Prologue Journal – Page 36227 – Understanding current events through the lenses of the past and future.

Russians attack Sumy Oblast: 55 explosions over past day

Pravda Ukraine Over the past day, the Russians fired 12 times at the border hromadas in Sumy Oblast, and 55 explosions were recorded [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a town, village or several villages and their adjacent territories – ed. https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/06/13/7406578/

Oilfield-Services Companies Hold Merger Talks

Wall Street Journal NexTier Oilfield Solutions and Patterson-UTI Energy are discussing a deal that would create a bigger player in a consolidating industry. https://www.wsj.com/articles/oilfield-services-companies-hold-merger-talks-de9ee3bb

First Russian robo-trucks to start freight transportation — Transport Ministry

Disclaimer: TASS is Russian government propaganda, and not a reliable news source. National carriers will be the world’s first ones to carry goods by self-driving trucks in interaction with the “smart road” services https://tass.com/economy/1631015

Fatal Blast at Florida Fireworks Warehouse Was Preventable, OSHA Says

New York Times Four workers died, and a fifth was badly burned, after a warehouse fire in Orlando, Fla., in December. OSHA said it had cited the company for 10 “serious violations.” https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/12/us/florida-fireworks-explosion-fine.html

Bernie Sanders to block all Biden health nominees until admin delivers plan to lower drug prices: Report

Fox News Progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., says he will oppose President Biden’s nominee to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and any other health nominations, until the administration delivers its plan to lower drug prices, according to a report by The Washington Post. “I will oppose all nominations until we have a very…

‘Eat, Pray, Love’ author delays release of book set in Russia, cites Ukrainian objections

Fox News Bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert will indefinitely delay publication of a novel set in Russia following what she claims was an onslaught of “anger, sorrow, disappointment and pain” from Ukrainian readers. “The Snow Forest, a dramatic story of one wild and mysterious girl in a pristine wilderness,” is set in Soviet-era Siberia and was…

NATO Members’ Major Air Exercise Sends Message to Russia

New York Times More than 200 planes from 25 countries gathered in Germany for the largest-scale war games in decades, held with an eye on the war in Ukraine. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/12/world/europe/nato-exercises-germany.html

AGs Want Their Lawsuit Money Back

Wall Street Journal Montana joins Utah in trying to get its share of $280 million held by the National Association of Attorneys General. https://www.wsj.com/articles/national-association-of-attorneys-general-lawsuit-montana-utah-dave-yost-austin-knudsen-7e17a3c6

California’s Fast-Food Punishment

Wall Street Journal Businesses qualify a ballot measure to overturn the FAST Act, and Democrats respond by attacking the franchise model. https://www.wsj.com/articles/california-fast-act-ballot-referendum-business-franchise-joint-employer-rule-sacramento-democrats-3823859b

Silvio Berlusconi, Modern Populist

Wall Street Journal Those who criticized him might have studied his rise more carefully. https://www.wsj.com/articles/silvio-berlusconi-dies-italian-prime-minister-45291eb8