Nation and World News in Brief: December 20

In a whirlwind of events across the nation and the world, here are the top news stories in brief for December 20th:

– The United States Senate has passed a $768 billion defense policy bill, which includes a 2.7% pay raise for military personnel and funding for new weapons systems. The bill also includes provisions to address sexual assault in the military and support for military families.

– In international news, the European Union has announced new sanctions against Russia in response to its military buildup on the border with Ukraine. The sanctions target Russian individuals and entities involved in the conflict in Ukraine and restrict access to EU financial markets for Russian state-owned companies.

– In tech news, Apple has announced a new feature for its iPhone and iPad devices that will allow users to store their driver’s license or state ID in the Apple Wallet app. The feature is expected to launch in participating states in early 2022.

– In sports news, the Los Angeles Lakers have announced that LeBron James will be out indefinitely due to an abdominal strain. James suffered the injury during a game against the Sacramento Kings and will undergo further evaluation to determine the extent of the injury.

Stay tuned for more updates on these and other stories as they develop.