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France celebrated the re-opening of Notre Dame cathedral on Saturday at a special church service that featured a standing ovation for the firefighters who saved the 12th-century landmark from destruction during a 2019 blaze. A two-hour service attended by incoming US president Donald Trump among other world leaders began with the archbishop of Paris knocking on the doors of the cathedral three times. "Notre Dame, model of faith, open your doors to bring together the far-flung children of God in joy," archbishop Laurent Ulrich commanded, banging with a wooden staff crafted from a roof beam that survived the inferno five years ago. Trump could be seen sitting on the front row as guest of honour next to French President Emmanuel Macron, with invitees marvelling at the freshly cleaned walls, new furniture and state-of-the-art lighting installed as part of the overhaul. In a short speech, Macron expressed the "gratitude of the French nation" for the restoration work, achieved at frenzied speed over the last five years. France had "rediscovered what great nations can do -- achieve the impossible", he said. One of the most moving moments came when firefighters in their protective gear walked through the congregation to thunderous applause as the word "Merci" ("Thank you") was beamed on the intricate facade and famous belltowers of the Gothic masterpiece. Small crowds of Parisians and tourists braved wet weather and high winds outside to witness the renaissance of a monument, which came close to collapsing due to the intensity of the inferno that toppled its roof and spire. "I find it really beautiful, even more so now that the spire has been restored," Marie Jean, a 27-year-old dentist from southwest France, told AFP outside. The reconstruction effort cost around 700 million euros ($750 million), financed from donations, with the re-opening achieved within a five-year deadline despite predictions it could take decades. Workers had to overcome problems with lead pollution, the Covid-19 epidemic, and the army general overseeing the project falling to his death while hiking in the Pyrenees last year. Saturday's service featured classical music, the cathedral's choir as well as the "re-awakening" of the 8,000-pipe organ which is considered the voice and soul of the cathedral. A televised public concert planned outside featuring Chinese piano virtuoso Lang Lang and possibly US singer and fashion designer Pharrell Williams had to be pre-recorded on Friday night because of the stormy weather. Held up as an example of French creativity and resilience by Macron, Notre Dame's renaissance so soon after the fire comes at a difficult time for the country. The sense of national accomplishment in restoring a symbol of Paris has been undercut by political turmoil that has left France without a proper government since last week when prime minister Michel Barnier lost a confidence vote. Macron is hoping the re-opening might provide a fleeting sense of national pride and unity -- as the Paris Olympics did in July and August. He scored a major coup by attracting Trump along with around 40 heads of state and government, including Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, who was given a round of applause as he entered Notre Dame. Macron hosted three-way talks with Zelensky and Trump at the presidential palace shortly before the ceremony, with future US military support for Ukraine's war effort against Russia's invasion expected to have been discussed. Trump has vowed to end the nearly three-year Ukraine war when he takes office on January 20, sparking fears in Kyiv that he will force Ukraine to make territorial concessions to Russia. "It seems like the world is going a little crazy right now and we will be talking about that," Trump told reporters as he prepared to sit down for talks with Macron. One surprising absentee on Saturday was Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church. He sent a message addressed to the French people and weighed into a row about whether the place of worship and tourist attraction should remain free to enter. The "immense" numbers set to visit Notre Dame should be welcomed "generously and free of charge", he said, clearly opposing a proposition from the French culture ministry to charge for entry. The exact cause of the 2019 blaze has never been identified despite a forensic investigation by prosecutors, who believe an accident such as an electrical fault was the most likely reason. On Sunday, the first mass with 170 bishops and more than 100 Paris priests will take place at 10:30 am (0930 GMT), followed by a second service in the evening at 6:30 pm which will be open to the public. adp-sjw/jjCompanies whose HY25 profits surpassed FY24 levels beating slowdown

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GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Pjay Smith Jr. scored 23 points as Furman beat Princeton 69-63 on Saturday. Smith also added eight rebounds and four steals for the Paladins (9-1). Garrett Hien scored 10 points while going 5 of 10 and 0 of 4 from the free-throw line and added seven rebounds. Nick Anderson shot 3 for 9 from beyond the arc to finish with nine points. The Tigers (7-4) were led by Xaivian Lee, who posted 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Princeton also got 13 points and four assists from Dalen Davis. Caden Pierce also had 11 points and four steals. NEXT UP Up next for Furman is a Saturday matchup with South Carolina State at home, and Princeton hosts Monmouth on Tuesday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Singapore was the most actively traded cash market in Asean and among the Asia-Pacific developed markets. Therese Soh SINGAPORE - The Singapore Exchange’s (SGX) total securities market turnover value rose 51 per cent year on year (yoy) to $30.2 billion in November, based on the bourse operator’s monthly market statistics report released on Dec 9. This represented a 12 per cent rise from October’s $26.9 billion. November’s total market volume stood at 28.1 billion shares, up 12 per cent compared with 25.2 billion shares in the same month in the previous year, but down 10.9 per cent month on month from October’s 31.6 billion shares. Notably, the securities daily average value rose to $1.4 billion, up 51 per cent yoy from $952 million, and 17.3 per cent month on month from $1.2 billion in October. “Singapore was the most actively traded cash market in Asean and among the Asia-Pacific developed markets, with robust activity across all client segments in index stocks and real estate investment trusts (Reits) amid interest-rate expectations and following the US elections,” SGX said. The Straits Times Index, Singapore’s stock benchmark, emerged as Asean’s top performer. It led the region’s markets with a 17-year high for three consecutive days, advancing 5.1 per cent to 3,739.29 points in November from 3,558.88 in the month before. Its performance was fuelled by a rally of banking stocks amid strong quarterly results, the bourse operator said. It added that the turnover was further lifted by the addition of Yangzijiang Shipbuilding to the MSCI Singapore Index. SGX welcomed the secondary listing of Hong Kong-based electronics company PC Partner Group on its mainboard alongside two new listings on its Catalist board – karaoke operator Goodwill Entertainment and commercial interior decoration and engineering company Attika Group. November’s derivatives volume advanced 17 per cent on the year to 26.1 million contracts from 22.4 million across equities, foreign exchange (FX) and commodities. Equity index futures traded volume rose 17 per cent on the year to 14.5 million contracts, driven by a 34 per cent yoy rise in the volume of SGX FTSE China A50 Index Futures – the world’s most liquid international futures for Chinese equities. On the FX front, the total FX futures traded volume reached an all-time high of 6.1 million contracts, climbing 50 per cent yoy from 4.1 million. SGX KRW/USD FX Futures volume grew 40 per cent on the month to 550,895 lots, clocking a single-day record of 76,444 lots on Nov 13. On the commodities front, November welcomed the addition of the SGX Iron Ore 62 per cent contract into the Dow Jones Commodity Index from January 2025. “This marked a milestone for Asia’s first global commodity, reflecting the growing importance and recognition of iron ore in the international commodities market,” noted SGX. The traded volume of futures and options on SGX Sicom rubber – the global pricing benchmark for natural rubber – rose 30 per cent on the year, while the petrochemicals derivative volume climbed 52 per cent on the year. RHB’s call In a Dec 9 report, RHB maintained its “neutral” call on SGX as November’s securities turnover and derivatives trading volume tracked estimates. RHB analyst Shekhar Jaiswal said that his investment thesis remained unchanged. The boost to SGX’s securities turnover – a result of rising investor interest in Singapore equities alongside active trading in index stocks, especially banks and Reits – was “in line with expectations”. “Although the derivatives data was soft month on month, we expect markets to remain volatile for a few months and support strong derivative volumes,” he added, with the market anticipating the impact of US President-elect Donald Trump’s policies on economic growth, interest rates and geopolitics. THE BUSINESS TIMES Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel nowATLANTA — Already reeling from their November defeats, Democrats now are grappling with President Joe Biden’s pardoning of his son for federal crimes, with some calling the move misguided and unwise after the party spent years slamming Donald Trump as a threat to democracy who disregarded the law. The president pardoned Hunter Biden late Sunday evening, reversing his previous pledges with a grant of clemency that covers more than a decade of any federal crimes his son might have committed. The 82-year-old president said in a statement that his son’s prosecution on charges of tax evasion and falsifying a federal weapons purchase form were politically motivated. “He believes in the justice system, but he also believes that politics infected the process and led to a miscarriage of justice,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who along with Biden and other White House officials insisted for months that Hunter Biden would not get a pardon. That explanation did not satisfy some Democrats, angry that Biden’s reversal could make it harder to take on Trump, who has argued that multiple indictments and one conviction against him were a matter of Biden and Democrats turning the justice system against him. “This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis wrote of Biden on the social media platform X. “When you become President, your role is Pater familias of the nation,” the governor continued, a reference to the president invoking fatherhood in explaining his decision. “Hunter brought the legal trouble he faced on himself, and one can sympathize with his struggles while also acknowledging that no one is above the law, not a President and not a President’s son.” Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., said on X: “This wasn’t a politically motivated prosecution. Hunter committed felonies and was convicted by a jury of his peers.” Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet said Biden “put personal interest ahead of duty” with a decision that “further erodes Americans’ faith that the justice system is fair and equal for all.” Michigan Sen. Gary Peters said the pardon was “an improper use of power” that erodes faith in government and “emboldens others to bend justice to suit their interests.” Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., called the pardon “understandable” if viewed only as the “action of a loving father.” But Biden’s status as “our nation’s Chief Executive,” the senator said, rendered the move “unwise.” Certainly, the president has Democratic defenders who note Trump’s use of presidential power to pardon a slew of his convicted aides, associates and friends, several for activities tied to Trump’s campaign and first administration. “Trump pardoned Roger Stone, Steve Bannon, Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort, as well as his son-in-law’s father, Charles Kushner — who he just appointed US ambassador to France,” wrote prominent Democratic fundraiser Jon Cooper on X. Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison said there “is no standard for Donald Trump, and the highest standard for Democrats and Joe Biden.” Harrison pointed to Trump’s apparent plans to oust FBI Director Christopher Wray and replace him with loyalist Kash Patel and suggested the GOP’s pursuit of Hunter Biden would not have ended without clemency. “Most people will see that Joe Biden did what was right,” Harrison said. First lady Jill Biden said Monday from the White House, “Of course I support the pardon of my son.” Democrats already are facing the prospects of a Republican trifecta in Washington, with voters returning Trump to the White House and giving the GOP control of the House and Senate. Part of their argument against Trump and Republican leaders is expected to be that the president-elect is violating norms with his talk of taking retribution against his enemies. Before beating Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump faced his own legal troubles, including two cases that stemmed from his efforts to overturn his defeat to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Those cases, including Trump’s sentencing after being convicted on New York state business fraud charges, have either been dismissed or indefinitely delayed since Trump’s victory on Nov. 5, forcing Democrats to recalibrate their approach to the president-elect. In June, President Biden firmly ruled out a pardon or commutation for his son, telling reporters as his son faced trial in the Delaware gun case: “I abide by the jury decision. I will do that and I will not pardon him.” As recently as Nov. 8, days after Trump’s victory, Jean-Pierre ruled out a pardon or clemency for the younger Biden, saying: “We’ve been asked that question multiple times. Our answer stands, which is no.” The president’s about-face came weeks before Hunter Biden was set to receive his punishment after his trial conviction in the gun case and guilty plea on tax charges. It capped a long-running legal saga for the younger Biden, who disclosed he was under federal investigation in December 2020 — a month after his father’s 2020 victory. The sweeping pardon covers not just the gun and tax offenses against the younger Biden, but also any other “offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014, through December 1, 2024.” Hunter Biden was convicted in June in Delaware federal court of three felonies for purchasing a gun in 2018 when , prosecutors said, he lied on a federal form by claiming he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs. He had been set to stand trial in September in a California case accusing him of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes. But he agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor and felony charges in a surprise move hours after jury selection was set to begin. In his statement Sunday, the president argued that such offenses typically are not prosecuted with the same vigor as was directed against Hunter Biden. “The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election,” Biden said in his statement. “No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son. ... I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.” Associated Press journalists Will Weissert aboard Air Force One and Darlene Superville, Mary Claire Jalonick and Michael Tackett in Washington contributed to this report.

GitLab CFO Brian Robins sells $675,895 in stock

CEO killer suspect: golden boy who soured on US health system(The Center Square) - The Spokane City Council adopted its 2025 Rules of Procedure on Monday, amending several changes that the conservative minority believed would silence their downtown constituents. Councilmember Michael Cathcart, who sits among the minority with Councilmember Jonathan Bingle, said he anticipated voting against the rules when he walked into city hall; however, after a long, diplomatic conversation with his peers, all seven voted unanimously in support. While initially drafted by the progressive majority, which routinely rules against the minority, the council proposed 14 amendments, 12 of which came from the conservatives. Ultimately, the governing body set aside policy and ideological differences for the sake of their constituency. “I just want to say it’s an honor to be on this side of the 5-2,” Bingle said after some of the majority joined him and Cathcart to approve one of the eight amendments passed. Tensions grew leading up to Monday as the community caught word of the initial proposal that would limit public testimony to two minutes, require three sponsors to move legislation out of committee for a vote and move council meetings to Tuesday instead of Monday. Cathcart and Bingle argued last week that the changes, among others regarding decorum, council commentary and more, would silence their dissent. Both represent District 1, which encompasses downtown and some of the most impoverished areas in Spokane. District 1 often faces the brunt of the homelessness crisis and related crime. The conservatives have attempted to push legislation emphasizing enforcement and other reforms, but the measures usually fail, with Bingle and Cathcart dissenting from the progressive majority. “You can make arguments that these procedural changes are different than what you experienced at STA,” resident Erik Lowe wrote in testimony, “but to outside observers, it is the same: trickery to prevent dissenting voices on the council from being heard.” Lowe said he initially got involved with the Spokane Transit Authority because of attempts from conservatives to silence the progressives from the council who sit on the STA board; now the tables have flipped, and he said the majority has a duty to protect the right to fair representation. Requiring three sponsors would prevent District 1 from pushing legislation that affects their constituents without the support of another. Bingle has also never been able to attend Tuesday meetings due to a scheduling conflict, limiting the ability to represent his constituency. “I cannot tell you the amount of emails I got that were like, ‘Listen, we will never vote for you, but we think it’s important that your voice is heard,’” Bingle said. While the council ultimately passed the amendments to preserve public testimony, Monday meetings and the requirement for two sponsors instead of three, the public came prepared. Community members filled the council chambers on Monday, even late into the evening, before adjourning close to midnight. One group that goes by Save Our Spokane, or SOS, put together a rally and protest leading up to the vote, even gaining support from residents who often disagree with conservatives. The message from each was clear: protect the right to dissent. Resident H.T. Higgins, who donated to Mayor Lisa Brown’s 2023 campaign but then paid for billboards criticizing her, was among those in attendance. While an advocate for the homeless, who are often at odds with District 1, he noted the importance of a fair playing field. He said the initial changes seemed like actions to fortify what he called a “blue silo.” Higgins also referenced the Board of County Commissioners’ conservative majority standing as the opposing red silo, adding that neither should stand for silencing the voice of the minority. “After watching briefing sessions and legislative meetings for the last eight months, it’s very clear to me that the public input has no value,” Higgins told the council. “We all know the decisions to bring legislation forward come from the connected and usually political donors of both parties. In the city of Spokane, that means you better have enough money or connection to get into the mayor’s office; the leader of the blue silo is what I would say."

AMHERST, Mass. (AP) — Quinton Mincey had 27 points in UMass-Lowell's 96-83 victory over UMass on Saturday. Mincey added six rebounds for the River Hawks (6-4). Martin Somerville scored 22 points and added five assists. Yuri Covington had 19 points and shot 5 of 9 from the field, including 2 for 5 from 3-point range, and went 7 for 8 from the line. Jayden Ndjigue led the way for the Minutemen (3-7) with 17 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. Jaylen Curry added 17 points and two steals for UMass. Marqui Worthy finished with 15 points. UMass-Lowell took a 17-13 lead in the first half with a 10-0 run. Led by 12 first-half points from Covington, UMass-Lowell carried a 40-38 lead into the break. UMass-Lowell took the lead for what would be the final time on Xzavier Lino's jump shot with 15:41 left in the contest. His team would outscore UMass by 11 points in the final half. UMass-Lowell plays Wednesday against LIU at home, and UMass hosts UMass-Boston on Saturday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol avoided an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law , as most ruling party lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary vote Saturday to deny a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. The scrapping of the motion is expected to intensify protests calling for Yoon’s ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea, with a survey suggesting a majority of South Koreans support the president’s impeachment. Yoon’s martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative People Power Party, but the party is also determined to oppose Yoon’s impeachment apparently because it fears losing the presidency to liberals. After the motion fell through, members of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party rallied inside the National Assembly, chanting slogans calling for Yoon's impeachment or resignation. The party's floor leader, Park Chan-dae, said it will soon prepare for a new impeachment motion. Opposition parties could submit a new impeachment motion after a new parliamentary session opens next Wednesday. “We'll surely impeach Yoon Suk Yeol, who is the greatest risk to Republic of Korea,” party leader Lee Jae-myung said. “We'll surely bring back this country to normal before Christmas Day or year's end.” Many experts worry Yoon won’t be able to serve out his remaining 2 1⁄2 years in office. They say some PPP lawmakers could eventually join opposition parties’ efforts to impeach Yoon if public demands for it grow further. The ruling party risks "further public outrage and national confusion if they don’t find a formula fast for Yoon’s departure,” said Duyeon Kim, a senior analyst at the Center for a New American Security in Washington. PPP chair Han Dong-hun said his party will seek Yoon’s “orderly” early exit but didn’t say when he can resign. On Saturday, tens of thousands of people packed several blocks of roads leading to the National Assembly, waving banners, shouting slogans and dancing. Protesters also gathered in front of PPP’s headquarters near the Assembly, shouting for its lawmakers to vote to impeach Yoon. A smaller crowd of Yoon’s supporters, which still seemed to be in the thousands, rallied elsewhere in Seoul, calling the impeachment attempt unconstitutional. Impeaching Yoon required support from 200 of the National Assembly's 300 members. The Democratic Party and five other small opposition parties, which filed the motion, have 192 seats combined. But only three lawmakers from PPP participated in the vote. The motion was scrapped without ballot counting because the number of votes didn’t reach 200. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik called the result “very regrettable” and an embarrassing moment for the country’s democracy. If Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office. If he is removed, an election to replace him must take place within 60 days. Earlier Saturday, Yoon issued an apology over the martial law decree, saying he won’t shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promising not to make another attempt to impose it. He said would leave it to his party to chart a course through the country’s political turmoil, “including matters related to my term in office.” “The declaration of this martial law was made out of my desperation. But in the course of its implementation, it caused anxiety and inconveniences to the public. I feel very sorry over that and truly apologize to the people who must have been shocked a lot,” Yoon said. Since taking office in 2022, Yoon has struggled to push his agenda through an opposition-controlled parliament and grappled with low approval ratings amid scandals involving himself and his wife. In his martial law announcement on Tuesday night, Yoon called parliament a “den of criminals” bogging down state affairs and vowed to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces.” The declaration of martial law was the first of its kind in more than 40 years in South Korea. The turmoil has paralyzed South Korean politics and sparked alarm among key diplomatic partners like the U.S. and Japan. “Yoon’s credibility overseas has been undermined by declaring martial law, so he won’t be able to exercise leadership in his foreign policies especially when his days are numbered,” Kim, the analyst, said. “Its government bureaucracy will need to continue business as usual for existing alliance and foreign policy initiatives as best it can because there is a lot of important work to do globally.” Tuesday night saw special forces troops encircling the parliament building and army helicopters hovering over it, but the military withdrew after the National Assembly unanimously voted to overturn the decree, forcing Yoon to lift it before daybreak Wednesday. Eighteen lawmakers from the ruling party voted to reject Yoon’s martial law decree along with opposition lawmakers. PPP later decided to oppose Yoon's impeachment motion. Yoon’s speech fueled speculation that he and his party may push for a constitutional amendment to shorten his term, instead of accepting impeachment, as a way to ease public anger over the marital law and facilitate Yoon’s early exit from office. Lee told reporters that Yoon’s speech was “greatly disappointing” and that the only way forward is his immediate resignation or impeachment. His party called Yoon’s martial law “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup.” Lawmakers on Saturday first voted on a bill appointing a special prosecutor to investigate stock price manipulation allegations surrounding Yoon’s wife. On Friday, Han, who criticized Yoon’s martial law declaration, said he had received intelligence that during the brief period of martial law Yoon ordered the country’s defense counterintelligence commander to arrest unspecified key politicians based on accusations of “anti-state activities.” Hong Jang-won, first deputy director of South Korea’s spy agency, told lawmakers Friday that Yoon had ordered him to help the defense counterintelligence unit to detain key politicians including Han, Lee and Woo. The Defense Ministry said Friday it suspended three military commanders including the head of the defense counterintelligence unit over their involvement in enforcing martial law. Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon Ho has told parliament that Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun ordered the deployment of troops to the National Assembly. Opposition parties accused Kim of recommending to Yoon to enforce martial law. Kim Yong Hyun resigned Thursday, and prosecutors imposed an overseas travel ban on him.