Notre Dame Cathedral fire, NFL regular season schedule: 5 things to know Wednesday

Notre Dame fire: Macron calls for unity to rebuild iconic cathedral

French President Emmanuel Macron will hold a Cabinet meeting Wednesday fully dedicated to the Notre Dame Cathedral fire. In a televised address, Macron, who wants to see the 12th-century cathedral rebuilt within five years, made a call to unity and to set aside political differences to work on rebuilding plans. Experts say repairs could require a delicate balance of restoring the majestic building's unique look with fortifying the structure for the future. Meanwhile, religious statues that sat atop the cathedral had been removed as part of a $6.8 million renovation of the towering spire that fell to the ground. Notre Dame’s heritage director, Laurent Prades, told The Associated Press that the only piece of architecture damaged inside the building is the high altar, which was installed in 1989. A massive fundraising campaign is already underway, with more than $700 million pledged to rebuild the damaged portions of the cathedral.

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118 million at risk as severe storms, tornadoes, could hit central and southern U.S.

Another severe weather outbreak is forecast for Wednesday through Friday in the central and southern U.S., in what could be a repeat of last weekend's storms that killed nine people. About 118 million people live where severe storms are possible. "We expect numerous thunderstorms to develop in the Plains, Midwest and South starting Wednesday, spreading eastward Thursday and Friday," the Weather Channel warned. The main threat Wednesday will be in the southern Plains. The greatest risk for severe storms will be "from southeastern Oklahoma into far western Arkansas and into northern and central Texas," the National Weather Service said. Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin and Oklahoma City will be most at risk Wednesday.

NFL to release its 2019 schedule

NFL teams and fans will learn who plays whom and when Wednesday in the league's landmark 100th season. We do know in advance that the league will depart from recent precedent of having the defending champion host the Thursday night opener. Instead, the Chicago Bears will host the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 5. Super Bowl LIII champ New England is expected to host the Sunday Night Football matchup in Week 1. Make sure to follow USA TODAY Sports for all the latest news as the NFL will reveal its 2019 regular season schedule at 8 p.m. ET.

Hunt for woman 'infatuated' with Columbine who created security concerns across Denver

Authorities were hunting for a woman described as "extremely dangerous" and "infatuated" with the Columbine school shooting Wednesday after she created major security concerns across the Denver metro area. Authorities said Sol Pais, 18, made credible but unspecified threats that prompted dozens of schools to increase police presence or cancel after-school activities. The incident comes days before the emotional 20th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting on Saturday. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI said Pais traveled to Colorado from Miami on Monday night and bought a pump-action shotgun and ammunition. She was last seen in the foothills west of Denver and should not be approached, authorities said.

Beyoncé is coming to Netflix with 'Homecoming' concert special

Beychella is coming to Netflix. On Wednesday, the streaming service will release Beyoncé's "Homecoming" special, a documentary about her celebrated 2018 Coachella performance in Indio, California. The special promises "an intimate look at Beyoncé’s historic 2018 Coachella performance that paid homage to America's historically black colleges and universities" that will feature "candid footage and interviews detailing the preparation and powerful intent behind her vision."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Notre Dame Cathedral fire, NFL regular season schedule: 5 things to know Wednesday