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Israel Links Return of Lebanese Displaced to Security of Its Northern Communities

                                A dog looks on next to displaced people at the corniche after rainfall, in Beirut, Lebanon. Israel has stated that tens of thousands of displaced Lebanese civilians will not be able to return to their homes in southern Lebanon until Israeli residents evacuated from the country’s north can safely go back to their own communities. The position underscores how deeply intertwined the two displacement crises have become amid ongoing cross‑border hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Israeli officials argue that any long‑term arrangement must guarantee security along the northern frontier, where months of exchanges of fire have forced widespread evacuations on both sides. They maintain that Hezbollah’s military presence near the border remains the primary obstacle to restoring stability. Lebanese authorities, meanwhile, have warned that prolonged displacement i...

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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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