Our daily trip around the world

🇯🇵🇮🇸 Japan gained a new island after a recent underwater volcano eruption. The new island, which measures 328 feet in diameter and counting, formed less than a mile from the Japanese island of Iwo Jima, where some of the fiercest fighting of World War II occurred. In other volcano news: the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa – one of Iceland’s largest tourist attractions – has temporarily closed in response to 20,000 minor earthquakes since late October, which have raised fears of a possible volcanic eruption.

💥 Israel-Hamas war update: A US military spokesperson said Israel has agreed to take daily four-hour pauses from bombing Gaza, and to inform local residents of the pauses at least three hours in advance. Israel also agreed to open a second evacuation corridor for civilians to flee from northern Gaza, which is the current focus of Israel’s ground operation against Hamas. Separately, CIA director William Burns met with Qatar's prime minister and the head of Mossad, Israel’s national intelligence agency, to discuss a possible deal to release some of the ~240 Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

🇻🇦 The Vatican is allowing some LGBTQ+ Catholics to get baptized. The document, signed by Pope Francis, was published in response to questions from a bishop in Brazil. It states that transgender people can be baptized, serve as godparents, and witness weddings in the Roman Catholic Church if there is no risk of causing “scandal or disorientation” to other Catholics. Children of same-sex couples can also get baptized if there is a "well-founded hope" that they will be raised Catholic. The Vatican’s new decree states that homosexuality is still a sin, so baptism must come with repentance.