The United Auto Workers union launched a strike against General Motors, Ford and Stellantis simultaneously for the first time in its 88-year history. Also in the news: Hurricane Lee is bringing intense rain and wind to New England and what NASA really knows (or doesn’t) about UFOs.

🙋🏼‍♀️I’m Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Things I’m curious to try: an adobo martini, seaweed focaccia and malai rigatoni.

Here’s the news to know this Friday.

UAW launches strike against GM, Ford and Stellantis

The United Auto Workers launched a historic strike late Thursday targeting all three Detroit automakers at once after contract negotiations failed to land a new deal.

UAW members at three assembly plants in Michigan, Ohio, and Missouri went on strike after their labor contracts expired at 11:59 p.m. The strike targets specific plants of Ford Motor Co., General Motors and Stellantis, which makes Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Fiat brands.

• In a uniquestrategy, union leaders say they will select new target plants to take out on strike in various waves if negotiations continue to fail to land new agreements with the auto companies. The method is designed to keep the automakers off-guard and leverage the union’s position.
• The UAW has been negotiating with all three carmakers separately, yet simultaneously, since late summer. Automakers reacted with disappointment at negotiations breaking down.
• The Biden administration is preparing to offer emergency economic aid to auto suppliers to protect them from any long-term damage in the event of a prolonged strike, according to published reports.

Related: Amid a looming health care walkout, a Kaiser strike was authorized by unions in four states.

Eastern New England bracing for onslaught of rain

Hurricane Lee is expected to bring a nasty mix of heavy rain, strong winds and high seas to the eastern New England region starting later Friday and lasting into Saturday, forecasters said. Even if Lee doesn’t officially make landfall in New…