Manaka Matsukubo finished with a goal and an assist to lead the North Carolina Courage to a 2-1 win over Angel City at BMO Stadium on Sunday.
Matsukubo slipped a ball through to Evelyn Ijeh, who calmly finished to give the Courage a 1-0 lead in the 48th minute. With the goal, Ijeh has landed on the scoresheet in three straight matches.
Three minutes later, Evelyn Shores’ pinpoint cross into the box found the head of Maiara Niehues for the equalizer.
North Carolina retook the lead for good in the 79th with Riley Jackson’s perfectly weighted pass to Matsukubo, who scored her fifth goal of the season.
Iran’s football team still lacks US visas and is not competing on ‘equal terms’, Tehran’s envoy to Mexico says.
Published On 28 May 202628 May 2026
Iran’s football team still lacks US visas and is not competing in the World Cup on “equal terms” because of its difficulty in training ahead of the tournament, Tehran’s ambassador to Mexico said on Thursday.
Abolfazl Pasandideh visited the northwestern Mexican border city of Tijuana, where Iranians have relocated their training camp. They were originally planned to be based in Tucson in the US state of Arizona.
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The ambassador told a news conference that “the country to the north” – meaning the United States – had not followed through on its responsibility of hosting the Iranian team.
“We don’t know whether or not they’re going to give the players their visas,” he added.
Iran will play their three World Cup group games in two West Coast US cities: Los Angeles and Seattle. The head of the Iranian Football Federation has said there was hope that the players would be granted multiple entry visas.
“We aren’t participating in the World Cup on equal terms,” Pasandideh said.
“We haven’t been able to train our team like they should,” he said, because of the US-Israel war on his country that began on February 28.
On Wednesday, Iranian diplomats visited the stadium where the team is training, a source from Club Tijuana that plays there told the news agency AFP. The diplomats also met with local security officials, the source said.
Iran are due to play in Los Angeles on June 15 against New Zealand, and on June 21, against Belgium. They then play in Seattle against Egypt on June 26.
I CAN’T help but feel like a young Lord Alan Sugar as I negotiate a handmade mug down to half price in one of the most beautiful market streets.
In May sunshine, the glorious blue sky pops off the glistening white walls of the stunning coastal town of Sidi Bou Said in northern Tunisia.
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The local colour scheme helps reflect away the sunCredit: GettyThe historic ruins at CarthageCredit: Getty
All the buildings are decked out in white and blue, providing a gorgeous visual as the perfect sky kisses the crystal clear, calm Mediterranean sea.
My guide, an affable local named Madhi, tells me the striking colour scheme also helps combat the effects of the incredible heat, which can reach well over 40C in summer, by reflecting away the sun.
Sidi Bou Said is reminiscent of Santorini and symbolic of the blend of cultures that modern-day Tunisia infuses.
It is an Arabic country but there are French and Roman influences too, due to the country’s colonial past.
Madhi tells me there is a liberal view among many Tunisians as he points out that if one sister decides to wear an Islamic veil, and the other opts for no veil and multiple tattoos, both can expect to be treated respectfully.
Just down the street from Sidi Bou Said, and via Tunisia’s presidential palace no less, are the remarkably well preserved ancient ruins of Carthage.
I marvel at the fact this site isn’t more heaving with visitors, given its historical significance.
Around 2,000 years ago, this was one of the most important sites in the Roman Empire, following a bloody battle between the Romans and the Carthaginians.
Now it offers a brilliant insight into Tunisia’s past, just a 20-minute drive from the country’s capital Tunis.
Rather than stay there, however, we have booked in at the plush five-star Les Orangers Garden Villas and Bungalows, an hour’s drive south in the popular coastal town of Hammamet.
With Enfidha Airport (served by several EasyJet flights from the UK every day including a new route from Newcastle) just 30 minutes away, Hammamet offers an intriguing alternative for tourists.
And our stay at the all-inclusive Les Orangers didn’t disappoint.
The entrance is lined with palm trees and we are greeted by friendly staff bearing mocktails and dates.
Once through reception, we walk out into an enormous courtyard full of plants, seating areas and more palm trees.
There is a gym, two outdoor pools and an indoor one as well as a spa featuring sauna and traditional Tunisian-style hammam with massages available to book.
The hotel has an international buffet restaurant and three a la carte restaurants offering Italian, Tunisian and Asian specialities.
The restaurant overlooking the seaCredit: SuppliedThe Sun’s Etienne Fermie taking in the stunning sea viewsCredit: Supplied
There is also a rooftop tapas bar, beachfront snack bar and an Italian-style deli bar so you’re never short of spots to refuel — plus four bars, including one by the beach.
My spacious modern room, which has a view of the sea so good I can even enjoy it from the shower, came complete with air conditioning and mini bar.
I’ve never felt sand so soft as I walk to my lounger on their private beach.
The sea itself is beautifully clear and the perfect temperature; offering a pleasant shock to the system before settling down and feeling really quite warm.
As I lay back to soak up the sun I can hear German, Italian and French accents but only a few British ones.
I can’t help but feel that we might be missing a trick not flocking here in even greater numbers.
Those that do will enjoy the country’s remarkable food.
For a true taste of authentic Tunisian cuisine we head 15 minutes inland to Douar Laroussi, a family-run farm and restaurant.
Each door has a woman’s name written above it, which Madhi informs us is to stress that the woman is the true boss of each household.
Our host, and his charming aunt Jdidia, greet us warmly as they prepare to show us how their food is made.
Here Jdidia works her magic, and even gets us to join in.
She moulds tabouna bread into shape with her hands before baking it in an outdoor oven.
Next is the couscous, which she masterfully crafts from just semolina and water.
For our starter we mix olive oil made on site with mouth-watering local harissa and our homemade bread, which took barely ten minutes.
After tucking into my divine vegetable couscous I just had to buy some of their olive oil and harissa, I absolutely had to take some back to the UK to share.
In Hammamet itself are two Medinas; the old and the new.
The old, part of a second century fortress looking out over the sea, gives me an opportunity to test my bartering skills again as local Tarek engraves my name into a plate in Arabic.
I don’t quite manage to haggle down to half price this time but I’m happy with my unique souvenir, not to mention this wonderful trip as a whole.
GO: TUNISIA
GETTING THERE: Fly with easyJet to Enfidha– Hammamet from Gatwick, Southend, Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol and the newly-launched twice-weekly service from Newcastle.
STAYING THERE: Seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 5H Les Orangers Garden Villas and Bungalows is from £1,267pp including Gatwick flights on July 15, 23kg luggage and transfers.
1 of 2 | US President Donald Trump (R) and Japan Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (L) attend a meeting with relatives of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea at the Akasaka Palace State Guest House in Tokyo, Japan. Photo by KIYOSHI OTA / EPA
May 20 (Asia Today) — Japan is intensifying efforts to pressure U.S. political leaders and public opinion over the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea, seeking to ensure the matter remains part of future U.S. policy toward Pyongyang.
The campaign reflects growing concern in Tokyo that the abductee issue could be sidelined if Washington resumes negotiations with North Korea focused primarily on nuclear weapons and missile programs.
Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun reported Tuesday that the Japanese government has, since last year, sought meetings with former members of the U.S. Congress and expanded outreach efforts targeting American political and policy circles.
Officials from the Japanese Embassy in Washington have reportedly led the effort, while Tokyo has also engaged experts and opinion leaders with influence over U.S. public discourse. Japan has additionally used opinion advertisements published in The Washington Post as part of its advocacy campaign.
Japan officially recognizes 17 citizens as victims of abduction by North Korea. Pyongyang admitted to abducting Japanese citizens during a summit between the two countries in 2002, and five victims returned to Japan later that year.
However, the fate of the remaining abductees remains unresolved.
The Japanese government has consistently maintained that normalization of diplomatic ties with North Korea cannot proceed without resolution of the abductee issue. Japan’s Foreign Ministry and headquarters for abductee affairs classify the matter as a major issue involving national sovereignty and the safety of citizens.
According to the Sankei report, some U.S. lawmakers questioned why Japan had failed to resolve the issue independently over such a long period.
Japanese officials responded by arguing that the abductee issue is not simply a bilateral dispute but also a broader matter involving human rights and international security.
Tokyo views Washington as essential leverage because North Korea has largely refused direct negotiations with Japan. Japanese officials want to ensure the abductee issue remains included whenever the United States adjusts North Korea policy or enters diplomatic talks with Pyongyang.
Concerns have grown amid speculation that the Trump administration could again pursue direct engagement with North Korea, potentially pushing the abductee issue behind nuclear and missile concerns.
The issue also has parallels in South Korea. According to Seoul’s Ministry of Unification, North Korea is currently believed to be detaining seven South Korean nationals, including missionaries Kim Jung-wook, Kim Kook-kie and Choi Chun-gil, along with four North Korean defectors who later obtained South Korean citizenship.
South Korea also estimates that around 100,000 civilians were abducted during the 1950-53 Korean War. About 82,000 South Korean soldiers were listed as missing after the armistice, while only 8,343 prisoners of war returned through prisoner exchanges.
Despite those figures, the issue has received less sustained public and political attention in South Korea than Japan’s abductee campaign. While Seoul has pursued interagency initiatives and operates awareness campaigns such as the “Three Forget-Me-Nots” project, public focus has remained centered more heavily on nuclear threats, inter-Korean relations and military tensions.
SEOUL, May 18 (UPI) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened a meeting with commanding officers from across the country’s armed forces and called for strengthening frontline defenses along the border with South Korea to create an “impregnable fortress,” state-run media reported Monday.
Kim held the meeting at the headquarters of the ruling Workers’ Party Central Committee on Sunday, the official Korean Central News Agency said. It was the first known gathering of all division and brigade commanders since Kim took power in 2011.
Kim called for the “rapid modernization of the military and technical equipment of our army” and stressed the need to adapt military training to the changing nature of modern warfare, KCNA said.
He emphasized the country’s “territorial defense” policy, including “strengthening the first-line units in the southern border and turning the border line into an impregnable fortress,” according to the report.
KCNA said Kim outlined plans to reorganize the military structure and bolster frontline and other major units with upgraded weapons and technology as part of efforts to strengthen deterrence.
Earlier this month, North Korea announced plans to deploy new 155 mm self-propelled howitzers to three battalions assigned to long-range artillery units along the southern border this year.
The meeting comes as Pyongyang hardens its military posture toward Seoul and formally abandons decades-old reunification language.
North Korea recently revised its constitution to remove all references to reunification with South Korea, cementing Kim’s push to redefine inter-Korean ties as relations between two separate states.
The two Koreas remain technically at war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.
South Korea’s Unification Ministry assessed Monday that the meeting appeared aimed at encouraging the military while reinforcing ideological discipline and modernization efforts.
“North Korea has adopted a two-state stance, and there appear to be trends in that regard,” ministry spokesman Yoon Min-ho said at a regular press briefing. “We will continue to closely monitor related trends in the future.”
Asked whether the North’s latest moves could escalate the situation along the border, Yoon said Seoul would continue efforts to reduce military tensions and build trust on the Korean Peninsula.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has sought to reduce tensions since taking office in June, including by dismantling border propaganda loudspeakers and calling for renewed dialogue, but Pyongyang has largely ignored the overtures while continuing to expand its military capabilities.
On Monday, the Unification Ministry released its annual white paper, which defined Seoul’s new “Korean Peninsula peaceful coexistence policy.”
The policy is based on principles President Lee outlined in August, including respecting North Korea’s system, rejecting unification by absorption and avoiding hostile acts.
The government has commissioned UK Sport to conduct an “initial strategic assessment” into a potential bid for the north of England to host the Olympics and Paralympics in the 2040s.
It said the funding agency would examine whether the UK could host the Games for the first time since London 2012, along with potential cost, socio-economic benefit and any bid’s chance of success.
“For too long we have been told the Olympics is simply too big and too important to be hosted in the north”, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told BBC Sport.
“Not any more. It’s time the Olympics came north and we showed what we can offer to the world.
“We know that we can pull off the most incredible, not just bid, but Olympics. So we’re kick-starting that with a phase-one study about the investment, the resources, the infrastructure, the transport that we’re going to need.”
The findings of UK Sport’s study will determine whether to proceed with a more detailed “technical feasibility study”, with a final decision on any bid resting with the British Olympic Association (BOA).
The National Office of Investigation (NOI), provides a briefing on emails sent by North Korean hackers, using false identities of South Korean government agencies and news organizations, at the NOI headquarters in Seoul, South Korea. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
May 14 (Asia Today) — A North Korean hacking group linked to the country’s military intelligence agency has posed as police investigators, defense officials and North Korea experts in spear phishing attacks targeting South Korean security and policy figures, a cybersecurity company said Thursday.
Genians, a South Korean information security company, said it detected cyberattacks suspected of being linked to APT37, a North Korea-backed hacking group associated with the Reconnaissance General Bureau.
The group is known for cyber espionage targeting people involved in North Korea affairs and for hacking operations aimed at financial gain.
The latest attacks targeted people working in defense, national security and North Korea-related fields. Spear phishing is a targeted hacking method that uses customized messages and information to trick specific individuals, rather than sending generic malicious emails to large groups.
Hackers used personal details to build trust
According to Genians, the hackers used a range of impersonation tactics to lower victims’ guard, including posing as police officers, defense officials, airline ticket issuers and North Korea research groups.
In one message, the hackers claimed they had obtained North Korean nuclear power plant materials and were preparing a program to help researchers better understand the subject.
In another, a person claiming to be a police investigator said a hacking case had uncovered the recipient’s email address on a suspicious server.
The attackers also used publicly available information and personal data obtained through previous hacking attempts to make their messages appear credible.
In some cases, they used actual names, affiliations and background information before creating emotional rapport, such as claiming to be a defense official approaching retirement who wanted to work on meaningful projects with others in the same field.
Genians said the attacks continued through last month. The final save time of one malicious file was identified as the morning of April 17.
The document was linked to an account named “Lailey,” which Genians said was also used in 2022 attacks impersonating the National Unification Advisory Council and the U.N. human rights office in Seoul.
North Korea seen strengthening cyber operations
The report comes after North Korea reorganized and renamed several intelligence bodies.
In March, North Korea changed the name of its Ministry of State Security to the State Intelligence Bureau. Last September, it expanded and renamed the Reconnaissance General Bureau as the Reconnaissance Intelligence General Bureau.
The Reconnaissance Intelligence General Bureau is believed to be the organization behind APT37.
Genians said the use of the word “intelligence” in both agencies’ names suggests North Korea is seeking to strengthen its external information collection, analysis and cyber operations.
Cybersecurity experts warned that ordinary cryptocurrency holders could also become targets because North Korea uses hacking to generate foreign currency.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service has said North Korea stole more than 2 trillion won, or about $1.4 billion, through cryptocurrency and other hacking operations targeting South Koreans and foreign virtual assets last year. The agency said it was the largest amount ever stolen by North Korean hackers.
North Korea is also believed to use cyberattacks to steal defense, information technology and other industrial technologies.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, seen here at a press conference in Seoul on Wednesday, called for a heightened focus on human rights issues in North Korea. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI
SEOUL, May 13 (UPI) — United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Wednesday called for an “all hands on deck” response to North Korea’s human rights crisis, saying efforts to address peace and security on the Korean Peninsula “need to be anchored in human rights.”
“The situation in the DPRK is a human rights crisis and it is high time the international community treats it as such,” Turk said at a press conference in Seoul, using the official acronym for North Korea.
“My office has continued to document patterns of ongoing gross human rights violations, some of which may amount to crimes against humanity,” he said.
Turk is on a three-day trip to South Korea, where he is meeting with civil society groups, North Korean escapees and senior government officials. It is the first visit by a U.N. human rights chief since 2015.
A 2014 U.N. Commission of Inquiry report found North Korea’s abuses to be “without parallel in the contemporary world” and recommended referring the country’s leadership to the International Criminal Court.
A follow-up assessment released last year by the U.N. human rights office said conditions in North Korea “have not improved over the past decade and, in many instances, have degraded,” citing worsening food shortages, forced labor and severe restrictions on movement and expression.
“It is clear that there needs to be accountability in all its forms, including non-judicial forms, for the grave violations that have plagued the DPRK for decades,” Turk said.
“It is equally clear that we need all hands on deck to craft fresh solutions for the way forward,” he added. “Peace and security on the Korean peninsula need to be anchored in human rights.”
Turk’s trip comes as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung pursues improved ties with Pyongyang through confidence-building measures such as restricting activist groups from sending anti-North Korean propaganda leaflets across the border.
Lee’s administration has also taken a cautious approach to North Korean rights concerns, including dissolving a Unification Ministry office focused on the issue and suspending publication of an annual rights report. Advocacy groups have criticized the moves as a “troubling shift away from support for the victims of North Korean government repression.”
Turk pushed back against the notion that dialogue with Pyongyang requires softening criticism of its rights record.
“There is no paradox in engaging while addressing human rights issues,” he said. “Engagement cannot come at the expense of human rights. That was obviously a very important part of my dialogue with the authorities here.”
In March, South Korea joined 49 other countries in co-sponsoring a U.N. Human Rights Council resolution condemning North Korea’s abuses, despite speculation Seoul might withhold support.
Turk also addressed the case of two North Korean prisoners of war captured by Ukrainian forces in January 2025 after being deployed to support Russia’s war effort.
The soldiers have expressed a desire to go to South Korea rather than return to the North, where rights groups say they could face severe punishment.
Turk said international human rights law was “very clear” on the issue.
“The obligation not to send them back to areas where they could end up being harmed” applies in their case, he said.
Turk said his office continues to seek opportunities for dialogue with North Korean officials and called next week’s visit by a North Korean women’s soccer team to South Korea “encouraging.”
“Urgent steps are needed to find ways to exchange letters, resume family contacts and reunions, and release information clarifying the whereabouts and fate of disappeared and abducted people,” he said.
On Thursday, Turk is scheduled to travel to Gwangju to deliver a keynote address at the World Human Rights Cities Forum.
Wreathes are seen amongst the statues at the Korean War Veterans Memorial during Memorial Day weekend in Washington on May 27, 2023. Memorial Day, which honors U.S. military personnel who died while in service, is held on the last Monday of May. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
North American banks accelerated growth by implementing AI and enhancing their client experience.
Across North America, the winners of our Best Banks awards continue to accelerate growth by embedding advanced technology and solutions driven by artificial intelligence throughout their organizations. With the rollout of new platforms and applications, these banks are enhancing the client experience, resulting in increasing levels of digital engagement. Also, partnerships with fintechs and targeted acquisitions are enabling more rapid innovation and expanded service offerings. These efforts are complemented by significant resources allocated to workforce development through enterprise-wide AI implementation, ensuring employees can leverage new technologies to increase innovation and efficiency.
Among the US regional bank winners, large-scale technology initiatives are driving enterprise-wide transformation toward the creation of financial-ecosystem models in which financial services are seamlessly connected across banking platforms. Institutions continue to invest heavily in artificial intelligence, data analytics, and automation to streamline operations and deliver more-personalized client experiences.
Open banking and connectivity enabled by application programming interfaces (APIs) are allowing integration with fintech partners and third-party platforms to expand banking services. With embedded finance, banks are integrating treasury services, payments, and cash management tools directly into client workflows, while partnerships with fintech firms are accelerating innovation.
Darryl White, CEO, BMO Financial Group
North America
Bank of Montreal
Bank of Montreal (BMO), with its leading Canadian franchise and its expanding US operations, is a powerful North American universal bank with robust service offerings across its Canadian personal and commercial banking, US banking, wealth management, and capital markets business lines. Part of BMO’s growth strategy involves new behavioral-engagement tools in personal banking, with the introduction of the “My Financial Progress” platform, a digital planning tool to set financial goals with personalized guidance. Complementary services include apps to help build financial literacy, increase savings, manage spending, and monitor cash flow.
For commercial clients, the bank has launched new embedded finance offerings that are integrated into clients’ enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to operate seamlessly. The bank launched application programming interfaces (APIs) for payments, enabling businesses to integrate secure, real-time payment capabilities into their ERP systems, treasury platforms, and customer-facing applications.
Fintech partnerships have contributed to new products such as BMO Sync that integrates BMO’s business-banking services directly into client ERP systems. BMO also has introduced programs to empower its workforce, launching its “AI for All” initiative,which will train an all employees to have a working knowledge of AI. The bank also offers specialized learning paths in AI, cloud technology, and cybersecurity.
Canada
Royal Bank of Canada
Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) is driving growth through the development of advanced technologies, platform enhancements, and targeted acquisitions. The bank’s small- and midsize business clients benefit from RBC’s joining the Business Development Bank of Canada’s banking network for access to its 800 million Canadian dollar ($583 million) Business Accelerator Loan Program, which provides added liquidity to business owners via loan guarantees to banks in the program.
RBC is a leader in AI research and implementation across its franchise, through the RBC Borealis research lab.With the development of its NOMI digital platform, RBC provides a suite of retail banking solutions via its mobile app, designed to help retail clients more effectively manage their money through the app’s budgeting, spending analysis, and automation features. For institutional investors, the bank developed Aiden, an AI-powered electronic-trading platform that optimizes trade execution. In addition to these in-house initiatives, the bank supports the advancement of the sector via its RBC’s technology banking and innovation arm, RBCx, which provides startups and VC firms with advisory services and access to financing and capital.
United States
Bank Of America
Bank of America’s growth in recent years has been increasingly driven through its expansion of AI-enabled digital solutions. The bank has focused on continuously enhancing its core digital offerings, resulting in high levels of engagement and client satisfaction. In 2025, digital adoption by consumers and small businesses reached 81% and 86% among wealth and global-banking clients, respectively. Over 20 million clients use Erica, the bank’s AI-powered virtual financial assistant. To support greater scale, the bank upgraded the underlying infrastructure of this service, enabling the rollout of next-generation AI capabilities.
AI is also driving internal productivity and client-service improvements. More than 90% of employees now use the Erica for Employees virtual assistant, which has been enhanced with improved search capabilities and broader functionality. Additionally, AI is supporting workforce development through the Academy, the bank’s internal education and training organization, which utilizes interactive coaching tools to help employees deliver more effective and consistent client interactions.
Mid-Atlantic
Truist
Truist is accelerating its growth strategy with the launch of AI-driven solutions, a refocused branch model, and the creation of a role for a chief AI and data officer. To update its physical footprint with integrated technology and modern layouts, the bank will open 100 new insights-driven branches and renovate 300 more branches in high-growth locations across its markets in Mid-Atlantic states and the Southeast. For consumers and small businesses, a new API-based open-banking platform offers connectivity with Mastercard’s open-finance technology for secure and centralized access to the client’s financial data across a growing network of fintech apps.
The bank is introducing scalable solutions to modernize business banking and boost client engagement. In collaboration with global fintech firm Pollinate, Truist introduced Truist Merchant Engage, an integrated merchant-services platform that benefits small- and midsize-business clients through a unified platform combining core banking services with merchant solutions. The result is an improved digital payments experience that includes an intuitive dashboard and tools for data-driven insights to streamline clients’ operations. In payments services, the bank has developed multiple options for commercial and corporate clients. The bank introduced an AI-based receivables platform that uses machine learning for greater simplicity and efficiency through automated payment reconciliation. The resulting accelerated process eliminates invoice errors and improves client cash visibility and fraud protections.
Additionally, Truist partnered with fintech Koxa to introduce Truist One View Connect. Currently a pilot program with an official launch later in the year, this service is an embedded banking solution allowing seamless management of treasury workflows, payments, and cash positions through integration with a client’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) infrastructure. This new product is a new feature of Truist One View, the bank’s flagship digital platform for business clients.
Northeast
Citizens Bank
To improve client service and engagement, Citizens Bank, our winner for the Northeastern region, has launched a multiyear transformation through its “Reimagine the Bank” initiative aimed at implementing advanced technology to modernize its operating model toward a more digitally integrated bank. The program focuses on leveraging generative AI, data analytics, and automation, across the bank’s retail and commercial business lines, standardizing and streamlining internal operational processes and workflows to improve efficiency and drive growth.
As part of the bank’s progress toward open finance and embedded banking, Citizens now offers an open-banking API allowing businesses and third-party applications to connect directly into Citizens’ banking systems to access client data and initiate transactions. The bank has implemented upgrades to its core digital mobile and online banking platform with new direct deposit options. Its new features make it easier to manage and update client payment methods across a range of accounts, including subscription services and online merchant sites.
For commercial clients, accessOPTIMA is the bank’s flagship digital treasury management solution designed to provide a centralized, real-time view of liquidity, cash positions, and payments activity across the organization. New services for commercial clients include the Citizens Payee Select platform, which more efficiently and securely manages business transactions and payment disbursements by shifting payment control to the recipient. This capability was developed in partnership with Verituity, a fintech that creates leading cloud-based payment solutions, a company in which Citizens holds an equity investment
Midwest & Southwest
Fifth Third Bank
With the completed acquisition of Comerica Bank, Fifth Third Bank has solidified its leading franchise in the Midwest and expanded significantly in the Southwest. Fifth Third now ranks as the ninth-largest bank in the US, with $294 billion in assets. The merger combines Fifth Third’s leading retail and digital bank with Comerica’s strong middle-market commercial banking capabilities over a footprint that covers 17 of the 20 fastest-growing markets in the country.
Significant growth opportunities exist with the addition of Comerica’s Technology and Life Sciences business that involves deep relationships with venture-backed and startup companies providing specialized banking, treasury, advisory, and funding solutions through locations in all major technology hubs. Fifth Third Bank’s digital strategy is focused on the enhancement of its mobile platform, expansion of embedded finance capabilities, and the deeper integration of AI-based solutions in its consumer and commercial banking segments. Through Fifth Third’s Provide platform, the bank offers specialized services to health care practices and medical professionals, with valuation advisory services, acquisition loans, and equipment finance. The bank is expanding its services through a partnership with Brex, a fintech specializing in corporate cards and expense management. The solution gives commercial banking-card holders greater efficiency through automated expense management with secure, real-time payments, as well as improved visibility to company spending. The bank expects this initiative to generate upward of $5.6 billion in annual commercial card-payment volume.
Southeast
Regions
Regions, our Best Bank in the Southeast, is in the midst of a multiyear technology-transformation program that includes the expansion of embedded banking capabilities to improve the customer experience across the bank’s retail commercial and specialty-client segments. Enhancements to the bank’s mobile app incorporate client feedback and include a redesigned interface for easier navigation, with shortcuts to features like funds transfer and credit card locking to prevent fraud, as well as new financial planning and budgeting services. The bank offers new capabilities with open-banking services to allow client financial information to be shared securely with third-party service providers.
On the commercial side, Regions has ramped up its treasury management solutions through its Embedded ERP Finance platform that allows clients to access their financial data through their own ERP systems to better manage cash flow, optimize liquidity, and reduce risk. Specialty services to niche industries are a competitive advantage for Regions. Home improvement contractors can offer financing options to their homeowner clients to pay for projects. For health care clients, a new treasury management service is powered by MediStreams, a health care platform focusing on payment automation and reconciliation. Additional specialized services include a digital portal that allows real estate banking clients to more efficiently manage their construction projects. The portal is supported by Built, a real estate and construction-finance platform that streamlines project financing, development, and management, with client access through a centralized hub.
West
BMO Harris Bank
BMO’s growth strategy in the United States is fueled by the bank’s “One Client” coverage model to ensure customers experience BMO as one integrated bank. This involves technology alignment and use of shared data across business units to better identify client needs and deliver more-personalized service. With new digital services and AI-led advancements, the bank is positioned to build on its significant and growing US franchise that accounted for 42% of group revenue in fiscal year 2025. The franchise is bolstered by an expanding top-15 consumer bank with over 850 banking centers in the Midwest and Western US regions, as well as a top-5 commercial business.
As part of BMO’s branch rationalization to exit low-return markets in favor of higher growth areas, the bank sold 138 branches in the central US. The bank aims to foster closer client engagement through tailored financial solutions with access to in-person financial guidance. BMO is moving to capture more clients in fast-growing markets in the Western US with a multiyear strategy involving the modernization of existing locations and expansion of its footprint through the opening of 130 new community banking hubs in California and 15 in Arizona over the next five years.
On the commercial side, new product launches include BMO Sync, an embedded solution that integrates BMO’s full range of business-banking services directly into client ERP systems to streamline workflows. Payment APIs enable commercial clients across the US to add secure, real-time payment capabilities into their ERP systems, treasury platforms, and customer-facing applications for efficiency and transparency. A key driver of the bank’s progress is its commitment to a unified corporate culture. With the launch of its “AI for All” initiative, an enterprise-wide foundational training program, BMO ensures that all employees develop a working knowledge of AI. The bank also offers specialized learning paths in AI, cloud technology, and cybersecurity as well as the opportunity to develop technical skills through Pluralsight, a digital learning platform.
