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Napoleon’s Crown Jewels Stolen in Shocking Louvre Heist

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A bold theft struck the heart of French heritage Sunday morning when professional criminals infiltrated the Louvre Museum in Paris and stole priceless jewels once belonging to Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. The robbery, carried out in less than ten minutes, is now under national investigation and has sparked serious concerns over cultural security and government oversight.

At approximately 9:30 a.m., three masked individuals used a mechanical lift and an angle grinder to access a second-floor balcony of the world-famous museum. Disguised in construction worker uniforms, they broke into the Apollon Gallery through a window. The thieves escaped on two scooters with nine high-value items, including a necklace, brooch, and tiara.

Though no injuries or weapons were reported, panic swept through the area as police flooded the museum. The Louvre, which had just opened to the public, was closed immediately following the robbery.

One damaged crown believed to have belonged to Empress Eugenie, Napoleon’s wife, was left behind outside the gallery. French authorities have yet to release the full list of stolen items but stressed that their historical significance far outweighs their market value.

“Beyond their market value, the items have inestimable heritage and historical value,” the Interior Ministry said.

The break-in took advantage of ongoing construction on the museum’s facade. Authorities have not confirmed whether the mechanical lift used in the heist was already at the site due to the construction, but such access could have made the crime significantly easier to execute.

Right-wing political leaders immediately condemned the theft, calling it a national disgrace. Jordan Bardella, head of France’s National Rally party, labeled the robbery “an intolerable humiliation” and blamed it on the erosion of state authority. “How far will the decay of the state go?” he asked.

Security concerns at the Louvre are not new. Earlier this year, the museum faced a temporary shutdown due to a staff walkout over overcrowding and understaffing, with unions warning that tourism growth was putting the museum’s security infrastructure at risk.

Authorities fear the jewels may be melted down or stripped of their diamonds, destroying their historical and artistic value. A source close to the investigation told Le Parisien that “some of the diamonds could be sold at retail,” making recovery nearly impossible.

With nearly nine million visitors annually, the Louvre holds treasures like the “Venus de Milo” and da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa.” This brazen act has now turned one of the world’s most celebrated cultural institutions into a crime scene and a symbol of France’s deepening internal crisis.

Philadelphia School Official Posts Tributes to Assata Shakur

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A curriculum director in the School District of Philadelphia publicly posted tributes to Assata Shakur, a convicted murderer and fugitive, prompting scrutiny over the appropriateness of such messages from public-school leadership. The incident has raised questions about professional conduct, the boundaries of personal expression, and how educators’ public statements reflect on school systems serving diverse communities.

Ismael Jimenez, director of social studies curriculum for the district, published posts on social media honoring Shakur, a former member of the Black Liberation Army convicted in the 1973 killing of New Jersey state trooper Werner Foerster. Shakur escaped prison in 1979 and remains on the FBI’s Most Wanted list. Jimenez’s posts included Shakur quotes and her photograph, which was briefly used as his profile image.

One of his posts quoted Shakur stating: “If we do not take ourselves seriously and we do not take our movement seriously then we’ll have to hang our heads in front of our ancestors.” Another included a quote criticizing American schools as tools of capitalist training rather than centers of education. These statements were posted in late September.

The School District of Philadelphia has not issued a comment or public response regarding the posts. Jimenez’s role involves oversight of social studies instruction districtwide, including shaping educational material and guiding policy in classrooms that serve tens of thousands of students.

The situation has prompted debate about whether public employees in educational leadership should publicly honor individuals convicted of violent crimes, particularly those still considered fugitives. Supporters may argue that educators have a right to political expression, while critics contend that public officials should avoid promoting figures associated with violence or anti-government ideologies, particularly in roles that influence youth education.

Katie Britt, Democrats Pandering to Far Left in Shutdown Fight

Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union that Democrats are obstructing a clean government funding bill out of fear of their own far-left base. She accused Democrat leaders of prioritizing political interests over the needs of the American people as a government shutdown looms.

Britt noted that Senate Republican Whip John Thune has already put forward a clean continuing resolution (CR) that passed the House, giving Congress an opportunity to keep the government open. She said Democrats voted for similar measures 13 times under President Biden but are now refusing to do so because they are being pushed by far-left influences within their party.

Britt also focused on Obamacare subsidies as a sticking point. She pointed to 2026 projections showing that 80% of the anticipated cost increases under the Affordable Care Act will result from what she called a “fundamentally flawed program.” Britt criticized the expansion of COVID-era subsidies, arguing they allow high-income individuals, including millionaires with multiple homes, to receive taxpayer-funded benefits.

“From the very beginning, Obamacare was never affordable,” Britt said, citing a Washington Post article acknowledging the same. She argued that Democrats are more focused on defending these subsidies than on fixing the waste and fraud embedded in the system.

She added that her office has heard from constituents who own multiple properties and still qualify for subsidies. “The fact that Democrats are going to the mat so millionaires can get additional money from the government is absolutely mind-boggling,” she said. Britt claimed the program has no income cap, which allows people with significant wealth to benefit.

Britt concluded by calling for a focus on working families and criticized Democrats for seeking a political edge instead of fiscal responsibility. “We need to make sure, just like we did with the working families tax cuts, that the people who actually need these things can get them,” she said.

Harvard Erases Conservative Black Women from Political History

Harvard University
Harvard University (Somesh Kesarla Suresh/Unsplash)

The Harvard University course “History 167: Race, Gender, and the Law Through the Archive” covers the political activism of Black women but omits well‑known conservative figures, raising questions about ideological breadth in academic settings. According to the published syllabus, the class highlights liberal figures like Michelle Obama, Stacey Abrams and Kamala Harris, while excluding conservative women such as Mia Love, Condoleezza Rice and Mildred Jefferson.

The syllabus describes its focus as: “Black women in the 20th century who shape politics, grassroots organizing, the legal profession, and higher education during Jim (Jane) Crow and beyond.” It specifies topics such as “reproductive rights,” “non‑binary people,” and “Black Feminism.” Critics argue that this framing narrows the classroom lens to left‑leaning ideology at the expense of ideological diversity.

One critic, Brenda Thiam, a former Maryland legislator affiliated with Project 21 (a black conservative policy group), stated the exclusion of conservative Black women “denies students a full view of political history.” According to the syllabus, conservative figures and movements are not listed among the learning objectives.

The course is taught by Myisha Eatmon and others. The syllabus includes writings from critical race theorist Kimberlé Crenshaw and former ­Black Panther leader Angela Davis. The reported aim is to define “intersectionality,” explore the impact of Jim Crow on Black women, and examine their role in protecting reproductive rights.

Institutions of higher learning are expected to offer academically balanced content that reflects a range of perspectives. When a course on political history excludes prominent conservative Black women, it raises legitimate concerns about representation and completeness. Including diverse viewpoints—across the political spectrum—ensures students are exposed to the full scope of historical contributions. Academic integrity is strengthened when curricula reflect a comprehensive view of political involvement, regardless of ideology.

Dartmouth Professors Denounce Trump’s Education Pact Aimed at Reform

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More than 575 Dartmouth College faculty members have signed a petition opposing the Trump administration’s Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education, claiming it poses a threat to academic freedom. The pact, introduced to improve accountability and restore merit-based standards in universities receiving federal funds, has sparked backlash from faculty who view the proposal as excessive federal involvement in campus governance.

The compact offers financial incentives to institutions that commit to policies promoting transparency, viewpoint diversity, and equal opportunity in admissions and hiring. It also encourages schools to avoid discriminatory practices based on race or sex and to prioritize academic rigor over ideological programming. Faculty critics, however, described the initiative as “fascist” and accused the administration of undermining higher education’s independence.

According to the petition, the compact would influence core areas such as tuition, research, faculty hiring, grading, and student admissions. One professor claimed it was an “egregious attack on First Amendment rights,” while others warned it would discourage international student enrollment.

Dartmouth President Sian Leah Beilock affirmed the college’s commitment to academic freedom, stating Dartmouth would not compromise its internal governance. Despite the opposition, the compact’s supporters argue that taxpayer-funded institutions should meet clear standards to ensure fairness, excellence, and constitutional protections in academic environments.

The initiative reflects broader concerns over ideological bias in higher education, particularly regarding the exclusion of conservative viewpoints and the erosion of merit-based advancement. Advocates contend the pact restores balance by reaffirming constitutional values, academic accountability, and institutional neutrality in political and social matters.

This policy debate centers on whether publicly funded universities should uphold national principles such as nondiscrimination, free speech, and institutional transparency, especially when federal dollars are involved. The compact aims to realign higher education with those priorities, while opponents frame it as a top-down imposition on campus autonomy.

Pray Vote Stand Summit 2025 Enters Day Two at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills

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The Family Research Council’s Pray Vote Stand Summit 2025 continues into its second day on Saturday, October 18. This year marks the first time the summit is being held on the West Coast, hosted at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino, California.

The two-day event brings together Christian leaders, policy experts, and government officials for sessions of prayer, discussion, and action. Attendees engage in panels focused on faith, family, freedom, and culture—designed to strengthen the role of spiritually active, governance-engaged Christians.

The summit kicked off Friday evening with registration and an opening worship service, followed by a main session featuring keynote speakers. Saturday’s schedule includes morning worship, educational workshops, lunch, and afternoon sessions centered on connecting faith with public life and civic engagement.

This year’s West Coast venue makes the summit more accessible to believers and leaders across the country. While previous editions were held in Washington, D.C., the move to California signals an effort to broaden participation nationwide.

Participants also have the opportunity to network with like-minded organizations, browse exhibits from sponsors, attend policy-focused forums, and engage directly in conversations about public policy, culture, and biblical truth. According to event organizers, the summit places strong emphasis on equipping Christians to stand boldly in the public square.

Whether attending in person or following through online resources, participants are encouraged to return home equipped for renewed faith and practical civic action. The summit’s theme underscores its goal: helping believers move from spectators to active, informed participants in both church and society.

Trump’s Israel Move Changed the Middle East

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Israel flag (Stanislav Vdovin/Unsplash)

On Friday’s episode of HBO’s Real Time, host Bill Maher praised President Donald Trump’s Middle East policy, crediting the former administration with standing unapologetically by Israel and shifting away from decades of failed diplomacy centered on Palestinian demands. Maher argued that Trump’s approach not only broke with tradition but produced tangible results.

“I’m not going to hide my admiration for somebody who did this differently,” Maher said. “And said, without apology, I’m with Israel.” He emphasized the moral and democratic contrast between Israel and its neighbors, stating there’s only one country in the region that values life and shares Western principles. “There’s only one country where you’d actually want to live, quite frankly, if you were living in the Middle East.”

Maher also addressed Trump’s strategic departure from prioritizing Palestinian negotiations, calling past U.S. efforts “even-Steven” diplomacy that never acknowledged ground realities. He said Trump chose to work with “actual countries” like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Bahrain—nations that were ready to move forward with peace and economic partnerships.

“They could have made Palestine its own country from 1948 to 1967 when they had it, and they didn’t,” Maher stated, pointing out the historic unwillingness of Arab states to establish a Palestinian nation when they had full control. He added that many Arab leaders were aware of the posturing and welcomed a more direct, results-driven approach.

Maher concluded by noting that both Jewish and Arab communities responded positively to Trump’s strategy, calling it a rare achievement: “It’s amazing, the Jews like him and the Arabs like him. That’s quite a hat trick.”

Maher’s comments reflect growing acknowledgment—even among liberal circles—that President Trump’s Abraham Accords and broader regional strategy brought a new dynamic to U.S. Middle East policy, breaking away from decades of unproductive negotiations and delivering diplomatic breakthroughs.

Meta Rolls Out Teen AI Parental Controls

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Meta Facebook on computer screen (American Faith Media)

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced new parental control tools designed to protect teenagers from unsafe interactions with AI characters on its platforms. The move comes after mounting criticism and disturbing reports that Meta’s AI chatbots engaged in inappropriate and dangerous conversations with underage users.

Instagram head Adam Mosseri and Meta AI chief Alexandr Wang unveiled the upcoming features, which will begin rolling out in early 2026. Parents will soon be able to completely disable AI character chats for their teens or selectively block individual characters. These measures are part of Meta’s broader effort to give parents more oversight of how teens interact with AI.

Parents will also receive summaries of the topics their teens discuss with Meta’s AI systems, allowing greater transparency into digital behavior. While general-purpose Meta AI chat access will remain available, its responses will follow stricter age guidelines.

The parental controls will first launch in English in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia. Meta says the tools are meant to help families manage the growing challenges of raising teens in an AI-driven social media environment.

The announcement follows serious criticism of Meta’s AI safety practices. A study by Common Sense Media and Stanford’s Brainstorm lab found that Meta’s chatbot engaged in disturbing conversations with accounts registered as teenagers, including discussions about self-harm and poison consumption. These findings triggered new lawsuits accusing AI and social media companies of fueling mental health crises among young users.

In response, Meta says its AI systems will now follow a “PG-13 standard,” restricting discussions involving violence, nudity, or drug use. The company also plans to limit the number of AI characters teens can interact with and allow parents to set time limits for chat sessions.

The changes highlight Big Tech’s growing struggle to balance innovation with safety in the digital space. As AI-driven social media becomes more immersive, the debate over responsibility, parental oversight, and teen mental health continues to intensify.

Oracle Takes Control of TikTok Algorithm in U.S. Deal

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Oracle will fully recreate TikTok’s recommendation algorithm for the U.S. market as part of a pending sale of the app’s American operations to a group of U.S. investors, according to a Bloomberg report. The move is part of a high-stakes effort to address national security concerns linked to the Chinese-owned platform.

The proposed deal, backed by the White House, would see ByteDance lease a copy of the original algorithm to the new U.S.-based TikTok entity. Oracle would then “retrain” the algorithm from scratch to ensure it operates independently of Chinese control. A White House official confirmed the plan aims to prevent potential influence or surveillance by the Chinese Communist Party, which critics believe could exploit the app for propaganda or censorship.

The recommendation algorithm—central to TikTok’s global success—uses AI to personalize content feeds and keep users engaged. Lawmakers in Washington have long argued that the Chinese government could manipulate this algorithm to shape narratives or monitor user behavior. Entrusting Oracle with rebuilding it signals a strategic shift toward U.S. data sovereignty in the digital age.

China experts like Peter Schweizer have warned that TikTok’s codebase may not be an ordinary business asset but a “state secret.” In his book Blood Money, Schweizer details ByteDance’s research ties with Chinese intelligence, framing the app as a psychological weapon aimed at weakening Western societies.

ByteDance has already faced international pressure, having lost access to the Indian market due to similar security concerns. The company now appears ready to make concessions in its most profitable market, the United States.

While details remain limited, the plan would allow TikTok to remain operational in the U.S. under American ownership, with its algorithm rebuilt and secured on U.S. soil—cut off from Beijing’s reach.

Crutchfield’s Bold Trump Tariff Challenge Hits Supreme Court

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National electronics retailer Crutchfield is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to rein in presidential tariff powers, arguing that unpredictable duties on imported goods have paralyzed business planning. The Virginia-based company filed a friend-of-the-court brief on Friday, joining other businesses challenging President Donald Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA) to impose sweeping tariffs.

Crutchfield imports roughly 60% of its products, many of which are not manufactured domestically. It says volatile and sudden tariff changes—some reaching at least 10%—make long-term decision-making nearly impossible. “Retailers cannot react immediately, and that inability could be catastrophic,” attorney Peter Brann wrote on behalf of Crutchfield.

Trump has repeatedly used IEEPA—originally enacted to handle national emergencies—to justify a broad tariff regime, even though the law makes no mention of tariffs. In 2024, Trump implemented reciprocal tariffs on all U.S. trading partners during what he called “Liberation Day.” While some tariffs were later paused, Crutchfield warned these pauses act like a “sword of Damocles” over businesses that must print catalogs and set prices months in advance.

Crutchfield’s filing supports a lawsuit by small businesses, Democratic-led states, and education companies that claim Trump’s tariffs exceed his legal authority. In August, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit agreed, ruling 7-4 that IEEPA does not give the president congressional-level authority over tariffs. However, the court allowed existing tariffs to remain while the Biden administration appeals.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer defended the administration’s use of IEEPA, warning of “catastrophic consequences” if the president’s tariff powers are curtailed. A reversal, he argued, could damage national security and derail financial commitments made by other countries to the U.S.

Crutchfield emphasized that unlike the federal government, businesses cannot change course at will. “Pauses to announced tariffs of uncertain length and the threat of additional tariffs of unknown size paralyze Crutchfield’s ability to make intelligent business decisions,” Brann wrote.

The Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on November 5. Trump has said he may personally attend—an unusual move for a former president, but one that reflects the high stakes surrounding the challenge.

Customs and Border Protection reports that nearly $90 billion in tariffs have been collected since Trump’s actions began. The Congressional Budget Office projects that tariffs could raise $4 trillion over the next decade but cautions the policies will raise prices and reduce household purchasing power.

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