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The archbishop of Paris re-opened Notre Dame cathedral on Saturday (December 7, 2024) by symbolically knocking on the doors and entering the 12th-century landmark which has been restored after a devastating fire in 2019. Wearing new designer vestments and carrying a staff cut from one of the roof beams that survived the inferno, Laurent Ulrich joined hundreds of VIPs inside the Gothic masterpiece for a two-hour ceremony. Ulrich commanded the cathedral to "open your doors" and he entered the magnificently-restored edifice. US President-elect Donald Trump sat on the front row as guest of honour next to French President Emmanuel Macron, with invitees marvelling at the freshly cleaned walls, new furniture and state-of-the-art lightening installed as part of the cathedral's overhaul. Outside, small crowds of Parisians and tourists braved wet weather and high winds to witness the renaissance of a beloved monument which came close to being totally destroyed by the inferno that toppled its roof and spire. "I find it really beautiful, even more so now that the spire has been restored," Marie Jean, a 27-year-old dentist from southwest France, told AFP outside. The reconstruction effort has cost around 700 million euros ($750 million), financed from donations, with the re-opening achieved within a five-year deadline set by Macron despite predictions it could take decades. Workers had to overcome problems with lead pollution, the Covid-19 epidemic, and the army general overseeing the project falling to his death while hiking in the Pyrenees last year. It is "a cathedral like we have never seen before," Philippe Jost, who took over as project manager last year, told Franceinfo radio, adding that he was proud to "show the whole world" a "great collective success and a source of pride for all of France". Saturday's service will feature prayer, organ music and hymns from the cathedral's choir. A public concert planned in front of the cathedral featuring Chinese piano virtuoso Lang Lang and possibly US singer and fashion designer Pharrell Williams had to be pre-recorded on Friday night because of the stormy weather. Restoring a symbol of Paris Held up as an example of French creativity and resilience by Mr. Macron, Notre Dame's renaissance so soon after the fire comes at a difficult time for the country. The sense of national accomplishment in restoring a symbol of Paris has been undercut by political turmoil that has left France without a proper government since last week when prime minister Michel Barnier lost a confidence vote. Macron is hoping the re-opening might provide a fleeting sense of national pride and unity -- as the Paris Olympics did in July and August. The scale of the immense security operation also recalls the Olympics -- with some 6,000 police officers and gendarmes mobilised. The re-opening "is the proof that we know how to do grand things, we know how to do the impossible" Macron said Thursday in a televised address to the country. He is set to address the congregation during Saturday's ceremony. French President Emmanuel Macron accompanies U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as they leave after a trilateral meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris as part of ceremonies to mark the reopening of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, five-and-a-half years after a fire ravaged the Gothic masterpiece, in Paris, France, December 7, 2024. | Photo Credit: Reuters Zelensky & Trump in Notre Dame reopening Mr. Macron has scored a major coup by attracting incoming US president Donald Trump for his first foreign trip since his re-election. Another 40 heads of state and government are also present, including Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, who was given a round of applause as he entered Notre Dame, as well as British heir to the throne, Prince William. Mr. Macron hosted three-way talks with Mr. Zelensky and Mr. Trump at the presidential palace shortly before the ceremony, with future US military support for Ukraine's war effort against Russia's invasion expected to have been discussed. Mr. Trump has vowed to force an end to the nearly three-year Ukraine war when he takes office, sparking fears in Kyiv that he will force Ukraine to make territorial concessions to Russia which Zelensky is resisting. "It seems like the world is going a little crazy right now and we will be talking about that," Trump told reporters as he prepared to sit down for talks with Macron. One surprising absentee on Saturday was Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church. He sent a message addressed to the French people which is set to be read out. The exact cause of the 2019 blaze has never been identified despite a forensic investigation by prosecutors, who believe an accident such as an electrical fault was the most likely reason. On Sunday, the first mass with 170 bishops and more than 100 Paris priests will take place at 10:30 am (0930 GMT), followed by a second service in the evening at 6:30 pm which will be open to the public. Published - December 08, 2024 12:31 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit France / traditional architectureNEW YORK (AP) — Chad Chronister, Donald Trump’s pick to run the Drug Enforcement Administration, said Tuesday he was withdrawing his name from consideration, becoming the second person selected by the president-elect to bow out quickly after being nominated for a position requiring Senate confirmation. Sheriff Chronister, the top law enforcement officer in Hillsborough County, Florida, said in a post on X that he was backing away from the opportunity, which he called “the honor of a lifetime.” “Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I’ve concluded that I must respectfully withdraw from consideration,” Chronister wrote. He did not elaborate, and Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Chronister follows former Republican congressman , Trump’s first pick to serve as attorney general, in withdrawing his name for a post in the administration. Gaetz withdrew following scrutiny over that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer. Trump’s pick of Chronister for the DEA job drew backlash from conservatives, who raised concerns over his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic and his saying that his office “does not engage in federal immigration enforcement activities.” In March 2020, Chronister arrested the pastor of a megachurch who held services with hundreds of people and violated a safer-at-home order in place aimed at limiting the spread of the Covid virus. “Shame on this pastor, their legal staff and the leaders of this staff for forcing us to do our job. That’s not what we wanted to do during a declared state of emergency,” Chronister said at the time. “We are hopeful that this will be a wakeup call.” U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky, was among those airing public complaints, saying Chronister should be “disqualified” for the arrest. Others flagged comments Chronister made in a video about Florida’s immigration laws that he released in 2023 that circulated again online after Trump named him last weekend. Related Articles In the video, Chronister praised the “rich diversity” of his community and called it “a place where people from all walks of life come together.” He said it was important to note his office “does not engage in federal immigration enforcement activities. We do not target individuals based on their immigration status. That’s the authority of federal agencies.” Trump has made a sweeping crackdown on immigration a central focus of his campaign and his aims for his coming administration.
Arcadium Lithium Announces Shareholder Approval of Proposed Rio Tinto Transaction and Provides Regulatory UpdateATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons are back in first place in the NFC South and again in control of their playoff hopes. Rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. showed the poise in his first NFL start the Falcons will need to take advantage of their opportunity to end a six-year playoff drought. Powered by a big-play defense that produced two pick-6s, a solid starting debut by Penix and two rushing touchdowns by Bijan Robinson, the Falcons cruised past the hapless New York Giants 34-7 on Sunday. On Sunday night, the Falcons (8-7) received the assist they needed when Tampa Bay lost at Dallas . Because the Falcons swept the Buccaneers, they hold the tiebreaker advantage if they remain tied atop the division. The Falcons have games remaining at Washington on Sunday night and at home against Carolina to close the regular season. If Atlanta wins both games, it would win the division and have a home playoff game. The Falcons are assured of their best record since a 10-6 finish under coach Dan Quinn in 2017, their most recent playoff season. Quinn is in his first season as Washington's coach and has led the Commanders (10-5) to three straight wins, including Sunday's 36-33 victory over Philadelphia. Penix, the No. 8 overall pick in this year's NFL draft, was promoted after coach Raheem Morris benched Kirk Cousins. Penix completed 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards with one interception on a pass that should have been caught by tight end Kyle Pitts. Penix is not a dual-threat quarterback, but he showed the ability to escape pressure in the pocket that Cousins lacks following his 2023 Achilles tendon injury. The left-hander's superior arm strength also was immediately obvious. Robinson's production provided a safety net for the offense which helped make for a smooth transition to Penix. Robinson had scoring runs of 2 and 4 yards. Robinson has rushed for 10 touchdowns this season. He's the first Atlanta player with 10 more more rushing touchdowns since Devonta Freeman during the 2016 Super Bowl season. Robinson ran for 94 yards on 22 carries and had 103 yards from scrimmage. His 11th game this season with at least 100 yards from scrimmage are the most for the Falcons since Warrick Dunn's 11 in 2005. Morris said Robinson deserves to be considered with Philadelphia's Saquon Barkley in discussions regarding the league's top running backs. “Bijan has been outstanding all year in the things that he’s able to do," Morris said. “He’s special. If it wasn’t for this other guy out in Philly, he’d get a lot more recognition across the league. But that guy is having a special year, and Bijan’s not far behind him.” With kicker Younghoe Koo on injured reserve and watching from the sideline, Riley Patterson was wide left on his first field-goal attempt from 43 yards. Patterson rebounded to make attempts from 52 and 37 yards. Jessie Bates III and Matthew Judon each had a pick-6 to highlight a day of big plays for the defense. Arnold Ebiketie had his fifth sack of the season and added a fumble recovery. Kaden Ellis added a strip-sack. He also has five sacks this season, including sacks in four consecutive games. It is the longest streak for Atlanta since Patrick Kerney had sacks in five straight games in 2001. There was some thought that a change at quarterback could be good news for Pitts, who often seemed to be missing in action with Cousins running the offense. After all, a tight end often is a natural target for quick passes from a rookie making his first start. Instead, Pitts had a poor start to the Penix era when he bobbled his first pass from the left-hander, creating an interception by cornerback Cor’Dale Flott. Pitts caught a 7-yard pass on his only other target. For the season, Pitts has 41 catches for 543 yards and three touchdowns. There will be much interest in this week's injury report after WR Drake London (hamstring) was hurt in the second half. Morris provided an optimistic postgame outlook on London. CB Antonio Hamilton (quad) did not return after leaving the game in the first half. 8: Bates has four interceptions and four forced fumbles. His combined eight forced turnovers lead the NFL. The game against Jayden Daniels and the Commanders is a reminder Penix was only the fourth of six quarterbacks selected in the first round of the NFL draft. Daniels, from LSU, was the No. 2 overall pick behind Caleb Williams by Chicago. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflNone
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South Korea’s president, Yoon Suk Yeol, on Tuesday declared martial law, blasting the opposition as “anti-state forces” threatening the country’s democracy. The unexpected move from Yoon, marking the first time martial law has been declared in South Korea in more than four decades, alarmed the US and other allies. Six hours later he backed down , lifting the order in the face of united opposition. What do we know about the imposition of martial law, and what might come next? In a dramatic, late-night emergency television address to the nation, Yoon announced that he was imposing martial law in South Korea, as he accused the opposition of paralysing the government with “anti-state activities”. A six-point decree from the new martial law commander, the army chief Gen Park An-su, swiftly followed: banning political activities and parties, “false propaganda”, strikes and “gatherings that incite social unrest”. The order also brought all media outlets under the authority of martial law and directed all medical staff, including striking doctors, to return to work within 48 hours. The president’s move harkened back to an era of authoritarian leaders that the country has not seen since the 1980s. It was immediately denounced by the opposition and the leader of Yoon’s own party. Yoon said he was acting to safeguard his country’s liberal democracy from “anti-state elements” and “threats posed by North Korea” - but gave little detail. While unexpected, the announcement came in the context of a festering budget row between Yoon and the opposition Democratic Party. The opposition has slashed around 4.1 trillion won ($2.8 billion) from Yoon’s proposed 677 trillion won budget for next year, prompting the president to complain that “all key budgets essential to the nation’s core functions” were being cut. Security forces sealed the National Assembly, helicopters landed on the roof and troops entered the building for a short time, seemingly in a bid to prevent lawmakers getting inside. But 190 lawmakers managed to enter, voting unanimously to reject Yoon’s declaration and calling for martial law to be lifted. Outside parliament, hundreds of protesters gathered, many raising chants calling for Yoon to be arrested. Some protesters scuffled with troops but there were no immediate reports of injuries or major property damage. At least one window was broken as troops attempted to enter the assembly building. One woman tried unsuccessfully to pull a rifle away from one of the soldiers while shouting “Aren’t you embarrassed?” Under South Korea’s constitution, the parliamentary vote to lift martial law has to be respected. Military officials initially said that despite the vote, martial law would remain in place until Yoon himself lifted it. But opposition was united across political lines. The leader of Yoon’s conservative People Power party called the decision to impose martial law “wrong”. Lee Jae-myung, the opposition leader who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, said Yoon’s announcement was “illegal and unconstitutional”. South Korea’s main opposition Democratic party, led by Lee, called the president’s move “essentially a coup d’etat”. Six hours after declaring martial law, Yoon said troops would return to their barracks and the order would be lifted after a cabinet meeting. The White House said it was “relieved” that Yoon had reversed course on his declaration of martial law. “Democracy is at the foundation of the US-ROK alliance, and we will continue to monitor the situation,” a spokesperson said, referring to South Korea by the initials of its official name, the Republic of Korea. The US had previously said it was watching with “grave concern” the events in its key Asian ally where it has 28,500 troops stationed to guard against North Korea. Raphael Rashid, reporting for the Guardian from Seoul, writes that on the morning after the coup, the feeling in South Korea has been one of bafflement and sadness. “For the older generation who fought on the streets against military dictatorships, martial law equals dictatorship, not 21st century Korea. The younger generation is embarrassed that he has ruined their country’s reputation. People are baffled. “Also everyone is wondering what his end goal was. Expedited impeachment is the word on people’s lips. From within politics, Yoon is facing calls to step down or be impeached.” Politically, pressure has only grown further on Yoon after his late-night bombshell. South Korea’s main opposition party has demanded that Yoon step down, accusing him of “insurrection”. The country’s main labour union group has also called an “indefinite general strike” until he resigns over the “irrational and anti-democratic measure”. Yoon’s own People Power Party described his attempt at imposing martial law as “tragic” and demanded that those involved be held accountable. With AFP
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