PARIS, Dec 9 — The word ‘Merci’ was projected on to the front of Paris' Notre-Dame cathedral as it reopened on Saturday, in thanks for its salvation after a devastating fire that brought the 860-year-old building close to collapse five years ago.

PARIS, March 2 — A French court on Monday convicted former president Nicolas Sarkozy on charges of corruption and influence-peddling and handed him a three-year prison sentence, including two years suspended.