Israel economy grew 3.4% in Q1 as war against Hamas weighs
JERUSALEM, May 18 (Reuters) - Israel's economy grew moderately in the first three months of 2025, as the war in Gaza against Palestinian Islamist group Hamas continues to take its toll.
The Central Bureau of Statistics said in an initial estimate on Sunday that gross domestic product (ILGDPP=ECI), opens new tab grew by an annualised 3.4% in the January to March period from the fourth quarter, largely in line with a 3.5% consensus in a Reuters poll. On a per capita basis, GDP gained 2.2% in the first quarter.
The war in Gaza broke out after Hamas' cross-border attack on southern Israel in October 2023. A ceasefire that came into effect on January 19 this year ended in mid-March, although a ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon since late November has held up.
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The Herald Scotland
31 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
Boulder attack: 6 people injured after an event for Israeli hostages
Four victims were taken to Boulder Community Hospital, and two others were airlifted to a hospital in the Denver metropolitan area, Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said. He added that at least one victim was "very seriously" injured and other victims received "more minor injuries." Sunday's attack falls on the Jewish holiday of Shavuot and comes over a week after the slaying of two Israeli Embassy aides outside a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C. The attack occurred at a "regularly scheduled, weekly peaceful event," according to Michalek. He said witnesses reported seeing the suspect use a makeshift flamethrower and throw an incendiary device into the crowd. Earlies on Sunday, Boulder dispatch received several calls to the county courthouse on Pearl Street at around 1:26 p.m. local time, Redfearn said at an afternoon news conference. Initial reports indicated that there was a man with a weapon, and people were being set on fire at the scene. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said in a statement that the attack appeared to be a "hate crime given the group that was targeted." Weiser said the group meets weekly at the Pearl Street Mall in downtown Boulder to "call for the release of the hostages in Gaza." "Hate has no place in Colorado," Weiser added. "We all have the right to peaceably assemble and the freedom to speak our views. But these violent acts -- which are becoming more frequent, brazen and closer to home -- must stop and those who commit these horrific acts must be fully held to account." President Donald Trump has been briefed on the attack in Boulder, a senior White House official told USA TODAY. Michalek said the FBI is processing the crime scene and the subject vehicle as well as interviewing key witnesses. "As a result of these preliminary facts, it is clear that this is a targeted act of violence and the FBI is investigating this as an act of terrorism," Michalek said. "Sadly, attacks like this are becoming too common across the country. This is an example of how perpetrators of violence continue to threaten communities across our nation." Several blocks remained closed off in downtown Boulder surrounding the county courthouse, according to Redfearn. Multiple teams, including canine, bomb squad, and hazmat, were in the area, Redfearn said. Authorities were still working on clearing the area for devices. Hours before the attack in Boulder, 18 to 20 buildings on the University of Denver campus were vandalized with anti-Israel graffiti. The vandalism took place either late Friday or early Saturday, said Adam Rovner, director of the university's Center for Judaic Studies. Rovner said the graffiti was spread among buildings across the campus, including dormitories. It was not immediately clear whether the graffiti was tied to the attack in Boulder, which is about half an hour northwest of Denver. "In the wake of the murders in DC at the Jewish Museum and in the wake of this horrific attack on a peaceful vigil in Boulder, this kind of thing is what globalize the Intifada means," Rovner said. "It means attacks on innocent people." It's 'the definition of antisemitism': People react to Israeli embassy shooting In a statement on social media, the Boulder Jewish Community Center said it was in touch with law enforcement about the Jewish community in the city and noted that safety is its "highest priority." "We are saddened and heartbroken to learn that an incendiary device was thrown at walkers at the Run for Their Lives walk on Pearl Street as they were raising awareness for the hostages still held in Gaza," the Boulder Jewish Community Center said. Run for Their Lives is an organization that facilitates global running or walking events calling for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, according to the organization's website. The website states that local communities meet once a week for a 1-kilometer walk or run while wearing matching t-shirts and carrying flags of the countries where the hostages are from. The events are shared on social media by local organizers. "The term 'Run' is symbolic, emphasizing that the hostages cannot run for their lives," according to the website. "We run or walk on their behalf, because they can't--and to act before it's too late." An organization that works to fight antisemitism and bias said in a statement that it has reviewed videos of the suspect believed to have thrown the Molotov cocktails. "We believe he can be heard saying, 'How many children have you killed?' 'We need to end Zionists,'" the ADL said. The organization said the man also gestured toward what appeared to be victims of the attack and proclaimed: "They are killers." At 2:08 p.m. local time, the Boulder Police Department said in a post on X that they responded to a report of several victims near the Boulder mall, about 30 miles northwest of Denver. Pearl Street is a four-block pedestrian mall that stretches from 11th Street to 15th Street. Multiple businesses and restaurants, as well as the Boulder County Courthouse, are located in the area. About an hour later, the police department said it was evacuating several blocks around the area between Walnut and Pine streets as they continued "to investigate this active incident." "There was a lot of people out -- a very beautiful day," Redfearn said, adding that there was a group of people that were conducting a peaceful demonstration in support of Israel. The police chief said he believed the demonstration occurred frequently in the area. Redfearn called the incident "unacceptable," noting that it was too early for police to speculate on a motive. Civil rights and advocacy groups have reported a surge in antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. According to Israeli tallies, the attack killed about 1,200 people, and 251 Israelis were taken hostage into Gaza. Israel's subsequent military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians and has destroyed much of the enclave, said Gaza health officials. The attack also occurred after two Israeli embassy employees were fatally shot in Washington, D.C., on May 21. The victims were leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum when the suspect opened fire, killing Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim. The suspect shouted, "Free, free Palestine" while in custody, authorities said. Israeli embassies immediately increased security measures following the incident, USA TODAY previously reported. Just days after the shooting, federal authorities announced that a dual U.S. and German citizen was arrested in New York for allegedly attempting to firebomb a branch office of the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel. DC shooting: Shooting victim Sarah Milgrim remembered as 'a light' who fought antisemitism Dan Bongino, the FBI's deputy director, said on X that the agency's leadership team was on the ground in Boulder and would soon have an update on the attack. "This act of terror is being investigated as an act of ideologically motivated violence based on the early information, the evidence, and witness accounts," Bongino said. "We will speak clearly on these incidents when the facts warrant it." -- Charles Ventura and Joseph Garrison Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said on X that the state was working with local and federal law enforcement to support the investigation. "I am closely monitoring the situation in Boulder, and my thoughts go out to the people who have been injured and impacted by this heinous act of terror," Polis said in the post. "Hate-filled acts of any kind are unacceptable." The Anti-Defamation League said it was monitoring the situation "as we approach the holiday of Shavuot." "We are aware of reports of an attack at today's Boulder Run for Their Lives event - a weekly meeting of Jewish community members to run/walk in support of the hostages kidnapped on 10/7," the organization said on X. According to Jewishcolorado, a Denver-based non-profit that is part of the Jewish Federations of North America, the Run for Their Lives walk is a repeating event in downtown Boulder. "We have been walking in Boulder, CO since Thanksgiving 2023 to show solidarity for the plight of the hostages still being held in Gaza," according to the organization's website. "We will continue to walk until all hostages are released." (This story was updated to add new information.)
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Mecca: Saudi Arabia launches Hajj permit crackdown in bid to stop heat deaths
Saudi Arabian authorities have stopped over 269,000 individuals without the necessary permits from entering Mecca ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, officials announced on Sunday. The Saudi government attributes overcrowding during the Hajj to unauthorized participants, also noting that many of those who died in last year's extreme summer heat were those without official permission. These expulsions highlight the extent of unauthorized pilgrimages, as well as the strong desire to participate in the Hajj. Currently, there are 1.4 million Muslims officially in Mecca, with further arrivals expected in the coming days. There are fines of up to $5,000 and other punitive measures, like deportation, for anyone performing the Hajj without a permit. The policy includes citizens and those with Saudi residency. At a press conference in Mecca, officials said they had stopped 269,678 people without permits from entering the city. According to the rules, only those with permits are allowed to perform the pilgrimage, even if they live in the city year-round. Officials have also imposed penalties on more than 23,000 Saudi residents for violating Hajj regulations and revoked the licenses of 400 Hajj companies. Lieutenant General Mohammed Al-Omari told the media: 'The pilgrim is in our sight, and anyone who disobeys is in our hands.' The Hajj is the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca and involves a series of religious rituals. It's a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for every Muslim who can afford it and is physically able to do it. But it has been marred in recent years by concerns about extreme temperatures, with pilgrims performing their rituals outdoors in peak daylight hours. Historically, deaths are not uncommon at the Hajj, which has seen at times over 2 million people travel to Saudi Arabia for a five-day pilgrimage. It has also seen fatal stampedes and other accidents. Saudi Arabia 's Civil Defense said Sunday that drones were being used for the first time at the Hajj. These can be used for surveillance and monitoring, as well as extinguishing fires.
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Colorado terror attack victims left with 'life-threatening' injuries
The terrifying incident targeted an organised demonstration at a shopping centre. Several people have been left with burn injuries, some potentially life-threatening, after a suspect launched Molotov cocktails at a pro-Israel demonstration on Sunday afternoon. The shocking incident in Boulder, Colorado on June 1 resulted in injuries ranging from "very serious to more minor", according to Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn. At least one person is confirmed to have been critically injured. Eyewitnesses at the city's Pearl Street Mall recalled a topless male suspect throwing incendiary devices at the crowd of peaceful demonstrators pleading for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Footage shared on social media shows the man screaming at the gathered people. He has reportedly since been arrested without incident following treatment for minor injuries, reports the Irish Star. The incident has been branded as an act of terrorism by the FBI, with local police advising their investigation is still being carried out. Chief Officer Redfearn added it is "too early to speculate motive". Colorado Governor Jared Polis said in a statement he was "closely monitoring" the situation after criticising the "hate-filled act", which he described as "unacceptable". According to CNN, Donald Trump has already been briefed about the incident. The state's Attorney General, Phil Weiser, a descendant of Holocaust survivors, said the attack seems to be "a hate crime given the group that was targeted." The demonstration had been organised by Run For Their Lives, a global initiative set up following the start of the war on October 7, 2023, to demand the immediate release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Several sub-groups have been set up by Jewish communities across the US ever since, including in Boulder. The city's Jewish community released a joint statement on the incident. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. They wrote: "We are saddened and heartbroken to learn that an incendiary device was thrown at walkers at the Run for Their Lives walk on Pearl Street as they were raising awareness for the hostages still held in Gaza. "Our hearts go out to those who witnessed this horrible attack, and prayers for a speedy recovery to those who were injured." "When events like this enter our own community, we are shaken. Our hope is that we come together for one another. Strength to you all."
