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France celebrated the re-opening of Notre Dame cathedral on Saturday at a special church service that featured a standing ovation for the firefighters who saved the 12th-century landmark from destruction during a 2019 blaze. A two-hour service attended by incoming US president Donald Trump among other world leaders began with the archbishop of Paris knocking on the doors of the cathedral three times. "Notre Dame, model of faith, open your doors to bring together the far-flung children of God in joy," archbishop Laurent Ulrich commanded, banging with a wooden staff crafted from a roof beam that survived the inferno five years ago. Trump could be seen sitting 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 lighting installed as part of the overhaul. In a short speech, Macron expressed the "gratitude of the French nation" for the restoration work, achieved at frenzied speed over the last five years. France had "rediscovered what great nations can do -- achieve the impossible", he said. One of the most moving moments came when firefighters in their protective gear walked through the congregation to thunderous applause as the word "Merci" ("Thank you") was beamed on the intricate facade and famous belltowers of the Gothic masterpiece. Small crowds of Parisians and tourists braved wet weather and high winds outside to witness the renaissance of a monument, which came close to collapsing due to the intensity of 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 cost around 700 million euros ($750 million), financed from donations, with the re-opening achieved within a five-year deadline 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. Saturday's service featured classical music, the cathedral's choir as well as the "re-awakening" of the 8,000-pipe organ which is considered the voice and soul of the cathedral. A televised public concert planned outside 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. Held up as an example of French creativity and resilience by 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. He scored a major coup by attracting Trump along with around 40 heads of state and government, including Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, who was given a round of applause as he entered Notre Dame. Macron hosted three-way talks with Zelensky and 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. Trump has vowed to end the nearly three-year Ukraine war when he takes office on January 20, sparking fears in Kyiv that he will force Ukraine to make territorial concessions to Russia. "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 and weighed into a row about whether the place of worship and tourist attraction should remain free to enter. The "immense" numbers set to visit Notre Dame should be welcomed "generously and free of charge", he said, clearly opposing a proposition from the French culture ministry to charge for entry. 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. adp-sjw/jj Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, sports, arts & entertainment, state legislature, CFD news, and more.In a bittersweet twist during the Eagles’ 37-20 victory over the Rams on Sunday night, Philadelphia may have witnessed the final snap of Brandon Graham’s illustrious career. The veteran defensive end suffered a torn triceps, an injury that will sideline him for the remainder of the season. At 36, Graham's potential farewell comes not in a celebratory final game but in the midst of yet another impactful campaign, a testament to his enduring consistency. Over 15 seasons with the Eagles, Graham built a résumé worthy of admiration: a Super Bowl champion, Second-Team All-Pro honors in 2016, a Pro Bowl selection in 2020, and a career defined by relentless effort and leadership. His stats reflect his all-around contribution: 487 total tackles, 76.5 sacks, 22 forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries, 11 pass deflections, and one defensive touchdown. Katie Stratman-Imagn Images Nicknamed "BG," Graham’s career is defined by more than numbers. Since 2012, he has graded above 78.0 in every healthy season per Pro Football Focus (PFF), demonstrating a level of consistency few edge rushers have achieved. His versatility as a pass rusher and run defender made him indispensable to the Eagles’ defense, and his ability to deliver in critical moments elevated him to legendary status. Graham’s defining moment came in Super Bowl LII, where his strip-sack of Tom Brady sealed the Eagles' first-ever championship. That iconic play showcased his relentless pursuit and ability to deliver when it mattered most, cementing his place in Philadelphia sports lore. Beyond his on-field heroics, Graham's loyalty to the Eagles made him a rare breed in modern sports. In an era where player movement is the norm, Graham spent all 15 seasons in midnight green. Drafted 13th overall in 2010, his career began with adversity, including early struggles and injury setbacks. Critics labeled him a bust after his first two seasons, but Graham’s resilience transformed him into one of the most respected figures in franchise history. His leadership extended far beyond his play. Graham’s infectious personality, mentorship of younger teammates, and unwavering commitment to the team embodied the spirit of Philadelphia. Few players in the league combine elite talent with such genuine charisma, making him beloved by fans and teammates alike. The 2022 season showed Graham still had plenty left in the tank, as he recorded a career-high 13 sacks during the Eagles' Super Bowl run. Even in 2023, at 36, Graham remained productive, tallying sacks in each of his final three games before his injury. His 702 regular-season pressures rank fifth among all edge defenders since he entered the league in 2010, placing him alongside legends like Von Miller and J.J. Watt. Related: Eagles Ex Faces 50 Years in Prison for COVID Fraud While Graham’s Hall of Fame candidacy may be debated in Canton, his place in Eagles history is secure. He stands as one of the most influential defenders in the history of the franchise, a player who embodied Philadelphia’s blue-collar spirit with every play. If this truly is the end of Brandon Graham’s career, it is the end of an Eagles era as he leaves an indelible legacy defined by passion, persistence, and an ever-present smile that became as iconic as his sack celebrations. His impact will be felt not only for what he achieved but for the way he inspired a city with his relentless drive and undeniable heart. Related: Cowboys Ex Edge Rusher Signed After Eagles Legend’s Injury
Travel: Colorado’s winter huts blend adventure, luxury, and scenic beautyArticle content Essentially, the Maple Leafs have the same record after 20 games as they’ve had most of the past five regular seasons. Recommended Videos They have 26 points right now. Last year they had 25. The year before they had 25. The year before that, 27. All of it looks basically the same in the standings. But these Leafs have a different look to them and a different feel. They’re better in goal than they’ve been in years. They’re deeper on defence. They’re less prone to individual mistakes. And slowly they’re adapting to Craig Berube’s north-south, old school style of hockey – no longer circling desperately to retain possession of the puck – and it makes them look tougher and harder to play against. It is still a long time until April. Three quarters of a regular season to go. But the win the other against Vegas, a tight 1-0 game that became a 3-0 win, is the kind of maturity general manager Brad Treliving and coach Berube are searching for from the team. Learning to win tight games is important for this group. Learning to win tight games against quality opponents, just as important. With the on-ice leadership of Chris Tanev a clear factor, the superb play of Mitch Marner and William Nylander with Auston Matthews out with a mystery injury, has been huge, and former captain John Tavares competing with he kind of verve he’s rarely shown before, there are more reasons for optimism as the first quarter of the NHL season passes than there have been in most of the Brendan Shanahan years. With Matthews still out, Max Domi, Max Pacioretty, David Kampf, and Matthew Knies all injured, and Ryan Reaves suspended, the Leafs will play Sunday night against Utah without six 12 regular forwards. That’s a kick few teams can survive. But the 6-1 won-loss record with Matthews missing is a sign of growth that has to be appreciated. Even if the standings, right now, don’t look a whole lot different from other years. Definition of desperate: Team Canada has expanded its search for three goaltenders as the deadline approaches in early December for the Four Nations tournament in Montreal and Boston. The new flavour of the day is Joey Daccord of the Seattle Kraken, who isn’t even a Canadian. He’s from outside Boston. His father was born in Canada. His mother is from Switzerland. But they can manipulate the rules, as the Canadian Olympic Committee has done on numerous occasions, to get him in. So it’s probably Daccord and St.. Louis netminder Jordan Binnington and one of Adin Hill, Sam Montembeault, Cam Talbot, Logan Thompson, and Mackenzie Blackwood as the third goalie. I’m told there’s no interest in Edmonton’s Stuart Skinner. The truth on the third goalie, no matter who it is: It’s a short tournament as will be the Olympics one year later. If you need to play your third goalie, it means you’re not contending ... The GMs for the Four Nations event are not happy about the Dec. 4 deadline to name their roster. They’d like more time, six more weeks maybe, but they’re not going to get it. The date was negotiated by the NHL and NHL Players’ Association, ostensibly to give the majority of players who aren’t involved with the event time to book time to book their vacations ... That wasn’t Auston Matthews ’s first trip to Germany to see the mystery doctor about his mystery injury. He previously went in the summer, along with friend and rival Connor McDavid. If I’m guessing on the Matthews injury, I’m guessing back ... When Shanahan took over as Leafs president a decade ago he met with each of the newspapers and television stations individually to talk about his open approach to building a hockey team. The Leafs, he said, would be more available and more accessible than ever before. It was a new era. And right after he said that, the Leafs cut off interviews with assistant coaches, scouts and front office personnel, hid their players more often than any team in hockey, and avoided the truth as often as possible. The Leafs now operate like a political party, attempting to control the media rather than allow it to do its job. That wasn’t the way Shanahan behaved as a player at all. He was open and available. Somehow he’s left all that behind ... There should be an NHL rule. Leafs must play on Saturday night. It throws my weekend off completely when they no Saturday game. Tom Henke had 217 saves with the Blue Jays, the most in team history. No one will ever come close to that number again. Henke should be on the Level of Excellence at Rogers Centre ... There is nothing wrong with the Blue Jays walking away from hometown boy Jordan Romano so long as they find a replacement for him who is better. That’s the challenge. And you’re trusting Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins to do that? ... There was a time when the Raptors didn’t want homegrown players on their roster. They thought it would be a distraction. It was no distraction for Romano in his time pitching for the Jays. He embraced being the hometown guy. He loved talking about it. He welcomed the challenge. Not only will it be difficult to replace Romano the pitcher, third overall in saves in history, it will just as difficult to replace Romano the person from the Blue Jays clubhouse ... By the way, the top Canadian on the Raptors, R.J. Barrett is playing the best basketball of his life right now ... Raptors are caught in an unusual squeeze of sorts. The better they play, the more games they win, the more they damage their draft position. The best thing for the Raptors: Find a way to lose close games and excite the fanbase all at the same time. Players won’t naturally tank. That’s not how athletes work. But management can help push in one direction or the other ... So if you’re Masai Ujiri, what do you do – keep Jacob Poeltl long-term or trade him now when his value is about as high as it will ever be ... And yes, that was Raptors general manager Bobby Webster at the Argos Grey Cup celebration at Maple Leaf Square, wearing an Argos baseball cap. This is all part of the new MLSE: All teams supporting each other ...This Vince Carter celebration has gone just a little too far. There are Carter T-shirts for sale, Carter jerseys, and the tournament court is in Carter’s colours. The Raptors are celebrating mediocrity: Carter played 418 games for the Raptors, winning one playoff series, and never finishing higher than 10th in MVP voting, the team averaged 44 wins a season with Carter. Pretty low bar for all that’s being spent on this ... Kawhi Leonard played 84 games for the Raptors. They won a championship in his only season. He won the Finals MVP. The team won 58 of the games he played in. He was won and done, playing just under .700 basketball here. Now, that’s something worth selling T-shirts and retiring jerseys about ...If you combine the Jets and the Giants, could you make one competent NFL team? Or are they still lacking at quarterback? If the vote for the Hart Trophy was taken today, Kirill Kaprizov of the Minnesota Wild would win the NHL’s MVP. Which is something completely new. No Minnesota player, not a North Star or a Wild, has won the Hart Trophy or even been close. Bobby Smith did finish 10th in Hart voting 42 years ago. So there is that ... The usual contenders around Kaprizov through the first quarter of the season: The regulars, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Connor Hellebuyck, and Nikita Kucherov. And Connor McDavid, nine points behind the scoring leader, hasn’t really gotten going yet ... I don’t see how you find a place for veterans John Tavares or Steven Stamkos on Team Canada much as you sentimentally want to. Tavares can’t play centre ahead of MacKinnon, McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Brayden Point, Sam Bennett or Mark Scheifele. And Stamkos can’t play wing ahead of Sam Reinhart, Marner, Travis Konecny, Alexis Lafreniere, Anthony Cirelli, or even those who might not get picked like Wyatt Johnston, Matt Barzal or Zach Hyman. Be interesting to see what Canada does with Brad Marchand, who was an early pick for the roster, but hasn’t played to form in this rather disappointing Bruins season ... What a time to need a coach in hockey: Joel Quenneville is available. The recently fired Jim Montgomery is available. The soon to be fired, Mike Sullivan, will likely be available. So those who are waiting for jobs, like Gerard Gallant or Jay Woodcroft or Bruce Boudreau, might be waiting for a while ... Outside of David Pastrnak, do the Bruins have a single dangerous forward? And the coach gets fired because the roster isn’t good enough ... What to do with Tavares in the future: Bring in a $7 million centre. Pay Tavares $4 million a year. That means you’ll be his $11 million on two centres instead of one ... Best athletic performers I’ve ever watched live, in no particular order: Bobby Orr, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Connor McDavid, Patrick Mahomes, LeBron James, Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Mike Trout, Sugar Ray Leonard, Barry Bonds, Usain Bolt, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, John Elway, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Steph Curry, Guy Lafleur, Crosby, Barry Sanders, Mario Lemieux. And I’m leaving out way too man. What you don’t see much of in hockey today — pencil thin goaltenders. Dustin Wolf weighs 166 pounds soaking wet. He’s 8-2-1 as a rookie with the Calgary Flames , the early runaway leader for the Calder Trophy. The Flames have 25 points after 20 games, way more than expected and the same numbers as the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers and defending President’s Trophy-winning New York Rangers ... An NHL coach on why so many teams are great one night, not so great the next: “You can’t do it every night over the season. Almost every team drifts in and out during the season. All of them except Carolina, really. And this year, Winnipeg.” ... Canadian tennis in decline: Felix Auger-Aliassime, once ranked sixth in the world, will finish this year at 29. Denis Shapovalov, once as high as No. 10, is now at 56. The almost always-injured Milos Raonic and Bianca Andreescu, both former Top 10 players, are not in the Top 100 anymore. Leylah Annie Fernandez will end the year at 31st after a high of 13th ... How and when did 50-yard field goals become chip shots? Like when did this happen? ... So Joel Embiid seems more concerned about who leaked the fact the Philadelphia 76ers had a players-only meeting to discuss Joel Embiid than he is with the fact the Sixers are 3-12 to start the season. Nick Nurse might be operating on borrowed time in Philly ... If personnel man John Murphy is leaving the Argos, and that seems apparent, then the club would be smart to avoid having Grey Cup coach Ryan Dinwiddie serve as general manager. Dinwiddie would like the GM job. But most coaches can’t seem to pull off the double anymore – there’s too much work to be done in either one of those jobs to stay on top of everything ... Grey Cup MVP Nick Arbuckle can stay with the Argos next season behind Chad Kelly but the team can’t afford, salary cap wise, to pay him much. Odds are, Arbuckle will play elsewhere in the CFL next season then return to the Argos later to coach with Dinwiddie ... Do you become a legend if you beat a legend in the Grey Cup twice? The championship scorecard in head-to-head matches: Coach Dinwiddie 2, Mike O’Shea 0. O’Shea is far and away and the most successful coach in the CFL ... How hard is it for a Canadian to rush for 1,000 yards in the NFL? Well, it’s only happened once. Ever. Thirty-eight years ago. Rueben Mayes of North Battleford, Sask, ran for 1,353 yards with the New Orleans Saints as a rookie. Since then, nobody has. But here’s Chuba Hubbard, from outside Edmonton, close to becoming the second Canadian to hit the 1,000-yard mark. He’s at 811 yards in Carolina with seven games to play ... Happy birthday to Oscar Robertson (86), Jeremy Swayman (26), Billie Jean King (81), Arland Bruce (47), Justin Turner (40) Jack McKeon (94), Eddie Johnston (89), Saku Koivu (50), Todd Brooker (65), Asafa Powell (42), Keith Primeau (53) and Gabriel Landeskog (32) ... And hey, whatever became of Gregg Zaun? ssimmons@postmedia.com twitter.com/simmonssteve'Has to be done': Wellington mayor stands firm on Golden Mile
Storm Darragh leaves woman stranded on ferry for 13 hours with docking impossible in high winds - meaning she might not make it to Christmas party
Giving thanks for America, overtime, the ‘Piano Man’Syrian rebels advance on Damascus; Assad’s rule at stake
AP Trending SummaryBrief at 4:32 a.m. ESTTechnologies based on artificial intelligence (AI) are already affecting our everyday lives—from the systems that facilitate movie and music selections to language assistants that formulate emails. But what developments will come along in the coming years? Daniel Cremers, a professor of Computer Vision and Artificial Intelligence at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), offers insights into the future of AI. The objective of this research is to improve the ability of machines to analyze and interpret image data. How much contact do we already have with AI in our daily lives? Today we already deal with AI every day. Whenever we use such hardware devices as a laptop or , we have points of contact with AI—whether we are unlocking our phone with or using language assistant systems. Those are current examples of AI applications. What developments can we expect in the coming five to 10 years? In most cases, a new development undergoes years of research before the public hears about it. Our research therefore gives us indicators of what technologies are coming. We started working on advanced driver assistance and self-driving around 20 years ago. So I could foresee the coming of autonomous cars. To some extent, they are already here. There will also be autonomous robots and drones. It also seems possible to me that significant advances will be made in translation technologies. For years I have been waiting for the earbud that will translate back and forth between different languages in real time. And it should be able to speak any language in the sound of my own voice. Which other challenges lie ahead—especially with regard to the impact on society—as AI continues to develop and play an increasing role in everyday life? AI will have an enormous impact on our society. However, as always such significant changes also stir various fears among people. One example is the specific fear that AI will take away our job. Another relates to the lack of privacy in an AI world. Not everyone wants to become a see-through person, where every action can be tracked and analyzed. Specifically, what is your view of the influence of AI applications on our working world? One goal of AI is to take on tasks in order to make our lives easier. It is my hope that AI will help us especially with routine tasks. AI works particularly well in such tasks that involve the monotonous repetition of the same steps. People can then focus on more interesting and varying tasks that are also more challenging. However, there will be social changes where our input will be required to shape and guide them. For example, our society will have to ask what kind of training and qualifications will still be needed in the future? What occupational groups may require retraining? In history, humanity has regularly gone through such transitions and I am confident we will manage this. You talked about the influence on the working world. How will it look in the personal sphere? In the personal sphere, it is crucial for us as a society to agree on appropriate laws and regulations. However, we are living in a globalized world. That means that we do not know whether other countries go along with us—especially because the private sphere is not valued equally everywhere in the world. We face a similar challenge as with the topics of disarmament and climate change. We have to work together with other countries and ensure that a joint agreement is reached that everyone will comply with. With regard to data protection, Germany takes a highly restrictive approach. Does that involve economic disadvantages? In the first attempts to regulate AI, the importance of data protection was constantly emphasized. It was argued that should not be shared. The problem is that, when data protection is the sole concern and is entirely disabled, then relevant AI technologies cannot be developed. We have now reached the point where AI can help to detect tumors and other diseases with remarkable accuracy. The main hurdle was to obtain the necessary patient data while complying with all regulations. If the bureaucratic hurdles for accessing data are higher in our country than elsewhere, this will mean that AI technologies can be developed faster in other countries. So we need to assure data privacy, yet we also need to streamline the processes for appropriate data usage and technology development. Who is using our data to train AI? There is currently a lot of research and technological development happening both in academia and in industry. For training big neural network models, we not only need massive quantities of training data, but also huge amounts of computing power. That means that enormous investments in hardware and computing infrastructure will also be necessary. That is an area where currently academic research lags behind the big corporations. We are therefore very happy that national and Bavarian governments are promising significant investments. What is your overall assessment: Is AI just a fad or will it have a lasting impact on our lives? I don't think that AI is just a passing fad. I believe that it will have far-reaching effects on our lives in the coming years. Research in AI has been going on for a long time. There have been many phases where nobody believed in the success of this technology. That will not happen again, because we have since witnessed many breakthroughs in AI. In the coming years, it will become increasingly powerful and be deployed across even more areas. My responsibility as an AI researcher is to develop AI technologies that truly serve society and improve our lives and our world.