(CNN) Fifty years ago this week, the first cell phone call was made on a New York City sidewalk with a device the size of a brick. Every decade since that day in 1973 has seen the once-big phone evolve into thinner, faster and smarter devices that continue to change industries, cultures and the way we relate to each other — and our self Here’s what else you need to know to Speed Up and Run Your Day.
Here’s what else you need to know Improve Your Day.
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1. Trump arraignment
Donald Trump, the first former president in history to face criminal charges, will be indicted today after being indicted last week by a Manhattan grand jury. The expected voluntary surrender of a former president and 2024 candidate for the White House will be a rare event as the country waits to see what will happen in the unprecedented. When he arrives in court this afternoon, Trump will be booked by investigators, which will include taking his fingerprints. Usually, a mug shot is taken, but it remains unclear when that will happen. Trump is not expected to be handcuffed as he will be surrounded by armed federal agents for his protection. He will then be taken to court where the indictment will be unsealed and he will formally face the charges. After he is arraigned, sources say Trump will immediately return to Mar-a-Lago, where he has scheduled an event tonight to address the public.
2. Gas prices
The national average for a gallon of regular gas in the US is currently at $3.51, according to AAA. Some analysts, however, predict that the price will quickly rise to around $ 3.80 or $ 3.90 after OPEC and its allies announced a surprise step to cut oil production. OPEC+, which collectively supplies most of the world’s crude oil, announced on Sunday that it would cut production by more than 1.6 million barrels a day starting in May – a move that sent oil prices soaring last week. monday “I think OPEC is reawakening the inflation monster,” said Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis for OPIS, which tracks gas prices for AAA. Although Americans will soon notice an increase at the gas pumps, prices are likely to remain well below the record levels seen in 2022, when gas topped $5 per gallon.
3. Spy balloon
A Chinese spy balloon shot down by the US earlier this year was able to capture images and collect some intelligence signals from US military sites, a source told CNN. The balloon was able to send information back to Beijing in real time, the source said, and the US government still does not know for sure whether the Chinese government could be wiping the data on the balloon as it received it. That raises questions about whether there was intelligence picked up by the balloon that the US didn’t already know about. However, the intelligence community is not overly concerned about the information the balloon obtained, the person said. The FBI is still investigating the balloon, but so far officials have been able to glean more information about how the device works, including the algorithms used for the balloon’s software and how it is operated and designed.
4. Finland
Finland is set to join NATO as the 31st member today, more than doubling the border of the US-led military alliance with Russia. Finland’s action comes days after Turkey’s parliament voted to approve the country’s membership, clearing the final hurdle to joining NATO and ending months of delays. The Nordic country’s acceptance of the alliance presents a blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has long sought to undermine NATO, and before invading Ukraine, asked the bloc to avoid further expansion. On Monday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said it would be historic when the alliance raised the Finnish flag for the first time at its headquarters today, adding “This is a good day for the security of Finland, for the security of Nordic, and for NATO as a whole.”
5. TikTok
Australia has joined other Western countries in banning the use of TikTok in government applications as the Chinese-owned video app comes under increasing pressure over claims it presents a security concern. The decision puts Australia in line with its allies in the US, Britain and Canada, which have already announced similar bans, while New Zealand’s parliament ordered the app removed from all devices with access to the legislature. In recent days, NATO has also officially banned personnel from downloading the app on their NATO-issued devices. TikTok CEO Shou Chew says the company is moving its data to the US to be kept on American soil but Western governments remain skeptical. This comes as half of Americans support the US government’s ban on TikTok, while 22% oppose the idea and more than a quarter are unsure, according to a Pew Research Center survey released last week. .
BREAKFAST BROWSE
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March Madness: Connecticut wins the NCAA men’s basketball championship
The University of Connecticut took home its fifth national title on Monday after defeating San Diego State in a thrilling game.
Elon Musk replaced the Twitter bird with a Shiba Inu
Twitter’s traditional bird icon has been replaced (temporarily?) by a Shiba Inu dog. Here’s why.
Ben Affleck reveals major character spoiler for DC’s ‘The Flash’
Oops… While being interviewed on a podcast, Affleck revealed that this beloved character will make a cameo in the upcoming film. *Spoilers ahead*
See the deepest fish caught on camera
Scientists have captured video of this fascinating species at a staggering depth of over 27,000 feet.
TODAY’S NUMBER
45 million
That’s how many people from Texas to Wisconsin are at risk of severe weather today as another powerful storm threatens to bring more dangerous tornadoes to the region. Forecasts show the storm system headed for some of the same areas in the Midwest and South where at least 50 deadly tornadoes touched down over the weekend.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“I don’t think about what happened in St. Petersburg, or in Moscow … I think about our country. And our cities.”
— Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who declined to comment on Sunday’s explosion in St. Petersburg, Russia, killing one of the country’s prominent military journalists and injuring 32 others. A hearing is scheduled today for a female anti-war activist who was arrested in connection with the explosion.
TIME NOW
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND AT THE END
Steal sandwich
If you need a laugh, watch this video of seagulls stealing food from the beach. Some birds are more daring when it comes to food scraps, but this one really takes the cake. (Click here to view)