Banking Woes

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2008/07/bank.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1024;s:6:"height";i:783;s:4:"file";s:16:"2008/07/bank.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:12:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"bank-336x257.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:257;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"bank-771x590.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:590;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"bank-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"bank-768x587.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:587;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:14:"bank-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"bank-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"bank-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"bank-407x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:407;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"bank-347x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:347;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"bank-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"bank-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"bank-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:383974;s:14:"optimized_size";i:144743;s:7:"percent";d:62.299999999999997;}s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:44:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/07/bank.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:227900;s:14:"optimized_size";i:52126;s:7:"percent";d:77.129999999999995;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/07/bank-140x140.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:5616;s:14:"optimized_size";i:4187;s:7:"percent";d:25.449999999999999;}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/07/bank-336x257.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:14514;s:14:"optimized_size";i:9178;s:7:"percent";d:36.759999999999998;}s:5:"large";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/07/bank-771x590.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:53510;s:14:"optimized_size";i:28042;s:7:"percent";d:47.590000000000003;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/07/bank-600x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:25822;s:14:"optimized_size";i:14477;s:7:"percent";d:43.939999999999998;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/07/bank-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:17134;s:14:"optimized_size";i:11456;s:7:"percent";d:33.140000000000001;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/07/bank-407x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:19393;s:14:"optimized_size";i:12041;s:7:"percent";d:37.909999999999997;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/07/bank-347x265.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:15178;s:14:"optimized_size";i:9545;s:7:"percent";d:37.109999999999999;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/07/bank-125x125.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:4907;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3691;s:7:"percent";d:24.780000000000001;}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1664556297 
1216771200
 It’s been a sour housing market of late with rising mortgage defaults and consumer debt. And big banks have been feeling the hurt too. Birmingham’s Regions Financial reported second quarter profits are down by more than 50% and cut their dividends by an even higher percentage. Charlotte, N.C.-based Wachovia had losses approaching $9 billion and is cutting more than 6,300 jobs nationwide, including some jobs in Alabama. Former Wachovia CEO Ken Thompson was also a casualty in that company’s financial woes. WBHM’s Steve Chiotakis spoke with John Kottmeyer, an economics professor at Samford University’s Brock School of Business about the sour news and what to expect in the future.
 

 

‘Like ice melting’: Journalists warn press freedom is in decline across Asia

China's jailing of citizen journalist Zhang Zhan highlights a deeper press freedom crisis across Asia.

Scientists create human eggs in the lab, using skin cells

Scientists created the eggs using DNA from adult skin cells, a step that could someday potentially lead to new ways to treat infertility and enable gay couples to have genetically related children.

Second detainee dies after shooting at Dallas ICE facility

Miguel Angel Garcia-Hernandez, 32, had been on life support after what authorities called a targeted act of violence toward federal immigration agents. He leaves behind four kids and his wife, pregnant with their fifth.

Energy Dept. tells employees not to use words including ‘climate change’ and ‘green’

The banned words list applies to all work done at the largest federal funder of clean energy technology.

Birmingham’s Bengali community breaks barriers with annual Durga Puja

Durga Puja is a Bengali celebration during the 9-day long Hindu festival of Navratri, which celebrates divine feminine energy in all forms. Across India, celebrations vary in scale, focus and tradition. 

The UN mission appeals to the Taliban to restore internet access in Afghanistan

The outage was the first nationwide shutdown since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021 and was part of their professed crackdown on immorality.

More Economy Coverage