Good morning. It's Saturday, Sept. 20, and in this weekend edition, we're covering a final phase in Notre Dame's reconstruction, a satirical science prize, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4.5 million intellectually curious readers. Sign up here.
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Notre Dame's twin towers and roof reopened today, nearly six and a half years after a fire severely damaged the over 850-year-old Catholic cathedral in central Paris. Visitors can now climb its 424 stairs and enjoy a close look at its famed gargoyles.
The restoration has sought to honor the cathedral's original 13th-century Gothic craftsmanship—an effort requiring over 1,000 oak trees and more than 2,000 artisans. (Go behind the scenes.) The interior reopened in December with a ceremony attended by 1,500 dignitaries, including then-first lady Jill Biden and president-elect Donald Trump. French President Emmanuel Macron had previously vowed to fully reconstruct Notre Dame within five years of the 2019 fire.
Before the fire, Notre Dame attracted over 11 million tourists annually—more than the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre. Since partially reopening, average daily attendance has exceeded 35,000, putting it on pace to surpass pre-fire visitorship. Tickets for this weekend sold out in 24 minutes. |
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GOP spending bill fails in Senate after passing House.
The Senate yesterday blocked a Republican-backed bill to fund the government through Nov. 21 and boost lawmaker security funds by $88M, hours after the measure narrowly passed the House. A counterproposal by Senate Democrats to fund the government until Oct. 31, boost security funds to $320M, extend healthcare tax credits, roll back Medicaid cuts, and restore public broadcast funding also failed. Congress must reach a consensus by Sept. 30 to avert a government shutdown.
Judge rejects Trump's $15B suit against NYT, Penguin Random House.
A federal judge dismissed an 85-page libel lawsuit President Donald Trump filed for being unnecessarily long. The complaint accused The New York Times of being a mouthpiece for the Democratic Party and Penguin Random House of publishing false, malicious information in a book by two Times reporters titled "Lucky Loser." Trump's lawyers have 28 days from Friday to refile a revised suit no longer than 40 pages. The New York Times and Penguin Random House rejected the accusations.
CDC advisory panel nixes COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.
A 12-member vaccine advisory panel appointed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy voted yesterday to loosen COVID-19 shot guidance, advising "individual-based decision-making." It also postponed a vote on the hepatitis B vaccine and said federal insurance should not cover a combined measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine. The panel's votes require Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approval before becoming federal guidance.
Russian jets reportedly violate Estonian airspace.
Estonia said three Russian military jets violated its airspace for 12 minutes Friday. NATO jets intercepted the aircraft, and Estonia summoned a top Russian diplomat to protest what its foreign minister called the most aggressive of four Russian incursions on Estonia's airspace this year. Poland and Latvia imposed airspace restrictions last week after Russian drones entered Polish airspace. Separately, the European Union passed its first-ever sanctions on Russian liquefied natural gas.
Ig Nobel Prize honors lighthearted scientific achievements.
Researchers who determined rainbow lizards prefer cheese pizza and that painting zebra stripes on cows repels flies were among those honored at the 35th annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremony Thursday at Boston University. Established in 1991 as the Nobel Prize's satirical sister, the award recognizes achievements that make people laugh and think. Click the headline to read up on all the winning discoveries.
"Junk Bond King" opens $500M museum celebrating American capitalism.
The Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream opens today in Washington, DC. Founded by former Wall Street financier Michael Milken, the museum has attracted funding from numerous billionaires, including Walmart heiress Alice Walton and Citadel CEO Ken Griffin. Milken turned to philanthropy—focusing on economic policy and medical research—after a 1990 fraud conviction barred him from the securities industry. President Donald Trump pardoned Milken in 2020. |
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Big Ten football coach makes players' mothers central to his program. (More)
Hospital gifts patient entering kindergarten "Thor"-inspired toy. (More, w/video)
Author befriends group with young-onset dementia, honors them with book. (More)
Uber driver stays with college student through an emergency room visit, sparking a 7-year friendship. (More)
Hell's Kitchen firefighters stand in for bride's father, a fellow firefighter who died on 9/11. (More, w/video) |
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Today, we're sharing a story from reader Melissa H. in Locust Grove, Georgia.
"We are driving in lovely Ireland. Stopping to buy groceries, my husband couldn't find his wallet. He thought the only spot it could have come out of his pocket was a site a half hour behind us. We drove back and couldn't find it. Then we got a call from our son in the States saying he was contacted by someone on Instagram who found the wallet! Got in touch with them and they will mail it back to us."
What act(s) of kindness did you experience this week? Tell us here. |
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New on the 1440 Topics Website |
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1440 Topics pairs staff-written overviews with the best resources we've found, curated in a single place for you to explore. This week’s new pages: |
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> Discover the background on the viral hit “K-Pop Demon Hunters” at our new page on the K-pop industry. We've also added a new page on family offices, which manage wealth for the ultra-rich. |
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"Reputation is what others think about you. What’s far more important is character, because that is what you think about yourself." |
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