The next major fight between Israel and Palestine might be fought not on the ground but below it. Israel is currently attempting to seize the land around archaeological sites throughout the West Bank. But Palestinian officials believe Israel is claiming these areas illegally, and they are revving up for a political battle.

Why is Israel going after these sites?
Israel is “undertaking a major drive to develop and expand archaeological sites in the occupied West Bank” because officials believe it is “incumbent upon Jewish citizens to connect to their history and heritage,” said The Forward. The two most prominent locations are Sebastia, a small village near the West Bank city of Nablus, and Jericho, another West Bank city that is home to the ancient Hasmonean Palaces.

Sebastia in particular is serving as a “flashpoint in a fight between Israeli and Palestinian authorities over land, heritage and narrative,” said CNN. The town’s history “goes back at least 3,000 years” to when it was the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Israel. The archaeological site “lies under full Israeli civil and security control,” while the town itself is “under mixed Palestinian-Israeli jurisdiction.” Israel’s parliament has proposed a bill to create a new Israeli body in the West Bank, which would have the “power to conduct excavations, declare sites, expropriate lands and more,” said Haaretz.

What has the Palestinian response been?
The Israeli bill, as well as Israel’s overall push near the sites, has “drawn criticism from Palestinians and Israeli rights groups who say it is tantamount to annexation of occupied land,” said Reuters. Israel’s actions are “intended to expand control in these areas, deep inside Palestinian territories,” Hani Al-Hayek, the Palestinian Authority’s tourism minister, told the outlet.

Palestinian officials are taking action. At their urging, UNESCO recently designated Sebastia a full “World Heritage site, hoping it will prevent Israel extending ​its control,” said Reuters. Some Israelis seem to agree that their government is being overzealous. The digs are “another way of weaponizing. That is, you attach more importance to a certain kind of heritage, and less importance to other kinds of heritage,” Rafi Greenberg, an archaeology professor in Israel, told CBS News.

Disputing credit card charges may be the new way to stick it to corporations. More consumers are engaging in friendly fraud, in which they dispute real charges or purchases to get their money back. The trend reflects a distrust in corporations as well as overall economic instability.

‘Expensive, onerous process’
Friendly fraud involves the use of charge-backs, which are “when a customer goes to their bank, as opposed to the merchant, to dispute a charge,” said NerdWallet. “When the customer requests their money back, the bank contacts the business’s payment processor.”

Then the “bank verifies whether the charge-back request is legitimate” and reverses the charge if it is, said NerdWallet. Transaction disputes have also “traditionally been used to address certain types of crimes committed against consumers,” like if “someone steals your wallet and goes on a shopping spree, or if you put a deposit on a wedding venue that goes out of business before the big day,” said Bloomberg. The credit card issuer “claws the funds back from the offending merchant’s bank, on top of a charge-back penalty fee,” which is an “expensive, onerous process.”

‘Retaliate against retailers’
What was once an accidental error or a way to stop theft is now sometimes a tool to obtain free merchandise. Friendly fraud is a “costly form of charge-back abuse in which consumers dispute legitimate credit card transactions to recover their money while keeping the purchased goods or services,” said the technology publication Tekedia. Though the phenomenon is not new, it is becoming more common. There were “158 million transaction disputes in 2025, an increase of 29% from 2021, significantly outpacing general growth in card transactions,” said Bloomberg.

The rise of friendly fraud is directly tied to growing distrust of companies and corporations. Friendly fraud is a “way to retaliate against retailers over poor customer service, delayed deliveries, strict return policies or dissatisfaction with purchases,” said Tekedia.
Economic circumstances also contribute to the rise of stealing and fraud. 

While engaging in friendly fraud may sound intriguing, it is “unethical and, in some jurisdictions, may constitute fraud.” Plus, “repeated abuse can result in account closures, damaged relationships with financial institutions and even legal consequences.”

Rusty competes during the World Dog Surfing Championships in Pacifica, California. The event helps local charities raise money by sponsoring a contestant or a team, with a portion of the proceeds going to dog, environmental and surfing nonprofit organizations.
Godofredo A. Vásquez / AFP / Getty Images

While on vacation, eating a comforting hotel breakfast helps start your day off right. Plates of house-made pastries, lavish egg dishes and pancake stacks and a tall glass of freshly-squeezed juice will fuel you for hours of sightseeing, shopping or hanging out at the pool. A breakfast worth getting out of bed awaits at these properties.

Casa Angelina, Praiano, Italy
When it comes to breakfast with a view, Casa Angelina (pictured above) takes it to the “next level,” said Forbes Travel Guide. This stunning Amalfi Coast boutique hotel overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea, and guests can enjoy their complimentary meal on a serene terrace.

The Federal Inn, Maumee, Ohio
Breakfasts at The Federal Inn are as eclectic as this charming B&B’s decor. No two meals are the same; each morning’s plate depends on what is fresh and at its seasonal peak. Guests who check in on Friday and Saturday rave about the flaky pastries baked every weekend. After breakfast, pick up a book from the inn’s library, or choose a record from its curated collection to spin.

JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu, Mumbai, India
If you want it, they’ve got it at the JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu’s expansive breakfast buffet. While it specializes in the flavors of India, there is also a substantial Western section, and it’s not unusual to see plates piled high with stuffed parathas, idli, dosa, sausage, bacon and eggs Benedict. Fruit, pastries, meat and cheese platters, cereals and a fresh juice bar complement the hot offerings.