In July 2024, explosive parcels sent through DHL logistics hubs in the UK, Poland, and Germany detonated before reaching aircraft.

Investigators later found the bombs were powerful enough to bring down a cargo plane if they had exploded mid-air.

Security services traced the plot to Russian-directed saboteurs who still held 6kg of explosives—enough, officials said, for a planned next phase: attacks on transatlantic flights to the US.

Authorities believe the goal was to cause aviation disruption on a scale not seen since 9/11, marking one of the most dangerous known episodes of Russia’s covert campaign in Europe.

Source: FT

US Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack:

The United States is in ongoing discussions with Türkiye regarding their desire to rejoin the F-35 program and their possession of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system.

As laid out in U.S. law, Turkiye must no longer operate nor possess the S-400 system to return to the F-35 program.

The positive relationship between President Trump and President Erdogan has created a new atmosphere of cooperation, which has led to the most fruitful conversations we have had on this topic in nearly a decade.

Our hope is that these talks will yield a breakthrough in the coming months that meets both the security requirements of the United States and Türkiye.

Elon Musk:

The EU Commission should be disbanded in favor of an elected body and the EU President should be directly elected.

The current system is rule by bureaucracy, not democracy.

Kremlin:

Actions taken against Russia’s assets, if they occur, will not go unanswered and will lead to serious consequences.

Sudan: UAE-backed RSF militias reportedly targeted the city of Um Ruwaba in North Kordofan with drones for the second time in the early hours of the morning.

Trump:

There has never been a President that has worked as hard as me! My hours are the longest, and my results are among the best.

Trump on Ilhan Omar:

We ought to get her the hell out! She married her brother... Throw her the hell out.

Trump:

I have also announced a permanent pause on third world migration, including from hellholes like Afghanistan, Haiti, Somalia, and many other countries.

I didn't say shit hole, you did. I said that to the Senators, the Democrats, so they came in and they said this is totally off the record.

UAC has delivered a new batch of Su-34 fighter-bombers to the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Four young men in Herat, Afghanistan were detained by the Taliban for dressing like characters from Peaky Blinders.

They were forced into “rehabilitation,” filmed apologizing, then released.

Australia has become the first country to ban children under 16 from major social media platforms, including Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and Reddit.

The law took effect on December 9, 2025, with companies facing fines of up to $33 million if they fail to remove underage users.

DR Congo: Despite the US-brokered deal, some 200,000 people have fled a new Rwanda-backed M23 offensive, with 74 killed and 83 wounded as rebels advance toward Uvira.

Brigitte Macron, First Lady of France, calls feminist activists 'stupid bitches' in leaked video.

Feminist activists from #NousToutes disrupted a Paris comedy show by Ary Abittan, protesting what they see as impunity for sexual violence despite rape charges against him being dismissed earlier in 2025.

The next night, Brigitte Macron attended his show and was secretly filmed backstage joking that if the protesters returned, they’d be kicked out, calling the protesters “stupid bitches”.

Trump:

Do we love miners? I love miners!

Germany’s Chancellor Merz slammed parts of the new Trump administration National Security Strategy as “unacceptable from a European perspective,” rejecting U.S. claims that Europe’s democracy needs saving.

“‘America First’ is fine, but ‘America Alone’ is not.”

Trump:

I got the biggest vote with Black people. They know a scam better than anybody!

They know what it is to be scammed.

WATCH: Sudan Army drone strike hit UAE-backed RSF gathering in Katila just one day after the RSF seized the vital Heglig oil fields.

At least seven RSF-allied tribal leaders and dozens of fighters were killed.

Ukrainian Envoy to the UN, Andrii Melnyk:

Our territory and our sovereignty is not to be traded. We are not at a Christmas market.

Russia wants Ukraine to capitulate and lay down arms.

And my answer is: You will get the hole of a donut, not Ukraine.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov:

Russia is not planning to wage war against Europe and has no such intentions.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov:

Any hostile actions, including the deployment of European troops in Ukraine, will receive a response from Russia.

A Sudanese Armed Forces cargo plane crashed west of Port Sudan on Tuesday, killing at least three crew members during a food-aid mission.

The aircraft, an Ilyushin Il-76, went down about 10 kilometers from the city after a reported technical malfunction, with no signs of enemy fire.

Source: Al Bawaba