(NEW YORK) -- Protests have broken out at colleges and universities across the country in connection with the war in Gaza.

Many pro-Palestinian protesters are calling for their colleges to divest of funds from Israeli military operations, while some Jewish students on the campuses have called the protests antisemitic and said they are scared for their safety.

The student protests -- some of which have turned into around-the-clock encampments -- have erupted throughout the nation following arrests and student removals at Columbia University in New York City. Students at schools including Yale University, New York University, Harvard University, University of Texas at Austin, University of Southern California and more have launched protests.

Here's how the news is developing:

May 01, 6:49 AM
Campus police deploy 'chemical irritant' at University of Arizona

Campus police officers at the University of Arizona in Tucson shot "chemical irritant" munitions at a gathering of protesters early Wednesday, the department said.

The university's president, Robert C. Robbins, had asked the campus police and school officials to "immediately enforce campus use policies and all corresponding laws," according to a statement from his office.

The Tucson Police Department and other law enforcement agencies also responded to campus, the university said.

Campus officers closed several blocks of Park Avenue as they responded to the "unlawful assembly," the department said.

Video appeared to show police handcuffing individuals on the ground and protesters forming a human chain facing officers.

"Police deploying chemical irritant munitions," the department said amid a series of updates on social media. "Follow orders of police and disperse immediately. Avoid the area of University Blvd & Park Ave."

May 01, 6:07 AM
UCLA officials 'sickened' by violence on campus, chancellor says

As groups of counter-protesters clashed with Pro-Palestinian demonstrators on the UCLA campus early Wednesday, a university official said staff were “sickened” by the violence.

“Horrific acts of violence occurred at the encampment tonight and we immediately called law enforcement for mutual aid support,” Mary Osaka, a vice chancellor, said in a statement.

Osaka aded that the fire department and medical responders were near the scene.

"We are sickened by this senseless violence and it must end,” she said.

May 01, 6:05 AM
At least 100 arrested at two NY campuses, NYPD says

The New York Police Department made at least 100 arrests overnight, with most at Columbia University. Arrests were also made at City College of New York, officials said.

Many of those taken into custody are still being processed at police headquarters.

May 01, 5:32 AM
Protesters clash on UCLA campus, LAPD responds

Clashes between opposing groups of protesters at the University of California Los Angeles included "multiple acts of violence," prompting university officials to ask police to enter the campus, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

Officers responded to assist campus police "to restore order and maintain public safety," the LAPD said.

State and local politicians said they were monitoring the situation, with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass calling the violence "absolutely abhorrent and inexcusable."

Gov. Gavin Newsom said his office had been in contact with law enforcement leadership.

May 01, 2:38 AM
Police confront CUNY protesters, arrest 25, university says

At least 25 people were arrested at CUNY's City College of New York campus as police confronted protesters early Wednesday, the university said in a statement.

University officials said they asked the New York Police Department for assistance in clearing protesters, including a "large crowd" of people who had marched from Columbia University to City College.

The school described a "series of violent indents" that it said put public safety at risk over the last six days.

"This includes a fire Sunday night at the Marshak Science Building caused by use of a flare gun that brought FDNY to campus, clashes with public safety, an attempted break-in at Shepard Hall tonight, and a break-in at the Administration Building tonight that included the vandalizing of offices and smashing glass doors," the university said in a press release early Wednesday.

Police entered the campus just before midnight and began making arrests, the university said.

"Students have a right to demonstrate peacefully and exercise their First Amendment rights," the university said. "Tonight's actions were taken in response to specific and repeated acts of violence and vandalism, not in response to peaceful protest"

May 01, 12:55 AM
Columbia restricts Morningside campus to on-campus student residents, certain employees

After Columbia University was cleared of encamped protesters Tuesday night, the school said it its Morningside campus was immediately restricted to students who live there and workers providing essential services.

"Effective immediately, access to the Morningside campus has been limited to students residing in residential buildings on campus (Carman, Furnald, John Jay, Hartley, Wallach, East Campus and Wien) and employees who provide essential services to campus buildings, labs and residential student life (for example, Dining, Public Safety, and building maintenance staff). There is no additional access to the Morningside campus," the notification read.

The university said the restrictions would stay in place "until circumstances allow otherwise."

May 01, 12:46 AM
NYPD officers move on to City College of New York campus

NYPD officers entered the campus of the City College of New York late Tuesday night.

"As requested by the university, we are currently on campus to assist the university in dispersing those trespassing," NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations, Kaz Daughtry, said in a post on X, sharing video of the police moving in.

In a note to the campus community, university president Vince Boudreau, said protests on campus presented "heightened challenges."

"Most importantly, this is not primarily a CCNY demonstration, and perhaps not primarily a CUNY demonstration. The significant inclusion of un-affiliated external individuals means that we don’t have established connections to them," Boudreau's letter read.

He continued: "Specifically, this demonstration has been more contentious and violent than anything we’ve seen on campus before. Today, we distributed a letter to members of the encampment detailing specific examples of threats to the safety of people within and outside the encampment, so that all of them understand the full scope of the activity. We also want all of them, and those of you reading this note, to understand that in no way does our response to this particular and extraordinary threat overwrite our more fundamental commitments to free speech, academic freedom, or the right to peacefully protest that comply with CCNY and CUNY regulations."

Boudreau said the encamped demonstrators were told to take down their encampment and follow CUNY guidelines for "future activities."

The university president also said classes would be remote on Wednesday due to the situation on campus.

May 01, 12:16 AM
Columbia details backstory on Hamilton Hall takeover

In a letter authorizing the NYPD to enter the Columbia University campus and break up the protest, the school detailed the backstory on its recent talks with those in the encampments and the takeover Tuesday night of Hamilton Hall.

According to the letter, from Columbia President Minouche Shafik, an individual "hid in the building" at Hamilton Hall until it was closed and let others in. The group's purpose was "occupying the building," the letter read.

Two security guards were inside the building at the time, and the university said in the letter to the NYPD they were able to "secure their release."

"We believe that while the group who broke into the building includes students, it is led by individuals who are not affiliated with the University," the letter read. "The individuals who have occupied Hamilton Hall have vandalized University property and are trespassing."

Addressing the encampment on the school's Morningside campus, the university told police discussions had been carried out with group representatives, but on Sunday, they "reached an impasse."

At that time, the university says it told the group they did not have permission to "occupy spaces on campus" and were "in violation" of school rules and policies.

On Monday morning, the protesters were told they would be suspended if they didn't disperse by Monday at 2 p.m. ET.

The university said in its Tuesday night NYPD letter that those in the encampment were "suspended" and "not authorized to be on University property and are trespassing."

The university said it believed the actions of those in the protest were escalating. 

"These activities have become a magnet for protesters outside our gates which creates significant risk to our campus and disrupts the ability of the University to continue normal operations," the letter read.

Columbia's president concluded the letter by asking the NYPD to "help to clear all individuals from Hamilton Hall and all campus encampments."

She further asked police to have a campus presence through May 17 -- graduation is May 15 -- "to maintain order and ensure encampments are not reestablished."

Police moved onto the Columbia University campus a little before 9 p.m. ET and began making arrests.

The NYPD also used a vehicle with an extendable roof ramp to help officers breach Hamilton Hall from an upper floor. From there, the police cleared the building.

The campus encampment and hall were cleared before 11:30 p.m.

Apr 30, 11:24 PM
NYPD says Hamilton Hall, encampment cleared at Columbia

The NYPD said Tuesday night that Hamilton Hall and the encampment have been cleared.

In a short media briefing, the NYPD said the only thing that remains are the tents at the encampment, which the university will clear.

No injuries have been reported, the NYPD said.

An official also said no tear gas was deployed Tuesday night.

Apr 30, 11:20 PM
Nearly 50 arrests so far at Columbia: Police sources

There have been about four dozen arrests so far by the NYPD at Columbia University, according to police sources.

The first bus of protesters apprehended by police just left the campus area.

Apr 30, 10:18 PM
Police head toward encampments after clearing a fortified Hamilton Hall

Police officers were met with a heavily fortified building when they entered Hamilton Hall on Tuesday night, sources told ABC News.

There have been a number of arrests, however no specific number was immediately available.

With the situation at Hamilton Hall believed to be contained, a number of officers are making their way from building to tent encampments.

Apr 30, 10:08 PM
Columbia asks NYPD to 'retain a presence' through May 17

Columbia University has asked the NYPD to "retain a presence on campus through at least May 17."

The request came in the letter the university sent to the NYPD Tuesday night, allowing them to move onto campus grounds.

Apr 30, 9:55 PM
Columbia on authorizing NYPD to go on campus: 'We were left with no choice'

Columbia University has released a statement addressing its authorization to allow the NYPD on campus, saying the decision was "made to restore safety and order to our community."

In its statement, the university said after they learned protesters had entered Hamilton Hall last night and "occupied, vandalized, and blockaded" it, they were left with "no choice" but to allow the police in. The university also said in a statement that they believe "that the group that broke into and occupied the building is led by individuals who are not affiliated with the University."

"Columbia public safety personnel were forced out of the building, and a member of our facilities team was threatened. We will not risk the safety of our community or the potential for further escalation," the university's statement continued.

The university said in its statement the NYPD's presence is about the "actions of the protestors, not the cause they are championing."

"We have made it clear that the life of campus cannot be endlessly interrupted by protesters who violate the rules and the law," the statement read.

Apr 30, 9:46 PM
NYPD expected to charge Hamilton Hall protesters with burglary, criminal mischief

Ahead of the move into Columbia University Tuesday evening, NYPD officials detailed what charges arrested protestors will face.

"For the individuals that are inside of Hamilton Hall they will be charged with burglary in a third degree, criminal mischief, and trespassing. For the individuals that are in the encampments outside they will be charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct," NYPD officials said.

Apr 30, 9:32 PM
NYPD officers have entered Hamilton Hall through second-floor window

New York Police Department officers have entered Hamilton Hall through the second-floor window.

Apr 30, 11:14 PM
NYPD moves in at Columbia, begins making arrests

New York Police Department officers have moved onto the Columbia University campus and have begun making arrests.

Apr 30, 8:50 PM
Columbia authorizes NYPD to move onto campus

New York City has received authorization from Columbia University to send the NYPD onto campus, a senior city official told ABC News.

Apr 30, 8:50 PM
USC President condemns swastika drawn on campus

University of Southern California President Carol Folt released a statement Tuesday after being alerted to an alleged swastika drawn on the USC campus.

"I've just been made aware of a swastika drawn on our campus," Folt said in an update on X Tuesday afternoon.

"I condemn any antisemitic symbols or any form of hate speech against anyone. Clearly it was drawn there to incite even more anger at a time that is so painful for our community," Folt continued.

Folt said the university is investigating and that the swastika has been removed.

Apr 30, 8:37 PM
Columbia University students told to shelter in place amid ongoing protest

Columbia University students were told to shelter in place Tuesday evening due to "heightened activity" on the Morningside campus.

"Shelter in place for your safety due to heightened activity on the Morningside campus," the university’s emergency management operations team said in an alert Tuesday.

Officials warned that "Non-compliance may result in disciplinary action" and that students should "avoid the area until further notice."

Apr 30, 7:37 PM
City College of New York shifting remote amid protests

The City College of New York said it will hold classes remotely starting on Wednesday until further notice due to "current encampment activities" on the Manhattan campus.

Campus buildings will be closed except to essential personnel, the university said.

The announcement comes nearly a week after the university, which is part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system, said a group of demonstrators calling themselves the "CUNY Gaza Solidarity Encampment" set up a tent encampment on the campus' quad.

"The demonstrators appear to be made up of students, faculty and staff from City College and across the CUNY system and a sizable contingent that is not affiliated with any CUNY campus," City College President Vince Boudreau said in a letter to the community earlier this week, noting that school leaders had begun discussions with representatives from the group.

"We are working to minimize risks to people within the encampment and to protect all members of our campus community, while also minimizing the encampment's impact on campus operations," Boudreau said.

Apr 30, 6:55 PM
NYC mayor on Columbia University building occupation: 'This must end now'

New York City Mayor Eric Adams urged protesters at Columbia University to "walk away" after dozens of demonstrators stormed the campus' Hamilton Hall in what he called a "violent spectacle that serves no purpose."

Adams said the peaceful demonstrations were being co-opted by "professional outside agitators" seeking to "create discord and divisiveness."

"That is why I'm urging every student, every protester to walk away from this situation now. Continue your advocacy through other means," Adams said at a press briefing Tuesday evening. "We will always protect the right to protest, but we must balance that right with the right to keep students in school and our city safe."

"We cannot wait till this situation becomes even more serious. This must end now," he added.

Chief Edward Caban reiterated that protesters who are not Columbia students are working to escalate the situation and said the New York City Police Department is ready to assist the university as needed.

"We have seen the tactics changing in a way that's endangering public safety," he said.

The NYPD showed footage of what Deputy Commissioner for Intel Rebecca Weiner said showed outside actors making barriers inside Hamilton Hall and "escalating" tactics such as scaling buildings and breaking windows. Cameras in the building have also been destroyed, Weiner said.

Individuals who occupied Hamilton Hall could face charges including burglary in the third degree, trespass and criminal mischief, police said.

A Columbia University spokesperson said Tuesday evening that dozens of protesters were in Hamilton Hall.

Apr 30, 6:19 PM
American flag briefly replaced with Palestinian flag at UNC Chapel Hill

Some protesters at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill briefly replaced an American flag with the Palestinian flag on the campus' main quad Tuesday afternoon amid ongoing demonstrations.

The crowd chanted "U.S.A!" and sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" as the American flag was returned to the flagpole, footage shows. The flag was later removed for safekeeping, according to ABC Chapel Hill affiliate WTVD-TV.

The university canceled classes for the rest of the day as of 3 p.m. local time due to the demonstrations on campus.

Apr 30, 5:33 PM
Education secretary says campus unrest is 'unacceptable'

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona condemned what he deemed the "unacceptable" behavior of protesters on college campuses across the country.

"I think what's happening on our campuses is abhorrent," Cardona told Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., at the Senate's budget requests hearing for fiscal year 2025 on Tuesday. "It's unacceptable and we're committed as a Department of Education to adhering to Title VI enforcement."

The secretary said the department could reduce federal funds for schools that violate Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin.

Pressed on whether the department was acting to eliminate antisemitism from college campuses amid the growing unrest, particularly at Columbia University, Cardona said the department is reviewing 137 discrimination investigations at Columbia.

He maintained campus safety is of "utmost importance."

"I wouldn't want to send my child to campus if I feel that they're not safe," he said. "That's the most important thing to me -- to make sure that our kids are safe on campus."

-ABC News' Arthur Jones II

Apr 30, 5:07 PM
79 people arrested at UT Austin

Police arrested 79 people at the University of Texas at Austin, Monday and the Travis County Prosecutor's Office has now received 65 cases for criminal trespassing.

"An initial review of the probable cause affidavits does not appear to show deficiencies," Travis County Attorney Delia Garza told reporters Tuesday.

Last week, trespassing charges against protesters were dismissed because they did not show probable cause.

Garza criticized the arrests and charges brought against peaceful protesters and said it is putting a strain on the state's criminal justice system and police response.

"I'm also deeply concerned about how matters will escalate when people believe they are being prevented from exercising their right to participate in nonviolent protest," Garza said.

Apr 30, 3:27 PM
Brown University reaches agreement to end encampment, agrees to divestment sit-down

Brown University said it has reached an agreement with pro-Palestinian student protesters to end their encampment, which began on April 24.

"After productive discussions between members of the Brown University administration and student leaders of the Brown Divest Coalition, we have reached an agreement that will end the encampment by 5 p.m. today," Brown President Christina Paxson said in a statement.

Five students have been invited to meet with five members of the Corporation of Brown University to make their arguments to divest Brown's endowment from "companies enabling and profiting from the genocide in Gaza."

Paxson will also ask the Advisory Committee on University Resource Management to provide a recommendation on divestment by Sept. 30, which the corporation will vote on in October.

Students, faculty, staff and alumni will not face retaliation for being involved in the encampment, according to the agreement, and no registered student organizations will loose their recognition.

While Brown said it will continue to follow its conduct process for individual students who were involved in any activities related to the encampment or support of the encampment, the university said ending the encampment will be viewed favorably in disciplinary proceedings. Reports of bias, harassment or discrimination will continue to be investigated.

-ABC News' Nadine El-Bawab

Apr 30, 2:31 PM
Columbia protesters say school 'isolating' them with no access to food, water, bathrooms

Columbia University's Students for Justice in Palestine hit back at the university saying its decision to limit campus access to students living in on-campus dorms means protesters will not have access to food, water or bathrooms without swiping in.

Protesters are calling for students to join them for a rally at the occupied building they have renamed Hind's Hall at 2 p.m.

Apr 30, 1:32 PM
Columbia threatens 'consequences' for protesters who occupied building

Columbia University has threatened student protesters with "clear consequences" after protesters occupied a building in an escalating standoff. Students defied a 2 p.m. deadline to disperse Monday.

Students occupying the building face expulsion, the university warned.

"We made it very clear yesterday that the work of the University cannot be endlessly interrupted by protesters who violate the rules. Continuing to do so will be met with clear consequences. Protesters have chosen to escalate to an untenable situation—vandalizing property, breaking doors and windows, and blockading entrances—and we are following through with the consequences we outlined yesterday," Columbia said in a statement.

Students who did not commit to the terms Columbia's proposed agreement to vacate the encampment by 2 p.m. Monday have been suspended.

"Those students will be restricted from all academic and recreational spaces and may only access their individual residence. Seniors will be ineligible to graduate," Columbia said.

"This is about responding to the actions of the protesters, not their cause," Columbia said.

Apr 30, 12:47 PM
Columbia limits access to Morningside campus

Columbia University said it has limited access to its Morningside campus except to students residing in seven residential buildings, labs and employees who provide essential services.

The school has also limited access into and out of the building to one gate, closing all other campus entry points.

The restrictions will remain in place "until circumstances allow otherwise," Columbia said.

Apr 30, 12:27 PM
82 protesters arrested at Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech said it has cleared an encampment on campus and arrested 82 protesters for trespassing, after refusing to comply with university policies.

"Virginia Tech strongly supports free speech, even when the content of that speech may be disagreeable to some. However, those rights do not extend beyond the point where they interfere with the rights of others, violate our policies, the Code of Virginia, or federal laws and/or create a threat to safety for others," Virginia Tech President Tim Sands said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Virginia Tech Muslim Student Association said in a letter the 91 students faculty and staff were arrested for peacefully protesting.

"As we reach the end of the semester, 7 months after Oct. 7, we are finding our voices still unheard. We are waiting for your support of us and Palestine," the Virginia Tech MSA said in a statement.

-ABC News' Nadine El-Bawab and Kerem Inal

Apr 30, 12:00 PM
Cal Poly Humboldt clears occupied buildings, arrests 25 protesters

California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt said it has cleared two campus buildings that had been occupied by protesters for over a week and arrested 25 people.

"Those arrested faced a range of different charges depending on individual circumstances including unlawful assembly, vandalism, conspiracy, assault of police officers, and others. In addition, students could face discipline for conduct violations while any University employees arrested could face disciplinary action," Cal Poly said in a statement.

The university called the occupation of the two buildings "criminal activity" and said there were "serious concerns it would spread even further on campus."

"This morning’s enforcement action was determined to be necessary to restore order and to address the lawlessness and dangerous conditions that had developed. What was occurring was not free expression or a protest," the university said in a statement.

The campus will remain closed until May 10.

Apr 30, 11:41 AM
Northwestern reaches deal with students, faculty to end encampment, reveal investments

Northwestern University announced it has reached a deal with pro-Palestinian protesters, ending an encampment of students and faculty, but allowing peaceful demonstrations to continue through June 1.

The university said it would "answer questions from any internal stakeholder about holdings, held currently or within the last quarter, to the best of its knowledge and to the extent legally possible" -- meeting a key call from divestment protesters and students around the country who are seeking more transparency over universities' investments.

Northwestern will also reestablish an Advisory Committee on Investment Responsibility in the fall, which will include representatives from students, faculty and staff.

The university also pledged more inclusivity, funding two Palestinian faculty members and the full cost of attendance for five Palestinian undergraduate students annually, as well as a commitment to raising funds to sustain the program beyond this commitment.

Under the agreement, Northwestern says tents will be removed immediately but one aid tent will be allowed to remain. Protesters will need to suspend the use of "non-approved" amplified sound." Protesters who refuse to follow the agreement will be suspended and non-affiliated individuals must leave campus.

Apr 30, 11:12 AM
UConn removes encampment, makes arrests after protesters refuse to leave

The University of Connecticut cleared an encampment of pro-Palestinian protesters early Tuesday after they refused orders to disperse. UConn has not yet revealed the number of arrests and charges.

UConn said that protests were permitted but setting up tents violated university guidelines.

"The group was warned multiple times over a period of days that while they were free to be in the space and exercise their free speech rights, the guidelines needed to be followed and the tents needed to be taken down. This was ignored," UConn said in a statement.

"UConn Police directed them four times on Tuesday morning to remove the tents and disperse, and they again repeatedly ignored the directives. Officers then entered the site to remove the tents and tarps, and to arrest those who refused compliance," UConn said in a statement.

-ABC News' Mark Osborne

Apr 30, 10:07 AM
Reporter arrested while covering protest on Cal Poly campus

Adelmi Ruiz, a reporter for Redding, California, ABC affiliate KRCR, was arrested at Cal Poly Humboldt while filming police approaching an encampment of pro-Palestinian protesters.

A livestream showed Ruiz filming police in riot gear approaching protesters, who could be heard chanting, when an officer asks her to come over and tells her they need her out of the way.

An officer then tells Ruiz to put her phone away and put her hands behind her back because he is going to put her in flex cuffs — plastic handcuffs used by police for protesters. Ruiz identifies herself as a reporter multiple times but is still arrested.

"You had an opportunity to leave. You were told multiple times to leave otherwise you were gonna be arrested," the officer says, according to a livestream which continued after Ruiz placed her phone in her pocket.

She responded that she was on assignment covering the protest.

"Find a different job if this causes you to break the law," the officer says.

As she is escorted away, Ruiz can be heard asking for help.

Apr 30, 9:42 AM
17 protesters arrested at University of Utah, encampment cleared

The University of Utah has removed an encampment of pro-Palestinian protesters and arrested 17 people after the university said protesters do not have a right to set up encampments on campus property and threatened to disperse them.

About a dozen tents, stashes of water, food and toilet paper were removed from the encampment.

The university had issued warnings to students, staff and faculty members telling them to remove their encampments, or face consequences, including arrests.

The university had threatened criminal trespass and disorderly conduct charges, termination for faculty and staff and discipline for students ranging from probation to suspension against those who refused to leave the encampment.

Apr 30, 4:06 AM
Columbia protesters occupy campus hall

Pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University occupied a hall on campus early Tuesday, hours after school officials ordered the dispersal of a protest encampment.

Videos viewed by ABC News appeared to show protesters creating a barricade with metal chairs outside Hamilton Hall after midnight.

Several were seen in the videos unrolling protest posters from one of the building's balconies.

It was unclear how many demonstrators had occupied the hall, which is on Amsterdam Avenue. The Columbia Spectator, a campus newspaper, reported the people who were inside were working to block the building's exits with tables, chairs and zip-ties.

Apr 29, 11:35 PM
University of Texas at Austin says it took action to 'preserve a safe, conducive learning environment' for students

After police and protesters clashed on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin following a dispersal order, leading to some arrests on Monday, the school issued a statement, saying it "took swift action to preserve a safe, conducive learning environment for our 53,000 students as they prepare for final exams."

"UT Austin requested backup assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety to protect the safety of the campus community and enforce our Institutional Rules, such as the rule that prohibits encampments on campus. Because of the encampments and other violations of the University’s Institutional Rules related to protests, protestors were told repeatedly to disperse. When they refused to disperse, some arrests were made for trespassing. Others were arrested for disorderly conduct," the university's statement read.

UTA said protests since the start of the Israel-Hamas war have happened "largely without incident."

"The University strongly supports the free speech and assembly rights of our community and we want students and others on campus to know that protests on campus are fully permissible, provided that they do not violate Institutional Rules or threaten the safety of our campus community," the statement concluded.

Apr 29, 10:51 PM
'Multiple arrests' at Virginia Commonwealth University: Officials

"Multiple arrests" were made at Virginia Commonwealth University Monday night, following tense conflict between police and pro-Palestinian protesters on the Richmond campus, officials said.

Addressing the arrests, the university said in a statement that final exams start this week and the school "must provide students the opportunity to safely and successfully complete the semester."

"The gathering violated several university policies. VCU respectfully and repeatedly provided opportunities for those individuals involved -- many of whom were not students -- to collect their belongings and leave," the university's statement continued. "Those who did not leave were subject to arrest for trespassing. While supporting an environment that fosters protected speech and expressive activity, VCU must maintain an atmosphere free of disruption to the university’s mission."

Apr 29, 5:27 PM
Columbia begins suspending students who refuse to leave encampment

A representative from Columbia University said the school has begun suspending students who have defied the 2 p.m. deadline to leave the encampment.

Ben Chang, the vice president of the office of public affairs, did not say how many people would be suspended but said those students would not be able to attend classes or graduate.

The school's campus is still closed to anyone who doesn't have a student ID.

-ABC News' Darren Reynolds

Apr 29, 4:23 PM
Protesters clash with police at UT-Austin

Police and protesters clashed on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin on Monday afternoon after authorities issued a dispersal order.

The UT Austin Police Department asked protesters to leave the South Mall area at about 1 p.m. local time.

Protesters could be heard chanting, "There is no riot here, why are you in riot gear?" Soon after, police moved in to clear the area by force.

The university said in a statement, "After protesters ignored repeated directives from both the administration and law enforcement officers to comply with Institutional Rules and remove tents assembled on the University’s South Lawn, then physically engaged with and verbally assaulted Dean of Students staff who attempted to confiscate them, UT and partner law enforcement agencies dismantled an encampment and arrested several protesters."

It continued, "Baseball size rocks were found strategically placed within the encampment. The majority of protesters are believed to be unaffiliated with the university."

More than 50 people were arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest on the campus last week, however, charges were later dropped.

Apr 29, 3:31 PM
Protesters clash with police at UT-Austin

Police and protesters clashed on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin on Monday afternoon after authorities issued a dispersal order.

The UT Austin Police Department asked protesters to leave the South Mall area at about 1 p.m. local time.

Protesters could be heard chanting, "There is no riot here, why are you in riot gear?" Soon after, police moved in to clear the area by force.

More than 50 people were arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest on the campus last week, however, charges were later dropped.

Apr 29, 3:05 PM
Columbia protesters defy 2 p.m. deadline to disperse

Protesters camped out at Columbia University are defying the school's order to pack up and leave by 2 p.m.

Sueda Polat, a representative from the protesters' negotiating team, told reporters that the university did not engage in good-faith negotiations and failed to meet their demands to divest from Israel.

"It is against the will of the students to disperse," she said. "We do not abide by university pressures. We act on the will of the students."

Police were outside of the campus as the deadline approached but they did not immediately enter after it passed.

"Students are aware of the risk of law enforcement. ... They know how to come together in that risk," Polat said.

Apr 29, 1:57 PM
Cal Poly Humboldt campus leaders offer escorts to concerned students

Cal Poly Humboldt said it will close off campus to non-school members through May 10 as protesters have occupied two buildings.

Campus leaders also said it will now offer escorts off campus to anyone who feels their safety is threatened.

The school urged the protesters who have been occupying Siemens Hall and Nelson Hall East since last week to leave immediately.

"Leaving voluntarily will be considered as a possible mitigating factor in University conduct processes and may reduce the severity of sanctions imposed. This does not, however, eliminate responsibility for any potential conduct or criminal charges."

-ABC News' Bonnie McLean

Apr 29, 12:24 PM
UGA arrests protesters after 'crossing a line,' blocking sidewalks

The University of Georgia-Athens said protesters who set up an encampment on campus "crossed a line" Monday morning and several were arrested.

Approximately "25 protesters began erecting tents and a barricade, blocking sidewalks and building entrances and using amplified sound," school spokesman Greg Trevor said in a statement.

The protesters met with university police and student affairs members to discuss the violation and were given multiple warnings to remove the barriers, but they refused, according to Trevor.

"At 8:30 a.m., UGA Police were left with no choice but to arrest those who refused to comply," he said.

The school did not specify how many people were arrested.

"While we must provide ample opportunity for protected expressive activities, we also have the right and duty to regulate the time, place and manner in which they occur," Trevor said.

-ABC News' Ahmad Hemingway

Apr 29, 11:11 AM
Columbia tells protesters to leave encampment by 2 p.m.

Columbia University has distributed a letter to members of the encampment on campus telling them to gather their belongings and leave the area by 2 p.m., saying if they identify themselves and sign a form "to abide by all University policies through June 30, 2025, or the date of the conferral of your degree, whichever is earlier, you will be eligible to complete the semester in good standing."

The school said it has "already identified many students in the encampment" and "if you do not identify yourself upon leaving and sign the form now, you will not be eligible to sign and complete the semester in good standing." The school warned it could take action up to suspension or expulsion if they do not leave the encampment.

The school reiterated that negotiations with protesters had broken down and said the protests are a "disruption" to those taking final exams and preparing for graduation.

"As you are probably aware, the dialogue between the University and student leaders of the encampment is, regrettably, at an impasse," the letter states. "The current unauthorized encampment and disruption on Columbia University’s campus is creating an unwelcoming environment for members of our community. External actors have also contributed to this environment, especially around our gates, causing safety concerns – including for our neighbors."

Apr 29, 9:09 AM
Columbia cannot come to agreement with protesters, president says

Protesters at Columbia University, who sparked many of the protests across the nation earlier this month, are now being asked to voluntarily disperse after the school's president said it was not able to come to an agreement through negotiations.

Since Wednesday, "a small group of academic leaders has been in constructive dialogue with student organizers to find a path that would result in the dismantling of the encampment and adherence to University policies going forward. Regretfully, we were not able to come to an agreement," Columbia President Minouche Shafik said in a statement Monday morning.

One of the top demands of the protesters, for Columbia to divest from Israel, was flatly denied by the university, according to the statement.

The school asked protesters, who number in the hundreds, to voluntarily disperse, but offered no explanation for what would happen if they did not. The school said it did not "want to deprive thousands of students and their families and friends of a graduation celebration." The school's graduation ceremony is set to be held May 15.

"We urge those in the encampment to voluntarily disperse," Shafik wrote. "We are consulting with a broader group in our community to explore alternative internal options to end this crisis as soon as possible. We will continue to update the community with new developments."

Apr 29, 8:54 AM
Dozens of arrests made at Virginia Tech

Police cleared out an encampment at Virginia Tech late Sunday after protesters had set up tents on the lawn of the campus' Graduate Life Center.

"Those who gathered were advised by university officials to remove their possessions and to disperse voluntarily; those who failed to comply were then approached by Virginia Tech Police and were again asked to leave and advised that anyone who failed to comply would be charged with trespassing, in accordance with Virginia law," the school said in a statement.

The university added, "At approximately 10:15 p.m., police approached protesters to ask them to disperse within five minutes. Those who remained were subject to arrest."

Dozens of protesters were taken into custody, according to Lynchburg, Virginia, ABC affiliate WSET.

Apr 28, 8:52 PM
UCLA increases security measures after physical altercations during protest

UCLA announced it is instituting additional security measures amid protests on campus over the Israel-Hamas war in a statement on Sunday.

"UCLA has a long history of peaceful protest and we are heartbroken to report that today, some physical altercations broke out among demonstrators on Royce Quad," Mary Osako, vice chancellor of UCLA Strategic Communications said.

"We have since instituted additional security measures and increased the numbers of our safety team members on site," Osako said.

"As an institution of higher education, we stand firmly for the idea that even when we disagree, we must still engage respectfully and recognize one another’s humanity," Osako continued.

Addressing the physical altercations during the protests, Osako said, "We are dismayed that certain individuals instead chose to jeopardize the physical safety of the community."

Last week, the University of California rejected calls to divest from companies that do business with Israel.

Apr 28, 10:07 AM
White House: 'We don't want to see anybody hurt in the process'

The White House said Sunday that President Joe Biden respects the right of demonstrators to make their voices heard -- peacefully -- and "we don't want to see anybody hurt in the process."

"The president knows that there are very strong feelings about the war in Gaza. He understands that, he respects that, and as he has said many times, we certainly respect the right of peaceful protest. People should have the ability to air their views and to share their perspectives publicly, but it has to be peaceful," White House national security spokesman John Kirby told ABC News' This Week anchor George Stephanopoulos on Sunday.

Kirby did warn that some language heard during the demonstrations crossed a line with the administration.

"We absolutely condemn the antisemitism language that we've heard of late, and we certainly condemn all the hate speech and the threats of violence out there. These protests, we understand they're important, but they do need to be peaceful," he said.

"We'll leave it to local authorities to determine how these protests are managed," Kirby told Stephanopoulos, "but we want them to be peaceful protests and obviously we don't want to see anybody hurt in the process of peacefully protesting."

Apr 28, 12:07 AM
USC temporarily closes main campus due to 'disruption,' LAPD issues alert

The University of Southern California closed its main campus Saturday evening "due to a disturbance," the university said on X.

Los Angeles Police Department issued a citywide tactical alert due to a protest on USC's campus, urging people to avoid the area.

A tactical alert allows LAPD to keep officers on past their shifts and to move officers between divisions if they need extra staffing in one area of the city.

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(NEW YORK) -- A Los Angeles-based attorney who represented both Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal explained to jurors how he brokered a pair of deals to keep their alleged affairs with Donald Trump out of print, claiming that he interpreted the "catch-and-kill" schemes as a mechanism to protect Trump from political liabilities, during Tuesday's proceedings in Trump's criminal hush money trial.

The former president is accused of falsifying business records to hide the reimbursement of a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election. He has denied all wrongdoing.

Keith Davidson testified Tuesday that interest in Stormy Daniels' claim "reached a crescendo" in late 2016 in the wake of the Access Hollywood tape on which Trump was heard bragging about grabbing women. Davidson also said it was his understanding that Trump would be the one to foot the bill for her silence -- not Michael Cohen, who ultimately paid up.

Judge Juan Merchan began the day by holding Trump in criminal contempt and fining the former president $9,000 for repeatedly violating the case's limited gag order. He set a 9:30 a.m. hearing for Thursday to hear arguments about four additional violations by Trump.

Here are the big takeaways from Day 9 of the trial:

Stormy Daniels' deal was all about the election, lawyer claims

Keith Davidson testified that he grew increasingly frustrated with Michael Cohen in the weeks leading up to the 2016 presidential election, as the onetime Trump fixer repeatedly delayed paying his client, Stormy Daniels, after negotiating a deal for her silence.

"I thought he was trying to kick the can down the road until after the election," Davidson said.

Davidson's testimony cut to the core of the district attorney's case -- tethering Cohen's action, or lack thereof, to Trump's political ambitions.

"What do you expect me to do -- my guy is in five f------ states today," Davidson said Cohen told him at one point. "I am doing everything I can."

Davidson said he believed that "Michael Cohen didn't have the authority to actually spend money," but he thought that Trump would ultimately fund the payment.

"Where did you believe the money to be coming from?" prosecutor Josh Steinglass asked.

"From Donald Trump or some kind of corporate affiliation thereof," Davidson said.

Davidson recounts selling McDougal's story to Enquirer

On June 7, 2016, Davidson sent a text message to Dylan Howard, an editor at the National Enquirer, saying, "I have a blockbuster Trump story."

Howard responded less than a minute later.

"Talk 1st thing," he replied. "I will get you more than ANYONE for it. You Know why..."

Jurors saw dozens of texts the two men subsequently exchanged during negotiations. According to Davidson, McDougal was "teetering between two different deals" at the time, but only the National Enquirer could grant her what she really wanted: to avoid actually having to tell her story.

McDougal wanted to "rejuvenate her career, to make money," Davidson explained. But she also wanted "to avoid telling her story," or become the "Scarlet Letter, the 'other woman.'"

Davidson described how was ultimately able to arrange that deal for McDougal.

Trump held in criminal contempt, ordered to pay $9,000

Before Tuesday's testimony, Judge Juan Merchan issued a ruling holding Trump in criminal contempt for repeatedly violating the case's limited gag order by targeting potential witnesses in the case on social media and elsewhere.

Merchan ordered Trump to pay $1,000 each for nine violations and threatened to jail him if he continues to willfully violate court orders. Trump was also ordered to remove the posts in question -- which he did during the lunch break -- and to pay the fine by the close of business this Friday.

The judge said he was still considering additional contempt motions for subsequent alleged gag order violations.

Jury sees videos of Trump

Jurors were treated to their first glimpse during the trial of Donald Trump offering any substantial comments -- but they were played on a video screen, not in person, and reflected comments he made in 2016 and 2017 about women who came forward with claims of extramarital affairs.

Prosecutors played videos from two campaign events in 2016 and a press conference he gave after becoming president-elect in 2017.

"I have no idea who these women are. I have no idea," Trump said in one of the videos. "The stories are total fiction. They are 100% made up. They never happened. They never would happen."

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(NEW YORK) -- Harvey Weinstein is scheduled to appear in court in Manhattan on Wednesday for the first time since New York's highest court overturned his sex crimes conviction.

He is scheduled to appear in Manhattan Supreme Court in the first step toward a possible retrial after the New York Court of Appeals overturned his conviction on sex crimes against three women.

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office said it intends to retry Weinstein if the complaining witnesses are willing to participate in another trial.

"At the Manhattan D.A.'s Office, our Special Victims Division fights each and every day to center survivors, uplift their voices, and seek justice for these horrific crimes," a spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement last week. "Our mission is to center survivors' experiences and wellbeing in every decision we make, which we will do as we approach the next steps in this case."

Weinstein, 72, was transferred to Rikers Island and then the New York City jail medical unit at Bellevue Hospital Center late last week ahead of the court appearance, his spokesperson said.

"We are cautiously optimistic and are prepared to go to trial, if it comes to that," his spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, said in a statement on Saturday. "There are fewer charges now and the deck isn't going to be illegally stacked against him. While we all enjoy the same rights when it comes to our justice system, a defendant has an additional right to due process. We are glad the Appeals Court judges saw it that way."

The initial trial and conviction followed an explosive New York Times article in October 2017 that reported Weinstein had reached at least eight settlements with women who accused him of sexual misconduct over decades. The story sparked an avalanche of accusations from women who came forward with similar accounts and largely kicked off the #MeToo movement, targeting prominent celebrities for sexual misconduct.

Weinstein was arrested on May 25, 2018, and charged with first- and third-degree rape for one victim, and first-degree criminal sex act for another woman.

Prosecutors said the movie producer abused his power to take advantage of aspiring female actors, like the alleged victims, to coerce them into unwanted sexual encounters. According to the prosecution, the quid pro quo of assisting them with their careers in exchange for sexual favors on demand was both common behavior and a well-known secret throughout the film industry.

He was found guilty in February 2020 of two felonies -- criminal sexual assault and third-degree rape -- but acquitted of the two most serious charges -- predatory sexual assault. He was also acquitted of first-degree rape.

The New York Court of Appeals overturned Weinstein's conviction on Thursday in a scathing 4-3 opinion, writing that they found the trial judge "erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes."

The court said that testimony "served no material non-propensity purpose" and "portrayed defendant in a highly prejudicial light."

Weinstein was also convicted of sex offenses in Los Angeles in 2022 and sentenced to 16 years in prison there.

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(LOS ANGELES) -- A Los Angeles Metro Rail train and a University of Southern California bus collided on Tuesday, leaving at least 55 people injured and two individuals in critical condition, officials said.

The crash occurred on Watt Way and Exposition Boulevard in the Exposition Park neighborhood around noon, local time, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD).

Metro officials said the incident happened when the USC shuttle bus crossed into the path of a southbound Metro E Line train.

Firefighters and paramedics evaluated and treated at least 55 people as a result of the crash, LAFD said in an update Tuesday afternoon.

Among those affected, officials say two people were transported to a local hospital in serious condition, 16 people were transported in fair condition and at least 37 individuals were treated and released on scene.

LAFD said 14 of those transported to the hospital were on the train at the time of the crash, while two people were aboard the USC bus.

No children were transported to the hospital after the crash, officials said.

"Metro offers its sympathies to those injured during this accident," the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority said in a statement Tuesday.

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(NEW YORK) -- In the race to understand the potential habitability of Saturn's icy and active moon, Enceladus, scientists could have a newfound understanding of the moon's defining stripes and eruptions.

Enceladus harbors a global, subsurface ocean more than 30 miles deep, that periodically erupts jets of ice crystals and plumes of gas above its South Pole, which were first recognized by NASA's Cassini spacecraft in 2005.

During the 13-year mission studying Saturn and its 146 moons, the Cassini spacecraft was able to capture material ejected into space by Enceladus' jets.

Enceladus, named after a giant in Greek mythology, is the sixth-largest of Saturn's many moons and spans approximately 310 miles in diameter, according to NASA.

Over nearly 20 years, scientists have explored the chemical makeup in Enceladus' jets, and in a June 2023 study, researchers determined that the salt-rich frozen liquid and gas plumes contain the key ingredients needed to sustain life: carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur and phosphorus.

On Monday, another piece of the Enceladus puzzle was announced by a team of researchers from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in a paper published in Nature.

Researchers found Enceladus' eruptions, which vary in brightness, stem from four distinct fractures on the surface of the celestial body, referred to as "tiger stripes."

The study, led by Alexander Berne, a PhD candidate at Caltech, analyzed the brightness of Enceladus' jets and determined they were in sync with his hypothesized, sliding side-by-side motion of the moon's tiger stripes.

The study suggests Enceladus' tiger stripes open differently than previously understood, and to put it simply, Berne likened the movement of Enceladus' tiger stripes to that of California's San Andreas fault line.

"In our study, we propose that strike-slip or side-to-side motion, similar to what happens on the San Andreas Fault when there's an earthquake, could regulate Enceladus' jets," Berne told ABC News, adding that tides in Enceladus' ocean drives the movement of the tiger stripes.

"To explain the correlation between strikes that motion jet activity, we have these little bends and faults at the South Pole, which periodically open and close in response to tides, and allow for material to rise through Enceladus' shell and spew into space," Berne said.

So how does this newfound information further the investigation into one of the most compelling celestial bodies in our solar system?

Berne explained that understanding the transport history of Enceladus' mineral-rich expulsions is instrumental to understanding the potential habitability of the moon.

"There's a lot of interest in going back to Enceladus and sampling this material for life detection purposes," Berne said.

"To understand what we're sampling, we need to have an understanding of the transport history of that material," Berne continued, adding, "This study provides a framework for understanding that transport history."

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(NEW YORK) -- Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City, where he is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges.

Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.

Here's how the news is developing:

Apr 30, 4:58 PM
Trump, following court, again calls case unfair

Exiting the courtroom following the day's testimony, former President Trump said reiterated claims that the case is unfair and that he should be campaigning instead of sitting in court.

"I'm sitting here because that's exactly what they want," Trump said. "They don't want me on the campaign trail. But it's a real -- a real disgrace and the whole world is watching. It's a disgrace to New York."

Trump also railed against the limited gag order in the case, for which the judge this morning fined him $9,000 and ordered him to remove nine social media posts.

"This gag order is not only unique, it's totally unconstitutional," Trump opined, calling Judge Merchan "conflicted"

Asked by a reporter what he meant by calling the judge "conflicted," Trump brusquely turned to respond.

"You can figure that one out easily," he said.
 

Apr 30, 4:39 PM
Court recessed until Thursday

Following attorney Keith Davidson's testimony about Michael Cohen providing the $130,000 payment for Stormy Daniels' hush money deal, Judge Juan Merchan recessed the proceedings for the day.

With court off on Wednesday, he told the jury to report back at at 10 a.m. ET Thursday, allowing 30 minutes for a gag order hearing scheduled for the same day.

Apr 30, 4:31 PM
Davidson tells how Cohen finally made $130K payment

On Oct. 25, 2016, National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard made a push to restart the Daniels deal after Michael Cohen failed to come up with the agreed-upon $130,000 hush money payment, Stormy Daniels' then-attorney Keith Davidson testified.

"Push for the cash. [David Pecker] and I just told [Cohen] he has to pay the 150K," Howard texted Davidson that day, according to evidence.

"It was an attempt to resurrect this deal that had fallen apart," Davidson testified. "They were encouraging Cohen to deal directly with me and that I should try to get as much as I could up to $150,000."

"The entire matter was frustrating, that it was on again, off again, that there were delays in funding and cancellations," Davidson said about the entire Daniels transaction.

According to Davidson, Cohen continued to push back on the deal despite the encouragement from Howard and National Enquirer publisher David Pecker.

"When I call Cohen, he says I am not paying anything. AMI is paying," a frustrated Davidson testified.

On Oct. 26, 2016, Davidson said that he resent Cohen the instructions for where to wire the payment.

Asked why he resent the instructions, Davidson cited Cohen's repeated assertion that "he didn't have my wiring instructions despite the fact that they were repeatedly sent to him previously."

"He said, 'We are sending you the money,'" Davidson recounted Cohen saying on Oct. 26, 2016.

"I told him I didn't believe him," Davidson testified.

According to Davidson, Cohen then emailed him the wire transfer confirmation from First Republic Bank to prove that the money was sent.

Apr 30, 4:23 PM
Davidson suggests he assumed Trump would fund Daniels' payment

When court resumed following the afternoon break, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass continued his direct examination of Stormy Daniels' attorney Keith Davidson.

Davidson testified that while Michael Cohen did not directly say he was negotiating the hush money deal on behalf of Donald Trump, it was implied throughout their negotiations.

"He leaned on his close affiliation with Donald Trump," Davidson said, adding that for Cohen, working for Trump was "part of his identity."

As a result, Davidson suggested he assumed that Donald Trump would ultimately fund the $130,000 payment to Daniels.

"It was my understanding that Mr. Trump was the beneficiary of this contract," Davidson said. He added that the beneficiary of a contract normally pays the contract -- but Judge Merchan struck that portion of his testimony.

Steinglass then attempted to get a clear answer to confirm that Davidson believed Trump would ultimately be responsible for Daniels' payment, but defense lawyer Emil Bove successfully interrupted the testimony through multiple objections and sidebars.

Davidson testified that in October 2016, National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard joked to Davidson about Trump's frugality, which Davidson said he believed was getting in the way of Daniels' contract being completed.

"I reckon that trump impersonator I hired has more cash," Howard said in a text to Davidson that was displayed for the jury.

Apr 30, 3:50 PM
Davidson says Cohen was slow to send Daniels' payment

Stormy Daniels' attorney Keith Davidson testified that he began to think Michael Cohen was beginning to come up with excuses not to send the $130,000 payment owed to Daniels for her silence regarding an alleged rendezvous with Trump.

Jurors saw an email from Cohen where he blamed the delay on the Yom Kippur holiday.

"There were other excuses," Davidson said.

On October 17, 2016, Davidson threatened to cancel the contract with Daniels after he said Cohen made a "barrage of excuses" and failed to meet the funding deadline for the contract.

"The things he was saying didn't make sense from one conversation to the next," Davidson said.

Davidson listed the excuses including, "the computer systems were all f----- up," there was increased security due to the Secret Service, and he had lost the wire instructions.

"This is a very bad situation," Davidson recounted telling Cohen. "It is making me look bad, and I don't really believe a word that you are saying."

"What do you expect me to do -- my guy is in five f------ states today," Davidson said Cohen told. "I am doing everything I can."

Davidson testified his interpretation was that Cohen did not have the direct authorization to send the money.

"Where did you believe the money to be coming from?" prosecutor Josh Steinglass asked. "From Donald Trump or some kind of corporate entity," Davidson said.

On October 17, 2016, Davidson said he emailed Cohen to cancel the Daniels agreement and tell him that he no longer represented her.

"This is the straw that broke the camel's back," Davidson said following all the excuses from Cohen. "I said, 'Hey, this deal is over.'"

"I am out. Go in peace," Davidson summarized his email to Cohen.

"I believed Cohen was not being truthful," Davidson said. "I thought he was trying to kick the can down the road until after the election."

Cohen finally budged and said he would send the money himself, according to Davidson.

"God damn it, I will just do it myself," Cohen eventually said, according to Davidson.

Court subsequently recessed for a short afternoon break. Trump did not speak with reporters as he left the courtroom.

Apr 30, 3:34 PM
Davidson says he called Trump 'David Dennison' in contract

Stormy Daniels' attorney Keith Davidson testified that he used the pseudonym "David Dennison" to reference Donald Trump in the contract that paid Daniels for her silence regarding an alleged rendezvous with Trump.

"Who came up with those pseudonyms?" prosecutor Josh Steinglass asked Davidson.

"I did," replied Davidson, who said that the real David Dennison was on his "high school hockey team."

"How does he feel about you now?" Steinglass asked about the real David Dennison.

"He is very upset," Davidson said, prompting some smiles from the jury and laughter from the gallery.

Apr 30, 3:26 PM
Davidson walks through genesis of Stormy Daniels deal

Stormy Daniels' attorney Keith Davidson testified that National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard reached out to him in June 2016 to let him know that Stormy Daniels' agent Gina Rodriguez was attempting to shop around the Daniels' story.

"Gina is trying to hawk Stormy again," Howard texted Davidson in messages shown to the jury.

"Lol - she's trying to sell the story to you?" Davidson replied.

"Yep," wrote Howard.

Davidson testified that the release of the "Access Hollywood" tape, in which Trump was heard bragging about grabbing women, reinvigorated interest in Daniels' story.

"As far as I am aware, it had a tremendous influence," Davidson said. Before the 'Access Hollywood' tape, there was very little if any interest. It wasn't until 'Access Hollywood' that interest reached a crescendo."

"Trump is f-----," Davidson write in an Oct. 8, 2016, text message to Howard that was displayed for the jury.

Davidson also testified that the post about the alleged Daniels-Trump affair was active again, adding to Trump's problems.

"The Dirty post was bad, but it could get a lot worse," Davidson said.

According to Davidson, Howard and Rodriguez worked out a deal for AMI to buy Stormy Daniels' story for $120,000, but AMI backed out at the last moment. Howard suggested that Rodriguez reach out to Cohen to broker the deal, but she refused. Rodriguez instead asked Davidson to contact Cohen directly.

"Michael Cohen stepped into AMI's shoes" after "AMI washed their hands of the deal," Davidson said.

Davidson said he padded the Stormy Daniels' deal so he could get paid at the request of Gina Rodriguez.

"It is going to be the easiest deal you've ever done in your entire life," Davidson said to describe Rodriguez's request. Her only ask, according to Davidson, was that he would need to "talk to that a------ Cohen."

"It was the original [$120,000], plus $10,000," Davidson said about the $130,000 payment made by Cohen.

Apr 30, 3:14 PM
Davidson tells jury of 2011 call with 'jerk' Michael Cohen

Following Keith Davison's testimony about the deal between Karen McDougal and AMI, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass turned to the topic of Davidson's representation of Stormy Daniels.

Davidson recounted a conversation he had in 2011 with Cohen after a blog first posted a story about the Trump and Stormy Daniels affair allegations.

First, he said he got a call from Daniels's talent manager, Gina Rodriguez:

"The blog post had published and apparently I was informed that Gina had received a phone call from Michael Cohen," Davidson testified. "Gina called me up to tell me that some jerk called me and was very, very aggressive and threatened to sue."

"And I would like you, Keith, to call this jerk back," Davidson recounted Gina told him.

"I hate to ask it this way, but who was that jerk?" prosecutor Steinglass asked Davidson.

"Michael Cohen," Davidson said.

Davidson said he did call Cohen back, and proceeded to tell the jury about that call.

"It was to the Trump Organization. I called and was transferred to Michael Cohen," Davidson said. "I introduced myself and before I could barely get my name out, I was just met with a hostile barrage of insults and insinuations and allegations that went on for quite a while."

In the courtroom, both Trump and his attorney Todd Blanche appeared to laugh as Davidson continued with this description of Cohen.

"He was upset that the story on the had published and he believed that stormy Daniels was behind the story,"

"What did you tell him?" Steinglass asked.

"Finally, after he finished, I explained that I was calling because my client Stormy Daniels did not want the story published and I wanted to see if he had done anything to contact the to take the story down."

Davidson said he subsequently sent a cease-and-desist letter and successfully got the post taken down.

Apr 30, 3:03 PM
Davidson says Cohen was 'pleased' with McDougal deal

As Karen McDougal's attorney Keith Davidson continued his testimony, jurors were shown the final contract between McDougal and AMI that prohibited her from talking about past relationships with a "then-married man."

"Karen had ... granted her limited life rights related to the subject matter -- any affairs with any then-married man -- to AMI," Davidson testified, telling jurors that Donald Trump was the "then-married man" referenced in the contract.

Asked by prosecutor Joshua Steinglass the reasons he believed AMI would spend $150,000 on a story they didn't plan to publish, Davidson said, "I think there were two. I think one explanation that was given was that they were trying to build Karen into a brand," and didn't want to compromise her reputation, he said.

"The second was more of an unspoken understanding that there was a close affiliation between (publisher) David Pecker and Donald Trump, and that AMI would not run this story ... because it would tend to hurt Donald Trump."

"You mean, hurt Donald Trump's campaign?" Steinglass asked.

"Yes," Davidson said.

Davidson previously testified that when the deal was finalized, he called Michael Cohen.

"I called him and let him know as a professional courtesy that the deal involving his client closed," Davidson said.

"What client is that?" Steinglass asked.

"Donald Trump," Davidson said.

Steinglass asked Davidson how Cohen received the news.

"He was pleased," Davidson said.

Apr 30, 2:54 PM
Appeals court denies Trump's bid to have judge recused

An appellate court has denied former President Trump's bid to have Judge Juan Merchan recused from his hush money trial.

Trump's application sought a stay of the proceedings and Merchan's recusal.

Both were denied without explanation by the appellate judge.

Apr 30, 2:47 PM
Trump removes all 9 social posts cited by judge

All nine of former President Trump's social media posts cited by Judge Juan Merchan in his contempt of court ruling this morning have been removed.

The judge ruled that the nine posts violated the limited gag order prohibiting Trump from targeting potential witnesses and others involved in the case.

The nine posts were deleted during the court's lunch break.

Apr 30, 2:38 PM
Texts detail AMI's negotiations for McDougal's story

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass resumed his direct examination of Karen McDougal's former attorney Keith Davidson regarding his text messages with National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard as the two were negotiating how much the publication would pay McDougal for the exclusive rights to her story alleging she'd had an affair with Donald Trump.

“I can't believe they are asking me to go back for another 25 but they are. He deal is accepted at 150k. Can u do that?” Davidson wrote on August 2, 2016.

“He just called me. F--- it. Not my money. I'll ask,” Howard responded.

Davidson told the jury that Enquirer parent AMI initially provided a contract that did not match the terms originally discussed with Howard.

“Cameron's agreement wasn't really even close to what we were expecting. Please review the red-line I just sent. Need to handle this quickly,” Davidson wrote to Howard on Aug. 5, 2016.

Davidson testified that he initially avoided interacting with Michael Cohen while negotiating the deal with AMI due to a negative interaction he had with Cohen in 2011.

“My interaction with him was not pleasant or constructive and I didn’t particularly like dealing with him, and that is why I was trying like hell to avoid talking to him,” Davidson testified regarding Cohen.

Apr 30, 2:26 PM
Court resumes for afternoon session

Donald Trump reentered the courtroom after the lunch break, with his son Eric Trump following a few steps behind.

Trump campaign adviser Susie Wiles and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are seated, along with Eric Trump, in the first row of the gallery behind Trump's defense table.

Judge Merchan took his seat on the bench and asked for Keith Davidson to be brought back to the witness stand so his testimony could resume.

Apr 30, 2:19 PM
Trump begins to remove posts after being held in contempt

Former President Trump has begun to remove the social media posts cited by Judge Juan Merchan in today's gag order ruling.

The judge this morning fined Trump a total of $9,000 for nine violations of the case's limited gag order, which prevents Trump from targeting potential witnesses and others involved in the case.

Trump was ordered to remove the posts in question and to pay the fine by the close of business this Friday.

Apr 30, 1:07 PM
McDougal didn't want her story to go public, lawyer says

Keith Davidson, the former attorney for Karen McDougal, testified that McDougal -- who said in 2016 that years earlier had had an affair with Trump -- did not actually want to tell her story publicly.

That's partially what made a deal with the National Enquirer so "attractive"-- because she would not have to, Davidson said.

"She did not want to tell her story," Davidson testified.

"Get me a price on McDougal All in. Consulting gig perhaps as a fitness expert thrown into the mix," National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard texted Davidson on July 23, 2016, in messages that were shown to the jury.

"How about 1m now. And 75K per year for next 2 years as a fitness correspondent for AMI & ur related pubs," Davidson texted.

"I'll take it to them but thinking it's more hundreds than millions," Howard responded.

"We are going to lay it on thick for her," Howard subsequently texted on July 28, 2016.

"Good. Throw in an ambassadorship for me. I am thinking Isle of Mann," Davidson responded.

"That was just a joke," Davidson testified about the Isle of Mann reference, saying that killing the story "would help Donald Trump's candidacy."

The attorney reiterated on the stand that the "allure of the AMI deal" was that McDougal would get paid yet she would not have to speak publicly about the alleged affair.

The proceedings then broke for lunch. Trump made no comments to reporters as he left the courtroom.

Apr 30, 12:52 PM
McDougal alleged she had affair with Trump, lawyer recounts

Keith Davidson, the former attorney for Karen McDougal, testified about the meeting he arranged between McDougal and National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard.

"Ms. McDougal alleged that she had had a romantic affair with Donald Trump some years prior," Davidson said, referring to what McDougal shared during the meeting.

Asked on the stand whether the affair was sexual, Davidson replied: "That's what she expressed."

Howard told them he wanted to "return to New York and run it up on the flag pole" before making a decision about whether to purchase McDougal's story.

"It's a story that should be told," Davidson texted Howard on June 27, 2017, regarding the alleged affair.

"I agree," Howard responded.

Jurors then saw text messages from about a month after the Howard-McDougal meeting.

"Let's talk ... tomorrow. I think this is the entree for me to go back to them," Howard texted Davidson.

"Better to be quick," replied Davidson, who said on the stand that he was trying to play the National Enquirer against another media outlet to create a "sense of urgency."

"You were trying to convey that there was some urgency and Dylan Howard should act quickly?" prosecutor Josh Steinglass asked Davidson.

"That's fair," Davidson said.

Apr 30, 12:44 PM
'I have a blockbuster Trump story,' lawyer texted tabloid in 2016

With Keith Davidson, the former attorney for Karen McDougal, on the stand, jurors were shows text messages between him and National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard from 2016.

"I have a blockbuster Trump story," Davidson texted Howard on June 7, 2016

"Talk 1st thing. I will get you more than ANYONE for it. You Know why..." Howard responded.

"It was sort of an entree or teaser to Dylan," Davidson testified about the message, adding that he was aware of Pecker's relationship with Trump.

Jurors were then shown more text messages from June 10, 2016.

"Did he cheat on Melania?" Howard asked. "Do you know if the affair was during his marriage to Melania?"

"I really cannot say yet. Sorry," Davidson replied.

"OK. Keep me informed," said Howard.

Asked on the stand why he did not confirm it was an affair, Davidson said, "I was not prepared to discuss the details."

Apr 30, 12:36 PM
McDougal's attorney outlines agreement he had with her

Keith Davidson testified that he represented Karen McDougal in the summer of 2016 when the former Playboy model entered into a non-disclosure agreement with AMI, the parent company of the National Enquirer.

Jurors were then showed the retainer agreement between Davidson and McDougal, which details McDougal’s “life rights related to interactions with Donald Trump and/or negotiating assignment of exclusive press opportunities regarding same.”

Davidson testified that he provided “legal services” to help the former Playmate negotiate with media outlets for the rights to her story about “a personal interaction she had -- allegedly had -- with Donald Trump."

“At the time ... media outlets, both traditional and tabloid, would often enter into an exclusive arrangement where someone would provide exclusive content to that outlet in exchange for money,” Davidson said.

Davidson told Steinglass that he did not go behind McDougal's back when he arranged the agreement with AMI for the rights to her story

Apr 30, 12:29 PM
Prosecution calls former attorney for McDougal and Daniels

Prosecutors called to the stand Keith Davidson, who worked as an attorney for both Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels when the hush money payments to both women were arranged.

Trump, at the defense table, turned his head to see Davidson as he entered the courtroom.

Davidson, who was granted immunity to testify, said that that he has set up nondisclosure agreements for some of his clients, including some with tabloids.

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass asked Davidson about his relationship with former National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard. Earlier, former Enquirer publisher David Pecker testified that Davidson was one of Howard's sources.

"I knew him in my professional dealings," Davidson said. "We were professional acquaintances and friends."

Davidson said he first met Michael Cohen in 2011 after a blog was posted about Stormy Daniels -- who was Davidson's client -- and Donald Trump.

"Michael Cohen is the former attorney for Donald Trump," Davidson recounted.

Apr 30, 12:19 PM
Jury hears transcript of Trump addressing 'Access Hollywood' tape

Prosecutors called their next witness, Philip Thompson, who works for a national court reporting company, to testify about a deposition Trump gave that was taken as part of former Elle magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll's defamation cases against Trump.

Jurors were shown several videos, starting with Trump’s October 2022 deposition in that case.

In the first video, Trump briefly explains what Truth Social is and confirms his handle on the social media platform.

"It is a platform that has been opened by me as an alternative to Twitter," Trump said.

They were next shown an Oct. 19, 2022, deposition taken at Mar-a-Lago, in which Trump confirms he married his wife Melania in 2005.

Thompson then read from the transcript of a deposition where Trump is asked about the "Access Hollywood" video in which he boasts about grabbing women.

Thompson then stepped off the witness stand.

Apr 30, 12:02 PM
'We don't win' if people think stories are true, Trump said in 2016

As part of a series of video, jurors were shown a video of an October 2016 Trump rally in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

"They are trying to poison the mind of the American voter. Every woman lied when they came forward to hurt my campaign," Trump said in the video.

Lastly, jurors sew a brief video of a press conference by President-elect Trump praising Michael Cohen.

Trump, in one of the videos, appears to acknowledge how damaging the stories could have been to his election prospects.

"If 5% of the people think its true, and maybe 10% of the people, we don't win," Trump says in the speech.

In the courtroom, Trump's demeanor completely changed immediately after the videos were played for the jury. He perked up and frantically whispered with his attorney Todd Blanche, looking displeased.

Browning, the C-SPAN executive, concluded his testimony, and defense lawyers opted not to cross-examine him.

Apr 30, 11:41 AM
Judge will allow some questioning about intimidation effort

Judge Juan Merchan has ruled from the bench that prosecutors will be permitted to introduce evidence about Trump's alleged "intimidation effort" for a limited purpose.

Prosecutors can use the evidence to offset the defense claim that witnesses are financially benefiting from the trial and explain why some witnesses have changed their story; however, the evidence cannot be used to demonstrate Trump's "consciousness of guilt," as the prosecution had sought.

Merchan also said jurors will have May 24 -- the Friday before Memorial Day -- off, because a juror has to catch a flight at 11 a.m. ET.

Prosecutors then called as their next witness Robert Browning, who has worked as the executive director of the C-SPAN's archives for 30 years.

Apr 30, 11:33 AM
'Let’s try to keep the break short,' judge tells defense

Jurors have re-entered the courtroom following the mid-morning break.

Trump returned to the courtroom speaking with his defense attorney Todd Blanche as he entered.

Judge Juan Merchan lightly scolded Blanche about running late.

"Let's try to keep the break short," Merchan told Blanche, reminding him that jurors are waiting. "Let's do better."

Apr 30, 11:21 AM
Prosecutors want to ask Trump about gag order violations

In a conference with with judge and other attorneys during the mid-morning break, prosecutor Matthew Colangelo told Judge Merchan that prosecutors would like to cross-examine Donald Trump, if he opts to testify, about his nine violations of the case's limited gag order that the judge handed down this morning.

"The people will seek to cross-examine him on those findings," Colangelo said.

Colangelo also argued that prosecutors should be able to introduce evidence about what he called Trump's "pressure campaign" and "intimidation effort" for witnesses like Michael Cohen.

Colangelo argued that defense attorneys "opened the door" to the evidence during their opening statement by arguing that some of the witnesses like Cohen and Stormy Daniels benefited personally from their involvement in the case. He mentioned that prosecutors have approximately half-a-dozen exhibits to demonstrate Trump's effort attacking witnesses.

Colangelo said the evidence would help show Trump's "consciousness of guilt" and explain why some witnesses made contradictory statements about the case.

Apr 30, 10:58 AM
Farro says opening Cohen's LLC account raised no red flags

While Michael Cohen's former banker, Gary Farro, testified that Cohen took steps to quickly open the account for Essential Consultants, the shell company Cohen used to pay Stormy Daniels, Farro said the process did not prompt any red flags based on the information Cohen provided.

"Not based on the answers I was given ... on the questions I asked," Farro said when asked about potential red flags.

Farro added that accounts in the real estate world were often opened quickly.

"It's not unusual, it's not every time. It's not unusual," Farro said.

Farro testified that he was not involved with the decision to end First Republic Bank's relationship with Cohen, adding that if a client provides false information, First Republic Bank would sever their relationship.

"The decision was not mine," Farro said during a brief re-cross examination.

Apr 30, 10:50 AM
Farro explains how Cohen's LLC account was opened

Gary Farro, under cross-examination, said that First Republic Bank did not open the account for Essential Consultants LLC for Michael Cohen to operate a shell company.

"I don't open up shell corporations," Farro, who was Cohen's banker, said of the LLC that was used for Cohen to send payment to Stormy Daniels in 2016. "Shell corporations that have no business behind them would give me pause."

While First Republic allows some accounts to be opened with limited transactions -- such as an account for an LLC to own a property or aircraft -- the account created by Cohen had the listed business purpose of "investment consulting" work, according to evidence.

Farro added that the information that Cohen provided -- such as not listing himself as someone's agent -- allowed the account to be opened quicker.

"Not only would it raise more questions, but it would require more paperwork," Farro said.

Apr 30, 10:38 AM
Farro says Cohen was removed as his client in 2017

Under cross-examination by defense attorney Todd Blanche, Michael Cohen's former banker testified about his first interactions with Cohen.

Gary Farro said his boss introduced him to Michael Cohen in Cohen's office in Trump Tower.

"He was a challenging client because of his desire to get things done so quickly," Farro said. "Ninety percent of the time, it was an urgent matter."

Farro said that his supervisors removed Cohen as his client in 2017, as the details about the transactions in question "went public."

"They didn't want me to have communication with the client any longer," Farro said.

Apr 30, 10:31 AM
Banker says Daniels payment could have prompted review

Prosecutor Becky Mangold concluded her direct examination of banker Gary Farro by asking if First Republic Bank would have still permitted the wire transfer to Stormy Daniels if Michael Cohen disclosed the money was going to an adult film actress.

"There would definitely have been enhanced due diligence on that," Farro said, adding that the due diligence would have delayed the payment.

"We might consider that a reputational risk," Farro added.

After prosecutors completed their direct examination of Gary Farro, defense attorney Todd Blanche began his cross-examination.

Apr 30, 10:21 AM
Banker details Michael Cohen's $130K payment to Stormy Daniels

Michael Cohen's former banker, Gary Farro, returned to the stand, where he was asked by prosecutor Becky Mangold about Cohen's frantic effort to create a bank account for a new company he created called Essential Consultants LLC on October 26, 2016.

Referring to Stormy Daniels, Farro told jurors that Cohen did not disclose the account would be used to send money to an adult film actress, adding that his bank, First Republic, avoided financing the adult-entertainment sector.

Farro said that Cohen added $131,000 to an account for Essential Consultants LLC using a home equity line of credit.

Apr 30, 10:04 AM
Judge warns Trump could be jailed for further violations

In the paper order explaining his ruling holding Trump in contempt for his violations of the case's limited gag order, Judge Merchan warned Trump that he could be locked up if he continues to willfully violate the order.

"Defendant is hereby warned that the Court will not tolerate continued willful violations of its lawful orders and that if necessary and appropriate under the circumstances, it will impose an incarceratory punishment," Merchan wrote in his order.

Merchan wrote that Trump has until 2:15 p.m. ET today to remove posts violating the order from his social media account and campaign website. Trump has until close of business on Friday to submit the $9,000 penalty Merchan levied against him.

Apr 30, 10:00 AM
Judge orders Trump to pay gag order fine by Friday

After Judge Merchan fined Trump a total of $9,000 for nine violations of the case's limited gag order, Trump was ordered to pay the fine by the close of business this Friday.

Merchan also ordered Trump to remove the posts from his Truth Social account and campaign website by 2:15 p.m. today.

Before resuming Gary Farro's direct examination, Judge Merchan also informed the parties that Trump will be able to attend his son Barron's high school graduation in May, as Trump had requested.

"I don't think the May 17 date is the problem, so Mr. Trump can certainly attend that day, attend his son's graduation," Merchan said.

Apr 30, 9:49 AM
Judge fines Trump $9,000 for violating limited gag order

Judge Juan Merchan has ruled that Donald Trump repeatedly violated the limited gag order imposed by the court.

The judge found that prosecutors "met their burden" to show several contempt motions.

Trump will be fined $1,000 for each of the nine violations, Merchan said, and will be ordered to pay a total of $9,000.

Apr 30, 9:31 AM
Trump enters courtroom with son Eric

Former President Trump has entered the courtroom with his son Eric Trump.

Eric Trump frequently attended last year's New York civil fraud trial, but today marks his first time attending his father's criminal hush money trial.

Trump's campaign staff and advisers have attended the criminal trial over the last two weeks, but Eric Trump is the only Trump family member to attend the proceedings.

Susie Wiles, Trump's top campaign adviser who is helping lead his presidential campaign, is also in the courtroom with him, marking the first time she has been spotted in court.

Apr 30, 9:26 AM
Prosecutors have arrived

Prosecutors from the Manhattan district attorney's office have entered the courtroom.

Prosecutors Joshua Steinglass, Becky Mangold, and Matthew Colangelo are seated at counsel table.

Former President Trump and his counsel are on their way in.

Apr 30, 8:15 AM
Michael Cohen's banker testified Friday about Cohen's LLCs

On his first day on the stand Friday, banker Gary Farro told jurors that he was assigned to work with Michael Cohen in 2015 after one of Farro's colleagues left First Republic Bank, and that in October 2016 Cohen frantically attempted to open an account for a new business called Resolution Consultants LLC.

Prosecutors allege that Cohen intended to use that account to transfer $125,000 to National Enquirer parent AMI for the rights to Playboy playmate Karen McDougal's story about an alleged affair with Trump, but the deal fell through after publisher David Pecker consulted with his attorneys.

"I am not going forward. It is a bad idea, and I want you to rip up the agreement," Pecker recounted telling Cohen. "He was very, very, angry. Very upset. Screaming, basically, at me."

Ultimately, Farro said the account for Resolution Consultants LLC was never funded or opened by Cohen; prosecutors allege the account was abandoned along with the deal to reimburse AMI for the McDougal story. Then, said Farro, Cohen sought him out in October 2016 to open a new account for a company called Essential Consultants LLC, which Farro said Cohen described as a real estate consulting company "to collect fees for investment consulting work [Cohen] does for real estate deals."

According to prosecutors, the day after the account was created, Cohen used it to wire $130,000 to Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence ahead of the 2016 election.

Apr 30, 7:35 AM
Michael Cohen's banker to return to the stand

After a week of testimony from longtime National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, former President Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial is scheduled to resume this morning with the direct examination of Gary Farro, the one-time banker for former Trump attorney Michael Cohen.

Farro, a former managing director at First Republic Bank, began his testimony on Friday by outlining some of the documents used to allegedly create the shell companies formed by Cohen that are related to two hush-money payments at the center of the case.

Prosecutors have called Farro to authenticate records they hope will prove that Trump falsified business records to hide the reimbursement of Cohen's hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

"Read the documents, the emails, the text messages, the bank statements, the handwritten notes, all of it," prosecutor Matthew Colangelo asked jurors last week. "It inescapably leads to only one conclusion: Donald Trump is guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree."

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(NEW YORK) -- People older than 60 lost more money in scams in 2023 than the previous year -- an 11% increase totaling more $3.4 billion overall, according to a new report released by the FBI on Tuesday.

Commonly known as "elder fraud," financial crimes against seniors totaled $3.4 billion in 2023, up from $3.1 billion in 2022, according to the FBI's 2023 "Elder Fraud Report."

There was also a 14% increase in complaints filed with the FBI by elderly victims. There were 101,068 complaints filed by people over the age of 60 in 2023 compared to 88,262 in 2022, the FBI data show. The average dollar loss was $33,915, and 5,920 people lost more than $100,000, according to the FBI.

The FBI says only about half of the more than 880,000 complaints received by its Internet Crime Complaint Center in 2023 included age data.

This past year, like in 2022, tech support fraud was the No. 1 crime type impacting complainants older than 60. Tech support scams, according to the FBI, usually involve scammers claiming to be support from a legitimate company and informing the victim of fraudulent activity or potential refund for a subscription service. The scammer tells the victim they have a refund for the victim, however, money can only be sent by downloading a software that allows the scammer to view the victim's bank account.

The FBI data found that investment scams continued to be the costliest to the elderly in terms of financial losses suffered -- with losses totally more than $1.2 million in 2023. Tech support scams came in second for losses with more than $589,000.

James Barnicle, the head of the FBI's Financial Crimes Section, urged financial institutions to do more in protecting elderly from scams. He told reporters on a conference call on Tuesday, that once the transfer is made they are "hands off."

"We think financial institutions do need to do more, to take some level of fiduciary responsibility and help protect their customers from being victims -- especially in the elderly victim space," he said.

He also urged victims to report losses earlier, so that the FBI can attempt to recover the money quicker.

Across the United States, illegal call scams, which include people posing as fake government officials or fake customer support representatives, netted more than $700 million in 2023 -- with almost half of those victims above the age of 60.

Barnicle said some of the scams originate from call centers in India, Western Africa, Laos and Cambodia. He said the FBI is not only looking to educate victims of scams, but actually hold people accountable.

"We're looking to arrest people," Barnicle said. "We're going to work with law enforcement agencies around the world, in whatever jurisdiction has the best fit and can get hands-on in some countries. Maybe we can't get hands on an offender, but maybe our partners can, whether it's Australia or Japan or the United Kingdom -- so we're looking to arrest people."

Christopher Soyez, the assistant section chief of FBI Financial Crimes Section, said he was recently contacted by scammers, and when he didn't want to continue engaging with them, the conversation turned violent.

"The tone of the text messages took a real aggressive turn -- threats of violence to me and my family," he said. "There were some pretty graphic photos of what things that would happen to me. And he got pretty aggressive."

Soyez said it is a pattern they are seeing more and more from scammers.

"They were taking steps to really intimidate me ... and somebody -- especially an older American, my mother and my grandmother would have certainly been very terrified of this," Soyez said.

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(CHARLOTTE, N.C.) -- Authorities have identified the four law enforcement officials who were fatally shot Monday in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Thomas M. Weeks Jr., William "Alden" Elliott, Samuel "Sam" Poloche and Joshua Eyer were killed in the incident, which occurred at a residence in the city's North Tryon Division while the officers were attempting to serve two warrants.

Eyer was an officer with the Charlotte-Mecklenberg Police Department, while the other three served with the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. Weeks was a deputy U.S. marshal.

The suspect accused of shooting the men, identified as Terry Clark Hughes Jr., 39, was also killed at the scene. The officers had been attempting to serve Hughes two felony warrants for possession of a firearm by a felon and felony flee to elude.

Three officers -- identified as Chris Tolley, Mike Giglio and Jack Blowers -- suffered gunshot wounds but are now in stable condition. Another officer, Justin Campbell, was treated for a broken foot.

In a statement, President Joe Biden called the officers "heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice, rushing into harm's way to protect us."

"When a law enforcement officer puts on that shield in the morning and heads out the door, their family members dread the phone call -- the very call that came today," Biden said. "It's like losing a piece of your soul."

Here's what we know about the victims so far:

Thomas M. Weeks Jr.

Thomas M. Weeks Jr., 48, was a deputy U.S. marshal from Mooresville, North Carolina. He was a 13-year veteran of the U.S. Marshals Service, and had served in the Western District of North Carolina for the past 10 years.

He was married and a father of four, the Marshals Service said.

In a press conference Tuesday, U.S. Marshals Service Director Ronald L. Davis called Weeks a "hero" and said he "always had a smile" on his face.

"Losing a deputy, losing task force officers, is like losing a family member -- because frankly, they are family members," Davis said.

William "Alden" Elliott

William "Alden" Elliott was a member of the U.S. Marshals Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force.

He was a 14-year veteran of the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction.

He leaves behind a wife and a child, officials said.

Samuel "Sam" Poloche

Samuel "Sam" Poloche served with the U.S. Marshals Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force.

He was also a 14-year veteran of the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction.

"They loved their work, and were passionate about their roles in protecting our communities," Todd Ishee, North Carolina secretary of Adult Correction, said of both Poloche and Elliott.

Poloche was married and had two children, Ishee said.

Joshua Eyer

Joshua Eyer, a police officer with the Charlotte-Mecklenberg Police Department, had served in the department for six years.

Earlier this month, he was honored as an "Officer of the Month" by the police department.

He leaves behind a wife and 3-year-old son, police said.

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(CHARLOTTE, N.C.) -- Authorities recovered an AR-15 rifle and .40-caliber handgun from the scene where four law enforcement officers were fatally shot while attempting to serve warrants at a residence in Charlotte, North Carolina, police said.

Additional magazines and ammunition for both firearms were also recovered from the scene, where there are believed to have been more than 100 projectiles and casings, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings.

"I can't tell you how much I'm grateful for these officers and their heroic act," Jennings said during a press briefing on Tuesday. "To me that's truly heroic -- when you hear the gunshots and the rapid fire and they're running directly into it because they know that there are people that need help."

The law enforcement officials were shot and killed as they attempted to serve two warrants in Charlotte on Monday, city officials said. Four other officers were shot and suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

A man, later identified by authorities as Terry Clark Hughes Jr., 39, allegedly began firing at about 1:30 p.m. Monday, striking multiple officers, police said. The U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force had been serving active felony warrants for possession of a firearm by a felon and felony flee to elude.

Police are investigating whether other shooters were involved, Jennings said Tuesday. A teenager and a woman who were in the home at the time are cooperating in the investigation, he said.

"We feel like we have everyone involved that was at the house that we need to speak with," Jennings said.

Twelve Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers fired their service weapon during the incident and have been placed on administrative leave, per protocol, amid an investigation into the shooting, the chief said.

The four law enforcement personnel killed in the incident were identified as Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas Weeks Jr., 48; North Carolina Department of Adult Correction veterans Sam Poloche and Alden Elliott; and CMPD officer Joshua Eyer.

Mayor Vi Lyles asked for everyone in Charlotte to join her in "uplifting the grieving families."

"We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Joshua Michael Eyer, who was a loved member of our city family who dedicated his life to serving our community," she said.

George Dunlap, chairman of the county commissioners board, issued a statement calling the shooting a "senseless and preventable" tragedy.

The community feels "the shock and the pain" of Monday's shooting, added Dena Diorio, Mecklenburg's county manager.

"We stand ready to support our law enforcement colleagues and their families in any way we can as we all work through this heartbreaking situation," she said on social media.

As the procession of police cruisers drove past the hospital's emergency room late on Monday, crowds of hospital staffers in scrubs stood outside watching.

"Praying and sending light & support to the families trying to make sense of this disaster," Dr. Raynard Washington, the county's health director, said on social media. "We should all be tired of our guns in the wrong hands problem. Here's to hope."

ABC News' Julia Reinstein, Luke Barr and Jolie Lash contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) -- Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial in New York centers on dozens of business records, testimony from witnesses who prosecutors acknowledge might have "baggage," and a maze of emails and text messages that prosecutors hope to weave into a sturdy case against the former president.

But during their opening statements last week, prosecutors simplified their case down to just seven words for the jury.

"It was election fraud -- pure and simple," prosecutor Matthew Colangelo said.

Over the first four days of testimony in the trial, prosecutors have begun to lay the groundwork of their case as they try to show Trump attempted to illegally influence the 2016 election and falsified business records to hide the true purpose of payments to his then-lawyer Michael Cohen in 2017.

"This case is about a criminal conspiracy and a cover-up, an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of a presidential election, and then the steps that Donald Trump took to conceal that illegal election fraud," Colangelo said.

Defense lawyers told the jury that the prosecutors got their story wrong, recasting the allegations as Trump trying to protect his family against false allegations as he was trying to win an election.

"President Trump fought back, like he always does, and like he's entitled to do, to protect his family, his reputation and his brand, and that is not a crime," defense lawyer Todd Blanche said.

Jurors have so far heard from three witnesses -- the former publisher of the National Enquirer, Trump's longtime executive assistant, and Michael Cohen's banker -- and testimony in the case is scheduled to resume on Tuesday.

Trump takes a hardline defense

Trump attorney Todd Blanche laid out a hardline defense in his opening statement, arguing that Trump never committed any crimes and characterizing Stormy Daniels' allegations of an affair with Trump as a "false claim of a sexual encounter."

"The story that you just heard, you will learn, is not true," Blanche told jurors. "None of this is a crime."

Blanche appeared to admit that Trump and the National Enquirer worked together to avoid bad press ahead of the 2016 election, but he argued the agreement was fully legal and routine for politicians.

"There is nothing wrong with trying to influence an election. It's called democracy," Blanche said. The prosecution, he said, "put something sinister on this idea, as if it was a crime. You'll learn it's not."

When addressing the allegations that Trump falsified business records in 2017, Blanche argued that Trump was too busy "running the country" to be concerned with invoices requested by Cohen and processed by Trump Organization accountants.

Notably absent from Blanche's opening was any suggestion that the criminal case amounted to election inference ahead of the 2024 election. In filings over the last year, defense lawyers had rigorously argued that the case was politically motivated by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, but Judge Juan Merchan precluded defense attorneys from making that argument to the jury.

Blanche also described Trump as a family man in his opening statement, not only to humanize Trump but to suggest his motivation to kill negative stories was to "protect his family."

"He's not just our former President. He's not just Donald Trump that you've seen on TV and read about and seen photos of," Blanche said. "He's also a man. He's a husband. He's a father. And he's a person, just like you and just like me."

The campaign's 'eyes and ears'

In deciding on their first witness -- a choice that often sets the tone for the trial -- prosecutors turned to former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker.

Prosecutors alleged that Pecker engaged in a conspiracy with Trump and Cohen to influence the 2016 election -- including flagging negative stories about Trump's alleged interactions with women, running negative stories about Trump's rivals, and pushing positive stories about Trump himself -- that began with a meeting at Trump Tower in August 2015.

"They asked me what can I do and what my magazines could do to help the campaign," Pecker testified about the meeting where he said he agreed to be the "eyes and ears" of Trump's presidential campaign.

"If I hear anything negative about yourself or if I hear anything about women selling stories ... I would notify Michael Cohen and then he would be able to have them killed in another magazine or have them not be published or somebody would have to purchase them," Pecker said about his agreement with Trump and Cohen.

Pecker testified that his company, American Media Inc., paid a former Trump Tower doorman $30,000 for a false story that Trump had an illegitimate child, and former Playboy model Karen McDougal $150,000 for the exclusive rights to her story of a months-long affair with Trump, which he has denied.

According to Pecker, the motivation to catch the stories was mainly to honor his agreement with Trump.

"We didn't want the story to embarrass Mr. Trump or embarrass or hurt the campaign," Pecker said when asked about the McDougal story.

Defense lawyers attempted to characterize the National Enquirer's actions on Trump's behalf as business decisions that are routine for politicians and celebrities. Pecker also testified that some of the stories he ran for Trump -- including articles attacking his opponents -- were "mutually beneficial" because they helped the National Enquirer sell more copies.

While Pecker said that AMI coordinated hundreds of thousands of nondisclosure agreements, he testified that the Trump arrangement was unique.

"How many of those other NDAs had ... you, the CEO of AMI, coordinated with a presidential candidate for the benefit of the campaign?" prosecutor Joshua Steinglass asked.

"It's the only one," Pecker said.

Pecker also offered his take on Trump's business approach that appeared to contradict the hand-offs approach that defense attorneys suggested in their opening statement, in which they argued that Trump was not intimately involved in paying the fraudulent invoices at the center of the case.

"I would describe him as almost as a micromanager from what I saw," Pecker said.

Contact entries in the computer system

Trump's longtime executive assistant Rhona Graff took the stand on Friday as the second prosecution witness. She testified pursuant to a subpoena and said her lawyers were paid by the Trump Organization.

Graff -- who served as Trump's gatekeeper as he ascended from real estate mogul to reality television star to president -- testified that she created contact entries for both McDougal and Daniels in the Trump Organization's computer system for Trump. McDougal's contact entities included multiple addresses, a phone number, and email. Daniel's contact was listed as "Stormy" and had one cell phone number.

Graff also testified that she had a "vague recollection" of seeing Daniels in Trump Tower on the same floor as the former president's office. She suggested that Trump was considering casting Daniels on the Celebrity Apprentice at the time.

In her book, Daniels recounted a meeting in Trump Tower in 2007 when Trump was flirting with the idea of casting her in his television series.

"He met us, so excited to show us all the memorabilia in his office, which seemed cluttered," Daniels wrote in her book.

During cross-examination, Graff served functionally as a character witness for the former president, describing Trump as a kind boss who respected her intelligence.

"Sometimes, if it was a long day in the office ... he poked his head in and would say, 'Go home to your family," Graff said. "It was very thoughtful of him."

Graff, who for decades sat just feet from Trump's office, testified that becoming a television star changed the public perception of Trump.

"I think it elevated him to a whole other platform, from being primarily known as a businessman to being an entertainer -- almost at that point -- rock star status," Graff said.

Cohen's shell company

Friday's testimony concluded with a banker who was involved in the formation of the shell company that Cohen allegedly used to pay Daniels $130,000 just days ahead of the 2016 election.

Former First Republic managing director Gary Farro said that he first began working with Cohen in 2015 after one of his colleagues left the bank.

"I can only tell you what I was told -- that I was selected because of my knowledge and my ability to handle, um, individuals that may be a little challenging," Farro said about taking over Cohen's accounts. "Frankly, I didn't find him that difficult."

Farro testified that on Oct. 26, 2016, he received an urgent call from Cohen, who wanted to create an account for a new real estate consulting company "to collect fees for investment consulting work he does for real estate deals."

According to prosecutors, the day after the account was formed, Cohen wired Daniel's lawyer $130,000 from the account in exchange for her silence about her alleged affair with Trump.

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(CHARLOTTE, N.C.) -- Four members of law enforcement were shot and killed and four were wounded while they attempted to serve two warrants in Charlotte, North Carolina, police said Monday.

Around 1:30 p.m. local time, the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force was serving active felony warrants for possession of a firearm by a felon and felony flee to elude on a male suspect at a residence on the 5000 block of Galway Drive in the city's North Tryon Division.

The man, later identified by authorities as Terry Clark Hughes, Jr, 39, allegedly began firing, striking multiple officers, police said.

The officers on the scene requested immediate backup. The suspect allegedly continued to fire as more officers arrived.

Hughes allegedly exited the residence with a firearm. Seeing Hughes as an “imminent deadly threat” officers fired on the suspect, who was later pronounced dead at the scene, according to officials.

Eight officers were hit with gunfire and transported to local hospitals.

Two females who were at the residence were taken to the Law Enforcement Center for interviews with detectives.

Three members of the task force were pronounced deceased at the hospital, officials said Monday night. Todd Ishee, North Carolina’s Secretary of Adult Corrections, confirmed in a statement that two of the task force members were 14-year Department of Adult Corrections veterans Sam Poloche and Alden Elliott. The third was not immediately identified.

“They loved their work, and were passionate about their roles in protecting our communities,” Ishee said in a statement.

Poloche is survived by a wife and two children, and Alden is survived by his wife and one child.

Charlotte-Mecklenberg Police Officer Joshua Eyer was critically injured and later succumbed to his injuries, authorities said. He was a six-year veteran of the force and is survived by a wife and 3-year-old child.

Four other law enforcement officials were injured in the shooting. Their names have not been released.

"The bravery of our officers that responded to the scene, knowing that they're going into gunfire is what I've been saying for many years, is in the face of danger. our people step up," Jennings said.

In a statement on social media, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said he was in touch with police about the shooting and has offered up state resources to help.

An emotional Mayor of Charlotte, Vi Lyles, said she heard from the White House, members of Congress and state officials offering their support.

"Your father, your husband, your friend, your neighbor ... and today they're not going home," she said. "You know three people lost their lives today."

Jennings said that in his 30-plus years in the department, he couldn't remember a day like this.

"To me, it's the most tragic one that I've been involved in," he said.

President Joe Biden said in a statement Monday night that the four officers who died "are heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice, rushing into harm’s way to protect us. We mourn for them and their loved ones. And we pray for the recoveries of the courageous officers who were wounded."

Earlier, Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement, "The Justice Department is heartbroken by the deaths of three of our own law enforcement colleagues, and we extend our deepest condolences to their loved ones as they grieve this unfathomable loss."

In a statement Monday night, Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said: "The tragic events in Charlotte today are a reminder of the dangers facing law enforcement across the country. Our thoughts are with the loved ones of all the federal, state and local officers who lost their lives or were injured."

An investigation is ongoing.

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(NEW YORK) -- A lieutenant with the Conroe Police Department was critically injured when a tornado tore through his home in Trinity County, Texas, the department said.

James Waller, a 22-year veteran of the force, was critically injured and remained hospitalized on Monday, law enforcement said.

"His recovery will be lengthy and require multiple surgeries," the department said in a media advisory.

Waller's wife was also injured and "remained by his side," officials said.

A "short-lived" tornado swept through the Rock Creek Subdivision in Trinity on Sunday evening, the National Weather Service branch in Houston, Texas, said on social media.

The EF-1 tornado, with peak winds estimated at about 100 mph, touched down at about 7:35 p.m. and was on the ground for only a minute or two, NWS officials said.

"The tornado destroyed a home in the subdivision, and two of its occupants sustained injures," NWS said. "Widespread tree damage and damage to vehicles was also observed along an approximate 500 yard long and 200 yard wide path."

At least 83 tornadoes were reported across five states last week and weekend, officials said. A baby was among the five people who were killed by the tornadoes, Oklahoma emergency officials said.

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(NEW YORK) -- A 2-year-old boy was killed and another child was injured when a strong gust of wind sent a bounce house they were playing in flying into the neighboring lot, according to police.

Authorities from the Pinal County Sheriff officials say they were called at approximately 5 p.m. on Saturday to a residence on W. Rosemead Drive and N. Bel Air Road outside of Casa Grande, Arizona, according to the police statement detailing the incident.

“That afternoon, several children were playing in a bounce house when a strong gust of wind sent it airborne into the neighboring lot,” Pinal County Sheriff’s Office said. “A two-year-old child was transported to the hospital where he passed away. A second child received non-life threatening injuries and was also transported to the hospital for care.”

The boy, who currently remains unnamed, was transported to a local hospital where he died while the other child was found to have non-life-threatening injuries.

“We would like to extend our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the grieving family,” police said.

Police say that the incident appears to be a “tragic accident” but an investigation into what caused it is currently ongoing.

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(NEW YORK) -- A 40-year-old man who allegedly kicked a bison in the leg while under the influence of alcohol at Yellowstone National Park, was injured by the animal and arrested, officials say.

Clarence Yoder, a 40-year-old man from Idaho Falls, Idaho, approached a bison in Yellowstone National Park on the afternoon of April 21, and was injured by the animal on the West Entrance Road near the Seven Mile Bridge, located 7 miles east of the park’s West Entrance, according to a statement from the National Park Service.

“Rangers responded to the area after receiving a report of an individual who harassed a herd of bison and kicked a bison in the leg,” officials said in a statement detailing the altercation. “They located the suspect's vehicle near the West Entrance and stopped it in the town of West Yellowstone, Montana.”

Yoder was arrested and charged with being under the influence of alcohol to a degree that may endanger oneself, disorderly conduct as to create or maintain a hazardous condition, approaching wildlife, and disturbing wildlife.

The driver of the vehicle Yoder traveled in, 37-year-old McKenna Bass, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, was also arrested and cited for driving under the influence, interference for failure to yield to emergency light activation and disturbing wildlife.

Yoder and Bass appeared in court on April 22 and pleaded not guilty to the charges, authorities said. Each violation can result in fines up to $5,000 and six months in jail.

Yoder, who sustained minor injuries from the encounter with the bison, was taken to a nearby medical facility following the incident where he was medically evaluated, treated and released from medical care and was subsequently taken the Gallatin County Detention Center.

“It’s your responsibility to respect safety regulations and view wildlife from a safe distance,” said the National Park Service. “Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park are wild and can be dangerous when approached. When an animal is near a campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking lot or in a developed area, give it space. Stay more than 25 yards (23 m) away from all large animals – bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and coyotes – and at least 100 yards (91 m) away from bears and wolves. If need be, turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a wild animal in close proximity.”

This is the first reported incident of a visitor being injured by a bison in 2024. The last reported incident occurred on July 17, 2023. There was one reported incident in 2023 and three in 2022, park officials said.

The incident currently remains under investigation and no further details about the altercation are expected imminently.

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(SAN DIEGO) -- A pair of giant pandas are set to travel from China to the San Diego Zoo this summer, marking the first time the Southern California wildlife facility will house giant pandas since 2019.

On Monday, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance announced that care team leaders recently traveled to meet the two giant pandas, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, ahead of their journey to San Diego.

"It was an honor to see Yun Chuan and Xin Bao in person and meet our conservation partners caring for them at the Wolong and Bifengxia Panda Bases," Dr. Megan Owen, vice president of conservation science at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, said in a press release.

Yun Chuan, a nearly five-year-old male panda, who is described as being "mild-mannered, gentle and lovable," has a deep connection with the San Diego Zoo, according to the alliance.

His mother, Zhen Zhen, was born at the San Diego Zoo in 2007 and lived at the facility for 23 years.

"Yun Chuan's lineage has deep connections to the San Diego Zoo and we're excited by the prospect of caring for them," Owen said in the release.

Xin Bao is a nearly four-year-old female giant panda who was born at the Wolong Shenshuping Panda Base, according to the release, which notes she is a "gentle and witty introvert with a sweet round face and big ears."

The exact date of the pandas' arrival at the San Diego Zoo has not been announced, but the alliance is looking forward to a prospective arrival this summer, according to the release.

The San Diego Zoo has a longstanding partnership with leading conservation institutions in China to transport, care for and research giant pandas that spans nearly three decades.

Dubbed "panda diplomacy," the China Wildlife and Conservation Association has transported pandas to U.S. facilities since 1972, according to the release.

The main focus of research includes giant panda reproductive behavior and physiology, nutritional requirements and habitat needs, according to the alliance.

Giant pandas are the rarest member of the bear family and among the world's most threatened animals, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Globally, there are only 1,864 giant pandas that remain in the wild, according to WWF, which notes the bears mainly reside in forests high in the mountains of southwest China, where their diets subsist almost entirely on bamboo.

Giant pandas must consume 26 to 84 pounds of bamboo every day, making bamboo conservation in San Diego essential to care for the animals.

"Our partnership over the decades has served as a powerful example of how, when we work together, we can achieve what was once thought to be impossible," Owen said in the release.

"We have a shared goal of creating a sustainable future for giant pandas," she said.

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