Jordan Bardella, leader of France’s far-right National Rally (RN), and Marion Maréchal, European MP and niece of Marine Le Pen, visited Israel to attend a conference on combating anti-Semitism—the first official RN visit to Israel.

The visit marks a significant shift for the RN, formerly the National Front (FN), co-founded by Jean-Marie Le Pen, who was repeatedly condemned for anti-Semitic remarks.

Marine Le Pen, who led the party until 2021, has worked to distance it from her father’s legacy and soften its image.

Now under Bardella, the RN is trying to rebrand itself as a defender of the Jewish community and a strong supporter of Israel, particularly in opposition to “Islamist ideology” following the October 7 Hamas attack.

Four shadowy firms with ties to Chinese tech company Smiao Intelligence posted job ads on Craigslist and LinkedIn—many later deleted.

Investigators found fake addresses and disconnected numbers, making the firms hard to trace.

Analysts warn the network uses methods resembling Chinese intelligence operations, aiming to exploit financially vulnerable ex-officials.

The Chinese embassy denied knowledge, while the White House warned of potential espionage risks. It remains unclear if anyone has been successfully recruited.

Spain, Italy, and France are pushing back against the European Commission’s €150 billion defense loan proposal, fearing it would worsen national debt.

The plan, championed by Ursula von der Leyen, aims to boost defense spending and arms production—especially for Ukraine—through conditional EU loans.

In response to criticism, the Commission rebranded the initiative from “Rearm Europe” to “Readiness 2030.”