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Attackers retain old scamming tricks with new twists — and consumers must stay informed to protect themselvesARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The roof at the home of the Dallas Cowboys opened without incident and will stay that way for a Monday night meeting with the Cincinnati Bengals. It was to be the first game with the roof open at AT&T Stadium since Oct. 30, 2022, a 49-29 Dallas victory over Chicago. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Stocks dive after Fed cuts rates, signals slower easing pace in 2025The Daily Star (TDS): How did you transition to your new research focus on the garment sector in Bangladesh, given your previous extensive research on the prospects and implications of microloans in the country? What prompted this apparent shift from rural to urban settings in your research field? Prof Lamia Karim (LK): I am an economic anthropologist specializing in political economy and women's labor. My primary focus lies in the anthropological dynamics surrounding women's participation in the workforce, particularly the recognition of women as visible agents within the labor market. Historically, women have engaged in informal labor within the domestic sphere, contributing to their families and supporting their husbands. For instance, a male vendor selling food in the market often relies on female family members to prepare the food. Consequently, women's labor remains both invisible and uncompensated. Feminist scholars have long advocated for the acknowledgment and inclusion of unpaid work within economic policy. My interest in this field is also shaped by my personal background. I grew up in a family where women were actively engaged in professional roles; my great-aunt (my grandmother's sister) was a published poet in the 1930s, my mother's first cousin was the first female photographer in what was then East Pakistan, and my mother, along with several of her female cousins, held academic positions as professors and principals of women's colleges. Thus, the sight of women pursuing professional careers was integral to my upbringing. However, I also witnessed the labor of women hired to work in our household—specifically, cooks and cleaners—whose work was often regarded as a natural extension of their identity rather than as respectful employment. These life experiences made me particularly interested in examining the effects of both waged and unwaged work on women and how social forces condition us to view women's work. Bangladesh is home to two significant industries that center on women's work: the microfinance sector pioneered by Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and the overseas apparel production industry. Both sectors have emerged as prominent examples of women's work as empowerment, a debatable point, within the framework of neoliberal capitalism. Therefore, I perceive my intellectual trajectory not as a shift but as a natural progression of my scholarly pursuits. TDS: How do you interpret the trajectory of the garment sector in Bangladesh, which originated from a global capitalist restructuring that heavily relied on exploiting cheap labor, and incidents of so many accidents eventually evolving into the primary contributor to the nation's economy? Despite witnessing a semblance of women's empowerment, how do you address the prevalent issue of widespread exploitation of women, which has unfortunately remained integral to this sector? LK: The exploitation of women's labor within the manufacturing industry has a deeply entrenched and troubling history. An examination of industrialization in 19th-century England reveals how poverty forced women, men, and children to the cotton mills of Manchester, where they endured minimal wages and horrific work conditions. A pivotal moment in labor history occurred in the United States in 1911, when the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire claimed the lives of 143 workers, in factory conditions reminiscent of what occurred at the Rana Plaza factory collapse that killed over 1,100 workers. Bangladesh is no different. A complex web of actors—including global retailers, government entities, factory owners, BGMEA, the families of these workers, and Western consumers—contributes to the systemic exploitation of working-class women, thereby facilitating the extraction of labor to yield profits and affordable goods. The answer to your question is also embedded in cultural attitudes. We are a very class-based hierarchical society. Upper and middle-classes tend to treat people from the lower economic strata as less than them. Many factory owners, managers, supervisors, see the workers as lower than them on the social scale, and they take it for granted that they can treat workers poorly, such as using vile language or to physically hit them. Firing workers under all sorts of fictional pretexts and defrauding them of wages is another way that workers get exploited. To tackle the problem of violence against women at work, the way forward is the unionization of garment workers, a movement that remains significantly underrepresented in the Bangladeshi apparel industry. Legal NGOs and Human Rights Organizations should be watchdogs scrutinizing the factories for compliance to safety standards. The government too has a crucial role to play in supporting workers' rights. If all these actors could come together, viable change is possible. TDS: What have your research findings revealed about the daily experiences of women laborers in the apparel manufacturing industry? You mentioned that instead of facilitating sustainable improvements in their lives, the neoliberal economy has perpetuated precarity in their work. Could you elaborate on how this has impacted the lives of these women? LK: One is the precarity of global supply chains where workers are at the mercy of the global economy. During the pandemic for example, stores closed in the West, factories had to close in Bangladesh, making many workers lose their earnings. This dependence on the global economy is precarity at its worst manifestation because the workers who are the bottom of the supply chain do not control what happens to them. There are no safety nets to support them. Importantly, these workers do not understand how supply chains work, and how a sudden loss in demand in the US or EU will have tremendous effect on their livelihoods. Precarity at the factory—low wages, long hours, poor quality of housing, poor diet, abuse at the hand of factory management, is constantly compounding precarity in worker's lives. It is well-known that the wages they receive do not cover their living expenses. The women also support their extended families, by extension, another twenty million people (mothers, father, siblings) indirectly depend on their wages. They send home money for a brother's education, mother's medical expense, building a new roof, and so on. Their private lives are also precarious. Most of these women enter the workforce around the average age of fifteen. They are recent rural-to-urban migrants. They are usually brought to the city by a relative or a procurer. Most of them come to Dhaka with no prior knowledge of what it means to live in the city and how cruel and unforgiving the city can be. Many of the young women fall in love with men they meet in the city, who unbeknownst to them may already have a wife. These relationships are tragic and often involve severe domestic abuse. The men in their lives make constant demands on their wages, and if they do not hand the money over, the women are severely beaten. With no family elders, such as a father or an uncle to intercede for them, these women have to cope with these situations on their own. So, one on the one hand, they have attained certain autonomy, they earn wages, they have physical mobility, go to a movie, sit outdoors with friends and have some fuchka, met someone romantically, all the things that would be denied to them in rural society. On the other hand, they make many difficult decisions on their that often gets them into serious domestic precarity. TDS: In your research, you explored the private lives of garment workers, delving into their intimate spheres of love, marriage, and romance. This perspective offers a novel way to understand them beyond the confines of economic analysis. How do you perceive the generational shifts among workers in this sector, from the macroscopic view to the individual human experience? LK: I wanted to understand the attitudinal differences between older and younger women workers. The older women entered in the 1990s, some even in 1980s, at very low wages. All the older women shared a similar background. They came from landless and impoverished families. They described the before and after of coming to work as "Before I could not eat, now I can eat, before I could not send my child to school, now I can send my child to school, before I lived in a house with a leaking roof, now I live in a house with a roof that does not leak." The women had basic literacy of class three or five in a rural school. They could not read their hiring documents, making it easy for factory managers to fire them by making them sign on a document they could not read. Most of the older women came as married women with children, but their husbands had abandoned them. The women had to raise the children on their own. By the time they entered the factory, they already had many familial responsibilities. These women saw themselves as poor women whose goal was to get their children educated and moved up the economic social ladder. After twenty plus years of working, these older women's bodies and hearts were broken. The younger women were entering with higher levels of education, often between class eight to ten. They could read their hiring documents. The younger were mostly single when they came from the village. They also came from poor families, but they entered factory work at higher wages. They would buy new salwar-kameezes, go to the beauty parlors to get their eyebrows threaded, openly hang out with their boyfriends. They did not have children to take care of. Familicidal responsibilities were less burdensome for them. Some of them told me that they would delay marriage because they wanted to experience life and make some money. These younger women exercised more sexual autonomy. They saw themselves as moving up the social ladder. They always called themselves middle-class and they would call the factory "office" and not karkhana. They eschewed the term kormojibi or sromik. To the younger garment factory workers, belonging to the middle class signaled the exit from their poverty-stricken rural backgrounds. Factory employment had moved them up the economic scale. Similarly, taking the label of middle class set them apart from the poorer people they encountered in the city. As garment workers they were not like the women who worked as day laborers, cleaners, maids, cooks, and the like. They worked in brick buildings, operating industrial machines. that endowed them with a sense of pride and achievement when compared to their poorer rural and urban counterparts. They were the new symbol of "Made in Bangladesh" that is youthful, shiny, and hopeful. The combination of these factors gave them a sense of a new world of opportunities and their entrance into middle-class status. TDS: Could you share insights from your conversations with the 16 interlocutors who are older or have aged out of the workforce about their initial aspirations? Additionally, could you discuss the differences observed in their ultimate realities, particularly regarding the changes in life after reaching a mature state within the garment sector? LK: The sixteen older women, between the ages of 45-55 approximately, I interviewed had earned a limited form of sovereignty over their lives. They left abusive spouses, stood up to factory management when they faced workplace injustices, and tried to create better lives for their children through education. For these factory women, class mobility was a cherished goal that they saw as worth sacrificing for. Their goal was to help their children reach the new middle class that was unfolding through industrial capitalism in Bangladesh. Yet only two sons of the older female workers had made it to the new middle class, one as an accountant at a factory, and the other as an IT technician, the rest of their children had either entered the garment workforce or they were in other low-paying jobs as vendors, shop-keepers, guards. These older women recognized the limits of upward mobility in a deeply hierarchical society due to their lack of social capital. As one older woman said to me, "My son has received his bachelor's degree. He wants to work in a government office, but I do not have the contacts to help him. He has ended up working at a store." But their voices remained laced with traces of hope—if not for them, then for their children. These older women entered the workforce when wages were very low, so they had little savings by the time they were forced out of factory work. They suffered from poor health. Their eyesight, fingers, arms were affected from long-term factory work. Kidneys were affected from not drinking water at work to avoid taking toilet breaks, something frowned upon by line supervisors. Many of them suffered from lung infections from breathing the air inside factories that is full of debris of clothing. Many workers were provided masks, but workers did not wear them because they felt hot and uncomfortable. It was a zero-sum game for these women. TDS: Have you noticed any significant changes in the trade union movement or apparent enhancements in safety measures within this sector following the Rana Plaza incident? LK: The trade union movement, still insignificant compared to the scale of the workforce, has become more visible after the Rana Plaza factory collapse. After the accident, the global retailers and EU did not have a fig leaf to cover their complicity in ignoring the safety conditions in the factories they were sourcing from. EU, Canada, Australia, and US to a lesser degree, became vocal about the right to unionize and the safety accords were written and implemented, with their many limitations. Trade union leaders have told me that now they have a voice with factory owners, BGMEA, and the government. This is an ongoing struggle. I did not inspect factories since that was not what I was doing. Safety measures vary across factories. There are factory owners who are forward looking and want to improve work conditions; there are others who think of workers as disposable bodies. The answer to your question requires investigative journalism. TDS: As automation advances, Bangladesh's impending graduation from the category of least developed countries (LDCs) looms, coinciding with a gradual decline in women's participation in the sector. What are your thoughts on the garments industry as a whole, and what potential changes, both minor and monumental, do you envision that could reshape the prevailing landscape? LK: With the garment sector accounting for Bangladesh's largest export, generating $47 billion in 2023 and employing approximately four million workers whose earnings sustain the Bangladeshi economy. To effect meaningful change, it is essential to improve wages, enhance workplace safety, and provide accessible housing, healthcare, childcare, and education for their children. Factory owners resist these improvements, citing pressure from Western buyers who are reluctant to increase costs. Bangladesh will face increased competition from other LDCs. The Ethiopian government sought to attract Western buyers by guaranteeing wages as low as $22 per month for workers. Conversations with several garment factory owners regarding the potential loss of business to competing countries revealed a prevailing belief in their logistical advantages. However, as evidenced by the presence of garments labeled "Made in Ethiopia" in H&M stores, capital will invariably pursue profit at the expense of workers unless robust unionization efforts are undertaken. Such collective action represents a crucial avenue for genuine empowerment and systemic change. I would recommend diversification from the garment industry to other sectors, and to invest in the domestic market. Here I am arguing for import substitution, so we are not wholly dependent on the vicissitudes of the global economy. While China has transitioned from low-wage apparel manufacturing to high-value sectors such as semiconductor processing, Bangladesh remains stuck on its garment industry. The nation's economic landscape necessitates a forward-looking approach, emphasizing diversification away from apparel manufacturing and the training of workers for more sustainable employment opportunities. But there is an intangible paradox here between the welfare of workers and the welfare of capital. The logic of capitalism is to chase lowest production costs across the globe, devouring the poor and dispossessed on its journey. To harness unfettered capitalism, one needs a systemic change to the economic structure. I do not see that on the horizon. My goal in writing Castoffs of Capital was to humanize these women, to glimpse their world through their eyes, as they graciously allowed me into their lives. I envisioned a future where a Western consumer, poised to purchase a simple tee-shirt or a pair of jeans, could not only see the garment but also feel the pulse of those who made it. I wanted them to visualize the women, to empathize with their stories, and to reflect on the profound consequences of their consumer choices. In this way, I hoped to weave a deeper understanding of the interlocking human tapestry that sustains our global economy. My heartfelt thanks to Kormojibi Nari who assisted me with the research on older workers. The interview was taken by Priyam Paul of The Daily Star

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Stephanie Armour, Julie Rovner | (TNS) KFF Health News Many of President-elect Donald Trump’s candidates for federal health agencies have promoted policies and goals that put them at odds with one another or with Trump’s choice to run the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., setting the stage for internal friction over public health initiatives. Related Articles National Politics | Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreams National Politics | Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus National Politics | Biden vetoes once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal judgeships, citing ‘hurried’ House action National Politics | A history of the Panama Canal — and why Trump can’t take it back on his own National Politics | President-elect Trump wants to again rename North America’s tallest peak The picks hold different views on matters such as limits on abortion, the safety of childhood vaccines, the COVID-19 response, and the use of weight-loss medications. The divide pits Trump picks who adhere to more traditional and orthodox science, such as the long-held, scientifically supported findings that vaccines are safe, against often unsubstantiated views advanced by Kennedy and other selections who have claimed vaccines are linked with autism. The Trump transition team and the designated nominees mentioned in this article did not respond to requests for comment. It’s a potential “team of opponents” at the government’s health agencies, said Michael Cannon, director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute, a libertarian policy organization. Kennedy, he said, is known for rejecting opposing views when confronted with science. “The heads of the FDA and NIH will be spending all their time explaining to their boss what a confidence interval is,” Cannon said, referring to a statistical term used in medical studies. Those whose views prevail will have significant power in shaping policy, from who is appointed to sit on federal vaccine advisory committees to federal authorization for COVID vaccines to restrictions on abortion medications. If confirmed as HHS secretary, Kennedy is expected to set much of the agenda. “If President Trump’s nomination of RFK Jr. to be secretary is confirmed, if you don’t subscribe to his views, it will be very hard to rise in that department,” said Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease specialist and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “They will need to suppress their views to fit with RFK Jr’s. In this administration, and any administration, independent public disagreement isn’t welcome.” Kennedy is chair of Children’s Health Defense , an anti-vaccine nonprofit. He has vowed to curb the country’s appetite for ultra-processed food and its incidence of chronic disease. He helped select Trump’s choices to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institutes of Health. If confirmed, he would lead them from the helm of HHS, with its more than $1.7 trillion budget. Clashes are likely. Kennedy has supported access to abortion until a fetus is viable. That puts him at odds with Dave Weldon, the former Florida congressman whom Trump has chosen to run the CDC. Weldon, a physician, is an abortion opponent who wrote one of the major laws allowing health professionals to opt out of participating in the procedure. Weldon would head an agency that’s been in the crosshairs of conservatives since the COVID pandemic began. He has touted his “100% pro-life voting record” on his campaign website. (He unsuccessfully ran earlier this year for a seat in Florida’s House of Representatives.) Trump has said he would leave decisions about abortion to the states, but the CDC under Weldon could, for example, fund studies on abortion risks. The agency could require states to provide information about abortions performed within their borders to the federal government or risk the loss of federal funds. Weldon, like Kennedy, has questioned the safety of vaccines and has said he believes they can cause autism. That’s at odds with the views of Marty Makary, a Johns Hopkins surgeon whom Trump plans to nominate for FDA commissioner. The British American said on the “Brian Kilmeade Show” on Fox News Radio that vaccines “save lives,” although he added that it’s good to question the U.S. vaccine schedule for children. The American Academy of Pediatricians encourages parents and their children’s doctors to stick to the recommended schedule of childhood vaccines. “Nonstandard schedules that spread out vaccines or start when a child is older put entire communities at risk of serious illnesses, including infants and young children,” the group says in guidance for its members. Jay Bhattacharya, a doctor and economist who is Trump’s selection to lead NIH, has also supported vaccines. Kennedy has said on NPR that federal authorities under his leadership wouldn’t “take vaccines away from anybody.” But the FDA oversees approval of vaccines, and, under his leadership, the agency could put vaccine skeptics on advisory panels or could make changes to a program that largely protects vaccine makers from consumer injury lawsuits. “I do believe that autism does come from vaccines,” Kennedy said in 2023 on Fox News . Many scientific studies have discredited the claim that vaccines cause autism. Ashish Jha, a doctor who served as the White House COVID response coordinator from 2022 to 2023, noted that Bhattacharya and Makary have had long and distinguished careers in medicine and research and would bring decades of experience to these top jobs. But, he said, it “is going to be a lot more difficult than they think” to stand up for their views in the new administration. It’s hard “to do things that displease your boss, and if [Kennedy] gets confirmed, he will be their boss,” Jha said. “They have their work cut out for them if they’re going to stand up for their opinions on science. If they don’t, it will just demoralize the staff.” Most of Trump’s picks share the view that federal health agencies bungled the pandemic response, a stance that resonated with many of the president-elect’s voters and supporters — even though Trump led that response until Joe Biden took office in 2021. Kennedy said in a 2021 Louisiana House oversight meeting that the COVID vaccine was the “deadliest” ever made. He has cited no evidence to back the claim. Federal health officials say the vaccines have saved millions of lives around the globe and offer important protection against COVID. Protection lasts even though their effectiveness wanes over time. The vaccines’ effectiveness against infection stood at 52% after four weeks, according to a May study in The New England Journal of Medicine, and their effectiveness against hospitalization was about 67% after four weeks. The vaccines were produced through Operation Warp Speed, a public-private partnership Trump launched in his first term to fast-track the shots as well as other treatments. Makary criticized COVID vaccine guidance that called for giving young children the shots. He argued that, for many people, natural immunity from infections could substitute for the vaccine. Bhattacharya opposed measures used to curb the spread of COVID in 2020 and advised that everyone except the most vulnerable go about their lives as usual. The World Health Organization warned that such an approach would overwhelm hospitals. Mehmet Oz, Trump’s choice to head the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, an agency within HHS, has said the vaccines were oversold. He promoted the use of the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment. The FDA in 2020 revoked emergency authorization of hydroxychloroquine for COVID, saying that it was unlikely to be effective against the virus and that the risk of dangerous side effects was too high. Janette Nesheiwat, meanwhile, a former Fox News contributor and Trump’s pick for surgeon general, has taken a different stance. The doctor described COVID vaccines as a gift from God in a Fox News opinion piece . Kennedy’s qualms about vaccines are likely to be a central issue early in the administration. He has said he wants federal health agencies to shift their focus from preparing for and combating infectious disease to addressing chronic disease. The shifting focus and questioning of vaccines concern some public health leaders amid the spread of the H5N1 bird flu virus among dairy cattle. There have been 60 human infections reported in the U.S. this year, all but two of them linked to exposure to cattle or poultry. “Early on, they’re going to have to have a discussion about vaccinating people and animals” against bird flu, said Georges C. Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “We all bring opinions to the table. A department’s cohesive policy is driven by the secretary.” ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.THUNDER BAY — It’s the season for giving, and representatives from Confederation College were blown away with how the community came together to Stock the Bank. “The campaign has raised over $260,000 in support of students in need as well as about 120,000 food items in that amount of time,” said Thomas McDonald, campaign coordinator. Stock the Bank campaign is in its 19th year and reached it's highest fundraising totals ever this year. Confederation College celebrated the record year at an event on Monday. “We raised over $25,000 to our student emergency fund which supports food and security initiatives, a grant program and our food bank, which is amazing and $10,000 of that went to our rainy day fund. “The rainy day fund allows us to do broader food insecurity initiatives on campus. We also brought in over 3,700 non perishable items and almost 200 kitchen and self care kits to support our students. “(This year), we raised over $65,000 which is absolutely amazing for scholarships, bursaries and student emergency fund,” said McDonald, who is also the administrator of communications and marketing for the student union, SUCCI. Teams at the school competed to raise the most funds and collect the most food. Winners earned a certificate and $150 to be donated to the charity. “From giving non perishable food items in your department's bin, which are worth points where the teams can compete, to our marketing students participating in the enterprise challenge and raising funds that way to interdepartmental fundraisers where departments are challenging each other with bake sales, luncheons and all kinds of things, to just straight up cash donation through payroll. “It's amazing giving and everyone takes part all for a chance to pay it forward into the community to help our students, but also to earn $150 donation to a charity of their choice. “We laughingly joke about a ‘Dollarama Frame’ and bragging rights for a year, but I think at the end of the day, paying it forward is what it's really about.” McDonald said the feeling he gets after giving is what Christmas means to him. “We see that giving, we see that number, we see that generosity in all of its forms and it can't help but warm your heart. That's the most amazing part, to see how much Confed cares. “If folks are considering giving in the community this Christmas, find a food bank, find a charity that's near and dear to their heart and pay it forward. “We are so generously resourced by our college community and I know there are other food banks in the community who do not have that same support. Please give, if you're able, however you're able, whether it's a can of food or a dollar or $100, it doesn't matter. “Giving is really the spirit of the season,” McDonald said. “Seeing the overall support from the college in general and helping students is quite amazing," said Michelle Salo, president of Confederation College. Salo said over the years staff and faculty have seen first hand the impact of the food bank. “We know that people who are eating healthy and feeling healthy, succeed in terms of their academics. Also, it's the right thing to do," she said. “These are our students and we want to make sure that we're helping to support them in everything, which includes food insecurity.”With This New Tool, You Can Embrace the Trump Boom... and Beware Any Bust

Israel launches new strikes on Lebanon as leaders draw closer to ceasefire with Hezbollah

TGM MOURNS DEATH OF CO-FOUNDER AND MANAGING PRINCIPAL STEVEN C. MACYA machine-readable zone (MRZ) is an important security measure for many documents, such as ID cards, passports, and visas. It usually contains personal information that is related to the holder and allows for the reading and verification of identity documents via machine ID verification tools, which can be software or hardware. MRZ technology was initially used to speed up document check processes at airports and borders. However, businesses can use this technology for identity verification. Below, we will explore important features to look out for in an MRX reader for your business. Let’s begin. When choosing an MRZ for your business, you must consider how easy it is to extract data from the identity documents. While mobile scanning technology makes text machines readable easily, you must have a human-readable version of your data. A good reader should be able to collect crucial data points of IDs and passports, making it easy to double-check any scan. Data points that should be easily collected from IDs and passports include the type of document, document number digit, given first names, gender, date of birth, expiration of documents, surname, country code, etc. Time is crucial to all people, especially as a business homeowner. Speed is an important factor to consider. One of the benefits of an MRZ is that it is faster than manual data entry. Usually, mobile scanners can process huge amounts of data in an instant. This is a huge difference, especially in businesses where many ID verifications are performed, such as hotels . On the other hand, customers also appreciate fast and reliable service. Consider choosing a mobile document scanning solution that allows customers and their documents to be faster. Even if you offer the best service, it won’t count if you are unable to onboard customers that will make your business viable. Many individuals are often faced with decision fatigue , so signing up for a new service can often be a big ask. To onboard new customers, consider choosing a scanning service that makes it easy for your customers and also provides various data points for registration. Additionally, since it is almost instant, the chances of decision fatigue are lowered. It is best to choose an MRZ passport reader that onboards customers from any location. This flexibility enhances your business’s onboarding rate and results in more successful registration. It is possible to scan documents with dedicated ID card readers or scanning devices. However, many of these devices are very large and cumbersome to carry around. Consider using an MRZ with a smartphone-based scanning device that saves space in a work environment and does not require a charging dock or fixed electricity supply to function properly. This allows you to instantly create new points of service or security checkpoints for your customers. Many dedicated ID readers don’t come close to the kind of agility that such MRZ readers provide. MRZ was initially created for the aviation sector, but it is now an important aspect of document verification of many organizations and businesses, as well as government institutions such as immigration and border control. This technology automates routine procedures and makes the work process easier for your employees and customers. It is especially crucial for businesses that require smooth KYC flow or onboarding new clients digitally.

Belgrade to be transformed into 'world’s largest playground' for Expo 2027, Serbian ambassador says Published: 19 Dec. 2024, 07:00 LIM JEONG-WON [email protected] Serbian Ambassador to Seoul Nemanja Grbic sits for an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily at the Serbian Embassy in Jung District, central Seoul, on Dec. 12. [PARK SANG-MOON] The Expo 2027 in Belgrade, themed “Play for Humanity: Sport and Music for All,” will transform the city into the “world’s largest playground,” inviting the global community, including and especially Korea, to participate, Serbian Ambassador to Seoul Nemanja Grbic said in a recent interview. “The idea behind Expo 2027 in Belgrade is to transform the city into the world’s largest playground, celebrating human resilience through the power of play,” said Grbic in an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily at the Serbian Embassy in Jung District, central Seoul on Thursday. “In these challenging times, I believe a little more play is exactly what we need. Therefore, I would like to extend a warm invitation to Korea to join this event and showcase the beauty of its contemporary culture and creativity to the world.” Korean expertise in green technologies, smart city development and hospitality management particularly presents valuable opportunities for collaboration, Grbic emphasized. The Bureau International des Expositions elected Serbia as the host country of Specialised Expo 2027 in 2023. With approximately 120 participating countries expected at the Expo 2027 in Belgrade, the event is set to welcome around 6 million visitors to the Serbian capital, and the embassy most heartily welcomes Koreans to the city. Meanwhile, ongoing Korea-Serbia EPA negotiations signal a commitment to deepening trade ties and could further enhance cooperation and mutual benefits for both countries, the ambassador said. Grbic also outlined specific agendas for the Expo 2027, sectors in which Belgrade seeks partnerships with Seoul, and heightening bilateral relations between Korea and Serbia. The following interview has been edited for length and clarity. Expo 2027's theme, "Play for Humanity: Sport and Music for All," highlights Serbia's cultural richness. How does Serbia plan to reflect this theme in the pavilions and programming, and what unique contributions can Korean culture make to this vision? Serbia’s theme, "Play for Humanity," is a celebration of the transformative power of play through sports and music. This theme will be embodied in three thematic pavilions: Power of Play, Play for Progress, and Play Together. Each pavilion offers interactive exhibits, encourages playful exploration, and fosters collaboration through sports and music. For instance, the Play Together pavilion will create a platform for global cultural exchanges, where Korean culture, with its vibrant K-pop, traditional music and taekwondo, can make a significant impact. By integrating Korean performances, workshops and collaborative projects, Serbia envisions a dynamic fusion of cultures that embodies the spirit of unity and creativity. With an expected influx of 6 million tourists, how is Serbia preparing its infrastructure and economy to maximize the benefits of Expo 2027? Are there specific sectors, such as tourism or tech, where Serbia seeks partnerships with Korea? The 6 million forecast is optimistic, I know, but in Serbia, we are always optimistic. To that goal, we have undertaken major upgrades in infrastructure, including transportation and accommodations. With Belgrade as the hub, enhancements include the development of the EXPO Village, improved road networks like E-70 and E-75, and expansions at Nikola Tesla Airport. The tourism sector will see new hotels and recreational spaces to meet visitor demand. Serbia seeks partnerships in sectors such as sustainable tourism, technology integration for smart infrastructure, and digital innovation. Korean expertise in green technologies, smart city development and hospitality management presents a valuable opportunity for collaboration. Expo 2027 was presented as a "Green Agenda" at COP29. What specific sustainability goals does Serbia aim to achieve during the Expo, and how can Korea's green technologies play a role? Serbia’s "Green Agenda" for Expo 2027 prioritizes sustainability, focusing on renewable energy, waste management and environmentally friendly transportation. Smart urban interventions such as Playground Earth will highlight sustainable living practices. Serbia aims to reduce the carbon footprint of the event through renewable energy sources and advanced waste recycling systems. Notably, Hyundai Engineering recently secured a 2 trillion won ($1.39 billion) contract to construct a 1.2GW solar power plant with an energy storage system in Serbia — the largest overseas solar project ever won by a Korean construction company. This groundbreaking collaboration is expected to significantly enhance Serbia’s renewable energy infrastructure and showcases the potential for Korean green technologies to play a pivotal role in Expo 2027’s sustainability goals. With over 100 countries expected to participate, how is Serbia promoting cross-cultural exchange? Are there plans for joint cultural projects with Korea during or before the Expo? While specific cultural projects have not been finalized, potential collaborations could include hosting K-pop performances, traditional Korean arts exhibitions and taekwondo demonstrations alongside Serbian folklore, literature and music. Additionally, I believe there is room for pre-Expo events in Korea to strengthen ties and generate enthusiasm for the Expo. Such initiatives would highlight shared values of creativity, resilience and collaboration, fostering a deeper understanding between the two nations. Major upgrades in transportation and facilities are underway for the Expo. What progress has been made, and what role do international collaborations, including with Korea, play in these developments? Serbia has made significant progress in upgrading its transportation and facilities, including new road and railroad networks, improved public transport and the development of the EXPO Village. International collaborations have been instrumental, and Serbia welcomes Korean expertise in infrastructure development. Korea’s advanced transport systems and construction technologies could enhance Serbia’s capabilities, ensuring the successful execution of the Expo and long-term benefits for regional connectivity. Serbia has highlighted innovation in sports and music as part of the Expo theme. Could you elaborate on Serbia's strategies to integrate these sectors with cutting-edge technology, and what lessons or support from Korea could be beneficial? Serbia plans to integrate sports and music with cutting-edge technology through initiatives like hybrid sports pitches and interactive music stages. These will incorporate augmented reality, AI and immersive experiences to enhance visitor engagement. Korea’s expertise in technology-driven entertainment and innovations in Esports can provide valuable insights. Collaborative projects, such as developing smart sports arenas and virtual music platforms, would enrich the Expo experience. Serbia is leveraging Air Serbia to promote the Expo internationally. How does the government plan to raise awareness in Korea, and are there any specific events or campaigns planned? Air Serbia has recently opened a representative office in Seoul, reflecting its growing focus on enhancing connections between Serbia and Asia. This expansion includes the introduction of a new direct route between Belgrade and Shanghai starting January 2024, alongside existing routes to Tianjin and Guangzhou. These developments strengthen connectivity and provide significant opportunities for business and tourism. While specific campaigns targeting Korea may not be in place, these initiatives naturally position Serbia as an attractive destination and enhance cultural and economic exchanges in the lead-up to the Expo. As the first Expo in the Western Balkans, how does Serbia envision the event influencing regional development and cooperation? Could Korea play a role in supporting this regional impact? As the first Expo in the Western Balkans, Serbia aims to position the region as a hub for innovation and cultural exchange. The event will foster regional development through infrastructure investments, tourism growth and cross-border collaboration. Serbia’s recent diplomatic achievements reflect its growing importance on the global stage, as highlighted by high-profile visits this year from leaders such as Xi Jinping, Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz and others. The country’s high growth rate, the second highest in Europe, rich mineral resources and favorable investment climate have made it an attractive partner for global powers. Korea could play a significant role by leveraging its expertise in energy, biomedical technologies and smart city projects. Additionally, the ongoing Korea-Serbia EPA negotiations signal a commitment to deepening trade ties, which could further enhance cooperation and mutual benefits for both nations. The Expo has emphasized engaging children and youth. Are there initiatives targeting Korean students or young professionals to encourage their participation in this global event? Serbia plans to engage children and youth through educational programs, competitions and internships. Initiatives targeting Korean students include collaborative projects with Serbian schools and universities, such as cultural exchanges and innovation challenges. These programs aim to inspire young minds and encourage active participation in shaping the Expo’s vision. What are Serbia’s long-term plans for the infrastructure and partnerships developed for Expo 2027, and how might Korea fit into these future aspirations? Serbia’s long-term plans include transforming Expo infrastructure into lasting assets such as the National Stadium, public spaces and smart urban areas. Among the major infrastructures to be built from scratch, let me point out the new Belgrade Fair, International Forum of Play, residential and hotel zones, national stadium, aquatic center, and EXPO village. Partnerships developed during the Expo will drive ongoing innovation and economic growth. Additionally, the city of Novi Sad has demonstrated its commitment to smart city development, supported by a collaboration between Samsung SDS and KDI. This partnership included a feasibility study for a smart city control system, providing strategic road maps and implementation plans for Novi Sad. Serbia’s broader commitment to renewable energy, green technologies and smart urban solutions creates opportunities for global partnerships and ensures a legacy of innovation and sustainability. BY LIM JEONG-WON [ [email protected] ] var admarutag = admarutag || {} admarutag.cmd = admarutag.cmd || [] admarutag.cmd.push(function () { admarutag.pageview('3bf9fc17-6e70-4776-9d65-ca3bb0c17cb7'); });Quest Partners LLC Purchases 29,419 Shares of HomeStreet, Inc. (NASDAQ:HMST)

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A Russian-made passenger aircraft operated by Azimuth Airlines caught fire upon landing at Antalya Airport in southern Turkey, leading to a temporary suspension of flights. The incident occurred on Sunday, as the Turkish transport ministry reported in an official statement. All 89 passengers and six crew members aboard the Sukhoi Superjet 100 were evacuated safely after the aircraft's engine ignited post-landing. The plane, arriving from Sochi, Russia, remained on the runway until authorities cleared it to be towed away. Flights at Antalya Airport were suspended until 0300 local time (0000 GMT). Social media footage, shared by Airport Haber and the transport ministry, showed emergency teams responding with foam and fire extinguishers. Azimuth Airlines attributed the rough landing to wind shear. Russian aviation authorities, Rosaviatsiya, have launched an investigation. The aircraft, seven years old, highlights Russia's current aircraft shortage due to Western sanctions. (With inputs from agencies.)

Empowered Funds LLC increased its holdings in STMicroelectronics ( NYSE:STM – Free Report ) by 15.8% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 20,465 shares of the semiconductor producer’s stock after acquiring an additional 2,799 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC’s holdings in STMicroelectronics were worth $608,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in STM. Van ECK Associates Corp boosted its position in shares of STMicroelectronics by 26.5% during the third quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 8,195,521 shares of the semiconductor producer’s stock valued at $228,655,000 after buying an additional 1,719,257 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its holdings in shares of STMicroelectronics by 177.3% in the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 2,311,888 shares of the semiconductor producer’s stock valued at $90,806,000 after purchasing an additional 1,478,213 shares during the last quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. boosted its holdings in STMicroelectronics by 128.1% during the second quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 648,403 shares of the semiconductor producer’s stock worth $25,469,000 after purchasing an additional 364,184 shares during the last quarter. Mediolanum International Funds Ltd purchased a new stake in STMicroelectronics in the 3rd quarter valued at about $7,642,000. Finally, Lombard Odier Asset Management Europe Ltd boosted its stake in shares of STMicroelectronics by 581.9% in the 2nd quarter. Lombard Odier Asset Management Europe Ltd now owns 225,428 shares of the semiconductor producer’s stock worth $8,855,000 after buying an additional 192,369 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 5.05% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research analysts have weighed in on the company. Robert W. Baird cut their price objective on STMicroelectronics from $35.00 to $30.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 1st. Susquehanna restated a “positive” rating and set a $33.00 price target on shares of STMicroelectronics in a research report on Thursday. Morgan Stanley downgraded shares of STMicroelectronics from an “equal weight” rating to an “underweight” rating in a research report on Monday, November 4th. StockNews.com lowered STMicroelectronics from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, September 19th. Finally, Citigroup raised STMicroelectronics to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, STMicroelectronics currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $37.63. STMicroelectronics Price Performance Shares of STMicroelectronics stock opened at $24.48 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $22.12 billion, a PE ratio of 10.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.98 and a beta of 1.57. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $27.46 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $33.84. The company has a quick ratio of 2.16, a current ratio of 2.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. STMicroelectronics has a 12-month low of $23.95 and a 12-month high of $51.27. STMicroelectronics ( NYSE:STM – Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, October 31st. The semiconductor producer reported $0.37 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.33 by $0.04. STMicroelectronics had a return on equity of 13.29% and a net margin of 16.11%. The company had revenue of $3.25 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.27 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.16 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 26.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts expect that STMicroelectronics will post 1.64 EPS for the current year. STMicroelectronics Company Profile ( Free Report ) STMicroelectronics N.V., together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, and sells semiconductor products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates through Automotive and Discrete Group; Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group; and Microcontrollers and Digital ICs Group segments. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding STM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for STMicroelectronics ( NYSE:STM – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for STMicroelectronics Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for STMicroelectronics and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .MELVILLE, N.Y. and DAVIDSON, N.C. , Dec. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- MSC Industrial Supply Co. (NYSE: MSM) , a premier distributor of Metalworking and Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) products and services to industrial customers throughout North America , today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.85 per share. The $0.85 dividend is payable on January 29, 2025 to shareholders of record at the close of business on January 15, 2025 . Contact Information Investors: Media: Ryan Mills, CFA Zivanai Mutize Head of Investor Relations Head of Corporate Communications Rmills@mscdirect.com Zivanai.mutize@mscdirect.com About MSC Industrial Supply Co. MSC Industrial Supply Co. (NYSE:MSM) is a leading North American distributor of a broad range of metalworking and maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products and services. We help our customers drive greater productivity, profitability and growth with approximately 2.4 million products, inventory management and other supply chain solutions, and deep expertise from more than 80 years of working with customers across industries. Our experienced team of more than 7,000 associates works with our customers to help drive results for their businesses - from keeping operations running efficiently today to continuously rethinking, retooling and optimizing for a more productive tomorrow. For more information on MSC Industrial, please visit mscdirect.com . Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of present or historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that MSC expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including statements about results of operations and financial condition, expected future results, expected benefits from our investment and strategic plans and other initiatives, and expected future growth, profitability and return on invested capital, are forward-looking statements. The words "will," "may," "believes," "anticipates," "thinks," "expects," "estimates," "plans," "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by these forward-looking statements. In addition, statements which refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, statements involving a discussion of strategy, plans or intentions, statements about management's assumptions, projections or predictions of future events or market outlook and any other statement other than a statement of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. The inclusion of any statement in this press release does not constitute an admission by MSC or any other person that the events or circumstances described in such statement are material. In addition, new risks may emerge from time to time and it is not possible for management to predict such risks or to assess the impact of such risks on our business or financial results. Accordingly, future results may differ materially from historical results or from those discussed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, the reader should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions in the markets in which we operate; changing customer and product mixes; volatility in commodity, energy and labor prices, and the impact of prolonged periods of low, high or rapid inflation; competition, including the adoption by competitors of aggressive pricing strategies or sales methods; industry consolidation and other changes in the industrial distribution sector; the applicability of laws and regulations relating to our status as a supplier to the U.S. government and public sector; the credit risk of our customers; our ability to accurately forecast customer demands; customer cancellations or rescheduling of orders; interruptions in our ability to make deliveries to customers; supply chain disruptions; our ability to attract and retain sales and customer service personnel; the risk of loss of key suppliers or contractors or key brands; changes to trade policies or trade relationships; risks associated with opening or expanding our customer fulfillment centers; our ability to estimate the cost of healthcare claims incurred under our self-insurance plan; interruption of operations at our headquarters or customer fulfillment centers; products liability due to the nature of the products that we sell; impairments of goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets; the impact of climate change; operating and financial restrictions imposed by the terms of our material debt instruments; our ability to access additional liquidity; our ability to realize the desired benefits from the reclassification of our Class B Common Stock to Class A Common Stock; the significant influence that our principal shareholders will continue to have over our decisions; our ability to execute on our E-commerce strategies and maintain our digital platforms; costs associated with maintaining our information technology ("IT") systems and complying with data privacy laws; our ability to remediate a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting and to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting and our disclosure controls and procedures in the future; disruptions or breaches of our IT systems or violations of data privacy laws, including such disruptions or breaches in connection with our E-commerce channels; risks related to online payment methods and other online transactions; the retention of key management personnel; litigation risk due to the nature of our business; failure to comply with environmental, health, and safety laws and regulations; and our ability to comply with, and the costs associated with, social and environmental responsibility policies. Additional information concerning these and other risks is described under "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our Annual and Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q, respectively, and in the other reports and documents that we file with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. We expressly disclaim any obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/msc-industrial-supply-co-declares-regular-quarterly-dividend-302335377.html SOURCE MSC Industrial Supply Co.

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