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Howling winds couldn’t stop Notre Dame’s heart from beating again. With three resounding knocks on its doors by Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, wielding a specially designed crosier carved from fire-scorched beams, the cathedral roared back to life Saturday evening. For the first time since a devastating blaze engulfed it in 2019, the towering Gothic masterpiece reopened for worship, its rebirth marked by song, prayer, and awe beneath its soaring arches. While the ceremony was initially planned to begin on the forecourt, unusually fierce December winds whipping across the Île de la Cité, flanked by the River Seine, forced all events inside. Yet the occasion lost none of its splendor. Inside the luminous nave, choirs sang psalms, and the cathedral’s mighty organ, silent for nearly five years, thundered to life in a triumphant interplay of melodies. The evening’s celebration, attended by 1,500 dignitaries, including President-elect Donald Trump, Britain’s Prince William, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, underscored Notre Dame’s enduring role as both a spiritual and cultural beacon. For President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious five-year restoration timeline, it was a rare moment of unity amid profound political crises and threats to his presidential legacy—a clear pivot to elevate the celebration into a fully fledged diplomatic event. The reopening comes at a time of global unrest, with wars raging in Ukraine and the Middle East. Amid this backdrop of division, the cathedral’s resurrection emerged as a rare symbol of resilience and unity. “Notre Dame is not just a French monument—it is a magnificent sign of hope,” said its rector, the Rev. Olivier Ribadeau Dumas. “What seemed impossible has become possible.” The gathering of world leaders reflected the cathedral’s significance as a sanctuary of shared heritage and a reminder of the enduring power of faith. Ukrainian pastor Andriy Morkvas, attending his first Mass at Notre Dame in over a decade, found hope in the cathedral’s rebirth. “God is powerful; He can change things,” he said. “I hope Notre Dame and Mary will help resolve our conflict.” Canadian visitor Noelle Alexandria, who had traveled to Paris for the reopening, was struck by the cathedral’s ability to inspire. “She’s been nearly ruined before, but she always comes back,” Alexandria said. “Not many of us could say the same after such tragedy, but Notre Dame can.” Guests entered through Notre Dame’s iconic western façade, whose arched portals adorned with biblical carvings were once a visual guide for medieval believers. Above the central Portal of the Last Judgment, the Archangel Michael is depicted weighing souls, as demons attempt to tip the scales. These stone figures, designed to inspire both awe and fear, set the stage for a ceremony steeped in history. Inside, the hum of hundreds of guests awaiting the service filled the cathedral with human sounds once more—a stark contrast to the construction din that echoed there for years. Tuners restoring the great organ often worked through the night to find the silence needed to perfect its 7,952 pipes, ranging from pen-sized to torso-wide. Notre Dame’s revival is a story of global collaboration and determination. Over 42,000 square meters of stonework—an area equal to six soccer fields—were cleaned, revealing luminous limestone and intricate carvings long cloaked in soot. Above the nave, 2,000 oak beams, nicknamed “the forest,” were used to rebuild the spire and roof, restoring the cathedral’s iconic silhouette. “It’s night and day,” said François Le Page of the Notre Dame Foundation, which raised nearly half of the €900 million ($950 million) in donations for the restoration. “When I last saw it in 2021, it was filled with scaffolding. Now, it’s perfection.” The cathedral’s thunderous great organ, with its newly renovated console boasting five keyboards, 115 stops, and 30 foot pedals, resounded for the first time since the fire, echoing as a cornerstone of Notre Dame’s identity. The ceremony began with Ulrich symbolically reopening Notre Dame’s grand wooden doors, tapping them three times with his fire-scarred crosier. Psalms and hymns echoed through the cathedral’s hallowed halls, culminating in an organ performance by four world-class musicians. Adding to the ceremony’s visual splendor, Archbishop Ulrich and the clergy donned vibrant liturgical garments designed by renowned French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. Known for his eye-popping pop-art aesthetic, Castelbajac crafted 2,000 colorful pieces for 700 celebrants, blending modern elements with medieval touches. A star-studded prerecorded concert featured luminaries like pianist Lang Lang, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and soprano Pretty Yende. Their performances offered a universal message of harmony, celebrating the cathedral’s resurrection and its role as a sanctuary of faith and art. Amid the grandeur, personal stories of faith punctuated the evening. Huguette Euphrasie, attending with her cancer-stricken mother, gazed at the cathedral’s illuminated towers. “It has huge spiritual value for me,” she said. “It’s very moving.” For Patricia and Cyrille Brenner, who traveled overnight from Cannes, the reopening felt like a pilgrimage. “You have to be there to experience it,” Patricia said, comparing it to the Cannes Film Festival. Her husband added, “The fire was a call to renew our faith.” For Macron, the reopening offered a rare reprieve from political turmoil. Just days earlier, his government collapsed in a historic no-confidence vote, plunging France into uncertainty. Macron described the reopening as “a jolt of hope,” framing it as a testament to France’s resilience and unity. The achievement of restoring Notre Dame within five years—a timeline dismissed as overly ambitious by many—was a political win for Macron. Yet, as he addressed the gathering inside the cathedral, his speech highlighted not just the success of the restoration but also France’s enduring spirit amid adversity. Security was tight, echoing measures seen during the Paris Olympics. Police vans and soldiers in body armor patrolled embankments, while a special detail followed President-elect Donald Trump. Public viewing areas along the Seine accommodated 40,000 spectators, who watched the ceremonies unfold on large screens. For many, Notre Dame’s rebirth is not just a French achievement but a global one. After the reopening, the cathedral is expected to welcome 15 million visitors annually, up from 12 million before the fire. As the evening drew to a close, the cathedral stood as a testament to what collective will and faith can achieve. “It’s the soul of Paris,” Dumas said. “And tonight, its heart beats again.” Sylvie Corbet, Yesica Brumec, Marine Lesprit and Mark Carlson in Paris contributed. Associated Press religion coverage receives support through The AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.COASTAL CAROLINA 73, USC UPSTATE 51are there any online casinos that pay real money 。

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Once-promising seasons hit new lows for the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers last week. Another sent the Bears to their sixth straight loss and led to the firing of coach Matt Eberflus. The 49ers suffered their and to go from Super Bowl contenders to outside the playoff picture in a matter of weeks. The two reeling teams will try to get back on track on Sunday when the Bears (4-8) visit the 49ers (5-7) in Chicago’s first game under . “I told them a minute ago after practice there is no confidence loss at all as far as what I think about them,” Brown said Wednesday. “I don’t care what anybody else thinks about them. I think we have a very talented football team. It’s about just putting the work in every single day to give us an opportunity to win.” The Bears are hoping to get an emotional boost from the first in-season firing of a head coach in franchise history. Over the last 10 seasons, teams with interim coaches are 13-11 in their first game with the new coach. Those teams had a .284 winning percentage at the time they fired their coaches. “I wouldn’t say a new voice was needed. I would say there was change that was needed,” rookie quarterback Caleb Williams said, pointing to a need for more accountability and better communication. The Niners came into the season as the favorites to get back to the Super Bowl from the NFC after losing the title game to Kansas City last season. But a series of key injuries, bad losses and spotty play have left them in last place in the NFC West with only slim hopes of even reaching the postseason. San Francisco lost and 35-10 to Buffalo in back-to-back weeks and lost star running back Christian McCaffrey to a knee injury last week that will sideline him for at least the rest of the regular season. The Niners already lost key players Brandon Aiyuk and Javon Hargrave to season-ending injuries and are preparing to be without stars Nick Bosa and Trent Williams for a third straight week. “It’s just been a rocky mountain for real with the injuries and other stuff we’ve had to go through this season,” receiver Deebo Samuel said. “Our record don’t show how really good we are as a team. We’re still believing in this locker room.” Chaotic education Williams described Eberflus’ firing as “interesting” and “tough” and vowed to “roll with the punches” while insisting the chaos and turnover of the past few weeks could help him handle similar situations in the future. Just 12 games into his NFL career, the prized quarterback is on his second head coach and third offensive coordinator, though Brown will continue to call plays. How does he keep the faith that his career is in good hands with this organization? “The first part is understanding I can’t control,” Williams said. “Even if I understand or don’t understand, that doesn’t matter. I have to roll with the punches like I said before. I don’t control everything.” Guerendo’s chance With McCaffrey and Jordan Mason injured, the Niners running game will turn to . The fourth-round pick has 42 carries for 246 yards and two TDs this season and will be making his second start in either college or the pros. Coach Kyle Shanahan said the progress Guerendo has made since training camp makes him ready for his new role as he sees him running with more “urgency.” “I think it takes guys some time,” Shanahan said. “You start to get a feel for it the more, if you’ve got the right stuff, the more you get reps, the more you can adjust to it. How hard you’ve got to hit stuff, how quick those holes close, how when there is a hole how you have to hit it full-speed and can’t hesitate at all or it closes like that. We’ve seen that stuff get better in practice and we’ve seen it carry over into games.” Stop the run San Francisco’s usually stout run defense has been anything but that this season. The Niners have struggled to slow down the opposition on the ground all year with the problem getting worse recently. The 49ers allowed 389 yards rushing the past two weeks. “It’s been so frustrating because I know what is supposed to look like,” linebacker Fred Warner said. “That’s not it.” Stopping the run also continues to be a sore spot for Chicago. The Bears rank 25th overall against the run and 29th in yards allowed per rush after another difficult outing last week. They gave up 194 yards, including 144 in the first half as the Lions grabbed a 16-0 lead. Losing veteran defensive tackle Andrew Billings to a torn pectoral muscle last month did not help. He was injured in a Week 9 loss at Arizona and is expected to miss the remainder of the season after having surgery. ___ AP Sports Writer Andrew Seligman contributed to this report. ___ AP NFL:Opposition fighters are at Damascus' gates. Who are they and what now?

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Reniya Kelly had 18 points and six assists, Maria Gakdeng added 16 points and nine rebounds, and No. 16 North Carolina beat 14th-ranked Kentucky 72-53 on Thursday night in the SEC/ACC Challenge. North Carolina opened the game on a 14-4 run, capped by Alyssa Ustby’s fifth 3-pointer of the season. The Tar Heels led 36-25 at halftime after holding the Wildcats to 36% shooting. North Carolina only made one field goal in the opening five minutes of the third quarter as Kentucky got as close as seven points. But The Tar Heels made five field goals in the final five minutes to take a 50-39 lead into the fourth. Kentucky’s opening four baskets of the fourth were from 3-point range to get within 60-51 with 5:52 left on Dazia Lawrence’s basket off a nice assist from Georgia Amoore on an inbounds play. North Carlina sealed it by scoring the next six points — all from the free-throw line. Ustby scored 13 points with eight rebounds for North Carolina (8-1). The Tar Heels outscored Kentucky 42-10 in the paint. Lawrence scored 17 points and Amelia Hassett had 13 points and 13 rebounds for Kentucky (7-1). Amoore added 10 points and eight assists and Clara Strack, averaging a team-high 18.3 points per game, was held to four points on 2-of-10 shooting. North Carolina stays at home to play Coppin State on Sunday. Kentucky returns home to face Queens University on Monday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketballLifetime - BeBe Winans' We Three Kings Courtesy of Lifetime Madison Kemeny | MKemeny@syracuse.com “BeBe Winans' We Three Kings” is set to premiere on Lifetime on Saturday, November 30 (11/30/2024) at 8 p.m. ET. A live stream of the movie can be found on Philo (free trial) , DirectTV Stream (free trial) , and more TV services listed below. What is “BeBe Winans' We Three Kings” about? According to the movie’s official synopsis, “Bebe plays Lincoln, retired musician turned record store owner, and proud father to the three King sisters, Lydia, Gracie, and Abigail. For the first time since their mother’s death, the three estranged King sisters return home for the holidays. Living under the same roof and hearing their father sing joyful Christmas melodies sparks old family memories. Holiday love songs and mistletoe are found around every corner, and the sisters end up finding love in the very town they tried so hard to leave behind. It isn’t long before the sisters face the facts; life’s better when they are together." How can I watch “BeBe Winans' We Three Kings” for free? “BeBe Winans' We Three Kings” can be streamed for free on Philo (free trial) , FrndlyTV (free trial) , DirecTV Stream (free trial) , and Sling (half of the first month) . What are the differences between the streaming services? Philo is a live TV streaming service focused on entertainment channels like MTV, Paramount Network, Discovery, and more. It offers 60+ channels for the budget-friendly price of $28 per month. It has unlimited DVR and can be streamed on all your favorite app-enabled devices. Right now, you can try Philo free for 7 days . Frndly TV is the most affordable live TV streaming service in America. Starting at only $6.99/mo., billed annually, Frndly TV offers 40+ top-rated live TV networks including A+E®, Hallmark Channel, The History ChannelTM, INSP, Lifetime®, Hallmark Movie & Mysteries, MeTV+, Game Show Network, GAC Family, and more. Customers can also access a wide range of on-demand content at no extra cost. Frndly TV delivers feel good programming at a family friendly price. DirecTV Stream is comparable to FuboTV, as it provides similar channels and functionalities. Their basic package, priced at $74.99 per month with a free trial, includes just over 75 live TV channels. You can explore all of DirecTV Stream’s channel packages on their website. Sling is known for its affordability and provides new subscribers with a 50% discount on their initial month of service. There are three channel packages available: Sling Blue and Sling Orange, each priced at $40 per month, and Sling Orange + Blue, which combines the first two packages for $55 per month.

Christmas is just around the corner and for many Brits, trying to think of a stocking filler for family or friends can be a real headscratcher especially if you have no idea what to buy them. Well, buying an Echo Dot during Amazon's Black Friday deal might be one of the cheaper and better alternatives - and here's why. I bought a family member a cheap Echo Dot last year for a family member who was very anti-tech. And by "anti-tech" I mean I normally have to show them how to buy things online like eBay as well as regularly fix common computer issues like how to print out tickets and access their emails. Well, I thought it was time to introduce them to the 21st century and decided to buy them an Echo Dot for Christmas . READ MORE: Little-known deal gets B&M shoppers a £20 gift card to spend in-store for less than £4 READ MORE: 'Beautiful' Debenhams duvet with 'royal' feel and huge 70% off for Black Friday I was fully expecting them to thank me, try it out for Christmas and never speak about the thing again. Until I got a phone call a few weeks after Christmas asking how I could set them up with Amazon Music. Shocked, I went round and found they were absolutely in love with the device. They enjoyed listening to music and asking it different questions while around the house. And right now, Amazon is selling the Amazon Echo Dot for £22.99 as part of its Black Friday sale. There are also some great reviews from other buyers. One person said: "Out of the box, this product fees extremely quality. It has a nice weight to it and the materials used feel premium. Setup was extremely easy using the app and only took five minutes. "I use the dot throughout the day asking general questions, playing music etc quite often. It is extremely handy if I am busy and can’t reach my phone or my hands are full." But some people have vented frustrations with the device, especially with the voice control. One user said: "Bought it to play BBC Sounds. It just will not. Have tried everything possible that is suggested to rectify the problem but to no avail. "Have linked to my BBC account, have had emails to confirm, have re-set, unplugged, re-plugged, emailed BBC, unlinked and re-linked, re-routed and un-routed and still the bloody thing, when asked to play BBC Radio 4 or any BBC radio programme comes up with some random American radio station or a Kids Skills something or other or, even more annoyingly says ‘this is not supported’. "Driven to distraction and three hours of mounting temper and frustration, I shall just go back to my radio, and Alexa and her annoying little ball of pulsing lights can go back from whence she came. As someone said - a very expensive kitchen timer!" If you do not fancy an Echo Dot, there are some alternatives, however. Currys is selling the Echo Pop for £18.99 and might be a cheaper option if you want to save a few pennies. Or if you want a stylish DAB radio instead it's worth looking at the Roberts Revival Petite 2 DAB/DAB+/FM/BT Radio , now £92 at Debenhams.Deep seabed mining: Bad for biodiversity and terrible for the economy

No. 7 Tennessee gives up 1st 14 points before rallying to rout Vanderbilt 36-23

World leaders gather as Notre-Dame reopens with a 'merci' to those who saved it from fire