Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 12th of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. issues new sanctions on Maduro’s family and oil tankers
The United States has imposed fresh sanctions on Venezuela, targeting three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro and six crude oil tankers accused of facilitating the country’s illicit oil trade. This escalation coincides with a significant U.S. military buildup in the southern Caribbean and the recent seizure of a sanctioned oil tanker, as Washington intensifies pressure on Caracas. President Maduro’s government continues to deny criminal links, dismissing the measures as imperialist tactics designed to seize control of Venezuela's vast oil reserves.
Zelenskyy reveals U.S. proposal for ‘free economic zone’ in Donbas
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that the United States has proposed creating a ‘free economic zone’ in the Ukraine-controlled parts of the Donbas as a compromise to resolve territorial disputes with Russia. While Kyiv has presented a revised 20-point peace framework, Zelenskyy emphasised that ceding territory remains a major sticking point and insisted that any land concessions would require a national referendum. The ongoing negotiations also include discussions on a potential Russian withdrawal from the Kharkiv and Sumy regions, freezing the contact lines in the south, and establishing joint governance over the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
Thai PM to speak with Trump regarding Cambodia clashes
Thailand’s caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is scheduled to hold talks with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the ongoing border clashes with Cambodia, which have resulted in at least 20 casualties. Trump, who previously brokered a ceasefire between the two nations, has pledged to intervene again to halt the violence along the 817-km disputed border. The conflict involves heavy artillery exchanges and has displaced hundreds of thousands, prompting the U.S. President to assert his confidence in getting the ceasefire back on track.
Turkic States mark new era in energy cooperation
Energy ministers from the Turkic States have agreed to a new phase of collaboration focused on expanding joint investments in oil, gas, and green energy projects. During a meeting in Türkiye, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Energy Parviz Shahbazov highlighted the strategic importance of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and the development of a ‘Green Energy Corridor’ connecting Central Asia to Europe. With a joint investment portfolio exceeding $20 billion heavily concentrated in the energy sector, the ministers reaffirmed their commitment to regional energy security and sustainable economic growth.
Pakistan signals openness to regional bloc with Bangladesh
Pakistan has expressed openness to establishing a regional bloc with Bangladesh that excludes India, following a proposal by Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser, Md Touhid Hossain. Islamabad’s Foreign Office confirmed it would consider such a proposal in the spirit of multilateralism, noting that a trilateral mechanism involving China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh is already in place to foster cooperation. While Bangladesh views this arrangement as strategically feasible, it acknowledged that other neighbours such as Nepal or Bhutan would likely remain unable to join a grouping without India.
Georgia has been formally integrated into the European Union's Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), bringing Anaklia Deep-Sea Port, Georgi...
Türkiye’s foreign minister has renewed calls for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to disarm and disband, during talks with...
A Russian strike on a farm warehouse in Pryluky, north-central Ukraine, has killed at least three people, local police said. Meanwhile, EU foreign ...
Maritime trackers received new reports of an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), adding to concerns about energy supplies after Saudi Arabia shut down a vital oil pipeline on Saturday.
A Kyiv-Warsaw train was struck near the Polish border, Ukraine's state railway firm said on Sunday. No passengers were injured. Ukrainian Railways said that the country's railways were facing systematic attacks for a second day and warned of widespread delays.
U.S. Central Command said 101 commercial vessels have been redirected in the Strait of Hormuz, while oil prices rose more than three per cent amid fresh regional attacks and supply concerns.
Swedes vote in an election on Sunday (13 September) that could see the far-right enter government for the first time if the country's right-wing parties can form a majority.
A Russian strike on a farm warehouse in Pryluky, north-central Ukraine, has killed at least three people, local police said. Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said an attack on a train near the Polish border was an attempt to intimidate Ukraine's allies.
A Russian strike on a farm warehouse in Pryluky, north-central Ukraine, has killed at least three people, local police said. Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said an attack on a train near the Polish border was an attempt to intimidate Ukraine's allies.
European leaders are meeting in Finland for a high-level summit on Arctic security and cooperation as the region takes on greater strategic importance.
Amazon has paused its operations with 21 Air, the Miami-based cargo carrier that operated an Amazon Air flight which crashed at Miami International Airport last weekend, killing five people.
Voters in the southern Philippines are casting ballots in a historic election that could shape the future of one of the country’s most conflict-affected regions and put a decades-long peace process to a crucial test.
U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed back against growing calls for the artificial intelligence (AI) industry to slow down, arguing that maintaining America’s lead over China is more important.
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