Rappler's latest stories on banking
Virus-hit Afghanistan gets $200-million World Bank grant
World Bank funds will be used to help mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Afghanistan's war-ravaged economy

IMF and World Bank to hold fall meetings virtually
The 2020 IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings set for October 12 to 18 will be held 'in a primarily virtual format'

India's Yes Bank plans to raise up to $2 billion in share listing
The embattled Yes Bank will look to bolster its balance sheet through a share offering from July 15 to 17

Sri Lanka slashes key interest rates to aid virus-hit economy
(UPDATED) The Central Bank of Sri Lanka says it wants to 'aggressively enhance lending to productive sectors of the economy,' which would boost support for businesses hit by the coronavirus

Pandemic may push 50 million Africans into extreme poverty – AfDB
The African Development Bank says Nigeria, the continent's most populous country, would see the greatest rise in poverty

Mauritania central bank reports embezzlement of over 1 million euros
An employee of the Central Bank of Mauritania and 5 others are arrested over the alleged embezzlement

Deutsche Bank fined $150 million for ties to sex offender Epstein
This marks the first time a financial institution has been penalized for its dealings with Jeffrey Epstein, says the New York Department of Financial Services

Malaysia slashes rates to record low to fight virus impact
Bank Negara Malaysia cuts its key rate by 25 basis points to 1.75%, its 4th straight reduction

Ukraine central banker says gov't made job 'impossible'
Resigned National Bank of Ukraine governor Yakiv Smoliy says he was told to let inflation rise and the national currency devalue to benefit exporters

Spain fines staff of China's ICBC for money laundering
Former employees of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China are fined 22.7 million euros ($25.5 million) in Spain

Ukraine central bank chief's resignation sparks global outcry
Business leaders are alarmed over the resignation of National Bank of Ukraine Governor Yakiv Smoliy, who said 'systematic political pressure' triggered his move

UK court sides with Guaido in Venezuela gold dispute
The rival claims come two years after election results handing President Nicolas Maduro a victory sparked mass protests and a violent police crackdown

Palestinian rivals Fatah, Hamas pledge unity against Israeli annexations
The joint press conference is spurred by common opposition against US President Donald Trump's controversial peace plan, which paves the way for Israel to annex territory in the occupied West Bank

Mary Robinson to lead probe into African Development Bank chief
Former Irish president Mary Robinson will lead a panel that will look into corruption allegations against African Development Bank chief Akinwumi Adesina

Japan business confidence worst since 2009 crisis
The Bank of Japan's Tankan survey in June 2020 shows a reading of -34 among big manufacturers, the lowest since June 2009

Palestinians rally as global opposition to Israeli annexation grows
With no announcement currently scheduled on Israel's self-imposed kick-off date, opponents of the plan – notably Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza – are mobilizing

Key dates in Israel since its creation in 1948
A chronology of important events in the history of Israel

Netanyahu hides cards on eve of Israel 'annexations' date
Right-wing premier Benjamin Netanyahu gives no indication as to his plans ahead of the possible July 1 kick-off date

Israel's annexation plans 'illegal' – U.N. rights chief
Michelle Bachelet urges Israel to shift course, warning that 'the shockwaves of annexation will last for decades, and will be extremely damaging to Israel, as well as to the Palestinians'

Gov't launches Overseas Filipino Bank
The digital-only bank aims to ease fund transfers for Filipinos working abroad and will soon offer secure financial products and services
ECB's Lagarde says 'we've probably passed lowest point' of economic crisis
'We probably have passed the lowest point. I say that with some trepidation because of course there could be a severe second wave,' says European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde

Key dates in Germany's Wirecard fraud scandal
Here are the key developments that led to Wirecard's demise

Hamas says West Bank annexation would be 'declaration of war'
Israel's proposal to annex its settlements in the West Bank and the Jordan Valley form part of a broader US peace plan published in January

5 things to know about the Wirecard scandal
Here are the key facts about the scandal involving German payments provider Wirecard, which has reached the Philippines

European MPs demand halt to Israel's annexation plan
The European Union has been seeking to persuade Israel to back down and is weighing retaliatory measures as a response if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu goes ahead

CBA facing huge fines in latest Australian banking scandal
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia is accused of receiving Aus$22 million ($15 million) in prohibited payments from a subsidiary to promote its retirement fund to customers

BDO to buy out Nomura's 49% stake in stock brokerage company
BDO says Nomura's exit will enable the company to consolidate its securities brokerage business into BDO Securities Corporation
Duterte officials finally aid Gem-Ver fishermen vs Chinese ship owner
12 months and 13 days after Filipino fishermen were left floating at sea, Philippine officials say they will reach out to the owners and crew of fishing boat Gem-Ver to help them claim damages for the sinking of their vessel

EastWest Bank not for sale, says Filinvest
EastWest Bank is rumored to be consolidating with another bank, as the coronavirus pandemic triggers bad loans. Filinvest, the bank's controlling stockholder, denies the speculations.
BPI suspends employee over possible Wirecard scandal involvement
'The employee who may have played a part in the preparation of [falsified documents] has been suspended and is under investigation,' says BPI
Scandal-hit Wirecard says missing 1.9 billion euros may not exist
(3rd UPDATE) Wirecard says further examination shows 'there is a prevailing likelihood that the bank trust account balances in the amount of 1.9 billion EUR do not exist'

Philippine banks deny holding Wirecard's missing $2.1 billion
BDO and BPI say German payments firm Wirecard is not their client

Church and Bank of England apologize for slavery roles
Research finds that nearly 100 clergymen and 6 governors plus 4 directors of the bank benefitted from slavery

Virus-fighting Bank of England pumps out extra £100-billion stimulus
Analysts say the Bank of England's move is ultimately aimed at avoiding deflation – a spiral of falling prices

Indonesia's central bank cuts rates as economy tanks
Bank Indonesia reduces the key lending rate to 4.25%. It also lowers its 2020 economic growth forecast to between 0.9% and 1.9%.

Brazil cuts interest rate to new low amid virus rout
Brazil's economy is reeling as the country has become one of the worst flashpoints in the coronavirus pandemic

World Bank earmarks $1 billion for DR Congo health, education
Funds from the World Bank will be used to improve response to health emergencies and to support free primary education in the Democratic Republic of Congo

West Bank plan will create 'apartheid' – U.N. experts
The United Nations experts say the annexation would be a 'serious violation' of the UN charter and the Geneva Conventions, and would only intensify human rights violations in the West Bank

Bank of Japan boosts aid for coronavirus-hit firms
The Bank of Japan expands its zero-interest loan program to firms to 90 trillion yen ($837 billion)

ADB approves $500-million loan for conditional cash transfers
(UPDATED) The Asian Development Bank's total lending to the Philippines reaches $2.6 billion so far in 2020, exceeding its record lending of $2.5 billion in 2019

Elevated extreme poverty to persist until 2021 – World Bank
Extreme poverty is defined as living on $1.90 per day

Palestinian PM submits 'counterproposal' to Trump plan
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh says they proposed the creation of a 'sovereign Palestinian state, independent and demilitarized' with 'minor modifications of borders where necessary'

French economy to shrink about 10% in 2020, recovery mid-2022
The Bank of France's forecasts assume that the coronavirus will continue to spread but remain under control, and that the economy will adapt to the health measures required

Philippine economy to shrink by 1.9% in 2020, says World Bank
The World Bank says steps to recovery include strengthening the healthcare system, improving the ease of doing business, and developing better internet in the Philippines

A year later, Gem-Ver fishermen still unpaid by Chinese ship owner
'Kung aasa naman kami sa ayuda, kailan pa po?' asks Gem-Ver owner Fe dela Torre

Pandemic drives broadest economic collapse in 150 years – World Bank
(3rd UPDATE) The World Bank sees the global economy shrinking by 5.2% in 2020, with the coronavirus pandemic to drive up to 100 million people into extreme poverty

Under-fire African Development Bank boss facing new graft probe
Akinwumi Adesina, who is seeking reelection as president of the African Development Bank, now faces an independent inquiry

ECB ramps up eurozone support as pandemic persists
The European Central Bank announces 600 billion euros ($674 billion) more of emergency bond-buying and the scheme's extension until June 2021

Duterte borrows another $500 million from World Bank for coronavirus
So far, the Duterte administration has borrowed $1.1 billion or around P55 billion from the World Bank for the Philippines' coronavirus response

DNA research uncovers Dead Sea Scrolls mystery
Research on the texts has been ongoing for decades and in the latest study, DNA tests on manuscript fragments indicate that some were not originally from the area around the Qumran caves
