If it's Monday, the historic an unprecedented election year criminal trial into

former President Trump has begun with opening statements the

prosecution's first witness and a key ruling on the

scope of Donald Trump's potential testimony and cross-examination. Plus

intensifying unrest on college campuses as pro-Palestinian protests and concerns about the

safety of Jewish students forced Columbia to move to virtual learning while

nearly 50 students are arrested at Yale.

And House Speaker Mike Johnson defies his hard right flank

with a bipartisan vote to send aid to Ukraine

as President Zelinsky speaks to meet the press about the urgency facing his country

amid the unrelenting Russian assaults. Hello there and welcome to meet the press now I'm Ryan nobles on yet another historic day in the legal

and political world. As testimony begins in New York and Donald Trump's

criminal hush money trial and as the judge rules that the former president's history of business fraud and

defamation are fair game if he testifies.

The first witness to take the stand today was a critical one for prosecutors,

the former publisher of the National Inquirer David Pecker.

He began his testimony talking about what he called, quote,

checkbook journalism at the Inquirer,

a prelude to what he will tell jurors about how the

tabloid helped Mr. Trump bury damaging stories as part of a practice known as

catch and kill. Packer's testimony began after opening statements in which prosecutors accused the former president of cooking the books to cover up payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels and hide a politically damaging story in the run-up to the 2016 election.

On his way out of court, Mr. Trump reiterated his attorney's claims during his opening statement that no crime was committed.

...