5 things to know for Dec. 19: Immigration, Israel, Northeast storm, Volcano eruption, Student loans

Processing times for US passport applications and renewals are back to normal after years plagued by delays and backlogs. Routine services will now take six to eight weeks, the State Department said Monday — a significant improvement from wait times of up to 18 weeks during the pandemic.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

1. Immigration

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas signed a border bill Monday that makes entering Texas illegally a state crime. The measure, SB 4, grants local police the power to arrest migrants and judges the ability to issue orders to remove them to Mexico. It has sent ripples of fear throughout the Latino community in Texas, which makes up 40% of the state’s population. The law is expected to take effect in March. Meanwhile, senators are struggling to reach a deal on immigration reform while aid for Israel and Ukraine remains stalled on Capitol Hill. Senate Minority Whip John Thune told CNN that there is no way the Senate can vote on an immigration deal this week, meaning aid for Ukraine and Israel will not pass in the near term either.

2. Israel

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with senior Israeli officials Monday and discussed pathways “toward a future for Gaza after Hamas” and the need “to take urgent action to stabilize the West Bank.” His comments come as the US continues to put pressure on Israel to transition to a more targeted campaign to reduce civilian casualties. Nearly 19,500 people have been killed by Israeli military action in Gaza since October 7, according to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health. Austin on Monday also announced a US-led operation focusing on the “security challenges in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden” following recent attacks by Houthi forces on commercial marine traffic in the region. The Houthis are claiming that the attacks on commercial ships are revenge against Israel.

3. Northeast storm

At least four people are dead after a powerful storm lashed the Northeast on Monday, knocking out power for more than 620,000 homes and businesses from Connecticut to Maine. More than 60 million people are under winter weather alerts after the storm system unleashed dangerous flooding that has engulfed cars, prompted water rescues and disrupted travel across the region. Cold temperatures and concentrated snowfall are expected in several states today as crews work to survey the damage in flooded communities. The conditions have prompted several school closures in New Hampshire and Maine, where fully restoring power to some areas may take several days.

4. Volcano eruption

A volcano in Iceland erupted on Monday, sending lava and plumes of smoke into the night sky and threatening a town near the country’s famous Blue Lagoon geothermal spa. The eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula began around 10 p.m. local time, following an earthquake around an hour earlier, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said. Thousands of people evacuated the town of Grindavík last month as the threat of a volcanic eruption loomed. Since the area is now clear of residents, officials said the eruption does not pose a threat to life but could damage nearby homes.

5. Student loans

Nearly 9 million student loan borrowers in the US missed their first payment after the pandemic-related pause ended this fall, the Department of Education said. That means roughly 40% of the 22 million borrowers who had bills due in October did not make payments by mid-November. Federal officials are not handing down significant penalties because they anticipated it may take time for some borrowers to figure out how much they owe and how to fit the payment back into their budget after the long pause. Complicating matters further, millions of borrowers also have different student loan servicers than they did before the pause went into effect.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Actor Jonathan Majors found guilty of assault and harassment
Jonathan Majors’ acting future is in question following his assault conviction on Monday. Marvel Studios has dropped the rising star, who was set to have a lead role in the upcoming “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.”

Apple to halt sales of some Apple Watches in US
Apple plans to stop selling some versions of the Apple Watch in the US due to an ongoing legal dispute over its blood oxygen feature.

A very ’80s dress worn by Princess Diana just set an auction record
This star-spangled evening gown worn by the late Princess Diana in 1985 fetched a record $1.1 million at auction.

Bill Gates: Why I’m optimistic about the future of AI
Artificial intelligence can be used to improve productivity and expand access to education, mental health care and much more, Bill Gates writes in a new opinion piece.

Many birthday cards mock getting older. These artists are painting a different picture
Those crabby birthday cards calling someone “over the hill” or making fun of them getting older can negatively impact views on aging. Meet a group of greeting card artists who are taking a more positive approach.

TODAY’S NUMBER

4
That’s how many countries tried to meddle in the 2022 US midterm elections, according to a newly declassified intelligence assessment. China, Russia, Iran and Cuba all conducted various forms of influence operations, the assessment found. This included mimicking American voters online and provoking divisive discussions to damage the integrity of the results.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“This world needs blessings, and we can give blessings and receive blessings.”

— The Vatican, announcing Monday that Pope Francis has formally permitted Roman Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples. The ruling is a significant shift in the church’s approach to LGBTQ+ people after a 2021 ruling from the Vatican barred any blessings of same-sex couples.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

NASA just beamed back a cat video from space using a laser
For the first time, NASA streamed a video back to Earth from millions of miles away using a laser — a technology that could one day be used to quickly transmit data from deep space. Of all things, the video stars an orange cat named Taters! View the 15-second clip here.

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