Also, the U.S. sued Amazon. Here’s the latest at the end of Tuesday.
In an extraordinary gesture of support for a labor union by a sitting American president, President Biden joined hundreds of striking autoworkers today on a picket line outside a General Motors parts distribution center west of Detroit. He urged the workers to “stick with it” as they negotiate with the nation’s largest automobile companies.
The president said the autoworkers had made a lot of sacrifices when the companies were in trouble. “Now they’re doing incredibly well,” he said through a bullhorn. “And guess what: You should be doing incredibly well, too.”
Biden’s visit was part of his effort to encourage automakers and workers to reach an agreement before too long. Without a quick agreement, the strike, which expanded significantly last week, could rattle the economy and drive up prices.
But it was also a political move. Biden — who has not yet earned the endorsement of the typically-Democratic U.A.W., in large part because of his zeal for electric vehicles — faced pressure from an array of elected Democrats and the union president, Shawn Fain. By joining the picket line, Biden was able to get ahead of his likely 2024 rival, Donald Trump, who plans on speaking to current and former union members tomorrow night.
For more: A father and son on strike represent two ends of the spectrum among the workers, and two perspectives on a changing industry.
A judge ruled that Trump fraudulently inflated his assets
The New York attorney general won a major victory in her civil case against Donald Trump when a New York judge determined today that the former president fraudulently inflated the value of his assets to obtain favorable loans and insurance deals. The decision precedes a trial that is scheduled to begin Monday, and could considerably smooth Attorney General Letitia James’s path.
The ruling effectively decided that the core of the attorney general’s case was valid. It was a major blow to Trump, whose lawyers had sought to persuade the judge to throw out many of the claims against the former president.
The U.S. accused Amazon of illegally stifling competition
In a lawsuit filed today, the Federal Trade Commission and 17 states accused Amazon of violating antitrust law by favoring its own online retail services and squeezing out other merchants. The suit marks the biggest challenge yet to the power of the e-commerce giant, one that could alter the way Americans shop online for everything from toilet paper to electronics.
The filing argues that Amazon prevented merchants on its platform from offering lower prices elsewhere, and forced them to ship products using its logistics service if they wanted to be part of its Prime subscription bundle. Those practices led to higher prices and a worse shopping experience for consumers, the agency and states said.
Tensions in the South China Sea cross a new line
A diver cutting a section of rope underwater in the South China Sea, as shown in a video clip released this week, may seem too simple an act to represent a serious international incident.
But that diver was with the Philippine Coast Guard, and the rope was part of a barrier placed by China to keep Philippine boats away from an area where they had a legal right to fish. In that moment, the Philippines took one of the most forceful steps yet in contesting China’s unrelentingly expansive territorial claims.
More top news
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Politics: Senator Cory Booker called on Senator Robert Menendez, his fellow New Jersey Democrat, who is facing bribery charges, to resign.
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Congress: Senate Republicans and Democrats reached an agreement on a stopgap spending plan, increasing pressure on Speaker Kevin McCarthy ahead of a potential shutdown.
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Voting: The Supreme Court refused Alabama’s request to reinstate a Republican-designed congressional map that featured just one majority-Black district.
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Hunter Biden: The president’s son sued Rudy Giuliani for disseminating personal messages taken from a computer he left at a repair shop in Delaware.
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War: Russia released a video that appeared to show that the commander of the Black Sea Fleet was still alive, despite Ukraine’s claim that he was killed in a missile strike.
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Nagorno-Karabakh: At least 68 people were killed and 105 were missing after an explosion at a fuel depot as thousands fled the breakaway region of Azerbaijan.
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Tech: The Google antitrust trial, now in its third week, is shaping up to be the most secretive in decades, as involved companies insist on closed-door testimony.
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Canada: The speaker of the House of Commons resigned after introducing a 98-year-old Ukrainian who had served with a Nazi SS unit as a “hero.”
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Culture: The National Museum of African American History and Culture has acquired a large collection of works by Phillis Wheatley, the first American of African descent to publish a book.
TIME TO UNWIND
How Taylor Swift propelled Travis Kelce to new fame
Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, has become one of the N.F.L.’s most reliable stars: He has made eight straight Pro Bowls, won two Super Bowls and made a name for himself off the field, hosting a podcast and “Saturday Night Live.”
But nothing comes close to his brush with the Swift aura.
Over the weekend, Taylor Swift, the 12-time Grammy winner, attended Kelce’s latest game and sat next to his mother in a luxury suite. Both 33, the two have remained quiet despite weeks of speculation about whether they are friends or a couple, or just two celebrities trying to leverage each other’s fame. But Swift’s devoted fan base has weighed in: Many posted about watching football for the first time, and Kelce’s jersey sales rose 400 percent.
How much coffee is too much?
Many Americans drink a cup of coffee every day. Some of us even gulp down two, three or four before the work day is done. So, like many of you, we wanted to know whether the habit is unhealthy. Luckily, when we asked experts, they said coffee does more good than bad.
Still, the experts said, it’s worth keeping an eye on your caffeine intake. Here’s what they recommend.
Dinner table topics
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Ribbons are everywhere: Have we reached peak bow?
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Pumpkin spice latte turns 20: Starbucks’ star drink has never exactly been cool. But that’s part of how you stand the test of time.
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Marriage Language: Couples are sharing the weird and oftentimes embarrassing ways in which they communicate with their partners.
WHAT TO DO TONIGHT
Cook: Skillet chicken with mushrooms and caramelized onions is reminiscent of a rich French onion soup.
Watch: “Dancing with the Stars” begins its 32nd season tonight. Here’s what else is on TV this week.
Visit: These are the 25 best restaurants in Los Angeles.
Read: Kerry Washington, the famously private “Scandal” star, opens up in her new memoir.
Relax: Now that the weather is beginning to cool, turn to one of these cozy blankets.
Compete: Take this week’s Flashback history quiz.
Play: Here are today’s Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here.
ONE LAST THING
New York’s hottest steakhouse was fake, save for one night
Mehran’s Steak House had a near-perfect Google rating and dozens of glowing reviews. It seemed impossible to nab a reservation.
One reason it was hard to get a table: The restaurant doesn’t exist.
Mehran’s was an elaborate joke among friends, who created a fake listing and wrote up fictional raves. There turned out to be so much buzz that the pranksters, led by the amateur chef Mehran Jalali, decided to serve a real dinner for one night only: a $114 four-course menu for an eager crowd, some of whom quickly caught on to the joke.
Have an unreal evening.
Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Matthew
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