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German Defence Minister says he won't run for chancellor in 2025

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German Defence Minister says he won't run for chancellor in 2025

The announcement, which Boris Pistorius made in a video posted to SDP social media channels, clears the way for incumbent chancellor Olaf Scholz to run for a second term.

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Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has said he is “not available” to run as a candidate for chancellor in February’s snap election, saying he would instead support Olaf Scholz’s re-election bid.

The announcement, which Pistorius made in a video posted to social media channels belonging to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), ends days of speculation about him replacing Scholz.

“I have emphasized this over and over in recent weeks and I’m saying it again as clearly as possible; in Olaf Scholz, we have an excellent chancellor,” Pistorius, currently polling as Germany’s most popular politician, said.

“He led a coalition that would have been challenging in normal times through possibly the biggest crisis of recent decades.”

He added not running was his “sovereign and entirely personal” decision.

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Collapse of the coalition

Chancellor Olaf Scholz called a snap election after the collapse of the governing ‘Traffic Light Coalition’ at the start of November.

As per German election rules, the Bundestag will hold a government confidence vote on December 16th before voters head to the polls on February 23.  

Germany’s coalition government, made up of the SDP, the FDP and the Greens, collapsed on 7 November after Scholz fired the then Finance Minister and FDP party head, Christian Lindner.

“He (Lindner) has broken my trust too many times”, Scholz told the press at the time, adding that there is “no more basis of trust for further cooperation” as the FDP leader is “more concerned with his own clientele and the survival of his own party.”

The coalition had governed Germany since 2021 and its collapse meant Scholz’s government no longer had a majority in parliament.

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The SDP confirmed on Thursday that they would nominate Scholz as their lead candidate for chancellor next week.

But according to current opinion polls, the chances of Germany’s next chancellor belonging to the centre-left Social Democrats is highly unlikely.

Most pollsters put the centre-right Christian Democrats at more than double the level of support of the SDP.

A tally published on Thursday by political research group Infratest dimap shows the CDU/CSU polling at 33% with the SPD trailing behind at 14%, level with the Greens.

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‘X-Men’ Star Famke Janssen Says Marvel ‘Made a Mistake’ By Not Asking Her to Return as Jean Grey in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

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‘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.

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“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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Two-train crash leaves at least 1 dead, 89 injured as emergency crews rush to chaotic scene

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Two-train crash leaves at least 1 dead, 89 injured as emergency crews rush to chaotic scene

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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.

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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

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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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This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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Lebanese influencer organises World Cup event amid Israel’s attack on Leban

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Lebanese influencer organises World Cup event amid Israel’s attack on Leban
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As Israel’s war on Lebanon rages, hundreds gather in Rmeileh by Sidon Gate to watch the 2026 World Cup. Organised by influencer Bilal Haddad, the fan zone offers food trucks, shisha and family activities, giving people a rare chance to relax. Al Jazeera’s Justin Salhani went to check it out.

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