Armed conflicts and attacks

The United States Coast Guard intercepts and seizes an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela after previously seizing another last week. (Reuters) (BBC) (The Washington Post)

• https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-interdicting-sanctioned-vessel-off-venezuelan-coast-officials-say-2025-12-20/
• https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0mpy1ynnzzo
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/12/20/venezuela-boats-coast-guard/

Armed conflicts and attacks

The United States and Jordan carry out airstrikes on 70 Islamic State targets at multiple locations in Syria, in retaliation for the December 2025 Palmyra attack. (BBC News)

• https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yq7zzw618o

Disasters and accidents

Seven elephants are killed and another is injured when a passenger train strikes a herd in the Hojai district of Assam, India. (DW) (Reuters)

• https://www.dw.com/en/india-7-elephants-killed-in-passenger-train-collision/a-75251405
• https://www.reuters.com/world/india/seven-elephants-killed-india-train-accident-2025-12-20/

Law and crime

A Pakistani court sentences former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 17 years in prison after finding them guilty of corruption-related charges. (AP)

• https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-court-sentenced-imran-khan-graft-case-5f22b343b4103e4312ed60a357b870d1

Law and crime

Iran executes a man convicted of spying for Israeli intelligence agency Mossad in Urmia. (AP) (Iran Human Rights)

• https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-spy-execution-3a4bacf245781be17cbca7f4e042de7d
• https://iranhr.net/en/articles/8472/