In a stunning indictment of globalist governance, France has seen its GDP per capita decline to the point that it is now in the bottom half of European Union nations.
The post Globalist Fail: France GDP Per Capita Lower Than the European Union Average appeared first on Breitbart.
A hospital in Toulouse was evacuated after doctors found "an eight-inch-long live World War I artillery shell in [a man's] rectum."
The post French Hospital Evacuated After Doctors Find Live WWI Artillery Shell in Patient’s Rectum appeared first on Breitbart.
A 90-year-old woman was raped in her home by a Tunisian national last week. The alleged attacker is a 29-year-old man who authorities confirmed had been ordered to leave the country earlier this month, but illegally remained despite […]
The post Tunisian Man Under Deportation Order Rapes 90-Year-Old Woman first appeared on The Expose.
French lawmakers have backed a bill banning social media for children under 15 in what one legislator likened to a "battle for free minds."
The bill, which also bans mobile phones in high schools, passed late Monday by a 130–21 vote. The bill will now head to the Senate for discussion before a final vote.
"With this law, we are setting a clear boundary in society and saying social media is not harmless," French lawmaker Laure Miller told the assembly.
"Our children are reading less, sleeping less and comparing themselves to one another more," she continued. "This is a battle for free minds."
Macron has pushed lawmakers to fast-track the legislation so that the ban could be in place in time for the start of the next academic year in September.
"Banning social media for those under 15: this is what scientists recommend, and this is what the French people are overwhelmingly calling for," Macron said after the vote. "Because our children’s brains are not for sale — neither to American platforms nor to Chinese networks. Because their dreams must not be dictated by algorithms."
The idea of setting a minimum age for use of the platforms has gained momentum across Europe.
The vote comes days after the British government said it is considering similar restrictions as it tightens rules to protect children from harmful online content and excessive screen time.
PROTECTING KIDS FROM AI CHATBOTS: WHAT THE GUARD ACT MEANS
Australia introduced a world-first ban on social media for children under 16 years old in December, restricting access to platforms such as Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.
France’s health watchdog reports that one in two teenagers spends between two and five hours a day on a smartphone. A December report found that about 90% of children ages 12 to 17 use smartphones daily to access the internet, with 58% using them for social media.
The agency warned of links between heavy social media use and reduced self-esteem, as well as increased exposure to content tied to risky behaviors, including self-harm, drug use and suicide.
Fox News Digital’s Bonny Chu and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
France is moving toward banning social media for children under 15, with President Emmanuel Macron urging lawmakers to rush the legislation as countries worldwide tighten controls on kids’ screen time.
In a video released late Saturday by broadcaster BFM-TV, Macron said he has directed his government to use an accelerated legislative process so the bill can clear Parliament and be approved by the Senate by the start of the next school year in September.
"The brains of our children and our teenagers are not for sale," Macron said. "The emotions of our children and our teenagers are not for sale or to be manipulated. Neither by American platforms, nor by Chinese algorithms."
Macron’s push comes days after the British government said it is considering similar restrictions as it tightens rules to protect children from harmful online content and excessive screen time.
PROTECTING KIDS FROM AI CHATBOTS: WHAT THE GUARD ACT MEANS
France’s health watchdog reports that one in two teenagers spends between two and five hours a day on a smartphone. A December report found about 90% of children ages 12 to 17 use smartphones daily to access the internet, with 58% using them for social media.
The agency warned of links between heavy social media use and reduced self-esteem, as well as increased exposure to content tied to risky behaviors, including self-harm, drug use and suicide.
Several French families have sued TikTok, alleging the platform exposed teens to harmful content connected to suicides.
LAWMAKERS UNVEIL BIPARTISAN GUARD ACT AFTER PARENTS BLAME AI CHATBOTS FOR TEEN SUICIDES, VIOLENCE
Macron’s office told The Associated Press the video message was addressed to lawmaker Laure Miller, who is sponsoring the bill set for public debate Monday.
"We are banning social media for under-15s, and we are going to ban mobile phones in our high schools," Macron said. "I believe this is a clear rule. Clear for our teenagers, clear for families, clear for teachers, and we are moving forward."
The move would follow Australia’s lead after the country introduced a world-first ban on social media for children under 16 years old in December, restricting access to platforms such as Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.
Fox News Digital’s Bonny Chu and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The French navy intercepted a Russian oil tanker in the Mediterranean suspected of operating as part of Moscow’s shadow fleet, a network of falsely-flagged vessels used to export oil and avoid Western sanctions, according to reports.
President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that French forces had boarded and searched the tanker, which is subject to international sanctions.
The ship was reportedly sailing from Murmansk, in northern Russia, under the Comoros flag.
Writing on X, Macron said the operation took place on the high seas in the Mediterranean with the support of several allied countries.
‘GHOST SHIPS’ FERRYING ILLICIT OIL HAVE SAILED INTO TRUMP’S CROSSHAIRS
The French president added that the vessel had been diverted for further checks.
The tanker, identified as the Grinch, was intercepted between the southern coast of Spain and the northern coast of Morocco in the western Mediterranean, French maritime police said.
The Associated Press reported the interception.
France and the U.K. gathered and shared intelligence on the vessel, according to French military officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FILES SEIZURE WARRANTS TARGETING SHIPS TIED TO VENEZUELAN OIL TRADE: REPORT
The interception is the latest in a growing number of Russian-linked vessels stopped by U.S. and European authorities in recent months as Western powers intensify efforts to disrupt Russia’s oil exports.
As previously reported by Fox News Digital, in early January, U.S. forces seized another sanctioned tanker in the Atlantic Ocean.
U.S. European Command (EUCOM) announced the seizure of the Russian-flagged Marinera oil tanker in the North Atlantic Sea.
France’s Mediterranean Maritime Prefecture said the team that boarded the Grinch Thursday had inspected the vessel and decided documents raised doubts about the regularity of the vessel’s flag.
US MILITARY SEIZES ANOTHER FUGITIVE OIL TANKER LINKED TO VENEZUELA
The tanker is being escorted by the French navy to an anchorage for additional verification.
The European Union has imposed 19 rounds of sanctions on Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Despite those measures, Russia has continued to export millions of barrels of oil, mainly to China and India and often at discounted prices.
What has become known as a "shadow fleet" consists of hundreds of old and poorly regulated tankers that change names, ownership structures and flags to avoid detection and sanctions.
Maritime data firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence estimates the global shadow fleet at about 1,400 tankers, many of which are subject to U.S., British or European sanctions, Reuters reported.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized European countries for not doing more to stop the transport of Russian oil using sanctioned vessels and which he says helps fund the war in Ukraine.
"Why can [U.S. President Donald Trump] stop tankers of the ‘shadow fleet’ and seize their oil, while Europe can’t?" Zelensky asked at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday.
"Russian oil is transported right along the European coast. This oil funds the war against Ukraine. This oil helps destabilize Europe."
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin received an invitation to join his new Board of Peace that will supervise the next phase of the Gaza peace plan.
Trump confirmed Putin's invitation while speaking to reporters at the College Football National Championship Game in Florida, where Indiana defeated Miami.
"Yeah, he’s been invited," Trump told reporters.
SIX COUNTRIES CONFIRM US INVITATIONS TO GAZA PEACE BOARD
The Kremlin said earlier on Monday that Putin had received the invitation, adding that it is now "studying the details" and will seek clarity of "all the nuances" in communications with the U.S. government.
France has also received an invitation but does not plan to join the Board of Peace "at this stage," a French official close to President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday.
The French official said the issue is raising questions, particularly with regard to respect for the principles and structure of the United Nations.
Asked at the championship game about Macron being unlikely to join, Trump took jabs at his French counterpart and threatened tariffs for refusing to accept the invitation.
"Well, nobody wants him because he's going to be out of office very soon," Trump said of Macron.
"I'll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes, and he'll join," he added. "But he doesn't have to join."
LINDSEY GRAHAM MEETS WITH MOSSAD DIRECTOR DURING TRIP TO ISRAEL
Several other countries have also received invitations, including Israel, Canada, Belarus, Slovenia and Thailand.
Morocco, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Hungary and Argentina have already accepted invitations.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Denmark on Monday ramped up its military presence in Greenland, deploying extra troops to the strategic Arctic territory amid escalating tensions with President Donald Trump.
Local Danish broadcaster TV 2 said the Danish Armed Forces confirmed a new contingent of troops, described as "a substantial contribution," were arriving at Greenland’s main international airport Monday night.
Maj. Gen. Søren Andersen, head of Denmark’s Arctic Command, said about 100 Danish soldiers have already arrived in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, with others later deployed to Kangerlussuaq in western Greenland.
The new military move comes in the wake of comments made by Trump over the region's strategic and military importance.
WHITE HOUSE URGES 'COOLER HEADS TO PREVAIL' AS EU FIRES BACK ON TRUMP TARIFFS OVER GREENLAND
In a Truth Social post Jan. 18, Trump warned that Denmark had failed to secure Greenland against foreign threats.
"NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that ‘you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland,’" Trump wrote.
"Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!!" he said.
US CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION VISITS DENMARK AMID BACKLASH OVER TRUMP'S PUSH TO ACQUIRE GREENLAND
On Monday, a text message exchange between Trump and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre over Greenland and the Nobel Peace Prize was released in a statement.
"Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a ‘right of ownership’ anyway?" Trump said before adding that there were "no written documents; it’s only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also," he said in part of the exchange.
"I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The world is not secure unless we have complete and total control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT," he added.
Before now, according to Reuters, Andersen had said that Danish troop deployment was driven by broader security concerns, not by Trump’s statements.
NATO AMBASSADOR SAYS EUROPE 'HAS A TENDENCY TO OVERREACT' OVER GREENLAND DISPUTE
Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen also said that Denmark has begun increasing its military footprint in and around Greenland in cooperation with its NATO allies and as part of efforts to strengthen Arctic defense, Reuters reported.
Danish forces already stationed in Greenland could remain for a year or more, with additional rotations planned in the coming years.
Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Jan. 15 the presence of European troops would not affect Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland.
"I don't think troops from Europe impact the president's decision-making process, nor does it impact his goal of the acquisition of Greenland at all," she told reporters.
The additional Danish troop deployment also came following Trump’s announcement that the U.S. would impose a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from countries that have supported Denmark and Greenland, including Norway.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
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EXCLUSIVE: France’s ambassador to the United Nations said Paris has strongly condemned Iran’s violent crackdown on nationwide protests, as the French government weighs possible satellite communications support to help Iranians circumvent a near-total internet blackout.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Jerome Bonnafont described what he said was an escalation in repression by Iranian authorities and outlined France’s response, including sanctions and diplomatic pressure.
"We have condemned very, very strongly, at the highest level, the repression against the popular movement in Iran," Bonnafont said. "This time it seems to me that the repression is even more violent than it used to be."
IRANIAN DISSIDENT UNLOADS ON AMERICAN LEFT'S SILENCE ON DEADLY PROTESTS
His remarks come as France’s foreign minister confirmed Paris is studying the possible transfer of satellite terminals operated by Eutelsat to Iran, following a sweeping internet shutdown imposed by Iranian authorities during the unrest, and as the G7 issued a joint statement condemning Iran’s violent crackdown on nationwide protests.
The foreign ministers of France, the United States and other G7 nations warned they were prepared to impose additional restrictive measures if Iran continues to violate international human rights obligations.
Earlier Tuesday, Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, urged France to support designating Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization at the EU level during a call with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.
Asked whether France would back such a move, Bonnafont did not address the IRGC designation directly, instead emphasizing existing sanctions and international pressure.
"There are sanctions against the police of the regime. And there are sanctions also against several individuals, more than 200 people in Iran for these reasons," he said.
"What we have to do is to condemn and to address the right message to the people in Iran and to the regime, so that the regime stops with this massive repression."
IRAN'S KHAMENEI ISSUES DIRECT WARNING TO UNITED STATES IN RUSSIAN-LANGUAGE POSTS
Bonnafont also addressed repeated calls from President Donald Trump for European allies to shoulder more of NATO’s defense burden, arguing that Europe is already moving in that direction.
"There is a will by the Europeans to take the full responsibility of the protection of its own continent," he said.
He stressed that the approach reflects a long-standing French position. "It is a very old theme for the French governments that there has to be within NATO an autonomous, self-capable entity for European defense," Bonnafont said, referring to France’s long-standing advocacy for European strategic autonomy, a position repeatedly emphasized by President Emmanuel Macron.
TRUMP ISSUES STERN WARNING TO NATO AHEAD OF VANCE'S HIGH-STAKES GREENLAND MEETING
Bonnafont pointed to Europe’s response to Russia’s war in Ukraine as evidence that European governments are prepared to act collectively when core security interests are threatened.
"Ukraine has been attacked by Russia four years ago. Now it has been invaded by Russia, and it has decided to resist and to fight for its independence, its territorial integrity, its sovereignty," he said.
He described European backing for Kyiv as both unified and extensive. "And Europeans are going in support of Ukraine. And what we are doing in terms of financial support is massive. What we are doing in terms of political support is unanimous," Bonnafont said.
According to the ambassador, France and the United Kingdom are working to organize what he described as a "coalition of volunteers" to provide Ukraine with long-term security guarantees once negotiations with Russia become possible.
"When Ukraine enters into discussion with Russia, and when Russia accepts to enter into discussion with Ukraine, and when the elements of a peace, sustainable peace, are put on paper, Ukraine can have security guarantees," he said.
Bonnafont also pointed to France’s domestic budget decisions as evidence that Europe is backing rhetoric with resources. "There is presently the negotiation of the next budget for France for 2026," he said. "It includes a strong increase in our defense budget, and it is the only budget that is going to be increased in our whole budget this year."
TRUMP ADMIN EXIT FROM UN, INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS RAISES QUESTION OF WHO’S NEXT
Beyond NATO and Europe’s defense posture, Bonnafont said France is pushing for institutional reform at the United Nations, where member states recently approved significant budget reductions. "The institution has to reform. It always has to reform," he said.
"We decided by consensus with the American government and all the others a budget which presents a reduction of 20% of manpower and a reduction of 15% of the funds allocated to the U.N.," Bonnafont added. "Give me another example of a public structure that is capable of such an effort in such a short time," he said.
Despite the cuts, he defended the U.N.’s relevance. "Yes, we are serious about reform. Yes, we want it to be streamlined," Bonnafont said. "But yes, we need the U.N. for the world."
Asked about the U.S. decision to halt funding for several U.N. agencies, including UNRWA, Bonnafont defended the agencies, saying, "Organizations are more efficient when they are universal," adding that participation remains a sovereign decision for the United States.
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