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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Wed May 8 2024

Jane Onyanga-Omara | Audience Editor

Stormy Daniels made some juicy revelations in Donald Trump's hush money trial. Protests at American colleges over the Israeli-Hamas war are dividing Democrats and unifying Republicans. A new set of COVID-19 variants have emerged – and they're called FLiRT.

👋🏾 I'm Jane, Daily Briefing author. What happens if you fall into a black hole? These NASA simulations provide an answer.

Now, here's Wednesday's news.

Gold tweezers and silky PJs: Stormy Daniels testifies on Trump sexual encounter

Stormy Daniels got a chance to tell her story Tuesday in Donald Trump's hush money trial. Trump is on trial for 34 counts of falsifying business records.

Prosecutors allege he covered up reimbursements paid to his former lawyer Michael Cohen, who was convicted of violating campaign finance law when paying Daniels $130,000 in 2016 to stay quiet about their 2006 alleged sexual encounter. Trump has denied the allegation.

•	Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, testified she was not an eager participant. She described being shaken by their sexual encounter, the New York Times reported, but she didn't say no. She "didn't say anything at all."
•	Daniels was 27 when she met Trump. She described working at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe in July 2006 while she was under contract as an adult film director, writer, and actress.
•	Trump met her at the door wearing silky pajamas. Daniels said when she arrived at Trump's hotel suite, he came out wearing silk or satin pajamas. She told Trump to go change and he obliged, she said. He put on a dress shirt and dress pants.

Stormy Daniels is questioned by prosecutor Susan Hoffinger during former President Donald Trump's hush money trial, in this courtroom sketch.

Jane Rosenberg, REUTERS

Exclusive: Campus protests on Gaza split Democrats, unite Republicans

Protests at American colleges over the Israeli-Hamas war are dividing Democrats and unifying Republicans as fears of campus violence loom, according to an exclusive USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll. Two-thirds of voters (67%) express concern that the demonstrations and the police response will end up leading to violent confrontations. Both the policy and political challenges are particularly steep for President Joe Biden. Last week, he walked a careful line, condemning violence on college campuses while defending the free-speech rights of protesters. Read more

More news to know now

•	Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signs sweeping election overhaul bill as ACLU threatens to sue.
•	Panera Bread drops caffeinated Charged Lemonade drinks after series of lawsuits.
•	Husband of Florida woman who went missing in Spain arrested in her disappearance.
•	Opinion: Yes, Zendaya looked stunning. But Met Gala was a tone-deaf charade of excess and hypocrisy.
•	On today's The Excerpt podcast, Stormy Daniels testifies in Trump hush money trial. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.

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Judge indefinitely postpones Trump's trial for classified document retention

A federal judge postponed indefinitely Tuesday the trial of former President Donald Trump on charges he hoarded classified documents after leaving the White House. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that finalizing a trial date without first resolving disputes about classified documents "would be imprudent and inconsistent" with preparations to present the case to a jury. Cannon had tentatively scheduled the trial to start May 20. Read more

Indiana primary results: These House candidates picked up key 2024 victories

As Republicans and Democrats battle for control of Congress in 2024, Indiana held a handful of key primaries on Tuesday while the nation gears up for November's general election. Three of the state's nine House seats are open, with multiple other lawmakers facing challengers on Tuesday's primary election ballot in the Hoosier State. Here's a look at the results from some of Tuesday's primaries that could help determine the makeup of the U.S. House. You can also catch up with the USA TODAY Network's live coverage of other Indiana races. Read more

Keep scrolling

•	Would limits on self-checkout prevent shoplifting? What a California bill would mean.
•	Beatles movie "Let It Be" is more than a shorter "Get Back": "They were different animals."
•	Hilary Duff gives birth to baby No. 4, daughter Townes: "We all love you."
•	Timberwolves' Rudy Gobert wins fourth defensive player of year award, tied for most ever.
•	Ten best Amazon pet deals to shop today.

There's a new COVID-19 variant called FLiRT

A new set of COVID-19 variants, nicknamed FLiRT, has been detected in wastewater surveillance, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. From April 14 through April 27, the variant, labeled KP.2, makes up about 25% of the cases in the United States, according to the CDC. That makes it the new dominant variant in the country, overtaking JN.1. KP.1.1, another FLiRT variant, made up about 7.5% of COVID-19 cases in that two-week span, according to the CDC, which says only 22.6% of adults reported having received an updated 2023-24 COVID-19 vaccine since September 2023. Read more

Photo of the day: Evacuations in Rafah ahead of Israeli operation

Israel's military said it took control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt on Tuesday as leaders vowed to push ahead with a plan to target Hamas. Streams of Palestinians have fled Rafah following an evacuation order by the Israeli army.