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nn777 slot com The British singer-songwriter, 36, launched Weekends With Adele, located at The Colosseum theatre in Caesars Palace in November 2022. In July, she announced she would be taking a “big break” from music after her run of of sell-out shows at the venue, which seats around 4,000 people. In a social media post on Monday, she said: “Well what an adventure! Las Vegas you’ve been so good to me. A post shared by Adele (@adele) “This residency went on to mirror what 30 was about, lost and broken to healed and thriving! “Seems so fitting in the end. The only thing left to do in this case is move on.” The Easy On Me star made a return to the spotlight in 2021 when she released her fourth album, 30. Adele said: “These 100 shows have been so easy to love. “They were all completely different because I got to really be with every single person in the room every night. “I’ve loved every single second of it and I am so proud of it! I will miss it terribly, and I will miss you all terribly too. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! See you next time.” Videos posted online from her concert on Saturday show the singer getting tearful as she bid farewell to Vegas. “It’s been wonderful and I will miss it terribly and I will miss you terribly,” she said. “I don’t know when I next want to perform again.” The singer, full name Adele Adkins, shared an emotional embrace with Celine Dion after she spotted the music artist in the audience during her Las Vegas show last month. In August, Adele played shows in a purpose-built outdoor arena in Munich, with capacity for 80,000 people per night, and told fans on the last night that they would not be seeing her for a “long time”.THE smiling face of Ruben Amorim and the promise of a bright new future is supposed to be giving everyone at Manchester United a lift. Unfortunately, the public face of the Red Devils hides a very different story behind the scenes. One which could have the new boss pining for Lisbon before he knows it. The ramifications of a disastrous summer for the club under new leadership are still being felt. Not least among the rank-and-file staff, who are seeing their positions eroded and, in the worst-case scenario, extinguished altogether with 250 redundancies. They understandably wonder if they are collateral damage of decisions by the ex-manager and woeful recruitment. Even Sir Alex Ferguson has not been safe with his £2million-a-year ambassadorial role axed. Those who championed new part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s arrival as having put a spring in everyone’s step have lost their bounce. He took control of 27.7 per cent of the club from the Glazer family last February, with the mandate to run the football operation while the American owners sat back and continued to milk the cash cow. He brought in trusted wingman Sir Dave Brailsford although, to this day, nobody at the club knows quite what his skills are or what he does, rather than telling everyone what is wrong. FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS One of his first complaints was the state of the IT department’s office at the training ground, which he did not realise was actually an MUTV studio. The handling of former gaffer Erik ten Hag has leapt to the top of the charts regarding bungling in 11 years since Fergie retired and the bar is already pretty high. To cut a long story short, they wanted him out, couldn’t find anyone to replace him, asked him to stay, extended his contract, spent millions on a new coaching team at the Theatre of Dreams and then spent another £172.1MILLION in the transfer market. Just 11 games into the new season, the hierarchy decided they would once again return to square one at great expense, with pay-offs for all those going out and a release clause fee for the new bloke coming in. Now, questions are being asked internally at the highest level about how they got to this position, with fingers metaphorically pointed across the boardroom table. Sir Jim has effectively washed his hands of it all, having claimed when questions about Ten Hag’s future intensified, that it wasn’t on him to provide the answers as they had a new senior management team in place to do all that. That team includes Omar Berrada, the CEO poached from rivals Manchester City , who were not exactly tying him to the Etihad’s gates to stop him from going, and Dan Ashworth , the sporting director, who was good lower down the league on a budget. Then there is Jason Wilcox, the technical director, who is supposed to influence how United play now. If he’s already had input, goodness knows what he has been saying. By Charlie Wyett RUBEN AMORIM would have preferred to leave Lisbon in a blaze of glory after winning a third Primeira Liga title. Yet football does not work like that. And in what was surely his final game before taking charge of Manchester United, Amorim prepared to say his goodbyes at a half-empty Estadio Jose Alvalade in a League Cup quarter-final against Nacional. Sporting won 3-1 thanks to second-half goals by captain Morten Hjulmand and Viktor Gyokeres, who scored two. Luis Esteves pulled back for Madeira-based Nacional. The stadium will be a good deal more lively on Tuesday when Manchester City are here for a Champions League match — although Amorim should by then have his feet firmly under his desk at Old Trafford. Liverpool and Aston Villa were both interested in Europe’s most sought-after coach. Even City could have been a possible destination post-Pep Guardiola. Yet the United job is one Amorim, 39, could not turn down — even if not everyone saw it that way at Sporting last night. There is clearly a huge split in the Portuguese club’s fan base over their coach leaving at this stage of the season with many believing he should have seen the job through. Yet Amorim, along with the three-man coaching team who are expected to follow him, leaves a club in a much better state than when he arrived here in 2020. Inside the stadium, there was applause — albeit muted — when his name was read out before the game along with the line-ups. And there did not appear to be any jeers when Amorim shuffled out from the tunnel awkwardly towards the dugout. So, while his departure is hard to take for some, none of the fans will forget his legacy. This is a club which is back as the dominant force in Portugal. Even this term, Sporting have won their first nine league games, scoring 30 goals and conceding just two. They are also eighth in the Champions League table, which is one hell of an effort. In contrast, Lisbon was not exactly hit by League Cup fever last night. Amorim made lots of changes, which saw Sporting’s star man Gyokeres, the former Coventry striker, start on the bench. There was, however, a first appearance in six weeks for former Tottenham winger Marcus Edwards. He is certainly one player who has been transformed by Amorim since arriving at the club from Vitoria in 2022 and will be sorry to see the coach leave. While he changed his team, Amorim stuck with his tried and trusted formation of a back three. It will certainly be something Manchester United’s fans will have to get used to over the coming months. But looking at the Premier League table, none of them will be complaining about the change. All will undoubtedly have had a significant influence on the summer spending splurge, which failed to raise the team’s performance. The most bizarre transfer was the £36.5m paid to Bologna for Joshua Zirkzee . Ten Hag didn’t want him. He arrived a stone overweight and has scored ONE goal. Apparently a metatarsal problem showed up on Leny Yoro’s medical ahead of a £42m spend. Lo and behold, in his second game of pre-season , he got a metatarsal injury and has only just started training during the current international break. Then the question is why would Bayern Munich let go of defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui at a combined total of £51.3m up front, rising to a possible £59.5m, if they were that good? Only Manuel Ugarte , the £42.2m signing from Paris Saint-Germain, is looking close to being a United player, yet even he does not look a step up from Scott McTominay, who left for Napoli and is ripping it up. The spending means Amorim’s ability to do anything in the next transfer window will be restricted unless he can shift players, but who is going to buy anyone from Old Trafford right now? All this time behind the scenes, the ship is far from happy, with staff unceremoniously thrown overboard in a penny-pinching purge. It has even led to chefs pulling their hair out to try to cover matchday hospitality on reduced budgets and staffing levels. Long-standing employees feel like they have been cast aside like rubbish. The most alarming story came when a staff member with 25 years at the club behind him was told he was being given a commemorative watch for his service. He was then told to pick it up at main reception, where a security guard handed it to him in a polythene bag. That’s a picture to show the grandkids in the future . An award-winning journalist is currently tasked with shadowing Sir Jim and his new regime for a book on how they turned United around. It may end up being a work of fiction. WHEN Ruben Amorim took charge of Sporting Lisbon in March 2020, one club official compared their situation to the “walking dead”, writes Jordan Davies . Optimism and hope was at an all-time low. But the Amorim-effect was almost instantaneous, guiding the Portuguese sleeping giants to their first league title for 19 years in 2020/21, losing just once and only conceding 20 goals. Since then, Sporting have lifted another league title in 2023/24 – as well as two League Cups – and currently sit top with nine wins from nine this term. He may be young, but Amorim already has an eye for rebuilding and revitalising fallen super powers with his infectious charisma and intense tactical philosophy that hardly ever wavers. The “walking dead” at Manchester United must be praying for a similar sort of revival. And they may just get it from one of the most talented young coaches on the continent – a man accustomed to breathing new life back into crumbling institutions such as Old Trafford. Amorim has spent the last decade dreaming of one day gracing England’s Premier League, such was his admiration for an ex-United boss in Jose Mourinho growing up. Often nicknamed ‘Mourinho 2.0’, Amorim spent a week with his coaching idol in an internship capacity at United’s Carrington training base in 2018, going on to cite him as his “reference point”. United should not be expecting a mini-Mourinho, as Amorim said himself: “Mourinho is one of a kind. There won't be another Mourinho. Mourinho is unique.” And yet, you cannot help but compare the two. For all the mismanagement in the Old Trafford hot seats over the years, this would be a real get – finally a slap in the face United’s Prem rivals have no answer for.

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T he other day, I got a monthly call from my two civil friends from Manipur, a Kuki and a Meitei. They had struck an emotional chord with me during my two-year command of the Churachandpur-based 27 Sector of the Assam Rifles in the capacity of Deputy Inspector-General from 2013. Both had been beneficiaries of the artificial limb, widely known as the “Jaipur foot”. After a brief tete-a-tete with them, a wave of nostalgia washed over me recollecting a free artificial limb camp organised in collaboration with Shree Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti, Jaipur. I vividly recall my first day in office when my staff took me around the Sector headquarters premises. Though there is no discrimination based on community in the Army or Assam Rifles, I found the bonhomie between Kuki and Meitei soldiers not up to the desired level. I found one barracks Kuki-dominated, while the other was largely of Meiteis. It somehow did not gel with my grooming and ethos of my parent battalion, 27 Punjab, which was the pilot project for a mixed battalion of Sikhs, Dogras and the Other Indian Classes. As a Commander, I was determined to break the ice between Kukis and Meiteis. I decided to implement the time-tested standing operating procedure of the buddy system, though a hybrid one — the buddy pair to have one Kuki and one Meitei each. Just to set an example, I set the ball rolling with my Commander’s secretariat. I selected a Kuki as my PA and a Meitei as my radio operator. I organised all the soldiers of the Sector HQ into hybrid buddy pairs. Every soldier is supposed to remain with his buddy 24x7 whether during operations or having food. Within a week, I could sense the bonds strengthening between both communities. Witnessing the success of this pilot project at the Sector HQ, I enforced the same SOP in all the six battalions under my command. I recount how in one deadly ambush, a Kuki scout was instrumental in saving the life of his Meitei buddy scout by charging at the militants while firing a fusillade from his AK-47. This inflection point snowballed into conviviality between the Kuki and Meitei villages. The festivals of Kukis and Meiteis were jointly celebrated with equal gusto and fervour. Back to the artificial limb camp. Despite catering for some reserve limbs on the last day, we were left with just six artificial limbs while we had 12 beneficiaries — six Kukis and six Meiteis — still on the waiting list. My staff was in a quandary with anxiety writ large on their faces for fear of favouring a particular community. I advised them to keep a cool head and just identify the most needy three Kukis and three Meiteis. The next morning, we tried to identify the six most deserving cases. Suddenly, I saw an aged Kuki walk up to us with a pensive look. “Sir, let all these six Meitei people take the ‘Jaipur foot’ as they are quite young. We have already lived our lives,” the septuagenarian sporting an off-kilter hat said in a gravelly voice. His words had tugged at my heartstrings which left me utterly dumbfounded. Meiteis who were overhearing politely declined. I immediately dialled the top man of the Jaipur samiti and made a frantic request for an additional six prosthetic limbs. Thankfully, he sent them on the flight the next day. Finally, all the 12 beneficiaries left the camp happily walking confidently on their own. The unwavering spirit of both communities to sacrifice for each other remains etched in my mind. Against the backdrop of the now strife-torn Manipur, I pray for those times to come back. advityanidhi14@gmail.com Published - December 08, 2024 12:54 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp RedditNone

CNN wants the North Carolina lieutenant governor's defamation lawsuit against it thrown outLAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Jaylon Johnson wasn't all that interested in discussing any bright spots or reasons to have hope for the Chicago Bears. The star cornerback made his feelings clear. “I’ve been in slumps four, five years in a row now,” Johnson said Monday. "So, I mean at the end of the day, I don’t look for, ‘OK, what is going to be better in the future?’ ... It will be better when it’s better. So, right now, it’s not better. That’s all I can go off of.” The Bears (4-7) are last in the NFC North and have five straight losses after falling 30-27 to Minnesota in overtime. They wiped out an 11-point deficit in the final 22 seconds of regulation, only to come up short again when the Vikings' Parker Romo kicked a 29-yard field goal. It was the third game during this skid that came down to the final play. The Bears also lost on a Hail Mary at Washington in Week 8 and had a game-ending field goal attempt by Cairo Santos blocked by Green Bay in Week 11. Players have openly questioned some of the coaching decisions in recent weeks. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron got fired before the game against Green Bay. And coach Matt Eberflus' game management came under more scrutiny against Minnesota. With the Bears trailing 17-10 in the third quarter, there was some confusion on a fourth-and-4 at the Vikings 27. Eberflus said he didn't do a good enough job communicating on the previous play that they would go for it on fourth down. That led to a chaotic sequence in which Santos and long snapper Scott Daly ran onto the field, only to get waved off by a lineman. Quarterback Caleb Williams had to rush to get everyone lined up properly in order to avoid a delay of game. He wound up barking out the wrong play because he misheard the call from offensive coordinator Thomas Brown and threw an incomplete pass. Receiver DJ Moore said Eberflus had not addressed that play with the team. The Bears were scheduled to meet later Monday. “That moment was just like, like a ‘what is going on’ moment that we could have avoided,” he said. The passing game. Williams has clearly looked more comfortable in the two games since Brown replaced the fired Shane Waldron as offensive coordinator. The No. 1 draft pick followed up a solid performance against Green Bay by throwing for 340 yards and two touchdowns. It was his fourth straight turnover-free game and fifth in a row without an interception. Field goal protection. One week after his game-ending 46-yard field goal attempt against Green Bay got blocked, Santos had a 48-yarder rejected on his first try against Minnesota. It happened from the same area, in the middle of the line, when the Vikings' Jerry Tillery knocked down the kick. “I just think it’s technique," Eberflus said. "It’s getting your foot down, bracing up there, staying lower. ... We just have to do a better job there with that.” It was the third blocked field goal for Santos this year, the most for Chicago in a single season since it also had three blocked in 2012. He had a 43-yard try blocked in a win over Jacksonville on Oct. 13. Moore. The Bears have done a better job getting Moore involved under Brown. Moore caught seven passes for a season-high 106 yards and a touchdown against Minnesota. That gave him 14 receptions for 168 yards the past two games, compared to 13 for 104 yards over the previous four. Johnson's 27-yard catch down the middle set up Santos' tying field goal at the end of regulation. But it's not just deep shots. The Bears are finding ways to get the ball in his hands, allowing him to turn short passes into bigger gains. He also had a 13-yard run. RB D’Andre Swift. After a string of solid outings, Swift had just 30 yards on 13 carries. To be fair, he has been dealing with a groin issue, and he was going against the NFL's No. 1 run defense. The Bears reported no injuries during the game. 5-18 — The Bears' record in one-possession games in nearly three seasons under Eberflus, including a 2-5 mark this year. They are 14-31 overall during Eberflus' tenure. The schedule doesn't get any easier, with a Thanksgiving matchup at NFC North leader Detroit. The Lions (10-1) have won nine straight since losing to Tampa Bay in Week 2. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

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NEW YORK — If you’re a Blues player, you might check your phone and get a notification that your new head coach has sent you a TikTok. “(If) I see something that when I’m sitting at home reading, or I do like to do TikTok, and I get something that I think relates and connects to our group, I’ll send it out in a text thread,” new Blues coach Jim Montgomery said Monday morning before making his Blues coaching debut in New York. Blues players should know to expect this, of course, since Montgomery did this when he was an assistant coach in St. Louis from 2020-22. His familiarity with the Blues roster is part of the reason why both Montgomery and general manager Doug Armstrong felt he was a good fit back in St. Louis. “He used to send me a lot of motivational stuff, and mindset stuff,” Blues forward Robert Thomas said. “I really enjoyed it. I obviously don’t have TikTok and I can’t watch them anymore, but it was pretty funny and really cool part about our relationship.” Montgomery: “Because to me, even though when I’m at home, I try to be very present with my own family. Your mind when something connects with me emotionally, I’m going to share that. That lets the players know what kind of person I am, and that I’m thinking about them.” Montgomery’s relationship with Blues players was something that was a topic of conversation on his first game day as the St. Louis coach. Of the current 23-man active roster, 14 Blues players were around when Montgomery was an assistant back in 2021-22. That was also the year that Thomas, Jordan Kyrou and Pavel Buchnevich each became point-per-game players for the first time in their careers. “A lot of us give him a lot of credit for taking big steps in our career to him: myself, Buchy, Rouzy,” Thomas said. “He was a big part of getting us to the players we are today. It’s really exciting to be back with him and back on the ice with him today.” What aspects of Thomas’ game did Montgomery help bring out? “A big thing was making the right play at the right time, puck possession, being on the right side of things,” Thomas said. “At times, you can be a little bit more opportunistic and, at times, you need to play into the system. He was a huge help for me, someone that I really relied on a couple years ago. Can’t say enough how excited I am to see him back here.” So many times in recent NHL seasons, the mood is tense after a coach is fired. Most times, the team is underperforming and the coach pays the price with his job. But general manager Doug Armstrong made it clear that Montgomery’s availability — and not the Blues’ 9-12-1 record — was the motivating factor behind the change. “This one does feel different for sure,” Blues captain Brayden Schenn said. “One, because he does know his players. Two, he’s so well-respected in this locker room. Three, when we was here, he got a lot out of a lot of guys, self included. He’s a guy that he’s fun to be around, but at the same time, he’s detailed and smart and guys respect him.” Montgomery will have to sort out how to squeeze more offense out of the Blues, particularly guys like Kyrou and Buchnevich, who Montgomery called “skilled guys that think the game at a high level that compete.” “To me, this is an offensive-slanted team,” Montgomery said. “It just shows you how hard it is to score. We’ve got to get the details and being in the right areas, the hard areas at the right times to be able to score more. But we have the ability to score goals.” The Blues entered Monday’s game in New York 30th in the league scoring 2.36 goals per game. (Montgomery’s former team Boston was last at 2.32.) “He’s detailed and structured, but at the same time, he lets his guys play hockey,” Schenn said. “He wants his creative guys to be creative. He wants his guys to play hard, he wants them to be aggressive, everything within the system. He doesn’t want everyone to play the same. He doesn’t want everyone to be robotic out there. That was kind of his messaging.” Broberg on the ice Blues defenseman Philip Broberg was on the ice for morning skate on Monday, joining the team in New York and on the ice with the Blues for the first time since his lower-body injury on Nov. 2. Broberg is three weeks into a projected 4-6 week timetable, but did not participate in every drill during skate on Monday. On Sunday, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong was asked about the progress of both Broberg and Nick Leddy (lower-body). “I’m not sure what close is anymore,” Armstrong said. “They’re skating, which is a positive. They’re not on the road trip (as of Sunday), which is a negative. ... We can’t worry about when they get back. We have to be prepared to work tomorrow night. When they get back, that’s a bonus.” Monday night’s game was the 11th that Broberg missed since he was injured against the Maple Leafs when Mitch Marner fell on his right knee. On Bannister Before Thomas spoke about Montgomery, he wanted to make sure he talked about Drew Bannister, who was fired Sunday in order to make way for Montgomery’s hiring. “He was a great person, great hockey mind, great coach,” Thomas said. “I learned a lot from him as a player and also as a person. I just want to say thank you to him. It’s always tough going through a change, and I wish him and his family all the best.” In the 64 games that Thomas was in the lineup under Bannister, he racked up 68 points and averaged 21:08 of ice time, more than a minute above the next closest Blues forward.Trump’s FBI pick Kash Patel faces scrutiny over overhaul plansUnitedHealth murder suspect has angry outburst as details of his life emerge

PARIS (AP) — Howling winds couldn’t stop Notre Dame Cathedral ’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 monument roared back to life Saturday evening. For the first time since a devastating blaze nearly destroyed it in 2019, the towering Gothic masterpiece reopened for worship, its rebirth marked by song, prayer, and awe beneath its soaring arches. The ceremony, initially planned to begin on the forecourt, was moved entirely inside due to unusually fierce December winds sweeping across the Île de la Cité, flanked by the River Seine. 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 restoration, a spectacular achievement in just five years for a structure that took nearly two centuries to build, is seen as a moment of triumph for French President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious timeline — and a welcome respite from his domestic political woes . 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. Observers see the event as Macron's, and his intention to pivot it into a fully fledged diplomatic gathering, while highlighting France’s ability to unite on the global stage despite internal political crises. Speaking inside the cathedral, Macron expressed “gratitude” Saturday to those who saved, helped, and rebuilt Notre Dame, his voice reverberating through the nave. “I stand before you ... to express the gratitude of the French nation,” he said, before voices raised in song flooded the space, filling it with harmonies not heard in over five years. “Tonight, the bells of Notre Dame are ringing again. And in a moment, the organ will awaken,” sending the “music of hope” cascading through the luminous interior to Parisians, France, and the world beyond, he said. The celebration is expected to give a much-needed boost to the embattled French leader, whose prime minister was ousted this week , plunging the nation’s politics into more turmoil. Macron has called Notre Dame’s reopening “a jolt of hope.” Observers say he hoped the occasion would briefly silence his critics and showcase France’s unity and resilience under his leadership — a rare moment of grace in a presidency now facing a grave crisis. Inside, 42,000 square meters of stonework — an area equal to six soccer pitches — were meticulously cleaned, revealing luminous limestone and intricate carvings. Overhead, 2,000 oak beams, nicknamed “the forest,” were used to rebuild the spire and roof, restoring the cathedral’s iconic silhouette. The thunderous great organ, with 7,952 pipes ranging from pen-sized to torso-wide, is resounding for the first time since the fire. Its newly renovated console, boasting five keyboards, 115 stops, and 30 foot pedals, was a marvel of restoration, reawakening a cornerstone of Notre Dame’s identity. Guests gradually filing into the cathedral for the evening reopening ceremonies were awestruck by the renovated interiors, many whipping out cellphones to capture the moment. “It’s a sense of perfection,” said François Le Page of the Notre Dame Foundation, which raised nearly half of the €900 million ($950 million) in donations for the restoration. He last visited in 2021, when the cathedral was cloaked in scaffolding. “It was somber,” he said. “It’s night and day.” 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. The Rev. Andriy Morkvas, a Ukrainian pastor who leads the Volodymyr Le Grand church in Paris, reflected on his first visit to Notre Dame in over a decade. “I didn’t recognize it,” he said. “God is very powerful; He can change things.” He expressed hope that the cathedral’s revival could inspire peace in his homeland, drawing strength from the presence of Ukraine’s president. “I think that will have a big impact,” he said. “I hope Notre Dame and Mary will help us resolve this conflict.” The reopening of Notre Dame comes at a time of profound global unrest, with wars raging in Ukraine and the Middle East. For Catholics, Notre Dame’s rector said the cathedral “carries the enveloping presence of the Virgin Mary, a maternal and embracing presence.′′ “It is a magnificent symbol of unity,” Olivier Ribadeau Dumas said. “Notre Dame is not just a French monument — it is a magnificent sign of hope.” The international range of dignitaries coming to Paris underline the cathedral’s significance as a symbol of shared heritage and peace. 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 echoed to the sound of a sustained standing ovation after the showing of a short movie that documented the gargantuan rebuilding effort. Outside, the word “MERCI” — thank you — was projected against the cathedral’s iconic western facade. The movie showed the terrible wounds left by the inferno — the gaping holes torn into its vaulted ceilings and the burned roof. But that was followed by images of all types of artisans, many using traditional handicraft techniques, who collectively restored Notre Dame to look better now than ever. "We went from night to light," said one of the workers in the movie. Security will be high through the weekend, echoing measures taken during the Paris Olympics earlier this year. The Île de la Cité — the small island in the River Seine that is home to Notre Dame and the historic heart of Paris— is closed to tourists and non-residents. Police vans and barriers blocked cobblestoned streets in a large perimeter around the island, while soldiers in thick body armor and sniffer dogs patrolled embankments. A special security detail is following Trump. Public viewing areas along the Seine’s southern bank will accommodate 40,000 spectators, who can follow the celebrations 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 set to welcome 15 million visitors annually, up from 12 million before the fire. 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.NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction , arguing continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that dismissal is warranted because of the “overwhelming national mandate granted to him by the American people on November 5, 2024.” They also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’" Trump’s legal team wrote. The Manhattan district attorney, they claimed, had engaged in the type of political theater "that President Biden condemned.” Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated a willingness to delay the sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. In their filing Monday, Trump's attorneys dismissed the idea of holding off sentencing until Trump is out of office as a “ridiculous suggestion.” Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. He says they did not and denies any wrongdoing. Taking a swipe at Bragg and New York City, as Trump often did throughout the trial, the filing argues that dismissal would also benefit the public by giving him and “the numerous prosecutors assigned to this case a renewed opportunity to put an end to deteriorating conditions in the City and to protect its residents from violent crime.” Clearing Trump, the lawyers added, would also allow him to “to devote all of his energy to protecting the Nation.” The defense filing was signed by Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial and have since been selected by the president-elect to fill senior roles at the Justice Department. A dismissal would erase Trump’s historic conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Trump takes office on Jan. 20. Merchan hasn’t set a timetable for a decision. Merchan could also decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option. Prosecutors had cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump’s company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses — concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged. Trump has pledged to appeal the verdict if the case is not dismissed. He and his lawyers said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work. A month after the verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that ex-presidents can’t be prosecuted for official acts — things they did in the course of running the country — and that prosecutors can’t cite those actions to bolster a case centered on purely personal, unofficial conduct. Trump’s lawyers cited the ruling to argue that the hush money jury got some improper evidence, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made during his first term. Prosecutors disagreed and said the evidence in question was only “a sliver” of their case. If the verdict stands and the case proceeds to sentencing, Trump’s punishments would range from a fine to probation to up to four years in prison — but it’s unlikely he’d spend any time behind bars for a first-time conviction involving charges in the lowest tier of felonies. Because it is a state case, Trump would not be able to pardon himself once he returns to office. Presidential pardons apply only to federal crimes.

Finding the can be daunting. The only way to truly ensure you get it right would be to ask the recipient what they want, but that wouldn’t be much fun for either of you. Luckily, there’s another tactic to help you earn a “gift whisperer” reputation: seeking out unique, practical, game-changing gifts that will truly surprise and delight. But that’s about as easy as it sounds, which is to say it’s not easy at all. So, we’ve done the legwork for you. Start making your list with this compilation of some of the most innovative, functional and fun gifts of 2024. There’s something for every budget. Bear with me: The new set elevates the pedestrian pepper and spice mill in both function and style. Available in three colors (Sangria Red, Midnight Black and Soft Cream), the rechargeable-battery unit grinds with a light touch rather than hand-tiring twists. That’s easier for everyone and especially helpful for those experiencing hand or wrist issues such as arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome or tendinitis. And it’s fun to use. The set includes a stackable storage tray and four pods that can be easily swapped as needed: The GT microplane grater for hard spices, nuts and chocolate; the MAX for large spices and dried herbs; the ProPlus for smaller and oily spices; and the Pepper Pod for, well, pepper. $110. Campers and backyard firepit lovers who have experienced the heartbreak of wet wood will appreciate having a three-pack of on hand. Made of 89% recycled materials, including sanding dust, wax and flint, the food-safe, eco-friendly, 3-by-2-by-1-inch fire starters will light a fire quickly without matches, lighters or kindling. Just loop the attached green string around a log, incorporate it into a wood stack, and pull the attached red string to ignite. Each windproof, rainproof block burns for 30 minutes. $29.99. The , a company known for its portioned, silicone freezer trays, lives up to its name. The utensils — a serving spoon and a ladle — have innovative, S-shaped handles designed to rest on the edge of a pot, keeping them upright so they won’t slip in. The design also eliminates the need for a spoon rest or, worse, placing dirty utensils on the kitchen counter or stovetop between stirs. A silicone coating in a choice of Aqua, Charcoal, Cranberry or Blueberry keeps handles cool to the touch. $24.99. The could turn anyone into an avid birdwatcher. Equipped with an HD camera, the dual-chamber feeder enables up-close livestreaming of avian visitors, as well as species-logging via the free mobile app. An optional premium subscription ($59.99 annually or $6.99 monthly) includes unlimited photo and video storage, AI identification with species-specific details, and the opportunity to earn badges for logging new visitors. Turn on notifications to get alerts sent to your phone whenever there’s activity at the feeder. $179.99. Fujifilm’s smartphone printer offers a touch of nostalgia without sacrificing technology. Just load the 4.9-by-3.5-by-1.3-inch printer with Instax Mini instant film and connect it to your Android or iOS device via Bluetooth to print wallet-size photos. If you want to get fancy, you can adjust brightness, contrast and saturation, or apply filters, including 3D augmented-reality effects, via the free Instax Mini Link app. It can also make collages of up to six images, or animate photos to share on social media. Available in Rose Pink, Clay White and Sage Green. $99.95. The appropriately named is one of the best gifts you can give your houseplant-loving friends, regardless of their experience level. Select a pot color, size and plant (or get recommendations based on sunlight requirements, pet friendliness and other attributes) and fill the self-watering container’s built-in reservoir roughly once a month. Moisture will permeate the soil from the bottom as needed, eliminating the often-fatal consequences of over- or under-watering. It’s also a literal lifesaver come vacation time. $49-$259. Related Articles If you’ve got a no-dairy friend on your list, a plant-based milk maker could save them money while allowing them to avoid sugar, stabilizers, thickeners and preservatives. The both blends and strains ingredients, converting nuts, seeds, grains or oats into velvety-smooth milk in just one minute, with zero grit. And for zero waste, the pasty leftover pulp can be used in other recipes for added nutrients. The device also makes infused oils, flavored waters and soups. And, importantly, cleanup is easy. Available in white and black. $400. For friends who prefer stronger beverages, the uses “smart” technology to ensure wine is served at its ideal temperature. Unlike traditional wine refrigerators, this device doesn’t take up any floor space. It also doesn’t chill wine to just one or two temperatures based on its color. Instead — paired with the free QelviQ app — the tabletop chiller relies on a database of more than 350,000 wines to bring a bottle to its specific recommended serving temperature in as little as 20 minutes. It also suggests food-wine and wine-food pairings. Plus, the appliance serves as a great icebreaker to inspire dinnertime conversation. Available in Exciting Red, Dashing Black and Dreamy White. $495. Grilling food after dark — and ascertaining its doneness — can prove challenging without outdoor lighting, and it’s nearly impossible to cook while holding a flashlight. But as is often the case, the simplest of solutions can make the biggest of impacts: puts illumination into the handles of its stainless-steel spatula and tongs. After use, the lights can be removed and the utensils run through the dishwasher. $40.