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According to the trade union Unite, the high street lender's decision is a "grave error" and "certainly results in a deterioration of service for customers due to these layoffs." The TSB, a bank on the high street, has declared the closure of 36 branches and the loss of 250 jobs. The bank will implement workforce reductions in the fraud operations department, central operations, and personnel working at the branches designated for closure.

A senior US administration official stated that the United States halted a bomb shipment to Israel last week out of concern that Israel might advance with a significant ground operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. The shipment included 1,700 500-pound explosives and 1,800 2,000-pound bombs (907 kilograms), according to the official.

It appears that as our understanding of the universe expands, the probability of encountering an intelligent extraterrestrial being diminishes.  In recent years, however, a consensus has shifted among several preeminent scientists, who now believe it is feasible within the next decade.

Tens of thousands of cases of childhood asthma may have been caused by gas and propane furnaces, according to one study.   After measuring nitrogen dioxide levels in over a hundred kitchens in the United States with stoves on, researchers from California and Boston determined how the chemical dispersed to other rooms when the appliances were turned off.