🇯🇴 King of Jordan warns Blinken of catastrophic repercussions of Gaza war
The monarch also pointed out Washington's major role "in pushing towards an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the protection of civilians, while guaranteeing the sustainable delivery of sufficient humanitarian and relief aid" to the Palestinian enclave, the statement read.
Blinken embarked on a trip to the Middle East on Thursday to discuss immediate measures to boost humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip and raise the need to take steps to deter the Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, among other things.
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"His Majesty King Abdullah, during a meeting on Sunday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, warned of the catastrophic ramifications of the continued war on Gaza, stressing the need to end the tragic humanitarian crisis in the Strip," the royal office said in a statement.
The monarch also pointed out Washington's major role "in pushing towards an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the protection of civilians, while guaranteeing the sustainable delivery of sufficient humanitarian and relief aid" to the Palestinian enclave, the statement read.
Blinken embarked on a trip to the Middle East on Thursday to discuss immediate measures to boost humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip and raise the need to take steps to deter the Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, among other things.
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🇮🇷 Iran arrests all suspects believed to be behind Kerman terror attack
All suspects allegedly involved in planning and carrying out the Kerman terror attacks have been arrested, Kerman region Prosecutor Mahdi Bakhshi has announced.
This reportedly includes two other would-be suicide attackers who were exposed “before the assignment of tasks in the ceremony.”
Along with the two bombs that went off in Kerman, 16 additional explosive devices were discovered throughout the province by the security services and disarmed, the prosecutor said. In addition, he said, “over the recent months, as many as 23 Daesh terrorists ready to carry out suicide attacks have been arrested across Kerman province.”
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All suspects allegedly involved in planning and carrying out the Kerman terror attacks have been arrested, Kerman region Prosecutor Mahdi Bakhshi has announced.
“32 people have been arrested in [connection with the] Kerman crime case and are going through preliminary interrogations,” Bakhshi told local media.
This reportedly includes two other would-be suicide attackers who were exposed “before the assignment of tasks in the ceremony.”
Along with the two bombs that went off in Kerman, 16 additional explosive devices were discovered throughout the province by the security services and disarmed, the prosecutor said. In addition, he said, “over the recent months, as many as 23 Daesh terrorists ready to carry out suicide attacks have been arrested across Kerman province.”
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NATO is already losing the Ukrainian conflict, French historian Emmanuel Todd believes
He likewise concluded that the defeat would eventually culminate in Russia's reconciliation with Europe and its rapprochement with Germany, contrary to the wishes of the United States.
This view was expressed to Le Point Magazine during an interview ahead the release of his new book La Defaite de L'Occident (The Defeat of the West).
In the book, he denounces the Western attitude toward Russia, stating that “Avoiding the rapprochement between Germany and Russia was one of the US goals. This rapprochement would have signed the ejection of the United States from the European system of power. Americans have preferred to destroy Europe rather than save the West.”
Todd’s La Defaite de L'Occident excerpt highlights America's waning status as a global superpower and its weak military-industrial complex.
👉 Follow the link to learn more
He likewise concluded that the defeat would eventually culminate in Russia's reconciliation with Europe and its rapprochement with Germany, contrary to the wishes of the United States.
This view was expressed to Le Point Magazine during an interview ahead the release of his new book La Defaite de L'Occident (The Defeat of the West).
In the book, he denounces the Western attitude toward Russia, stating that “Avoiding the rapprochement between Germany and Russia was one of the US goals. This rapprochement would have signed the ejection of the United States from the European system of power. Americans have preferred to destroy Europe rather than save the West.”
Todd’s La Defaite de L'Occident excerpt highlights America's waning status as a global superpower and its weak military-industrial complex.
👉 Follow the link to learn more
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🇮🇱🇵🇸 Latest updates on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict:
▪️The number of people killed by Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip has increased to 22,835, with over 58,416 injured, the enclave's health ministry said.
▪️Negotiations on the release of Israeli hostages have been suspended following an attack on an office of Palestinian movement Hamas in a southern Beirut suburb on January 2, NBC News reported on Sunday, citing US officials.
▪️EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell embarked on a two-day trip to Saudi Arabia to hold talks on a conflict settlement in the Gaza Strip and the "worrying escalation" in the Red Sea, the European External Action Service.
▪️Jordanian King Abdullah II warned US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during their meeting of the "catastrophic ramifications" brought about by the continued hostilities in the Gaza Strip and stressed the need to end the humanitarian crisis, the royal office said.
▪️Israel is ready to settle the conflict with Lebanon's Hezbollah movement through political means, but if they fail, "other" options will be pursued, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
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▪️The number of people killed by Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip has increased to 22,835, with over 58,416 injured, the enclave's health ministry said.
▪️Negotiations on the release of Israeli hostages have been suspended following an attack on an office of Palestinian movement Hamas in a southern Beirut suburb on January 2, NBC News reported on Sunday, citing US officials.
▪️EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell embarked on a two-day trip to Saudi Arabia to hold talks on a conflict settlement in the Gaza Strip and the "worrying escalation" in the Red Sea, the European External Action Service.
▪️Jordanian King Abdullah II warned US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during their meeting of the "catastrophic ramifications" brought about by the continued hostilities in the Gaza Strip and stressed the need to end the humanitarian crisis, the royal office said.
▪️Israel is ready to settle the conflict with Lebanon's Hezbollah movement through political means, but if they fail, "other" options will be pursued, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
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🇮🇱🇮🇷 Israel will face a “nightmare” for its short-sighted decision to assassinate a senior member of Hamas’ political leadership, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force chief Esmail Qaani has warned.
“Arouri was martyred with a brilliant record in the first, al-Aqsa and al-Quds intifadas,” Qaani said, referring to three Palestinian campaigns of resistance against Israel between 1987-1993, 2000-2005 and the conflict which began in October 2023 with the Hamas attack into southern Israel, but quickly moved to Gaza.
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“The enemy and the Zionists seek to downplay their heavy defeat in Gaza and the West Bank by assassinating resistance leaders,” Qaani wrote in a letter to Hamas Political Bureau head Ismail Haniyeh on Sunday.
“The world will see how the comrades of Martyr Arouri turn into a nightmare for” Israel, the Iranian commander added.
“Arouri was martyred with a brilliant record in the first, al-Aqsa and al-Quds intifadas,” Qaani said, referring to three Palestinian campaigns of resistance against Israel between 1987-1993, 2000-2005 and the conflict which began in October 2023 with the Hamas attack into southern Israel, but quickly moved to Gaza.
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❗️US President Joe Biden stated on Sunday that Congress has reached an agreement on government funding, preventing a "needless" shutdown.
The total US government budget for 2024, agreed upon by the Congress, provides almost $1.6 trillion, including $886 billion for defense, US House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Sunday.
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"The bipartisan funding framework congressional leaders have reached moves us one step closer to preventing a needless government shutdown and protecting important national priorities. It reflects the funding levels that I negotiated with both parties and signed into law last spring," Biden said in a statement published by the White House.
The total US government budget for 2024, agreed upon by the Congress, provides almost $1.6 trillion, including $886 billion for defense, US House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Sunday.
"The topline constitutes $1.590 trillion for FY24 – the statutory levels of the Fiscal Responsibility Act. That includes $886 billion for defense and $704 billion for nondefense," Johnson said in a statement.
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🇮🇱🇵🇸 Military operations in the Gaza Strip will continue until all Israeli hostages are returned, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Sunday.
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"Military activities in Gaza will not end until the hostages return home," Gallant stated at a meeting with the families of people held hostage by the Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
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“If we want to be peacekeepers in the world, we need a European military,” said Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in a newspaper interview Sunday, reviving on-off discussion of a European Union army.
The comment represents a desire for greater European autonomy as the continent’s acquiescence to US-led sanctions on Russia has generated economic strain from Germany to the UK.
It remains to be seen whether most European leaders will continue to support US policy toward Ukraine as the Zelensky regime has increasingly failed in its efforts on the battlefield.
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“In a world with powerful players like the United States, China, India, Russia – with crises from the Middle East to the Indo-Pacific – Italian, German, French or Slovenian citizens can only be protected by something that already exists, namely the European Union,” Tajani emphasized.
The comment represents a desire for greater European autonomy as the continent’s acquiescence to US-led sanctions on Russia has generated economic strain from Germany to the UK.
It remains to be seen whether most European leaders will continue to support US policy toward Ukraine as the Zelensky regime has increasingly failed in its efforts on the battlefield.
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🇨🇳🇮🇱 Chinese shipping giant COSCO stops calling at Israeli ports
Chinese state-owned company COSCO, one of the world's largest container shipping companies, has decided to stop calling at Israeli ports for reasons yet unknown, Israeli financial newspaper Globes reported.
The company made the decision even though the Houthis are unlikely to attack its ships in the Red Sea because of economic and political ties between China and Iran, which supports the Yemeni rebel group, the report read.
Cosco's decision will significantly affect trade between Israel and the Far East, the newspaper reported, adding that the Israeli shipping company ZIM, which works closely with COSCO, may face higher transportation costs as it will have to increase the number of ships operating on the Far East routes.
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Chinese state-owned company COSCO, one of the world's largest container shipping companies, has decided to stop calling at Israeli ports for reasons yet unknown, Israeli financial newspaper Globes reported.
The company made the decision even though the Houthis are unlikely to attack its ships in the Red Sea because of economic and political ties between China and Iran, which supports the Yemeni rebel group, the report read.
Cosco's decision will significantly affect trade between Israel and the Far East, the newspaper reported, adding that the Israeli shipping company ZIM, which works closely with COSCO, may face higher transportation costs as it will have to increase the number of ships operating on the Far East routes.
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US House Speaker Mike Johnson called for greater oversight of aid to Ukraine Sunday, questioning how US funds have been spent by the country.
“We need accountability for the people who are funding that,” the speaker stressed.
Some Republicans have alleged an axis of corruption extending from Kiev to Biden in Washington; former President Donald Trump famously attempted to have authorities in Ukraine investigate Biden.
Johnson also slammed Biden’s stonewalling of the House’s impeachment inquiry, which seeks to investigate the Biden family’s business dealings in Ukraine.
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“What is the endgame in Ukraine?” asked the congressional leader. “What is our strategy? What is the objective? How will we have proper oversight over these precious taxpayer dollars?”
“We need accountability for the people who are funding that,” the speaker stressed.
Some Republicans have alleged an axis of corruption extending from Kiev to Biden in Washington; former President Donald Trump famously attempted to have authorities in Ukraine investigate Biden.
Johnson also slammed Biden’s stonewalling of the House’s impeachment inquiry, which seeks to investigate the Biden family’s business dealings in Ukraine.
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Sputnik International
🇭🇺🇪🇺 European Council President Charles Michel has decided to leave his post early. If the EU leaders do not have time to choose a successor, then Viktor Orban will become the interim head of the European Council. Michel will stand in the European Parliament…
🇪🇺 Belgian party confirms EU's Michel will run in European Parliament election
Georges-Louis Bouchez, leader of Belgium's liberal Reformist Movement party, confirmed the nomination of incumbent European Council President Charles Michel for the European Parliament election set for June.
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Georges-Louis Bouchez, leader of Belgium's liberal Reformist Movement party, confirmed the nomination of incumbent European Council President Charles Michel for the European Parliament election set for June.
"Charles Michel is the most suitable candidate to lead the Reformist Movement list in the European Parliament election," Bouchez told a party conference.
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Sputnik International
“If we want to be peacekeepers in the world, we need a European military,” said Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in a newspaper interview Sunday, reviving on-off discussion of a European Union army. “In a world with powerful players like the United…
The EU should solve more important problems before forming its own army, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, commenting on Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani's statement Sunday.
The spokeswoman added that the EU also has an unresolved refugee problem.
The official stressed that before armed forces are established, it is necessary to determine what fuel they will use. Otherwise the US will be able to blackmail the EU by raising fuel prices if Brussels does not send its troops where Washington says, the spokeswoman emphasized.
Zakharova concluded by questioning why each NATO member pays into the "common treasury" -- in fact, the US treasury -- huge sums that should have been spent on ensuring collective security.
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“An EU army? Maybe you should start by developing your own vaccine against COVID-19? Or learn how to humanely -- in accordance with your international obligations -- guard the borders of the EU?” Zakharova wrote on her Telegram channel.
The spokeswoman added that the EU also has an unresolved refugee problem.
The official stressed that before armed forces are established, it is necessary to determine what fuel they will use. Otherwise the US will be able to blackmail the EU by raising fuel prices if Brussels does not send its troops where Washington says, the spokeswoman emphasized.
Zakharova concluded by questioning why each NATO member pays into the "common treasury" -- in fact, the US treasury -- huge sums that should have been spent on ensuring collective security.
👉 Follow the link for more details
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The World Health Organisation has been forced to cancel four humanitarian missions to the northern Gaza Strip since December 26 because it no longer receives necessary security guarantees.
"Heavy bombardment, movement restrictions, and interrupted communications are making it nearly impossible to deliver medical supplies regularly and safely across Gaza, particularly in the north. Most hospitals are severely short-staffed, as health workers have left due to evacuation orders or insecurity. Meanwhile, patients' access to health facilities is impeded by perilous conditions," the organisation stressed.
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"Today [January 7], WHO cancelled a planned mission to Al-Awda hospital and the central drug store in northern Gaza for the fourth time since 26 Dec because we did not receive deconfliction and safety guarantees," WHO said on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
"Heavy bombardment, movement restrictions, and interrupted communications are making it nearly impossible to deliver medical supplies regularly and safely across Gaza, particularly in the north. Most hospitals are severely short-staffed, as health workers have left due to evacuation orders or insecurity. Meanwhile, patients' access to health facilities is impeded by perilous conditions," the organisation stressed.
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Forwarded from Sputnik Africa
🌾 🌎 It's Time for Dollar-Free Grain Trade Among BRICS Countries
BRICS – an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – added net grain importers Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2024, almost equalizing the production and consumption of key grain crops within the group.
Under these circumstances, the association may create its own trading platform and trade grain within the group without using the US dollar, reads a letter from the Russian Union of Grain Exporters (Rusgrain Union) to the Ministry of Agriculture, reviewed by the Russian business newspaper Vedomosti.
👉 Read the full story!
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BRICS – an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – added net grain importers Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2024, almost equalizing the production and consumption of key grain crops within the group.
Under these circumstances, the association may create its own trading platform and trade grain within the group without using the US dollar, reads a letter from the Russian Union of Grain Exporters (Rusgrain Union) to the Ministry of Agriculture, reviewed by the Russian business newspaper Vedomosti.
👉 Read the full story!
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🔸 Sputnik Africa | TikTok | Twitter 🔸
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🇨🇿 The presence of Czech military personnel in foreign missions in 2024, including in the NATO group in Slovakia, will be reduced, the press secretary of the Czech General Staff, Vlastimila Cyprisova, stated on Sunday.
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"Czech military personnel are currently participating in 14 foreign missions, in particular in Kosovo, the Middle East and the Mediterranean region, where they are fighting smugglers transporting illegal migrants from Africa to Europe. Overall reduction in the number of participants in foreign missions in 2024 will happen mainly due to a reduction from 450 to 200 people in the NATO contingent in Slovakia, the command of which the Czech Republic will transfer to Spain by the end of June this year," Cyprisova was quoted as saying by Czech Radio.
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Sputnik International
Criticism over secrecy of Pentagon chief’s hospitalization mounts as Austin ‘takes responsibility’ for matter US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin released a statement on Saturday taking “full responsibility” for not disclosing his condition earlier. But…
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is still in the hospital and there is no specific date for his release yet, the US Defense Department said on Monday.
Ryder added that on Saturday, Austin held talks with US President Joe Biden.
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"Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III remains hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center but is recovering well and in good spirits. Since resuming his duties on Friday evening, the Secretary has received operational updates and has provided necessary guidance to his team… While we do not have a specific date for his release at this time, we will continue to provide updates on the Secretary’s status as they become available," Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement.
Ryder added that on Saturday, Austin held talks with US President Joe Biden.
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Boeing 737 MAX 9 scare another argument in favor of Russia’s aviation independence
“The fact that the 737 MAX model seems to be plagued by various operational problems suggests that certain gaps and shortcomings exist in the organization of work at Boeing and among its contractors, and this has led to a decrease in the level of safety of products manufactured by the American company,” Oleg Panteleev, a leading Russian civilian aviation expert who heads the AviaPort think tank, told Sputnik.
“After the change of leadership at Boeing [after 2019, ed.], extraordinary measures were taken to eliminate problems which had been discovered, to restructure work with suppliers, increase the level of quality control of components and so on. Unfortunately, it cannot be said that all this work has led to the expected result,” Panteleev noted, referring to Friday’s close call involving an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 which suffered an emergency exit door blowout midflight.
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“The fact that the 737 MAX model seems to be plagued by various operational problems suggests that certain gaps and shortcomings exist in the organization of work at Boeing and among its contractors, and this has led to a decrease in the level of safety of products manufactured by the American company,” Oleg Panteleev, a leading Russian civilian aviation expert who heads the AviaPort think tank, told Sputnik.
“After the change of leadership at Boeing [after 2019, ed.], extraordinary measures were taken to eliminate problems which had been discovered, to restructure work with suppliers, increase the level of quality control of components and so on. Unfortunately, it cannot be said that all this work has led to the expected result,” Panteleev noted, referring to Friday’s close call involving an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 which suffered an emergency exit door blowout midflight.
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Spain recognizes valid passports of Kosovo citizens after visa-free entry into the European Union for them came into force on January 1, Spanish news agency EFE reported on Sunday, citing a source in the Spanish Foreign Ministry.
The report added that all Schengen countries agreed to accept Kosovo passports to allow the entry of Kosovars.
On January 1, the Kosovar Foreign Ministry said that visa-free entry into the EU for its citizens came into force.
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The report added that all Schengen countries agreed to accept Kosovo passports to allow the entry of Kosovars.
"This in no way means recognition of Kosovo," the source was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
On January 1, the Kosovar Foreign Ministry said that visa-free entry into the EU for its citizens came into force.
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The United States reportedly fears the failure of the IDF’s campaign in Gaza to eliminate Hamas will lead Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to launch a war on Lebanon, it was revealed Sunday.
“I’m not sure going after Hezbollah [in Lebanon] is the right way to do it because that campaign will be far more challenging than the one in Gaza,” he added. Netanyahu faces prosecution on corruption charges in Israel if forced to step down from his position.
The IDF has reportedly already drawn up strike plans for Lebanon, according to Israeli media.
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“The political logic for Netanyahu is to rebound… and have some kind of success to show to the Israeli public,” said analyst Bilal Saab, noting that the longtime Israeli leader has become highly unpopular in his country.
“I’m not sure going after Hezbollah [in Lebanon] is the right way to do it because that campaign will be far more challenging than the one in Gaza,” he added. Netanyahu faces prosecution on corruption charges in Israel if forced to step down from his position.
The IDF has reportedly already drawn up strike plans for Lebanon, according to Israeli media.
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Belgium will nominate European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders for the post of the president of the European Council, Belgian media reported on Sunday.
The Belgian authorities must announce their decision by January 10, and elections for the presidency of the European Council will be held in June, Le Soir newspaper said.
Reynders, in turn, was reportedly hoping to head the list of candidates from the Belgian liberal Reformist Movement party in the upcoming elections to the European Parliament, but this was entrusted to incumbent European Council President Charles Michel.
In 2019, Reynders participated in the race for the post of the European Council president but lost the election. He also held various positions in the Belgian government, including the post of foreign minister and finance minister.
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The Belgian authorities must announce their decision by January 10, and elections for the presidency of the European Council will be held in June, Le Soir newspaper said.
Reynders, in turn, was reportedly hoping to head the list of candidates from the Belgian liberal Reformist Movement party in the upcoming elections to the European Parliament, but this was entrusted to incumbent European Council President Charles Michel.
In 2019, Reynders participated in the race for the post of the European Council president but lost the election. He also held various positions in the Belgian government, including the post of foreign minister and finance minister.
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🇷🇺 Russian TOS-1A heavy flamethrower system hits a strong point and concentration of personnel of Ukrainian forces
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