Evening Brief: Minneapolis on Edge, Venezuela Frees Large Number of Prisoners, Russian Drone Strikes Black Out Southern Ukraine

Senate Breaks With Trump to Advance Limits on Further US Military Action in Venezuela Several Senate Republicans joined Democrats on Thursday to advance a war powers resolution requiring US President Donald Trump to obtain explicit congressional approval before taking further military action in Venezuela. The 52–47 procedural vote followed a recent US raid that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and growing concern over Trump’s statements suggesting a prolonged US role in the country. Supporters of the measure said Congress must reassert its constitutional authority over war decisions, especially after the administration conducted the operation without briefing key lawmakers and continued to deploy naval forces near Venezuela. .@SenSchumer on war powers resolution: “This wasn’t just a procedural vote. It’s a clear rejection of the idea that one person can unilaterally send American sons and daughters into harm’s way without Congress, without debate.” pic.twitter.com/iIkVFNKt9V — CSPAN (@cspan) January 8, 2026 Trump criticized the Republicans who backed the move, arguing it undermines his authority as commander in chief, while opponents of the resolution said the US is not engaged in active hostilities. The Senate will now debate the measure, though its ultimate passage and fate in the House remain uncertain.   Venezuela Frees Large Number of Prisoners as ‘Peace Gesture’ After Maduro’s Capture Venezuela announced on Thursday that it is releasing a “significant number” of both Venezuelan and foreign prisoners in what the head of the National Assembly described as a gesture to “seek peace,” coming less than a week after former President Nicolás Maduro was captured by US forces on drug-trafficking charges. National Assembly leader Jorge Rodríguez, brother of acting President Delcy Rodríguez, said the releases were underway but did not specify who, how many, or the timing for their departure. Venezuela on Thursday announced the release of a “large number” of prisoners, some of them foreigners, in an apparent concession to the United States after its ouster of ruler Nicolas Maduro. https://t.co/eeSUbV6N7i pic.twitter.com/0TEfEgbdsN — AFP News Agency (@AFP) January 8, 2026 The Spanish government said five Spanish citizens were freed and are being helped to leave Caracas. Human rights groups have long called for the release of political detainees, reporting hundreds held for political reasons, and welcomed the move while stressing verification of individual cases.   Former UN Envoy Tapped to Oversee Gaza Ceasefire as Fighting Continues Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Thursday that former UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov has been selected to direct US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, which is tasked with overseeing the Gaza ceasefire, as Israeli strikes reportedly killed at least eight people in the territory. The appointment follows Netanyahu’s meeting with Mladenov in Jerusalem and comes months after an October ceasefire halted more than two years of fighting between Israel and Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Monday with Nikolay Mladenov, the incoming head of Gaza’s proposed “Peace Council,” using the talks to underscore Israel’s bottom line: Hamas must give up its weapons and Gaza must be fully demilitarized. pic.twitter.com/3ZLyJJL9gu — Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 8, 2026 The board, chaired by Trump, is meant to manage a complex second phase of the truce, including Hamas’ disarmament, Israeli troop withdrawals, international security deployments, and Gaza’s reconstruction. While the ceasefire’s initial phase has largely held, ongoing Israeli strikes, unresolved hostage issues, and stalled negotiations have underscored the fragility of the agreement as international actors push to stabilize the situation.   Iran Protests Intensify After Exiled Crown Prince Calls for Mass Demonstrations Large crowds rallied across Tehran and other parts of Iran on Thursday night after exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi called for nationwide demonstrations, marking a new escalation in protests driven by economic collapse and anger at the Islamic Republic. The protests erupted at homes and in the streets, with chants against Iran’s leadership and the regime, as authorities cut internet access and phone lines shortly after the demonstrations began. The unrest, which has spread nationwide since late December, has killed at least 39 people and led to more than 2,260 arrests, according to human rights groups. Iranian officials reported deaths among security forces, while avoiding public acknowledgment of the protests’ scale. The mass-protests are spreading in Iran like wildfire. The Islamic regime’s security forces are under immense pressure and are strained across 100+ cities pic.twitter.com/Ja6YD6vaCS — Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) January 8, 2026 The demonstrations are pressuring Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s government as it weighs domestic unrest, economic crisis, and US warnings against violent crackdowns, with no clear leadership yet emerging to unify the protest movement.   Lebanon Says Army Advances on Disarmament as Israel Warns Hezbollah Still Armed Lebanon’s military said on Thursday it completed the first phase of a nationwide plan to deploy across southern Lebanon and disarm non-state armed groups, a move aimed primarily at Hezbollah following a 2024 war with Israel. The announcement came as Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met in Beirut to review security plans tied to a US-brokered ceasefire. Lebanese leaders backed the effort, calling for Israel to halt strikes, withdraw from occupied border positions, and stop weapons flows to militias. Israel welcomed the deployment but said it was insufficient, accusing Hezbollah of rearming and maintaining dozens of compounds south of the Litani River. Lebanese army says it completes the first phase of disarming Hezbollah and plans to begin phase two, which will extend from Litani to Awali rivers, with ground operations likely to begin in early February. Zeina Antonios reports from Beirut pic.twitter.com/hyj6Pa5MZ7 — TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) January 8, 2026 The Lebanese Army plans to expand disarmament north of the Litani in phases, while ongoing Israeli strikes, disputed interpretations of the ceasefire, and Hezbollah’s refusal to disarm beyond the south continue to raise fears of renewed escalation.   Russian Drone Strikes Black Out Southern Ukraine Russian drone attacks knocked out power across Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region and cut electricity to more than 600,000 households in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukrainian officials said on Thursday. The nighttime strikes targeted energy infrastructure nearly four years after Russia’s invasion and came as the United States and its allies press diplomatic efforts to end the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks as deliberate strikes on civilian services during winter and urged greater international pressure on Moscow. Total blackout continues in Dnipro after the russian attack. No electricity or water in the middle of the winter. Russia, as always, fights civilian population. Terrorists. 🎥: Yan Dobronosov pic.twitter.com/kaZcsML2lF — Kate from Kharkiv (@BohuslavskaKate) January 8, 2026 Power was restored in Zaporizhzhia after several hours, while outages continued in parts of Dnipropetrovsk, energy officials said.   Report Finds China’s DeepSeek Driving AI Adoption Across the Developing World Chinese startup DeepSeek is accelerating the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in developing countries, helping narrow adoption gaps with wealthier nations, according to a Microsoft report released on Thursday. The study found global AI adoption reached 16.3 percent of the world’s population by December, though growth remains faster in advanced economies. Researchers said DeepSeek’s free, open-source models and lack of subscription fees have lowered barriers in price-sensitive regions, boosting usage in countries such as China, Russia, Iran, and parts of Africa. Founded in 2023, DeepSeek gained attention after releasing a cost-effective reasoning model in early 2025, expanding access where US platforms face restrictions or security concerns. DeepSeek’s AI gains traction in developing nations, Microsoft report sayshttps://t.co/6gJYOz49OU pic.twitter.com/72bi9o2O93 — The Washington Times (@WashTimes) January 8, 2026 The report warned that open-source AI is becoming a geopolitical tool, extending China’s influence even as Western governments move to limit DeepSeek’s use over security risks.   China-Japan Ties Stuck After Taiwan Remarks Spark Retaliation, Experts Say Relations between China and Japan face a prolonged stalemate after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said a Chinese attack or blockade of Taiwan could trigger a Japanese military response, according to two defense experts speaking Thursday in Tokyo. The comments, made in November, prompted strong retaliation from Beijing, including trade restrictions, limits on travel, and a ban on exports of dual-use goods to Japan. Analysts said China is demanding a retraction of Takaichi’s remarks and has offered no compromise, while the Japanese leader retains strong domestic backing and has not shifted policy. The dispute, unfolding amid rising tensions over Taiwan, has few clear diplomatic off-ramps and may persist through upcoming high-level international meetings, with China expected to continue military signaling toward Japan.   South Korea, US to Press Ahead With Annual Military Drills Despite Tensions South Korea and the United States will proceed with their major annual joint military exercises as scheduled, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said this week, despite earlier suggestions from South Korean President Lee Jae-myung that the drills could be scaled back to ease tensions with North Korea. Ahn said the spring Freedom Shield and summer Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises remain essential to readiness and alliance defense, and no major changes are planned for this year. US Forces Korea confirmed the exercises will go forward, emphasizing their role in strengthening deterrence and joint preparedness. 📰NEWS: @EighthArmyKorea begins annual exercise Freedom Shield 2025 #FS25 https://t.co/I9N0fef9gF pic.twitter.com/cVDwwtvloO — U.S. Forces Korea (@USForcesKorea) March 10, 2025 The decision comes amid uncertainty over possible US-North Korea diplomacy later this year, with Ahn noting adjustments could be considered if talks resume, but stressing that combined readiness remains the priority for Seoul and Washington.   Sources: News Agencies