Over $560m pledged to restore Notre Dame cathedral in Paris

Paris, France – Just 24 hours after a massive fire ravaged the Notre Dame cathedral, an outpouring of financial support has seen private donors pledging more than half a billion euros ($564m) towards the restoration of the Parisian landmark.

The full extent of the damage has yet to be assessed, but the world-famous icon of Gothic architecture potentially faces many years of costly repairs to restore its roof and spire, which collapsed in dramatic fashion on Monday evening.

Shortly after an impassioned speech by President Emmanuel Macron, in which he said the full restoration for the cathedral would be “part of the French destiny”, several of the country’s wealthiest citizens opened their wallets to help foot the bill.

Francois Pinault, the billionaire CEO of Kerig group, offered 100 million euros ($113m) towards repairs, while his rival in luxury goods, CEO of the LVMH conglomerate Pierre Arnault, later pledged 200 million euros ($226m).

Energy firm Total promised 100 million euros ($113m), while cosmetics group L’Oreal and the Bettencourt family said they would donate 200 million euros ($226m). Other wealthy families vowed to give a further 20 million euros ($22m).

The art and religious treasures that survived the blaze will be transported to the Louvre museum for safekeeping [Christophe Petit Tesson/Pool via Reuters]

The promised assistance is a welcome – if late – surprise for the centuries-old Notre Dame, whose condition has been deteriorating for many years while the church and city government bickered over who should pay for much-needed repairs.

Air pollution has done extensive damage to the cathedral’s facade, eroding the stone work and its famous gargoyles, but it has received only two million euros ($2.2m) a year in state funding – far short of what is required.

Since Monday’s disaster, the city of Paris has promised 50 million euros ($56m) for repairs, and the regional government another 10 million euros ($11m).

Offers of practical assistance have flooded in from across Europe: Poland’s President Andrzej Duda has extended the service of his country’s reconstruction experts, famed for their restoration of Warsaw buildings razed to the ground in World War II; while the York Glaziers Trust in Britain, which restored the windows of York Minster cathedral when it was gutted by fire in 1984, has volunteered its expertise.

Notre Dame has been restored several times in its 850 years [Benoit Moser/BSPP/Getty Images]

Meanwhile, the art and religious treasures that survived the blaze will be transported to Paris’s Louvre Museum for safekeeping, according to France’s Culture Minister Franck Riester. Some of them will require restoration after being exposed to smoke and water.

“Emotionally, everyone is devastated and struck, but let’s be clear, the main stone structure of the cathedral is standing,” Jean-Louis Cohen, a professor in the history of architecture at New York University Institute of Fine Arts, told Al Jazeera.

Paris’ Notre Dame cathedral ‘saved, preserved’ after massive fire

“What has burned is essentially the roof structure. Two-thirds of the roof, which is basically wooden carpentry and extremely important historically because it was still the original woodwork.”

Bertrand de Feydeau, the vice president of preservation group Fondation du Patrimoine, told France Info radio that the roof -made from latticed oak beams from 5,000 trees – could not be replicated, as France did not have oaks the size of those felled in the 13th century.

Dating back to the 12th century, Notre Dame has seen several major restoration projects throughout its 850 years overlooking the river Seine.

Victor Hugo bemoaned its pitiful neglect in the 1830s, but decades later it was given new life as its flying buttresses were renovated and a new wooden spire was installed.

But the cathedral’s greatest rebirth lies ahead, perhaps many years from now.

“It’s simply going to be a matter of a lot of time and a lot of money,” said Robert Bork, an art historian specialising in Gothic architecture,” told Al Jazeera.

“To do it right requires a lot of handicraft and a lot of man hours. This is not something you want to do in an offhand or hasty way,” he aded.

“The building is so iconic and so beloved and I hope that means they will take the time to do it right and do it carefully.

“They’re going to have to consolidate the vault structure which was badly damaged by the fire and just be very careful about not removing any of the parts that are holding it together right now in the course of the restoration.”

Why is Notre Dame important to France? (01:40)

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Interior IG who oversaw Zinke investigations to retire in May

The Interior Department’s top internal watchdog, who oversaw the multiple investigations that contributed to the resignation of former Secretary Ryan Zinke, will retire from the agency next month, even as her office opens an inquiry into newly confirmed Secretary David Bernhardt.

Mary Kendall, deputy inspector general for the department, led the office during the Zinke probes, including two stemming from POLITICO’s reporting that the IG’s office has referred to the Justice Department, according to news reports. Those reports say investigators have been looking into whether Zinke, who departed the agency in January, lied to the Interior watchdog.

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On Monday, Kendall announced she was launching an investigation into Bernhardt for several possible ethics violations.

Kendall will step down in May and take the position of deputy inspector general at Amtrak, Interior Office of Inspector General spokesperson Nancy DiPaolo told POLITICO. Kendall had reached retirement age and was stepping down voluntarily, she added.

“Nothing nefarious at all,” DiPaolo said. “She’s just able to retire.”

Interior’s investigations into Zinke are continuing, DiPaolo told POLITICO.

Kendall’s position at the IG’s office had briefly come under question last year after Housing and Urban Development Department Secretary Ben Carson sent an email to staff announcing that Suzanne Tufts, his own assistant secretary of administration, would take over as Interior’s inspector general.

Though Tufts never joined Interior’s team, Carson’s email raised concerns about potential political interference into the investigations Kendall was carrying out on Zinke’s relationship with the then-chairman of oilfield services company Halliburton and his role in blocking gaming licenses for Indian tribes.

Interior and the White House blamed each other for the fact that the HUD official was being considered to head the Interior office. In the end, HUD said Carson had been mistaken in his email to staff. Tufts eventually resigned.

The White House has picked Mark Greenblatt, who previously worked at the Commerce Department’s Office of Inspector General, to head Interior’s watchdog. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has not yet scheduled a hearing for his nomination, and a committee spokesperson declined to comment on the potential timing.

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Clairo On Her Coachella Debut, New Music, and Upcoming Arena Tour With Khalid

By Kat Bein

Clairo broke out in late 2017 with the heartwarmingly DIY viral video “Pretty Girl,” and her lo-fi productions and raspy whisper have since captured the attention of elder tastemakers and Gen Z superfans alike. The 20-year-old singer-songwriter has the sharp mind of a woman and the warm soul of a folk hero. She’s a humble but powerful presence, taking each chance to speak her mind, nurture her voice, support her peers, and stay open along the way.

Backstage at Coachella, Clairo was giggly and excited, gushing about how Rosalía is the best performer of our generation, but when she takes the stage or talks about female empowerment and trans rights, a calm inner wisdom shines through. During her set, she stood strong and proud, guitar in hand, in a shimmering beige suit with embroidered roses and rhinestones. Fans were treated to four new songs from Clairo’s forthcoming project, which aims to push her production techniques forward and dig deeper than the usual love songs to tell a more complete human story. And she’ll be sharing more soon on an arena tour in support of her friend Khalid, which kicks off in Phoenix on June 20. Ahead of her Coachella debut, we caught up with Clairo to hear more about her journey.

MTV News: We heard this is your first Coachella ever, both as a fan and a performer. What does this festival man to you?

Clairo: I didn’t really know what to expect, but what I’ve noticed so far is that women have been dominating this year’s festival. All the performances from the women have been mind-blowing. Rosalía; Christine and the Queens was amazing; I loved Kacey Musgraves; I loved Billie [Eilish]; I loved Maggie Rogers. Everyone killed it, and it’s inspiring to be on a lineup with them and being able to talk to them. Offering support to other women on the lineup is the No. 1 thing I want to do at any festival I play. I want to make sure that every other female musician is getting positive energy from me if they want it.

MTV News: I believe it. I read that you’re part of a group called Production Princesses.

Clairo: Yeah! This musician named Sophie Meyers started the group. She’s great. There are about 20 members from all over the world. It’s a Twitter group. All the people involved are really sweet and want to learn more about production, and Sophie is more than willing to offer that advice, and same here. If anyone has questions about my journey or my experience, I’m more than happy to give them advice. Sometimes, I’ll even go in there and I’ll be like, I don’t know why this is happening to me and just vent about my experience, and the women in that group are more than willing to give me that emotional support that I’m not getting elsewhere.

Women are insanely amazing when it comes to emotional support, and I think it’s important that Sophie created this platform that lets girls feel more comfortable in a production space. They’re afraid to ask questions to guys about sidechaining or other things about production, little things that they would feel stupid for not knowing. No one deserves to feel stupid for not knowing something. No one deserves to be put down because they’re trying to learn.

MTV News: You’re promising to play some new music in your set today.

Clairo: I am. Four new songs.

MTV News: That’s a bold choice for your first Coachella.

Clairo: It just happened to be the time where we were supposed to do it. Landing on Coachella is a big moment, but it ended up happening that way. We played the songs for the first time at the El Rey [Theatre] in Los Angeles on Thursday. People seem to like them, so I’ll be interested to see how Coachella reacts, but so far so good.

MTV News: You released a few songs already this year. You’ve got “Bubble Gum” and “Sis.”

Clairo: Those are songs I actually wrote around four years ago and just decided to put on streaming recently.

MTV News: Did you change them at all?

Clairo: No, they’re exactly the same. They were on SoundCloud for a long time, but my followers really wanted me to put them on streaming. It was a cool moment. Everyone was really excited. Most of my older ones are on SoundCloud still.

MTV News: The newer songs that you’re premiering, are they part of a bigger project you’re putting together?

Clairo: They are. I can’t give too much away but, yes, I definitely have a collection of songs. I’ve been hiding away for a little bit. I feel like these new songs are talking a lot about my personal experiences outside of relationships, like my sexuality, my arthritis – it’s very strong. I have a weird mutation in my genes, I guess. I’m talking about things and diving deeper with my struggles and what I’ve been going through in the last year, so I connect a lot with the music and it feels a lot more like me as a person. And I’m working really hard on the production to make it reach its full potential and not just putting out songs because they sound like a good enough demo to post. I’m really taking my time, so I’m really gassed about it.

MTV News: You’re about to go on tour with the great Khalid. What is that relationship like?

Clairo: It’s great. He’s a good friend of mine. He’s been a supporter since forever. He’s someone I look up to, and he’s a really, really positive person. It’s going to be really nice to have him around and to be able to get advice from him about this experience – at least have a close friend around that I can hang out with when we’re playing these huge arenas. It won’t be so scary, because I’m very scared. It’s really terrifying. [laughs]

MTV News: You’ve done a lot of work with the Transgender Law Center, too. You recently did a show with them and the ACLU. Why is that issue close to your heart?

Clairo: “Pretty Girl” was put out on a compilation tape called The Le Sigh Vol. III. We donated the proceeds to the Transgender Law Center, and I wanted to continue that support with the show Thursday. Some of my close friends are in that community, and I think it has to be talked about. It’s a necessary conversation that someone with a platform needs to talk about. Trans women are killed all the time, and I can’t have a platform and not use it. I can’t physically allow myself to have followers that aren’t aware of these situations that are happening. Anything I can do to help other people and use my platform to lift other people up and make people aware of the world outside their own bubble – if I can get inside those bubbles that people have in their small towns and bring to light things they probably wouldn’t read about otherwise, that’s all I can do.

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200 million people will probably be using smart speakers by the end of this year

They don't seem to be going away anytime soon. — They don’t seem to be going away anytime soon.

By Alex Perry2019-04-16 17:29:07 UTC

Whether you see them as life-changing or privacy-violating, it looks like smart speakers are here to stay.

At least, that’s the takeaway from a new study by market researchers at Canalys, a market analyst firm. According to their projections, the global install base for smart speakers like Amazon Echo, Google Home, and more will exceed 200 million units by the end of 2019, a year-over-year jump of 82.4 percent from 2018, when the worldwide install base for the devices was 114 million units. (“Install base” refers to the number of smart speakers that are actually in use by consumers, not the total number of units sold.)

One of the more interesting projections from the Canalys study is that smart speakers could be even more popular than tablets in just a couple of years. According to Canalys, the global install base for smart speakers could be around 400 million by 2021, putting it slightly above the same projected metric for tablets like the iPad.

Could smart speakers be more popular than tablets soon?

That would represent a decent shift in how people use technology on a day-to-day basis. Smart speaker technology has evolved to the point where Amazon Echo can do everything from control heat and lighting to spit out golf quotes on command. Tablets, meanwhile, might be more useful for work or travel purposes.

It seems like China is poised to hop on the smart speaker bandwagon: The study predicted a staggering 166 percent year-over-year jump in smart speaker penetration in China’s mainland from 2018 to 2019. That could be fueled by devices like the Tmall Genie, a smart speaker developed by Alibaba.

Amazon and Google may lead the way in the United States, but they aren’t as prominent in China. Amazon’s Chinese operation has less than 1 percent market share in the country, while Google has shifted to other business operations due to government censorship.

Speaking of the U.S., it should still have the most smart speaker users in the world by the end of the year. Canalys predicts 60 million units in America alone in 2019. And the market is only going to become more competitive as time goes on. Apple’s HomePod just got a much-needed price cut to possibly help it compete with the more affordable Amazon and Google alternatives. Meanwhile, Samsung is set to debut its Galaxy Home device pretty much any day now.

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Ukraine media demands access to frontrunner Volodymyr Zelensky

About 20 Ukrainian news outlets have called on presidential frontrunner Volodymyr Zelensky to stop avoiding the media before a runoff vote on Sunday.

Zelensky, a 41-year-old comedian, has to prove that the principles of openness and transparency that he proclaims “are not just empty words”, the organisations said in an open letter published on Tuesday.

“Our readers, viewers and listeners are asking questions we cannot answer since we have not once talked with you directly,” the letter said.

“Our professional duty as journalists is to bring important information to the public in a timely and comprehensive manner. Since you ignore our interview requests, we cannot fulfil this function.”

Despite his minimum engagement with mainstream media, Zelensky, a political novice, is expected to easily win on Sunday. In the first round of voting on March 31, he secured more than 30 percent of ballots, ahead of runoff rival, incumbent President Petro Poroshenko, who secured under 16 percent.

Throughout his campaign, Zelensky has reached out to voters on social media channels and YouTube clips. Critics, however, accuse him of avoiding direct questions and not providing specific details of how he intends to fix the country’s problems.

Brian Bonner, the editor-in-chief of Kyiv Post, told Al Jazeera that there were “a lot of unanswered questions about Zelensky”.

“I don’t even think his supporters or his campaign advisers know what is going to happen if he is elected president,” Bonner said on Tuesday.

“But from the latest opinion polls today, Zelensky is going to win 70 percent of the vote. This is a clear indication that Ukrainians are going to vote for change in power even if they don’t know what the change in power will mean.”

Zelensky supporters who spoke to Al Jazeera during the first round of voting said they were backing him because he was not a politician. They argued that Zelensky would come to power “to fulfil his civic duty” and fight Ukraine’s endemic corruption from the country’s top seat.

Fiction to reality

For more than three years, Zelensky portrayed a teacher-turned-president battling corruption in the popular sitcom, Servant of the people.

Oleksiy Haran, a professor of comparative politics at the University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, told Al Jazeera that Ukrainians did not realise that they were electing a TV character instead of Zelensky.

“The problem is that Zelensky is a very inexperienced [candidate] and he is not prepared for a meaningful debate. So that’s why the whole strategy of his campaign has been based on avoiding contact with experts and journalists,” Haran said.

“People projected the image of the fictional president in his movie into the real candidate. This is a psychological phenomenon. When Zelensky is starting to speak, he is making a lot of mistakes. That’s why the position of his team is actually to avoid any direct communication between Zelensky and journalists or experts.”

At the weekend, Zelensky was a no-show for a debate against Poroshenko.

Shadow leader

Zelensky’s critics fear that if he wins, Ukraine will be run from the shadows by Ihor Kolomoisky, an oligarch who owns the TV channel that airs the candidate’s TV series.

A study by Reuters news agency of vehicle registration databases, company ownership documents and photographic records suggested on Tuesday that Kolomoisky and Zelensky intersect in other ways.

According to the Reuters report, the two men have common business partners; Zelensky uses security staff who in the past were also seen accompanying Kolomoisky; a former Kolomoisky adviser is on Zelensky’s campaign team; and at least two vehicles used by Zelensky and his entourage are owned by people or entities linked to Kolomoisky.

None of the reported evidence demonstrates that Kolomoisky is financing Zelensky’s campaign or influencing him.

Both Zelensky and Kolomoisky have said their relationship is strictly professional, and centred on the comedian’s TV work. Both say no undue influence is being exerted by the oligarch.

Haran told Al Jazeera that there was no doubt that Zelensky was connected with Kolomoisky.

He said “the question is to what extent he will depend on Kolomoisky when he becomes a president”.

Follow Tamila Varshalomidze on Twitter @tamila87v

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Pitcher Yu Darvish hits three people with one magnificent throw

Yu Darvish accomplished something incredible on Monday night.

Image: Eric Espada/Getty Images

By Marcus Gilmer2019-04-16 17:22:14 UTC

Chicago Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish pulled off an achievement on Monday night he may never do again in his career: he hit three separate people with a single pitch.

Behold.

The Bugs Bunny-esque moment happened in the bottom of the sixth inning in Monday night’s game between the Cubs and Miami Marlins when Darvish’s 99 miles-per-hour fastball struck Marlins hitter Lewis Brinson in his right thigh, striking umpire Brian O’Nora near his throat, and ricocheting into Cubs catcher Willson Contreras in the back.

Check out a slow-motion version of the pitch here.

Incredible. You could practice this for decades and never pull it off again. And in case you’re still confused on the path of the amazing Magic Pitch, here’s a GIF of the pitch’s path.

It’s been a rocky 18 months for Darvish, from a poor performance in the 2017 World Series for the Los Angeles Dodgers, to an injury-shortened 2018 for the Cubs, to a roller coaster start to the 2019 season.

Despite the slapstick comedy of the pitch above, Darvish pitched well enough to get his first win in almost a year for the Cubs in a 7-2 victory. But it’s unlikely he’ll ever repeat the 3-men-in-1-pitch feat, so let us continue to revel in its glory.

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Jaime and Claire cozy up in ‘Outlander’ Season 5 first look

It’s only been three months since Outlander aired its Season 4 finale on Starz, but we already have a first look at the upcoming fifth season. Think of it as a tiny drop of incentive during this hiatus, a.k.a. the Droughtlander.

As Season 5 begins production in Scotland, here’s a glimpse of Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) sharing their trademark lovesick gaze.

I want to say “get a room” but trust me, they always do

Based on Diana Gabaldon’s series of books, Outlander follows World War II nurse Claire, who travels back in time to the 1760s and falls in love with Scottish soldier Jamie.

Season 5 will be based on the book Fiery Cross.

Jamie and Claire have decided to stay in North Carolina and establish their community of Fraser’s Ridge. The timing isn’t great because as she knows, the American Revolution is almost here. Against this backdrop, they are forced to ask themselves just how far they are willing to go to protect their home, and praying there will be no reason to light the “fiery cross,” an ancient Scottish call to arms.

Sure, it sounds intense, but don’t worry. If there are two people who will find time for passion amid all of this, it’s Jamie and Claire. They don’t call it a historical, romantic time-travel drama for nothing!

Outlander also stars Sophie Skelton, Richard Rankin, Graham McTavish, César Domboy, Lauren Lyle, John Bell, and David Berry.

A premiere date for Season 5 is TBD but Starz has already renewed Outlander for Season 6.

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The Capcom Home Arcade brings classic arcade games to your home

Arcade games are making a comeback.

Capcom revealed the Capcom Home Arcade Tuesday, a home console with 16 pre-loaded classic Capcom games that embraces the spirit of the arcade and brings it to your home.

Developed by Koch Media, the plug-and-play Capcom Home Arcade is both a console and a controller, resembling an arcade gamepad with joysticks and buttons for two-player gaming. Sure, the fact that it’s literally designed to be the Capcom logo seems a little conceited, but it seems like an impressive little piece of technology.

The only problem is that preorders in Europe are starting at €230, which is roughly $260. That’s a lot of money for a gamepad with 16 games, considering throwback consoles like the NES and SNES Classics, the PlayStation Classic, and the Sega Genesis Flashback run for roughly a quarter of that price.

Here’s the list of ’80s, ’90s, and early ’00s games that come with the Capcom Home Arcade:

1944: The Loop Master
Alien Vs. Predator
Armored Warriors
Capcom Sports Club
Captain Commando
Cyberbots: Full Metal Madness
Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors
Eco Fighters
Final Fight
Ghouls ‘N Ghosts
Giga Wing
Mega Man: The Power Battle
Progear
Street Fighter II
Strider
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo

As a quick comparison, the SNES Classic comes with 21 games and is retailed at only $80.

For more hardcore Capcom fans, the Capcom Home Arcade might be a reasonable option, but it certainly doesn’t look like something that more casual audiences will rally behind, considering you can buy a Nintendo Switch for just a little more money.

The Capcom Home Arcade is set to launch Oct. 25 in Europe, with more info to come on a North American launch and pricing in the future.

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Rep. Ilhan Omar says she’s receiving more death threats

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After President Donald Trump posted a video to Twitter that appeared to show Rep. Ilhan Omar being dismissive of the 2001 terrorist attacks, Omar is receiving an onslaught of death threats and is calling for an end to acts such as these that incite violence.

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Trump goes after Fox News for ‘weird’ Sanders town hall

President Donald Trump on Tuesday took a jab at Fox News one day after Sen. Bernie Sanders’ surprisingly successful town hall appearance on the president’s favorite network.

Trump said on Twitter that it was “weird” to watch the Democratic presidential candidate on the channel and characterized the town hall as the second instance of unusual behavior by the network known for its conservative bent and fervent defenses of the White House.

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“So weird to watch Crazy Bernie on @FoxNews,” the president tweeted. “Not surprisingly, @BretBaier and the ‘audience’ was so smiley and nice. Very strange, and now we have @donnabrazile?”

Trump’s Twitter barb at Sanders comes after almost two months without a tweet attacking the Vermont senator, a favorite target of the president in 2016 when Sanders challenged Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary. The president sent his last tweet about Sanders in February — a simple post wishing “Crazy Bernie” well as he entered the 2020 race.

The president also subtly commented on Fox News’ decision to hire former interim Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Donna Brazile as a commentator, a move made last month amid criticism that the channel functions as a state-run outlet for Trump.

For an hour Monday night, Sanders fielded questions from Fox hosts Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum and an audience in Bethlehem, Pa., a county that went for Trump in 2016 after twice supporting Barack Obama.

The senator’s reception was strongly positive at more than a few instances during the town hall — at one point he led the crowd in a call-and-response and received loud cheers for his policies.

Baier also asked audience members to raise their hands if they would be willing to switch to Sanders’ “Medicare for All” plan, a measure scorned by Republicans. In one of the most surprising moments of the night, most people appeared to raise their hands.

The senator was grilled about health care, defense spending and his growing personal wealth, but he was largely able to hold his own against attacks on his core platform. Sanders was the first Democratic primary candidate to appear on the highest-rated cable channel, taking a gamble none of his challengers have tried yet.

The appearance of support in an area Trump won in 2016 bolstered the image of Sanders as a candidate with the ability to win the general election, something a number of Democrats have expressed concerns about, citing the senator’s ideology as too far left.

Sanders is currently polling as the front-runner in the Democratic primary contest, often coming in the top slots alongside former Vice President Joe Biden, who has not yet entered the race.

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