Venezuela plans to release a "significant number" of prisoners, both Venezuelan and foreign, according to the head of the national assembly. Jorge Rodríguez announced the decision on Thursday but did not specify who or how many would be released. Despite mass detentions after the 2024 election, the government insists it doesn't hold political prisoners. The U.S. government and Venezuela's opposition have called for the release of opposition figures and critics. Rodríguez described the move as a gesture by the Bolivarian government aimed at seeking peace.

A judge says Harvey Weinstein is weighing a potential guilty plea to resolve an undecided rape charge and avoid going to trial for a third time in New York. But, amid the plea talk Thursday, the disgraced movie mogul struck a defiant tone, telling a court hearing: “I know I was unfaithful, I know I acted wrongly, but I never assaulted anyone.” Weinstein spoke after Judge Curtis Farber denied his bid to overturn his lone conviction at his previous trial, a charge of forcibly performing oral sex on a woman in 2006 that carries a potential sentence of up to 25 years in prison. A new trial for the unresolved third-degree rape charge charge is scheduled for March 3.

A judge has disqualified a federal prosecutor from overseeing investigations into New York Attorney General Letitia James. U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield ruled Thursday that he had been serving in his post unlawfully when he requested subpoenas. Schofield blocked subpoenas requested by John Sarcone, who is the acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York. James, a Democrat, had challenged Sarcone’s authority after he issued subpoenas seeking information about lawsuits she filed against President Donald Trump claiming he had committed fraud in his business dealings. Justice Department lawyers say Sarcone was appointed properly and that the subpoenas were valid.

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a woman in a moving vehicle in Minneapolis this week, sparking renewed questions about use-of-force rules. Most police departments and federal guidance bar shooting at a moving vehicle unless the driver poses an imminent threat beyond the vehicle itself. Experts say firing at vehicles is especially dangerous because stray bullets or a driver losing control can put bystanders at risk. Justice Department policy says deadly force is justified only when no reasonable alternative exists, including stepping out of the way. Officers can’t use lethal force just to stop or arrest someone who isn’t an immediate threat.

A Wisconsin man accused of killing his parents and stealing their money to fund his plan to assassinate President Donald Trump has pleaded guilty to homicide. Eighteen-year-old Nikita Casap pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree intentional homicide Thursday in Waukesha County. Prosecutors dropped multiple other charges, including two counts of hiding a corpse and theft. Prosecutors allege he killed his mother and his stepfather in February 2025 and lived with the decomposing bodies for weeks before fleeing with $14,000 in cash, passports and the family dog. He was eventually arrested in Kansas. Prosecutors say Casap wanted to spur governmental collapse by killing Trump and possibly Vice President JD Vance.

The Trump administration and Louisiana officials have lifted another decades-old school desegregation order, part of a campaign to end court orders they describe as outdated. A federal judge on Monday approved a joint motion from Louisiana and the U.S. Justice Department to dismiss a 1967 lawsuit in DeSoto Parish schools, a district of about 5,000 students in the state’s northwest. It’s the second such dismissal since the Justice Department began working to overturn desegregation cases it once championed. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill thanked President Donald Trump and his Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday for “helping us to finally end some of these cases.”

A resolution before the Senate would limit President Donald Trump’s ability to conduct further attacks against Venezuela. Democrats have failed to pass several similar measures in the past few months. But Thursday's expected vote on the latest war powers resolution comes after the U.S. military seized Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid over the weekend. Some Republican senators say they're considering whether to vote in favor of the resolution to limit Trump from taking more action in Venezuela. Democratic lawmakers are also preparing a resolution on Greenland after recent comments from Trump about a potential American takeover of the world’s largest island.

U.S. filings for unemployment benefits rose in the last week of 2025 but remain historically low, despite signs that the labor market is weakening. The number of Americans filing for jobless claims for the week ending Jan. 3 rose by 8,000 to 208,000, up from 200,000 the previous week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Applications for unemployment aid are viewed as a proxy for layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market. The total number of Americans filing for jobless benefits for the previous week ending Dec. 27 jumped by 56,000 to 1.91 million, the government said.

The White House is expected to share details of President Donald Trump’s planned ballroom at a monthly meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission. The meeting is Thursday. An information presentation is often the first step in the review process. Commissioners can ask questions and share observations before a more formal review. Votes and public testimony will be allowed later. Trump in October demolished the East Wing of the White House in preparation for building the ballroom. The Republican president has put the price tag at $400 million — double the original estimate. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has sued to halt construction.

The longest-serving Democrat in Congress is set to announce he's retiring at the end of his term. Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland intends to deliver a House floor speech about his decision on Thursday and says on social media people should “Tune in.” Hoyer was once a rival to become House speaker. Hoyer served for years in party leadership and steered Democrats through some of their most significant legislative victories. At 86 years old, Hoyer is the latest in a generation of senior-most leaders stepping aside, making way for a newer era of lawmakers eager to take on governing ahead of the midterm elections.

Protests in Iran, driven by economic issues, have spread nationwide, challenging the country's theocracy. Activists reported Thursday that Wednesday saw the most intense demonstrations, reaching rural towns and major cities. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said the violence has killed at least 38 people and authorities have detained over 2,200. The protests increase pressure on Iran's government and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Authorities haven't yet fully cracked down. Iran's exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has called for protests, testing his influence. The protests are the largest since Mahsa Amini's death in 2022.

Saudi Arabia alleges the United Arab Emirates smuggled a wanted separatist leader out of Yemen. The leader, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, is accused of treason. A Saudi military statement claims the leader of the Southern Transitional Council fled Yemen by boat to Somalia. Then, UAE officials flew al-Zubaidi to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the Emirates, the statement says. The UAE has not yet responded to the accusation. The situation further escalates tensions between the neighboring nations on the Arabian Peninsula.

The biggest name in long track speedskating right now is Jordan Stolz. The 21-year-old from Wisconsin could line up in five events at the Milan Cortina Olympics and will be favored to win multiple gold medals. He is the best in the world at the moment over 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters, dominating the World Cup season. His main challenger is expected to be be Jenning de Boo, a member of the strong Dutch squad. Erin Jackson will seek to defend her gold medal at 500 meters from the 2022 Beijing Games, where the American became the first Black woman to win an individual title at a Winter Olympics.