Good morning Her Campus! With a break-neck news cycle, there is no possible way for you to stay on top of every story that comes across your feeds—we’re all only human, after all.
But, life comes at you fast. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for this quick and dirty guide to stories you might’ve been sleeping on (like, literally. It’s early.)
Vladimir Putin Won Russia’s Presidential Election By A Big Margin
After 18 years in office, Vladimir Putin is set to spend another six as president of Russia. He was elected to his fourth term on Sunday, with state-run exit polls projecting him winning around 75 percent of the vote.
According to CNN, the win wasn’t a surprise. Putin was “widely expected” to take the race, and his biggest competitor, Alexei Navalny, was barred from running.
Putin’s victory will extend his total time in office to nearly a quarter of a century, until 2024, by which time he will be 71.https://t.co/eCdV94ctrR
— The Quint (@TheQuint) March 18, 2018
Putin declared victory in a speech in front of the Kremlin on Sunday evening.
“Thank you,” he said to the crowd. “That we have such a powerful, many-million strong team. It’s very important that you preserve this unity.”
President Trump’s Lawyer Calls For End To “Manufactured” Russia Investigation
John Dowd, Trump’s personal lawyer, told The Daily Beast that he hopes special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s election interference will soon be shut down by Rod Rosenstein, who’s overseeing the probe.
“I pray that Acting Attorney General Rosenstein will follow the brilliant and courageous example of the FBI Office of Professional Responsibility and Attorney General Jeff Sessions and bring an end to alleged Russia Collusion investigation manufactured by McCabe’s boss James Comey based upon a fraudulent and corrupt Dossier,” Dowd said, referencing Sessions’ recent firing of former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe.
Dowd initially told The Daily Beast he was speaking as Trump’s counsel, but later said he was only speaking in his personal capacity and not on behalf of the president.
A Cirque du Soleil Performer Died During A Show In Florida
Tampa police are investigating what exactly happened to Yann Arnaud, a Cirque du Soleil aerialist who died during a performance on Saturday night. According to FOX 13, Arnaud fell while swinging from an aerial strap.
A spokesperson for Cirque du Soleil released a statement about the incident, adding that the company is offering their “full and transparent collaboration” to the authorities.
— Cirque du Soleil (@Cirque) March 18, 2018
“The entire Cirque du Soleil family is in shock and devastated by this tragedy,” part of the statement read. “Yann had been with us for over 15 years and was loved by all who had the chance to know him.”
Audience members were asked to leave following the incident, which some took video of.
What to look out for…
It may be Monday, but today shouldn’t be that much of a downer since March 19 marks both “Let’s Laugh Day” and “Act Happy Day.”