A shocking shakeup in the golf world
In a stunning announcement rocking the golf world, the PGA Tour said it would merge with its former bitter rival, LIV Golf. And Ukraine and Russia are pointing fingers at each other over the destruction of a major dam.
👋 Hello, Tuesday! Laura Davis here with all the news you need to know.
But first: In her bug era. 🥴 Taylor Swift had a choking fit midsong over the weekend because she swallowed a bug. (She’s fine. No word on the bug but we assume it’s not good.)
The Short List is a snappy USA TODAY news roundup. Subscribe to the newsletter here.
PGA Tour, Saudi-backed LIV Golf combine in surprise announcement
In a surprise announcement Tuesday morning that came after a year of bitter fracturing in men's professional golf, the PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Tour announced an agreement to merge their operations. It's a stunning about-face for the rival tours: The PGA had previously lambasted supporters of LIV Golf and suspended players who defected to the new series for the promise of bigger purses. LIV Golf also received heavy criticism for being bankrolled by the sovereign wealth fund of the Saudi government, which has been accused of wide-ranging human rights abuses. ⛳️ Here's everything you need to know.
PGA Tour sold out to the Saudis. Pro golf will never be the same. | Opinion
What does the merger mean for the future? Professional golfers react.
Who damaged the dam? Ukraine, Russia point at each other
A major dam in southern Ukraine collapsed Tuesday, flooding villages, endangering crops and threatening drinking water supplies as both sides in the war scrambled to evacuate residents and blamed each other for the destruction. 👉 Here’s the latest.
Pointing fingers: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Kakhovka dam was mined by Russian occupiers, creating the "largest man-made environmental disaster in Europe in decades." Russian officials accused Ukraine of "deliberate sabotage" to deprive Crimea of water.
Thousands flee flooding: Video footage released by Zelenskyy showed water crashing through wide gaps in the dam and roaring downriver toward the city of Kherson, home to almost 300,000 Ukrainians before the war. Ukrainian officials said evacuations were underway.
📷 Photos show damaged Ukraine dam after Russian strike.
What everyone's talking about
An angry bride, a bar and how people on TikTok are getting even.
June 6, 1944, was D-Day. Here's why it's still important 79 years later.
How much for a dozen? Why egg prices are finally dropping.
It's about 'ducking' time: Apple is finally addressing this annoying autocorrect issue.
Elliot Page's vulnerable memoir details abuse, dysphoria, coming out: 'The closet was grueling'
The Short List is free, but several stories we link to are subscriber-only. Consider supporting our journalism and become a USA TODAY digital subscriber today.
Dry winds, storm threats bring elevated risk of wildfires
From super-dry, unstable conditions to potential lightning strikes, residents in five states were under red flag warnings Tuesday, the National Weather Service said. Parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, Washington and Alaska will remain under the warning until 8-10 p.m. local time, the weather service said.
What is a "red flag warning"? It's issued when weather conditions in an area are ripe for the spread of wildfires because of a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and dry fuels.
👉 See it here: Wildfire, smoke map of U.S., Canada.
Amid French strikes, is retirement better in America?
They've set fire to cars. Clashed with police. Let thousands of tons of rotting garbage pile up in the streets − French workers, activists, students and political opposition parties on Tuesday took part in nationwide strikes and demonstrations over changes to the country's retirement system. In a nation that's long been perceived to take a relatively unique view of work-life balance, President Emmanuel Macron recently forced through a controversial plan to raise the retirement age in France from 62 to 64. A fresh wave of large-scale strikes comes ahead of a bill that will be debated in France's Parliament on Thursday aimed at repealing Macron's reforms.
👉 Still, do French retirees really fare better than American ones? Direct comparisons are tricky. Here's how the countries stack up.
Photos: Heaps of trash pile up on Paris streets amid protests against France retirement law.
A break from the news
🏕 Camp food doesn't have to be boring. Here's how to prep ahead.
🌈 Pride Month sales are here! Shop deals on clothing, food and more.
🏞 Sleep among the leaves in these family-friendly treehouse hotels, rentals.
🎩 A $1,600 burger? The most over-the-top hotel room service experiences.
Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures – and misadventures – on Twitter.
Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Subscribe to the newsletter here.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: PGA LIV merger, Ukraine dam, wildfire, France protests: Tuesday's news
