International
Bells of Notre Dame Cathedral ring in streets of Paris for first time since 2019 fire
From LifeSiteNews
The bells of Notre Dame Cathedral have been heard in the streets of Paris for the first time since the devastating fire in 2019.
On November 8, the eight bells of the Notre Dame Cathedral finally rang in Paris following five years of restoration after the devastating 2019 fire that destroyed the historic church, according to AFP reporters.
The bells of Notre Dame in Paris rang out together on Friday for the first time since a 2019 fire that devastated the historic cathedral, AFP reporters said.https://t.co/P7BQwDtrLZ pic.twitter.com/zvjTbnlvsP
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) November 8, 2024
“This is a beautiful, important and symbolic step,” Philippe Jost, head of the public body tasked with restoring the cathedral, said.
The restoration of the cathedral’s bells marks a significant moment in French history after the beloved church was destroyed by a fire on April 15, 2019. As the fire raged, Parisians stood on the street watching the cathedral burn, many of whom saw the fire as a symbol of destruction of society and culture.
The Cathedral itself was a symbol of France’s rich Catholic history which is inseparable from French culture. The gothic church, filled with detailed art and majestic architecture, survived the French revolution, which destroyed hundreds of churches as the country attempted to wipe out Catholic influence.
Following the 2019 fire, many Catholics saw the destruction as a sign.
Bishop Athanasius Schneider viewed the fire as a “symbolic and evocative” sign of the “spiritual conflagration” that has attacked Catholicism in recent decades.
Similarly, Cardinal Raymond Burke described the fire as a “sobering reflection” on the “attacks upon the infinite beauty of the faith by the grievous sins and crimes of our day.”
Now, many are celebrating the restoration of Notre Dame, voicing hopes that it marks restoration within the Church and society.
“Represents the end of a dark era,” one user wrote. “The symbolism is clear.”
“In Catholic theology, church bells are blessed by priests to serve as audible exorcisms of local demons,” Catholic commentator Dr. Taylor Marshall wrote.
“The bells of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris just began ringing again… just in time,” he added.
Notre Dame Cathedral is scheduled to formally reopen on December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady.
Crime
Europol takes out one of the largest pedophile networks in the world with almost 2 million users
From LifeSiteNews
An international group of police agencies has taken down one of the largest pedophile networks in the world with almost two million users.
Investigators from Bavaria, Germany, announced yesterday that they dismantled an online pedophile platform called “Kidflix” used to distribute child pornography that had around 1.8 million users worldwide. Police carried out raids in 31 countries and arrested 79 people in total.
The European police unit Europol coordinated the operation led by the Bavarian criminal police. Europol announced that around 1,400 suspects have been identified worldwide in “one of the biggest blows against child pornography in recent years, if not ever.”
According to Europol, the platform “Kidflix” was one of the largest pedophile networks in the world. Guido Limmer, deputy head of the Bavarian criminal police, said it was the “largest operation ever” organized by Europol. The platform’s server, with over 70,000 videos at the time, was reportedly shut down by German and Dutch authorities in early March.
The 79 people arrested were not only suspected of having watched or downloaded videos of child sexual abuse but some were also suspected of personally harming children. The police units carried out the raids from March 10 to 23 and reportedly confiscated thousands of electronic devices. In Germany alone, 96 locations were raided. Among the suspects was a 36-year-old man who not only viewed illegal material but also reportedly offered up his young son for sexual abuse. The child was given to child protection services after the man was arrested, the Bavarian police spokesman said.
Limmer also noted that one of the arrested suspects was a “serial” abuser from the United States.
According to Europol, “Kidflix” was set up by cybercriminals in 2021 and became one of the most popular platforms for pedophiles. The international police agency said that the investigation into the network began in 2022.
In October 2024, German police dismantled another large online pedophile network with hundreds of thousands of users, arresting six men associated with the platform.
Last year, Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office revealed that the cases of sexual abuse against children and adolescents had more than tripled in the past five years.
By Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH
US Mainstream Media Maintains Myopic Focus on Less than 1000 Cases
As the measles story in the US continues to unfold with reporting of a few cases here and there come in through mainstream media, I wondered about measles in Europe.
The WHO casually reported that the Europe Region had 127,350 cases in 2024.
According to an analysis by WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 127 350 measles cases were reported in the European Region for 2024, double the number of cases reported for 2023 and the highest number since 1997.
Children under 5 accounted for more than 40% of reported cases in the Region – comprising 53 countries in Europe and central Asia. More than half of the reported cases required hospitalization. A total of 38 deaths have been reported, based on preliminary data received as of 6 March 2025.
Measles cases in the Region have generally been declining since 1997, when some 216 000 were reported, reaching a low of 4440 cases in 2016. However, a resurgence was seen in 2018 and 2019 – with 89 000 and 106 000 cases reported for the 2 years respectively. Following a backsliding in immunization coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic, cases rose significantly again in 2023 and 2024. Vaccination rates in many countries are yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, increasing the risk of outbreaks.
Many regions in Europe have lower rates of measles vaccination than the goal of 95%.
 |
Less than 80% of eligible children in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Romania were vaccinated with MCV1 in 2023 – far below the 95% coverage rate required to retain herd immunity. In both Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro the coverage rate for MCV1 has remained below 70% and 50% respectively for the past 5 or more years. Romania reported the highest number of cases in the Region for 2024, with 30 692 cases, followed by Kazakhstan with 28 147 cases.
The WHO Report does not mention adjudication of hospitalizations or deaths. Presumably hospitalization of healthy kids is routine for contagion control. So if measles is so common and presumably well-handled by Europe, why is it such a big deal in the United States? Don’t look for Sanjay Gupta or Anderson Cooper to tell you that a similar size region and population handles >100K cases per year without much fanfare.
Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH
President, McCullough Foundation
FOCAL POINTS (Courageous Discourse) is a reader-supported publication.
To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Please subscribe to FOCAL POINTS as a paying ($5 monthly) or founder member so we can continue to bring you the truth.
Subscribe to FOCAL POINTS (Courageous Discourse).
For the full experience, upgrade your subscription.
The High Cost Of Continued Western Canadian Alienation
DOGE discovered $330M in Small Business loans awarded to children under 11
Dr. Pierre Kory Exposes the Truth About the Texas ‘Measles Death’ Hoax
17-year-old died after taking COVID shot, but Ontario judge denies his family’s liability claim
-
2025 Federal Election2 days agoMark Carney refuses to clarify 2022 remarks accusing the Freedom Convoy of ‘sedition’
-
Business2 days agoSaskatchewan becomes first Canadian province to fully eliminate carbon tax
-
Automotive2 days agoElectric cars just another poor climate policy
-
International2 days agoTrump’s ‘Golden Dome’ defense shield must be built now, Lt. Gen. warns
-
Alberta1 day agoOwner sells gas for 80 cents per litre to show Albertans how low prices ‘could’ be
-
2025 Federal Election22 hours agoMORE OF THE SAME: Mark Carney Admits He Will Not Repeal the Liberal’s Bill C-69 – The ‘No Pipelines’ Bill
-
Break The Needle1 day agoWhy psychedelic therapy is stuck in the waiting room
-
Energy2 days agoWhy are Western Canadian oil prices so strong?