10 things you need to know today: December 21, 2023

1. Security Council prepares for cease-fire vote after delay

The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday delayed for another day a vote on a resolution calling for an Israel-Hamas cease-fire and increased aid to civilians in Gaza. The United States lobbied for more time for negotiations as it sought to avoid using its veto power for the third time since Hamas started the conflict with its deadly Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel. The draft resolution, now scheduled for a Thursday vote after several delays, seeks to dilute Israel's control over inspections of aid deliveries to the war-torn Palestinian enclave through the Rafah crossing from Egypt. Hamas' political leader was in Cairo amid a diplomatic push for another cease-fire with hostage swaps. Reuters, NPR

2. US, Venezuela exchange prisoners

The United States and Venezuela exchanged prisoners Wednesday. The U.S. freed Alex Saab, a close ally of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro; the South American nation released 10 Americans and handed over fugitive defense contractor Leonard Glenn Francis, widely known as "Fat Leonard." Francis, a Malaysian ship-servicing company owner, is the central figure in a major Pentagon bribery scandal. The trade marked the Biden administration's "boldest move yet to improve relations" with the oil-rich nation, according to The Associated Press. The White House agreed several weeks ago to suspend sanctions against Maduro's government in exchange for his pledge to work toward a free and fair presidential election next year. The Associated Press

3. Boston's mayor apologizes to men falsely implicated in 1989 murder

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu on Wednesday apologized on behalf of the city to two Black men falsely implicated in the 1989 murder of a pregnant white woman, Carol Stuart. Charles Stuart told investigators a Black man carjacked him and his wife after a birthing class and shot them. Police stopped and searched men and boys in the Black community. News outlets identified Alan Swanson and Willie Bennett as suspects, although neither was formally charged. Charles Stuart later killed himself. His brother told friends that Charles Stuart was the murderer. Wu apologized to Swanson, Bennett and the Black community, saying: "What was done to you was unjust, unfair, racist and wrong." The Boston Globe

4. EU leaders reach an immigration deal

European Union leaders on Wednesday reached a landmark deal on new policies to curb migration. Exhausted EU lawmakers emerged after overnight talks and announced agreement "on the core political elements" of the Pact on Asylum and Migration. The agreement seeks to address waves of migrant arrivals over the last decade that have fueled a rise of far-right, anti-immigration parties across Europe. "It's truly a historic day," European Parliament President Roberta Metola said. But critics warned that the reforms would weaken the rights of people seeking asylum, many of them fleeing wars in Syria and Iraq. NPR, The New York Times

5. Oklahoma man declared innocent after 48 years in prison

An Oklahoma County District Court judge has formally declared Glynn Simmons, 71, innocent after he served 48 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit — the longest wrongful imprisonment in U.S. history, USA Today reported. "It's a lesson in resilience and tenacity," Simmons said. Simmons was convicted of the murder of Carolyn Sue Rogers during a December 1974 liquor store robbery. Judge Amy Palumbo said that before granting a request for a declaration of "actual innocence" she reviewed decades of reports, testimony and other evidence. The hearing came at the request of Vicki Zemp Behenna, the Oklahoma County district attorney, who reviewed the case and found important evidence that wasn't turned over to defense lawyers. USA Today

6. India suspends 141 opposition lawmakers

India's government suspended 141 opposition lawmakers in a single day this week. Most of the members of parliament pushed out for the remainder of the legislative session belong to the INDIA alliance, an opposition coalition hoping to beat Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party in a general election next year. Modi, whose Hindu nationalist party has a majority in both houses of India's parliament, is expected to legislate unopposed until the current session ends Friday. "Unfortunately, we have to start writing obituaries for parliamentary democracy in India," lawmaker Shashi Tharoor said after being suspended. CNN, BBC

7. Stocks drop, ending Dow's 9-day winning streak

U.S. stocks plunged on Wednesday after a two-month hot streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which had logged gains for nine straight days, dropped 475.92 points, or 1.3%. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq fell 1.5%. The pullback came after the major U.S. indexes got a big boost from the Federal Reserve, which signaled last week it anticipated cutting interest rates three times next year now that inflation is cooling. Since then, Fed leaders have tried to douse expectations of a rate reduction in March. The Dow hit a string of record highs and the S&P 500 was nearing a record, too, before Wednesday's losses. The Wall Street Journal

8. Poland yanks public news channel off air to restore 'impartiality'

Poland's new government on Wednesday pulled a public news channel off the air and fired state media officials in what Prime Minister Donald Tusk's culture ministry said was a bid to restore "impartiality." Tusk's pro-European Union coalition took over last week from the nationalist Law and Justice party, which critics accused of damaging judicial independence and EU relations, and using state-owned media for propaganda. The crackdown on state media came a day after the new parliament passed a resolution calling for taking immediate "action aimed at restoring constitutional order in terms of citizens' access to reliable information." Reuters

9. Judge orders Giuliani to pay defamation damages immediately

A federal judge ruled Wednesday that Rudy Giuliani must immediately pay the $148 million judgment he owes for defaming two Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss. Judge Beryl Howell wrote that Giuliani is unlikely to get the verdict overturned on appeal, and there is a strong danger he will hide his assets from Freeman and Moss, whom he falsely accused of committing fraud during ballot counting to steal votes from former President Donald Trump. "Giuliani has never denied that he has taken steps to hide his assets from judgment creditors," Howell wrote. Giuliani's lawyer had said the $43 million the plaintiffs sought "would be the end of Guliani," and the actual verdict was three times that. The Washington Post, Axios

10. Texas sends migrants to Chicago by plane after bus crackdown

Texas sent a chartered jet carrying more than 120 migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border to Chicago. The flight escalated efforts by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to send asylum seekers who entered his state to cities run by Democrats. Abbott has bused more than 80,000 migrants to Chicago, New York and other Democrat-run cities since last year. Abbott's office said it was shifting to flights because Chicago was "targeting migrant buses from Texas" with a new ordinance letting city officials tow and impound buses. The first bus impounded under the enhanced rules tried to drop off 49 passengers from Eagle Pass, Texas, last week. Chicago Sun-Times, The Associated Press