France aims to start Notre Dame restoration two years after destructive fire

France marked the second anniversary of the Notre Dame fire as architects finalised the start of its restoration programme.
Since the fire destroyed much of the cathedral's roof and caused its spire to collapse, the extensive rebuild has focused on consolidation, after which restoration work will begin.
French President Emmanuel Macron said that while a lot of good work had been accomplished in the past two years, "we also see what remains to be done".
Mr Macron set a five-year restoration target in the immediate aftermath of the fire, which, if met, would make the cathedral accessible by the time Paris hosts the Olympics in summer 2024.

First oak trees for Notre Dame’s spire chosen

The aim for a “return to worship” is still in place, but some parts of the rebuild could take up to 20 years.

On Thursday, the interior of the cathedral was encased in a web of scaffolding, surrounded by nets and tarpaulins, where carpenters, rope workers, scaffolders and crane operators worked in tandem.
Metals melted in the fire had to be cut from the roof and the vaults inside the cathedral needed to be stabilised.
"The objective … is to return Notre Dame to worshippers and to visits in 2024. That means ... Mass will be able to be organised in the cathedral," said Jeremie Patrier-Leitus, a spokesman for the restoration.
"Notre Dame is holding up, it is still there. We are all gathered and mobilised to restore the cathedral and give this jewel of French Gothic architecture back to the world."

Illustrating the vast amount of work still to be done, 1,000 oak trees were felled in 200 French forests this spring to construct the frame for the cathedral’s transept and spire.

“I can say today that the cathedral is saved. It is well secured and we can now do the huge work of reconstruction that is not going to destabilise the whole building,” said Notre Dame’s rector, Patrick Chauvet.

RESULTS

5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Tathoor, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 1,000m
Winner: Dahawi, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
Winner: Aiz Alawda, Fernando Jara, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
Winner: ES Nahawand, Fernando Jara, Mohammed Daggash
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Winked, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Al Ain Mile Group 3 (PA) Dh350,000 1,600m
Winner: Somoud, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
8pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Al Jazi, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel

Gothia Cup 2025

4,872 matches

1,942 teams

116 pitches

76 nations

26 UAE teams

15 Lebanese teams

2 Kuwaiti teams

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

Ain Issa camp:

Established in 2016
Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region

Transgender report

Exclusive: Trans Emiratis fight for recognition of new gender after reassignment surgery abroad

'I pretend I'm dumb so they can't hear my voice': Transgender Emirati on posing as a woman for work

• Remittance charges will be tackled by blockchain

• UAE's monumental and risky Mars Mission to inspire future generations, says minister

• Could the UAE drive India's economy?

• News has a bright future and the UAE is at the heart of it

• Architecture is over - here's cybertecture

• The National announces Future of News journalism competition

• Round up: Experts share their visions of the world to come

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.