BBC News: Syrians describe terror as Alawite families killed in their homes
Syria's interim leader has appealed for unity, as violence and revenge killings continued in areas loyal to ousted former leader Bashar al-Assad on Sunday. Hundreds of people have reportedly fled their homes in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus - strongholds of Assad support. Local residents have described scenes of looting and mass killings, including of children.
NPR: Hamas is offering a truce with Israel for five to ten years, a U.S. official says
President Trump's hostage affairs envoy, Adam Boehler, told Israeli public broadcasting on Sunday that Hamas has offered to lay down its arms during that period and not be involved in governing Gaza, while the U.S. would take part in ensuring no Hamas tunnels or militant activity would crop up again.
Frankfurter Rundschau: "Extremely dangerous powder keg": IS prison also poses a risk for Germany
Hans-Jakob Schindler, terror expert and director of the Counter Extremism Project (CEP), calls this "an explosive situation": "Something like peace is just emerging between Turkey and the PKK, there are initial negotiations," says Schindler. For decades, there have been bloody clashes between Turkey and the PKK, which is classified as a terrorist organization in many countries. Now leader Abdullah Öcalan has called on the PKK and all groups associated with it to lay down their arms. Initial talks have taken place between him and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "The Turkish government's main aim is to prevent a Kurdish autonomous zone in Syria," explains Schindler. The SDF and the YPG militias, in turn, are closely linked to the PKK. Turkey has repeatedly threatened to launch offensives against the militias in recent years. The pressure on them is now growing, says Schindler. What if they are also required to lay down their arms?
House 88, the former residence of Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss, has long stood as a symbol of hate and evil. While the horrors of the Holocaust can never be erased, entrepreneur and philanthropist Elliott Broidy is one of the leaders of an initiative to reclaim the space as a center for education and hope. Broidy, along with Dr. Thomas Kaplan, co-chair The Fund to End Antisemitism, Extremism, and Hate. The pair were enlisted by former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations for Reformation, Mark D. Wallace, the founder of the Counter Extremism Project (CEP), to spearhead the fundraising for the new Auschwitz Research Center on Hate, Extremism, and Radicalization: ARCHER at House 88. On January 27, 2025—International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation—Broidy and Kaplan officially launched the fundraising campaign.
Jewish Onliner: EU Lawmakers Call to Outlaw Samidoun at European Parliament Conference
Meanwhile, Hans-Jakob Schindler of the Counter Extremism Project explained that existing EU legal frameworks are inadequate for addressing the growing problem. Schindler described Samidoun as a network that "allow[s] for the cooperation between various violent extremist milieus." He pointed to Samidoun's involvement in large-scale demonstrations after Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, where "a significant number of criminal acts were committed, including, at times, serious violence against the police." He warned that the group plays a role in mobilizing both Islamist and left-wing extremist circles, contributing to the glorification of violence and antisemitism. Regarding the difficulty of adding Samidoun to the EU’s terrorist list, Schindler acknowledged that while the list is a powerful tool, "adding new entities to this list requires a complex administrative process." He suggested that the EU may need to reconsider its approach to account for modern extremist networks that do not fit traditional hierarchical terrorist structures.
The Spectator: Britain is not prepared for car ramming terrorist attacks
CEP Senior Advisor Ian Acheson writes: At least two people have died and several injured after a car was driven down a busy shopping street yesterday in Mannheim, in western Germany. A 40-year-old man has been arrested. It is not clear yet if this attack was ideologically motivated. But car attacks like this are becoming horrifyingly common in Germany. In Magdeburg and Munich either side of last Christmas a total of seven people were murdered in two separate car rammings. In both cases, the suspected attackers were foreign nationals. Britain has fortunately manage to avoid any vehicle ramming terrorist incidents since the Westminster bridge attack in 2018 (in the previous year there were three attacks, in Westminster, London Bridge and Finsbury Park). But we should not be complacent – across Europe, cars are once again becoming the weapon of choice for crazed or radicalised assailants.
ARD: Car attack in Mannheim - Driver of death wanted to be shot
New details have emerged following the fatal attack in Mannheim: The 40-year-old wanted to have himself shot after the crime. Several years ago, he spread a right-wing extremist greeting - and was convicted for it. According to the public prosecutor's office, the suspect who allegedly raced through a pedestrian zone in Mannheim and killed two people wanted to be shot by the police. In the course of his arrest last Monday, he asked police officers to shoot him, said a spokeswoman for the prosecution. There is growing evidence that the suspect has suffered from a mental illness for years. According to the State Office of Criminal Investigation (LKA) and the public prosecutor's office, this is based on extensive medical records and numerous witness statements. "In the past, he regularly received medical and psychiatric treatment, most recently as an inpatient last year," they said in a statement.
Middle East Forum Observer: Germany Again Omits Iran from Its Antisemitism Report
The outgoing left-of-center German government has failed for a second time to include Iran-promoted antisemitism as a threat to Jews in its new federal report on the world’s oldest hatred. The 98-page document, “Second report on combating antisemitism,” made no mention of the Iranian regime’s attacks on synagogues in Germany. The December 2024 report also omitted the conviction of a Pakistani national involved in an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps plot to assassinate pro-Israel advocates in Germany and France.
Reuters: German far-right challenges attempt to put spending plans to old parliament
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has lodged urgent legal motions with the constitutional court challenging plans to convene the country's outgoing parliament to consider a half-trillion-euro spending package, a court spokesperson said on Monday.The appeals, lodged by several opposition AfD lawmakers, seek to prevent the sitting on Thursday, when the Bundestag parliament would consider constitutional changes to allow a massive spending ramp-up on defence and infrastructure.
BBC: Local rise in referrals to counter-terror scheme
The number of people referred to a counter-terror scheme in York has gone up due to an increased willingness to report concerning behaviour, councillors heard. City of York Council meeting was told referrals to the Prevent programme had increased in the wake of the Southport attack and as awareness of extremist beliefs had spread. York's Channel scheme - which provides local support to those referred to Prevent - had three active cases, according to the local authority. The number of referrals have increased massively, the amount of cases coming into Channel is the highest I've ever seen," said community safety lead Jane Mowat. Councillors were told the rise could be attributed to a greater awareness of radicalisation following the murders of three girls at a dance class in Southport.
13 ABC WHAM: Ryan Corbett recounts harrowing Taliban captivity and lessons of faith and resilience
After more than two years of captivity in Afghanistan, Ryan Corbett was welcomed home by an overjoyed Dansville community. A packed Dansville High School gymnasium listened as Ryan Corbett shared the story of his captivity.
New York Times: He Was Once a Covert Taliban Operative. Now He’s the Friendly Taxman.
He is the Taxman of Kabul, a bearded, black-turbaned Talib with a genial manner and the calculating mind of a computer-savvy accountant. As director of the Taliban’s Taxpayers Services Directorate, Abdul Qahar Ghorbandi has the unenviable task of raising revenue for the government of a wretchedly poor, isolated nation.
Today, Afghan women face more than 100 restrictions -- controlling everything from their appearance and movement to their right to work and study. Those accused of violating the Taliban’s so-called "morality laws" are often detained and arrested. What happens to those who suddenly find themselves behind bars in Taliban prisons? These stories often go untold, as most victims of the regime are threatened or forced into silence.
Reuters: Hamas says talks with US focused on release of American hostage in Gaza
Meetings between Hamas leaders and U.S. hostage negotiator Adam Boehler in recent days focused on the release of an American-Israeli dual national being held by the militant group in Gaza, a senior Hamas official told Reuters on Sunday. Taher Al-Nono, political adviser to the leader of the Palestinian group, confirmed the unprecedented, direct talks with Washington in the Qatari capital over the past week.
US hostage envoy Adam Boehler defends his direct talks with Hamas terror group officials, amid private but intense criticism from Jerusalem, saying, “We’re the United States. We’re not an agent of Israel.” Boehler, who held several secret meetings with Hamas before Israel learned about it and the talks were leaked to the press, also claims that a deal to release all of the hostages could be reached within weeks. “It was a very helpful meeting,” he says.
CNN: Israel cuts electricity to last facility in Gaza receiving Israeli power
Israel says it has cut the flow of electricity to the last facility in Gaza that was still receiving power from the Israel Electric Corporation. “I just signed an order for the immediate halt of electricity to the Gaza Strip,” Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen said in a statement Saturday, adding that the country would “operate all of the tools that are at our disposal, to ensure the return of all the hostages.” Israel cut off electricity supplies to Gaza following the Hamas’ attacks of October 7, 2023, in which more than 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage, but the Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) had since reconnected power to a wastewater treatment facility following a government directive.
CNN: Iran, China and Russia launch annual joint naval drills as Trump upends Western alliances
Warships from Iran, China and Russia kicked off their annual joint exercises in the Gulf of Oman on Monday, showing off their military ties as US President Donald Trump upends longstanding Western alliances. The “Security Belt-2025” drills, taking place near the Iranian port of Chabahar, is the fifth joint naval exercise Iran, China and Russia have held since 2019, according to Chinese state media.
New York Times: Iran Signals Openness to Limited Nuclear Talks With U.S.
Iran has signaled that it is open to talks about its nuclear program with the United States if they are restricted to military concerns, a day after the country’s supreme leader had appeared to reject an overture from President Trump to hold discussions.
Times of Israel: Iran says won’t negotiate under ‘intimidation’ as Trump ramps up pressure
Iran said Monday it would not negotiate under “intimidation,” after US President Donald Trump sought to ratchet up pressure on Tehran by ending a sanctions waiver that had allowed Iraq to buy electricity from its Shiite neighbor. Iran’s mission to the United Nations had indicated Sunday that Tehran might be open to talks aimed at addressing US concerns about the potential militarization of its nuclear program — though not to ending the program completely.
Newsweek: Iran Says It Never Got Trump Letter
Iran never got a letter that U.S. President Donald Trump said he had sent proposing negotiations, according to Iranian officials. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei addressed the issue during his weekly press conference on Monday, stating, "We did not receive a letter."
Reuters: Trump administration ends Iraq's waiver to buy Iranian electricity
The Trump administration rescinded a waiver on Saturday that had allowed Iraq to pay Iran for electricity, as part of President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran, a State Department spokesperson said. The decision to let Iraq's waiver lapse upon its expiration "ensures we do not allow Iran any degree of economic or financial relief," the spokesperson said, adding that Trump's campaign on Iran aims "to end its nuclear threat, curtail its ballistic missile program and stop it from supporting terrorist groups."
The US has warned Iraq’s prime minister that there will be consequences unless he ensures the release of kidnapped Russian-Israeli academic Elizabeth Tsurkov, the Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported Monday, citing two Iraqi officials. The Trump administration threatened “political and economic consequences” if they did not resolve the issue, said the Qatari newspaper.
Associated Press: World Bank estimates $11B needed to rebuild Lebanon after Israel-Hezbollah war
The cost of reconstruction and recovery for Lebanon following the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war is estimated at $11 billion, the World Bank said in a report on Friday. The report by the World Bank’s Lebanon Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment covered damage and losses in 10 sectors nationwide between Oct. 8, 2023, and Dec. 20, 2024. It estimates that of the $11 billion in reconstruction and recovery needs, $3 billion to $5 billion will need to be publicly financed, including for infrastructure sectors. Private financing is required for about $6 billion to $8 billion of the costs, mostly in the housing, commerce, industry and tourism sectors.
JNS: Hezbollah chief vows to block Israeli presence in Lebanon
Hezbollah will not tolerate any Israeli military presence in Southern Lebanon, the Iranian terrorist proxy’s Secretary-General Naim Qassem declared on Sunday.
France 24: Israeli army says it struck Hezbollah 'military sites' in southern Lebanon
Israel's army said it conducted strikes on "military sites" belonging to the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in south Lebanon on Friday, as Lebanese media reported a series of Israeli strikes in the south.
Al-Monitor: US green lights $95 million in aid for Lebanon’s army
The US State Department has approved an exception for the transfer of $95 million in military assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces, despite US President Donald Trump’s ongoing freeze on foreign aid. A State Department spokesperson confirmed to Al-Monitor that an exception has been made for the aid. "The Department approved an exception to expend the $95 million of FMF recently reprogrammed to Lebanon. We are working with our DoD [Department of Defense] colleagues to move forward with the implementation of these funds," the spokesperson said.
NBC News: Hundreds of civilians killed in Syria as clashes erupt in former Assad strongholds
The wave of violence that has killed hundreds of civilians across Syria reached the major cities of Damascus and Aleppo on Monday, hours after interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa vowed to bring those responsible to justice.
Sky News: Syria's new government vows to investigate mass killings
Syria's new government has formed a committee to investigate reported mass revenge killings of a minority group - after the United Nations human rights chief called for "swift actions". Violent clashes, which a war monitoring group said had already killed 1,311 people, have continued for a fourth day in deposed president Bashar al Assad's coastal heartland.
BBC News: Syria leader vows to hunt down those responsible for bloodshed
Syria's leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has vowed to hold anyone involved in harming civilians accountable after days of clashes where Syrian security forces allegedly killed hundreds of civilians from the Alawite religious minority.
Syria’s top diplomat and his counterparts from neighboring countries Sunday called for the lifting of Western-led sanctions on Syria and post-war reconciliation. The foreign ministers of Turkey, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon made their remarks alongside Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani following a meeting in the Jordanian capital Amman.
Syria’s Druze minority has a long history of cutting their own path to survive among the country’s powerhouses. They are now trying again to navigate a new, uncertain Syria since the fall of longtime autocrat Bashar Assad. Members of the small religious sect find themselves caught between two forces that many of them distrust: the new, Islamist-led government in Damascus and Syria’s hostile neighbor, Israel, which has used the plight of the Druze as a pretext to intervene in the country.
Al Arabiya: Tanker hit by Houthis now safely through Suez Canal: Egyptian authorities
A Greek tanker set ablaze by the Houthis with more than a million barrels of oil aboard has been safely towed through the Suez Canal, the waterway’s authority said Monday. “The oil tanker Sounion was successfully towed by four tugboats” through the Egyptian waterway and was now “heading to Greece”, Suez Canal Authority chief Osama Rabie said in a statement.
Reuters: Yemen's Houthis give Israel four-day deadline to lift Gaza aid blockage
The leader of Yemen's Houthis said on Friday the group would resume its naval operations against Israel if Israel did not lift a blockage of aid into Gaza within four days, signaling a possible escalation from the Houthis after their assaults tailed off in January following a ceasefire in the enclave.
Chaos broke out in Romania’s capital Sunday evening as incensed supporters of the far-right populist Calin Georgescu protested the electoral body’s decision to reject his candidacy in a presidential election redo. He won the first round of last year’s race before a top court annulled the election.
BBC News: Explosive-laden caravan plot was a hoax, say Australian police
A caravan found packed with explosives in outer Sydney earlier this year was part of a "fabricated terrorism plot" concocted by criminals, Australian police have said. The caravan, which was found in north-western Sydney on 19 January, contained enough explosives to produce a 40m-wide blast, along with a note displaying antisemitic messages and a list of Jewish synagogues.
Morocco’s central bank, Bank Al-Maghrib (BAM), has published this week the first version of its practical guide on the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism (AML-CFT). This guide, which is part of efforts to raise public awareness about the risks of money laundering and terrorism financing, explains what money laundering and terrorism financing are, and presents the international standards in this area, as well as the system put in place in Morocco to comply with them.
Extremists: Their Words. Their Actions.
Fact:
On October 7, 2023, Hamas invaded southern Israel where, in the space of eight hours, hundreds of armed terrorists perpetrated mass crimes of brutality, rape, and torture against men, women and children. In the biggest attack on Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust, 1,200 were killed, and 251 were taken hostage into Gaza—where 101 remain. One year on, antisemitic incidents have increased by record numbers.
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