man Winter, who was then thrown onto a raging bonfire to hasten the arrival of spring.

Helvetia, a community of only 85 people, has been hosting Fasnacht for more than half a century. The coronavirus pandemic forced it to be canceled last year – for the first time since 1967 – making this year’s celebration even sweeter.

Doug Davies, longtime festival organizer and public school teacher, seems excited about the festival’s return. “Covid has killed the community spirit,” he said. “But we are recovering.

Helvetia, like Fasnacht itself, has Swiss roots. The village was settled in the 19th century by Swiss and German immigrants and the buildings are of traditional Swiss architecture. The traditional Swiss restaurant Hütte serves sausages, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and potatoes. The Beekeeper Inn is booked months before the Fasnacht weekend. The Helvetia General Store also houses the Fasnacht mask museum.

In many parts of Switzerland, the carnival season, or Fasnacht, takes place in February and March. In Helvetia, it’s the weekend before Fat Tuesday, and enough visitors come here to increase the number of people in the city and more than triple its population.

While many revelers on Saturday said they were relieved to see the tradition return, some described a sense of urgency in their desire to experience what may be West Virginia’s most unusual public holiday. The Appalachians, according to Joe Holmes, a participant from Davis, West Virginia, 76 miles away, are “homogenizing like everything else. Those little pockets of uniqueness just dry up. It is the inevitable result of technology and progress.”

This year events have been moved outside as a precaution against Covid-19. Participants loitered along the banks of the upper Trout Run, warmed themselves by fires and enjoyed rosettes and Fasnacht donuts, traditional Swiss sweets. Visitors lined up to look inside a log cabin adorned with artifacts from the first settlers of Helvetia.

And on Saturday night, as the flames consumed the last bits of Old Man Winter, festival-goers joined in an a cappella performance of John Denver’s favorite anthem, “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”

The White House is easing its mask mandate in time for President Biden’s State of the Union address on Tuesday, according to a memo sent to staff on Monday.

“As of tomorrow, Tuesday, March 1, we are removing the requirement for fully vaccinated individuals to wear masks on the White House campus,” the memorandum reads. It added: “Some people will choose to continue wearing masks to protect themselves. We must respect this choice.”

The policy for unvaccinated people visiting the White House remains unchanged, the spokesman said: they will still be required to be tested, wear masks and practice social distancing. Nearly all White House staff have been vaccinated.

A person familiar with the White House’s guidance on masks said the memorandum was the first step towards reopening the White House in the next few weeks, adding that the president and Jill Biden, the first lady, would be hosting guests at the White House for food. and drinks before turning on Tuesday. And so far, they have not attended White House appetizer events as part of Covid safety protocols.

The congressional physician in charge said on Sunday that the House of Representatives would remove his mask mandate just in time for Mr. Biden’s speech, and that all members of Congress can attend. Many states and cities across the country are also announcing the removal of mandatory masks.

The move by the White House reflects how quickly conditions in the pandemic have changed over the course of weeks, and how much Mr. Biden is eager to symbolically return to normal. Regarding last year’s address to Congress, President performed in front of a masked audience at the Capitol, which was much smaller than usual to ensure social distancing.

Nationally, the United States is currently averaging about 66,000 new coronavirus cases per day. according to the New York Times databasee is a figure that has plummeted from a peak of over 800,000 per day in mid-January to a level comparable to the height of the summer spike in July 2020.

Mr. Biden said in an interview taped for the February 13 Super Bowl that it was “probably premature” states to start ending mask mandates, although he acknowledged the decision was a “difficult challenge” and that efforts to contain the virus came at a cost.

“Omicron and all of its variants have had a profound effect on the American psyche,” he said at the time.

Cathy Rogers contributed to the report.