And now, Trump's trial really begins

Opening statements began in Donald Trump's New York hush money trial. Protests over Israel's war in Gaza are continuing to be a flashpoint on some college campuses. And why we're feeling optimistic this Earth Day.

👋 Hey, Monday! Laura Davis here. Let’s get caught up on the news, shall we?

But first: Beef check! ✋ The USDA issued a public health alert over raw ground beef that may be contaminated with E. coli. What to know.

Trump's trial officially begins

The heart of former President Donald Trump's New York hush money trial, overseen by Judge Juan Merchan, kicked off on Monday with opening statements and witness testimony. Jurors are deciding whether Trump falsified business records to cover up a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep her from hurting his 2016 presidential campaign by going public with her story that the pair had sex.

🗣️ What they said: Matthew Colangelo delivered the opening argument for the prosecution, saying the former president's actions were "election fraud, pure and simple." Trump's attorney, Todd Blanche, criticized accounts from Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen and Daniels and told the jury: "There's nothing wrong with trying to influence an election. It's called democracy."

👉 Recap: Everything that happened in court today.

• Fact check roundup: False claims about Trump, Stormy Daniels.

• Could Trump lose his right to vote in the 2024 election?

• Judge approves reinforced $175M bond in Trump's civil fraud case.

🌎✌️ Spreading optimism instead of doom for Earth Day 

Climate change may still be an existential threat to humanity, but as Earth Day rolled around today, some of the people most concerned about the planet aren't peddling doom – they're spreading optimism.

There's plenty to feel good about: Climate-friendly advances that would have seemed impossible even 10 years ago are now commonplace. And three times in the past 50 years humanity has faced – and fixed – massive, human-caused global environmental issues. This Earth Day, some climate scientists think climate change could be added to the list. 🌳 Take a closer look.

♻️ Real talk: What can actually be recycled?

Real quick

• Why people are criticizing these new Taylor Swift lyrics.

• Whoops! Luke Bryan slipped on somebody’s phone during a concert.

• What Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson warned his daughter about.

• Adrift vessel carrying 28 people rescued by a Carnival cruise ship.

• New rules: Biden unveils strict staffing ratios for nursing homes.

• Dramatic dashcam: Bystanders rush to pull a man from a burning car.

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Demonstrations grow at Ivy League campuses over Gaza war

As tensions over the Israel-Hamas war boil on campuses across the country, Columbia University on Monday moved classes online. Dozens of students were arrested in protests at Yale, and school officials closed Harvard Yard to the public.

What's going on? Demonstrations at Yale and Harvard were planned in part out of solidarity with protesters at Columbia who set up an encampment last week that led to the arrest of more than 100 students. The protests have raised concerns for the safety of Jewish students and fueled a national debate over student demonstrations as campuses grapple with growing unrest over the war. 👉 What's been happening.

• 📸 See photos: Protests at Columbia University.

Israel failed to prove claims of Hamas ties to UN agency, review finds

After Israel accused hundreds of workers with the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees of providing support for the attack that ignited the Israel-Hamas war, it has provided no evidence that those aid workers are affiliated with Hamas, an independent review released Monday found. The review said, however, that the aid agency needs more "robust" screening and stronger safeguards to ensure neutrality among its workforce. The Israeli Foreign Ministry says Hamas is tied in so closely to UNRWA that "it is impossible to say where UNRWA ends and Hamas begins."

Money matters: When the allegations became public, more than a dozen nations, including the U.S., halted funding for the agency. 👉 More updates.

• What a Pittsburgh primary reveals about the politics around the Israel-Gaza war.

A break from the news

• 👍 Peel garlic easily with an unexpected hack.

• 💚 Embrace Earth Day! Easy ways to go green.

• 💰 A retirement expense you'll need to be prepared for.

• 🤷‍♀️ What to know about using essential oils.

Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Say hi: laura@usatoday.com. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump hush money trial, Gaza war protests, Earth Day: Monday's news