10 things you need to know today: January 9, 2024

1. Israel shifts to more targeted phase of Hamas war

Israel's military said Monday it had started shifting its ground and air offensive in Gaza to a more targeted phase against Hamas leaders and fighters. The disclosure came as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is touring the Middle East in a bid to keep the war from spreading, was expected to urge Israeli leaders to narrow their offensive to protect civilians. The threat that the fighting could spread increased on Monday as Hezbollah, a Hamas ally in Lebanon, said an Israeli strike killed one of its commanders a day after another Israeli attack killed senior Hamas leaders in Lebanon. The New York Times

2. Trump asks judges to rule him immune from prosecution

Former President Donald Trump's lawyers filed a motion Monday asking a Georgia judge to dismiss felony election-interference charges against him, arguing that he was immune from prosecution because his efforts to overturn his election loss were part of his duties as president. "From 1789 to 2023, no president ever faced criminal prosecution for acts committed while in office," Trump attorneys Steve Sadow and Jennifer Little argued. Legal experts told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution the immunity argument is unlikely to prevent Trump's prosecution but could delay the case until after November's presidential election. Trump on Tuesday is asking an appeals court in Washington, D.C., to consider his immunity claim in his federal election-subversion case. A lower court rejected that claim in December. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Associated Press

3. Peregrine moon landing off due to propulsion failure

Astrobotic Technology abandoned its plan for the first U.S. moon landing in a half-century — and the first ever by a private business — after a "critical" fuel leak developed shortly after its Monday launch from Florida. The company said it turned its Peregrine spacecraft toward the sun so its solar panel could charge its battery, and was now focusing on getting the lander, which carries experiments but no people, as close to the moon as possible before it loses power. The 202-foot-tall Vulcan Centaur rocket developed by the United Launch Alliance, a Boeing-Lockheed Martin joint venture, had a successful first launch after years of delays, powering the lander into space. Spaceflight Now, The Wall Street Journal

4. Austin moved from intensive care as calls for accountability continue

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin left intensive care on Monday as he faced intensifying criticism for failing to tell the White House about his emergency hospitalization for days. Austin, 70, was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland on Jan. 1 in "severe pain" due to complications from a Dec. 22 elective medical procedure that included an overnight stay. He remains under doctors' supervision at Walter Reed. The Pentagon has given halting explanations for why Austin's staff failed to notify the White House immediately. Republicans and Democrats have demanded accountability. Politico reported that President Joe Biden would not accept Austin's resignation if offered. The Washington Post, Politico

5. Pakistan high court lifts lifetime ban on politicians with criminal convictions

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday threw out a law that barred people with criminal convictions from running for political office, clearing the way for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to run in February parliamentary elections. A seven-justice panel headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa ruled 6-1 that politicians could be barred for five years but not for life. Sharif has served as prime minister three times, but never completed a term due to corruption allegations and military opposition. He was disqualified from elections for life in 2017. Sharif's political party, the Pakistan Muslim League, called the ruling a "vindication," saying Sharif had been the victim of political persecution. The New York Times

6. Florida GOP ousts leader accused of rape

The Republican Party of Florida on Monday formally removed its scandal-plagued chair, Christian Ziegler, in an overwhelming vote as he continued to fight a weeks-long sexual assault investigation. A woman accused Ziegler of raping her after his wife — Bridget Ziegler, co-founder of the far-right Moms for Liberty group — backed out of a planned three-way sexual encounter. The accuser said she and the Zieglers previously had a three-way tryst. Both Zieglers resisted calls to resign — Christian Ziegler from his GOP position and Bridget Ziegler from her seat on the Sarasota County, Florida, School Board. Three weeks before the closed-door vote to oust Ziegler, the state GOP had stripped him of all authority and cut his salary from $120,000 to $1. The Miami Herald, The Washington Post

7. France's prime minister resigns

French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne submitted her resignation to President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, less than 20 months after he appointed her. Macron accepted it, praising Borne for showing "courage, commitment and determination" during her time as prime minister. He appointed Gabriel Attal to replace her; at 34, Attal will be France's youngest prime minister in modern history. Bourne was the second woman to hold the job. Her departure came as Macron gets started with an overhaul of his government's leadership, hoping to boost his political strength six months before European elections. Borne's chances of holding onto the position had been sinking for weeks, particularly after the passing of a divisive "immigration" law. Le Monde, BBC

8. Michigan beats Washington to take college football national championship

The University of Michigan Wolverines won the College Football Playoff national championship Monday, beating the University of Washington Huskies 34-13 at NRG Stadium in Houston. Michigan held Washington's quarterback, Heisman Trophy runner-up Michael Penix Jr., to 255 yards and one touchdown, plus two interceptions, as he completed 27 of 51 passes. The win gave Michigan its first national title since 1997. Michigan senior running back Blake Corum had 134 rushing yards and two touchdowns, increasing the Wolverines' lead after his backfield mate Donovan Edwards scored the game's first two touchdowns to help Michigan complete its return to the top under head coach Jim Harbaugh. The Athletic

9. Plains, Midwest hit by back-to-back winter storms

An intense storm crossing the Plains states is hitting the central and eastern United States with dangerous weather into early Wednesday. The system is expected to whip much of the Lower 48 states with strong tornadoes, blizzard conditions, torrential rains and powerful winds. The low-pressure system first appeared near Oklahoma and is heading northeast across the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys toward Quebec. Areas from southern Texas to eastern North Carolina could face damage from high winds and tornadoes through Tuesday. An even stronger and colder storm is forecast to hit the Plains and the Midwest on Friday and Saturday, possibly shutting down travel and putting anyone caught outdoors at risk. The Washington Post, Accuweather

10. Tiger Woods and Nike split after 27-year partnership

Golf legend Tiger Woods on Monday announced the end of his longtime partnership with Nike. "Over 27 years ago I was fortunate to start a partnership with one of the most iconic brands in the world," the 15-time major champion wrote. "The days since have been filled with so many amazing moments and memories, if I started naming them, I could go on forever." Woods, who had worn Nike shoes and golf apparel since turning pro in August 1996, deflected speculation about a possible split with the athletic shoe and clothing brand in December, saying, "I'm still wearing their product." Nike confirmed the breakup on Instagram, thanking Woods for challenging "the entire institution of golf." Sports Illustrated, ESPN