AnewZ Morning Brief - 12 December, 2025
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...
The Trump administration is moving toward lifting sanctions on Syria, but officials caution that coordinating between government agencies means the process will take longer than initially expected.
The US State Department clarified Thursday that President Donald Trump’s order to lift sanctions on Syria will not be immediate, emphasizing the complexity of coordination among multiple government agencies.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters that while the president’s directive signals a shift in US policy, the actual removal of sanctions involves departments like the Treasury and requires careful interagency cooperation.
“Sanctions are administered through different departments in this country,” Bruce explained. “The president’s message is clear to reverse our dynamic, but it is a process that will take some time.”
Bruce added that the administration recognizes the urgency and is working to expedite the process. “It will be done quickly, and certainly more quickly than we're used to.”
Last week, Trump announced his intention to lift what he called “brutal and crippling” sanctions on Syria, following requests from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Trump subsequently met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia, the first such meeting between US and Syrian leaders in 25 years.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed support for efforts to stabilize Syria’s new government, warning that failure could trigger renewed civil war and regional instability. “We want to help that government succeed because the alternative is full-scale civil war and chaos,” Rubio told a Senate committee.
A powerful magnitude 6.7 earthquake has struck northern Japan, triggering tsunami warnings and forcing thousands of residents to flee to higher ground.
In a dramatic Champions League clash at Baku’s Tofiq Bahramov Stadium, Qarabağ grabbed an early lead, but Ajax staged a thrilling comeback to win 4-2.
Iran is preparing to host a multilateral regional meeting next week in a bid to mediate between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The United States issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela on Thursday, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their tensions through dialogue and engagement, as it pledged to work with the international community to help improve relations between the two countries.
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.
NATO's Secretary-General urged European leaders to step up defence efforts to prevent a war waged by Russia, that could be "on the scale of war our grandparents and great-grandparents endured".
A powerful magnitude 6.7 earthquake has struck northern Japan, triggering tsunami warnings and forcing thousands of residents to flee to higher ground.
The resignation of Bulgaria's government on Thursday (11 December) puts an end to an increasingly unpopular coalition but is likely to usher in a period of prolonged political instability on the eve of the Black Sea nation's entry into the euro zone.
Ukraine has presented the U.S. with a revised 20-point framework to end the war with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday, adding that the issue of ceding territory remains a major sticking point in negotiations.
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