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  • $55 million plan to give Notre Dame area a green facelift is part of Paris-wide eco plan

    $55 million plan to give Notre Dame area a green facelift is part of Paris-wide eco plan

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    PARIS — As Notre Dame gears up to reopen its doors in December, Paris is on the verge of a remarkable eco-revival, bringing nature back to the forefront of the City of Light.

    Beyond restoring the cathedral’s iconic spire and medieval charm, the city announced plans Tuesday to revamp Notre Dame’s surroundings — to a tune of 50 million euros ($55 million) — into a serene, green oasis.

    The project echoes a broader, post-Olympics eco-facelift that’s reshaping Paris from its historic monuments to its bustling avenues.

    Among the key elements of this broader transformation are the revitalization of historic spaces like the Champs-Elysees and Place de la Concorde, a redesign aimed at reducing traffic around the Arc de Triomphe, and green promenades connecting the French capital’s landmarks.

    Here’s a look at some of the eco plans for Paris in the coming years:

    The reopening on Dec. 8 promises to be a historic moment for Paris, fulfilling President Emmanuel Macron’s vow made after the 2019 devastating fire for a five-year timeline. While the cathedral’s spire and oak-framed roof have been restored to their pre-fire glory, Paris City Hall’s plans for the area around Notre Dame are bringing something new.

    The ambitious, future-facing project will create 1,800 square meters (around 20,000 square feet) of green space and plant 160 trees, according to a news conference at City Hall that featured speeches from Paris officials, including Mayor Anne Hidalgo on Tuesday.

    Hidalgo stated that the redesign will integrate nature and the Seine more fully into the area. Hidalgo emphasized that this transformation aims “to better highlight our beautiful cathedral and do it justice, while respecting its history.”

    The redesign includes transforming the underground parking area into a visitor space complete with services and amenities. Additionally, the Seine’s adjacent quays will be revitalized, offering a new promenade along the river. A belvedere will provide panoramic views of the Ile Saint-Louis and the Seine, further enhancing the visitor experience.

    The project will unfold in two phases, with the first, focusing on the parvis and surrounding streets, expected to be completed by the end of 2027. The second phase, which will include the renovation of Square Jean-XXIII and other nearby areas, is set to finish by 2030.

    At the heart of Paris, the Place de la Concorde — home to the 3,300-year-old Luxor Obelisk — will undergo a significant overhaul between 2026 and 2027.

    Paris officials have enlisted the input of a dozen architectural experts to envision how to preserve its rich history, while aligning the plaza with the city’s modern green ambitions. Expect more greenery and less traffic as the revamp balances historical significance with a fresh eco-friendly design.

    Not everything has been a picnic in Paris’s post-Olympics makeover.

    Two of France’s most high-profile female politicians — Hidalgo and Culture Minister Rachida Dati — are engaged in a fierce battle over the future of the Eiffel Tower, casting a shadow over the city’s plans for its famed monument.

    Hidalgo has proposed to keep the Olympic rings affixed to the Eiffel Tower beyond the Games, which ended in August. She argues that the rings symbolize the “festive spirit” of the successful Paris Olympics and wants them to remain at least until the next Summer Games in Los Angeles in 2028.

    Critics, however, say Hidalgo is using the Eiffel Tower as a political billboard to boost her image before the 2026 mayoral election, in which she is expected to face off against Dati.

    Dati has been vocal in opposing the plan, arguing that the tower is a protected heritage site and can’t be altered without proper consultation. She has accused Hidalgo of using the monument as a “personal campaign poster,” while Hidalgo counters that the rings are a harmless tribute to Paris’ Olympic success.

    Dati has gone further, launching an ultimatum to push for the Eiffel Tower to be classified as a full historical monument — something Hidalgo has resisted. This would add extra layers of bureaucratic protection and control, potentially thwarting Hidalgo’s plans.

    Paris’ Champs-Elysees, sometimes called “the most beautiful avenue in the world,” is receiving a 30-million-euro facelift, beginning with the renovation of its sidewalks, tree bases, and gardens that began in preparation for the Olympics.

    With 150 proposals to “re-enchant the Champs-Elysees” over the coming years, this project aims to add even more green spaces and revive its historic charm, reinforcing its reputation as the world’s most beautiful avenue.

    Changes to the Arc de Triomphe’s bustling roundabout are designed to reduce traffic flow and calm the surrounding environment.

    Traffic lanes encircling the famous monument will be trimmed, while the central ring will be widened, allowing for a quieter, more accessible space.

    Leading from the Arc de Triomphe to the Bois de Boulogne, the Avenue de la Grande Armee is also getting the green treatment. Authorities plan to recreate a historic green promenade, transforming this major traffic artery into a lush, tree-lined boulevard that reconnects the avenue with the nearby forest, historically converted into a public park in the 19th century under Napoleon III.

    Paris’ Louvre Museum, the world’s most visited, will undergo its own transformation under the “Louvre 2030” project.

    Though specific details remain sparse, the project aims to address the growing influx of visitors, with a significant redesign of Place du Louvre planned to help manage the crowds and provide a more tranquil, green environment for visitors.

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  • $55 million plan to give Notre Dame area a green facelift is part of Paris-wide eco plan

    $55 million plan to give Notre Dame area a green facelift is part of Paris-wide eco plan

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    PARIS — As Notre Dame gears up to reopen its doors in December, Paris is on the verge of a remarkable eco-revival, bringing nature back to the forefront of the City of Light.

    Beyond restoring the cathedral’s iconic spire and medieval charm, the city announced plans Tuesday to revamp Notre Dame’s surroundings — to a tune of 50 million euros ($55 million) — into a serene, green oasis.

    The project echoes a broader, post-Olympics eco-facelift that’s reshaping Paris from its historic monuments to its bustling avenues.

    Among the key elements of this broader transformation are the revitalization of historic spaces like the Champs-Elysees and Place de la Concorde, a redesign aimed at reducing traffic around the Arc de Triomphe, and green promenades connecting the French capital’s landmarks.

    Here’s a look at some of the eco plans for Paris in the coming years:

    The reopening on Dec. 8 promises to be a historic moment for Paris, fulfilling President Emmanuel Macron’s vow made after the 2019 devastating fire for a five-year timeline. While the cathedral’s spire and oak-framed roof have been restored to their pre-fire glory, Paris City Hall’s plans for the area around Notre Dame are bringing something new.

    The ambitious, future-facing project will create 1,800 square meters (around 20,000 square feet) of green space and plant 160 trees, according to a news conference at City Hall that featured speeches from Paris officials, including Mayor Anne Hidalgo on Tuesday.

    Hidalgo stated that the redesign will integrate nature and the Seine more fully into the area. Hidalgo emphasized that this transformation aims “to better highlight our beautiful cathedral and do it justice, while respecting its history.”

    The redesign includes transforming the underground parking area into a visitor space complete with services and amenities. Additionally, the Seine’s adjacent quays will be revitalized, offering a new promenade along the river. A belvedere will provide panoramic views of the Ile Saint-Louis and the Seine, further enhancing the visitor experience.

    The project will unfold in two phases, with the first, focusing on the parvis and surrounding streets, expected to be completed by the end of 2027. The second phase, which will include the renovation of Square Jean-XXIII and other nearby areas, is set to finish by 2030.

    At the heart of Paris, the Place de la Concorde — home to the 3,300-year-old Luxor Obelisk — will undergo a significant overhaul between 2026 and 2027.

    Paris officials have enlisted the input of a dozen architectural experts to envision how to preserve its rich history, while aligning the plaza with the city’s modern green ambitions. Expect more greenery and less traffic as the revamp balances historical significance with a fresh eco-friendly design.

    Not everything has been a picnic in Paris’s post-Olympics makeover.

    Two of France’s most high-profile female politicians — Hidalgo and Culture Minister Rachida Dati — are engaged in a fierce battle over the future of the Eiffel Tower, casting a shadow over the city’s plans for its famed monument.

    Hidalgo has proposed to keep the Olympic rings affixed to the Eiffel Tower beyond the Games, which ended in August. She argues that the rings symbolize the “festive spirit” of the successful Paris Olympics and wants them to remain at least until the next Summer Games in Los Angeles in 2028.

    Critics, however, say Hidalgo is using the Eiffel Tower as a political billboard to boost her image before the 2026 mayoral election, in which she is expected to face off against Dati.

    Dati has been vocal in opposing the plan, arguing that the tower is a protected heritage site and can’t be altered without proper consultation. She has accused Hidalgo of using the monument as a “personal campaign poster,” while Hidalgo counters that the rings are a harmless tribute to Paris’ Olympic success.

    Dati has gone further, launching an ultimatum to push for the Eiffel Tower to be classified as a full historical monument — something Hidalgo has resisted. This would add extra layers of bureaucratic protection and control, potentially thwarting Hidalgo’s plans.

    Paris’ Champs-Elysees, sometimes called “the most beautiful avenue in the world,” is receiving a 30-million-euro facelift, beginning with the renovation of its sidewalks, tree bases, and gardens that began in preparation for the Olympics.

    With 150 proposals to “re-enchant the Champs-Elysees” over the coming years, this project aims to add even more green spaces and revive its historic charm, reinforcing its reputation as the world’s most beautiful avenue.

    Changes to the Arc de Triomphe’s bustling roundabout are designed to reduce traffic flow and calm the surrounding environment.

    Traffic lanes encircling the famous monument will be trimmed, while the central ring will be widened, allowing for a quieter, more accessible space.

    Leading from the Arc de Triomphe to the Bois de Boulogne, the Avenue de la Grande Armee is also getting the green treatment. Authorities plan to recreate a historic green promenade, transforming this major traffic artery into a lush, tree-lined boulevard that reconnects the avenue with the nearby forest, historically converted into a public park in the 19th century under Napoleon III.

    Paris’ Louvre Museum, the world’s most visited, will undergo its own transformation under the “Louvre 2030” project.

    Though specific details remain sparse, the project aims to address the growing influx of visitors, with a significant redesign of Place du Louvre planned to help manage the crowds and provide a more tranquil, green environment for visitors.

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  • Woman convicted of killing pro cyclist Anna ‘Mo’ Wilson gets 90 years in prison. What happened?

    Woman convicted of killing pro cyclist Anna ‘Mo’ Wilson gets 90 years in prison. What happened?

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    AUSTIN, Texas — The murder trial of a Texas woman charged in the May 2022 shooting death of rising professional cyclist Anna “Mo” Wilson has ended with a guilty verdict and a 90-year prison sentence.

    It took jurors only two hours to convict Kaitlin Armstrong of murder on Thursday and just over three hours to decide her sentence on Friday.

    Investigators said Armstrong fled the U.S. shortly after Wilson was killed and underwent plastic surgery in an attempt to evade authorities.

    Wilson — a Vermont native and former alpine skier at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire — was an emerging star in gravel and mountain bike riding when she was killed in a friend’s apartment in Austin. She had been preparing to participate in a Texas race that she was among the favorites to win.

    In the hours before she was killed, Wilson went swimming and had a meal with Armstrong’s boyfriend, former pro cyclist Colin Strickland, with whom Wilson had a brief romantic relationship months earlier.

    Investigators say Armstrong gunned down Wilson in a jealous rage, then used her sister’s passport to escape the U.S. before she was tracked down and arrested at a beachside hostel in Costa Rica.

    Here’s a look at what happened in the trial:

    There were no witnesses to the shooting or videos that place Armstrong in the apartment when Wilson was gunned down on May 11, 2022. Prosecutors built their case on a tight web of circumstantial evidence.

    Strickland testified that he had to hide Wilson’s phone number from Armstrong under a fake name in his phone. Two of Armstrong’s friends said she told them she wanted to — or could — kill Wilson.

    Vehicle satellite records, phone-tracking data and surveillance video from a nearby home showed Armstrong’s Jeep driving around the apartment and parking in an alley shortly before Wilson was killed. Data from Armstrong’s phone showed it had been used that day to track Wilson’s location via a fitness app that she used to chart her training rides.

    Investigators also said shell casings near Wilson’s body matched a gun Armstrong owned.

    Jurors heard the frantic emergency call from the friend who found Wilson’s body, saw the gruesome police camera footage of first responders performing CPR, and heard audio from a neighbor’s home surveillance system that prosecutors said captured Wilson’s final screams and three gunshots.

    Wilson was shot twice in the head, and once through the heart.

    Police interviewed Armstrong, among others, after Wilson was killed. The day after that interview, Armstrong sold her Jeep for more than $12,000 and headed to Costa Rica, where investigators say she had plastic surgery to change her nose, and she changed her hairstyle and color.

    Armstrong evaded capture for 43 days as she moved around Costa Rica trying to establish herself as a yoga instructor before she was finally caught on June 29.

    The jury also heard about another escape attempt by Armstrong, on Oct. 11, when she tried to flee two corrections officers who had escorted her to a medical appointment outside jail. Video showed Armstrong, in a striped jail uniform and arm restraints, running and trying to scale a fence.

    She was quickly recaptured and faces a separate felony escape attempt charge.

    Armstrong’s lawyers spent only a few hours presenting her defense and she did not testify on her own behalf.

    The defense accused police of a sloppy investigation that too quickly focused on Armstrong as the sole suspect. And they tried to raise doubts among jurors by suggesting someone else could have killed Wilson, asking why prosecutors so quickly dismissed Strickland as a suspect.

    But a police analyst testified that data tracking on Strickland’s phone showed him traveling away from Wilson’s apartment immediately after dropping her off, and taking a phone call at or near his home around the time Wilson was killed.

    Armstrong’s lawyers tried to pick at that data as unreliable and imprecise. They questioned whether someone other than Armstrong had her vehicle and phone that night. They also called an expert on forensic metallurgy to try to debunk as faulty the firearms and tool-marking methods used to match the bullets to Armstrong’s gun.

    The sentencing phase of the trial packed an emotional wallop.

    Caitlin Cash, the friend who found Wilson and pumped her chest 100 times in a desperate attempt to save her through CPR, said she had texted Wilson’s family earlier that day with a picture of her starting a training ride. It included a message, “Your girl is in safe hands here in Austin.”

    “I felt a lot of guilt not being able to protect her,” Cash said. “I fought for her with everything I had.”

    Cash also described Anna Wilson’s mother, Karen, later coming to the apartment and lying on the bathroom floor to put herself in her daughter’s final place, stroking the floor tiles and crying.

    Karen Wilson spoke twice, once before the sentence was delivered, and again afterward.

    “When you shot Moriah in the heart, you shot me in the heart … all the people who loved her, pierced their hearts,” Karen Wilson said, looking at Armstrong as she left the witness stand.

    Armstrong did not appear to return her gaze.

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  • James Dolan’s sketch of the Sphere becomes reality as the venue opens with a U2 show in Las Vegas

    James Dolan’s sketch of the Sphere becomes reality as the venue opens with a U2 show in Las Vegas

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    LAS VEGAS — It started as a crude sketch — a circle with a stick person inside. Seven years later, that drawing has been made real: A $2.3 billion massive spherical venue, standing 366 feet (111 meters) high and lighting up the Las Vegas skyline.

    The drawing was initially made by James Dolan, the executive chair of Madison Square Garden and owner of the New York Knicks and Rangers. He and MSG Ventures CEO David Dibble were trying to create a plan to give the entertainment venue industry a facelift in Las Vegas.

    Both experimented with different shapes for the structure — such as a muffin, a box and even a pyramid — until Dolan drew the circle and stick person on a notebook. At that moment, the Sphere was born.

    Now, Dolan’s vision will come to fruition when U2’s “UV Achtung Baby” residency kicks off the opening of his high-tech, globe-shaped venue Friday night.

    “It really is a new medium,” said Dolan, speaking to the media during a walkthrough Thursday. “When you’re in the Sphere, you don’t get told what to look at. The audience decides what they want to focus on.”

    Inside the 516-foot-wide (157-meter-wide) Sphere, a high-resolution LED screen wraps halfway around the 17,500-seat audience. The venue is equipped with thousands of speakers that will deliver a “crystal-clear,” multi-layered experience.

    The venue features an array of technology attractions, including five interactive humanoid robots named Aura.

    “Necessity is the mother of invention,” said Dibble, who framed Dolan’s original drawing after carrying the picture in his backpack. “Everything from our audio and networking system, visual displays, camera systems stored — it’s all required to deliver an effective Sphere experience.”

    The state-of-the-art venue has become a traffic stopper — especially at night. It drew immediate attention on the Fourth of July with a digital fireworks display, an eyeball that appeared to scan the horizon with the words “Hello World.”

    Along with U2’s 25-show residency, the venue will next week offer a custom production titled “Postcard from Earth” by film director Darren Aronofsky.

    Tourists and air travelers have also seen the orb light up with the likeness of the Earth or Moon, bouncing basketballs and art designs. The characters from the upcoming animated film “Trolls Band Together” have appeared on its LED exterior and it trumpeted the release of NSYNC’s new single “Better Place,” a song on the movie’s soundtrack.

    “That’s cool,” said Glenn NP Nowak, an architecture professor at the nearby University of Nevada, Las Vegas. “It’s like words don’t do it justice.”

    The Sphere resembles the Spaceship Earth attraction at Walt Disney World’s Epcot theme park in Florida. Its design also draws comparisons to the Montreal Biosphere museum in Canada and Avicii Arena in Sweden.

    It doesn’t tower over the Strip like the 520-foot (158-meter) High Roller observation wheel that casino giant Caesars Entertainment opened in 2014, or the 1,149-foot (350-meter) tower at the Strat Hotel & Casino that opened in 1996.

    However, the Sphere is the most expensive entertainment venue built in Las Vegas, eclipsing the approximately $1.9 billion, 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium sports facility that opened in 2020.

    “There is hype around this,” added Nowak, who toured the structure with his students at various phases while it was being built. “I think that’s part of the reason people don’t necessarily understand what they’ve just seen.”

    Beyond a structure that Nowak called an “engineering marvel,” he noted its cutting-edge position as an attraction in an emerging Las Vegas “experience economy.”

    Each year, Las Vegas has lured more than 40 million people into an area known for gambling, nightlife, spas, entertainment shows and fine dining. Most normally arrive by air at Harry Reid International Airport, which handled nearly 53 million passengers in 2022.

    “This was the perfect market,” Dolan said. “This marketplace is about growth. They welcome the notion of putting a big, huge spherical light bulb thing in the middle of it. This market loves light, it loves shows, the entertainment. The Sphere is all about those things. The government here was welcoming and encouraging.”

    The project started as a partnership with casino company Las Vegas Sands, the then-owner of the Venetian and Palazzo resort towers on the Las Vegas Strip. Now the 35-story Venetian and 50-story Palazzo, with more than 7,000 rooms combined, advertise bird’s-eye guest room views of the Sphere.

    Dolan said casino owners initially thought the venue would be a “regular ol’ arena.”

    “The casino owners were concerned about getting boxed out of entertainment, so they had to have their own venue,” he said. “Somewhere along the line, we told them it’s not going to be a regular arena. They really embraced the concept.”

    Dolan believes many others will embrace the Sphere, and hopes to expand the concept all over the world. He believes London could be the next landing spot, with the dreams of someday building one in New York.

    But for now, Dolan is focused on proving that the Sphere is the real deal.

    “I feel good about what we built,” he said. “I feel like it’s going to be a success. The people are going to love it. I’m not as anxious as I used to be.”

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  • Hate your signature? Try plastic surgery for autographs

    Hate your signature? Try plastic surgery for autographs

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    NEW YORK — Doctors, lawyers, celebrities: There’s a new cosmetic surgery, of sorts, that has snared them all.

    By that, we mean handing over money to hire a calligrapher for a fresh take on writing one’s own name in cursive. With a pen or another writing implement. On paper.

    A corner of TikTok, Instagram and other social media is dedicated to signature design, and it’s keeping practitioners busy.

    Priscilla Molina in Los Angeles does a minimum of 300 custom signatures a month, offering packages that include up to three ways to sign, limitless drafts or a new set of initials. She charges between $10 to $55, using the motto: “Where originality meets legacy.”

    Molina said her Planet of Names clients include professionals and famous people in search of new ways to sign autographs, though her lips are sealed on the identities of high-profile signature seekers.

    In general, Molina said, people come to her for signature makeovers for a simple reason: They’re tired of the way they sign their names.

    “They’re not happy with their signatures. They don’t relate to who they are. They don’t give the message they want to convey to the world,” she said.

    Molina and other signature doctors promise a range of styles. For Molina, that includes but is not limited to elegant, subtle, dramatic, sharp, classic, artistic, condensed, curvy, legible — or even illegible.

    She and others offer templates and stencils, encouraging clients to practice their newfound John Hancocks, with results in a short couple of weeks if they put in the time.

    John Hancock, for those light on U.S. history, was president of the Continental Congress and affixed his large and flamboyant signature to the Declaration of Independence when it was signed in 1776.

    Fast forward to 2023, where — despite the rise of digital alternatives — signatures, to some, still matter.

    Sonia Palamand in St. Louis, Missouri, began noodling with calligraphy in middle school. She drums up business on TikTok, charging $35 for three signatures while promoting herself in videos that have her designing free of charge for select commenters.

    “It’s a way for people to reinvent themselves. The way that you present yourself on the outside can affect how you see yourself on the inside. I think with signatures, it’s adding some intentionality,” she said. “It’s also an artistic pursuit.”

    Artistic, for sure, but what happens when a client’s signature must be matched with a signature on file? Think voter rolls, passports, credit cards, health documents, wills, insurance or financial papers.

    There’s the option of reverting to an old signature, of course, though some happy customers choose to update their worlds of signatures on file to match the new.

    But are the new signatures somehow easier for fraudsters to replicate?

    James Green, a certified document examiner who has testified in more than 140 legal cases around the world, went through the customer experience at one of the signature design companies. He paid for a package that included three options.

    “At this time, I can’t throw the signature design services under the bus,” he said. “However, the verdict is still out. If clients request a simplistic signature style or limit it to their initials, obviously, the opportunity for fraud increases.”

    The company Green used, Signature Pro, provided a writing template to help him become more proficient in signing the new way. Green, in Eugene, Oregon, said the three samples “could not be easily simulated due to flourishes, spacing, height relationships” and other proportions.

    Asked about copyright, Signature Pro told him the company doesn’t retain rights. Signature Pro charges $170 to $600 for a range of services, the priciest of which offers unlimited options, a signature for everyday use and another for special occasions.

    In Miami, cargo pilot Juan Herrera decided to pursue a signature makeover after his wife gave him a $750 Montblanc pen and he realized “my signature looked like my daughter’s signature in fourth grade.”

    He saw a post on Facebook from VipArtni Calligraphy Studio, and decided to dive in, paying about $99 for 10 signatures from which to choose.

    “I always felt that my signature was the same from high school without any style, and it was easy to copy,” Herrera said.

    He received practice sheets and soon became proficient in the one he picked.

    “I use it every day,” he said. “I also use it for legal documents.”

    Yevgeniya Ruzanova, co-founder of VipArtni, said she and an old friend launched the company during the pandemic, providing fancy digital signatures at first before expanding their offerings. The company is a side gig for Ruzanova, who does social media for a sports academy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

    “It’s relaxing,” Ruzanova said of the calligraphy work. “I was looking for peace of mind.”

    Most of her customers are in the United States, though she and other companies do serve clients all over the world. Ruzanova, her business partner and a third set of hands create signatures for 30 to 70 clients a month, charging $99 to $129. Among their services is providing videos so clients can see their new signatures being drawn, stroke by stroke.

    So how long does it take to reinvent your identity in ink?

    “I would say some people get used to the new signature within three days if they practice 15 to 20 minutes a day,” Ruzanova said. “It all depends on how much effort they put into learning something new.”

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