10 Things to Know for Today: 12-23

12/23/2013
ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • China-US-Apple

    A man uses his Apple iPhone on a street in Beijing Monday, Dec. 23, 2013. Apple and China Mobile announced a long-anticipated agreement Monday to bring the iPhone to the world's biggest phone company. The iPhone, once hugely popular in China, has been eclipsed by the rise of lower-priced rival smartphones from Samsung and Chinese companies. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

    ASSOCIATED PRESS

  • Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Monday:

    1. THAI PROTESTERS TRY TO BLOCK ELECTION SIGN-UP

    The demonstrators, determined to unseat Thailand’s prime minister, surrounded a Bangkok sports stadium in an unsuccessful attempt to stop political parties from registering for a Feb. 2 vote.

    2. UTAH ASKS JUDGE TO BLOCK GAY WEDDINGS

    The request comes just days after a federal justice ruled that the state’s same-sex marriage ban violates gay and lesian couples’ rights.

    3. WHAT VET’S GROUPS VOW TO FIGHT

    Organizations representing the military community say they will challenge plans to halt annual pension increases for armed services retirees.

    4. WHO GETS SPRUNG FROM JAIL

    Two members of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot are freed after being locked up for hooliganism following a performance critical of President Putin.

    5. WHY US IS JUICIEST TARGET FOR CREDIT CARD HACKERS

    Credit and debit cards in America still rely on an easy-to-copy magnetic strip on the back.

    6. GLITCH-FILLED ROLLOUT OF ‘OBAMACARE’ CHOSEN AS YEAR’S TOP NEWS STORY

    The runner-up in the annual AP survey is the Boston Marathon bombing.

    7. AL-QAEDA’S RARE APOLOGY

    The terror group’s Yemen branch says it’s sorry for an unauthorized attack by one of its fighters on a hospital that killed dozens of people.

    8. IN SOUTH SUDAN, FEARS OF FULL-BLOWN CIVIL WAR

    Fighting between rebels and government troops continues to rage in the world’s newest country.

    9. WHERE FILLING UP MAY FINALLY COST SOMETHING

    As Venezuela’s economy struggles, the president hints at increases in the price of gas — a commodity that has been nearly free for years.

    10. APPLE SEALS DEAL WITH WORLD’S BIGGEST PHONE CARRIER

    The pact with China Mobile ends a lengthy courtship between the two companies and could boost sales of the iPhone in China.