Russia has accused Ukraine of deliberately sabotaging ongoing peace talks by presenting conditions that Moscow deems unacceptable. Rodion Miroshnik, Russia’s special envoy to the Foreign Ministry, told Izvestia that Kyiv is intentionally setting terms designed to collapse the dialogue and then blame Russia for the failure. He described Ukraine’s approach as a waste of time and a political bluff aimed at reshaping proposals linked to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace framework.

The accusation follows the conclusion of three days of U.S.-mediated discussions in Florida between Ukrainian and American officials, which ended without tangible results. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he held a constructive phone conversation with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, emphasizing that real progress toward peace depends on Moscow’s willingness to engage sincerely. Analysts note that both sides continue to trade blame, underscoring the deep mistrust that has stalled diplomatic efforts since the start of the conflict.

Observers suggest that without renewed commitment from both Kyiv and Moscow, future negotiations may remain symbolic, prolonging uncertainty in the region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has acknowledged that Kyiv currently lacks the military capacity and allied support to retake territories under Russian control, including Crimea. His statement marks a significant shift in tone after four years of war, signaling a possible softening of Ukraine’s long-held goal to fully restore its 1991 borders.

The admission comes as Washington intensifies pressure on Kyiv to accept former U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed peace plan, which aims for a deal before Christmas. According to reports, U.S. envoys held a two-hour meeting with Zelensky, urging him to respond within days. Analysts view this as a turning point, reflecting both battlefield fatigue and the limits of Western military and financial backing.

Zelensky’s remarks also highlight growing uncertainty over Ukraine’s NATO aspirations and the fragility of European support without U.S. leadership. The coming weeks may determine whether Kyiv can secure credible security guarantees and reconstruction commitments in exchange for accepting the new geopolitical reality.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared that the ongoing violence in Gaza, which he said has claimed over 70,000 lives, demonstrates that the core values of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights have been 'severely damaged.' He made the remarks on December 10, Human Rights Day, emphasizing the continued suffering in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories despite international efforts to halt the violence.

Erdogan extended greetings to the Turkish people and the global human rights community on the 77th anniversary of the UN declaration, calling it a vital document that still upholds humanity’s shared values. However, he lamented that the principles enshrined in it are being violated in many parts of the world, weakening notions of peace and justice.

He urged the international community to take collective responsibility for rebuilding Gaza and to strengthen the ceasefire. Erdogan reiterated that a just and lasting peace requires the implementation of a two-state solution and increased pressure on Israel to prevent further escalation.

Continuous rainfall triggered severe flooding across southern Gaza on Wednesday, inundating makeshift tents sheltering displaced residents in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis. Arab media reports said many families were trapped inside their tents as floodwaters rose, prompting urgent calls for help to Palestinian Civil Defense units in Rafah.

Officials said the flooding compounded the misery of Gaza’s displaced population, already suffering from months of conflict and destruction. Nearly the entire population has been uprooted by Israel’s military campaign, and reconstruction costs are estimated at around $70 billion. Despite a two-month ceasefire, no significant progress has been made toward building sustainable temporary housing for those left homeless.

Humanitarian agencies warn that without immediate infrastructure and drainage support, further rainfall could worsen living conditions, heighten disease risks, and delay recovery efforts across the enclave.

Heavy artillery and rocket fire have resumed along the Thailand–Cambodia border, forcing mass evacuations just five months after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. The Thai military accused Cambodian troops of firing on an engineering team building an access road in a disputed area, injuring two soldiers. The fragile truce, mediated by former U.S. President Donald Trump in July, has collapsed amid rising tensions and mutual suspicion.

Analysts say deep-rooted mistrust between the two neighbors undermined the ceasefire from the start. Thailand reluctantly accepted the July truce under U.S. tariff pressure, while Cambodia welcomed international involvement. Since then, new landmines allegedly laid by Cambodian forces have maimed several Thai soldiers, prompting Bangkok to accuse Phnom Penh of bad faith.

Thailand’s weakened coalition government has given its military broad authority to act, while domestic anger toward Cambodia has grown. Although Trump may attempt renewed mediation, both sides now demand concrete proof of goodwill before talks resume, leaving the border conflict at risk of further escalation.

Venezuela has sharply condemned the United States after Washington seized a large oil tanker near the Venezuelan coast. Caracas labeled the move as 'theft' and 'international piracy,' accusing the U.S. of pursuing a deliberate plan to seize the country's energy resources. The Trump administration confirmed the operation, describing it as the largest tanker seizure to date, and hinted at further similar actions.

In an official statement, the Venezuelan government alleged that the U.S. was abusing power in an imperialist manner, arguing that the long-running campaign against President Nicolás Maduro was not about democracy or human rights but about controlling Venezuela’s oil. A U.S. official told CBS News that the mission was conducted by the Coast Guard with naval and Marine support, under the supervision of the Pentagon.

Venezuela vowed to raise the issue in international forums, calling it a serious violation of sovereignty. Analysts say the incident could further strain U.S.–Venezuela relations and complicate global oil diplomacy amid already tense geopolitical conditions.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has seized a foreign vessel in the Persian Gulf on allegations of fuel smuggling. The ship, reportedly carrying 350,000 liters of contraband diesel, was intercepted following intelligence surveillance and brought to a southern Iranian port under court order, according to IRGC officials.

The vessel was identified as flying the flag of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). Authorities stated that 13 crew members—comprising Indian nationals and citizens of a neighboring country—were detained for investigation. The confiscated fuel has been returned to Iran and is currently being offloaded under judicial supervision.

The seizure underscores Iran’s ongoing campaign against fuel smuggling, a persistent issue driven by the country’s heavily subsidized domestic fuel prices. The IRGC frequently announces similar operations in the Persian Gulf, reflecting both economic and security dimensions of Iran’s maritime enforcement strategy.

Three members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed in what authorities described as a terrorist assault near the southeastern city of Zahedan, close to the Lar border region, on Wednesday. According to state-run Press TV, the attack targeted troops stationed to protect Iran’s frontier areas.

A statement from the IRGC’s Quds regional headquarters confirmed that the soldiers were ambushed while performing border security duties. Iranian forces have since launched a counter-operation to locate and confront the attackers. The Sistan and Baluchestan province, where the incident occurred, has long been a hotspot for militant activity against both civilians and security personnel.

Officials in Tehran have previously accused foreign intelligence agencies of supporting armed groups operating in the region. The latest attack underscores persistent security challenges along Iran’s volatile southeastern border, raising concerns about cross-border militancy and regional instability.

Israel has approved the construction of 764 new housing units for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank, according to Israeli media outlet Channel Seven. The plan includes 478 homes in Hashmonaim near Ramallah, 230 in Beitar Illit, and 56 in Giv’at Ze’ev. The decision comes amid an ongoing ceasefire in Gaza, though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has not issued an official statement on the matter.

The move adds to Israel’s long-running settlement expansion policy, widely condemned under international law. Since Netanyahu returned to power in 2022, settlement approvals have accelerated sharply. Reports indicate that over 51,000 new settler homes have been authorized across the West Bank in the past three years. Israeli NGO Peace Now estimates that around 450,000 settlers live in the West Bank and another 250,000 in East Jerusalem.

Analysts warn that the latest approval could further strain Israel’s relations with Western allies and complicate future peace negotiations with the Palestinians, who view the settlements as illegal encroachments on their prospective state.

The United States has seized a large fuel tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump announced at a White House press conference on Wednesday, December 10. Trump described the vessel as one of the largest tankers ever captured and said further details would be released later. The operation was reportedly led by the US Coast Guard, according to Reuters, citing three American officials familiar with the matter.

The seizure comes as Washington intensifies its maritime presence in the Caribbean, citing anti-narcotics operations. Over recent months, US forces have conducted multiple strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in international waters between Venezuela and Colombia, resulting in more than 80 deaths since early September. The Trump administration maintains that these actions are part of its self-defense and anti-drug efforts.

Venezuelan authorities, however, accuse Washington of using such operations as a pretext to destabilize President Nicolás Maduro’s government. The incident underscores escalating geopolitical friction in the region, with potential implications for US–Venezuela relations and regional security dynamics.

At least 19 people were killed and 16 others injured when two adjacent four-story buildings collapsed early Wednesday in the historic city of Fez, Morocco, according to state media reports. The incident occurred in the Al-Mustaqbal district, where eight families lived in the two structures. Emergency teams, including local authorities, security forces, and civil protection units, quickly launched search and rescue operations.

State broadcaster SNRT reported that the buildings had visible cracks and were in a state of long-term neglect. Despite known structural risks, local authorities reportedly failed to take preventive measures. Reuters noted it could not independently verify the extent of the damage, and the Interior Ministry did not immediately comment.

The collapse comes two months after protests in Fez over deteriorating living conditions and inadequate public services. The tragedy has renewed scrutiny of Morocco’s urban safety standards, particularly in aging neighborhoods of major cities, where maintenance and enforcement remain inconsistent.

Malaysian immigration authorities have arrested 56 undocumented migrants, including several Bangladeshis, during two separate operations across Terengganu state. The raids, conducted in five districts, primarily targeted construction sites. In the first operation, held on December 10, officers inspected seven sites in Kuala Nerus, Kuala Terengganu, and Setiu, checking the documents of 92 workers. Forty-two Bangladeshis were detained for various visa and documentation irregularities under the Immigration Act 1952/63.

According to Terengganu Immigration Director Mohamad Yusri Mohamad Nor, 27 individuals were charged with violating permit conditions, 13 lacked valid travel documents, and two overstayed their visas. All detainees were transferred to the Ajil Immigration Depot for further legal proceedings. In a second operation across Kuala Terengganu, Marang, and Dungun, authorities arrested 14 more migrants—five each from Bangladesh and Indonesia, three from Thailand, and one from Myanmar, aged between 23 and 49.

Officials stated that enforcement against undocumented migrants will continue, reflecting Malaysia’s ongoing crackdown on illegal labor amid rising concerns over labor rights and documentation compliance.

Nineteen fishermen from Bhola, Bangladesh, returned home on Wednesday after spending 95 days in Indian custody. They were detained by the Indian Coast Guard in September when their fishing trawler drifted into Indian waters during a storm. The release took place under a bilateral agreement between Bangladesh and India, with both countries exchanging detained fishermen through their respective coast guards at the maritime boundary.

According to Bangladesh Coast Guard officials, India handed over 32 Bangladeshi fishermen, including the 19 from Bhola, while Bangladesh released 47 Indian fishermen. Local authorities confirmed that the Bhola fishermen were received at Mongla Port and later reunited with their families. Officials said the process was expedited through diplomatic coordination and administrative support.

The incident had left the fishermen’s families in severe hardship, as many relied solely on the detained men’s income. Local administration and fisheries officials provided food aid during their absence. The exchange underscores ongoing cooperation between Dhaka and New Delhi on maritime issues and humanitarian repatriation.

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, this year’s Nobel Peace Prize laureate, will not attend the award ceremony in Oslo due to her ongoing self-imposed exile and legal risks in her home country. The Nobel Institute confirmed that her daughter, Ana Corina Machado, will accept the prize and read a prepared statement on her behalf during Wednesday’s ceremony.

Machado has remained in exile since August last year after clashing with President Nicolás Maduro’s government. Venezuela’s attorney general warned that the 58-year-old politician would be considered a fugitive if she left the country to collect the award, raising fears of arrest upon her return. The Nobel Institute’s director, Kristian Berg Harpviken, said he had no information about Machado’s current location.

The ceremony, attended by leaders from Argentina and other Latin American nations, highlights the political tensions surrounding Venezuela’s disputed 2024 election. Western governments, including the United States, have questioned the legitimacy of Maduro’s victory and expressed support for Machado’s pro-democracy stance.

Japan confirmed that Chinese and Russian strategic bombers conducted a joint long-range patrol around its airspace on Tuesday, prompting Tokyo to scramble fighter jets for monitoring. The Japanese Defense Ministry reported that two Russian Tu-95 nuclear-capable bombers flew from the Sea of Japan toward the East China Sea, joining two Chinese H-6 bombers before proceeding into the Pacific Ocean. Later, four Chinese J-16 fighters joined the formation near Okinawa and Miyako islands.

Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi described the operation as a clear show of force against Japan and a serious concern for national security. Russia’s Defense Ministry said the joint flight lasted eight hours, while South Korea also detected several Russian and Chinese aircraft entering its air defense identification zone. The patrol follows an incident where Chinese carrier-based jets allegedly targeted Japanese aircraft with radar.

The coordinated patrol underscores deepening China-Russia military cooperation amid regional tensions over Taiwan and maritime boundaries. Analysts warn that such maneuvers could heighten the risk of miscalculation in the Indo-Pacific.