Tanks build on already massive aid to Ukraine

+ Underground Railroad in the South; clean energy protectionism US Edition - Today's top story: US will give military tanks to Ukraine, signaling Western powers' long-term commitment to thwarting Russia [View in browser]( US Edition | 26 January 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Political discussion in the U.S. this week has been dominated by recent mass shootings and discoveries of classified documents in the personal possessions of President Joe Biden and former Vice President Mike Pence. But Biden’s Jan. 25 announcement that the country would send 31 military tanks to Ukraine to help the country fight its war against Russia was a reminder to American citizens that the nation is also dealing with some very serious matters abroad. “This is about helping Ukraine defend and protect Ukrainian land. It is not an offensive threat to Russia. There is no offensive threat to Russia. If Russian troops return to Russia, where they belong, this war would be over today. That is what we all want,” Biden said at the White House. Monica Duffy Toft, a scholar of U.S. foreign policy and international security at Tufts University, [outlines four key points of U.S. support for Ukraine that signal the country will stand]( with the embattled European nation for the long term. Lorna Grisby Senior Politics & Society Editor M1 Abrams, a third-generation American main battle tanks, are seen in Poland in September 2022. Artur Widak/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images [US will give military tanks to Ukraine, signaling Western powers’ long-term commitment to thwarting Russia]( Monica Duffy Toft, Tufts University The US tanks could give Ukraine an advantage in pushing back Russia from its territory – but no amount of money alone is enough to win a war. Two deadly mass shootings have California on edge. AP Photo/Jae C. Hon [Typical mass shooters are in their 20s and 30s – suspects in California’s latest killings are far from that average]( Jillian Peterson, Hamline University ; James Densley, Metropolitan State University Mass shooters over the age of 60 are rare, but often differ from younger gunmen in motives and actions prior to their attack. Kevin McCarthy addresses the media during one of his earliest news conferences as speaker of the House of Representatives. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images [House Speaker McCarthy’s powers are still strong – but he’ll be fighting against new rules that could prevent anything from getting done]( Stanley M. Brand, Penn State Despite all the limitations his concessions place on his speakership, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy still has a lot of power. [Brazil, US show that secure elections require agreement – not just cybersecurity and clear ballot records]( Herbert Lin, Stanford University The chaos in Brazil’s capital, along with the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection in the US, demonstrate that there is a key human factor in election integrity. [As US-EU trade tensions rise, conflicting carbon tariffs could undermine climate efforts]( Noah Kaufman, Columbia University; Chris Bataille, Columbia University; Gautam Jain, Columbia University; Sagatom Saha, Columbia University Both sides have reason to find common ground, says a group of energy and climate policy analysts. [How some enslaved Black people stayed in Southern slaveholding states – and found freedom]( Viola Franziska Müller, University of Bonn Instead of using the secret routes along the Underground Railroad to find freedom in the North, thousands of enslaved Black people fled to free Black communities in Southern slaveholding states. [Prince Harry’s kill count revelation could spark important discussions about war’s effects on soldiers]( L. William Uhl, United States Air Force Academy A US Air Force professor of philosophy weighs in on Prince Harry’s decision to disclose his ‘body count’ from his service in Afghanistan. [Ukraine has a mixed record of treating its citizens fairly – that could make it harder for it to maintain peace, once the war ends]( David Cingranelli, Binghamton University, State University of New York; Brendan Skip Mark, University of Rhode Island New data from 2000 through 2019 shows that Ukraine’s human rights record is better than Russia’s – but worse than that of its Western European neighbors. [Monterey Park: A pioneering Asian American suburb shaken by the tragedy of a mass shooting]( James Zarsadiaz, University of San Francisco Once seen as the Chinese Beverly Hills, Monterey Park is now seen as Asian America’s ‘town square’ – the impact of a mass shooting there will ripple across the country. - [Peru protests: What to know about Indigenous-led movement shaking the crisis-hit country]( Eduardo Gamarra, Florida International University Thousands of demonstrators have descended on Lima amid violent clashes with police. The protest movement could be taking cues from earlier mobilizations in neighboring Bolivia. - [How California’s ambitious new climate plan could help speed energy transformation around the world]( Daniel Sperling, University of California, Davis California is one of the world’s largest economies, and it’s aiming for net-zero emissions by 2045. A transportation expert involved in the plan explains why it just might succeed. - [South Carolina’s execution by firing squad: The last reenactment of the Civil War?]( Mark M. Smith, University of South Carolina South Carolina has had trouble securing enough lethal injection drugs for executions. So it has turned to an old form of killing: the firing squad, last used in the Civil War. Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our other weekly emails: [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Weekly Highlights]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](