"According to a Monday report, June notched the highest level of monthly bankruptcies since 2020, when pandemic chaos drove a number of firms out of business. Tacking on last month's 75 filings, this year's total number of bankruptcies rose to 346."

TOKYO (AP) — Japan issued its first new banknotes in two decades Wednesday, yen packed with 3D hologram technology to fight counterfeiting.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida praised as historic the state-of-the-art anti-counterfeit traits of the new 10,000 yen, 5,000 yen and 1,000 yen bills.

“I hope the people will like the new bills, and they will help energize the Japanese economy,” he told reporters at the Bank of Japan.

While the new bills were released with fanfare, currency already in use will remain valid. In fact, people will still need older bills to use most vending machines and to pay bus fares, local media reported.

Kishida noted the people featured on the bills celebrate Japanese capitalism, women’s equality and scientific innovation.

The 10,000 yen bill, worth about $62 at the current exchange rate, has the face of Eiichi Shibusawa, known as “the father of Japanese capitalism,” a key figure in building Japan’s modern economy. He is credited with founding hundreds of companies.

The 5,000 yen bill, worth about $30, features Umeko Tsuda, a pioneer feminist and educator who founded a college. The 1,000 yen note, worth about $6.20, portrays physician and bacteriologist Shibasaburo Kitasato, who was instrumental in the research of tetanus and the bubonic plague.

Israel’s port of Eilat has called on the government to provide it with financial assistance as it has been inactive since the occupation state launched its latest war on Gaza.

In a meeting with the Knesset’s Economic Affairs Committee on Sunday, CEO of the Port of Eilat, Gideon Golber, said: “The port has been non-operational for eight months due to attacks, meaning it has no revenue.”

Ships heading to Eilat have been unable to access the Red Sea as a result of Yemen’s Houthis, who have vowed to strike Israel-linked vessels in support of Palestinians in Gaza.

Umm Al-Rashrash (Eilat) has also come under missile and drone attacks from Yemen.

In December, Golber said that there had been an 85 per cent decline in operations since the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) initiated attacks on ships in the Red Sea. He indicated at the time that Eilat Port might need to temporarily lay off employees if the situation persisted.

In March, port management announced that it intended to fire half of the 120 employees as a result of the drop in its operation levels.

Eilat, which primarily handles car imports and potash exports coming from the Dead Sea, pales in size compared to Israel’s Mediterranean ports in Haifa and Ashdod, which handle nearly all the country’s trade.

"In total, GoDigital Media Group is closing 21 Bob’s locations in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey as part of the Chapter 11 restructuring petition that was filed in June."