10 things you need to know today: December 19, 2023

1. Israel signals gradual shift after Austin urges 'more surgical' war

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant signaled Monday that Israel would gradually move to the next phase of its military operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The remarks came after talks with Gallant's U.S. counterpart, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who visited Israel to push for "more surgical" Israeli operations against Hamas and increased efforts to avoid civilian casualties, as the death toll reported by Gaza authorities neared 20,000. In the next phase of Israel's efforts to crush Hamas in response to its deadly Oct. 7 surprise attack in southern Israel, north Gaza residents who followed Israel's instructions to evacuate to the south would probably be able to start returning, Gallant said. Reuters

2. Volcano erupts in Iceland

A volcano erupted on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland on Monday after weeks of earthquakes. The eruption, which sent lava high into the air, was no surprise but it was larger than expected. Lava flowed about 1.5 miles from Grindavik, but the fishing town's 4,000 inhabitants were evacuated earlier so there was no immediate threat to people. The location of the fissure does pose a risk to property in the town and the nearby Svartsengi Power Plant, however. The eruption is not sending ash into the sky, so it wasn't expected to cause as much disruption to air travel as a 2010 volanic blast that grounded European flights for more than a week. BBC, The New York Times

3. El-Sisi wins third term as Egypt's president

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has overwhelmingly won a third term, Egypt's National Election Authority said Monday. Sisi faced three little-known challengers in what The Economist described as a "stage managed" election. He received 89.6% of the vote. Sisi called his victory a rejection of the "inhumane war" between Israel and Hamas in neighboring Gaza. The balloting came as Egypt struggles through an economic crisis and tries to keep the Gaza crisis from spilling into Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. As Palestinians in Gaza face a worsening humanitarian crisis and daily bombardments by Israel, aid groups warn that nowhere is safe for civilians in the Palestinian enclave and refugees could try to cross into Egypt to escape the violence. The Economist, Reuters

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4. Texas authorizes police to arrest undocumented migrants

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed legislation Monday permitting Texas law enforcement officials to arrest undocumented migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. The measure escalated Abbott's confrontation with President Joe Biden over border policy. Texas' Republican-controlled state legislature passed the bill last month despite arguments by Democrats and immigrant-rights groups that the law would violate the Constitution and fuel racial profiling. Abbott said the measure was needed to counter a surge in migrants crossing the border without legal authorization. Congressional Republicans are negotiating with Democrats for tighter border policies in exchange for more Ukraine aid. The New York Times

5. Pope Francis approves blessings for same-sex couples

The Vatican on Monday issued formal permission for Catholic priests to bless couples in same-sex relationships, with caveats. Pope Francis signed off on the high-profile move, apparently intended to make LGBTQ Catholics feel more welcome in the church. The decree marked a shift in longstanding Vatican policy that homosexuals are "disordered" and validating their unions in any way "would be tantamount to blessing sin," The Washington Post reported. Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the church's office on doctrine, said the blessings would not amount to an official validation of same-sex unions, or change "the traditional doctrine of the church about marriage" being only between a man and a woman. The Washington Post

6. Strong earthquake kills dozens in China

A magnitude-6.2 earthquake hit a rural part of Gansu province in western China overnight, killing at least 118 people, China's Xinhua state news agency reported Tuesday. More than 500 other people were injured. The temblor hit the remote, mountainous region while many residents were sleeping, jolting people awake and sending them rushing into the street. Rescuers struggled to find survivors in subzero temperatures. The earthquake also destroyed roads and other infrastructure, triggering landslides that blocked search crews. One village was half buried in silt, Aljazeera reported. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for "all-out efforts" to rescue survivors and limit the quake's toll. NPR, Aljazeera 

7. Georgia election workers sue Giuliani again

Ruby Freeman and her daughter Shaye Moss, the Georgia election workers who won a $148 million defamation verdict against Rudy Giuliani last week, have filed another lawsuit seeking to stop him from lying about them again. Since losing the defamation case, Giuliani, who helped former President Donald Trump try to overturn his 2020 election loss, has continued repeating his long-debunked allegations that Freeman and Moss committed fraud during ballot counting. Giuliani told Newsmax after the trial he was "in possession of video evidence demonstrating the truth" of his allegations. The lawsuit adds to Giuliani's legal troubles as he heads into trial in Georgia on criminal charges stemming from his 2020 election work for Trump. NBC News

8. BP stops sending tankers through Red Sea as Houthi attacks continue

Energy giant BP said Monday it had stopped sending tankers through the Red Sea due to drone and missile attacks by Houthi fighters in Yemen. The announcement sent global oil prices surging. The Red Sea is a vital shipping lane, but it has become increasingly dangerous since Houthi gunmen started attacking merchant ships following the eruption of the Israel-Hamas war. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Monday night that at least nine other nations had agreed to join the United States in a joint operation aiming to protect shipping traffic in the Red Sea from attacks threatening "innocent mariners" and "the free flow of commerce" through the crucial Suez Canal route. The New York Times

9. Nippon Steel agrees to buy US Steel for $14.9 billion

Nippon Steel, the world's fourth-largest steel producer, said Monday it had agreed to buy Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel for $55 a share in cash. The $14.9 billion deal will be Nippon Steel's largest acquisition ever in the U.S. market. The offer amounts to a 40% premium over U.S. Steel's Friday closing price. The price is 140% more than domestic rival Cleveland-Cliffs' $7.3 billion offer, which U.S. Steel rejected in August. The United Steelworkers union reacted angrily to news of the deal, saying it hadn't been consulted. Union President David McCall said U.S. Steel "chose to push aside the concerns of its dedicated workforce and sell to a foreign-owned company." Financial Times, The Associated Press

10. Marvel drops actor Jonathan Majors after assault conviction

A New York jury on Monday found Marvel actor Jonathan Majors guilty of reckless assault and harassment in a domestic incident. Majors was acquitted on intentional assault and aggravated harassment charges. Majors' ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, testified that he grabbed her hand, twisted her arm and hit her in the back of the head during a dispute in the backseat of a car. Majors called the allegations "fake" and said Jabbari was the aggressor. The incident started when she saw a romantic text on his phone from someone else. Majors' attorney said the actor "still has faith in the process and looks forward to fully clearing his name." Marvel Studios said it was calling off future projects with Majors. The Hollywood Reporter, CNN