World
Brussels denies knowledge of Reynders's alleged money laundering
The criminal revelations regarding Didier Reynders, a former European Commissioners, continue to send shockwaves through Brussels.
The European Commission has categorically denied knowing anything related to the money-laundering scheme that Didier Reynders has allegedly operated for years, including during his five-year mandate as Commissioner for Justice.
The Commission also expressed its openness to cooperate in the ongoing investigation.
The presumed scheme involved purchases of lottery tickets and cash of unknown origin, according to revelations made by Follow The Money and Le Soir on Tuesday evening. Belgian police have already questioned Reydners and raided several of his properties.
The 66-year-old politician has not yet publicly replied to the accusations. It’s unclear how much money could have been potentially laundered.
On Wednesday, the Commission faced multiple questions about the suspected activities of Reydners, who left office over the weekend as the new College stepped in.
“We have, of course, seen the media reports about a case involving former Commissioner and former minister, Didier Reynders. We do not have any further information on this matter,” a Commission spokesperson said.
“If the Belgian authorities were to contact us, we are going to collaborate with them.”
Belgian police have not reached out to the Commission to obtain information or conduct searches, the spokesperson said. The criminal probe is said to cover Reynders’s mandate as Commissioner and his previous position in domestic politics.
According to the information by Follow The Money and Le Soir, Belgian authorities waited until Reydners left office on Sunday to go ahead with the raids. Before then, the Commissioner had been protected by immunity, similar to members of the parliament.
The immunity continues to apply once they depart the executive but only for acts performed “in their official capacity” as Commissioners, the spokesperson clarified.
The revelations involving Reydners sent shockwaves through Brussels as they coincide with the start of Ursula von der Leyen’s second mandate. Among her priorities, the Commission president has vowed to reinforce compliance with the rule of law to protect fundamental rights and the integrity of the EU budget.
“Strengthening the rule of law will be our daily work and duty,” von der Leyen said in her political guidelines.
The fact that Reynders, whose portfolio included the rule of law, is now the target of a criminal investigation has not gone unnoticed by his critics in Poland and Hungary, against whom Reynders and his team launched legal proceedings and froze EU funds.
“Mr Rule of Law from Brussels is currently unavailable to lecture Poland on how the justice system should function,” said Mateusz Morawiecki, the former prime minister of Poland, who introduced a highly controversial judicial reform during his tenure.
Kinga Gál, a leading MEP from Fidesz, Viktor Orbán’s party, also took a swipe, saying the criminal inquiry into Reynders was “the latest chapters of Brussels’ hypocrisy”.
ADVERTISEMENT“Instead of attacking Member States on ideological grounds, Brussels should first get its own house in order,” Gál wrote on social media.
Asked if the probe could diminish the credibility of the Commission in matters related to the rule of law and fundamental rights, a spokesperson refused to comment.
“We will absolutely not prejudge any outcome of the investigation,” the spokesperson said. “We have no further information and therefore we’ll have no comments whatsoever on what would be, at this stage, really premature.”
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US President Donald Trump has doubled down on his comments on Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, saying she asked him “over and over” for a photo when the pair met at the G7 summit in France earlier this week.
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Following the summit, Trump told an Italian journalist that he “felt sorry for Meloni” after she “begged me to take a picture with her”.
Meloni hit back in a video posted to social media, branding Trump’s claims as “completely made up” and insisting that neither she nor Italy begs anyone for anything.
The once close pair’s relationship has grown increasingly fractious in recent months, particularly since Rome refused to provide the US support for its operations in Iran and after Meloni defended Pope Leo XIV, who was criticised by the Trump administration over his remarks on the war and the US’s immigration policies.
“Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni asked, over and over, for a picture with me during the G-7 meeting in France,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account on Saturday. “She is doing poorly in Italy with her level of popularity, possibly because she turned down the United States of America, a Country that truly loves and protects Italy, when it came to denying Iran from obtaining or developing a Nuclear Weapon”.
“Now, after the United States defeated Iran militarily, she wants to be friends again in order to get her “numbers up.” No thanks!!!” Trump added.
World
‘X-Men’ Star Famke Janssen Says Marvel ‘Made a Mistake’ By Not Asking Her to Return as Jean Grey in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
Famke Janssen said during a recent conversation with Nerdtropolis at Spacecon 2026 that Marvel “made a mistake” by not bringing her back as Jean Grey for December’s “Avengers: Doomsday.”
“I am so bad at keeping secrets that I always say to everyone I’m the worst actor in the world. It’s all on my face. You right away will read it,” Janssen said. “I think they made a mistake, but hey, who am I? I’m just a little me who thinks that.”
Janssen first appeared as the telepath Jean Grey, aka Phoenix, in 2000’s “X-Men,” and then reprised the role for 2003’s “X2: X-Men United” and 2006’s “X-Men: The Last Stand.” She also briefly appeared as Grey in 2013’s “The Wolverine” and 2014’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past.”
Janssen’s absence from “Doomsday” is notable, considering Marvel is bringing back many of her “X-Men” co-stars for the film. Patrick Stewart (Charles Xavier), Ian McKellen (Magneto), James Marsden (Cyclops), Kelsey Grammer (Beast), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler) and Rebecca Romijn (Mystique) are all set to return.
In an October 2025 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Janssen said in every interview she does, she’s asked about the future of Jean Grey in the MCU.
“It’s interesting,” Janssen said. “I didn’t realize that was such a big part. Every interview I do, that will come up, and of everything I say, that is going to be the only thing that’s gonna be printed.”
“I should be flattered, I suppose, that this character has resonated with people,” she added. “It’s been so long, but it’s nice that people are still talking about her. I’m sure every single time there’s a new movie that they’re doing, like [is it] ‘Doomsday?’ … it’ll come up again.”
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Authorities are responding after two passenger trains crashed into each other Friday near Bedford, England, killing at least one person and injuring nearly 90 others.
The East of England Ambulance Service said it was called to a collision involving two trains at Elstow, near Bedford, at about 5:15 p.m. local time and quickly declared a “major incident.”
One person died at the scene, 11 people suffered very serious injuries, 22 were seriously injured and 56 people had minor injuries, officials said.
Bedford is roughly 60 miles north of London.
2 TRAINS COLLIDE IN DENMARK, LEAVING 5 PEOPLE CRITICALLY INJURED
Two passenger trains collided Friday in the United Kingdom. (Fox News)
All the patients with the most serious injuries have been taken from the scene to hospital.
The ambulance service said it sent numerous resources to the scene, including more than 20 ambulances, specialist hazardous area response teams and six air ambulances.
MULTIPLE STABBED IN UK TRAIN ATTACK NEAR CAMBRIDGE AS POLICE ARREST 2 SUSPECTS
Emergency crews were pictured working near the scene. (Fox News)
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected, and we thank all emergency service colleagues for their swift response,” the ambulance service wrote in a statement.
The Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed its crews were also responding.
“Please avoid the area,” fire officials wrote in a statement on X.
Sources told The Telegraph the train driver was on the phone with maintenance staff discussing a safety issue at the time of the crash.
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