Man commits suicide inside Notre Dame de Paris May 21, 2013 - 19:44 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A man has shot himself dead inside the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris in the French capital, police say, according to BBC News. An initial investigation found that the man had killed himself in front of the main altar shortly after 16:00 local time (14:00 GMT). Local media reports said he was a 78-year-old writer and essayist. The cathedral was reportedly evacuated calmly after the shooting, but the exact number of people who were inside at the time was unknown. More than 850 year olds, Notre Dame is the most popular unticketed site in Paris, with upwards of 14 million visitors each year. The French news website Europe 1 reported the police had found a letter beside the body of the dead man. It identified him as Dominique Venner, a former member of the Secret Army Organisation (OAS), which opposed Algerian independence in the early 1960s. Europe 1 also said he had been close to the campaign against the government's recent decision to legalise same-sex marriage. President Francois Hollande signed the bill into law on Saturday. A note posted on Mr Venner's blog on Wednesday condemned the move.   Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads.   Partner news |  Latest news “By Your Side”: IDBank's new support program for displaced Artsakh citizens  IDBank is launching a long-term social support program for forcibly displaced Artsakh residents.The Power of One Dram to benefit Road of Life charity The companies inform that the May beneficiary of The Power of One Dram is the “Road of Life” charitable organization.Ucom General Director gives lecture at French University in Armenia The General Director of Ucom Ralph Yirikian delivered a lecture at the French University of Armenia.Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. |
