Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi died after a battle with leukemia. And a new poll reveals how the GOP is reacting to the news of former President Donald Trump’s latest indictment. These stories and more highlight the daily rundown for Monday, June 12, 2023.
Silvio Berlusconi dies of leukemia at 86
The former Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has died at the age of 86. He led three Italian governments from 1994 to 2011.
Berlusconi was a billionaire businessman who created Italy’s largest media company before transforming the political landscape. He served as part of the country’s right-wing coalition. His political career was full of controversy, from sex scandals to allegations of corruption and a tax fraud conviction.
Although he has been out of the political spotlight for some years, some members of his party suggest his death could destabilize Italian politics in the coming months. Berlusconi had been suffering from leukemia.
Trump indictment poll release as arraignment nears
Former president Trump was set be arraigned at a Miami federal court on Tuesday, June 13. The federal charges stem from the Justice Department’s probe into his handling of classified documents.
In a CBS news poll, more than half of likely-GOP voters would still vote for Trump if the election were held today. An overwhelming 76% of Republican voters believe the indictment was politically motivated. Over the weekend, former Attorney General William Barr called the idea of presenting Trump as a victim of a witch hunt “ridiculous”.
Trump faces 37 separate charges, including 31 counts of violating the espionage act. He is expected to plead not guilty as he continues to plead his innocence.
Portion of I-95 in Philadelphia collapses, will be closed for months
A chunk of the Interstate 95 in Philadelphia collapsed and buckled onto the roadway underneath on Sunday, June 11. Authorities say a massive fire involving a tanker-truck carrying 8,500 gallons of gasoline burst into flames, causing the bridge to give out. There were no injuries reported in the collapse.
This bridge in one of the nation’s largest cities carries about 125,000 drivers daily. Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) said the bridge will be closed for months in order to fix the damage. Drivers will be detouring through side roads and are expecting major delays.
Ukraine recaptures fourth village as counteroffensive continues
Ukrainian military officials reported their troops have re-captured another village from Russian forces in the Donetsk region. It’s the latest in a series of early successes Ukraine has reported since its long-awaited counteroffensive to Russia’s invasion got underway.
On Sunday, Ukrainian officials said three other small villages in the Donetsk region had also been taken back. The Russian Defense Ministry hasn’t confirmed any Russian retreat from the villages. However, some Russian military bloggers have acknowledged the loss of Russian control over them.
Despite the early success, western analysts and military officials have warned the counteroffensive will likely last for months, and success is far from certain.
Kim Jong Un vows to strengthen ties with Vladimir Putin
North Korea is looking to strengthen its relationship with Russia. Kim Jong Un vowed support for the Kremlin, defending their decision to invade Ukraine and vowing to hold hands with Vladimir Putin to bolster a strategic partnership in power.
Kim vowed his support for Putin to mark Russia’s National Day. North Korea has been accused of supplying weapons to Russia since the war began, all while bolstering its own arsenal in landmark developments within the past few months.
North Korea and Russia share a common enemy in the U.S., with both leaders accusing America and the west of provoking the war in Ukraine.
Report: Twitter refusing to pay Google Cloud bill
Twitter is reportedly refusing to pay its Google Cloud bill as its contract for renewal is up this month, according to Platformer. This was a deal struck prior to Elon Musk taking over the social media platform. The purpose of the partnership with Google Cloud was to fight spam and protect Twitter accounts.
This is the latest cutback in the company that could potentially impact the safety and security of Twitter. Since Musk’s acquisition, Twitter has cut costs dramatically and laid off thousands of employees.
Musk ordered the company to cut spending on cloud services by $1 billion, according to a 2022 Reuters report. Musk has criticized Twitter’s overzealous spending since he took over.
