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Tehran Rocked by Renewed Israeli Strikes as Iran’s Leadership Council Assumes Control

  A woman reacts as she holds a placard with an image of Iranian late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at a rally in solidarity with Iran after U.S. and Israeli strikes killed Ali Khamenei, in Beirut, Lebanon. Israel has launched another wave of airstrikes on Tehran, intensifying a rapidly escalating regional crisis just one day after the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. According to multiple reports, Israeli officials said the renewed strikes were intended to maintain air dominance as Iran faces its most significant leadership vacuum in decades.  The power void left by Khamenei’s killing has prompted Iran to activate a leadership council to stabilize governance. Inside the country, reactions have been sharply divided—some mourning the long‑time leader, others openly celebrating his death, revealing deep internal fractures.  The military confrontation has widened beyond Iran’s borders. Iran has retaliated with missile barrages targeting Israe...

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TD to slash jobs after disappointing earnings report


The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) announced that it will cut an unspecified number of jobs as part of a restructuring plan to reduce costs and improve efficiency. The move comes after the bank reported lower-than-expected earnings for the fourth quarter of 2023, amid rising expenses and higher provisions for credit losses.

According to its financial results, TD earned $3.2 billion, or $1.72 per share, in the quarter ended Oct. 31, down from $3.5 billion, or $1.87 per share, a year earlier. Analysts had expected earnings of $1.79 per share, according to Refinitiv. The bank’s revenue increased by 4 per cent to $11.8 billion, but its expenses rose by 7 per cent to $6.9 billion. The bank also set aside $1.1 billion for bad loans, up from $891 million in the same period last year.

TD’s chief executive officer Bharat Masrani said the bank is facing “a challenging and uncertain environment” due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the economy. He said the bank is taking “decisive actions” to adapt to the changing conditions and position itself for long-term growth. He did not provide details on how many jobs will be affected by the restructuring, but said the bank will offer support and transition assistance to the impacted employees.

TD’s disappointing earnings contrast with the strong performance of its peers, such as Royal Bank of Canada, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Bank of Montreal and National Bank of Canada, which all beat analysts’ estimates and raised their dividends in the fourth quarter. TD was the only one of the Big Six banks that did not increase its dividend, keeping it at 79 cents per share.

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