News·3 min read

Daily Skimm: Tanks, Abortion Pills, and Doja Cat

A soldier signals the way to a M1A2 Abrams battle tank of the US army that will be used for military exercises by the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, at the Baltic Container Terminal in Gdynia on December 3, 2022
January 26, 2023

Tank U, Next

The Story

The US and Germany are sending tanks to Ukraine.

Tell me.

Yesterday, the US agreed to send more than 30 tanks to Ukraine while Germany is sending more than a dozen. It marks a potentially pivotal moment for Ukraine: For months, the country has been in a stalemate with Russia over control of the eastern Donbas region — roughly split between Ukrainian and Russian control. Now, despite a series of victories, Ukraine has started to suffer a setback. And this spring, Russia is expected to launch a major offensive. For months, Ukraine has been asking the West for more powerful tanks. But it’s been met with a firm ‘no.’

So what changed now?

Pressure. Germany has long resisted sending its valuable, easy-to-maintain Leopard tanks out of fear of provoking Russia. And has said it wouldn’t do it unless the US helps, too. Meanwhile, the US has been saying there’s no point in sending its Abrams tanks because they’re hard to maintain and operate. But after days of international pressure — including from countries like Poland — both are coughing them up. 

What does that mean for the war?

It will take months for the US to send the tanks and to train Ukrainians to use them. But the move seemed to have given Germany the push it needed to send its tanks over — and allows about a dozen NATO countries to share their German tanks, too. Ukraine is thanking the allies, but the move falls short of the 300 tanks it has previously said it needs. Meanwhile, critics say the tanks should've been sent sooner. But Russia says the tank shipments take things to “a new level of confrontation.” And that these tanks will “burn” like “all the others.”

theSkimm

It’s been nearly a year since Russia invaded Ukraine. The war has left more than 18,000 civilians dead and cost Russia and the global economy about $2.8 trillion. Dozens of countries have called for the war to be over. Now, Ukraine hopes these tanks will get them closer to the end.

And Also...This

What’s got people divided…

Abortion pills. Yesterday, a pair of lawsuits challenged West Virginia and North Carolina’s laws restricting access to abortion pills. In 2000, the FDA authorized mifepristone to end pregnancies up to 10 weeks. Since then, that pill and others are used in more than half of abortions in the US. But more than a dozen states — including West Virginia and North Carolina — have laws limiting how, when, and where patients can get abortion pills. Now, the lawsuits are calling for the laws to be suspended, arguing that federal policies — not state laws — should determine access to the pills. North Carolina’s AG is reviewing the complaint. West Virginia’s AG promises to defend the state’s abortion law.

Who’s saying ‘it was more than just one bad apple’...

Abby Zwerner. Yesterday, a lawyer representing the teacher — who was critically wounded after a six-year-old student shot her — said she intends to file a lawsuit. Zwerner’s attorney alleges the school administrators in Newport News, VA didn’t take action after being warned at least three times by teachers and other school employees that the student had a gun and had threatened multiple people that day. The school district hasn’t responded to the claims but the board has voted to oust its current superintendent, effective next week. Meanwhile, police say the child is receiving treatment at a medical facility. The school’s been closed since the shooting but plans to add metal detectors once it reopens.

Who’s taking a stand…

Pope Francis. Yesterday, in a newly released interview with AP, the pontiff criticized anti-gay laws criminalizing homosexuality as “unjust.” Francis called on bishops to recognize the dignity of everyone. Although the pope says that homosexuality is not a “crime” he still recognizes it as a “sin.” His remarks also go in hand with his previous approach of being more open to the LGBTQIA+ community.

What's not nailing it…

UV nail dryers.

Who’s prepping a welcome-back party...

Meta, for former President Trump.

Who’s swapping cow ears for eyelashes…

Doja Cat.

Live Smarter

Sign up for the Daily Skimm email newsletter. Delivered to your inbox every morning and prepares you for your day in minutes.

fbtwitteremail