Kremlin Strike, Atlanta Shooting, and How Menopause Reshapes the Brain

Drones Hit Kremlin

Russia accused Ukraine yesterday of attempting to assassinate President Vladimir Putin in Moscow after two drones crashed into the Kremlin's Senate Palace early that morning, promising retaliation. No injuries or major damage were reported, and officials said Putin was not at the Kremlin at the time. Ukrainian officials denied the accusations while noting the statement provided Russia with a pretext to escalate the conflict.

Several unverified videos show drones flying over the Kremlin before exploding and falling onto a domed structure below (watch recap). Russian leaders claimed its air defenses had intercepted the drones, though Western analysis could not confirm that solely from the footage. Ukraine—whose border is a few hundred miles from Moscow—insists it does not attack Russian territory, though long-range Ukrainian drones have been found in Russia recently.

The accusations come ahead of a likely Ukrainian counteroffensive, and as military analysts report total war casualties during the conflict have surpassed 360,000, with 20,000 Russians killed in action since December. See war updates here.

Atlanta Hospital Shooting

One person was killed and four others injured after a man opened fire inside a hospital in downtown Atlanta yesterday. The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Deion Patterson, fled the scene, sparking an intense search in the surrounding counties. He was captured yesterday evening after evading authorities for hours; a motive has not been publicly revealed. Few details had been released about the victims as of this writing, though officials noted all five were women. 

Separately, in Texas, the suspect accused of shooting five neighbors to death, including a 9-year-old boy, made his first appearance in court yesterday. The suspect—a Mexican national who officials said had been deported four times since 2009—was arrested Tuesday evening. Several additional arrests were made in connection with the search for the suspect yesterday, including his live-in partner. See our previous write-up here.

Explore a database of mass killings—defined as at least four deaths, excluding the offender, regardless of the type of attack—since 2006 here.

Tenth Rate Hike

The Federal Reserve yesterday approved a 0.25 percentage point interest rate hike, bringing its benchmark federal funds rate to a range between 5% and 5.25%—the highest since 2007. The rate sets what banks charge each other for overnight loans and affects borrowing costs for consumers, including for mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards (see 101).

The Fed also released a revised policy statement yesterday, which cut a phrase from a previous version in March that said the committee anticipated additional policy increases to achieve its 2% inflation goal. Observers say the omission signals the Fed may be mulling the last of its rate increases. 

The 10th rate hike comes amid pressure on the US banking industry following the historic collapse of three midsized banks since March. Analysts say the Fed's tightening over the last year may exacerbate banking issues after fueling losses at institutions heavily invested in bonds sensitive to interest rates.

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In-Depth

> The Mystery of the Bell Witch

Atlas Obscura | Colin Dickey. How a 200-year-old unsettling and terrifying ghost story about the Bell family has persisted through time, offering a glimpse into much of American culture. (Read)

> How Menopause Reshapes the Brain

Nature | Heidi Ledford. Researchers are beginning to understand how menopause— and the transition leading up to it—can impact brain health later in life, potentially informing approaches to treating neurodegenerative diseases. (Read)

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