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Venezuela's acting president signs oil industry law to reverse socialist policy

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodríguez has signed a law that will open the nation's oil sector to privatization.

The move reverses a tenet of the self-proclaimed socialist movement that has ruled the country for more than two decades.

Lawmakers in the country's National Assembly approved the overhaul earlier in the day, less than a month after the brazen seizure of then-President Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military attack in Venezuela's capital.

As the bill was being passed, the U.S. Treasury Department officially began to ease sanctions on Venezuelan oil that once crippled the industry. The moves by both governments are paving the way for yet another radical geopolitical and economic shift in Venezuela.

Former Illinois deputy is sentenced

to 20 years for killing black woman

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- A former Illinois sheriff's deputy has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for fatally shooting Sonya Massey, a black woman who dialed 911 asking for help.

Sean Grayson was convicted of second-degree murder in October. He was sentenced Thursday.

The white former deputy killed Massey on July 6, 2024. The 36-year-old single mother had called the police saying she feared there was a prowler outside her Springfield home. Grayson shot her in the face.

Grayson can shorten his sentence by half with good behavior. He has been incarcerated since he was charged in Massey's killing.

Cold snap adds urgency to winter storm recovery across the South

BELZONI, Miss. -- Hundreds of National Guard troops have been mobilized in ice-stricken Mississippi and Tennessee to clear debris and help people stranded in cars and homes still without power as the Southern states brace for another blast of dangerous cold weather.

Nearly 1,000 linemen were working Thursday to restore lingering outages in Nashville, Tennessee.

The National Weather Service said arctic air moving into the Southeast will cause temperatures to plunge into the teens tonight in cities such as Nashville, where more than 85,000 homes and businesses still had no electricity five days after a massive storm dumped snow and ice across the eastern U.S.

People stuck at home without power are growing increasingly desperate in the South, a region that's not used to prolonged cold.

Man impersonating FBI agent tries

to get Luigi Mangione out of jail

NEW YORK -- A man claiming to be an FBI agent showed up to a federal jail in New York City and told officers he had a court order to release Luigi Mangione, authorities said Thursday.

The man was arrested and charged with impersonating an FBI agent in a foiled bid to free Mangione from the Metropolitan Detention Center, where he is held while awaiting state and federal murder trials in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

A criminal complaint filed against Mark Anderson did not did not identify the person attempted to free but a law enforcement official confirmed it was Mangione. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and did so on condition of anonymity.

11 killed in South Africa minibus,

truck collision days after similar crash

JOHANNESBURG -- A crash involving a minibus taxi and a truck has killed at least 11 people in South Africa.

A local government official and emergency services reported the crash Thursday. The collision happened in the eastern KwaZulu-Natal province.

Provincial transport department official Siboniso Duma said 11 people including a child died at the scene. ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson has confirmed the deaths and said several people were critically injured. The driver of the minibus was trapped in the wreckage.

South Africa's Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy has instructed the country's Road Traffic Management Corporation to investigate.

The accident follows a similar crash that killed 14 schoolchildren just over a week ago.

Documentary on King Charles III

sets out his philosophy to save planet

WINDSOR, England -- King Charles III is clearly thinking about his legacy. In his new film, "Finding Harmony: A King's Vision," Charles delivers a simple message -- that humanity needs to restore the balance between man and nature if it is going to solve global warming and many of the other problems facing the world.

Helping spread that gospel, he hopes, will be his legacy. "Maybe, by the time I shuffle off this mortal coil, there might be a little more awareness ... of the need to bring things back together again,'' he said.

Barron Trump's call to London police

leads to conviction of man on assault

LONDON (AP) -- A Russian man has been convicted in a London court of beating a woman in a crime reported by the youngest son of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Barron Trump called London police more than a year ago after witnessing a man assaulting his friend during a short video call. Matvei Rumiantsev was convicted Wednesday of assault with bodily harm but acquitted of rape and choking charges.

Trump didn't testify but told police he placed a late night video call to his friend and was startled when it was answered by a bare-chested man who then turned the phone around and he could see the woman being beaten.

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1 in critical condition after shooting involving Border Patrol in Arizona

One person was shot and in critical condition Tuesday in a shooting involving the Border Patrol near the U.S.- Mexico border, authorities in Arizona said.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department said the FBI had asked it to "lead the use-of-force investigation involving the agent." It noted that such investigations are standard when a federal agency is involved in a shooting in the county.

"We ask the community to remain patient and understanding as this investigation moves forward," the department said in a statement.

In response to an Associated Press request for details of the shooting, the FBI said it was "investigating an alleged assault on a federal officer" near Arivaca, Arizona, a community about 10 miles from the border. An FBI spokesperson did not immediately respond to an email and telephone call asking about how the alleged assault was related to the shooting.

The Santa Rita Fire District said it responded to the shooting and the person who was wounded was in custody.

US could reopen embassy in Venezuela

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Trump administration has notified Congress that it is taking the first steps to possibly reopen the shuttered U.S. Embassy in Venezuela as it explores restoring relations with the South American country following the U.S. military raid that ousted then-President Nicolas Maduro.

In a notice to lawmakers dated Monday and obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday, the State Department said it was sending in a regular and growing contingent of temporary staffers to conduct "select" diplomatic functions.

Asked about the notice, the State Department replied that it "is taking steps to prepare for the potential reopening of the embassy in Caracas should that decision be made. The congressional notification is part of that process to allow for those preparations to take place."

Judge finds Virginia Democrats' redistricting resolution illegal

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- A Virginia judge ruled Tuesday that a proposed constitutional amendment letting Democrats redraw the state's Congressional maps was illegal, potentially foiling their efforts to pick up seats in the U.S. House in November.

Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. struck down the legislature's actions on three grounds, ruling that lawmakers failed to follow their own rules for adding the redistricting amendment to a special session; failed to approve the amendment before the public began voting in last year's general election; and failed to publish the amendment three months before the election, as required by law.

As a result, he said, the amendment was invalid and void.

Virginians for Fair Elections, a campaign that supports the redistricting resolution, said in a statement that it expects an appeal.

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Trump's Greenland threats spark outrage from EU

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump's push to control Greenland has sparked major tensions with Europe. Leaders there are warning Trump's threat of tariffs over Greenland policy could damage the NATO alliance.

On Tuesday, the EU's top official called Trump's planned tariffs a "mistake." French President Emmanuel Macron suggested the EU might retaliate with a trade "bazooka." Trump is set to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

European leaders are determined to defend Denmark's control over Greenland. Greenland's leader insists on respect for its territorial integrity. Trump's actions have led to diplomatic tensions and potential countermeasures from Europe.

Israeli crews target UN

facilities for refugees

JERUSALEM -- Israeli forces have targeted two United Nations facilities as part of their crackdown on the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees.

On Tuesday, crews bulldozed the United Nations Relief and Works Agency's offices in Sheikh Jarrah and fired tear gas at a vocational school in Qalandia. The agency's West Bank director, Roland Friedrich, said this marks the culmination of two years of measures against UNRWA in east Jerusalem. Israel's Foreign Ministry said the demolition enforced a new law banning UNRWA, claiming the agency has ties with militant groups.

The U.N. has denied these claims. Israel has long claimed the agency has an anti-Israel bias, often with little evidence.

US is on the verge of losing

measles elimination status

International health officials plan to meet in a few months to reevaluate the United States' measles-free status. Experts fear the vaccine-preventable virus has regained a foothold and that the U.S. may soon follow Canada in losing the achievement of having eliminated it. The evaluation comes a year after the West Texas measles outbreak began. Scientists are investigating whether multiple U.S. outbreaks are linked. But regardless of the U.S. elimination status, doctors and scientists say the country has a measles problem. At the April meeting, international health officials also would review Mexico's measles-free status. Its measles outbreak is connected to last year's Texas outbreak.

New Mexico judge orders

release of actor Busfield

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- A judge has ordered that actor Timothy Busfield be released from jail during a detention hearing on child sex abuse charges. The order Tuesday by state district court Judge David Murphy is linked to accusations that Busfield inappropriately touching a minor while working as a director on the set of the series "The Cleaning Lady." The judge ordered that the defendant was released on his own recognizance, pending trial. Busfield will be supervised upon release by a pretrial service in Albuquerque, and can leave the state to live at home.

Iran issues stern warning

against any US action

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Iran on Tuesday warned Donald Trump not to take any action against the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, days after the U.S. president called for an end to Khamenei's nearly 40-year reign.

"Trump knows that if any hand of aggression is extended toward our leader, we not only cut that hand but also we will set fire to their world," Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, a spokesman for Iran's armed forces, said.

The comments came after Trump described Khamenei in an interview with Politico on Saturday as "a sick man who should run his country properly and stop killing people," adding that "it's time to look for new leadership in Iran."

Tension between the U.S. and Iran has been high since a violent crackdown by authorities on protests that began over Iran's ailing economy.

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on Dec. 28. Trump has drawn two red lines for the Islamic Republic -- the killing of peaceful protesters and Tehran conducting mass executions in the wake of the demonstrations.

The Associated Press

The USS Abraham Lincoln, which had been in the South China Sea in recent days, had passed through the Strait of Malacca, a key waterway connecting the South China Sea and Indian Ocean, by Tuesday, ship-tracking data showed.

A U.S. Navy official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the aircraft carrier and three accompanying destroyers were heading west.

While naval and other defense officials stopped short of saying the carrier strike group was headed to the Middle East, its current heading and location in the Indian Ocean means its only days away from moving into the region.

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High-speed trains collide in southern Spain, killing 21

BARCELONA, Spain -- Spain's transport minister said that at least 21 people were killed in high-speed train crash in southern Spain. Minister Óscar Puente updated the death toll and said it may rise beyond that number.

Rescue operations are ongoing, he said, with dozens more injured. Officials say the high-speed train derailed, jumped onto the track in the opposite direction and hit an oncoming train. Two passenger carriages rolled down a four-meter slope.

Wildfires race across Chile, killing at least 18 people

PENCO, Chile -- Authorities in Chile say that wildfires raging across central and southern areas of the country have left at least 18 people dead.

The flames have scorched thousands of acres of forest and destroyed scores of homes. The South American country is sweltering under a heat wave. Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe on Sunday in the country's hard-hit central Biobio region and the neighboring Ñuble region around 300 miles south of the capital Santiago.

More than two dozen wildfires raced across those areas and ravaged 8,500 hectares or 21,000 acres. About 50,000 people were forced to evacuate.

Lawsuits claim missteps

made fire more deadly

ALTADENA, Calif. -- Southern California Edison has filed lawsuits against Los Angeles County, local water agencies and the Southern California Gas Company. The utility claims a series missteps made last year's Eaton Fire more deadly.

The fire started on Jan. 7, 2025, and killed 19 people and destroyed more than 9,400 homes. It took nearly a month to extinguish. SoCal Edison claims county agencies failed to send timely evacuation warnings and that water agencies didn't provide enough water for firefighters.

They also blame SoCalGas for delayed gas shutoffs. The cause remains under investigation, but evidence suggests one of the utility's idled power lines might have ignited the fire.

Video shows fires in village

during Israeli settler attack

JERUSALEM) -- Video obtained by The Associated Press shows the moment that Israeli settlers set fire to a Palestinian village in the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority's Jerusalem governorate said Sunday that dozens of settlers descended on the small Bedouin hamlet of Khirbet al-Sidra in the Israeli-occupied West Bank overnight. It came as at least five more countries said they had been invited to join U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace. An Israeli minister also said that he'd given notice to disconnect the water and electricity for facilities for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA.

Syrian government

announces ceasefire

RAQQA, Syria -- The Syrian government has announced a ceasefire with the Syrian Democratic Forces, taking almost full control of the country. The move Sunday dismantles the Kurdish-led forces that controlled the northeast for over a decade.

Tensions between government forces and the SDF boiled over earlier this month, leading to a major push toward the east. The SDF appears to have largely retreated after initial clashes. Syria's Defense Ministry says it ordered the fighting to halt.

'60 Minutes' airs report

on Trump deportations

"60 Minutes" aired a report Sunday on Trump administration deportations, a version of which was abruptly pulled from its broadcast a month ago. The network announced less than two hours before its broadcast that correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi's report about migrants sent to El Salvador's notorious CECOT prison would air, giving no immediate details on how it was changed.

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US Justice Department investigates

Minn. governor, Minneapolis mayor

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Justice Department is investigating whether Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have impeded federal immigration enforcement through public statements they have made.

The investigation focused on potential violation of a conspiracy statute, two sources said. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss a pending investigation by name.

Walz and Frey both issued statements calling it an attempt to intimidate them.

Venezuelan opposition leader

confident on democracy's return

WASHINGTON -- Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado says she's confident of her country's eventual transition to democracy after the U.S. military ousted former President Nicolás Maduro.

But when pressed, she took pains to avoid giving details on her plans to return home or any timetable for elections in Venezuela.

Her remarks on Friday reflect how President Donald Trump's endorsement of a Maduro loyalist to lead Venezuela for now has frozen out the nation's Nobel Peace Prize-winning crusader for democracy. Still, Machado has looked to get closer to Trump, presenting her Nobel medal to him a day earlier at the White House.

No sign of new protests in Iran

as senior cleric calls for executions

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- A Iran returns to an uneasy calm after protests led to a violent crackdown, a senior cleric is calling for the death penalty for detained demonstrators.

Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami's sermon Friday also threatened U.S. President Donald Trump. However, Trump struck a conciliatory tone, thanking Iran's leaders for not executing hundreds of protesters so far, signaling he may be backing away from military action. Executions and the killing of peaceful protesters are two of the red lines laid down by Trump for possible action against Iran.

The protests began over economic issues, and have challenged Iran's theocracy. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reports a death toll of 2,797.

Supreme Court will hear appeal

by maker of Roundup weedkiller

WASHINGTON) -- The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal from agrochemical manufacturer Bayer to block thousands of state lawsuits alleging it failed to warn people its popular weedkiller could cause cancer.

The justices said Friday they'll consider whether the Environmental Protection Agency's approval of the Roundup weedkiller without a cancer warning should rule out state court claims.

The justices will hear a case from Missouri, where a man developed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after spraying Roundup on a community garden. The Trump administration has weighed in on Bayer's behalf, reversing the Biden administration's position.

Some studies associate Roundup's key ingredient, glyphosate, with cancer. The EPA has said it's unlikely to be carcinogenic to humans when used as directed.

Cuba launches mass demonstration

to decry US attack on Venezuela

HAVANA -- Tens of thousands of Cubans gathered in Havana to protest the killing of 32 Cuban officers in Venezuela.

The demonstration took place Friday at the "José Martí Anti-Imperialist" plaza across from the U.S. Embassy.

The crowd demanded the release of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, who was arrested by the U.S. on Jan. 3. Cuba's Foreign Ministry described the protest as a response to threats against peace and sovereignty.

President Miguel Díaz-Canel attended the event. The protest follows U.S. President Donald Trump's recent demands for Cuba to negotiate with him amid tightened sanctions and economic struggles.

Trump says he wants to keep

Hassette, clouding Fed chair pick

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump on Friday said he would like to keep his top economic adviser, Kevin Hassett, at the White House rather than potentially nominate him to replace Jerome Powell as chair of the Federal Reserve.

Trump's comments, while not clearly definitive, have upended expectations around the extensive search the White House has undergone to find a new Fed chair, one of the most powerful financial positions in the world. The president's remarks have boosted the prospects for Kevin Warsh, a former Fed governor and already a top contender for the position.

Tennessee judge grants expanded

media access to state-run executions

A judge has ruled that Tennessee prison officials must grant expanded access to media members to view state-run executions.

The ruling Friday comes after a coalition of news organizations including The Associated Press sued on claims that state execution protocols unconstitutionally limit thorough and accurate reporting.

The coalition's lawsuit argued that protocols limiting reporters' access to short time periods violate the public and press's constitutional rights to witness the entirety of execution

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US warns Iran 'all options are on

table' at an emergency UN meeting

UNITED NATIONS -- U.S. and Iranian officials faced each other at the U.N. Security Council, where America's envoy renewed threats against the Islamic Republic despite President Donald Trump's efforts to lower the temperature between the two adversaries.

The U.S. was joined Thursday by Iranian dissidents to rebuke the government's bloody crackdown on nationwide protests that activists said have killed at least 2,637 people.

Mike Waltz is the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. He said Trump has made it clear that all options are still on the table to stop the slaughter.

Iranian ambassador Hossein Darzi blasted the U.S. for what it claimed was America's "direct involvement in steering unrest in Iran to violence."

Venezuela's new leader calls for

opening oil industry to foreigners

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez has used her first state of the union message to advocate opening the state-run oil industry to more foreign investment.

The declaration in Thursday's speech followed the Trump administration's pledge to seize control of Venezuelan crude sales.

Rodríguez laid out a vision for Venezuela's new political reality after the United States captured and toppled former President Nicolas Maduro. She called on lawmakers to approve oil sector reforms that would secure foreign firms' access to Venezuela's reserves.

Rodriguez criticized the U.S. capture of Maduro but also promoted diplomacy with the U.S. in a speech that contrasted to her predecessors' fiery rants against U.S. imperialism.

European troops arrive in Greenland

as 'disagreement' emerges in US talks

NUUK, Greenland -- Troops from European countries, including France and Germany, are arriving in Greenland to boost security.

This comes as the White House on Thursday described plans for more talks with officials from Denmark and Greenland as "technical talks on the acquisition agreement" for the U.S. to acquire Greenland.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced the deployment of French troops, with Germany sending a reconnaissance team. Denmark is also increasing its military presence.

The talks focused on U.S. intentions to take over Greenland for its mineral resources amid rising Russian and Chinese interest. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lukke Rasmussen expressed concerns over Trump's intentions. The U.S. said "disagreements" are marring talks.

Fatal Israeli strike in Gaza marks

opening of Phase 2 of ceasefire

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip -- Israeli strikes in Gaza have killed nine people, including three women, following the U.S. announcement of a second phase in the fragile ceasefire.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the ceasefire largely symbolic, questioning its implementation.

The announcement marked progress but left many questions unanswered, including the composition of a proposed Palestinian governing committee and the deployment of international forces. Palestinians in Gaza expressed skepticism about changes on the ground, citing ongoing violence and hardships.

The second phase of the ceasefire faces challenges, including disarming Hamas and transitioning governance. Reconstruction is expected to take years and cost over $50 billion.

FBI searches Washington Post

reporter's home in probe of leak

WASHINGTON -- Attorney General Pam Bondi said the search of a Washington Post reporter's home was done at the Pentagon's request as part of a leak investigation.

The Post says journalist Hannah Natanson had a phone, two laptops and a watch seized by agents at her Virginia home.

An FBI affidavit said the search was related to an investigation into a system administrator in Maryland who authorities believe took home classified reports.

Natanson covers the Trump administration's transformation of the federal government. A colleague has called her "the federal government whisperer."

The White House says leaking classified information puts America's national security at risk.

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Justice Dept. sees no basis

for ICE probe in Minnesota

WASHINGTON -- A top Justice Department official said there is not any basis to open a criminal civil rights investigation into the killing of a woman by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis.

The decision to keep the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division out of the investigation into the fatal shooting of Renee Good marks a sharp departure from past administrations, which have moved quickly to probe shootings of civilians by law enforcement officials for potential civil rights offenses.

While an FBI probe is ongoing, lawyers in the Civil Rights Division were informed last week that they would not play a role in the investigation at this time, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Tear gas lobbed at protesters

in Minn.; 5 prosecutors quit

MINNEAPOLIS -- Days of demonstrations against immigration agents and a new lawsuit have left Minnesota tense.

Federal officers sprayed eye irritant and dropped tear gas at activists on Tuesday in Minneapolis.

Students, meanwhile, walked out of a school in a Minneapolis suburb to protest the Trump administration's bold immigration sweeps.

Minnesota and its two largest cities are suing the government to try to halt or limit the enforcement surge that led to the fatal shooting of a woman last week in Minneapolis. There's more fallout: At least five prosecutors have resigned amid turmoil over how the government is handling Renee Good's death.

Trump appeals to Iran to show protesters humanity

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump met Tuesday with his national security team to discuss the Iranian government's violent crackdown on protesters as he looks to get a better understanding of the number of Iranian citizens who have been killed and arrested in more than two weeks of unrest throughout the country.

Trump said believes that the killing -- human rights monitors say the death toll has exceeded 2,500 -- is "significant" and that his administration would "act accordingly." He added that he believed the Iranian government was "badly misbehaving." He said he has yet to receive a confirmed number of Iranians killed in the protests that began late last month. Trump added, "The message is they've got to show humanity."

Supreme Court seems likely

to uphold transgender bans

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court seems likely to uphold state laws barring transgender girls and women from playing on school athletic teams.

Lower courts ruled for the transgender athletes in Idaho and West Virginia that challenged the state bans.

But the conservative-dominated Supreme Court gave no indication after more than three hours of arguments Tuesday that it would follow suit. Instead, at least five of the six conservatives on the nine-member court indicated they'll rule the laws don't violate either the Constitution or the landmark Title IX law.

Title IX prohibits discrimination in education and has produced dramatic growth in girls and women's sports.

Clintons refuse to testify

in House probe of Epstein

WASHINGTON -- Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are refusing to testify to Congress about Jeffrey Epstein.

The Clintons in a letter Tuesday said they will not comply with a House subpoena to testify.

The Democrats slam a Republican-controlled committee's efforts as "legally invalid." Republican lawmakers in response say they will launch contempt of Congress proceedings against the Clintons next week. In a letter released on social media, the Clintons denounce the contempt push as being "literally designed to result in" their imprisonment."

Denmark, Greenland leaders

united against US takeover

NUUK, Greenland (AP) -- The leaders of Denmark and the country's territory of Greenland on Tuesday offered a united front against President Donald Trump's calls for the United States to take over the strategic Arctic island.

Their comments came on the eve of critical meetings in Washington. Denmark and Greenland's prime ministers underscored that the territory is part of Denmark, and thus covered by NATO.

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ThA U.S. attempt to take over or force the secession of the island would tear apart the transatlantic alliance. The leaders, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, underscored their solidarity as their foreign ministers prepared for talks at the White House on Wednesday with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Top central bankers express 'full solidarity' with Fed Chair Powell in clash with Trump

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) -- Central bankers from around the world have expressed full support for U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. This comes after President Donald Trump escalated his confrontation with the Fed by threatening criminal charges. The central bankers, including European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, emphasized the importance of central bank independence for economic stability. The dispute ostensibly centers on Powell's congressional testimony in June about renovation costs, but Trump has criticized Powell for not cutting rates faster. Economists warn that a politicized Fed could harm its credibility.

Inflation cooled slightly in December though it remains above Fed's target

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Inflation declined a bit last month as prices for gas and used cars fell, a sign that cost pressures are slowly easing. The Labor Department said Tuesday that consumer prices rose 0.3% in December from the prior month, the same as in November. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 0.2%, also matching November's figure. Even as inflation has eased, the large price increases for necessities such as groceries, rent, and health care have left many American households feeling squeezed, turning "affordability" issues into high-profile political concerns.

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Trump promises oil execs 'total

safety' if they invest in Venezuela

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump is calling on oil executives to rush to invest in Venezuela as the White House looks to quickly secure $100 billion in private funding to revive the country's ability to fully tap into its expansive reserves of petroleum.

Since the U.S. military raid to capture former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, Trump has quickly pivoted to portraying the move as a newfound economic opportunity for the U.S. Trump, as he opened the meeting Friday with oil industry executives, sought to assure them that they need not be skeptical of quickly investing in and, in some cases, returning to the South American country.

US intercepts fifth tanker as it

exerts control over oil distribution

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. military says U.S. forces have boarded another oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea as the Trump administration continues to target sanctioned tankers traveling to and from Venezuela.

The predawn action Friday was carried out by Marines and Navy sailors launched from an aircraft carrier that is part of the extensive force the U.S. has built up in the Caribbean. That's according to U.S. Southern Command, which declared "there is no safe haven for criminals" as it announced the seizure of the vessel called the Olina.

The Olina is the fifth tanker seized by U.S. forces as part of a broader effort by President Donald Trump's administration to control the production and global distribution of Venezuela's oil products.

New video of fatal Minnesota ICE

shooting brings renewed scrutiny

MINNEAPOLIS -- A Minnesota prosecutor is calling on the public to share with investigators any recordings and evidence connected to the fatal shooting of Renee Good as new video emerged showing the final moments of her encounter with an immigration officer. It casts doubt on the administration's version of the events leading to the shooting.

The Minneapolis killing and a separate shooting in Portland, Oregon, a day later by the Border Patrol have set off protests in multiple cities. The Trump administration has defended the officer who shot Good in her car, saying he was protecting himself and fellow agents.

Iran supreme leader signals new

crackdown on protesters in streets

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Protests in Iran have continued despite threats from the government to crack down. Online videos show demonstrators protesting Friday night, even after authorities shut down the internet and cut phone lines.

The protests, which began over economic issues, have become a significant challenge to the government. Activists say at least 65 people have been killed. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei criticized U.S. President Donald Trump, who has pledged support for peaceful protesters. Iran's judiciary chief has vowed harsh punishment for demonstrators. European leaders have condemned the violence and urged Iran to allow free expression.

Sluggish hiring closes frustrating

year for job seekers across US

WASHINGTON -- Sluggish hiring last month closed out a year of weak employment gains that have frustrated job seekers even as layoffs and unemployment have also been low.

Employers added 50,000 jobs in December, nearly unchanged from a downwardly revised figure of 56,000 in November, the Labor Department said Friday. The unemployment rate slipped to 4.4%, its first decline since June, from 4.5% in November, a figure also revised lower.

The data suggests that businesses are reluctant to add workers even as economic growth has picked up.

Russia uses its new hypersonic

missile in western Ukraine attack

Russia has used its latest missile against Ukraine for a second time in the nearly 4-year-old war, a forceful signal to Kyiv and its Western allies as peace talks are in a crucial stage.

The strike with the hypersonic Oreshnik intermediate range ballistic missile targeted Ukraine's western Lviv region close to a military base in neighboring Poland that is a key hub for Western military supplies to Kyiv. Some Moscow commentators said the attack was a warning against any European plans to deploy troops to Ukraine as part of a prospective peace deal. Russia has said it won't accept that and views such forces as legitimate targets.

Swiss bar owner put in pretrial

detention over fatal fire at bar

MARTIGNY, Switzerland -- Switzerland is holding a national day of mourning for the 40 people who died in an Alpine bar fire during a New Year's Eve celebration.

The memorial on Friday came as prosecutors requested one of the bar's managers to be placed in pretrial detention.

Valais region's chief prosecutor, Beatrice Pilloud, said in a statement the detention of the man was needed to avoid a "risk of flight." The man's wife and co-manager will remain free under judicial supervision, the statement said. The fire, which broke out at Le Constellation bar, in the ski resort of Crans-Montana, also injured 116 people.

Investigators believe sparkling candles ignited the blaze.

A memorial service and a minute's silence marked Friday's homage.

Luigi Mangione's federal death penalty trial could start before the end of the year

NEW YORK (AP) -- Luigi Mangione's federal death penalty trial in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson could begin before the end of the year. U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett said Friday that she expects Mangione's trial to begin in December or possibly January 2027 if the death penalty is still on the table. If not, she said, Mangione could stand trial in October. Either way, Garnett said, she expects jury selection to begin around Sept. 8. The judge said she would rule at a later date on the defense's requests to prevent prosecutors from seeking the death penalty, throw out some charges and exclude certain evidence.