There is a widespread view that, by comparison with the USA, Europe is in economic and social decline. But, Zucman argues, it's not true

<article data-history-node-id="433393" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/west-bank-israeli-settlers-raid-village-resulting-15-palestinians-being" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/west-bank-israeli-settlers-raid-village-resulting-15-palestinians-being" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">West Bank: Israeli settlers raid village, resulting in 15 Palestinians being evacuated for medical treatment</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>Israeli settlers injured a Palestinian man after they raided the village of Khirbet Ibziq&nbsp;in the northern West Bank, Palestinian media outlets reported.</p> <p>Residents tried to push the settlers out. However, the Israeli military arrived in the village and used tear gas on the Palestinian residents.</p> <p>At least 15 of the Palestinians needed to be evacuated for medical&nbsp; treatment as a result of tear gas inhalation.&nbsp;</p> <p>It is one of a series of Israeli settler raids reported across the West Bank on Friday, including on the&nbsp;villages of Burin, Khallet a-Louza and Sinjil.</p> </div> </div> </article>

<article data-history-node-id="433318" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-settlers-attack-farm-northwest-nablus-reports-say" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-settlers-attack-farm-northwest-nablus-reports-say" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Israeli settlers attack farm northwest of Nablus, reports say</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>Israeli settlers on Thursday attacked a farm in the Masoudiya plain, near the village of Burqa, northwest of Nablus, Palestinian media reports said.&nbsp;</p> <p>Palestinian&nbsp;activist Dhiab Hajji said that dozens of settlers attacked a farm belonging to the Saleh family and destroyed security cameras.&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> </article>

<article data-history-node-id="433319" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/guterres-says-israeli-rules-blocking-unrwa-violate-international-law" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/guterres-says-israeli-rules-blocking-unrwa-violate-international-law" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Guterres says Israeli rules blocking Unrwa violate international law</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday said that Israel seeks to further impede Unrwa's ability to&nbsp;operate in Gaza, adding that Israeli regulations are inconsistent with the international legal framework.&nbsp;</p> <p>"The Law and its amendments are inconsistent with the status and international legal framework applicable to Unrwa and must be immediately repealed," Guterres said in a statement, according to his spokesman Stephane Dujarric.</p> <p>The UN agency&nbsp;is covered by the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the UN, which extends to its assets, property, officials and personnel, Guterres said.</p> <p>"Unrwa's continued operations in Gaza contribute to the effective implementation of Security Council resolution 2803 (2025) and the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict on the ground," he added.</p> <p>On Monday, the Israeli Parliament approved a bill to cut electricity and water supplies to the Unrwa offices.&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> </article>

<article data-history-node-id="433268" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-forces-kill-palestinian-child-gaza-demolitions-continue" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-forces-kill-palestinian-child-gaza-demolitions-continue" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Israeli forces kill Palestinian child in Gaza as demolitions continue</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>Israeli forces on Wednesday killed a Palestinian&nbsp;child, Dana Hussein Ahmed Muqat, by firing live bullets in the Zarqa area, northeast of Gaza City, local media reported.&nbsp;</p> <p>Arab48 reported that&nbsp;the Israeli forces also demolished several residential buildings east of Gaza City,&nbsp;where the military also opened fire.&nbsp;</p> <p>Israeli artillery shelling was also reported from northeast of the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> </article>

<article data-history-node-id="433269" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-attacks-reported-near-khan-younis-bureij-and-maghazi-refugee" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-attacks-reported-near-khan-younis-bureij-and-maghazi-refugee" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Israeli attacks reported near Khan Younis, Bureij and Maghazi refugee camps</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>Israeli forces on Wednesday launched an artillery bombardment accompanied by heavy gunfire from military vehicles east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian media reported.&nbsp;</p> <p>Military vehicles also opened fire on the southeastern areas of the Bureij and Maghazi&nbsp;refugee camps in the central Gaza Strip, as&nbsp;Israeli escalation of violence continued on several fronts.</p> <p>Injuries were also reported from the Halawa camp, west of Jabalia city, northern Gaza Strip.&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> </article>

Failure of groups including MSF and ActionAid to hand over staff details means they will not be able to operate in Gaza, say Israeli officials

<article data-history-node-id="433270" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-army-reports-nearly-21000-attacks-during-multi-front-operations" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-army-reports-nearly-21000-attacks-during-multi-front-operations" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Israeli army reports nearly 21,000 attacks during multi-front operations in 2025</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>The Israeli army spokesperson on Wednesday said that as part of ongoing military operations on several fronts, the forces carried out attacks on approximately 20,900 targets in 2025.&nbsp;</p> <p>The announcement comes as&nbsp;the military carried out a combing operation on the border with Lebanon near the town of Arab al Aramsheh.&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> </article>

YouTube video by Richard J Murphy

<article data-history-node-id="433271" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/west-bank-israeli-forces-kill-palestinian-firing-vehicle-set-house" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/west-bank-israeli-forces-kill-palestinian-firing-vehicle-set-house" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">West Bank: Israeli forces kill Palestinian by firing at vehicle, set house ablaze</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>The General Authority for Civil Affairs on Tuesday evening said that Israeli forces&nbsp;killed a Palestinian man by opening fire on a vehicle between the towns of Awarta and Einabus, south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank.&nbsp;</p> <p>The officials said that their teams are following up on receiving the body of the 20-year-old Qais Sami Jasser Allan&nbsp;after he was shot.&nbsp;</p> <p>Palestinian news media reported that Israeli forces also set a house on fire by firing bombs in the town of Aboud, northwest of Ramallah, in the central West Bank.</p> <p>The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said that four Palestinians were wounded by Israeli army gunfire on their vehicle in the same area.&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> </article>

Exclusive: Research finds ‘worrying’ surge in support for hard-right narratives on national identity

Palestinian health officials suspended services at Gaza’s Al-Awda Hospital on Thursday due to a shortage of fuel. It came as human rights groups marked one year since Israeli forces seized Dr. Hussam ...

SCOTLAND is set to elect a large pro-independence majority of MSPs at the next Holyrood elections