Good morning. It's Tuesday, May 27, and we're covering Russia's sweeping missile and drone strike, the conviction of four former VW executives, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4 million intellectually curious readers. Sign up here.
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At least 12 people were killed and several others wounded following a massive Russian drone and missile strike on Ukrainian cities Sunday. The barrage—which included more than 350 explosive drones and nine cruise missiles—was the largest to date in the three-year war.
The attacks are the latest sign of dimming prospects in US-led ceasefire talks, and come less than a week after a two-hour call between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump harshly criticized Putin to reporters after the weekend strikes (watch here, via X)—though it remains unclear whether they will lead to a shift in administration policy toward the war. Putin said the move was in response to Ukrainian drones in Russian territory.
On the ground, Russia holds almost 20% of prewar Ukrainian territory (see map) and has attempted to advance along the front lines, though both sides have been in an effective stalemate for months. |
Dieselgate Managers Convicted |
A German court convicted four former Volkswagen officials of fraud yesterday in the decade old “Dieselgate” scandal. Two executives working in engine technology received sentences of several years in prison; the others received suspended sentences.
The US Environmental Protection Agency discovered the scandal in 2015, revealing VW had installed so-called defeat devices in models dating as far back as 2009. The software enabled vehicles to illegally pass diesel-efficiency standards in controlled environments, while producing up to 40 times as much pollution in real-life driving conditions. More than 11 million cars worldwide were impacted by the fraud, which engineers said they enacted under time frame and budget constraints.
The scandal—which cost VW $34B in fines and legal fees—is thought to have expedited a global shift to battery-powered cars. Before 2015, diesel cars accounted for over half the European market. They now make up less than 10% of the market. |
Billy Joel's wife thanked fans yesterday for their outpouring of support following the disclosure of a brain condition impacting the musician’s hearing, vision, and balance.
The 76-year-old singer was recently diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a disorder causing cerebrospinal fluid to build up around the brain, impacting its function. The condition becomes more common with age, found in 0.003% of people under 65 but 5.9% of people above 80. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including a brain tumor, head injury, or infection. Joel will undergo physical therapy to treat the condition, which is reversible. He is canceling all planned concerts through July 2026.
Joel is among a cohort of older musicians who continue to tour later in life. Musicians over the age of 60 made up four of the 10 highest-grossing tour acts last year, collectively raking in over $844M. |
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Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
> "It Was Just an Accident" by Iranian dissident filmmaker Jafar Panahi wins Palme d'Or, top prize at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival; see full list of winners (More) |
> Phil Robertson, star of "Duck Dynasty," dies at age 79 following Alzheimer's diagnosis (More) |
> Alex Palou becomes first Spaniard to win Indianapolis 500 (More) | Team USA wins men's hockey world championship for first time since 1933 (More) |
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> SpaceX to attempt ninth launch of its massive Starship, with window opening at 7:30 pm ET tonight; previous two launches ended in failure (More) | Everything you need to know about SpaceX (More) |
> Aerosols from penguin excrement may help trigger cloud formation, reducing solar heating and helping stabilize local areas of the Antarctic climate, study finds (More) |
> New theory suggests an ancient asteroid impact on the moon temporarily created a weak magnetic field; study answers longstanding question of why some lunar rocks are highly magnetic (More) |
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> US stock markets close lower Friday (S&P 500 -0.7%, Dow -0.6%, Nasdaq -1.0%), with Apple stock falling 3% on comments by President Donald Trump that iPhones must be made in the US or face additional tariffs (More) |
> White House delays deadline for 50% tariff on European Union goods until July 9 as trade negotiations continue (More) |
> Volvo Cars cuts 3,000 jobs—15% of its office-based workforce—as part of $1.9B cost-cutting drive (More) |
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In partnership with Fisher Investments |
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> Suspect arrested after minivan strikes pedestrians at Liverpool FC victory parade, injuring dozens of people; an investigation into the incident is ongoing, with police ruling out terrorism as a motive (More) |
> Former Rep. Charles Rangel (D, NY-13), first Black chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, dies at age 94 (More) |
> Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupts, sending lava up more than 1,000 feet; residential areas not impacted as of this writing (More) |
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> Secrets of the Inca Empire
The Atlantic | Sam Kean. Incas recorded information by tying knots into cords they called khipus. Researchers are trying to decode the lost writing system, over 500 years since it was last used. (Read) |
> Fatal Design
Deconstructed | Staff. On July 17, 1981, a design flaw in the Hyatt Regency in Kansas City killed 114 people—one of the deadliest structural failures in US history. Here's how it happened. (Watch) |
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