U.S. and world news for Sept. 15

UAW strike: About 13,000 of the 146,000 members of the United Auto Workers union have gone on strike against Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, which many people know as Chrysler. It’s the first time that all of the big three automakers have been struck at once by the UAW. The union has threatened to keep adding to the number of plants it shuts down as the strike continues. Contract negotiations have stalled over wage and benefit increases. The union is demanding 37% increases over four years while Ford and GM have offered 20% and Stellantis offered 17.5%.

Jones spends even though bankrupt: Court documents reveal that right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has been spending more money on himself since declaring bankruptcy and being ordered to pay $1.5 billion to the families of the children killed in the Sandy Hook massacre while not paying a penny to those families. Jones spent $63,925 in May, $85,112 in June and $93,180 in July according to court documents. Jones was ordered to pay damages to the Sandy Hook families after it was proven he made false claims about the massacre being staged and the victims being actors. The massacre resulted in 26 deaths.

Biden and Zelenskyy to meet: President Biden and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy are expected to meet next week, and it appears that Zelenskyy will visit the White House even though both Biden and Zelenskyy will be in New York on Tuesday. Both are scheduled to address the U.N. General Assembly. It has been announced that Biden will meet in New York on Tuesday with Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Meetings with other world leaders also are expected to take place, although some may be brief and informal.

Hunter Biden indicted: Attorney Abbe Lowell, who represents Hunter Biden, said that the Justice Department’s indictment of Hunter Biden reflects Special Counsel David Weiss having bowed to political pressure. Lowell said that what Weiss did by indicting Biden presents what he called a “grave threat to our system of justice.” Hunter Biden was indicted on three counts related to gun possession while he was using drugs. Weiss, who was appointed to his job by Donald Trump was elevated to the post of special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland. Hunter Biden had reached a plea deal with the Department of Justice on the gun charges and charges of being late to file tax returns but the plea deal fell apart.

Libya flood death toll soars: The official death toll in the Libyan city of Derna as a result of the flooding caused by heavy rains and the collapse of two dams has been raised to 11,300 and that figure does not include deaths in other Libyan towns and villages affected by the floods. An additional 10,100 people are reported missing. Health officials are afraid that disease outbreaks could be next because of unsanitary conditions made worse by standing water and mud.

TikTok fined: TikTok has been fined $367 million by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission for failing to protect the data of children who use TikTok. The site has been making their postings public by default rather than first obtaining permission to make the postings public. TikTok is supposed to keep children under 13 years of age off of its platform but the regulators also found it hasn’t been effective at doing that. TikTok has been given three months to make changes that would make the accounts of children more private than they are now.