Former President Donald Trump is expected to fly from Florida to New York today as he prepares to be arraigned on criminal charges; and OPEC has announced it’s slashing production of oil. These stories and more highlight the daily rundown for Monday, April 3, 2023.
Trump to be arraigned
Multiple media outlets are reporting former President Donald Trump will likely be charged with falsifying business records in the first degree. It’s a felony stemming from alleged hush money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. The indictment remains sealed, and Trump is expected to appear at the courthouse Tuesday for arraignment, where charges are expected to be read aloud.
Trump’s team has called the case against him quote “political persecution.” The former president doesn’t expect to stay in New York for long. He announced he will publicly address the charges against him at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida the evening of his arraignment.
OPEC announces oil output cuts
OPEC has announced a surprise planned cut in oil output by more than 1 million barrels a day. Oil prices surged as much as 8% following OPEC’s decision. The cuts will start in May and last throughout the rest of 2023.
Saudi Arabia announced it was a precautionary measure targeted toward stabilizing the oil market. This latest cut to oil production comes on top of October’s oil cuts of 2 million barrels a day.
Dozens of tornadoes across the U.S.
At least 33 people have died after dozens of tornadoes in the South, Midwest, and Northeast ripped through communities in a wide-ranging storm system. More dangerous storms are forecasted for the South and Midwest for Monday. Large areas of both regions are in ruins. At least 11 states were impacted over the weekend by confirmed or suspected tornadoes, flattening homes, businesses, and neighborhoods.
President Biden has declared broad areas of the country major disaster areas, making federal resources available to impacted communities.
Russian blogger target of deadly blast
A well-known Russian military blogger was killed in an explosion at a cafe on Sunday, April 2, in Russia’s second largest city of St. Petersburg.
According to officials, the attack appeared to have targeted 40-year-old Vladlen Tatarsky, a high-profile pro-Russia blogger. Russian police are searching for a woman suspected of delivering a bomb that ultimately killed Tatarsky and wounded 30 others, 10 of whom remain in grave-condition.
Russian news reports said the bomb was hidden in a figurine that the suspect gave to the blogger as a gift just before the explosion occurred.
McDonald’s to cut jobs, trim costs
Corporate employees of McDonald’s have been told to work from home for the next few days as McDonald’s is prepared to lay off employees and trim company costs. How many workers will be impacted by the layoffs is unclear. In an internal email sent out last week, staffing decisions were to be handed down virtually over the next three days.
The company’s job cuts come as big corporations are restructuring to reduce costs amid an uncertain economy. last week McDonald’s shares closed on a record high.
50 years since first mobile call
Monday,April 3, marks 50 years since the first phone call was ever made from a mobile device rather than a landline.
Marty Cooper, an engineer at Motorola in 1973, is credited for inventing the personal, handheld, portable cell phone. In the first phone call made from a cell phone, Cooper had called their rival company Bell to let them know they had successfully built a mobile phone and was calling them from it.
In 50 years’ time, the evolution of mobile phones has significantly changed. Out with the antenna and in with the smart phones.
The inventor of the cell phone, now 94 years old, said last month he believes technology will eventually take us to an implant-type of device for communications.
