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yandex game Toronto, Ontario–(Newsfile Corp. – November 22, 2024) – Express Boxes is thrilled to unveil its new DIY Custom Box Maker Tool , an intuitive online platform that allows customers to design their own packaging with ease. Featuring 12 versatile base styles, this innovative tool empowers businesses to create customized boxes tailored to their unique needs-all from the convenience of their computer or mobile device. Custom Gable Box with Window To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10506/231148_1999a94104013a09_001full.jpg With the DIY Custom Box Tool, users can select a base style, input their desired dimensions, and upload their artwork or graphics. The process is simple, efficient, and designed to help brands bring their vision to life. Once a design is submitted, Express Boxes ensures accuracy and quality with a human-led proofing process . This includes a thorough review of the box design, print proofing, and customer approval before the order is sent into production. “At Express Boxes, we understand how important it is for businesses to stand out in today’s competitive market,” said Joseph Doplaga, Sales Manager at Express Boxes. “Our DIY Custom Box Tool not only makes customization accessible but ensures every box meets our rigorous quality standards. It’s the perfect solution for anyone looking to elevate their brand through creative and reliable packaging.” Get Creative with Custom Boxes The versatility of Express Boxes’ DIY Custom Box Tool opens up countless opportunities for creativity and innovation. Businesses can use custom boxes in a variety of unique and impactful ways: Whether a startup or a well-established business, these custom packaging options can help amplify a brand’s creativity and visibility. 12 Bases available to start custom boxes To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10506/231148_1999a94104013a09_002full.jpg Highlights of the DIY Custom Box Tool: This game-changing tool is now available on the Express Boxes website, making it easier than ever for businesses to design and order custom packaging. Cutting table at the Express Box Toronto Factory To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10506/231148_1999a94104013a09_003full.jpg Visit https://expressboxes.com/ for more details. About Express Boxes Express Boxes, based in Toronto, ON, is a leader in shipping and packaging solutions, providing innovative, high-quality, and eco-friendly products. Dedicated to customization and customer satisfaction, Express Boxes helps businesses create packaging that protects, promotes, and inspires. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/231148 #distroBy MICHELLE L. PRICE and ROB GILLIES NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s recent dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in policy and diplomacy. They were also prime trolling opportunities for Trump. Related Articles National Politics | Trump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina Khan National Politics | Biden issues veto threat on bill expanding federal judiciary as partisan split emerges National Politics | Rick Scott condemns garlic from China as a ‘major threat’ to U.S. security and food safety National Politics | Trump lawyers and aide hit with 10 additional felony charges in Wisconsin over 2020 fake electors National Politics | After withdrawing as attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz lands a talk show on OANN television Throughout his first term in the White House and during his campaign to return, Trump has spun out countless provocative, antagonizing and mocking statements. There were his belittling nicknames for political opponents, his impressions of other political figures and the plentiful memes he shared on social media. Now that’s he’s preparing to return to the Oval Office, Trump is back at it, and his trolling is attracting more attention — and eyerolls. On Sunday, Trump turned a photo of himself seated near a smiling first lady Jill Biden at the Notre Dame ceremony into a social media promo for his new perfume and cologne line, with the tag line, “A fragrance your enemies can’t resist!” The first lady’s office declined to comment. When Trudeau hastily flew to Florida to meet with Trump last month over the president-elect’s threat to impose a 25% tax on all Canadian products entering the U.S., the Republican tossed out the idea that Canada become the 51st U.S. state. The Canadians passed off the comment as a joke, but Trump has continued to play up the dig, including in a post Tuesday morning on his social media network referring to the prime minister as “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.” After decades as an entertainer and tabloid fixture, Trump has a flair for the provocative that is aimed at attracting attention and, in his most recent incarnation as a politician, mobilizing fans. He has long relished poking at his opponents, both to demean and minimize them and to delight supporters who share his irreverent comments and posts widely online and cheer for them in person. Trump, to the joy of his fans, first publicly needled Canada on his social media network a week ago when he posted an AI-generated image that showed him standing on a mountain with a Canadian flag next to him and the caption “Oh Canada!” After his latest post, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday: “It sounds like we’re living in a episode of South Park.” Trudeau said earlier this week that when it comes to Trump, “his approach will often be to challenge people, to destabilize a negotiating partner, to offer uncertainty and even sometimes a bit of chaos into the well established hallways of democracies and institutions and one of the most important things for us to do is not to freak out, not to panic.” Even Thanksgiving dinner isn’t a trolling-free zone for Trump’s adversaries. On Thanksgiving Day, Trump posted a movie clip from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” with President Joe Biden and other Democrats’ faces superimposed on the characters in a spoof of the turkey-carving scene. The video shows Trump appearing to explode out of the turkey in a swirl of purple sparks, with the former president stiffly dancing to one of his favorite songs, Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” In his most recent presidential campaign, Trump mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, refusing to call his GOP primary opponent by his real name and instead dubbing him “Ron DeSanctimonious.” He added, for good measure, in a post on his Truth Social network: “I will never call Ron DeSanctimonious ‘Meatball’ Ron, as the Fake News is insisting I will.” As he campaigned against Biden, Trump taunted him in online posts and with comments and impressions at his rallies, deriding the president over his intellect, his walk, his golf game and even his beach body. After Vice President Kamala Harris took over Biden’s spot as the Democratic nominee, Trump repeatedly suggested she never worked at McDonalds while in college. Trump, true to form, turned his mocking into a spectacle by appearing at a Pennsylvania McDonalds in October, when he manned the fries station and held an impromptu news conference from the restaurant drive-thru. Trump’s team thinks people should get a sense of humor. “President Trump is a master at messaging and he’s always relatable to the average person, whereas many media members take themselves too seriously and have no concept of anything else other than suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome,” said Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director. “President Trump will Make America Great Again and we are getting back to a sense of optimism after a tumultuous four years.” Though both the Biden and Harris campaigns created and shared memes and launched other stunts to respond to Trump’s taunts, so far America’s neighbors to the north are not taking the bait. “I don’t think we should necessarily look on Truth Social for public policy,” Miller said. Gerald Butts, a former top adviser to Trudeau and a close friend, said Trump brought up the 51st state line to Trudeau repeatedly during Trump’s first term in office. “Oh God,” Butts said Tuesday, “At least a half dozen times.” “This is who he is and what he does. He’s trying to destabilize everybody and make people anxious,” Butts said. “He’s trying to get people on the defensive and anxious and therefore willing to do things they wouldn’t otherwise entertain if they had their wits about them. I don’t know why anybody is surprised by it.” Gillies reported from Toronto. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.BOSSCAT Recognized for Excellence, Innovation and Growth with Prestigious 2024 Contractor/Rehab Company of the Year Award at the Third Annual IMN SFR Industry Awards Event in Scottsdale, AZ on December 2, 2024 . CHARLESTON, S.C. , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- BOSSCAT TM Home Services and Technologies, a leading provider of home technology, improvement and repair solutions, announced today that it has been awarded the prestigious IMN 2024 Contractor/Rehab Company of the Year Award at the third annual Industry Award Ceremony. The award recognizes the company's commitment to customer-centered innovation, excellence in service delivery, cost effectiveness and focus on client satisfaction. "This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire BOSSCAT team," said Dan Vercek , Senior Vice President of Field Operations. "We are honored to be recognized by IMN for our commitment to delivering superior home services, and this recognition inspires us to continue raising the bar for excellence in the industry." The event, held on December 2, 2024 in Scottsdale, AZ , brought together leading companies and professionals from across the industry to celebrate achievements in service, innovation, and growth. BOSSCAT stood out among a competitive field of nominees for its exceptional growth in the past year, driven by strategic partnerships, innovative technologies, and a commitment to championing both customers and skilled tradesmen and women. About Information Management Network (IMN) Founded in 1994, IMN is the premier real estate conference business in the United States , providing a high-quality intelligence and networking platform that drives industry connections, deal flow and knowledge transfer across multiple corporate functions and property types. IMN's series of SFR conferences have been considered the de facto gatherings for the industry since their inception 12 years ago, featuring a "Who's Who" of SFR & BTR owner/operators, ranging from large institutional groups to smaller players, property managers, "fix & flippers", lenders, and service providers/vendors. Over 1,600 SFR professionals attend the must-attend event for the industry's calendar, where attendees will establish connections, generate business and learn from SFR pioneers driving this space forward. Learn more at sfrwest.com About BOSSCAT Home Services and Technologies BOSSCAT Home Services and Technologies is the leading real estate platform reshaping homeownership by digitizing home inspection data for instant estimates and online ordering of repair, renovation, and maintenance services. Proprietary technology and exclusive access to proprietary data power the platform to deliver lifecycle services at scale through innovative products, process automation, and direct integration with industry partners. BOSSCAT's Instant Estimate technology is available in all 50 states and Canada. The company is a licensed and insured general contractor in all operational markets with a commitment to advancing the skilled trades. BOSSCAT has been recognized by Inc. 500 and Inc. 5000 as one of the fastest growing, privately held repair and renovation companies in the country for three consecutive years. Learn more at BosscatHome.com . MEDIA INQUIRIES: Mark Kearns Chief Financial Officer Mark@BosscatHome.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bosscat-home-services-and-technologies-wins-imn-2024-contractor-of-the-year-award-at-third-annual-industry-award-ceremony-302334312.html SOURCE BOSSCAT

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Expected Growth of U.S. LNG Exports to Support Nearly 500,000 Jobs Annually and Add $1.3 Trillion to United States Gross Domestic Product Through 2040, New S&P Global Study FindsX owner Elon Musk wants users to stop using hashtags on the social media platform. But why? According to Elon Musk, the X system does not need hashtags anymore, and they look "ugly". "Please stop using hashtags. The system doesn’t need them anymore and they look ugly," Musk posted on X, reposting an answer by Grok on using hashtags on the social media platform. X Search Engine: Elon Musk’s Social Platform To Introduce New Search Engine, Says Report . Please stop using hashtags. The system doesn’t need them anymore and they look ugly. https://t.co/GKEp1v1wiB — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 17, 2024 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)

Xi Jinping's anti-corruption crackdown continues as China expands 200 detention centres

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Over 18,000 people in Mexico have registered online to run for Supreme Court seats and federal judgeships in the country’s contentious new selection process , officials said Monday. But a random drawing in the end will determine who gets on the ballot. The ruling party pushed through a constitutional reform in September to make all federal judges stand for election, replacing the system where court employees and lawyers mainly move up through the ranks. Current court employees and their supporters have staged dozens of demonstrations against the reforms, calling them part of a ruling-party campaign to weaken checks and balances and eliminate independent regulatory and oversight bodies. Now, candidates for Supreme Court seats and federal judgeships need only a law degree, a grade point average of 3.2, “five years of professional experience” and five letters of recommendation from neighbors or friends. That, and some luck in the final drawing. Officials rejected criticism that has called the process rushed or amateurish for the often highly technical posts that can hear cases including intellectual property, organized crime and Constitutional law. RELATED COVERAGE Carrefour’s cold shoulder for South American beef sparks a backlash from Brazil A rural doctor traverses mountainous terrain by donkey to visit far-flung patients The number of children recruited by gangs in Haiti soars by 70%, UNICEF says “The results have been spectacular,” said Arturo Zaldivar, a top adviser to President Claudia Sheinbaum. Over 50 countries go to the polls in 2024 The year will test even the most robust democracies. Read more on what’s to come here . Take a look at the 25 places where a change in leadership could resonate around the world. Keep track of the latest AP elections coverage from around the world here. According to the plan, evaluation committees will have just over a month to review thousands of resumes and whittle the field to about 10 candidates or less for each for the 881 judgeships and nine seats on the Supreme Court. Then 1,793 names chosen at random from those selected will appear on the ballot on June 1. Critics warn that many who land on the ballot will be unknowns who perhaps have never argued a case in the courts they seek to run. “You don’t elect a doctor or a surgeon for an operation based on their popularity, you elect them based on their technical expertise, their ability, their knowledge,” said Sergio Méndez Silva, the legal coordinator for the civic group Foundation for Justice. “That also applies for a judge.” With candidates now having to run election campaigns, critics warn there’s a chance that drug cartels or political parties could finance them to get friendly judges onto the bench. There are also concerns that the evaluation committees deciding who makes the cut for the selection to appear on ballots may not be impartial. Most committee members were appointed by the legislative or executive branches, controlled by the ruling Morena party. Some critics argue that the current justice system, which is riddled with nepotism, corruption and a lack of accountability, needs to be changed. “We need a justice system that gives results,” said Minerva Martínez Garza, an academic and former head of the human rights commission in the northern border state of Nuevo Leon who has registered to run for a Supreme Court seat. Trials in Mexico can last for years, and the ruling party has added to the growing list of crimes for which bail is not allowed, meaning that a large percentage of the prison population is people awaiting trial. ____ Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-americaTrump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina Khan

During her appearance on Podcast and Chill with MacG this week, DA Federal Council Chair Helen Zille addressed what she described as “manufactured truths” around her “colonialism” tweet. Among other interesting topics, such as uncovering the story of Steve Biko’s death as journalist, she also shared her views on the country’s various presidents since 1994. Podcast host, Macgyver Mukwevho aka MagG, started his deep-dive interview on a jovial note with a quip about his recent snorkeling experience in Mauritius. Helen Zille sets record straight on 2017 tweet MacG then went on to bring up “Godzille’s” controversial tweet in 2017 that not everything about colonialism was negative. According to him, her tweet was understood to imply that “life was better under apartheid”. An indignant Zille clapped back, promising the podcast host “a million rand” if he could prove that she actually tweeted those exact words. ‘Even under Zuma, the country was better than under apartheid’ “The country was much better after apartheid and even under Jacob Zuma, the country was better than under apartheid,” she stated. Zille has previously weighed in on the country under Zuma’s reign, pointing out that the former president and Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) party leader wasn’t solely responsible for state capture. ALSO READ: WATCH: ‘I’ve never been more wrong’: How Zille underestimated Zuma and the MK Party Colonisation: ‘Take what you can build on’ In the podcast, she continued to provide some context to the tweet, such as the call for the decolonisation of universities at the time. “I said the legacy of colonialism is not only negative. Obviously that means a hell of a lot was negative, but let’s keep the stuff that wasn’t.” She added that things like formal education, hospitals, hot water, science and electricity generation were all legacies. “I was saying take what you inherit from the past, even if a lot of the past was bad, and take what you can build on and make it better.” When asked by MacG to rate South Africa’s democratically elected presidents, Zille answered that “the guy I got on best with, was the worst president”. ALSO READ: BLF takes Helen Zille to SAHRC over colonialism tweets ‘You do not know how charming Jacob Zuma is’ – Helen Zille The DA politician described Jacob Zuma as “charming” and even recollected when the former president – who confessed to her that he enrolled at Arthur Murray in Durban for dance classes – taught her how to waltz. “You do not know how charming Jacob Zuma is,” the former Western Cape premier stated. “He is the only politician who defended me when I was accused of being a racist and colonialism apologist. “My party wanted to ‘donder’ me right out of the door for saying that [the ‘colonialism’ tweet]...Because other people had interpreted the way you did,” continued Zille. “He [Zuma] called me and said ‘What they are doing to you is wrong. Really wrong’,” she told MacG in reference to Zuma’s “thoughtfulness”. Zuma ‘worst president’; Mbeki ‘strongest’ – Zille In a News24 opinion piece when Zuma was incarcerated at the Estcourt Correctional Facility for contempt of court in 2021, Zille reflected on her “arch political opponent” being “unfailingly warm and humane in his treatment” of her personally. Despite praising his “kindness”, she rated the “traditionalist” Zuma as the country’s “worst president”, with Thabo Mbeki – who “doubled the economy’s growth in his 10 years” – as the “strongest president”. Stuck on an island: Mbeki or Ramaphosa? Zille chose Mbeki when asked by the popular podcast host who she would rather be stuck on an island with: President Cyril Ramaphosa or Mbeki? She explained her choice by saying: “We could have a tough debate. Thabo has courage of his convictions and is deeply intellectual... We had very interesting conversations when he was president and I was head of the DA.” Mandela ‘brilliant’ as ‘Saint Nelson’ She emphasised that every president needs to be viewed in context, stating that Nelson Mandela’s role was to be “Saint Nelson”. “We needed a Mother Theresa-type of figure who would just rise above everything and bring us together. For that role he had to play at the time, he was brilliant.” WATCH: Helen Zille on ‘Podcast and Chill with MacG’The arrival of a new flagship from a top camera maker inevitably sparks a debate regarding how much sense it makes to upgrade to the latest model. Camera makers boast of the many improvements their new models offer, but each photographer must determine if those improvements are worth the cost of upgrading. How the manufacturers name their latest offering can sometimes offer clues about the extent of the improvements. In 2021, when Sony introduced their newest flagship under the name a1 rather than some variation of the a7 or a9 moniker, there was an expectation that the a1 would stand apart from the brand’s other mirrorless cameras. Unlike the a9, which featured the first-ever global shutter in a full frame mirrorless camera, the a1 did not feature any groundbreaking technology. However, the 50.1 MP sensor was close enough to the 61.0 MP resolution of the a7R IV to make the a1 a strong contender for commercial studio photography. I attended an event held at the Sony Creative Space NYC, where I had a chance to shoot with the new camera in various setups prepared by Sony. As a Nikon shooter, I’m not very familiar with Sony cameras, so I asked the on-site reps to set the a1 II to manual mode with eye tracking and subject detection autofocus enabled. I used several different lenses, including the , , and lens. All of the lenses I used were shot wide open to better test autofocus accuracy. Although raw files cannot be opened in Lightroom at the time of this writing, they are included in the download. It is reasonable to assume that the raw files will be readable by Adobe software in the coming weeks. John Ricard is a NYC based portrait photographer. You can find more of Ricard’s work on his Instagram. accounts, www.instagram.com/JohnRicard and www.instagram.com/RicInActionPARIS — Howling winds couldn’t stop Notre Dame Cathedral ’s heart from beating again. People stand outside Notre-Dame Cathedral on Nov. 29 in Paris. 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, US first lady Jill Biden, 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. France's iconic Notre Dame Cathedral is formally reopening its doors on Saturday for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed ... As the cathedral’s largest bell, the 13-ton Emmanuel — which was not named after the French leader — tolled into the Paris night, signaling the start of the ceremony, the crowd inside Notre Dame fell into an expectant hush. Emmanuel, a legacy of King Louis XIV, had rung through centuries of French history, and its peal now resonated as a call to witness another epochal moment. Outside the cathedral’s monumental doors, Ulrich raised his fire-scarred crosier. “Brothers and sisters, let us enter now into Notre Dame,” he declared. “It is she who accompanies us on our path to peace.” With the congregation of over 2,500 people watching in silence, Ulrich struck the floodlit doors, the base of his crosier reverberating against the wood. Inside, the choir answered with soaring hymns, their voices filling the nave. Illuminations on the cathedral facade heightened the drama. On the final strike, the heavy doors swung open, revealing the glowing interior of restored blond Lutetian limestone. Adding to the ceremony’s visual splendor, Ulrich and the clergy wore vibrant liturgical garments designed by French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. Known for his signature pop-art aesthetic, Castelbajac created 2,000 colorful pieces for 700 celebrants, blending modern elements with medieval touches. Flooded with light and song, the cathedral came alive in a moment of breathtaking spectacle. What had been a silent, soot-blackened ruin five years ago now blazed with renewed vitality, marking the culmination of a nearly $1 billion global effort to resurrect it. Speaking inside the cathedral, Macron expressed “gratitude” Saturday to those who saved, helped, and rebuilt Notre Dame, his voice reverberating through the nave. People gather near France's iconic Notre Dame Cathedral, hours before formally reopening its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019, on Saturday in Paris. “I stand before you ... to express the gratitude of the French nation,” he said, before voices flooded the space with song, 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 Notre Dame, 42,000 square meters of stonework—equivalent to six soccer pitches—gleamed anew, revealing intricate carvings and luminous limestone. Above, 2,000 oak beams, nicknamed “the forest,” restored the cathedral’s iconic spire and roof. The great organ, dormant for over five years, roared back to life like a slumbering giant. With its 7,952 pipes—ranging from pen-sized to torso-wide—and a renovated console featuring five keyboards, 115 stops, and 30 foot pedals, it responded to Archbishop Laurent Ulrich’s command: “Wake up, organ, sacred instrument.” Notre Dame's thunderous great organ was heard in public for the first time since 2019 at the cathedral's reopening ceremony Saturday night. The first low rumble grew into a triumphant symphony as four organists pulled out the stops, weaving improvised responses to the archbishop’s invocations. Eight times, Ulrich addressed the organ; eight times, its voice filled the nave with breathtaking sound. Guests marveled at the spectacle, many capturing the moment on their phones. “It’s a sense of perfection,” said François Le Page of the Notre Dame Foundation, who last saw the cathedral cloaked in scaffolding in 2021. “It was somber then. Now, it’s night and day.” The Rev. Andriy Morkvas, a Ukrainian priest 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 followed Trump. 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. People stand outside Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, Friday Nov. 29 2024 before French President Emmanuel Macron's final visit to the construction site to see the restored interiors before the iconic monument's reopening for worship on Dec. 8. (Sarah Meyssonnier, Pool via AP) The tabernacle of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral is seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the monument, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) The vaulted ceiling of the Notre-Dame cathedral is seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the monument, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 in Paris. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool via AP) Windows in the heart of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral are seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the monument, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) People stroll in Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors the monument, Friday, Nov.29, 2024 in Paris. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) French President Emmanuel Macron, center, and his wife Brigitte Macron visit the restored interiors of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, Friday, Nov.29, 2024 in Paris. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) French President Emmanuel Macron, third right, and his wife Brigitte Macron visit the restored interiors of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, Friday, Nov.29, 2024 in Paris. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) People gather as French President Emmanuel Macron visits the renovated Notre Dame Cathedral Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) French President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he visits the restored interiors of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, Friday, Nov.29, 2024 in Paris. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) The nave, the western Rose window and the organ of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral are seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the monument, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) A man takes a picture of Notre Dame Cathedral as French President Emmanuel Macron visits the renovated cathedral, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) The nave of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral is seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the cathedral, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) People stroll in Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors the monument, Friday, Nov.29, 2024 in Paris. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) The South Rose stainglass window of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral is seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the cathedral, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) The South Rose stainglass window of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral is seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the cathedral, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) The nave of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral is seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the cathedral, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) Part of the nave and the organ of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral are seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the cathedral, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. The altar designed by French artist and designer Guillaume Bardet is seen in the heart of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the monument, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) The altar designed by French artist and designer Guillaume Bardet is seen in the heart of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the monument, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) The facade of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral in Paris, is seen Friday Nov. 29, 2024, ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's final visit to the construction site to see the restored interiors. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) The facade of Notre-Dame Cathedral is seen in Paris, Friday Nov., 29 2024 ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's final visit to the construction site to see the restored interiors before the iconic monument's reopening for worship on Dec. 8. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) Part of the facade of Notre-Dame Cathedral is seen in Paris, Friday Nov., 29 2024 ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's final visit to the construction site to see the restored interiors before the iconic monument's reopening for worship on Dec. 8. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) People stand inside Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, Friday Nov. 29 2024 before French President Emmanuel Macron's final visit to the construction site to see the restored interiors before the iconic monument's reopening for worship on Dec. 8. (Sarah Meyssonnier, Pool via AP) Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Sneak Peek on 'The Five': Marine vet Daniel Penny sits down with Judge Jeanine Pirro in first interview since being found not guilty in subway chokehold case. New York City Marine veteran Daniel Penny sat down with Judge Jeanine Pirro for a powerful first interview since jurors found him not guilty of criminally negligent homicide in the subway chokehold death of Jordan Neely. "He was just threatening to kill people," Penny said in a preview clip that aired on "The Five" Tuesday. "He was threatening to go to jail forever, go to jail for the rest of his life, and now I'm on the ground with him. I'm on my back in a very vulnerable position...If I'd just let him go, now I'm on my back and he can just turn around and start doing what he said – to me...killing, hurting." Penny was arrested in May 2023 nearly two weeks after he was questioned and released following a deadly encounter with Neely, who was high on drugs and threatening to kill people on a Manhattan F train when the 26-year-old architecture student grabbed him in a headlock from behind. DANIEL PENNY FOUND NOT GUILTY IN SUBWAY CHOKEHOLD TRIAL Daniel Penny sits across from Fox News' Judge Jeanine Pirro for his first televised interview following his acquittal in the subway chokehold death of Jordan Neely (FOX Nation) The guilt I would've felt if someone did get hurt, if he did do what he was threatening to do, I would never be able to live with myself. And I'll take a million court appearances and people calling me names and people hating me just to keep one of those people from getting hurt, or killed. Penny described himself as a non-confrontational person. He said all the attention he's received since the incident – strong praise from some, demonization from others – makes him uncomfortable. "I didn't want any attention or praise, and I still don't," he said. "The guilt I would've felt if someone did get hurt, if he did do what he was threatening to do, I would never be able to live with myself. And I'll take a million court appearances and people calling me names and people hating me just to keep one of those people from getting hurt, or killed." DANIEL PENNY HITS NYC BAR FOR POST-ACQUITTAL CELEBRATION, LETS LAWYERS DO THE TALKING WATCH: Daniel Penny speaks out for first time since acquittal Penny also took issue with the policies of officials like Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney who spearheaded the failed case against him, as politically motivated and beholden to policies that "have clearly not worked." "[Policies] that the people, the general population, are not in support of, yet their egos are too big just to admit that they're wrong," he said. Neely had an active arrest warrant and lengthy criminal history at the time of his death. He had schizophrenia and a drug abuse problem. Three days before his encounter with Penny, a subway rider had been stabbed on another train with an ice pick, according to prior reporting. A PBS reporter had been sucker punched on another train, and more than 20 people had been shoved off of subway platforms in the year leading up to Penny's arrest. Daniel Penny arrives at Manhattan Criminal Courthouse in New York City on Monday, December 9, 2024. The jury is continuing their deliberations in Penny’s trial for the 2023 death of Jordan Neely on a New York City subway train. (Adam Gray for Fox News Digital) It was a climate of fear that put straphangers on high alert. Penny even referenced those other cases in a voluntary interview he gave to police after remaining on scene. "He was talking gibberish...but these guys are pushing people in front of trains and stuff," he told detectives. They released him without charges, but Bragg's office secured an indictment 11 days later. Witness Ivette Rosario, a 19-year-old student, testified that Neely shouted someone would "die that day." Screenshot from bystander video showing Jordan Neely being held in a chokehold on the New York City subway. (Luces de Nueva York/Juan Alberto Vazquez via Storyful) "I got scared by the tone that he was saying it," she said. "I have seen situations, but not like that." Neely was free to threaten subway riders on the day of his death, and it was Penny that Bragg tried to send to prison. Witnesses testified that Neely's threats scared them more than a typical subway outburst would. They were thankful for Penny's intervention. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Jordan Neely is pictured before going to see the Michael Jackson movie, "This is It," outside the Regal Cinemas on 8th Ave. and 42nd St. in Times Square, New York, in 2009. (Andrew Savulich/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) Penny, a Marine veteran who received a humanitarian award for helping hurricane victims, is a Long Island native who friends described as calm and empathetic during trial testimony. He played lacrosse and was in his school's orchestra as a teen and worked two jobs while studying architecture at the New York City College of Technology following his honorable discharge. The full interview will stream Wednesday on FOX Nation. SIGN UP TO WATCH ON FOX NATION

CLR Neurosthenics® launches neurophysiological assessment platform to help prevent sports injuries, optimize performance and improve rehabilitationWashington Nationals win lottery for No. 1 pick in next amateur baseball draft, Angels No. 2In his home studio in Alameda, composer Brian Baumbusch creates and records music that a friend says is like a diamond because each composition’s structure is so strong it can’t crumble, even when listened to 10 times or more. Related Articles “I write music that’s not difficult on the ear, music that’s pleasing on the surface and internally, inconspicuously complex,” Baumbusch says of his recent album, “Polytempo Music” ( ). “The average person can listen to the music, and it’s stimulating and beautiful. You don’t have to understand it’s harmonic lineage to want to hear it again and again.” Baumbusch, like his music, has a complex, poly-influenced lineage ( ). He grew up in a Washington, D.C., suburb in a family whose members include an architect, tax lawyer, fine art painter, polymaths and musicians. His parents were supportive of science, technology and the arts and took their three sons to operas and symphonies but also emphasized academics. Baumbusch says that, playing in the family’s Presbyterian church bell choir, he discovered at a young age that music came easily to him. “I always had music running in my mind — any ear worm on the radio,” he says. “I took piano, then merged to a drum set, then trumpet, violin, viola, clarinet and finally landed on guitar when I was 12. I was also into sports, was captain of the basketball team and played football. After I injured my shoulder my freshman year, I shifted my attention to music.” Baumbusch attended and finished high school at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Interlochen, Michigan, earned an undergraduate degree in music composition from Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, completed his master’s degree at Oakland’s Mills College and received a doctorate in musical arts from UC Santa Cruz. His eclectic interests have drawn him in multiple directions: from the extended tracks of REM, Pearl Jam, Sublime and the Grateful Dead to Claude Debussy’s piano music, minimalist and electronic music, Balinese gamelan and other non-Western music. Asymmetrical rhythms, poly-tempos, time-expanded harmonic phases, variable tunings and other features in his work mingle to leave an impression of listening to multiple sound worlds simultaneously. “When I was 15, I heard the album ‘Buena Vista Social Club.’ That broke open the musical world for me. There’s rhythmic complexity, different structure than Western-based music. It was rebellion in me that made me realize what I’d been taught left out microtonality, alternative tuning theory, anti-academic music from around the world.” He says a particular interest in the perception of time that began when he was a kid also captivates him and that he could sense exactly when pasta cooking on the stovetop was about to boil over or how long he had been outdoors without timers or clocks. “I found there is catharsis in music when I tapped into bending time. I make music that shapes time. It’s music you can extend, hear over and over and never exhaust the interest and complexity.” Another avenue of thought, audience experience and interaction with music, led Baumbusch to consider the visual element of listening. He taught himself software coding, put on a virtual reality headset, linked into the open-source game development program Unity and explored the ChatGPT artificial intelligence chatbot, pairing different instrumental lines with individual colors and movements. Baumbusch says the screen-based software he developed lets a “player” wearing a headset move within his new album and customize the listening experience. “If you look at a cellist in an orchestra, it aids your ear in hearing that line within a dense texture. Bringing complex music’s visual side into the recorded sphere, I’m helping (listeners) discern all the threads in a way they might not without the visual.” The interactive spatial opportunity invites the endless revisiting Baumbusch desires for his music. Instead of a fixed situation, a musical work can sonically change as people decide proximity to certain instruments, which instruments are played and other elements. The 12 instruments on “Polytempo Music,” each with their line swirling and morphing in individual colors, can be isolated or recombined. The tracks were recorded separately by members of the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players and later synchronized by Baumbusch. “You can’t change the timeline or notes, but you can listen to just the oboe the whole time if you want,” he says. “I’d say you’re the orchestrator. You have creative license for what to emphasize.” He likes the term “liquid architecture” that’s associated with American animator and inventor John Whitney, referring to music as a malleable shape that moves through time. “We want to visualize music through dance, graphic scores and other means. Finding this medium where I could move sound around in space — it connected for me.” For audiences he says the interactive technology demonstrates the full power of music. “We can revisit a piece of music that connected to emotional peaks and troughs,” he says. “It allows you to take ownership of that and how you want to shape your experience in the future. “Music that’s fixed to a time period is more limited, like if there’s a singer in the foreground and lyrics that are specific. With other music, there are a lot of types that can not only be a single message but become an experience that can go with you and resonate throughout your life.” Baumbusch says he has launched a new label, Holography Records, that offers other artists a chance to learn and record their music using the audiovisual technology. Asked if there are musical genres that might be difficult or even impossible to use effectively with the technology, Baumbusch says he is still experimenting. He mentions a recent demo he made with traditional Iranian music that does have a singer and a band but notes that the compositional architecture is complex and every musical element has unique features that can be manipulated to endlessly create new sound worlds. “I’m working to figure out what music works because this is becoming my business model — making music you can interact with and move around. Music like Taylor Swift’s, with a lead singer and other things that subjugate around that voice: Would it benefit? I’m not sure, but that’s the learning part of this new record label, so who knows?” For more information, visit online.

Sexyy Red is known for having multiple striking looks over the years, particularly when it comes to her hair. Of course, few styles come close to the iconic crimson locks, but fans have picked their favorites and seem to love them all. Then there's the haters who will pile on her no matter what, but we don't need to pay attention to those. Most recently, the St. Louis femcee shared a video of her rocking her natural dark hair, and many of her followers think she looks gorgeous. In fact, a lot of them even confessed that they would like to see her rock her natural hair more, but she's got plenty of options to choose from and swap around to please everybody. Also, we can't help but wonder how her collaborators like GloRilla would chime in here from a closer perspective. Speaking of which, her and Sexyy Red recently cosigned the idea of a collaborative album during their XXL interview. "Ratchet as f**k. It gon’ be some super ratchet s**t. The n***as gon’ hate us. No, I mean the men gon’ hate us," Glo posited, while Sexyy responded with "I think they’d love it. Because we both trench-certified, you know? Two young ladies." Read More: Top 40 Hottest Hip-Hop Albums Of 2024 Elsewhere, Sexyy Red and GloRilla also addressed the common criticism that their music receives when it comes to their explicit content matter . "I think y’all [are] some haters. I think y’all don’t want y’all b***h to shine because y’all [are] insecure," the former theorized. "It’s not a problem when y’all do it, but y’all [are] stealing our style. [Why is it] wrong when we do it?" However, some fans think that they didn't address criticisms of quality here, but rather just the most bigoted interpretations. Regardless, this is the same kind of attitude that will probably have Sexyy Red cycling between looks as she pleases and presenting herself however she sees fit. Fortunately, she's killing pretty much all of them, and with so much love from the rest of hip-hop, it's easy to counter the hate. We'll see if this natural hair sticks around or if there's yet another change on the way. Read More: Top 50 Hottest Hip-Hop Songs Of 2024TRAVERSE CITY — The Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office is seeking approval to purchase 62 new Taser 10 devices for use by patrol officers at a total cost of $289,721. The money would come from an existing fund balance in the department’s 2024 budget, rather than a new allocation. The proposal is on the agenda for Wednesday morning's county board meeting. “Tasers give our officers a less than lethal way to respond to a dangerous situation,” said Capt. Brandon Brinks of the sheriff’s office. “In many cases, simply telling a person that we may use a Taser is enough to get them to comply. It’s a powerful deterrence.” Their current X26 Tasers are no longer supported by the manufacturer, Axon Enterprise Inc., and the remaining X26P units will soon be discontinued, according to company reports. Furthermore, the existing Tasers are old, failing and unreliable, Brinks said. Saving money also is a factor. By purchasing all 62 Taser 10 units before the end of 2024, instead of buying them piecemeal over time, the county will save about $20,000 vs. the higher 2025 price, he added. Furthermore, Axon will pay the county $14,991 to buy back the department’s current Tasers. The proposed purchase comes with a five-year service and warranty contract that includes training, maintenance, technical support, duty use and evidence collection. The contract also includes a “train the trainer” module so that the sheriff’s office can train and re-certify officers each year, as required by department policy. Training is typically conducted in the basement of the law enforcement center at 851 Woodmere Avenue. That space features open areas, hallways, doorways and stairwells that can be used to simulate an interaction with a “non-compliant” suspect. “All of our officers also get training in de-escalation tactics that can reduce the chances of a violent encounter,” Brinks said. TASER TECHNOLOGY A Taser is a hand-held “electronic control device” or “energy weapon” that fires small barbed darts into a person, penetrating the skin. It then shoots up to 50,000 volts of modulated electricity through thin insulated copper wires that run from the device to the darts, incapacitating most subjects immediately, according to manufacturer reports. When both darts hit, if the electrical circuit is completed and maintained, it can cause the attacker’s muscles to contract and they may lose voluntary muscle control. Being “tased” can be painful, but is usually not lethal. In most cases, the effects are temporary. Certified Tase users are usually trained to monitor the subject for 20 minutes to make sure they recover normally, according to Axon. Small burns from the dart entry areas may also occur. Overall, Tasers are much less lethal than guns and less injurious than methods like batons, pepper spray and manual (physical) control, according to a study by the Accident Network Law Group. Another study of 1,000 Taser subjects led by Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center concluded that 99.7 percent of the subjects had suffered no injuries, or minor ones such as scrapes and bruises, while three persons suffered injuries severe enough to need hospital admission, and two died. In cases where Taser-related deaths have occurred, nationwide, law enforcement agencies reported about 500 fatalities between 2010 and 2021, according to PBS News report. In many of those cases, death was related to pre-existing medical conditions, drug use or incorrect use of the Taser device, according to an ABC News investigation. Some studies have found that Tasers can affect cardiac (heart) and brain function. Using Tasers on subjects with significant mental illnesses also can be hazardous. Thanks to better training and technology, 72 percent fewer fatal incidents were reported in 2021 vs. 2018, ABC reported. That possibility of fatalities is why Axon markets the devices as “less lethal” than regular firearms. Closer to home, the Grand Traverse Sheriff’s Office said its officers used Tasers 40 times between 2016 and 2024 out of a total of 173 “use-of-force” incidents. “There were no use-of-force complaints or policy violations in any of those cases, and no significant injuries,” the report stated, reiterating that even a threat of Taser use is enough to quiet many offenders. HISTORY & DEVELOPMENT A NASA researcher named Jack Cover began developing the first Taser in 1969 and completed a working prototype in 1974. Using a loose acronym, he named it after the title of a book called “Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle.” The first Taser sold in 1976 used gunpowder as a propellant and was classified as a firearm by the U.S. Bureau of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. A later “Air Taser” model was not classified that way. In 1993, two brothers in Arizona founded the original TASER company, which was rebranded Axon in 2017 as it branched out into body cameras and software. Typically, Tasers can shoot their darts up to 35 feet. Those available to civilians are usually limited to about 15 feet, according to industry officials. Factors such as wind, angle and subject's clothing (thickness and/or material) can affect the actual effective range. The Taser 10 model sought by the Grand Traverse Sheriff’s Office has several advantages over earlier models. It can shoot darts up to 45 feet, providing more space and time to de-escalate conflicts, according to Axon. Equipped with a laser-sighting device, it can shoot up to 10 individually targeted probes without the need to reload a new cartridge. Because of its increased velocity, it can better penetrate thick clothing and tough materials, according to the company. Owning certain Taser models is legal for Michigan civilians 18 years or older, if they have a concealed pistol license and complete related training. Each device must have an active identification and tracking system. Also, Michigan residents can only use a Taser for protection or self-defense, according to legal experts. Civilians cannot carry a Taser within state and local government buildings, including schools.

In his home studio in Alameda, composer Brian Baumbusch creates and records music that a friend says is like a diamond because each composition’s structure is so strong it can’t crumble, even when listened to 10 times or more. Related Articles Local News | Julius Randle isn’t complaining about giving up the ball: ‘It’s basketball’ “I write music that’s not difficult on the ear, music that’s pleasing on the surface and internally, inconspicuously complex,” Baumbusch says of his recent album, “Polytempo Music” ( othermindsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/polytempo-music ). “The average person can listen to the music, and it’s stimulating and beautiful. You don’t have to understand it’s harmonic lineage to want to hear it again and again.” Baumbusch, like his music, has a complex, poly-influenced lineage ( brianbaumbusch.com/bio ). He grew up in a Washington, D.C., suburb in a family whose members include an architect, tax lawyer, fine art painter, polymaths and musicians. His parents were supportive of science, technology and the arts and took their three sons to operas and symphonies but also emphasized academics. Baumbusch says that, playing in the family’s Presbyterian church bell choir, he discovered at a young age that music came easily to him. “I always had music running in my mind — any ear worm on the radio,” he says. “I took piano, then merged to a drum set, then trumpet, violin, viola, clarinet and finally landed on guitar when I was 12. I was also into sports, was captain of the basketball team and played football. After I injured my shoulder my freshman year, I shifted my attention to music.” Baumbusch attended and finished high school at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Interlochen, Michigan, earned an undergraduate degree in music composition from Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, completed his master’s degree at Oakland’s Mills College and received a doctorate in musical arts from UC Santa Cruz. His eclectic interests have drawn him in multiple directions: from the extended tracks of REM, Pearl Jam, Sublime and the Grateful Dead to Claude Debussy’s piano music, minimalist and electronic music, Balinese gamelan and other non-Western music. Asymmetrical rhythms, poly-tempos, time-expanded harmonic phases, variable tunings and other features in his work mingle to leave an impression of listening to multiple sound worlds simultaneously. “When I was 15, I heard the album ‘Buena Vista Social Club.’ That broke open the musical world for me. There’s rhythmic complexity, different structure than Western-based music. It was rebellion in me that made me realize what I’d been taught left out microtonality, alternative tuning theory, anti-academic music from around the world.” He says a particular interest in the perception of time that began when he was a kid also captivates him and that he could sense exactly when pasta cooking on the stovetop was about to boil over or how long he had been outdoors without timers or clocks. “I found there is catharsis in music when I tapped into bending time. I make music that shapes time. It’s music you can extend, hear over and over and never exhaust the interest and complexity.” Another avenue of thought, audience experience and interaction with music, led Baumbusch to consider the visual element of listening. He taught himself software coding, put on a virtual reality headset, linked into the open-source game development program Unity and explored the ChatGPT artificial intelligence chatbot, pairing different instrumental lines with individual colors and movements. Baumbusch says the screen-based software he developed lets a “player” wearing a headset move within his new album and customize the listening experience. “If you look at a cellist in an orchestra, it aids your ear in hearing that line within a dense texture. Bringing complex music’s visual side into the recorded sphere, I’m helping (listeners) discern all the threads in a way they might not without the visual.” The interactive spatial opportunity invites the endless revisiting Baumbusch desires for his music. Instead of a fixed situation, a musical work can sonically change as people decide proximity to certain instruments, which instruments are played and other elements. The 12 instruments on “Polytempo Music,” each with their line swirling and morphing in individual colors, can be isolated or recombined. The tracks were recorded separately by members of the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players and later synchronized by Baumbusch. “You can’t change the timeline or notes, but you can listen to just the oboe the whole time if you want,” he says. “I’d say you’re the orchestrator. You have creative license for what to emphasize.” He likes the term “liquid architecture” that’s associated with American animator and inventor John Whitney, referring to music as a malleable shape that moves through time. “We want to visualize music through dance, graphic scores and other means. Finding this medium where I could move sound around in space — it connected for me.” For audiences he says the interactive technology demonstrates the full power of music. “We can revisit a piece of music that connected to emotional peaks and troughs,” he says. “It allows you to take ownership of that and how you want to shape your experience in the future. “Music that’s fixed to a time period is more limited, like if there’s a singer in the foreground and lyrics that are specific. With other music, there are a lot of types that can not only be a single message but become an experience that can go with you and resonate throughout your life.” Baumbusch says he has launched a new label, Holography Records, that offers other artists a chance to learn and record their music using the audiovisual technology. Asked if there are musical genres that might be difficult or even impossible to use effectively with the technology, Baumbusch says he is still experimenting. He mentions a recent demo he made with traditional Iranian music that does have a singer and a band but notes that the compositional architecture is complex and every musical element has unique features that can be manipulated to endlessly create new sound worlds. “I’m working to figure out what music works because this is becoming my business model — making music you can interact with and move around. Music like Taylor Swift’s, with a lead singer and other things that subjugate around that voice: Would it benefit? I’m not sure, but that’s the learning part of this new record label, so who knows?” For more information, visit brianbaumbusch.com online. Lou Fancher is a freelance writer. Reach her at lou@johnsonandfancher.com .There were many memorable outdoors-related events in 2024. In no particular order, hereis a look back at some of them. Bill Reichart presented with Mayfly Award Bill Reichart says his first ever “conservation project” was when he was 8 years old and agroup of locals tried to pump out the lower level at Auburn Desilting Dam in 1956 tosave the fish before they pumped the dredged material into the lower level when the damwas dredged. Since then he has spent his life dedicated to promoting clean water projects, including theworks of Schuylkill River Greenway and promoting efforts to improve the SchuylkillRiver Watershed. Some of his efforts that have had the most impact in our watershed are:Understanding, educating people on, and addressing water quality issues – especially inthe upper watershed; Leading the Porter Floodplain restoration project and associatedSchuylkill River Trail–Auburn Bridge connection that fills the gap in the SRT betweenBerks and Schuylkill counties; and The Schuylkill River Acts and Impacts YouthExpedition. This year Reichart was recognized for his lifelong work by the Pennsylvania AbandonedMine Reclamation when it presented the Schuylkill Headwaters Association presidentwith its annual Mayfly Award. A symbol of clean waters, the award is presented annuallyto someone who focuses on maintaining the health of local waterways. Anglers owe a debt of gratitude to Reichart being instrumental in getting a significantamount of fish habitat into Sweet Arrow Lake near Pine Grove. He got 100 porcupinecribs built and sunk, got many tons of rock installed by the Pennsylvania Fish and BoatCommission, had hundreds of posts for clusters installed and coordinated a mile of fishhabitat/stream bank improvements in Upper Little Swatara Creek. Martz’s Gap View Preserve recovers from Avian Flu outbreak to celebrate 70 years As the third-generation operator of Martz’s Gap View Hunting Preserve, Mike Martz hadbeen living the dream following in the footsteps of his grandfather and father. Unfortunately, that dream turned into the nightmare this year when Highly PathogenicAvian Influenza hit the business. HPAI was discovered in one of the pheasant pens at Martz’s, necessitating the ceasing ofall activities – including field hunts, Continental hunts and trap shooting. It was thehardest event to unfold on the third-generation farm, which caused the PennsylvaniaGame Commission to adjust its late-season pheasant stockings to help safeguard theagency’s pheasant program and better ensure it will continue next year in the 2024-25hunting seasons. Over the summer, however, Martz’s rebounded and opened for its 70th year of business inSeptember. It is now once again providing field hunts and Continental hunts, as well astrap events. Steve Smith appointed new Pennsylvania Game Commission executive director Steve Smith, who had served as deputy executive director since February, was appointedto his new role of executive director by the Board of Game Commissioners in executivesession. Smith replaced Bryan Burhans, who served as the agency’s executive directorsince 2017. Burhans resigned his position, which was accepted by the board. “This is a critical time for the Game Commission and the future of hunting, trapping andthe conservation of wildlife,” Smith said. “The work we do now will have lasting impactsfor the generations to come, and ensure they will enjoy the same opportunities we havefor centuries. It is an honor to serve in this capacity.” A Berks County native, Smith graduated magna cum laude from West Chester Universitywith a degree in Political Science. He then received a law degree from the Penn StateDickinson School of Law. Smith joined the agency in 2008, after several years ofpracticing law. Hunters Sharing the Harvest continues to set record donations For Hunters Sharing the Harvest executive director Randy Ferguson hunter donations ofdeer this fall and early winter has created good news with another record on the horizonto the extent money is needed to pay processors for their role in the record-breakingnonprofit charitable organization. At the conclusion of last year’s hunting seasons Pennsylvania hunters broke their recordfor venison donations with 261,672 pounds of ground meat from 6,905 deer and six elkstatewide. That record resulted in more than 1 million individual servings of lean, high-protein venison, and Ferguson expects that record to fall again when the 2024-25 huntingseasons end. Hunters pay nothing to donate a deer at one of HSH’s 100-plus participating processorsacross the state. Instead, the organization reimburses those processors for every deerdonated, and last season, those reimbursement costs reached an all-time high ofapproximately $500,000. “While helping HSH feed more families, crop damage deer are the driving factor inHSH’s rising operational expenses, and a cause for increased financial need for theorganization,” Ferguson said “When I started in this role almost four years ago, we sawacouple hundred deer a year that we could identify as crop damage related. “Last year, that number was nearly 1,300 deer, and the crop damage category of donateddeer is doubling year over year. Deer donated during the regular archery and rifle seasonscontinue to grow at a healthy and manageable pace.” Swatara Cooperative Trout Nursery celebrates 25 years Bob Evanchalk, whose farm houses the Swatara Cooperative Trout Nursery, has spent 25years raising trout which are stocked in Sweet Arrow Lake and local Pine Grove Areastreams. In 25 years that comes to 139,866 trout — or about 5,600 trout per year. In 1999 a 50-foot long, 4-foot wide concrete raceway was constructed after thePennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission deemed the water source and site acceptable to house the nursery. The Schuylkill Conservation District applied to the Fish AmericaFoundation and was awarded $5,000 to make the nursery a reality. Sweet Arrow Lake and the main branch of Swatara Creek were two of the primarystocking locations as they were not on the PFBC trout stocking list. Later, the Upper (akaRoedersville) and Lower Little Swatara (aka Rock) Creeks were added. The PFBC supplies fingerling trout and technical assistance, and the nursery must findvolunteers and finances for expenses to raise the trout. Thanks to Evanchalk and somestalwart helpers the fish were in good hands, and the nursery was expanded to 90 feet in2000 and was covered with a metal lid to keep predators like herons, kingfishers, mink,snakes and other critters from enjoying an easy meal. Dietz-Schneck Memorial Fishing Event major attraction at Sweet Arrow Lake Planning is already underway for the 2025 Betty Dietz and Bruce Schneck MemorialFishing Event at Sweet Arrow Lake. Dean Skinner Ney has taken over administering theevent from Craig Morgan and Dean will also coordinate the food stand. Pioneer Pole Buildings last year of sponsorship is 2025, but Bob and Diane Green haveagreed to commit four more years at $2,500 per year match money. Also, the Friends ofSchuylkill Parks & Recreation have committed $5,000 in the past in matching funds. The Swatara Co-op Trout Nursery received $3,000 from the Sportsmen’s Advisory Boardlast year and this donation helps stock 2,000 really nice fish in the lake. The event is not a fundraiser, and it continues because of community support andparticipants, plus what Tevis Energy and Modern Comfort provide for Mentored YouthDay. DEP denies enhancement project for Sweet Arrow Lake In 2022 the outdoors page of the Pottsville Republican Herald ran a feature article thattold of plans to enhance fish habitat and angler access to the resource at Sweet ArrowLake County Park. Since then, PennDOT was contacted about safer access through theguiderails, but the agency said nothing could be done. Also contacted was the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Lake Habitat Management sectionfor assistance. An on-site meeting and boat tour of the lake produced an updated fishhabitat improvement plan that included a number of stone deflectors which also improvedangler access to the resource. The Schuylkill Conservation District submitted the GeneralPermit-1, Fish Habitat Enhancement Structure application to the Northeast Office of theDepartment of Environmental Protection for review and approval. The permit was denied, although the original fish habitat plan for Sweet Arrow Lakeapproved in 2011 included stone deflectors. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commissiondesigned and many partners have installed hundreds of sawtooth deflectors inPennsylvania lakes. These sawtooth or stone deflectors are approved and used at lakes all over Pennsylvaniato prevent shore erosion, which according to DEP is not evident at Sweet Arrow Lake.However, DEP’s denial states that these deflectors are not approved for use in lakes.Clearly, this seems to be a case of double standards, especially when stone can be placedon lake banks to prevent erosion. PGC makes changes made in purchase of antlerless licenses When Pennsylvania resident hunters began purchasing hunting licenses this summer theywere able to also purchase their choice of antlerless licenses because of the changes madeby the Pennsylvania Game Commission. At that time antlerless licenses were availablefor only three Wildlife Management Units where demand is highest – WMUs 1B, 2G and3A. Licenses in these WMUs were sold on a first come, first serve basis until the allottednumber of licenses sells out, and only Pennsylvania residents may purchase antlerless licenses initially. Three days after sales opened on a Monday, antlerless licenses for theremaining 19 WMUs went go on sale to residents. Guaranteeing an antlerless license to a resident hunter for any other WMU from June 27 Bill Reichart was honored with the Mayfly Award in recognition for his lifelong serviceto conservation. DOYLE DIETZ/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Dedicated flintlock muzzleloader deer hunters are willing to brave the elements to takepart in the special season that is in its 50 th year. DOYLE DIETZ/CONTRIBUTINGPHOTOGRAPHER Hunters are once again able to enjoy pheasant hunts at Martz’s Gap View Preserve whichovercame an outbreak of Avian Flu early this year. DOYLE DIETZ/CONTRIBUTINGPHOTOGRAPHER Anglers crowd the shore to find their favorite fishing spots on the opening day of theBetty Dietz-Bruce Schneck Memorial Fishing Event. DOYLE DIETZ/CONTRIBUTINGPHOTOGRAPHER Bill Reichart was honored with the Mayfly Award in recognition for his lifelong serviceto conservation. DOYLE DIETZ/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER to July 8 largely eliminates the need to stand in line, allows demand to be spread out overmore than a week and gives hunters greater flexibility to buy at a time that’s convenientfor them. Even then, there are sure to be plenty of licenses left in most WMUs. PGC tables plan to reintroduce American martens In a split vote the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the board of game commissionerstabled plans to reintroduce American martens into the state by a 6-3 vote. Voting fortabling the plan were commissioners Bob Schwalm, Scott Foradora, Allen Di Marco,Kristen Schnepp-Giger, Stanley Knick and Todd Pride, with commissioners DennisFredericks, Michael Mitrick and Haley Sankey voting for the plan. Schwalm, who represents Schuylkill County, said he still has questions about the merit ofthe plan even after PGC staff developed an American marten reintroduction andmanagement plan for Pennsylvania that outlines a long-term, 10-year strategy totranslocate the species back to the state. This would be followed by long-term monitoringto evaluate the reintroduction and includes strategies on communications, partnerengagement, costs and timelines. Flintlock season celebrates 50th year Pennsylvania remains the only state with a flintlock-only muzzleloader deer season, andthis is the 50th year. According to Dave Ehrig, one of the people who wrote what becamethe Pennsylvania Game Commission regulations for the flintlock season and currenteditor oft he official National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association magazine “MuzzleBlasts,” the season came into existence without celebration and not a whole lot of interestin 1974 when the first year of this primitive deer hunt was held, being almost anafterthought. Just 65 deer – including four bucks – were taken with flintlock rifles in that inauguralyear of 1974 compared to 3,909 deer – including 1,572 bucks – taken by bowhunters.Back then there were only 30 State Game Lands statewide open to flintlock hunters, sothey were concentrated into specific areas where archery and rifle seasons had reducedthe available number of deer. In 1980 the season was one week, and flintlock stamp sales continued to rise.Pennsylvania was fielding 145,144 flintlock-only deer hunters, who took 8,069 deer–including 490 bucks. Flintlock season was then reduced to four days in 1982, and it wasadded to the end of the December 15-18 antlerless season. The current statewide season began Thursday, Dec 26, and runs through Saturday, Jan.20. (Dietz is a member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association) Contact the writer: outdoors@republicanherald.com

Digital identity wallets come online in nations working to 2026 EUDI wallet deadlineMEXICO CITY (AP) — Over 18,000 people in Mexico have registered online to run for Supreme Court seats and federal judgeships in the country's contentious new selection process , but a random drawing in the end will determine who gets on the ballot, officials said Monday. The ruling party pushed through a constitutional reform in September to make all federal judges stand for election, replacing the system where court employees and lawyers mainly move up through the ranks. Current court employees and their supporters have staged dozens of demonstrations against the reforms, calling them part of a ruling-party campaign to weaken checks and balances and eliminate independent regulatory and oversight bodies. Now, candidates for Supreme Court seats and federal judgeships need only a law degree, a grade point average of 3.2, “five years of professional experience” and five letters of recommendation from neighbors or friends. That, and some luck in the final drawing. Officials rejected criticism that has called the process rushed or amateurish for the often highly technical posts that can hear cases including intellectual property, organized crime and Constitutional law. “The results have been spectacular,” said Arturo Zaldivar, a top advisor to President Claudia Sheinbaum. According to the plan, evaluation committees will have just over a month to review thousands of resumes and whittle the field to about 10 candidates or less for each for the 881 judgeships and nine seats on the Supreme Court. Then 1,793 names chosen at random from those selected will appear on the ballot on June 1. Critics warn that many who land on the ballot will be unknowns who perhaps have never argued a case in the courts they seek to run. “You don’t elect a doctor or a surgeon for an operation based on their popularity, you elect them based on their technical expertise, their ability, their knowledge,” said Sergio Méndez Silva, the legal coordinator for the civic group Foundation for Justice. “That also applies for a judge.” With candidates now having to run election campaigns, critics warn there's a chance drug cartels or political parties could finance them to get friendly judges onto the bench. There are also concerns that the evaluation committees deciding who makes the cut for the selection to appear on ballots may not be impartial. Most committee members were appointed by the legislative or executive branches, controlled by the ruling Morena party. Some critics argue that the current justice system, which is riddled with nepotism, corruption and a lack of accountability, needs to be changed. “We need a justice system that gives results,” said Martínez Garza, an academic and former head of the human rights commission in the northern border state of Nuevo Leon who has registered to run for a Supreme Court seat. Trials in Mexico can last for years, and the ruling party has added to the growing list of crimes for which bail is not allowed, meaning that a large percentage of the prison population is people awaiting trial.

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PARIS — 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, US first lady Jill Biden, 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. As the cathedral’s largest bell, the 13-ton Emmanuel — which was not named after the French leader — tolled into the Paris night, signaling the start of the ceremony, the crowd inside Notre Dame fell into an expectant hush. Emmanuel, a legacy of King Louis XIV, had rung through centuries of French history, and its peal now resonated as a call to witness another epochal moment. Outside the cathedral’s monumental doors, Ulrich raised his fire-scarred crosier. “Brothers and sisters, let us enter now into Notre Dame,” he declared. “It is she who accompanies us on our path to peace.” With the congregation of over 2,500 people watching in silence, Ulrich struck the floodlit doors, the base of his crosier reverberating against the wood. Inside, the choir answered with soaring hymns, their voices filling the nave. Illuminations on the cathedral facade heightened the drama. On the final strike, the heavy doors swung open, revealing the glowing interior of restored blond Lutetian limestone. Adding to the ceremony’s visual splendor, Ulrich and the clergy wore vibrant liturgical garments designed by French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. Known for his signature pop-art aesthetic, Castelbajac created 2,000 colorful pieces for 700 celebrants, blending modern elements with medieval touches. Flooded with light and song, the cathedral came alive in a moment of breathtaking spectacle. What had been a silent, soot-blackened ruin five years ago now blazed with renewed vitality, marking the culmination of a nearly $1 billion global effort to resurrect it. 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 flooded the space with song, 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 Notre Dame, 42,000 square meters of stonework—equivalent to six soccer pitches—gleamed anew, revealing intricate carvings and luminous limestone. Above, 2,000 oak beams, nicknamed “the forest,” restored the cathedral’s iconic spire and roof. The great organ, dormant for over five years, roared back to life like a slumbering giant. With its 7,952 pipes—ranging from pen-sized to torso-wide—and a renovated console featuring five keyboards, 115 stops, and 30 foot pedals, it responded to Archbishop Laurent Ulrich’s command: “Wake up, organ, sacred instrument.” The first low rumble grew into a triumphant symphony as four organists pulled out the stops, weaving improvised responses to the archbishop’s invocations. Eight times, Ulrich addressed the organ; eight times, its voice filled the nave with breathtaking sound. Guests marveled at the spectacle, many capturing the moment on their phones. “It’s a sense of perfection,” said François Le Page of the Notre Dame Foundation, who last saw the cathedral cloaked in scaffolding in 2021. “It was somber then. Now, it’s night and day.” The Rev. Andriy Morkvas, a Ukrainian priest 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 followed Trump. 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.By STEVE KARNOWSKI MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Connecticut couple has been charged in Minnesota with being part of a shoplifting ring suspected of stealing around $1 million in goods across the country from the upscale athletic wear retailer Lululemon. Jadion Anthony Richards, 44, and Akwele Nickeisha Lawes-Richards, 45, both of Danbury, Connecticut, were charged this month with one felony count of organized retail theft. Both went free last week after posting bail bonds of $100,000 for him and $30,000 for her, court records show. They’re due back in Ramsey County District Court in St. Paul on Dec. 16. According to the criminal complaints, a Lululemon investigator had been tracking the pair even before police first confronted them on Nov. 14 at a store in suburban Roseville. The investigator told police the couple were responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses across the country, the complaints said. They would steal items and make fraudulent returns, it said. Police found suitcases containing more than $50,000 worth of Lululemon clothing when they searched the couple’s hotel room in Bloomington, the complaint said. According to the investigator, they were also suspected in thefts from Lululemon stores in Colorado, Utah, New York and Connecticut, the complaint said. Within Minnesota, they were also accused of thefts at stores in Minneapolis and the suburbs of Woodbury, Edina and Minnetonka. The investigator said the two were part of a group that would usually travel to a city and hit Lululemon stores there for two days, return to the East Coast to exchange the items without receipts for new items, take back the new items with the return receipts for credit card refunds, then head back out to commit more thefts, the complaint said. In at least some of the thefts, it said, Richards would enter the store first and buy one or two cheap items. He’d then return to the sales floor where, with help from Lawes-Richards, they would remove a security sensor from another item and put it on one of the items he had just purchased. Lawes-Richards and another woman would then conceal leggings under their clothing. They would then leave together. When the security sensors at the door went off, he would offer staff the bag with the items he had bought, while the women would keep walking out, fooling the staff into thinking it was his sensor that had set off the alarm, the complaint said. Richards’ attorney declined comment. Lawes-Richards’ public defender did not immediately return a call seeking comment Monday. “This outcome continues to underscore our ongoing collaboration with law enforcement and our investments in advanced technology, team training and investigative capabilities to combat retail crime and hold offenders accountable,” Tristen Shields, Lululemon’s vice president of asset protection, said in a statement. “We remain dedicated to continuing these efforts to address and prevent this industrywide issue.” The two are being prosecuted under a state law enacted last year that seeks to crack down on organized retail theft. One of its chief authors, Sen. Ron Latz, of St. Louis Park, said 34 states already had organized retail crime laws on their books. “I am glad to see it is working as intended to bring down criminal operations,” Latz said in a statement. “This type of theft harms retailers in myriad ways, including lost economic activity, job loss, and threats to worker safety when crime goes unaddressed. It also harms consumers through rising costs and compromised products being resold online.” Two Minnesota women were also charged under the new law in August. They were accused of targeting a Lululemon store in Minneapolis.

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