After Spain, France, and Italy blocked a move to designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, Dutch member of the European Parliament Bart Groothuis blasted the decision.
The IRGC acts as the &#8220;praetorian guard&#8221; for the Supreme Leader of Iran, tasked with ensuring the regime&#8217;s survival by crushing any internal opposition. Reports indicate that IRGC and Basij forces used live fire against peaceful demonstrators and even raided hospitals to arrest injured protesters. Estimates range from 5,000 to more than 15,000 deaths in January. The IRGC <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/08/14/iran-detainees-ill-treated-and-disappeared-after-israeli-evin-prison-attack">controls</a> its own intelligence apparatus and secret detention centers (such as Ward 2A of Evin Prison), where dissidents, journalists, and dual nationals are subjected to physical and psychological torture, forced confessions, and summary executions. Through its Quds Force, the IRGC operates as the world&#8217;s most active state sponsor of terrorism, conducting operations on nearly every continent.
Germany and the Baltic states are among the countries <a href="https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/01/14/pressure-mounts-on-eu-to-list-irans-revolutionary-guards-as-terror-organization?utm_source=chatgpt.com">pushing</a> for the European Parliament to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization. Under EU rules, all 27 member states must agree for the designation to move forward.
“Italy, Spain, and France are against putting the Islamic Iranian Revolutionary Guard, IRGC, on the EU terrorist list,” Groothuis noted. “Let’s call things as they are: France, Spain, and Italy say there are legal obstacles. Well, maybe murdering people inside Europe, or funding several terrorist organizations, or burning synagogues in Düsseldorf; maybe that is not enough. But surely, unleashing chemical weapons on the Iranian population or killing many thousands of innocent civilians.”
“Spain, Italy, and France say they need a legal court order; well, there is one, like in Düsseldorf. And please ask Israel, Saudi Arabia, United States, Canada, Bahrain, who have already designated IRC a terrorist organization, whether there was a diplomatic collapse: there wasn’t. Can the High Representative formally acknowledge here today that it is these three countries — like the press is reporting constantly in the Council — who are blocking to list the IRGC? Will the High Representative be on our side to sanction the IRGC, and expose their children and grandchildren who are studying here in Europe, enjoying our liberties, while their relatives are pouring chemical weapons over the heads of innocent, freedom-abiding Persians?”
“Let’s call things as they are,” he repeated.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WOW. I’m speechless.
Spain, France, and Italy have BLOCKED the declaration of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization.
Dutch Member of the European Parliament Bart Groothuis from the right-center party bloc &#8220;Renew Europe&#8221; opposes the blocks set by Spain,… <a href="https://t.co/LDAbCOwbeF">pic.twitter.com/LDAbCOwbeF</a>
— Chaya’s Clan (@ChayasClan) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChayasClan/status/2013946594601599432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

European Defence And Security Summit Held In Brussels

Dutch Lawmaker Slams France, Spain, Italy For Blocking Terror Label On Iranian Revolutionary Guards

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In her new book Les Nouveaux Antisémites (“The New Antisemites”), French journalist Nora Bussigny provides a <a href="https://fr.le360.ma/culture/parution-les-nouveaux-antisemites-enquete-au-coeur-de-lultragauche-francaise-de-nora-bussigny_SFUPHO6XJVFLTNNOMV4SM2ILWI/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">chilling account</a> of her year-long undercover investigation into France’s far-Left and activist circles. Bussigny, who is of Franco-Moroccan descent and not Jewish, infiltrated various organizations to document how traditional antisemitism has &#8220;metastasized&#8221; into a virulent form of anti-Zionism that now serves as a unifying force for otherwise fragmented radical groups.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
French journalist infiltrates anti-Israel groups, reveals antisemitism on far left in new book
Nora Bussigny goes undercover as pro-Palestinian activist for a year; in her bestseller The New Antisemites, she reveals how hatred of I&#8230;<a href="https://t.co/71THerZyB8">https://t.co/71THerZyB8</a> <a href="https://t.co/NmLuwGR7iJ">pic.twitter.com/NmLuwGR7iJ</a>
— Ynet Global (@ynetnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/ynetnews/status/2013006506166284477?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“My concern keeps growing in the face of a future marked by the hunt for Jews…,” she notes. &#8220;I saw with my own eyes to what degree Islamists, far-left so-called ‘progressive’ militants and feminist, LGBT and ecological activists are closely linked in their shared hatred of Jews and Israel,” she told <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/an-undercover-reporter-joined-frances-anti-israel-movement-heres-what-she-found/">The Times of Israel</a>.
Through her infiltration of demonstrations, university campuses, and online forums, Bussigny documented several alarming trends:
<ul>
<li data-path-to-node="5,0,0">Vocabulary of Exclusion: Activists use coded language, referring to Israel as &#8220;the Zionist entity&#8221; or &#8220;Israhell&#8221; and the IDF as a &#8220;genocidal army.&#8221;</li>
<li data-path-to-node="5,1,0">Academic Radicalization: At elite institutions like Sciences Po and various medical schools, Jewish students face ostracization, intimidation, and open hostility. Bussigny details instances of swastikas on exam papers and students being forced to chant pro-Hamas slogans.</li>
<li data-path-to-node="5,2,0">Institutional Infiltration: Radical groups like Samidoun and Urgence Palestine — some with allegedly proven links to terrorism — frequently receive public funding and access to municipal facilities to host workshops.</li>
<li data-path-to-node="5,3,0">Digital Warfare: The investigation highlights the &#8220;digital guillotine,&#8221; where movements like Blockout use social media to harass public figures deemed insufficiently anti-Israel, often utilizing propaganda from foreign actors in Iran and Algeria.</li>
</ul>
Bussigny’s identity as a non-Jewish woman of Arab descent has made her a specific target for vitriol; she has been labeled a &#8220;traitor&#8221; and now requires police protection due to death threats. Despite a boycott of her book by several French bookstores, it has become a bestseller and earned the 2025 Prix Edgar Faure for best political book.
Her work has had significant legal and political repercussions. Her testimony before the National Assembly contributed to parliamentary inquiries into Islamist movements, and her exposure of anti-Israel influencers led to state action, including the freezing of assets and arrests for incitement to terrorism.
Bussigny concludes with a &#8220;cry of despair,&#8221; warning that if the radicalization of younger generations, such as Gen Z, continues unchecked, the future of French democracy is at risk. She argues that the &#8220;academic intifada&#8221; and the normalization of antisemitic tropes are no longer fringe issues but a &#8220;long march toward chaos&#8221; within the heart of French society.

FRANCE-CRIME-SWASTIKA

‘The Hunt For Jews’: Undercover Investigation Reveals France’s Growing Antisemitism

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President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” is off to a turbulent start with controversy over its $1 billion permanent membership fee and unusual lineup of invitees, with everyone from Russian President Vladimir Putin to anti-Trump socialist Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva reportedly receiving invitations. 
The board, officially announced by Trump on Truth Social last week, is intended to oversee the new technocratic transitional government for Gaza: the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG).
“It is my Great Honor to announce that THE BOARD OF PEACE has been formed,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115901692370933354">posted to Truth Social</a> on Thursday. “The Members of the Board will be announced shortly, but I can say with certainty that it is the Greatest and Most Prestigious Board ever assembled at any time, any place.”
Although the board has been introduced as being Gaza-focused, the large list of roughly 60 known invitees so far has led some to question if it will address other world conflicts or <a href="https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/trump-board-of-peace-un-blair-gaza-peace-plan-b2903210.html">even rival</a> the United Nations.
In the letter to world leaders, Trump called it the “most impressive and consequential Board ever assembled, which will be established as a new International Organization and Transitional Governing Administration.”
According to a draft charter reported by <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/trumps-1-billion-a-seat-diplomacy-club-takes-aim-at-the-u-n-2bccd9f9?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqfvPlMmNhrIlJgDz7UvxfNd0u3Fqnav8BAv73LsUrc47zvL8sBJ_ryQ3l1V2Kw%3D&amp;gaa_ts=696e60b5&amp;gaa_sig=ybWCqp-03SFwzr8kCccUdFBjqFyY_dJcaxc7Ut-nuWJjrDE9uBdBsuHCLDlZZ3nSTPoSksS7Lrf-OkV4An3o-A%3D%3D">The Wall Street Journal,</a> countries could either serve a three-year term or pay $1 billion for <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2012684845109874988">permanent</a> membership. Bloomberg, which also reviewed a copy of the draft, reported that it grants Trump ultimate authority over both membership and decision-making.
The list of invited countries continues to grow as leaks and social media posts reveal new names, with some leaders publicly expressing excitement. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, for example, <a href="https://x.com/PM_ViktorOrban/status/2012853496568053801">said it was an</a> “honorable invitation” and accepted. Argentine President Javier Milei also <a href="https://x.com/JMilei/status/2012495664546992638">called it</a> an honor to be invited by Trump’s board to “promote lasting peace in regions affected by conflict, starting with the Gaza Strip.”
Other Western countries were less thrilled, with France reportedly set to decline the invitation, <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/france-likely-to-decline-trump-invite-to-gaza-board-of-peace-says-source/">according to AFP</a>. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that he agreed to the board in principle but is still working out the details.
<div id="attachment_1029935" style="width: 455px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1029935" class="size-large wp-image-1029935" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Purple-And-Beige-Playful-Daily-Baby-Routine-Infant-Schedule-Flyer-445x576.jpg" alt="" width="445" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Purple-And-Beige-Playful-Daily-Baby-Routine-Infant-Schedule-Flyer-445x576.jpg 445w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Purple-And-Beige-Playful-Daily-Baby-Routine-Infant-Schedule-Flyer-232x300.jpg 232w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Purple-And-Beige-Playful-Daily-Baby-Routine-Infant-Schedule-Flyer-768x994.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Purple-And-Beige-Playful-Daily-Baby-Routine-Infant-Schedule-Flyer.jpg 1159w" sizes=" (max-width: 445px) 100vw, 445px" />(The Daily Wire)</div>
Some of the most surprising invitees include Russian President Vladimir Putin, Belarusian Alexander Lukashenko — often called Europe’s last dictator — and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who <a href="https://brazilreports.com/trumps-second-term-what-it-means-for-brazil-and-lula/6718/">openly supported</a> Kamala Harris over Trump in the 2024 election and last year <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/america-votes/article/brazils-lula-says-trump-wants-to-be-emperor-of-the-world/#:~:text=Brazilian%20President%20Luiz%20Inacio%20Lula,Brazilian%20products%20such%20as%20steel.">referred to</a> him as a “wannabe emperor of the world.”
According to <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2026/01/statement-on-president-trumps-comprehensive-plan-to-end-the-gaza-conflict/">the White House</a>, the Board of Peace will have an Executive Board made up of several high-profile figures: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Steve Witkoff, United States Special Envoy to the Middle East; Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law; former British Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair; Marc Rowan, CEO of Apollo Global Management; Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank; and Robert Gabriel, U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor.
The Board of Peace will oversee the NCAG, which will be headed by Ali Shaath, who hails from Gaza, is a civil engineer, and previously served as deputy minister for transportation of the Palestinian Authority.
The NCAG faced criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following domestic uproar over the inclusion of representatives from Qatar and Turkey — both countries that have had ties to Hamas. Netanyahu <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-883875">stated on Monday</a> that no Turkish or Qatari forces would be allowed to operate in the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu’s office said the board “runs contrary to its policy.”
Hamas has stated that it will dissolve its governance once the new committee assumes control, as required under Trump’s peace plan, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-hamas-drone-strike-governance-f59c7e742149366e67549e7dd2e10309">Associated Press</a>. It remains unclear whether the terrorist organization will willingly disarm.
Upon announcing the NCAG, Witkoff said the United States expects Hamas to “comply fully with its obligations,” including the return of the body of Ran Gvili, the final Israeli hostage held in Gaza.
“Failure to do so will bring serious consequences,” Witkoff said.
The Palestinian Authority <a href="https://x.com/HusseinSheikhpl/status/2011445660499775945">publicly welcomed</a> the launch of the second phase, signaling rare alignment with the Trump administration. 
In a statement, Palestinian Authority President Hussein Al Sheikh said the Palestinian Presidency “welcomes the efforts undertaken by President Donald Trump to complete the implementation of his peace plan,” and announced its support for the NCAG as well as the “Board of Peace.”

Gaza summit in Egypt

Trump Asked Putin To Join His ‘Board Of Peace.’ Here’s What That Means.

What To Know About Trump’s Board Of Peace

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Donald Trump

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Several European countries will expand their military presence around Greenland, the Danish Armed Forces announced Wednesday.
“The geopolitical tensions have spread to the Arctic,” the Danish Ministry of Defence said. “From today, there will be an expanded military presence in and around Greenland – in close cooperation with NATO allies.”
The countries involved in the expanded military deployment include Germany, France, Sweden, and Norway, which are all members of NATO. According to the Danish Armed Forces, the increase will include aircraft, vessels, and soldiers, with contributions from other NATO allies.
The announcement follows statements by President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly said that the United States should take control of Greenland for national security reasons. Trump said Russian and Chinese vessels are threatening the Danish-controlled island.
Greenland is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, with control over most domestic affairs, while Denmark retains authority over foreign policy and defense. Denmark has consistently maintained that Greenland is not for sale, despite U.S. discussions about options, including the purchase of the territory and financial incentives for residents.
On Wednesday, Danish and Greenlandic leaders met with American officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance, at the White House. 
The Danish leaders attending the meeting are expected to hold a press conference later on Wednesday afternoon.
On Wednesday morning, Trump reiterated his view that Greenland is “vital” for the U.S. missile defense system, the so-called “Golden Dome,” and urged NATO to take the lead. “The United States needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security… If we don’t, Russia or China will, and that is not going to happen!” he wrote.
Trump added that NATO’s effectiveness depends on American strength and that Greenland under U.S. control would make the alliance “far more formidable.”

Greenland Conflict – Nuuk

European NATO Allies Expand Military Presence Around Greenland

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Singer Chappell Roan backtracked on offering condolences for deceased French film actress Brigitte Bardot after finding out she had conservative views. 
Bardot passed away on Sunday at the age of 91, prompting Roan to share on her Instagram stories, “Rest in peace Ms. Bardot. She was my inspiration for red wine supernova.” 
However, her sorrow was short-lived. The 27-year-old recording artist later deleted the post and explained herself in a follow-up post on Monday. “Holy sh** I did not know all that insane shit Mr. Bardot stood for. I do not condone this. Very disappointing to learn.”
Roan’s song “Red Wine Supernova” mentions the French movie star, with one of the lines saying, “She was a playboy, Brigitte Bardot / She showed me things I didn’t know.”
Per <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/brigitte-bardot-tribute-france-split-far-right-views/">CBS News</a>, the citizens of France were “split” on how to honor the star because of her views. 
Bardot became a breakout star after appearing in the 1956 film &#8220;And God Created Woman.&#8221; Her career flourished after that. She quit the industry in 1973 and became an animal rights activist.
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She was also openly conservative. The outlet noted that she was convicted five times for “hate speech,” including critical comments about Muslims infiltrating France. She <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434193.stm">was fined</a> €15,000 (about $23,000) in 2008 after posting on her website that Muslims were &#8220;destroying our country by imposing their ways.” Multiple outlets also accused her of homophobic and racist rhetoric.
Bardot was also critical of the #MeToo movement, <a href="https://apnews.com/99bc10dfab2047dbb824671f4a9602bf">saying</a> in 2018 she thought it was “charming to be told that I was beautiful or that I had a nice little ass.”
Bardot married Bernard d’Ormale in 1992. He was a former advisor to Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of France’s conservative National Front party.

Chappelle Roan and Brigitte Bardot

Chappell Roan Walks Back Condolences After Brigitte Bardot’s Conservative Views Surface

Chappell Roan Backtracks Condolences For Brigitte Bardot Because Of Her Right Wing Views

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A growing number of parents are opting to exclude Santa Claus in children’s Christmas celebrations.
These people fear that convincing children of such a fantastical story and later revealing that it is, in a literal sense, false, will undermine trust between parents and children, cause children to doubt their faith, or even result in childhood trauma.
Of course, there are still plenty of people who hold that Santa Claus is a valuable part of an innocent, imaginative childhood. But the anti-Santa camp seemed especially vocal this year, particularly among religious conservatives.
Those people may be shocked to hear that they are on the same side as the radicals who perpetrated the French Revolution.
Consider the revolutionary: one who believes that individual reason is supreme, that tradition is questionable at best, and that beauty, mystique, and ceremony have no place in a rational society.
During the French Revolution, these radicals spurned their nation’s political, religious, and cultural history as impediments to man’s liberty. They tried to eradicate French Catholicism, abolished France’s ancient regional borders, and even created a new calendar. Devoted to their own individual “Reason,” they disregarded all ancestral wisdom and attempted to create a new France. Unfortunately, these cool, rational, dispassionate men succeeded only in unleashing decades of brutal war first upon France and then upon the rest of Europe.
How does Santa Claus fit into this? It’s all in the ideology. Many Santa objectors reduce a familial, cultural, and (if properly understood) religious symbol to a “lie.” In so doing, they implicitly align themselves with the rationalistic French philosophes and their Marxist successors, who held that truth must be observable, quantifiable, and physical. No poetic beauty, no metaphors, no affinity for man’s soul.
On the other hand, we have the Claus partisans. Like the great Irish statesman and opponent of the French Revolution, Edmund Burke, they recognize the power of tradition, reverence, and beauty to shape a society. They recognize that man is spirit, not just intellect, and that to reduce him to his intellect is to dehumanize him. They recognize, in Burke’s words, that if “all the decent drapery of life is to be rudely torn off” and “the superadded ideas, furnished from the wardrobe of a moral imagination&#8230;are to be exploded as a ridiculous, absurd, and antiquated fashion,” man will be reduced to a barbarian. Like all good conservatives, these Claus partisans recognize that human beings are passionate creatures who need to be trained, not only in their reason but in their affections, to be virtuous.
In a certain sense, those who object to Santa Claus are right: the historical Saint Nicholas notwithstanding, Santa isn’t real.
But nor are characters in poetry, folklore, or literature “real.” However, as Russell Kirk wrote in his masterpiece The Conservative Mind, “great myths are true in essence, however fanciful in detail.” G.K. Chesterton, too, was fond of arguing that fairy tales are, in a sense, truer than bald facts. They instill in children a sense of wonder, an appreciation for miracles, and a firm sense of morality.
The Santa Claus story is true in its essence of gratitude, wonder, and joy in the miraculous. It is merely presented to small children in an allegorical way, which they can understand. It was this manner of oral tradition and mythmaking that held together the societies of Ancient Greece and Rome and laid the foundation for Western culture. We would abandon it at our peril.
In this sense, is it not insulting to our children to think that they are capable of understanding only the most literal, mathematical truths? Is it not far-fetched to imagine that a fairytale, lovingly passed on from generation to generation, will undermine a parent-child relationship?
Not all Santa objectors are morally deficient successors of the Jacobins. Some parents believe that if they reveal the Santa secret to their children, the children will no longer trust what they have learned about Christ. And indeed, if Santa has managed to supersede discussions about Jesus in a Christian household, it may be best to discontinue the tradition.
But this is not an inevitability. If Santa is a fun addition for a few weeks every year, and Jesus is the center of family life throughout the year, there shouldn’t be any confusion between them.
Emily Claire Boulet is a student at the University of Dallas.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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If You Don’t Let Your Kids Believe In Santa, You May Be A Jacobin

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Shooting At Brown University In Providence Leaves Multiple People Dead And Injured

Violent Migrants Are Invading And Western Leaders Are Surrendering Without A Fight

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French authorities have canceled the traditional New Year’s Eve concert on the Champs-Élysées, one of Paris&#8217;s most famous avenues, citing security and crowd-management concerns, while saying the city will proceed with a fireworks display and a televised countdown.
The decision was made at the request of the Paris police prefecture, which warned that hosting a large open-air concert on the capital’s world-renowned street known for luxury shopping and restaurants posed unacceptable safety risks. In recent years, the celebration has drawn hundreds of thousands of people, at times approaching one million, requiring the deployment of thousands of police officers.
The Champs-Élysées has <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/12/13/world-news/partys-over-in-paris-city-cancel-open-air-concert-at-the-champs-elysees-due-to-security-threats/">reportedly</a> become associated with violence from groups of Muslim migrants who have been looting stores and fighting with locals and law enforcement.
City officials said the cancellation applies only to the live concert. Fireworks at the Arc de Triomphe are still expected to take place at midnight, and a prerecorded concert will be broadcast on national television instead.
In a statement, police officials pointed to the difficulty of controlling dense, fluid crowds on the Champs-Élysées, particularly during a night associated with heavy alcohol consumption and spontaneous gatherings. Law enforcement also cited broader pressures on security forces during the holiday period.
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Mayor Anne Hidalgo accepted the police recommendation, emphasizing that public safety must take precedence. Local officials from the 8th arrondissement, which includes the Champs-Élysées, supported the move, saying the avenue was not designed to safely host a large concert crowd.
The decision has prompted political debate. “Les Republicains leader and former interior minister Bruno Retailleau condemned the move as a capitulation to rising ‘savagery,’ while left-wing mayoral hopeful Emmanuel Grégoire called it a ‘failure of responsibility’ that undermines Paris’s civic spirit,” European Conservative <a href="https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news-corner/security-fears-europe-christmas-markets-paris-new-years-eve-celebration/">reported</a>.
“It’s obvious that this is the result of massive unvetted Muslim immigration into Europe,” Daniel Di Martino of the Manhattan Institute <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/12/13/world-news/partys-over-in-paris-city-cancel-open-air-concert-at-the-champs-elysees-due-to-security-threats">stated</a>. “Western Europe has had a terrorism problem for many years now, and that has been exacerbated because of unvetted Islamic immigration as a result of the refugee crisis of over a decade ago.”
The New Year’s Eve concert on the Champs-Élysées has been a fixture of Paris’s holiday celebrations in recent years, combining live music with the midnight fireworks. Officials said details of security arrangements for the fireworks and crowd access would be released closer to December 31.
Police said the investigation and planning for the evening were ongoing and declined to provide further details.

New Year celebrations in Paris

Paris Scraps Legendary New Year’s Eve Concert Amid Heightened Security Fears

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio ripped into European officials on Wednesday for criticizing U.S. strikes against drug boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
Rubio hit back at critics of U.S. foreign policy regarding drug trafficking in the Western hemisphere while speaking to reporters at a G-7 gathering.
“I don&#8217;t think that the European Union gets to determine what international law is. What they certainly don&#8217;t get to determine is how the United States defends its national security,” <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1988744278831472895">said</a> Rubio when asked about criticisms from some in the EU. “The United States is under attack from organized, criminal narcoterrorists in our hemisphere, and the president is responding in the defense of our country.”
The Secretary of State suggested that the United States’ European critics are hypocrites as they try to balance their desire for American aid and armaments to help Ukraine in its war against Russia with their more conservative attitudes regarding Latin American cartels and drug trafficking.
“I do find it interesting that all these countries want us to send and supply, for example, nuclear-capable Tomahawk missiles to defend Europe, but when the United States positions aircraft carriers in our hemisphere, where we live, somehow that&#8217;s a problem?” Rubio asked rhetorically.
“I would say that the United States and this president has made very clear his job is to protect the United States from threats against the United States, and that is what he is doing in this operation,” he said.
The U.S. military has stationed several aircraft carriers with a fleet of warships and other war machinery in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Venezuela and in the Pacific Ocean to cut off water smuggling routes used by drug cartels. The United States has destroyed roughly 20 boats and submarines so far that the administration has said were being used to smuggle drugs such as fentanyl and cocaine in the United States.
Some officials of U.S. allies have expressed concern at the killings, claiming that the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/does-the-president-have-the-authority-to-strike-venezuelan-drug-boats">strikes</a> violate “international law” and should be stopped. The United Kingdom has <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/11/politics/uk-suspends-caribbean-intelligence-sharing-us">reportedly</a> stopped sharing intelligence with the United States related to drug trafficking in South America to avoid involvement in the strikes.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot was more explicit in his criticism. He told reporters at the G-7 summit in Canada that the U.S. “military operations in the Caribbean region … violate international law” and could destabilize the region, according to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/11/12/g-7-rubio-drug-boats-venezuela/">The Washington Post</a>.

Marco Rubio

Marco Rubio Rips EU Critics Who Claim Drug Boat Strikes Violate ‘International Law’

A man in his mid-30s deliberately drove into pedestrians and cyclists on Île d’Oléron, a French island off the Atlantic coast, on Wednesday, injuring ten people — four critically — between the villages of Dolus-d’Oléron and Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🔴 ALERTE &#8211; Attentat islamiste à la voiture bélier sur l&#39;île d&#39;Oléron : Jean-Luc Mélenchon se rend au chevet du conducteur. <a href="https://t.co/ncGNhiIuuX">pic.twitter.com/ncGNhiIuuX</a>
&mdash; Dictavenir 🏴 (@dictavenir) <a href="https://twitter.com/dictavenir/status/1986043483501527360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The attacker, known locally for prior offenses including theft, substance abuse, and erratic behavior, reportedly shouted &#8220;Allahu Akbar&#8221; during his arrest, yet authorities have not confirmed a terror motive. He attempted to ignite his vehicle, which contained gas cylinders, before being subdued by police. Despite his alarming actions, French intelligence said he was not on any radicalization watchlists. The local mayor described him as someone “known to police for behavior that is not entirely normal.” Victims, aged between 22 and 69, were airlifted to the University Hospital of Poitiers, while a psychological support unit was established on the island.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez promptly launched an investigation and traveled to the scene upon the prime minister’s request. The anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office is monitoring but has not officially taken over the investigation. The attack has reignited urgent calls from French leaders like Sébastien Chenu, Deputy of the National Assembly, who stated, “There is an urgent need to identify, root out, track down, and combat this Islamist hydra in each of its networks, its funding channels, its rhetoric, and its political supporters. This is a war you must wage here and now.”
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ol%C3%A9ron?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Oléron</a> : &#8220;Il y a urgence à identifier, débusquer, traquer, combattre cette hydre islamiste dans chacun de ses relais, ses financements, ses discours, ses soutiens politiques&#8221;, lance <a href="https://twitter.com/sebchenu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sebchenu</a> (RN). &#8220;C&#8217;est une guerre qu&#8217;il vous faut mener ici et maintenant.&#8221;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DirectAN?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DirectAN</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QAG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#QAG</a> <a href="https://t.co/jvwhgnGPAb">pic.twitter.com/jvwhgnGPAb</a>
— LCP (@LCP) <a href="https://twitter.com/LCP/status/1986065357816172689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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In October 2020, an 18-year-old Russian Muslim refugee killed Samuel Paty, a French secondary school teacher, beheading him with a cleaver. In October 2023, a 20-year-old who claimed his act was in the name of ISIS, launched an attack at the Gambetta-Carnot school in Arras, the capital of the Pas-de-Calais, killing a literature teacher who was trying to protect his students. In December 2023, a French man attacked three people in Paris using a knife and hammer as he allegedly shouted “Allahu Akbar.” One victim was killed.
The latest incident spotlights systemic gaps allowing individuals with troubled pasts — though not flagged as radical — to carry out violent rampages. It serves as a stark reminder of the persistent threat of Islamist-inspired violence in France and the imperative for decisive governmental action to safeguard citizens and counter extremism effectively.

FRANCE-TOURISM-ACCOMODATION-TAXATION

France Car Attacker Screams ‘Allahu Akbar,’ Mows Down Innocents In Deliberate Assault

Crime

Radical Islam

terrorist attack

The Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris has been granted a rare special dispensation to host a wedding for a carpenter who helped rebuild it after the devastating 2019 fire.
Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich granted special permission for the ceremony to thank Martin Lorentz for devoting his time and talent to helping rebuild the cathedral, per <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/notre-dame-dream-wedding">The National Catholic Register</a>.
Notre-Dame is not a parish church, so weddings aren’t usually allowed and require special dispensation from the archbishop. The last known wedding was in 1995, the outlet noted. Dispensations for nuptial ceremonies have only been granted a few times in the cathedral’s 860-year history.
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Lorentz married Jade on October 25 in the renowned cathedral he helped restore, as 500 guests looked on, including other carpenters who worked on the project.  
“I just want to say that this is the best day of my life. I don’t think I can say anything else,” the groom told reporters after the ceremony, per a translated news <a href="https://www.franceinfo.fr/culture/patrimoine/incendie-de-notre-dame-de-paris/reouverture/notre-dame-de-paris-le-mariage-d-exception-d-un-charpentier-et-sa-compagne-celebre-dans-la-cathedrale_7575280.html">article</a> published on France Info. “I want to share my love, our love, with the whole world, with everyone who needs it.”
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“It’s incredible to see this happen,” a fellow carpenter who attended the event told the outlet. “It was a wonderful moment to end like that, to get married in our cathedral, which is a bit like home to us.”
Notre-Dame reopened on December 8, 2024, with Archbishop Ulrich presiding. The ceremony with French President Emmanuel Macron featured 1,500 guests, including major world leaders like then-President-elect Donald Trump, then-First Lady Jill Biden, Prince William, Elon Musk, and others. 
The massive restoration process reportedly cost more than $700 million.
French authorities have said they suspect the fire started due to a lit cigarette or a faulty electrical connection, but The New York Times noted in 2024 that the investigation was ongoing and the cause “may never be determined.”

Notre-Dame Cathedral

From Restoration To Celebration: Notre-Dame Cathedral Honors Carpenter With First Wedding In Decades

Notre-Dame Cathedral Hosts First Wedding In 30 Years For Carpenter Who Helped Rebuild It

Church

Notre Dame Cathedral

Religion

The mother of Lola Daviet, a 12-year-old French girl who was kidnapped, raped, and beheaded by a migrant from Algeria, said her husband “died of grief” after their daughter’s murder.
The horrific crime occurred in France in October 2022. Lola’s mother testified at trial last week that her husband, Johan, began drinking heavily after her killing and was tormented by “his demons.” Johan died in February 2024.
Dhabia Benkired, 27, is the first woman in French history to receive a life sentence in prison. Benkired was working as a prostitute and had overstayed her student visa when she decided to commit murder after getting in a fight with her boyfriend.
Benkired admitted that she told herself, “I’m going to hurt someone,” and picked Lola as her target. She lured the young girl into her apartment by having her help carry a suitcase. She proceeded to sexually assault her, saying the little girl begged, “Madam, please don&#8217;t hurt me,” and sounded “scared,” per <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15219213/French-girl-Lola-12-raped-murdered-Algerian-woman-begged-dont-hurt-brutally-killed-court-hears.html">The Daily Mail</a>. 
“All the hatred I had inside me, I took it out on her&#8230; Either way, I knew she was going to die,” Benkired said during her testimony. “It&#8217;s not that I wanted to kill her, but that I wanted to hurt someone. But since I had raped her, I might as well kill her.”
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Lola had 38 stab wounds and was both vaginally and anally penetrated. Her cause of death was determined as asphyxia.
Benkired stuffed Lola’s mutilated and partially decapitated body into a plastic trunk and walked around Paris with it, including taking it into a restaurant, before she abandoned it in the lobby of the apartment complex where it was discovered by a homeless man.
The convicted murderer apologized for her “horrible actions” at the trial, saying, “I know I killed a baby, an angel.”
Before he died, Johan had hung a letter on the door of Benkired’s apartment addressed to his murdered child.
“My darling, I still don&#8217;t understand why there was so much cruelty and barbarity towards you, you who were so kind,” the letter said. “I can&#8217;t wait to see you again. Your dad, who loves you for life.”

Lola Daviet

Woman Says Husband ‘Died From Grief’ After 12-Year-Old Daughter Raped, Beheaded By Migrant

French Woman Says Husband 'Died From Grief' After 12-Year-Old Daughter Raped, Beheaded By Migrant

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