New York Times: While Calm Reigns in Damascus, Battles in Syria’s Northeast Rage On
In the Syrian capital, Damascus, the country’s new leader has hosted a national unity conference and welcomed foreign dignitaries as crowds gather at cafes, speaking out freely for the first time in decades. But 400 miles away in northeastern Syria, a region beyond the control of the Damascus government, battles that have been going on for years are still raging. Drones buzz overhead day and night while airstrikes and artillery fire have forced thousands to flee their homes. The fight there pits two opposing militias against each other — the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, backed by the United States, and a predominantly Syrian Arab militia supported by Turkey. And the battle has only intensified since Islamist rebels ousted Syria’s longtime dictator, Bashar al-Assad, in early December.
The Guardian: Five jailed for far-right plot to overthrow German government
A German court has jailed five members of an extremist group linked to the Reichsbürger (Reich Citizens) movement for plotting a coup and to kidnap the health minister. The defendants, four men, aged 46 to 58, and a 77-year-old woman, who belonged to the self-styled “United Patriots” group, were sentenced to between five years and nine months and eight years’ jail by the Koblenz higher regional court on Thursday. A fifth defendant received a sentence of two years and 10 months, the German news agency dpa reported. It was one of several trials targeting the wider far-right movement, whose members adhere to conspiracy theories and reject the legitimacy of the modern German state.
CNN: Trump says US has apprehended ‘top terrorist’ responsible for 2021 Kabul airport bombing
President Donald Trump announced Tuesday evening that the US has apprehended a “top terrorist” involved in the 2021 bombing at Kabul airport’s Abbey Gate in Afghanistan where 13 US service members and at least 170 Afghan civilians were killed. Mohammad Sharifullah, who was allegedly involved in the planning of the bombing during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, was charged with providing and conspiring to provide material support for terrorism. He arrived in the US on Wednesday, according to a source familiar with the operation.“ Tonight, I am pleased to announce that we have just apprehended the top terrorist responsible for that atrocity, and he is right now on his way here to face the swift sword of American justice,” Trump said in his joint address to Congress.
Reuters: US reviews Columbia University contracts, grants over antisemitism allegations
The administration of President Donald Trump said on Monday it will review Columbia University's federal contracts and grants over allegations of antisemitism, which it says the educational institution has shown inaction in tackling. Rights advocates note rising antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias since U.S. ally Israel's devastating military assault on Gaza began after Palestinian Hamas militants' deadly October 2023 attack. The Justice Department said a month ago it formed a task force to fight antisemitism. The U.S. Departments of Health and Education and the General Services Administration jointly made the review announcement. "The Federal Government's Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is considering Stop Work Orders for $51.4 million in contracts between Columbia University and the Federal Government," the joint statement said.
Jerusalem Post: Yale Law suspends scholar over alleged terror ties and antisemitic claims
Yale Law School has put Helyeh Doutaghi, an Associate Research Scholar, on "immediate administrative leave" shortly after publications revealed her alleged ties to the Samidoun Network, an organization designated as a terrorist by the US, Canada and Israel, and banned by Germany and the Dutch parliament.
Times of Israel: US judge rules crypto lawsuit seeking billions for Oct. 7 victims can move forward
A judge in a New York court ruled last week that a lawsuit filed by American terror victims against the cryptocurrency company Binance can move forward, in a case the plaintiffs’ legal team hopes will secure billions for victims of the October 7, 2023, Hamas invasion of Israel and stymie funding for terror groups.
Dramatic video obtained by NewsChannel 5 shows why a Canadian neo-Nazi now faces new charges for an assault back in July on the streets of Nashville. That video, captured by a group of neo-Nazis themselves, led to new charges being filed last month against Ryan McCann. The 30-year-old Ontario man already faced an aggravated assault charge stemming from his confrontation with a Nashville bartender.
Business Insider: How neo-Nazism actually works, according to a former white supremacist
Arno Michaelis is a former white nationalist skinhead, lead singer of the neo-Nazi metal band Centurion, and member of Hammerskin Nation, one of the most violent white supremacist gangs in the US. From 1987 to 1994, Michaelis played a central role in spreading neo-Nazi ideology through music, street violence, and recruitment efforts across the United States and beyond. His band sold over 20,000 copies of its white supremacist albums within six months. Michaelis provides a rare look inside the world of violent extremism, detailing how white nationalist groups recruit young men, fund their operations, and use propaganda to radicalize followers.
Kingsley Wilson, appointed in January to be deputy press secretary at the Pentagon, last year tweeted a neo-Nazi talking point about Jewish lynching victim Leo Frank. The post came amid a flood of far-right social media content by the Trump administration appointee, who previously worked at an organization founded by the architect of Project 2025, the Christian conservative blueprint for a Trump White House. Many of Wilson’s posts, which remain online, reflect antisemitic conspiracy theories.
The State Department has revoked the visa of a student who participated in protesting in favor of Hamas, a move in line with President Donald Trump's call for canceling visas of students involved in the anti-Israel demonstrations on college campuses.
Jerusalem Post: Munich reopens investigations into 1970 arson attack that killed seven Jews
The Munich Public Prosecutor's Office reopened investigations into an arson attack on a Jewish retirement home in Munich, which caused the deaths of seven residents in February 1970, Bild reported last week, citing public officials. Senior Public Prosecutor Andreas Franch told the German media outlet, "On January 31, 2025, the Munich Public Prosecutor's Office initiated an investigation into the arson attack on the Israelite Religious Community's nursing home."
Deutsche Welle: 'Tsunami of antisemitism' on German campuses, report finds
On Thursday, the German Union of Jewish Students (JSUD) and the American Jewish Committee Berlin (AJC) presented a "Situation Report on Antisemitism at German Universities." Outgoing JSUD president Hanna Veiler, 27, spoke of a "tsunami of antisemitism" in the university environment, outlining a chronology of incidents including the brutal attack on Shapira, along with numerous university occupations and "so-called pro-Palestinian protest camps" where people have called for Israel to be wiped off the map.
B.Z.: Terror trial in Berlin - Was Hamas planning an attack on Tempelhof Field?
2nd day of trial against four alleged Hamas foreign operatives: Ibrahim El-R. (41, ran an Italian restaurant in Berlin-Kreuzberg), Mohamed B. (34, Uber driver in Berlin), Abdelhamid Al-A. (46, lived in Sicily) and Nazih R. (57, geriatric nurse in Holland). They are accused of membership of a terrorist organization abroad. According to the indictment, they were to prepare weapons deposited in Poland, Denmark and Bulgaria for use in connection with the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. All of them come from Lebanon. The defendants remain silent. The first witness is an investigator (60) from the Federal Criminal Police Office. What Hamas has in its sights: "In Germany, the Israeli embassy and Tempelhofer Feld in Berlin, the US airbase at Ramstein in Rhineland-Palatinate. In Sweden, Malmö, where the ESC took place at the time. Six coordinates point to weapons depots in Poland." Another is said to have been set up on a farm in Denmark. The investigators found what they were looking for in Bulgaria: "The weapons were rusty but functional," said the investigator.
Canadian Press: Federal government announces $10M to fund programs to counter antisemitism
The federal government is putting an additional $10 million into a program aimed at helping community groups counter violent extremism and antisemitism. Official Languages Minister Rachel Bendayan told the National Forum on Combatting Antisemitism on Thursday that the money will go toward the Community Resilience Fund. She said the money will help fund security services at grassroots organizations and help their staff better understand the early warning signs of extremism.
In one of his final expected public appearances as prime minister, Justin Trudeau cautioned that “warning lights are flashing red,” as he described the rising wave of antisemitism, and Holocaust denial in Canada since the Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. “What we, what you, are experiencing is not normal. Antisemites singing the praises of Hamas and Hezbollah while waving their flags in the streets of our cities is not normal,” Trudeau told the National Forum on Combating Antisemitism, a one-day summit organized by the federal Liberals on March 6.
Reuters: Turkey continues operations on PKK in Iraq, Syria despite Ocalan call
Turkey's armed forces have killed 26 Kurdish militants in Iraq and Syria in the week since jailed militant leader Abdullah Ocalan's disarmament call, the defence ministry said on Thursday. Ocalan last week called on his outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to lay down its arms and dissolve, and the militant group declared an immediate ceasefire on Saturday." The Turkish Armed Forces will continue its operations and search-scanning activities in the region for the survival and security of our country," the defence ministry said in a statement. The ministry said the PKK militants had been "neutralised" in Iraq and Syria, without specifying where the incidents took place. The ministry's use of the term "neutralised" commonly means killed.
Kurdistan 24: Turkish Presidency: We Will Not Allow the Peace Process to Be Undermined
The Turkish presidency has reaffirmed its commitment to the peace process, warning against any attempts to derail ongoing efforts for a resolution. Head of the Relation in the Turkish Presidency Fahrettin Altun stated that despite obstacles, the process has reached a critical stage and must be supported to achieve a Turkey free from terrorism.
Reuters: British neo-Nazis planned attack as part of 'race war', prosecutors say
Three British right-wing extremists planned to collect an arsenal of weapons, including a 3D-printed gun, and carry out an attack as part of a "race war", prosecutors said at the start of their trial on Wednesday. Brogan Stewart and Marco Pitzettu, both 25, and Christopher Ringrose, 34, are alleged to have been preparing an act of terrorism, targeting mosques or synagogues, when they were arrested in February 2024. The trio are also each charged with two counts of collecting information which may be useful to someone preparing an act of terrorism, while Ringrose is charged with manufacturing a component for a 3D-printed FGC9 firearm.
Times of Israel: Hamas releases first video showing hostage soldier Matan Angrest
The Hamas terror group has published a first propaganda video of hostage soldier Matan Angrest. In the video, Angrest says he has been held for 511 days, indicating it was likely filmed last week. He calls on the Israeli government, US President Donald Trump and the leaders of the Israeli military to secure his release.
CNN: Hamas says ready to maintain direct talks with US but accuses Trump of double standards
A senior Hamas figure in Gaza has accused US President Donald Trump of “blatant double standards” in his demand for the immediate release of hostages still held in Gaza – but told CNN that Hamas’ direct meetings with US officials “aim to achieve stability in the region.”
Reuters: Hamas says Trump's threats spur Netanyahu to evade Gaza ceasefire deal
Hamas said on Thursday U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated threats against Palestinians constituted support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to back out of the Gaza ceasefire and intensify the siege of Gazans.
CBS: U.S., Israel reject Gaza reconstruction plan backed by Arab nations
Arab nations, led by Egypt, that have strongly rejected President Trump's proposal for the U.S. to "take over" the Gaza Strip and displace its more than 2 million Palestinian residents so the enclave can be turned into a luxury real estate development have offered an alternative plan. Leaders from the 22-nation Arab League attended a summit in Cairo Tuesday and unanimously adopted the Egyptian proposal, which does not foresee any of Gaza's residents being forced to leave during reconstruction.
An alleged threat of mass violence against a Sydney mosque did not contravene Instagram owner Meta's community guidelines, despite Australian police charging a teenager over the incident.
Australian Associated Press: Terror threat up as anti-Semitism, Islamophobia surge
Australians are at greater risk of lone-wolf terrorism, as the war in Gaza fuels a surge in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia around the world. The risk of a terrorist attack on home soil has increased, according the annual Global Terrorism Index.
New York Times: At Least 70 Killed as Syria’s Security Forces Clash With Assad Loyalists
At least 70 people were killed and dozens wounded in overnight clashes between the new authorities in Syria and gunmen loyal to the ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad, a war monitor said on Friday, in the bloodiest skirmishes since the collapse of the Assad government.
Financial Times: The secret history of Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa
When Sharaa officially proclaimed himself president of the new Syria this year, it was the culmination of a campaign that had led him from the prison cells of Abu Ghraib in Iraq to the mountains of north-western Syria. Over the years, Sharaa had gone by several aliases and titles — commander, sheikh, brother. Until recently, he had styled himself al-Fatih Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, a nom de guerre reflecting his family’s origins as well as his ambition (al-Fatih means “the conqueror”). The Islamist rebel group he has led since 2011, once an al-Qaeda affiliate, was known as Nusra before moderating and becoming Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS.
Wall Street Journal: Israel Sees Growing Threat in Islamists Trying to Unify Syria
In recent days, Israel’s military has targeted more military sites in new areas of southern Syria to keep weapons out of the new government’s hands. Israel said Tuesday it would spend more than $1 billion to assist the Druze in northern Israel, in what security analysts said was a move to coax the minority group to help persuade Syrian Druze to reject the new government. And Israel is lobbying world powers around the idea of making the new state emerging in Syria a federal system of autonomous ethnic regions, with the southern border areas by Israel demilitarized—an idea the Damascus government has rejected.
Reuters: Trump says he sent letter to Iranian leader to negotiate deal
U.S. President Donald Trump said he wants to negotiate a nuclear weapons program deal with Iran and sent a letter to Iran on Wednesday saying he hoped they would negotiate.
Associated Press: Iran summons British envoy over ‘baseless’ allegations of interference
Iran’s foreign ministry summoned the British ambassador over what it described as “baseless” accusations by U.K. officials against the government, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency said Friday.
Time: What the New Houthi Terrorist Designation Means for Yemen
When the U.S. returned Yemen’s Houthi movement to its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on Mar. 4, the decision not only reversed the Biden Administration policy—it also reignited debates over U.S. strategy in Yemen’s decade-long civil war and its humanitarian fallout. The Houthis have attacked Red Sea shipping and launched missiles toward both Israel and Saudi Arabia. But critics argue the terrorist designation—which carries penalties for doing business with the faction—could exacerbate an already dire situation where millions of civilians rely on aid to survive.
Newsweek: Houthis React to U.S. Sanctions
A senior member of the Iran-backed Houthi militant group, Ansar Allah, has responded after the United States took new measures against it, saying its operations against shipping in the Red Sea are a legitimate response to Israel blocking aid to Gaza. Mohamed Ali Al-Houthi, a member of the Houthi-aligned Supreme Political Council, faces new sanctions imposed by the U.S. Department of Treasury on Wednesday, along with six other group leaders and high-ranking members on the grounds of smuggling arms and military equipment into Yemen.
BBC: In their own words: Spend a day with Afghan women living under Taliban rule
The BBC spent the day with women across Afghanistan to understand what life is like under the Taliban government since it took power in 2021.
Iran International: Iraq’s Iran-backed PMF militia fears terrorist label by the US
Leaders of Iraq’s Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) fear the US may designate their group as a terrorist organization, following Washington’s reclassification of Yemen’s Houthi militia, a Kuwaiti daily reported Wednesday. Fear over a potential designation prompted emergency meetings among Iraqi officials, including Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani and PMF leaders, Al Seyassah reported.
Times Now: Pakistan, Home To Hafiz Saeed's LeT, Recorded Over 1,000 Terrorism Deaths In 2024
Pakistan is facing a growing threat of home-grown militancy, with the country recording the second-largest increase in terrorism deaths globally in 2024. The steep rise - 45 per cent increase - was largedly attributed to homegrown Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan.As per the Global Terrorism Index 2025, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan is among the four terrorist groups responsible for the most deaths globally in 2024. The other three are Islamic State (IS), Jamaat Nusrat Al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) and al-Shabaab.
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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