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At a federal courthouse in Washington, just steps away from the site of the Jan. 6 riot, Donald Trump was arraigned today on federal charges accusing him of plotting to overturn the 2020 election.
It was the third time in four months that he has been booked, fingerprinted and informed of criminal charges against him by a judge. And like the last two times, Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The scene at the courthouse was tumultuous yet tightly controlled. Security was heavy around the building as Trump supporters and detractors cheered outside. Trump flew in this afternoon from his golf club in Bedminster, N.J., for the court appearance that lasted roughly 30 minutes.
Trump’s multiple indictments will present a logistical challenge. “It cannot be stressed enough how much of Trump’s time in the next 15 months could be spent being required, as a criminal defendant, to be present in courtrooms in Miami, Washington, New York and possibly Georgia,” my colleague Maggie Haberman said.
Trump’s defense, led in part by his new lawyer John Lauro, is preparing to argue that the former president was exercising his First Amendment right to free speech. But perhaps as important, he has made clear that he plans to outrun prosecution by retaking the White House in the 2024 election. If history is a guide, this arraignment could help him raise money for that campaign.
You might be wondering: What happens to the Trump campaign if he is convicted?
Pediatricians back youth gender care, but call for a review
The influential American Academy of Pediatrics renewed its support today for gender-affirming care for children, which is banned in 19 states. At the same time, the doctors took the extra step of commissioning a review of research on the treatments.
The review followed years of calls for a closer look at the evidence, particularly as the number of adolescents who identify as transgender has increased. When similar efforts were undertaken in England and Sweden, health officials reported uncertain evidence for the treatments’ effectiveness in adolescents, and access was limited.
Economists are beginning to embrace good news again
Throughout last year, and even in recent months, Federal Reserve officials warned that the U.S. economy needed to cool down in order to tame inflation. The mantra in economic circles became “good news is bad news” — the longer the economy remained on a hot streak, the harder it would be to return to normal.
But instead of interpreting recent reports of G.D.P. growth and a consistently strong labor market as signs of overheating, economists are increasingly seeing them as evidence that America’s economy is resilient.
In related news, the White House defended President Biden after a rating agency downgraded its credit rating of U.S. debt.
New York’s outdoor dining is here to stay, with caveats
During the dark days of the pandemic, many New Yorkers found a rare bright spot in the surge of outdoor dining options. Today, the City Council approved a bill that would allow restaurants to continue seating customers at the now-familiar roadway tables.
But the new licensing rules would force restaurants to remove their street-based structures for four months over the winter, which could run up costs for owners. The measure will likely reduce outdoor dining.
From actor to author
When Jennette McCurdy decided to title her memoir “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” several publishers declined to read past the cover page. It was too provocative of a title for her grandmother as well. But readers weren’t turned away: She has made the best-seller list every single week since the book was released a year ago.
With success came change. Once known for her starring role in the Nickelodeon show “iCarly,” she now lists “writer” as her occupation on forms at the doctor’s office. “Not one person has approached me for being an actor from the TV show they watched when they were little,” McCurdy said.
For more: Check out this week’s best sellers.
The joy and pain of boxing success
Nearly two decades ago, Seniesa Estrada set out to become a world-champion boxer and capture the spotlight in a way no one else had in a male-dominated sport. Estrada is now 31 and her dreams have come true: She has fought in 25 professional bouts and won all of them, including a defense of her world title last week.
Our sports columnist Kurt Streeter chronicled her rise. Yet when he watched her fight on Friday, Kurt felt uneasy with each punch, knowing that such blows can lead to brain disease. He asked Estrada about the perils of her sport and questioned his own attraction to it.
The ruthless side of Scrabble
There are two different ways to play Scrabble. There’s the one I’ve played: the fun family game where having a knack for words can help you one-up your sister. For elite players, it’s “foremost a spatial strategy game,” where all that matters is who racks up the most points.
When my colleague Isaac Aronow took a deep dive into the world of elite Scrabble, he found that knowledge of words hardly mattered. The best players are experts at using two-letter words (which are hardly ever used in day-to-day life), and they focus far more on where they are playing words than on what words they are playing.
Isaac quickly improved, and now he has tips to help you out-Scrabble your friends.
Have a winning evening.
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