Trump hush-money trial resumes after Stormy Daniels testimony | First Thing

Relationship between former president and adult film actor is central to the case. Plus, faculty-led Gaza encampment at the New School

Good morning,

The hush-money trial against Donald Trump resumes today at the end of a dramatic week that included testimony from the adult film actor Stormy Daniels.

Remind me of the details? Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with the payments, and has pleaded not guilty.

Is the trial impacting Trump's electoral prospects? It doesn't look like it. Trump is polling at an average 41.3% compared with Joe Biden's 40.6%.

The other criminal cases. The hush-money case is the first of four criminal cases to reach a jury against Trump. The other three have hit serious delays, which could perhaps prevent them from starting before November's presidential election.

What's happening in Rafah? Israel has intensified its bombardment of the city - where 1.4 million people are sheltering - leading to more than 100,000 people fleeing, UN officials say.

What does the international community think about an Israeli invasion of Rafah? The UN urged a ceasefire to stop the unbearable suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and of the hostages and their families". The UK said a Rafah offensive would break international law. Qatar called for urgent international action to prevent the city from being invaded and a crime of genocide being committed".