Belarus' authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko has ordered the release of 250 prisoners as part of a deal with Washington to lift some U.S. sanctions, the latest step in the isolated leader's effort to improve ties with the West. Lukashenko on Thursday pardoned the prisoners after meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for Belarus, John Coale. Coale hailed the release as a "significant humanitarian milestone" and a testament to Trump's "commitment to direct, hard-nosed diplomacy."

In a rare bipartisan effort for a deeply divided Congress, the Senate has passed a broad bill to make U.S. housing more accessible and affordable. The bill passed on Thursday would reduce regulations, regulate corporate investors and expand how housing dollars can be used to build affordable homes and rentals. It now heads back to the House, which passed a separate version earlier this year. It is unclear whether President Donald Trump would sign it after declaring last weekend that he won't sign any new measures unless Congress passes legislation that would require voters to show proof of citizenship.

Police arrested anti-immigration enforcement demonstrators at Minnesota's largest airport after they overstepped their permit, officials said, as Arctic temperatures seized the state and others protesting the Trump administration's crackdown urged people to stay away from work, school and shops. One of the faith groups organizing the protest said Friday "roughly 100 clergy" were arrested. Metropolitan Airports Commission spokesman Jeff Lea said the protesters were arrested outside the main terminal of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport when they went beyond what their permit for demonstrating stipulated and began affecting airline operations. Meanwhile, groups are asking Minnesotans to stay home in protest at immigration enforcement operations in the state