Former President Donald Trump was set to attend an arraignment hearing at a Miami federal court, and Toyota announces major changes to its EV production. These stories and more highlight the rundown for Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
Trump to be arraigned in classified documents case
Former President Trump has an arraignment hearing set for Tuesday afternoon in Miami. The arraignment is related to the 37 felony charges he faces in the criminal case regarding his handling of classified documents.
The former president arrived in Miami Monday. He was greeted by his supporters whom Trump has encouraged to join a planned protest at the courthouse where the arraignment is happening.
Some Trump supporters were also planning to load buses to head to Miami from other parts of Florida for the arraignment hearing. Miami’s police chief said the downtown area could see up to 50,000 protesters. However, he added that the city would be ready to handle any potential unrest.
“Since the moment the announcement was made, we have been planning and preparing to ensure that the city of Miami is safe and secure,” Chief Manuel Morales said. “Make no mistake about it, we’re taking this event extremely seriously. We know that there’s a potential for things taking a turn for the worse, but that’s not the Miami way.”
Trump was expected to plead not guilty to all counts. He said he is looking to add to his legal team after two of his lead lawyers announced their resignations the morning after his indictment.
Russia targets Zelenskyy’s hometown in latest attack
Russia launched missiles early Tuesday morning at Kryvyi Rih, the Ukrainian city that is President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown. The attack killed at least six people with more residents believed to be trapped underneath rubble.
A five-story residential building was hit in the blast. This is the latest bloodshed in the war in Ukraine, now in its 16th month, and comes after Ukraine launched its counteroffensive operation using firepower provided by the U.S. and other western allies.
There were other missiles launched toward Ukraine’s capitol of Kyiv Tuesday. Those missiles were intercepted and destroyed by air defenses.
Helicopter ‘mishap’ injures 22 service members in Syria
A helicopter mishap in northeast Syria left 22 United States service members injured. The military members suffered from injuries of various degrees, according to a press release from the United States Central Command. 10 of them have been evacuated to higher-care facilities.
The cause of the accident is under investigation. The Central Command reported there was no enemy fire.
This helicopter incident follows a series of military helicopter crashes this year. The causes in those crashes are also still being investigated.
In April, two U.S. Army helicopters collided and crashed in Alaska, killing three soldiers. In March, two Blackhawk helicopters crashed, killing all nine soldiers aboard. And in February, two National Guard soldiers died during a flight-training mission in Alabama.
Check fraud cases increase 94% in 2022
Check fraud in the U.S. has dramatically increased, even as check usage has been in decline with more people paying bills online. Banks issued 680,000 reports of check fraud in 2022. The year prior, there were 350,000 reports.
Mail theft is following a similar trend. The U.S. Postal Service reported 300,000 complaints of mail theft in 2021. That was more than double the prior year.
Grubhub slashes 15% of workforce
Grubhub announced it is laying off 15% of its workforce. 400 Grubhub employees will receive severance and be out the door.
There are major competitors in food delivery service, from Uber Eats to DoorDash. Grubhub lags significantly behind in market share. The food delivery company sent a letter to staff citing a rise in operating costs as a reason for the layoffs.
Toyota unveils plans to revamp EV production
The world’s best-selling automaker is making big moves to boost its electric vehicle production. Toyota announced plans to improve the range, the performance, and the cost of EV’s.
Toyota plans to launch next-generation lithium ion batteries in the second half of this decade. Lithium ion batteries can hold more energy and are more durable.
The company said it is creating a top-notch EV with a range of 745 miles in a charging time of just 10 minutes. For comparison, Tesla’s Supercharger Network, the largest of its kind, currently offers 199 miles in a charge time of 15 minutes.
