International
The Archbishop of Paris officially reopens Notre Dame Cathedral
The Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, has officially reopened the Notre Dame Cathedral this Saturday with a rite that has consisted of solemnly knocking on the doors knocking with his cross and waiting for the response of the Gothic temple, which has been intoned by the choirs inside, before crossing the threshold.
Specifically, the singers of Notre Dame have pronounced psalm 121 of the Bible – “I raise my eyes to the mountains; “Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, creator of heaven and earth”- each of the three times that the archbishop asked Notre Dame to open its doors.
The ceremony, which has had to be readjusted due to wind and rain and has begun with the ringing of the cathedral bells, is attended by dozens of leaders from all over the world, such as the President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, and the first lady, Jill Biden; the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni or the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump and Zelenski, on the Elysée
Both Trump and Zelenski had just been received at the Elysée, by Emmanuel Macron, a diplomatic victory for the French president, who has achieved this first meeting between both leaders since the victory of the Republican leader in the November elections, with the uncertain future of Washington’s support for Kiev against Russia on the table.
That has led to Macron and his wife, Brigitte, arriving later than expected at the esplanade of the cathedral, where a tent had been set up to allow the greeting and photo of the heads of state and government present.
In the absence of the French President, the acting Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, has taken care of the first welcome.
When Zelenski arrived a few minutes after Macron and entered the restored ship, the Ukrainian president was received with applause.
Elon Musk and Prince William among the guests
Meanwhile, some of the attendees took pictures with the billionaire businessman Elon Musk, also present at this ceremony in which there has been a large representation of European royalty, such as Prince William of Wales or the kings of the Belgians, Philip and Matilda.
Already with all the guests inside, the sign of the beginning of the ceremony has come from the bells, which Macron, his wife and the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, have heard standing in front of the facade.
A cross with wood recovered from the fire
Then the archbishop of Paris, accompanied by other clergy, has made a brief procession with the wooden cross with which he has knocked on the doors (made with wood recovered from the ruins of the April 2019 fire). All dressed with a cape with green, red, yellow and blue colors, each with a special liturgical meaning.
After opening the doors, he went to the pool with the holy water before returning outside to invite Macron, the French first lady and the Parisian mayor to enter.
With that, the next stage of the ceremony has begun, which initially should have been the first and taken place on the outdoor esplanade, with a more political character.
In this part Macron gives a speech before giving up the baton to Archbishop Ulrich who will continue with the planned religious rites, such as the calls to make the cathedral organ “wake up”.
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
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