Plus: Political drama engulfs the Philippines ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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| Hello. As anticipation for the re-opening of Notre-Dame in Paris builds, today we are getting a first glimpse inside the restored cathedral. In Ukraine, Paul Adams visits an energy plant that has been repeatedly hit since Russia's full-scale invasion of the country in 2022, while Jonathan Head explains the escalating feud among political dynasties in the Philippines. And finally, we share tips on how to avoid a bad deal on Black Friday. | |
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TOP OF THE AGENDA | Notre-Dame rises from the ashes | | On entering the refurbished cathedral, Macron said it was now "repaired, reinvented and rebuilt." Credit: Reuters | In April 2019, a fire tore through the roof of Notre-Dame cathedral, a historic building and symbol of Paris that dates back to the 12th Century. The fire burned for 15 hours, destroying the spire, wooden roof beams and stone vaulting. Falling wood and masonry also caused damage, as did the water from firehoses - shocking images showed what the interior looked like after the fire. With the eyes of the world on the French capital, President Emmanuel Macron made returning the cathedral to its former glory a priority. Works to do so have been kept a closely guarded secret, with only a few images released over the years marking the progress of the €700m (£582m) renovation. Ahead of the official re-opening on 7 December, today the world has been given a first look inside. Get the latest.
'A spectacular experience': Paris correspondent Hugo Schofield shares his impression of the restoration work.
Listen: In this episode of The Global Story podcast, host Katya Adler discusses how Notre-Dame's fire captured the world's attention.
From the archives: When the fire broke in 2019, Henri Astier wrote about Notre-Dame's significance to French people. | |
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| Fighting to keep the lights on | | Even before the most recent Russian attack, Ukraine had lost 9GW of generating capacity. Credit: BBC/Joe Phua | On Thursday, Russia mounted its second mass attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in less than two weeks. Ten such attacks this year have placed an enormous burden on the energy system. Engineers are wrestling with the well-nigh impossible task of keeping one step ahead of Russia’s relentless assault, as the rest of the country tries to adapt. |
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| | Paul Adams, Diplomatic correspondent |
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| | There’s evidence of Russia’s destructive intent everywhere. In one corner of the turbine hall, under a gaping hole in the roof, workers warm their hands over a makeshift brazier. Huge sheets of plastic have been draped over the machinery to protect it from the elements. "The conditions are tough," says Oleksandr. We’ve agreed not to identify him further. "We don’t even have time to restore the main equipment, let alone the roof and walls. Everything gets destroyed again from one strike to the next." |
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BEYOND THE HEADLINES | A political feud takes a dramatic turn |
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| | | The decision by the Marcos and Duterte clans to join forces in the 2022 election was a marriage of convenience. Credit: Getty Images | Philippine vice-president Sara Duterte has a reputation for tough talking, but could saying she dreams about cutting off the head of one-time ally President Ferdinand Marcos prove to be one verbal indiscretion too far? Southeast Asia correspondent Jonathan Head explains how the alliance between the offspring of former Philippine leaders has unravelled so spectacularly. |
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SOMETHING DIFFERENT | Miracles of speed | In the sixty years since its introduction, the bullet train has transformed Japan. | |
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Six Steps to Calm | Discover a calmer future with this course of six science-backed techniques, weekly to your inbox. | |
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