Russia decries ‘blatant provocation’ over Ukraine tanks pledge

The Independent's Morning Headlines email [View online]( January 25, 2023 [Morning Headlines]( 1 / [Russia decries ‘blatant provocation’ as US and Germany poised to deliver tanks to Ukraine]( Russia has condemned an expected announcement by the US and Germany that they will send tanks to Ukraine, calling it “another blatant provocation” against Moscow. Anatoly Antonov, Russia’s ambassador to the United States, said early on Wednesday: “It is obvious that Washington is purposefully trying to inflict a strategic defeat on us.” The US is poised to confirm the start of deliveries of dozens of M1 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine, two US officials told Reuters. It is also understood Germany has bowed to international pressure and agreed to send tanks to Ukraine to bolster the war effort against Vladimir Putin. While there has been no official confirmation from Berlin yet, officials in Kyiv swiftly hailed what they said was a potential game-changer on the battlefield. “A few hundred tanks for our tank crews – the best tank crews in the world,” Andriy Yermak, Ukrainian president Zelensky’s chief-of-staff, wrote on Telegram. “This is what is going to become a real punching fist of democracy against the autocracy from the bog.”   2 /Two-thirds of public want Zahawi to reveal how much paid in tax row]( Exclusive: Only 18 per cent think sums should remain private, poll finds 3 / [NHS racism shame: One in three Black and minority ethnic staff face discrimination]( Special report: The Independent’s correspondents Nadine White and Rebecca Thomas expose shocking levels of discrimination 4 /Asylum seeker to learn fate after murdering ‘peacemaker’ during scooter row]( After verdict delivered, court told Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai had killed twice before in Serbia 5 / [A&E nurses quitting in droves, says top doctor]( Experienced staff are leaving in ‘droves’, warns Dr Adrian Boyle     The Big Question Julian Sands is the latest to go missing. Is the climate crisis behind a string of California hiker tragedies? In a clear day, the peak of southern California’s 10,000ft Mount Baldy looms over the Los Angeles skyline. The mountain is emblematic of a growing threat: the deadly impact of the climate crisis on one of America’s favourite pastimes, the great outdoors. This month, as [climate-amped superstorms battered California](, first responders have [carried out 14 rescue missions]( on Mount Baldy’s peak, the highest summit in the San Gabriel mountain range. Two people have died and a third man, the British actor Julian Sands, is still missing after [nearly a week.]( “We’ve had so many storms over southern California. Those conditions up there are extremely dangerous at the moment,” Mara Rodriguez, of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, told The Independent. Conditions are so treacherous on the mountain – wind-blown sheets of thick ice, [avalanche risk]( and heavy snow – that police have often been unable to carry out rescue efforts on the ground. “We had to pull ground crews out Saturday evening,” Ms Rodriguez said of the search for Sands, who has been described by family members to The Independent as a “[heroic mountaineer](” and experienced outdoorsman. “We haven’t been able to reinsert them due to the condition of that area. There’s concerns about avalanches up there. The ice is just crazy dangerous so all of our search efforts at this point have been by air.” [For the full story click here >](   Enjoying this newsletter? Unlock unlimited, ad-free reading on the website and in The Independent app when you subscribe – plus, benefit from our [welcome offer when you join today](. Watch/ [Driver hits speeds of more than 115mph during chase with police helicopter](   NUMBER OF THE DAY 50,000 – The first [comet]( to light up the night’s sky since the Neowise comet in 2020 is approaching Earth. The E3 comet – also known [as C/2022 E3 (ZTF)]( – is not just a once-in-a-lifetime event, it is a once-in-an-epoch spectacle that was last seen when Neanderthals still roamed the Earth 50,000 years ago. [Read more here](   QUOTE OF THE DAY “I only have one life and so far 20 years of it has been stolen from me. Yesterday I turned 57 years old. How much longer will it take?” – Andrew Malkinson, aged 57, could be allowed to appeal against his 2004 rape conviction for the first time after his legal team brought new DNA evidence to light. [Read more here](     Other stories you might like   [Briton in Spain ‘helped Putin oligarch hide superyacht Tango by renaming it Fanta’](   [Teacher who refused to use student’s pronouns arrested at school](   [Brexit blamed for hundreds of empty Eurostar seats](       Articles available exclusively to subscribers John Rentoul - [Ed Balls on the ‘shocking truth’ about Tony Blair and Gordon Brown](   Other newsletters you might like [The Race Report] The Race Report Fortnightly, 7am (UK time) Written by Nadine White [Sign up]( [Inside Politics] Inside Politics Weekdays, 8am (UK time) Written by Matt Mathers [Sign up](   If you can spare a minute we’d love your [feedback]( on our newsletters. [The Independent]( Join the conversation or follow us [Facebook]( [Twitter]( Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter. Add us to your safe list of senders. 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