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On Saturday, the archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, officially reopened the famous Notre Dame Cathedral, which was badly damaged by a fire in 2019. He made a special entrance by knocking on the doors, wearing beautiful new vestments and holding a staff made from a beam that survived the fire. Inside, hundreds of important guests gathered to celebrate the restoration of this incredible 12th-century building.

Among the guests were US President-elect Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, who enjoyed the newly cleaned walls and modern lighting that has been added. Outside, many Parisians and tourists stood in the rain and wind to see this beloved monument come back to life. “It looks even more beautiful, especially with the restored spire,” said Marie Jean, a 27-year-old dentist from southern France.

Rebuilding Notre Dame has cost around 700 million euros (about 750 million dollars), funded by donations. The project was completed in just five years, even with challenges like lead pollution and the COVID-19 pandemic. Philippe Jost, who took over the project last year, expressed pride in the successful restoration, calling it a great achievement for all of France.

The reopening ceremony included prayers, organ music, and songs from the cathedral’s choir. There was supposed to be a public concert featuring talented musicians Lang Lang and possibly Pharrell Williams, but it was completed the night before due to bad weather.

President Macron celebrated Notre Dame’s reopening as an example of French creativity and determination, especially during tough times. He hopes this event will bring a sense of pride and togetherness to France, similar to what the Olympics did earlier this year.

Macron successfully invited Trump for his first trip abroad after being re-elected, along with 40 other leaders. They discussed important issues, including military support for Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. While Pope Francis sent a message to be read at the event, he was not there in person.

The cause of the 2019 fire is still a mystery, but officials believe it may have been an accident, like an electrical fault. On Sunday, the first mass since the fire will happen at 10:30 AM, with many bishops and priests attending, followed by another service in the evening open to the public.

South Korea’s Defense Minister, Kim Yong-hyun, has been arrested for his role in declaring martial law earlier this week. This made troops surround the Parliament and brought soldiers onto the streets of Seoul.

On Wednesday night, President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, claiming that opposition parties were threatening the country’s democracy. This was a big deal because it was the first time in over 40 years that martial law was used in South Korea. Many people were scared by this sudden move, both in South Korea and around the world.

However, just a few hours later, President Yoon canceled the martial law after facing strong criticism from the National Assembly and protests from the public. The martial law lasted only about six hours and ended early Thursday morning.

The day after, President Yoon accepted Kim Yong-hyun’s resignation, as opposition parties began the process to impeach both him and the president. Recently, it was reported that Kim Yong-hyun has been arrested and is facing restrictions on travel while the investigation continues.

In response to this situation, South Korea’s defense ministry suspended three high-ranking commanders involved in the martial law operation.

Although there was an attempt to impeach President Yoon, it was unsuccessful. Most lawmakers from Yoon’s conservative party did not participate in the impeachment vote. This result might lead to more protests from the public, as many South Koreans support the idea of impeaching the president.

Yoon’s declaration of martial law has been criticized even by members of his own party. They fear they might lose the presidency to opposition parties if they support the impeachment. To impeach Yoon, they needed at least 200 votes in the National Assembly, but the opposition could not gather enough support. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik called the situation “very regrettable,” saying it was a shame for South Korea’s democracy.

Opposition parties might try again to impeach Yoon after the next parliamentary session opens. There are fears that Yoon may not be able to finish his remaining two and a half years in office because of the damage to his leadership. Some experts think that more members from his party might join the opposition if public pressure continues to grow.