South Korea’s Shinhan Bank has joined the Hardest-to-Reach Initiative headed by Acumen. Photo courtesy of Shinhan Bank
SEOUL, Sept. 24 (UPI) — South Korea’s Shinhan Bank said Wednesday that the lender has joined the $246.5 million Hardest-to-Reach Initiative, headed by Acumen, a nonprofit global impact organization.
Built on a combination of public and private financing, the initiative is aimed at bringing energy access to people in the least electrified regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, including such countries as Malawi, Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone.
The Acumen program consists of two vehicles: one that provides impact-linked loans to enterprises and another that builds markets through a mix of equity, debt, grants and technical assistance.
The project is expected to enable around 70 million people from 17 African countries, who are still living in darkness, to gain off-grid solar access, thus avoiding the emission of 4 million tons of carbon dioxide, according to Acumen.
Among them, 50 million will be first-time energy users. Acumen noted that 600 million sub-Saharan Africans still lacked access to electricity as of 2023.
Shinhan Bank did not disclose how much it provided to the HWR Initiative.
“This innovative blended finance structure enables us, as a leading Korean bank, to channel capital into the toughest markets and reach those most in need — helping provide clean, affordable energy where it matters most,” Shinhan Bank Deputy President Seo Seung-hyeon said in a statement.
In addition to Shinhan Bank, other global organizations and funds are taking part in the initiative, including Green Climate Fund, International Financial Corporation, Nordic Development Fund, British International Investment and Soros Economic Development Fund.
Acumen’s founding CEO Jacqueline Novogratz said the coalition would step up with capital designed not to just to invest, but to solve.
“This is the first time public, private and philanthropic partners have come together behind a model built to reach the hardest-to-reach. It’s a clear example of what’s possible when capital aligns with purpose to tackle energy poverty at scale,” she said.
If you’re not a member yet, it’s well worth signing up for free for 30 days, and nab this saving while you’ve got it.
The compact charger packs a hefty 10,000mAh capacity into a device that weighs just 220g, keeping your phone powered all day without feeling like lugging around a brick.
It uses magnetic suction technology to grip firmly to the back of your iPhone, creating a seamless MagSafe connection that makes charging on the move feel effortless.
Compatible with Apple’s latest line-up from iPhone 12 through to the just-dropped iPhone 17, it’s built to snap on securely even if you’re using a magnetic case.
The Gxorul charger doesn’t just look slick, it’s fast too, with USB-C and USB-A ports capable of powering devices up to 55% in just half an hour.
Better still, you can charge three gadgets at once thanks to its combination of wireless charging, USB-C, and USB-A outputs, making it the perfect travel or commute addition.
There’s also a handy LED display that shows your remaining battery level and lights up with a green fast-charge logo, so you’re never left guessing.
It has a handy built-in stand, so you can prop up your phone at a 60-degree angle, ideal for video calls and catch-ups while your device gets a boost.
Portable enough to slip into your bag and airline-friendly at 38.5Wh, it’s a smart buy for workdays, weekends away, and even long-haul flights.
Shoppers are giving the Gxorul a near-perfect 4.8 out of 5-star rating on Amazon, which tells you everything you need to know about just how well it delivers.
Amazon buyers have been quick to praise its mix of muscle and portability, with one calling it “a powerful thing despite its diminutive size” and hailing it as “powerful and fast.”
Another reviewer noted, “The MagSafe connection is strong and the LED display makes it easy to track power.
“The 10,000mAh capacity easily gives my iPhone multiple charges, and the 22.5W fast charging is noticeably quick.”
A third impressed shopper summed it up perfectly: “Brilliantly designed magnetic wireless charging that grips and fits onto the back of the phone perfectly, even with a normal case on it.
This isn’t the only deal I spotted with serious savings.
As the consumer investment world grows, the bank has a lot to gain.
Bank of America(BAC 0.71%) is one of the largest banks in the world, operating in the U.S. and more than 35 countries worldwide. By market cap, it’s the second-most valuable bank in the world, trailing only JPMorgan Chase. In the past five years, Bank of America has outperformed the S&P 500, with total returns close to 125% in that span, compared to the index’s 112% (through Sept. 12).
Even with Bank of America’s market-beating returns over the past five years, the next five years could continue the same momentum. The reason comes down to one factor: its consumer investment business.
Image source: Getty Images.
The consumer investment business involves standard brokerage accounts, wealth management, and financial advisory services. In the fourth quarter of 2024, Bank of America’s consumer investment assets crossed the $500 billion mark for the first time in the company’s history.
The company noted that this amount has doubled every five years, and it expects to hit $1 trillion in the next five years. In the second quarter of this year, it reached around $540 billion (up 13% year over year).
Hitting this mark won’t guarantee that Bank of America’s stock will soar (nothing guarantees that), but the growth of its consumer investment business means it will earn much more fee-based income and see higher margins than from other revenue sources like traditional lending. This should be a nice boost to Bank of America’s profitability, especially as we anticipate interest rates getting lowered over the next few years, which could impact the bank’s main revenue source.
Bank of America is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Stefon Walters has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
JERUSALEM — Palestinian Oscar-winning director Basel Adra said Israeli soldiers conducted a raid at his home in the occupied West Bank over the weekend, searching for him and going through his wife’s phone.
Israeli settlers attacked his village Saturday, injuring two of his brothers and one cousin, Adra told the Associated Press. He accompanied them to the hospital. While there, he said that he heard from family in the village that nine Israeli soldiers had stormed his home.
The soldiers asked his wife, Suha, of his whereabouts and went through her phone while his 9-month-old daughter was home. They also briefly detained one of his uncles, he said.
Adra spent the night outside the village, unable to get home and check on his family because soldiers were blocking the village entrance and he was scared of being detained, he said.
Israel’s military said soldiers were in the village after Palestinians had thrown rocks, injuring two Israeli civilians. It said its forces were still in the village, searching the area and questioning people.
Adra said settlers attacked the Palestinians on their land, and denied throwing rocks or seeing anyone from the village do so.
Videos recorded by Adra’s cousin and viewed by the AP showed settlers attacking a man Adra identified as his brother, Adam, who was hospitalized with bruising to his left hand, elbow and chest, according to hospital records shared with the AP.
In another video, a settler chases a solidarity activist through an olive grove, tackling her to the ground.
Adra has spent his career as a journalist and filmmaker chronicling settler violence in Masafer Yatta, the southern reaches of the West Bank where he was born. After settlers attacked his co-director, Hamdan Ballal, in March, he told the AP that he felt they were being targeted more intensely since winning the Oscar.
He described Saturday’s events as “horrific.”
“Even if you are just filming the settlers, the army comes and chases you, searches your house,” he said. “The whole system is built to attack us, to terrify us, to make us very scared.”
Another co-director, Yuval Abraham, said he was “terrified for Basel.”
“What happened today in his village, we’ve seen this dynamic again and again, where the Israeli settlers brutally attack a Palestinian village and later on the army comes, and attacks the Palestinians,” Abraham said.
“No Other Land,” which won an Oscar this year for best documentary, depicts the struggle by residents of the Masafer Yatta area to stop the Israeli military from demolishing their villages. Ballal and Adra made the joint Palestinian-Israeli production with Israeli directors Abraham and Rachel Szor.
The film has won a string of international awards, starting at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2024. It has also drawn ire in Israel and abroad, such as when Miami Beach proposed ending the lease of a movie theater that screened the documentary.
Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East War, along with the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. The Palestinians want all three for a future state and view Jewish settlement growth as a major obstacle to a two-state solution.
Israel has built well over 100 settlements, home to more than 500,000 settlers who have Israeli citizenship. The 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank live under seemingly open-ended Israeli military rule, with the Western-backed Palestinian Authority administering population centers.
The Israeli military designated Masafer Yatta in the southern West Bank as a live-fire training zone in the 1980s and ordered residents, mostly Arab Bedouins, to be expelled. Around 1,000 residents have largely remained, but soldiers regularly move in to demolish homes, tents, water tanks and olive orchards, and Palestinians fear outright expulsion could come at any time.
During the war in Gaza, Israel has killed hundreds of Palestinians in the West Bank during wide-scale military operations. There has also been a rise in settler attacks on Palestinians, as well as a surge in Palestinian attacks on Israelis.
Israeli forces arrested a Palestinian student, Baraa Jamal Karama, during a raid on her home in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron. In the footage, a soldier shushes her as she calls out, while another points his gun at the person filming.
BANK branches across the UK continue to close at pace as Lloyds and NatWest confirm more branches are to shut for good in the coming weeks.
Hundreds have already shut so far this year with a staggering 163 more closures in the pipeline for the coming months.
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Bank branches across the UK continue to close at paceCredit: Alamy
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Banks including Lloyds and NatWest have confirmed more closures are to comeCredit: Alamy
Banks are set to close a slew of their stores over the coming weeks and months.
In September alone, a total of 26NatWestbranches and 13Halifaxbranches will pull down the shutters for good.
The closures are set to extend into October and November as banks grapple with the customer turn toward online and mobilebanking.
And banks including NatWest and Lloyds have confirmed even more closures too with some now earmarked for 2026.
Banks and building societies have closed a whopping 6,443 branches since January 2015 equating to 53 closures every month, according to to consumer champion Which?
Sam Richardson, Which?’s deputy editor, said that the closures represent a “seismic shift” in how Brits bank.
NatWest
NatWest is just one of the major banks to be closing a swathe of its sites throughout the UK.
According to the Metro, a NatWest spokesperson said that more than 80% of its current account holders use digital services, and over 97% of retail accounts are opened online.
A total of 54 branches will be pulling the shutters down this year and since 2015, the NatWest Group — which also includes Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank — has shut 1,409 branches.
Full list of NatWest closures
NatWest are closing a huge number of bank branches in the coming weeks and months.
Abingdon, September 24
Birmingham (Acocks Green), September 16
Birmingham (Edgbaston), September 11
Birmingham (Shirley), October 1
Birmingham (Smethwick), September 25
Bicester, September 30
Bridgwater, October 27
Bridport, October 29
Bristol (Fishponds), September 4
Cardiff (Canton), September 16
Cardiff (Llanishen), September 11
Chippenham, October 15
Cirencester, September 17
Cwmbran, September 1
Dorchester, October 22
Ely, September 10
Halesowen, September 3
Hinckley, September 17
Honiton, October 21
Luton (Leagrave), September 15
Leicester (Melton Road), September 2
Leicester (Oadby), September 10
Leighton Buzzard, October 28
Llangefni, September 4
Lowestoft, October 15
Melton Mowbray, September 29
Midsomer Norton, October 8
Mold, October 21
Neath, October 13
Newmarket (Suffolk), September 24
Northampton (Weston Favell Shopping Centre), September 15
Paignton, October 2
Rayleigh, September 2
Redditch, October 14
Ringwood, October 1
Romsey, October 13
Leamington Spa, October 1
Stevenage, October 7
Stratford-upon-Avon, October 8
Sudbury, September 30
Trowbridge, October 16
Wellingborough, October 7
Wickford, September 18
Willerby, September 22
Wisbech, September 1
Yate, September 25
Expected to be confirmed later:
Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Cromer
Evesham
Launceston
Portishead
Torquay
Lloyds
Lloyds will close a number of its branches for good in the coming weeks with more closures announced for March 2026.
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While four branches will shut in September, a further 23 will close for the final time in October and November while 13 more are due to wind down in March next year.
The bank says they assess “impact on customers” when it comes to shutting its branches.
Full list of Lloyds closures
Lloyds are set to close a number of branches before the year is out with 13 also confirmed for 2026.
Biggleswade, November 5
Blandford Forum, November 10
Bristol Bishopsworth (Church Road), November 6
Bury, October 21
Chard, November 11
Coventry (Foleshill), November 4
Debden, November 12
Dunstable, November 4
East Grinstead, November 12
Feltham, November 4
Ferndown, November 17
Hexham, November 5
Hornchurch, September 11
Kidderminster, October 16
Leeds (Armley), September 22
Loughton, November 12
London (Tooting), October 8
London (Walthamstow), October 22
Manchester (Newton Heath), November 5
Monmouth, September 12
Plymstock, November 4
Pontardawe, November 20
Sheffield (Woodhouse), November 11
Shipston-on-Stour, November 11
Southall, October 15
Stoke-on-Trent (Trent), October 10
Thetford, September 12
Those due to close in March 2026 are:
Briggs, March 3, 2026
Catheram, March 5, 2026
Falmouth, March 5, 2026
Glossop, March 9, 2026
Houghton-le-Spring, March 10, 2026
Hucknall, March 4, 2026
Leominster, March 3, 2026
Peterlee Yoden Way, March 3, 2026
Seaton, March 11, 2026
Sleaford, March 12, 2026
Thornbury Avon, February 26, 2026
Tunstall, March 9, 2026
Wymondham, March 12, 2026
Halifax
Halifax is another bank that have now announced closures for next year.
Lytham Road is due to close in February 2026 while four more will shut the following month.
The bank has previously reported a 48 per cent drop in face-to-face transaction at their branches in the last five years.
Because customers are using branches less, the brand has closed an enormous number in an effort to cut costs.
Full list of Halifax closures
Halifax will close a number of its branches from now through to November and have also earmarked several for closure next year.
Barrow-in-Furness, September 10
Bexleyheath, October 23
Blackpool (Lytham Road), October 29
Bolton, November 25
Brentwood, September 10
Bristol (Kingswood), October 8
Carmarthen, October 6
Castleford, September 8
Cirencester, September 25
Crewe, October 14
Derby, October 23
Eltham, October 29
Epsom, September 15
Erdington, September 24
Folkestone, October 9
Hayes (Hillingdon), October 6
Hexham, November 11
Hove, October 20
London (Clapham Junction), September 23
London (Woolwich), October 1
Long Eaton, September 18
Mold, October 16
Monmouth, September 30
Morecambe, September 29
Northwich, September 3
Rhyl, September 23
Richmond (Surrey), September 16
Sittingbourne, October 15
Skegness, September 3
Southport, October 7
Stevenage, October 23
Stretford, October 15
Telford, October 22
Thetford, October 1
Walkden, September 25
Wallasey, September 4
Wickford, November 10
Those due to close in 2026 are:
Birmingham (Beardwood), March 2, 2026
Lytham Road, February 24, 2026
Nelson, March 4, 2026
Peterlee, March 3, 2026
Sleaford, March 12, 2026
Santander
Santanderwill be closing a fifth of its branches in a major cost-cutting mission.
People like David Elkins, 82, a retired service engineer from Calne, Wilts, who saw his HSBC branch close in 2023 and had to travel ten miles to the next nearest.
He has a kidney issue and needs frequent dialysis, making it impractical.
Banking hubs are emerging as a solution to address the gaps left by widespread closures – but there are not enough of them.
There are plans for 146 of these, but so far there are only 60.
You can use one of the Post Office’s 11,635 branches to perform basic banking tasks, but they don’t allow you to open or close accounts for example.
The design is ultra-portable, slimmer than a centimetre thick, weighing only 109g, and about two-thirds the size of a phone.
Despite the compact body, it carries a 5000mAh capacity, enough to comfortably get most people through a day without scrambling for a wall socket.
The big sell here is the strong magnetic connection, engineered with a grip force that snaps securely to your iPhone.
There’s no button-pressing or fiddling around; the Dbasne charger attaches instantly and starts charging automatically.
Wireless charging gets you from zero to around 55% in just half an hour on iPhone 12 through 16 series.
While the USB-C outport is there if you prefer a wired boost, pushing you up to 70% in the same time.
It’s a fast and fuss-free option, and reliable enough for daily use or travel.
It also comes with built-in protections against overheating, overcharging, and voltage spikes, giving peace of mind.
Another clever touch is the retractable lanyard cable, which doubles as a charging cord.
It cuts out clutter and keeps the charger close at hand, whether you’re commuting, at the office, or heading out away from a wall charger.
While I’m impressed by the design and value, it’s not just me taking notice.
Shoppers themselves have given it a rare 5-out-of-5-star rating with a 97% approval rate on Amazon, which is almost unheard of for a product in this category.
One buyer raved: “Small, quick, and dependable, what a lifesaver this power bank is. It is ideal for everyday usage or travel, and a phone can be charged multiple times thanks to the battery’s strong capacity.”
Another called it an “Awesome little powerbank”
They added that it’s “Lightweight, charges with cable or wireless. Quick charge, fits in small purses, besides, it’s really cute and smooth.”
A third praised its longevity: “Reliable and powerful. The battery lasts a surprisingly long time.”
“I can use it for multiple charges without recharging the power bank itself. It’s perfect for travel, busy days out.”
This isn’t the only tech deal I’ve had my eyes on of late.
Israeli action in Tulkarem city comes as Palestinians have been subjected to ‘collective punishment’ in the occupied West Bank.
Israeli forces have detained more than 100 Palestinians in raids on the occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem and have imposed a curfew, Al Jazeera Arabic reports, as the Israeli offensive in Gaza City has forced more than 200,000 Palestinians to flee the largest urban center in the enclave.
As reported earlier, Israel’s military has been conducting raids in Tulkarem after it said two Israeli soldiers were wounded when their vehicle was “hit by an explosive device“.
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Soldiers stormed shops and cafes, detaining patrons, as well as residents in their vehicles, forcing them to march in line towards an Israeli military checkpoint, a WAFA correspondent reported.
Israeli forces launched a campaign of violence in the occupied West Bank after six people were killed in a shooting attack in occupied East Jerusalem earlier this week. Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for the shooting, in which both suspects were killed.
In response, Israel ordered the demolition of the homes of the two suspects, as well as sanctions on their family members and residents of their towns, Qatanna and al-Qubeiba, northwest of Jerusalem in the West Bank.
“There has been a complete siege and lockdown of these areas,” Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut said on Tuesday following the shooting. “Collective punishment is in full swing in the occupied West Bank.”
Israel’s growing crackdown in the West Bank
Israel has launched a crackdown on the occupied West Bank since it launched its devastating war on Gaza, killing more than 1,000 Palestinians, arresting thousands, and demolishing hundreds of homes and civic infrastructure. Even before the October 7, 2023, attack inside Israel by the Hamas-led Palestinian groups, Israeli military and settler violence was at its highest in years.
Israel’s military operation has fuelled the forced displacement of more than 40,000 Palestinians.
“Israel’s deadly military operation in the occupied West Bank, unfolding in the horrific shadow of its ongoing genocide in the occupied Gaza Strip, has had catastrophic consequences for tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians who are facing a rapidly escalating crisis with no foreseeable prospects of return. Unlawful transfer of protected persons is a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention and a war crime,” Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s senior director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns, said in a statement on June 5.
As well as the Israeli military actions against Palestinians, violence by Israeli settlers spiked during the war on Gaza. At least 1,860 incidents of settler violence in the occupied West Bank were recorded between October 7, 2023, and December 31, 2024, according to data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The rise of far-right leaders to power has pushed Israel further towards right, with politicians at the highest levels, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, openly indulging in anti-Palestinian rhetoric.
“We are going to fulfil our promise that there will be no Palestinian state. This place belongs to us,” Netanyahu reiterated at an event in Maale Adumim, an illegal Israeli settlement just east of Jerusalem, on Thursday.
“We are going to double the city’s population.”
All the settlements are considered illegal under international law and are considered the biggest hurdle in the resolution of the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
Last September, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling on Israel to end its illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories within a year. Still, Israel has since expanded its settlements in complete disregard of international laws and norms.
SALFORD’S owners are today facing questions over trying to buy their stadium using a FAKE bank statement.
Isiosaia Kailahi and Curtiz Brown have dragged the club through the mire — and High Court — since taking charge in February.
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Isiosaia Kailahi (right) and Curtiz Brown (not pictured) are at the centre of financial legal accusationsCredit: Alamy
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The ownership’s running of the club has led to fan protestsCredit: Gary Carter
Now SunSport can reveal how they tried to convince the city’s council they had the money to purchase the Salford Community Stadium — valued at £14million — by using contested documents.
The bank that received the statement as proof of funds has claimed the documents are not genuine.
Concerns were raised after the discovery that the transactions on it are dated months in the future.
Kailahi and Brown’s deal was originally meant to be one for the club and the ground combined — with a plan to develop the land around it later on.
Yet the financial state of the club — which would have gone under in February had this not happened — meant the club purchase had to be brought forward.
An email from Kailahi to Salford City Council dated January 21, on which the statement was attached, raised questions as he criticised the authority for ‘going ghost’.
Kailahi wrote: “We understand there is scepticism by members about us and how this deal is being handled, which may not meet with council’s standards.
“I would remind those in doubt, we started discussions about the potential acquisition of AJ Bell Stadium in early 2023 with the council going ghost on us without any correspondence after a few weeks.
“I ask members to note the time I have spent in Manchester — which is months on end — working on this acquisition and the Red Devils deal, away from my family, this should at least give me some benefit towards our intentions.”
But a statement from Emirates NBD bank, in the name of Brown’s Built UAE company, raises more questions than answers.
Legendary BBC commentator Ray French known as the ‘Voice of Rugby League’ dies aged 85 as tributes pour in
Claims of a closing balance worth almost £22.3m could convince many they are the real deal.
Yet transactions dated December 2-11 2025 raised red flags — and, when SunSport contacted Emirates NBD, it confirmed our suspicions.
They said: “The Bank is prohibited by federal UAE law from disclosing any information about customers.
“But, the Bank can confirm none of the documents enclosed with your email, which purport to originate from the Bank, are genuine.”
When SunSport approached the businessmen for comment, Brown insisted: “Every document we have supplied has been true and accurate when provided, including any financial statement.
“If a statement you have been shown is false, we know nothing about this and have not been nor cannot be responsible for any document provided outside of our oversight.”
Salford City Council walked away from talks over the stadium in May — three months after they requested names, addresses and bank details of all consortium members.
Seven months on, they are still waiting.
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Kailahi (right) was part of a consortium that took over in FebruaryCredit: Alamy
Brown told SunSport: “We have yet to reach this point in the negotiations.
“As soon as we reach the point involving the transaction that requires the supply of this information, it will be duly and fully provided in the usual way.”
When the takeover that ‘saved’ the club first went through, a statement quoting Swiss financier Dario Berta was issued on February 7.
It said: “The new owners have cleared all club debt and will deliver significant investment for the club’s future growth. This is the start of a very bright future.”
Yet debts have grown, including the £626,000 that forced HMRC to bring the winding-up petition that is now adjourned until October 29.
A £5m bridging loan, first mentioned in June — believed to be coming from Ben Doweck and Eli Cohen — secured the second delay but it is understood there will be no more.
Some 18 players, the kitman and even the man under the mascot’s costume have all walked away.
So did the man meant to coach Salford next season, assistant Kurt Haggerty.
Wage issues, when they have come, have been largely sourced from firm WeDo Finance, and concerns over pension payments forced their hand.
Chris Irwin, employed by them as chief exec, was sacked — after it was first claimed he resigned.
This casts even more doubt on the duo, working under the Sydney-based Jacobsen Venture Group title.
Fans protested at their home match with Catalans last Thursday.
It followed marches to the stadium after they forfeited a Super League fixture against Wakefield, and to their game at Warrington, which many feared would be their last.
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Salford fans protested en masse on ThursdayCredit: Gary Carter
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The club have found themselves on uncertain ground in recent monthsCredit: Gary Carter
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Issues behind the scenes have caused many club figures to walk awayCredit: Gary Carter
And the mess raises questions of the Rugby Football League, chiefly: how did they even get the club?
SunSport was handed a certified bank statement of an account at Australia’s Commonwealth Bank, checked and signed by an independent accountant.
Because of the need to save Salford, that was considered enough to get the club.
Yet their wider aims stalled after the production of the Emirates NBD statement.
And it is believed Salford City Council did not get as far as checking its validity as it had not received the information regarding the consortium it had asked for.
Kailahi, also known as Sire, and Brown faced controversy before.
In April, SunSport reported on a California court case in which Kailahi was involved after ticket firm Eventbrite claimed it paid him £500,000 for a contract his Stadium Salford Group had not entered into properly.
In response, Brown fired a message.
It said: “You made everyone at the club unemployed with your article. Sire is shutting the club down and will name you as the reason.”
According to documents, Kailahi lost the case but is appealing. Brown spoke to SunSport again in February, as fathers sent their young children to hug him and thank him for saving the club.
He said, with words that may now appear hollow: “We just love rugby league and Salford fans are passionate about rugby league.
“We’ve seen the trouble they’ve been in, and we’ve always lightly followed Salford because of the connections we’ve had here.
“You’ve seen what we plan going forward. It’s not about rugby league, it’s about the community.
“It’s about getting the fans involved.
“It’s basically just for the fans of Salford. We’re in it to win it now.
“We’re coming here to include ourselves in what could be a better Salford.”
Issa Amro lives in Hebron, in the occupied West Bank. He never knows how far he can venture out of his neighbourhood, due to attacks by Israeli settlers and random checkpoint closures. His video diary shows the challenges Palestinians living in Hebron face as settlers try to take their land, supported by the Israeli state and military.
SEVERAL major high street bank brands are set to slash opening hours at hundreds of branches within days, The Sun can reveal.
Lloyds Banking Group, which operates Lloyds, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland, is set to shake-up opening hours at all 757 of its branches from September 29.
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Under the new rules, branches will open later and close earlier than many currently do
The move is being branded as a step towards consistency and improved staff wellbeing, but it will also mean less time for customers to access in-person banking services.
Under the new rules, branches will open later and close earlier than many currently do.
Weekday opening times will shift from 9am to 9.30am, with an even later start of 10am on Wednesdays to allow for dedicated staff training and development.
Closing times, which currently vary between 4.30pm and 5pm depending on the branch, will now be standardised to between 3.30pm and 4.30pm.
This means customers who previously had access to branches for longer hours will now lose up to 90 minutes of service each day.
Saturday hours are also being reduced, with branches opening at 9.30am instead of 9am.
Most will close by either 1pm or 3pm, cutting 30 minutes from morning banking services.
These changes will result in a net reduction of banking hours across the week.
For example, customers who rely on branches that currently open at 9am and close at 5pm could lose significant time for banking tasks.
The reduction in opening hours reflects a broader trend in the banking industry, as more customers shift to online and mobile banking.
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With fewer people visiting branches in person, banks are cutting back on physical service times.
The changes are set to come into effect on September 29, with staff already being informed of the adjustments.
Customers who rely on in-branch services are being advised to check the new opening hours before planning their visits.
You can check your local branch’s operating hours by visiting branches.lloydsbank.com.
Lloyds Banking Group was contacted for comment.
How do I switch bank accounts?
SWITCHING bank accounts is a simple process and can usually be done through the Current Account Switch Service (CASS).
Dozens of high street banks and building societies are signed up – there’s a full list on CASS’ website.
Under the switching service, swapping banks should take seven working days.
You don’t have to remember to move direct debits across when moving, as this is done for you.
All you have to do is apply for the new account you want, and the new bank will tell your existing one you’re moving.
There are a few things you can do before switching though, including choosing your switch date and transferring any old bank statements to your new account.
You should get in touch with your existing bank for any old statements.
When switching current accounts, consider what other perks might come with joining a specific bank or building society.
Some banks offer 0% overdrafts up to a certain limit, and others might offer better rates on savings accounts.
And some banks offer free travel or mobile phone insurance with their current accounts – but these accounts might come with a monthly fee.
This move came as part of a broader restructuring, which also includes theclosure of 95 branchesand the conversion of 18 to “counter-free” service desks.
People like David Elkins, 82, a retired service engineer from Calne, Wilts, who saw his HSBC branch close in 2023 and had to travel ten miles to the next nearest.
He has a kidney issue and needs frequent dialysis, making it impractical.
Banking hubs are emerging as a solution to address the gaps left by widespread closures – but there are not enough of them.
There are plans for 231 of these, but so far there are only 160.
You can use one of the Post Office’s more than 11,500 branches to perform basic banking tasks, but they don’t allow you to open or close accounts for example.
Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank amid a sharp escalation of violence, following the country’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s call this week to take over most of the territory.
The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the dead man as Ahmed Shehadeh, 57, saying he was killed on Friday by “occupation bullets” near the al-Murabba’a checkpoint south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank.
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Palestinian news agency Wafa cited Amid Ahmed, director of the Red Crescent’s Emergency and Ambulance Centre in Nablus, as saying Israeli soldiers prevented his crew from reaching the site of the shooting.
The Israeli military claimed in a statement that a man had “hurled a suspicious object” at soldiers operating near the checkpoint, after which they “eliminated” him.
Further south, troops carried out multiple raids in Bethlehem, with soldiers entering the Khalayel al-Louz area southeast of the city and setting up a military checkpoint, according to Wafa.
The news agency also reported raids on the villages of Artas and al-Ubayyat, where soldiers tore down posters of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces.
In parallel, Israeli settlers wielding knives and sticks stormed the village of Khallet al-Dabaa in the Masafer Yatta area south of Hebron, injuring 20 people, including a three-month-old infant.
Palestinian activist Osama al-Makhmara told the Anadolu news agency that the injuries ranged from bruises and fractures to stab wounds, claiming that nine people were taken to hospital for treatment.
Four months ago, Israeli authorities demolished 25 homes, agricultural structures and water wells in the village, citing “unlicensed construction”.
Israel’s drive to expand illegal settlements in the West Bank was given renewed impetus by far-right finance minister and settler leader Smotrich, who said on Wednesday that Israel should annex roughly 82 percent of the West Bank.
Smotrich said he wanted “maximum territory and minimum [Palestinian] population” to be brought under Israeli sovereignty, “to remove, once and for all, a Palestinian state from the agenda”.
More than 700,000 settlers, or 10 percent of Israel’s population, live in 150 illegal settlements and 128 outposts spread across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Xavier Abu Eid, former communications director for the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), told Al Jazeera that Israeli flags and settlements were now visible across the 30-40km (18-25 miles) between Ramallah and Nablus.
“Clearly, the maps that were presented by Smotrich are being designed on the ground by settlers and the Israeli army,” he said.
‘Too little, too late’
Smotrich launched his maximalist campaign as France, Britain, Belgium, Australia and Canada pledged to formally recognise a Palestinian state during the United Nations General Assembly in New York later this month.
The diplomatic push comes as Israel mounts its full-scale offensive on Gaza City as part of takeover plans for the entire enclave, while accelerating its West Bank annexation plans in the background.
On Friday, Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen announced on X that her country would join the growing international drive for a two-state solution, which is being spearheaded by France and Saudi Arabia. She called it “the most significant international effort in years to create the conditions for a two-state solution”.
The previous day, Arab League foreign ministers meeting in Cairo adopted a resolution saying that peaceful coexistence in the Middle East cannot be achieved while Israel “issues implicit threats to occupy or annex further Arab lands”.
The League said any lasting settlement must be based on a two-state solution and the 2022 Arab Peace Initiative, which offers a full normalisation of relations in return for a complete Israeli withdrawal from the territories it occupied in 1967.
But the PLO’s Abu Eid told Al Jazeera that time was running out. “Many people feel that there is no longer a two-state solution to speak about, and perhaps this late international response recognising the state of Palestine is once again seen as too little, too late,” he said.
Mass arrests
As Israel grabs more Palestinian territory in the West Bank, its forces have ramped up their campaign of mass arrests, detaining at least 70 people across dozens of villages over the past week.
Wafa reported arrests in the town of Haris, near Salfit, where village council head Omar Samara, deputy head of the village council Tayseer Kulaib, and a “large number of villagers” were detained.
Troops also arrested a man in Qalqilya city as they raided family homes.
Israeli prison conditions for Palestinians have long been described by rights groups as harsh and degrading, with reports of medical neglect and abuse.
The Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office issued a statement on Bilal Barghouti, a 39-year-old from Beit Rima serving a life sentence in Israel’s Gilboa prison, describing the conditions in which he was being kept as “slow murder and systematic torture”.
Former detainees have said Barghouti, who suffers from a range of chronic illnesses, has lost a lot of weight, has been barred from visits, and subjected to beatings, insults and scalding with hot water.
The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society said on Friday that Israeli forces had made more than 19,000 arrests – including at least 585 women and 1,550 children – across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since the war on Gaza started.
It said the figure does not include arrests in Gaza itself, where the number is believed to be in the thousands, according to its statement carried by news agency Wafa.
The society also reported 77 Palestinians have died in Israeli custody, including 46 from Gaza. The bodies of 74 of those who died remain withheld by Israel, alongside at least 85 other prisoners whose remains are being kept from their families.
The United Arab Emirates warned Wednesday that Israel’s annexation of the occupied West Bank would cross a “red line,” and end “the vision of regional integration,” Anadolu reports.
“Annexation would be a red line for my government, and that means there can be no lasting peace,” Emirati Special Envoy Lana Nusseibeh told The Times of Israel news outlet.
“It would foreclose the idea of regional integration and be the death knell of the two-state solution,” she said.
In 2020, the UAE signed US-sponsored agreements with Israel to normalize their relations. Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco also followed suit.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said early Wednesday that Israel plans to annex 82% of the occupied West Bank to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state.
“Israeli sovereignty will be applied to 82% of the territory,” Smotrich, the leader of the far-right Religious Zionism Party, told a press conference in Jerusalem.
The far-right minister called the West Bank annexation “a preventative step” against moves by many countries to recognize Palestinian statehood.
Several countries, including Belgium, France, the UK, Canada, and Australia, announced plans to recognize Palestinian statehood during the upcoming meetings of the UN General Assembly on Sept. 8-23, joining 147 nations that already do.
On Aug. 20, Israel approved a major settlement project, called E1, which aims to split the occupied West Bank into two parts, cutting off the northern cities of Ramallah and Nablus from Bethlehem and Hebron in the south and isolating East Jerusalem.
The international community, including the UN, considers the Israeli settlements illegal under international law. The UN has repeatedly warned that continued settlement expansion threatens the viability of a two-state solution, a framework seen as key to resolving the decades-long Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
In an advisory opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Seeing the appetite and potential among Taiwan SMEs for green and sustainable finance solutions, CUB has responded with a range of products and strategies that position the bank at the forefront of advancing Asia’s low-carbon future.
In its home market, CUB focuses on the sustainability needs of SMEs, introducing various initiatives to support decarbonization and business transition. To enhance carbon reduction efficiency, CUB partnered with Taiwan’s first legal entity to obtain carbon inventory verification accreditation—the Metal Industries Research & Development Centre—to provide technical support and accelerate the industry’s transition to net-zero.
CUB tailors engagement models based on industry type, company size, carbon emissions and ESG maturity, conducting thematic engagement scenarios to address practical decarbonization needs and strengthen clients’ net-zero capabilities. In December 2024, CUB launched Taiwan’s first “SME Sustainable Finance Partner Project,” offering incentives such as cash flow services, foreign exchange deposit benefits, and preferential lending rates to encourage SMEs to adopt greener practices.
Additionally, CUB pioneered sustainability-linked payroll solutions, motivating corporate employees to participate in green business practices such as energy conservation and carbon reduction, thereby enhancing internal sustainability awareness.
Exporting Taiwan’s Green Finance Know-how to Support Regional Transformation
In overseas markets, CUB focuses on the sustainability needs of project-based and large enterprises, promoting regional low-carbon transition through green loans, sustainability-linked financing, and social responsibility lending.
In Singapore, CUB partnered with leading renewable energy company Apeiron Bioenergy at the end of 2023 to launch its first green trade finance facility. The full loan amount was dedicated to supporting the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), demonstrating CUB’s concrete actions in the clean energy sector.
In Vietnam, CUB structured several green loan initiatives, including green building financing for ICT sector companies, participation in a syndicated loan for VP Bank (with at least 50% of proceeds allocated to green or social projects), and sustainable financing for public water utilities and wind power development—highlighting its impact across diverse industries.
Further reinforcing its commitment to green corporate finance in the region, CUB hosted the “ESG: Challenges and Practices in Sustainable Development” forum on Earth Day 2025 in Vietnam. The event gathered over 80 industry leaders to explore global and local ESG trends and challenges. The forum showcased CUB’s 20-year presence in Vietnam and its role as a key partner in corporate sustainability transformation. During the event, CUB introduced its “Cathay One” one-stop transition finance platform, designed to help enterprises conduct carbon inventories, formulate decarbonization strategies, and access green financing—enhancing their resilience and competitiveness in the face of climate risks.
These achievements build on CUB’s milestone in 2022, when it became the first Taiwanese bank to sign a sustainability-linked loan in the Philippines, underscoring its determination and action in promoting green finance across Southeast Asia.
Leading ESG Disclosure in Asia’s Financial Sector
CUB is the first commercial bank in Asia to participate in CDP’s Corporate Banking Programme, helping corporates systematically assess carbon emissions, climate risk management, decarbonization targets, and governance frameworks to meet growing transparency demands from global investors and supply chains. In 2024, CUB further distinguished itself as the only Asian bank invited to join CDP’s SME Technical Working Group.Through this opportunity, CUB provided insights and advice that helped shaped CDP’s approach to SMEs, including the development of the SME questionnaire.
After the launch of the SME questionnaire in 2024, CUB invited over 150 companies to participate in the programme. Through the joint efforts of participating enterprises, CDP experts, and CUB colleagues, a total of 121 companies completed the questionnaire and received CDP scores—resulting in a response rate of over 80%, significantly higher than the global supply chain average of around 66%. Notably, 110 of these companies were first-time participants.
Growing regional reach
“We are committed to building a sustainable financial ecosystem and working with corporate partners to achieve clean energy and climate action goals,” said Michael Wen, Executive Vice President from CUB. CUB will continue to leverage its financial capabilities and regional influence to drive sustainable development across Asia.
More settler attacks also take place across the territory, with a Palestinian husband and wife hurt in the violence.
Published On 31 Aug 202531 Aug 2025
The Israeli army has carried out raids and arrests across the occupied West Bank, with incidents reported in the cities of Bethlehem, Hebron, Nablus and Ramallah.
Multiple Palestinians were detained in the territory on Sunday, according to the Wafa news agency, including a child and a young man in the town of Yabad.
Reports suggested that a 37-year-old man was also arrested in the town of Beit Fajjar, while a 25-year-old man was taken into Israeli custody in the town of Nilin near Ramallah.
Several raids took place in the Ramallah and el-Bireh governorate, just days after Israel launched a prolonged raid in the area that injured at least 58 people.
Israeli soldiers were also present in the towns of Kafr Malek, Nilin and Deir Qaddis, but did not make any arrests.
Elsewhere in the West Bank, intense and continuous gunfire broke out south of Hebron, as shown by online videos verified by Al Jazeera.
Wafa said that five Palestinians, including a girl, were injured by Israeli bullets and taken to hospital for treatment.
Israeli soldiers also allegedly fired live ammunition in the northern village of Sarra and the town of Sebastia, but no injuries were reported.
Meanwhile, a settler attack left a Palestinian man and his wife with injuries in Khallet al-Daba village in Masafer Yatta.
Israeli settlers also attacked Palestinian homes in the village of Kisan near Bethlehem.
The Wafa news agency reports that the settlers broke into Palestinian properties and looted them, while receiving protection from the Israeli army.
In the first eight months of the year, more than 1,000 Israeli settler attacks have been recorded in the occupied West Bank that caused injuries, property damage or both, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Settlers rampage on Palestinian land on a daily basis, with impunity and backed by the Israeli military.
Israeli forces and settlers have killed at least 671 Palestinians, including 129 children, across the region since October 2023, according to OCHA.
An armed settler stands near Israeli troops during a weekly settlers’ tour in Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, August 23, 2025 [Mussa Qawasma/Reuters]
As well as the Israeli raids and the settler attacks, the Palestinian Authority (PA) said that Israeli authorities had engaged in unauthorised excavation and demolition operations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem.
“These operations deliberately target Islamic antiquities dating back to the Umayyad period, which stand as living witnesses and irrefutable evidence of Muslims’ rightful claim to the site,” the PA’s Jerusalem governorate said in a statement.
It said that Israel intends to remove the site’s Muslim history to build a Jewish temple there in the future.
Leading banks in the UK saw their share prices hit hard as news of a proposed new bank tax emerged.
NatWest share prices lost more than 4.7% nearing midday in Europe, Lloyds saw a dip of 4.5%, and Barclays lost 3.7%. This dragged down the benchmark stock index in London; the FTSE 100 was down by nearly 0.4% at time of reporting.
“NatWest, Lloyds and Barclays were the FTSE 100’s biggest fallers on Friday morning as investors wondered if the era of bumper profits, dividends and buybacks is now under threat,” Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said.
The idea for the new tax came in a proposal from think-tank IPPR to the UK government on Friday. They suggest charging commercial banks to compensate for the losses of the Bank of England’s massive government bond buying—‘quantitative easing’ (QE)—programme. This “will cost the taxpayers £22 billion (€25.4bn) a year in every year of this parliament,” said the IPPR in their report.
The so-called quantitative easing is a monetary policy tool which provided a boost to the UK economy and yielded significant profits for a while. However, since December 2021, the Bank of England has increased its interest rate from close to zero to a peak of 5.25% and that took a toll on the programme and led to interest rate losses.
The think tank said in its report that the government could compensate for the loss partially by implementing a ‘QE reserves income levy’ on commercial banks.
It is unclear where the government stands on this issue at the time of writing the article, but analysts say that it could choke growth in the UK.
“The issue is whether taxing the banks more will end up stifling the very growth the government is keen to foster, by crimping lending to businesses and households alike,” said Mould.
However, the public opinion could be supportive, given that “HSBC, Barclays, NatWest and Lloyds are expected to earn some £44 billion (€50.7bn) between them worldwide in 2025, their third-best year ever, after 2023 and 2024,” he adds.
The investment director noted: “These companies have enjoyed a strong run on the stock market in recent years, and they’ve also played an important role in lending money to small and large businesses, which helps to create jobs and support the UK economy.”
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Former Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez pleaded guilty Wednesday to a campaign finance violation in a federal case that authorities say also involved a former FBI agent and a Venezuelan banker.
Vázquez, an attorney, became the U.S. territory’s first former governor to plead guilty to a crime, specifically accepting a donation from a foreigner for her 2020 political campaign. She is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 15.
As she left the courthouse, Vázquez told reporters that she had confided “in people around her … who didn’t do their job” and accepted a donation pledge on behalf of the banker.
“They forgot to ask him for his green card,” she said, without identifying who exactly was responsible. “These are situations that happen.”
Vázquez noted that a pledge was made but no donation received. “There was no bribery here,” she said. “I didn’t take a single cent.”
She was arrested in August 2022 and initially accused of participating in a bribery scheme between December 2019 and June 2020 while governor.
The U. S. Department of Justice said Vázquez agreed to dismiss the head of Puerto Rico’s Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions in exchange for financial support toward her 2020 campaign for governor. During that time, the office was investigating a bank owned by Venezuelan Julio Herrera Velutini after suspicious transactions, according to authorities.
Justice officials allege that Herrera Velutini and Mark Rossini, a former FBI agent who provided consulting services to him, paid more than $300,000 to political consultants to support Vázquez’s campaign after she demanded the commissioner’s resignation and appointed a former consultant from Herrera Velutini’s bank to that position.
In August 2020, Vázquez lost in the primary of the New Progressive Party to Pedro Pierluisi, who was later elected as governor.
Federal authorities initially charged Vázquez and the other two suspects with conspiracy, federal programs bribery and honest services wire fraud. If found guilty, they could have faced up to 20 years in prison.
The charges were reduced this year to a violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act, which calls for up to a year in prison.
Herrera Velutini and Rossini also pleaded guilty Wednesday to the charge.
As she prepared to enter the federal courthouse in the Puerto Rican capital of San Juan, Vázquez told reporters that the last three years have been “terrible,” adding that the accusations against her were untrue.
She was accompanied by her attorney, Ignacio Fernández, who said Vázquez “feels vindicated” with the new charge.
The guilty plea entered Wednesday avoided a trial scheduled to start in late August.
Judge Silvia L. Carreño Coll previously criticized the deal, describing the new charge as a slap on the hand compared with the original charges.
Two other suspects have already pleaded guilty in the case.
Fund said decision against Caterpillar and five Israeli banks due to their contribution ‘to serious violations of rights in situations of war and conflict’.
Norway’s $2-trillion wealth fund, the largest in the world, has divested from US construction equipment giant Caterpillar over the firm’s purported involvement in rights violations perpetrated by the Israeli military in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
The Norwegian central bank said on Monday that it had decided to exclude Caterpillar from the fund, which it manages, “due to an unacceptable risk that the companies contribute to serious violations of the rights of individuals in situations of war and conflict”.
The fund also announced that it had divested from five Israeli banks, based on the recommendation of its council on ethics.
In a statement, the ethics council said that “bulldozers manufactured by Caterpillar are being used by Israeli authorities in the widespread unlawful destruction of Palestinian property”.
“There is no doubt that Caterpillar’s products are being used to commit extensive and systematic violations of international humanitarian law,” the council said.
It added that Caterpillar had “not implemented any measures to prevent such use” by Israeli authorities.
Prior to its divestment, the fund held a 1.17 percent stake in Caterpillar valued at $2.1bn as of June 30, according to fund data.
The five banks named in the fund’s statement were Hapoalim, Bank Leumi, Mizrahi Tefahot Bank, First International Bank of Israel and FIBI Holdings.
The ethics council said the banks excluded had, “by providing financial services that are a necessary prerequisite for construction activity in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem … contributed to the maintenance of Israeli settlements”.
“The settlements have been established in violation of international law, and their continued existence constitutes an ongoing breach of international law,” the council said.
Just last year, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israeli settlements built on Palestinian territory seized in 1967 should end “as rapidly as possible”, as they “have been established and are being maintained in violation of international law”.
Last week, 21 countries signed a joint statement condemning Israel’s plans to build an illegal settlement on a 12 sq km (4.6 sq-mile) tract of land east of Jerusalem known as “East 1” or “E1”.
The massive construction, which envisions 3,400 new homes for Israeli settlers, cuts off most of the occupied West Bank from occupied East Jerusalem.
Hailing the plan, Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, said the extent of the settlement and its cutting into Palestinian territory would bury the possibility of a future Palestinian state “because there is nothing to recognise and no one to recognise”.
The Norwegian fund’s stakes in the five Israeli banks were valued at a combined $661m, according to fund data.
Caterpillar, Hapoalim, First International Bank of Israel and Bank Leumi did not immediately reply to emailed requests for comment by the Reuters news agency.
The fund had announced on August 18 that it would divest from six companies as part of an ongoing ethics review over the war in Gaza and the situation in the occupied West Bank, but declined at the time to name any groups until its stakes in the entities were sold.
The fund is invested in some 8,400 companies worldwide.
