The first witness takes the stand in Donald Trumps hush money trial, as the prosecution tries to make their case against the former president. What weve learned so far as the trial continues this morning. Auto workers younionize in tennessee. Can that continue to other southern auto plants . A miraculous scape, the moment a massive alligator pinned this man to the floor of a river just as his oxygen tank ran out. And with less than a hundred days to go until paris, one olympic javelin thrower is getting up close and personal with fans, hoping to inspire a new generation of athletes. Its tuesday, april 23rd. Early today starts right now. Good morning, im frances rivera. We begin with the disturbing discovery in gaza, where palestinian Authorities Say they have pulled nearly 300 bodies out of a mass grave in khan yunis. The scene was captured outside the largelydestroyed nasser medical center. They were hastily buried last month. What do we know about what happened . Reporter good morning, frances. Horrible images out of khan yunis this morning. Its worth remembering that Israeli Forces pulled out earlier this month and many have been returning to this area of gaza, trying to return to their homes or whats left of them in many cases. We see all these images of bewildered people wandering the streets, picking through rubble, looking for missing family members. Many are starting to look at this grave site in nasser hospital, and our team in gaza has been there talking to some of them. One of them, the mother of a missing son. Hes thought to have died in january when he left home to find water but never returned. So hes of course missing. Theres many stories like this. And of course of these 300 bodies, more are expected to be found. But identification is going to be difficult, because so many of them are reported to be in various states of decomposition. We have asked the Israeli Defense forces for an explanation of this. Weve heard from gazan Civil Defense forces. They think there was some idf involvement, though. Of course this could have been used by locals during the siege. All of this, i have to say, is inflaming social tensions globally, particularly in the u. S. , which over the weekend at so many College Campuses saw massive demonstrations, in some places clashes between propalestinian, proisraeli protesters. C columbia going online. Harvard yard closed. Students at all these campuses on both sides of this saying they feel unsafe, and College Administrators clearly are struggling to respond to this, frances . Okay, matt bodner, thank you. The senate could approve more funding for israel today. Over the weekend, the house passed the republicans foreign aid package. It includes 60 billion for ukraine and 26 billion for israel and humanitarian aid for gaza. Chuck schumer has said that the first senate vote would happen today. This package that passed the house also includes the bill that could lead to a ban of tiktok in the united states. President biden has said that he would sign all of these bills. Testimony will continue today in the criminal trial of donald trump. After wrapping up Opening Statements, the prosecution put their first witness on the stand. David pecker, the former publisher of the national inquirer, who the state says was central to an effort to kill negative stories about mr. Trump. Nbcs laura jarret is following the trial. Reporter prosecutors painting a stark portrait of former president in their Opening Statements during his hush money trial. A case mr. Trump has argued is designed to derail his campaign. This is done as election interference. Everybody knows it. Reporter prosecutors said it is mr. Trump who is guilty of election interference by paying off an adult film star to silence her before the 2016 election, telling the jury, this case is about a criminal conspiracy to bury a story that could have cost him the presidency. And then lying in his Business Records over and over again to cover it all up. The alleged scheme stretches back to 2015. A meeting at trump tower between mr. Trump, his former fixer Michael Cohen and david pecker, the longtime publisher of the national inquirer. This is where prosecutors say they hatched a plot to buy and bury any damnindamning stories. The lead prosecutor read mr. Trumps most incendiary remarks from the access hollywood tape. He directed cohen to pay off Stormy Daniels so she couldnt go public about an alleged sexual encounter that mr. Trump denies. But its not the hush money itself that hes charged with. Its how he documented his Monthly Payments to cohen as legal expenses. The prosecutors telling the jury it was election fraud, pure and simple. But mr. Trump is not facing conspiracy or Campaign Finance violations, something the defense sought to highlight in Opening Statements. Mr. Trumps attorney describing him as a husband and father. A person just like you and me and is innocent, saying the payments to cohen were for legal expenses. Arguing there is nothing wrong with trying to influence an election. Its called democracy, not a crime. The alleged crime he is facing, a lowlevel felony, carrying up to four years in prison if convicted. But the judge could sentence him to probation. Mr. Trump noting the previous d. A. And federal prosecutors looked at this case and did not charge him. He got indicted for that . People said to me, i cant believe it. This is the case. So we did nothing wrong. Reporter mr. Trumps attorney casting cohen as the prosecutions only real witness, out for revenge, saying hes, quote, obsessed with mr. Trump and wants to see him in an orange jump suit because cohens entire financial livelihood depends on trumps destruction. Cohen has pleaded guilty to Campaign Finance violations and lying under oath. The prosecutors preemptively defending him, saying he made mistakes in the past to protect his boss. The judge is going to hold a hearing on the proposed gag order violations that the prosecution says donald trump has engaged in on social media, and then david pecker will pick up with more testimony. Back to you. Laura, thank you. The Supreme Court appears ready to keep in place local laws that crackdown on homelessness. Justices are reviewing a Lower Court Ruling that says the city of grants pass, oregon was in violation of the eighth amendment when it banned sleeping in public property. In oral arguments, conservative justices seemed amenable to let those municipal ordinances stand. And the high court on monday also agreed to take up the ghost gun issue to consider if the Biden Administration is within its rights to regulate Home Assembly firearm kits. The atf issued the regulation in 2022. The judge presiding over the arizona trial of a rancher accused of shooting a migrant has called a mistrial. The jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision. George kelly shot and killed a migrant on his property near the border with mexico. He was charged with Second Degree murder. He had earlier rejected an agreement with prosecutors that would have reduced the charge to one count of negligent homicide if he pleaded guilty. A woman is in the hospital after a house explosion just outside of minneapolis. First responders were able to rescue the homeowner from under the rubble, but her condition is still unknown this morning. Investigators are working to determine a cause but say the debris is consistent with a blast fueled by natural gas. A South Carolina diver is thankful to be alive after a runin with an alligator in the cooper river. William believed his life was over when a massive reptile grabbed his arm and dragged him to the bottom of the river, 50 feet below the surface. His scuba tank ran out of air. I hit the bottom with my shoulders and neck and i could feel his weight on me. I wrenched back as hard as i could. Trying to rip my arm off at the elbow. And i got out, i dont know how. Hes warning other divers to be careful in the area. His arm will make it, but he has a long recovery ahead. The east coast waking up to cooler temperatures this morning. Great to see you. Were looking at temperatures in the 30s, 40s, another cold night. Were going to see that for a couple nights as we go throughout the next couple days. 41 Million People at risk for some frost and also some freeze warnings. You want to cover any sensitive plants. Where you see the light pink is your frost advisory. Were going to stay below average. Once we get through the daylight hours, were going to see a lot of sunshine. But were looking at temperatures in the 30s in some spots, and temperatures dropping over the next couple hours before sun rise. 47 in d. C. And then as we go throughout the rest of today, were going to be below normal, but a little bit warmer than yesterday. Indianapolis 60 degrees, 8 degrees below what is typical for this time of year. Charleston, 73. And tomorrow well have colder air working into the great day in the southeast with lots of sunshine. Temperatures in the 70s and 80s. Thats your tuesday forecast. Michelle, thank you. Mmhm. A historic find, just the cherry on the top for archaeologists in virginia. The team dug up ancient bottles of cherries at George Washingtons estate. The two glass bottles were under a brick floor and are believed to be about 250 years old, from before the revolutionary war. They were in tact and still filled with liquid and cherries. A big win for unions in the south. 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One of the countrys biggest l labor unions claiming victory after they voted to unionize. Priya sridhar is hear re with whether its a sign of things to come. Reporter the eyes are on the south after a major victory in chattanooga where vworkers vote to unionize. They lost elections here in 2014 and 2019. Its the unions first win in a Southern Assembly plant owned by a fouren auto maker. We hugged each other and cried. I got on my knees and thanked t the lord. Reporter theyre taking their fight to alabama. When we started this campaign we had that little bit of pride. We wanted to be the first. Were a shining example to these other plants. Reporter experts say it could be a watershed movement in the labor movement, its picked up momentum in industries hike health care and hollywood. Uaw won major contracts last year with the big three auto makers. President biden, who stood alongside auto workers in michigan during their strike congratulated the workers in tennessee and criticized six republican governors, including tennessee governor bill lee who tried to convince workers not to unionize. I think it was a mistake, but thats their choice. Reporter in a statement, volkswagen thanked its workers for participating in the election and waiting for the results to be certified. That could come in a matter of days. Priya sridhar, cheattanooga, tennessee. Ryan reynolds and hugh jackman team up. We have a look right after this. We have a look right after this. Wow, rude. I just mean all that matters is whats in here. Youre so self centered. Look look youre inner beauty is right here. Uncrustables are the best part of the sandwich. Sorry crust. Wanna know a secret . With new secret outlast, you can almost miss the bus. But smell like you didnt. Secret fights 99 of odorcausing bacteria. Smell fresh for up to 72 hours. 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For the first time in five years, nasas voyager one has returned usable data about the health of its engineering system. The spacecraft stopped sending readable information back to earth in november. The next step for the team is to enable the voyager to send the science data again. Well be right back. ll be righ. Head shoulders bare clinically proven dandruff protection with just 9 essential ingredients no sulfates, no silicones, no dyes. Dandruff protection, minimal ingredients. Job done. [tense music] one aleve works all day so i can keep working my magic. Just one aleve. 12 hours of uninterrupted pain relief. Aleve. Who do you take it for . And for fast topical pain relief,try alevex. Ok, someone just did laundry. No, i add downy light so the freshness really lasts. Yeah, most scented stuff gives me a headache, but this is just right. And i dont like anything. But i like this. Get a light scent that lasts with no heavy perfumes or dyes. [ ] how you feel can be affected by the bacteria in your gut. With no heavy perfumes or dyes. Try new align probiotic bloating relief plus food digestion. It contains a probiotic to help relieve occasional bloating, plus vitamin b12 to aid digestion. Try align probiotic. We are now 94 days away from the paris olympics. And to commemorate the countdown, an olympic javelin thrower shared her story at the olympic and paralympic museum. Our affiliate in Colorado Springs has more. Straighten your right arm, straighten your elbow. There you go. Reporter its not every day you get to meet an olympic athlete and hold the javelin she used while training for the olympics. Its really inspiring. Reporter it also comes with good life lessons. Try your best at, like, doing good stuff. Were just under a hundred days to the paris Olympic Games, and right after that, on the heels of the paris Olympic Games are the Olympic Games here. Reporter the Museum Downtown celebrated by holding special events with members of team usa. Guests have the chance to look at olympic artifacts and meet with kara winger. She competed in track and field events, including javelin throwing. She brought some of her medals and javelin to show to kids. s its everys first experie with it. If you look close enough, theres a niche sport for virtually anybody. Reporter one of the best parts of being an olympian is inspiring the athletes of tomorrow. Your passion might be right around the corner. And if you immerse yourself in all of the opportunities that there are to, like, super nerd out on something youve never heard of, youre going to be that much more effective in team usa in paris and cheering everybody on. A british bar is getting a surprise boost in business from taylor swift fans. People contact me, and then it was one to a hundred. Were a very cozy, small, neighborhood pub. So Something Like this happening is a dream, you know. Its something that money cant buy, and were just so thankful to the fans, theyve just been amazing. Swifties ar swifties arfloe h black dog after it was mentioned on swifts latest album. They have taylors version cocktails. Employees could not be absolutely certain this black dog was the same one mentioned, but there had previously been a quote, certain blond regular at the pub. You know who feels them, the people on cornelius street too. Monday was earth day, and what better way to celebrate than by sending two sea turtles back home. They were skrescued and found i rough shape. They are now healthystrong, right now at 5 00, camping out on campus. Propalestinian protesters setting up encampments at colleges across the country, including right heren