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Published by Reuters (Updates lede with more information about Michael Ferkol’s former role in U.S. Army.) By Andrew R.C. Marshall LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters) – Michael Ferkol, who who once served as a supply specialist with engineer battalions in the U.S. Army, had been in Rome studying archaeology when he heard the Ukrainian president’s appeal for foreign fighters. Within days, Ferkol said, he presented himself at a military recruiting office in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, hoping to be taken on as a frontline paramedic. “I told them I wanted to triage patients,” said the 29-year- old, who has no combat experience. “There was a Finnish guy there too, and he was like, ‘I just want to kill Russians.'” Ukraine has established an “international” legion for people from abroad and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has publicly urged foreigners to “fight side-by-side with Ukrainians against the Russian war criminals” to show support for his country. Last week, Zelenskiy said that more than 16,000 foreigners had volunteered, without specifying how many had arrived. Some foreign fighters arriving in Ukraine say they are attracted by the cause: to halt what they view as an unprovoked attack in a once-in-a-generation showdown between the forces of democracy and dictatorship. For others, many of them veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, the Ukraine war also offers a chance to use fighting skills they felt their own governments no longer appreciated. Reuters interviewed 20 foreign fighters or others involved in the effort, and some said that Ukraine is struggling to vet, equip and deploy them. And alongside battle-hardened veterans of war, people are arriving with little or no combat experience, offering limited value in a war zone under constant, terrifying shelling by the Russian military. One man who identified himself as British military veteran referred to these recruits as “bullet-catchers.” A senior Ukrainian official in Lviv involved in processing newly-arrived foreign volunteers, Roman Shepelyak, said the system to receive, train and deploy foreign fighters was still in its infancy, and that the process would get smoother in the coming days. Ukraine’s defence ministry declined to comment. Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, calling it a “special operation” to demilitarize Ukraine and capture dangerous nationalists. Ukraine’s armed forces are heavily outnumbered by Russia’s but have mounted significant resistance. Among those who have arrived to fight for Ukraine are dozens of former soldiers from the British Army’s elite Parachute Regiment, according to an ex-soldier from the regiment. Hundreds more would soon follow, he said. Reuters was unable to corroborate those numbers. Often referred to as the Paras, the regiment has in recent years served in Afghanistan and Iraq. “They’re all highly, highly trained, and have seen active service on numerous occasions,” the ex-soldier from the regiment said. The Ukraine crisis will give them purpose, camaraderie and “a chance to do what they’re good at: fight.” Michael Ferkol said there were many people with Ukrainian ancestry in his hometown, Chicago. He wanted to go to Kyiv, the capital, “and help out.” “I’m a little nervous, to be honest,” he said, making his way through crowds of refugees at Lviv train station on Saturday, hoping to board a train to the frontline. “But at the same time, it’s not about me. It’s about the people that are suffering.” ‘HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL’ For some, travelling to Ukraine, even from far-away countries, was the easy part. Those who hadn’t brought body armour, helmets and other equipment with them were struggling to source them in Ukraine, according to several fighters Reuters spoke to. Some veterans were sharing information on equipment and logistics through invite-only Facebook or WhatsApp groups with names like “Have Gun Will Travel.” These groups contain appeals for equipment, such as body armour and night-vision goggles, or for foreign veterans who are snipers or who can train Ukrainian soldiers in how to use sophisticated weapons that Western countries are sending. With a vast mobilisation of Ukrainian men underway, the country has plenty of volunteer fighters. But there is a shortage of specialists who know how to use Javelin and NLAW anti-tank missiles, which professional soldiers train for months to use properly. Even those with combat experience might struggle in Ukraine’s war zones, warned a former British soldier, who asked to be identified by his nickname, Kruger. He said he had served in Afghanistan and trained other soldiers. “If you’re out here as a war tourist, this is not the place for you,” he said. “The realities of war, if you head out to the front, are going to be pretty overwhelming.” Many of those arriving in Lviv end up at the semi-fortified offices of the Lviv regional administration, where their paperwork is checked by Shepelyak. He heads the region’s department for international technical assistance and cooperation. He acknowledged the system for processing those offering to fight was still in its infancy. On Friday, when Reuters visited, six foreigners appeared at Shepelyak’s office, including a Polish military veteran called Michal, and a giant, heavily-tattooed Dutchman called Bert. Both men declined to give their full names. More foreigners were arriving every day, Shepelyak told Reuters. “If they have such a desire and persuasion to serve a foreign country, it matters. They are important.” Shepelyak said he vetted their paperwork, but not their combat experience, which was evaluated at a military base outside Lviv where they were sent next. He added that those recruited into the Ukrainian army would be paid in line with other soldiers. Other foreign fighters told Reuters they were bypassing the formal processes and heading straight for the eastern front, hoping to get weapons and orders from the Ukrainian military upon their arrival. DELAYED DEPARTURES The logistical issues have prompted some fighters to delay their arrival. Anthony Capone, a wealthy healthcare entrepreneur in New York City, said he is providing funding for hundreds of ex-soldiers and paramedics who want to go to Ukraine. But he said he had delayed their departure “to give the Ukrainian army another week to improve their enlistment process for those entering the volunteer corps.” So far, according to Capone, only a “small number” had arrived in neighbouring Poland. Capone had posted on LinkedIn his message offering funding, thinking that 10 or 15 people would reply. “Right now, I’m at about 1,000,” he said. Capone added he was only funding ex-soldiers whose military credentials he could verify, or paramedics who currently worked in an emergency trauma setting. About 60% of those who had been in touch were American and 30% European, with the remainder hailing from at least 25 countries as far-flung as Colombia, Japan and Jamaica, Capone said. Most were ex-soldiers; the rest were emergency medics or critical care nurses. They’re willing to “defend a country they’ve never visited,” said Capone, a specialist in computational learning theory. The U.S. government has discouraged citizens from travelling to Ukraine to combat Russian forces. Some countries have issued stronger warnings, including Britain. Others, such as Canada or Germany, have cleared the way for their citizens to get involved. A CONNECTION IN KYIV In central Lviv on Thursday, a burly, Russian-speaking Canadian, who identified himself only as Sig, heaved bags of equipment into the back of a minivan he had bought in Poland and driven to Lviv. He wore a flak jacket bristling with medical tools, and said he usually worked as a civilian paramedic. Another of Sig’s four-strong team was an American who said he was born in the former Soviet republic of Georgia and had fought Russians “for generations.” In Sig’s bags were hundreds of kilograms of equipment, including medical supplies and military rations known as MREs, or meals ready to eat. Sig said his team planned to help train Ukrainian volunteers in Lviv for a day, before heading straight for the front. “I have a connection in Kyiv who will help us out,” he said. Standing outside the ticket hall of Lviv station on Sunday were a group of British men in military uniform, waiting for a train to Kyiv. They were in high spirits, often exchanging fist-bumps and handshakes with Ukrainian refugees who thanked them for fighting for their country. They were led by Ben Grant, a strapping Englishman from Essex, who said he had served in Britain’s Royal Marines and had just completed a stint as a security advisor in Iraq. He was unclear whether his men would be deployed independently or as part of a Ukrainian unit. Of the Ukrainian soldiers, Grant added: “They seem strong – really strong. I’m more than happy to fight next to them.” (Reporting by Andrew R. C. Marshall in Lviv, Ukraine; Additional reporting by Jacqueline Thomsen and Phil Stewart in Washington, DC, and Shariq Khan and Medha Singh in Bengaluru. Editing by Cassell Bryan-Low) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Britney Spears says nail art helped her “unbearable” social anxiety. The ‘Toxic’ hitmaker thinks having jazzy manicures makes her “not scared to talk at all” in some social settings after feeling “ghosted” for so long. In an Instagram post of her done-up nails, the 40-year-old pop star wrote: “I’ve felt ghosted [ghost emoji] most of my life … but if you feel somewhat not acknowledged enough in life or have confidence problems, I swear these charms do in fact change your perspective! For instance… I never talk because I’m usually shy … I have social anxiety but like the worst kind where it’s unbearable [sad face emoji] … but holy s–t there’s hope! I looked at my hands, saw these charms and I exploded [firecracker explosion emoji] with conversation … not scared at all to talk.” The ‘If U Seek Amy’ hitmaker admitted to “never” having seen the “adorable little charms” before in the caption of the photo that showcased her huge 4 carat rock from her fiance Sam Asghari, a 28-year-old personal trainer. Britney wrote: “I’ve never done this before… I believe it’s called nail embellishments. Have people been holding out on me because I’ve never seen these before! The most adorable little charms I’ve ever seen in my life!” Yesterday, the ‘Crossroads’ star hinted that she had already tied the knot with Sam after she labelled him her “husband” on Instagram while vacationing in French Polynesia. Britney – who has sons Sean Preston,16, and Jayden, 15, with her ex Kevin Federline- wrote: ‘Such an amazing pic of my husband @samasghari !!!!” She added: ‘He’s such a hard worker and he amazes me each day with his passion for life !!!! I’m so lucky to be able to share my life with him …. HAPPY BIRTHDAY.’ The pair became engaged in September after Britney was freed from the 13-year conservatorship that gave her father Jamie Spears control over her professional, financial and health decisions. On Friday (04.03.22), the ‘Piece of Me’ singer shared another post that referred to Sam as her “husband” as she gushed about baby turtles. Britney wrote: “My husband @samasghari sent me this and said: 100 baby turtles leave the hatch only 20 make it to reefs because most get eaten by sharks only 1 strong strong Turtle makes it out of 100 and comes back a year later stronger than ever and hatches babies He said these turtles represented life !!!!!’” She also got tongues wagging when she posted a nude snap with only diamond emojis covering her modesty. Explaining why she was baring it all, she wrote: “showing my body in Polynesia as a rebel and a free WOMAN.” View the full article

Published by AFP This handout picture taken and released by the Ukrainian State Emergency Service on March 7, 2022, shows rescuers dismantling the rubble of a destroyed school after Russian troops shelled the city of Chernihiv Washington (AFP) – Russia is recruiting Syrians and other foreign fighters as it ramps up its assault on Ukraine, the Pentagon said Monday. Moscow entered the Syrian civil war in 2015 on the side of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, and the country has been mired in a conflict marked by urban combat for more than a decade. Now, US Department of Defense officials said, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin was “on a recruiting mission” seeking to bring some of those fighters into the fray in Ukraine. According to the Wall Street Journal, US officials said that Russia, which launched an invasion into its Eastern European neighbor on February 24, has in recent days recruited fighters from Syria, hoping they can help take the capital Kyiv and other cities. One official told the daily that some fighters are already in Russia readying to join the fight in Ukraine, though it was not immediately clear how many combatants have been recruited. Details were slight: officials would not speculate on how many mercenaries have joined the fight, or on the quality of the fighters, but the Pentagon said there was no reason to doubt the accuracy of the reports. “We do believe that the accounts of them — the Russians — seeking Syrian fighters to augment their forces in Ukraine, we believe there’s truth to that,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters. But with enormous firepower and more than 150,000 deployed troops at Putin’s disposal, the Pentagon said it was noteworthy that he would find it necessary to recruit mercenaries. “It’s interesting that Mr. Putin would have to find himself relying on foreign fighters here,” Kirby said, though he acknowledged the Pentagon does not have “perfect visibility” on exactly who was joining the cause. Earlier Monday, a senior defense official told reporters more directly: “We know that they’re trying to recruit Syrians for the fight.” Foreign combatants have already entered the Ukrainian conflict on both sides. Chechnya strongman leader Ramzan Kadyrov, a former rebel-turned-Kremlin-ally, has shared videos of Chechen fighters joining the attack on Ukraine and said some had been killed in the fighting. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has claimed around 20,000 foreign volunteers have traveled to the country to join Kyiv’s forces. Calling for restraint on all sides in the conflict during a UN Security Council session on Monday, China’s ambassador said an already dire situation could only be made worse by shipments of arms to Ukraine, as well as the deployment of “mercenaries,” without directly mentioning Russia, a Beijing ally. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in his daily briefing he “had no way of confirming or not confirming” reports of Russia recruiting mercenaries. But he said the “conflict doesn’t need more people coming to the outside,” adding that the UN’s “focus is on the humanitarian end.” The capital and the second-largest city Kharkiv are still held by Ukraine’s government, while Russia has seized the port city of Kherson and stepped up its shelling of urban centers across the country. Russia’s nearly two-week-old assault has seen more than 1.7 million people flee the country in what the UN has called Europe’s fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II. View the full article

Published by DPA A self-driving car from General Motors' Cruise subsidiary in traffic in San Francisco. Andrej Sokolow/dpa Google’s sister company Waymo and General Motors subsidiary Cruise have been given the green light to launch commercial robot taxi services in California. Although this is a major step forward in the long-promised and much-delayed driverless mobility trend, California will – at least initially – still require that a safety driver is at the wheel at all times, regulatory authority CPUC announced at the start of March. Both companies already offer rides in which the driver’s seat remains empty. However, they have not been allowed to collect money for doing so. Waymo and Cruise had previously received clearances from the California Transportation Commission. Waymo is also allowed to operate its self-driving cars in parts of San Francisco and San Mateo County in Silicon Valley at speeds of up to 65 mph (just over 100 km/h) around the clock as part of its commercial service. Cruise’s robotaxis can carry paying passengers at night between 10pm and 6am at speeds up to just under 50 km/h. Waymo and Cruise are firmly focused on building services with fully self-driving robotaxis. The end of private cars? Driverless taxis are widely seen as the key mobility trend of the future, and it has often been predicted that the autonomous vehicle of the future will be a robot taxi that you don’t own, but only use when needed. The development could also move faster if cities were to intervene with higher parking costs or a city toll to force private vehicles out of congested cities. While Cruise and Waymo work to expand their services in California, Intel subsidiary Mobileye plans to launch its first service with autonomous vehicles in Munich by the end of the year. At the same time, the first car manufacturers have started to install driving computers in their entire model range – even if they’re not all activated yet. Once they’re available and road legal, manufacturers will be able to earn more. Even in an entry-level model, the owner can activate new functions over time, and that changes the manufacturer’s business, Shapiro says. The hardware needed for autonomous driving is also becoming steadily cheaper. This is especially true for laser radars (lidar) that scan the vehicles’ surroundings. Simultaneously, self-driving technology is also expected to feature heavily in delivery trucks, while John Deere has also unveiled its first fully functioning driverless tractor. View the full article