The first guest invited to ring the bell to open trading at the New York Stock Exchange in 1956 wasn’t a company executive, a politician or a celebrity. It was a 10-year-old boy, Leonard Ross, who received the honor by winning a television quiz show. Since then, business titans, political giants and global film stars have all been among those ringing the opening bell at the NYSE. Ronald Reagan rang the bell as president in 1985. Billionaire businessman and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr. have also rung the bell. The list even includes famous Muppets: Miss Piggy was once a bell ringer. President-elect Donald Trump joined that list Thursday when he opened trading at the famous stock exchange on Wall Street. He was accompanied by his wife, Melania, who interestingly enough received the honor before her husband. As first lady, she rang the bell in 2019 as part of her “Be Best” program. Bell-ringers are more commonly founders and executives chosen primarily from the exchange's more than 2,300 listed companies. Over the last few months, the guests have included executives from Alaska Air Group, Bath & Body Works, and Ally Financial. Stock trading around the location of the NYSE's current home has deep roots that trace back to the Dutch founding of New Amsterdam and when Wall Street had an actual wall. The NYSE traces its direct roots to the “Buttonwood Agreement” signed in 1792, which set rules for stock trading and commissions. The NYSE moved into its first permanent home in 1865. The first bell in use was actually a gong. The exchange moved into its current iconic building in 1903 and started using an electronically operated brass bell. That has evolved into synchronized bells in each of the NYSE’s four trading areas.Bob and Linda Taylor’s Christmas lights are back in VallejoWASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide Tuesday because of a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne about an hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop for the airline. The order, which prevented planes from taking off, was issued at the airline's request after it experienced trouble with its flight operating system, or FOS. The airline blamed technology from one of its vendors. As a result, flights were delayed across American’s major hubs, with only 37% of the airline's 3,901 domestic and international flights leaving on time, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics company. Nineteen flights were canceled. Dennis Tajer, a spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association, a union representing American Airlines pilots, said the airline told pilots at 7 a.m. Eastern that there was an outage affecting the FOS system. It handles different types of airline operations, including dispatch, flight planning, passenger boarding, as well as an airplane's weight and balance data, he said. Some components of FOS have gone down in the past, but a systemwide outage is rare, Tajer said. Hours after the ground stop was lifted, Tajer said the union had not heard about any “chaos out there beyond just the normal heavy travel day.” He said officials were watching for any cascading effects, such as staffing problems. On social media, however, customers expressed frustrations about delays that caused them or their family members to miss connecting flights. One person asked if American planned to hold flights for passengers to make connections, while others complained about the lack of assistance they said they received from the airline or gate agents. Cirium noted that the vast majority of flights were departing within two hours of their scheduled departure time. A similar percentage — 36% — were arriving at their destinations as scheduled. Dallas-Fort Worth, New York’s Kennedy Airport and Charlotte, North Carolina, saw the greatest number of delays, Cirium said. Washington, Chicago and Miami experienced considerably fewer delays. Meanwhile, the flight-tracking site FlightAware reported that 4,058 flights entering or leaving the U.S., or serving domestic destinations, were delayed, with 76 flights canceled. The site had not posted any American Airlines flights on Tuesday morning, but showed in the afternoon that 961 American flights were delayed. Amid the travel problems, significant rain and snow were expected in the Pacific Northwest at least into Christmas Day. Showers and thunderstorms were developing in the South. Freezing rain was reported in the Mid-Atlantic region near Baltimore and Washington, and snow fell in New York. Because the holiday travel period lasts weeks, airports and airlines typically have smaller peak days than they do during the rush around Thanksgiving, but the grind of one hectic day followed by another takes a toll on flight crews. And any hiccups — a winter storm or a computer outage — can snowball into massive disruptions. That is how Southwest Airlines stranded 2 million travelers in December 2022, and Delta Air Lines suffered a smaller but significant meltdown after a worldwide technology outage in July caused by a faulty software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. Many flights during the holidays are sold out, which makes cancellations even more disruptive than during slower periods. That is especially true for smaller budget airlines that have fewer flights and fewer options for rebooking passengers. Only the largest airlines, including American, Delta and United, have “interline agreements” that let them put stranded customers on another carrier’s flights. This will be the first holiday season since a Transportation Department rule took effect that requires airlines to give customers an automatic cash refund for a canceled or significantly delayed flight. Most air travelers were already eligible for refunds, but they often had to request them. Passengers still can ask to get rebooked, which is often a better option than a refund during peak travel periods. That’s because finding a last-minute flight on another airline tends to be expensive. An American spokesperson said Tuesday was not a peak travel day for the airline — with about 2,000 fewer flights than the busiest days — so the airline had somewhat of a buffer to manage the delays. The groundings happened as millions of travelers were expected to fly over the next 10 days. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 40 million passengers through Jan. 2. Airlines expect to have their busiest days on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Many flights during the holidays are sold out, which makes cancellations more disruptive than during slower periods. Even with just a brief outage, the cancellations have a cascading effect that can take days to clear up. About 90% of Americans traveling far from home over the holidays will be in cars, according to AAA. “Airline travel is just really high right now, but most people do drive to their destinations, and that is true for every holiday,” AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz said. Gasoline prices are similar to last year. The nationwide average Thursday was $3.04 a gallon, down from $3.13 a year ago, according to AAA. Charging an electric vehicle averages just under 35 cents per per kilowatt hour, but varies by state. Transportation-data firm INRIX says travel times on the nation’s highways could be up to 30% longer than normal over the holidays, with Sunday expected to see the heaviest traffic. Boston, New York City, Seattle and Washington are the metropolitan areas primed for the greatest delays, according to the company. Associated Press writers David Koenig, Mae Anderson and Mike Pesoli contributed to this report.
21 dead as Mozambique erupts in violence after election court ruling
Hezbollah launched approximately 200 rockets into Israel on Sunday as Israel prepared to initiate a new wave of airstrikes on Beirut. The Israeli military said in a statement that the rockets, fired by Hezbollah militants, targeted northern and central Israel and included three drones. It added that the country's aerial defence systems intercepted only some of the rockets. A launcher from which projectiles were fired toward the Haifa Bay area was struck by the military. At least eight people were injured by the afternoon. In Kfar Blum, close to the Israel-Lebanon border, first responders with the Magen David Adom rescue service said they treated a man who sustained serious wounds. A five-story residential building in Haifa, the largest city on Israel's northern coast, was evacuated due to fears of collapse after it was struck by a rocket, the Fire and National Rescue Authority reported. Additional damage was reported in the northern cities of Kiryat Shmona and Ma'alot, as well as near Petah Tikvah in central Israel. Meanwhile, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for missile and drone strikes on a military target in Tel Aviv, in retaliation for Israel's recent airstrikes on Beirut, Xinhua news agency reported. The attacks were carried out at 06:30 am local time (0430 GMT) "with a salvo of high-quality missiles and a squadron of attack drones," and "the operation achieved its goals," Hezbollah said in a statement, without specifying its target and the precise location. The group said in other separate statements that it also launched for the first time "an air attack with a squadron of suicide drones on the Ashdod naval base, 150 km from the Lebanese-Palestinian border." The group also claimed launching drone attacks on a newly-established operations room for the Israeli army in the settlement of Metula in northern Israel, and missile attacks on other northern cities including Hatzor Haglilit, Ma'alot, and Kfar Blum. Lebanese military sources, who spoke anonymously, told Xinhua that violent clashes have been ongoing since the early hours of Sunday between Hezbollah members and Israeli forces that had advanced in Lebanon's southeastern town of Khiam, the village of Yaroun in the central sector, and the village of Chamaa in the western sector of the border area. The Israeli army blew up about 18 houses on the eastern edge of Khiam, including the municipality building, they said. Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes carried out seven raids on towns and villages in eastern Lebanon and 10 on those in the south, and the Israeli artillery shelled 11 border towns and villages in southern Lebanon with about 50 shells, they added. The Israeli military also announced plans to renew airstrikes on Beirut's southern suburb, urging residents to evacuate the area in a post on social media platform X. On Saturday, Israel carried out at least three waves of strikes on the Lebanese capital, killing at least 20 individuals and injuring 66 others, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Since September 23, the Israeli army has intensified its air attack on Lebanon in an escalation of conflict with Hezbollah. Israel further initiated a ground operation across its northern border into Lebanon in early October. (Except for the headline, this story, from a syndicated feed, has not been edited by Odishatv.in staff)Max George reveals he will be spending Christmas in hospital due to heart issues
A Judas act of biblical proportions This divine drama gets even spicier. Zuma, who rallied the AAAM to back MKP and secure enough votes to shove the EFF into the political wilderness of fourth place, is accused of turning his back on his allies after their job was done. It seems Msholozi had no intention of sitting in parliament pews with the -bishops, leaving them in the wilderness of political betrayal. As the bishops head to court to reclaim their sanctified seats, South Africans are left asking: Did Msholozi sell out the -clergy or merely ghost them? Either way, the political gospel according to Zuma has taken a turn for the unholy. Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content
The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . WASHINGTON (AP) — Carmelo Pacheco’s 18 points helped Mount St. Mary’s defeat Howard 79-75 on Saturday. Pacheco shot 6 for 8 from beyond the arc for the Mountaineers (5-2). Dallas Hobbs shot 5 of 16 from the field, including 1 for 8 from 3-point range, and went 6 for 7 from the line to add 17 points. Terrell Ard Jr. had 16 points and shot 4 of 6 from the field and 8 of 8 from the free-throw line. Anwar Gill finished with 18 points for the Bison (3-5). Blake Harper added 15 points, seven rebounds and two steals for Howard. Joshua Strong also had 12 points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Middle East latest: Israeli strikes kill a hospital director in Lebanon and wound 6 medics in Gaza
Biden signs 50 bills into law on Christmas EveDavid Beckham posts emotional tribute to Man United's much-loved receptionist Kath Phipps and shares image of his last visit to 'the heartbeat of the club' after her death at the age of 85
Media Release Beltangady, Nov 24: The Vimukti Self-Help Group (SHG) Trust celebrated its silver jubilee with grandeur at Krishnanugraha Hall, Ujire, on November 23. The celebrations commenced with a spiritual dance by the members at 10.30 am. Fr Vinod Mascarenhas, director of Capuchin Krishik Seva Kendra (CKSK), delivered the introductory speech, reminiscing about the trust's impactful journey. He expressed gratitude to the late Fr Theophilus Pereira, founder of CKSK, and the late Fr Joel Pinto, founder of Vimukti SHG Trust, for their visionary leadership. Initially established in Kalmanja village, the trust has expanded across districts, offering a platform for rural poor women to achieve social and economic empowerment. Over the years, beneficiaries transformed into contributors, implementing initiatives such as self-employment activities, Vidya Snehi (interest-free loans for higher education), Arogya Nidhi (healthcare support for women and their families), and advocating for the establishment of DAYA Special School. The silver jubilee celebrations were inaugurated by MLC K Pratapsinha Nayak, alongside Vimukti SHG Trust president Shali, CKSK president Fr Alwyn Dias, former MLC Harish Kumar, Best Foundation founder Rakshith Shivaram, advocate Ashwini D'Souza, Fr Vinod Mascarenhas, and Fr Rohan Lobo. Addressing the gathering, advocate Ashwini D'Souza from Moodbidri spoke on women’s empowerment through self-help groups. She lauded the efforts of Vimukti SHG members in achieving social and economic independence and urged them to continue combating gender discrimination and superstitions hindering women’s progress. MLC K Pratapsinha Nayak congratulated the trust and its members for their achievements, while Harish Kumar encouraged the attendees to leverage opportunities provided by CKSK and government initiatives. Rakshith Shivaram commended the trust for establishing DAYA Special School, which recently received the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award 2024, and pledged his continued support for the institution and its children. Fr Alwyn Dias congratulated the members, urging them to dream big and achieve greater milestones, while acknowledging the support of the trust's staff and directors. During the event, former and current presidents, secretaries, directors, and assistant directors of Vimukti SHG Trust were felicitated for their dedicated service. The trust also launched Arogya Nidhi, a new health guarantee scheme, during the program. A celebratory lunch followed the stage events, after which members showcased colorful cultural programs. The program concluded with a vote of thanks by Prameela and a closing address by counselor Merin. The jubilee celebration marked a significant milestone in the trust's journey, reflecting its dedication to empowering women and uplifting the community.
The Ukrainian president said the use of a ballistic missile to hit Dnipro was a “clear and severe escalation in the scale and brutality of this war” and he warned that Russian president Mr Putin would attack or destabilise other countries unless stopped. Mr Putin said the use of the new weapon was in response to the UK and US allowing missiles they have supplied to Ukraine to be used to strike targets in Russia. “In response to the use of American and British long-range weapons on November 21 of this year, the Russian armed forces launched a combined strike on one of the facilities of the Ukrainian defence industry,” Mr Putin said in a televised address. “One of the newest Russian medium-range missile systems was tested in combat conditions, in this case, with a ballistic missile in a non-nuclear hypersonic warhead.” He added: “We consider ourselves entitled to use our weapons against military facilities of those countries that allow their weapons to be used against our facilities.” But Mr Zelensky urged world leaders – his “dear partners” – not to be cowed by Mr Putin’s actions otherwise there will be “endless Russian strikes” and “not just against Ukraine”. Today, Putin admitted to taking a second step this year toward escalating and expanding this war. A new ballistic missile was used. Putin struck our city of Dnipro, one of Ukraine’s largest cities. This is a clear and severe escalation in the scale and brutality of this war—a... — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 21, 2024 “A lack of tough reactions to Russia’s actions sends a message that such behavior is acceptable,” the Ukrainian president said on X, formerly Twitter. “This is what Putin is doing. Putin must feel the cost of his deranged ambitions. “Response is needed. Pressure is needed. Russia must be forced into real peace, which can only be achieved through strength. “Otherwise, there will be endless Russian strikes, threats, and destabilisation-not just against Ukraine.” The UK is believed to have allowed its Storm Shadow missiles to be used by Ukrainian forces within the Kursk region of Russia, while the US has given permission for its ATACMS weapons to be fired at targets in Mr Putin’s country. Mr Putin confirmed Russia has tested the new intermediate-range weapon in an attack on Dnipro in response. The US said the weapon was a new, experimental intermediate-range missile based on Russia’s existing RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. In Westminster, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “My understanding is that it is the first time that Russia has used a ballistic missile in Ukraine with a range of several thousand kilometres.” Defence Secretary John Healey said it was “yet another example of Putin’s recklessness”. He said: “Since the illegal invasion of Ukraine began, Russia has consistently and irresponsibly escalated the conflict while Ukraine continues to fight in self-defence for a democratic future.” The missile’s range far outstrips that of newly authorised US and British-supplied weapons, which can hit targets around 250-300km away. The distance from Moscow to London is around 2,500km, suggesting the range of the new missile could threaten the UK. Mr Healey said the UK knew Russia had been “preparing for months” to fire a new ballistic missile. Downing Street and the Ministry of Defence have repeatedly declined to comment publicly on Ukraine’s use of Storm Shadow. “It risks both operational security and in the end the only one that benefits from such a public debate is President Putin,” Mr Healey told MPs. I had a meeting with the UK delegation led by Chief of the Defence Staff @AdmTonyRadakin_ . We discussed defense cooperation between Ukraine and the United Kingdom, focusing on developing and enhancing the technological capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Particular... pic.twitter.com/EcjqfTuR49 — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 21, 2024 The head of the UK’s armed forces, Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, met Mr Zelensky in Kyiv to discuss the war on Thursday. Mr Zelensky said: “We discussed defence co-operation between Ukraine and the United Kingdom, focusing on developing and enhancing the technological capabilities of the armed forces of Ukraine. “Particular attention was given to Ukraine’s current military needs and the continued support from our partners.”Mpaka 4-4 0-0 8, Benjamin 5-11 3-4 15, N.Krass 1-8 0-0 3, Martinez 1-2 0-0 3, Miles 1-6 2-2 4, Harrison 10-18 6-8 27, Mizell 0-0 1-4 1. Totals 22-49 12-18 61. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Funds release to PTI LG reps challenged in PHC
“They’re starting to call us punks. It was absurd, these stupid labels. One day I said to a guy, ‘If you call me a punk again, I’m gonna cut ya’”: How Tom Petty took on the record industry and won with Damn The Torpedoes
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