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United States
Reuters: Russia says US threats of military strikes against Iran are unacceptable
Russia said on Thursday that threats of military strikes against its ally Iran were unacceptable and warned that attacking the Islamic Republic could lead to potentially catastrophic results if nuclear installations were bombed. U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Sunday with bombing and secondary tariffs if Tehran did not come to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program, and the United States has moved additional warplanes into the region.
Jewish Insider: House hearing suggests bipartisan support for strikes on Iran if Tehran won’t end nuclear program
Lawmakers and witnesses on both sides of the aisle at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Tuesday appeared open to a deal to permanently end Iran’s nuclear program, but also sounded increasingly supportive of potential U.S. military strikes to prevent the regime from obtaining nuclear weapons. In comments directed at Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), the committee chairman, said, “President Trump will work with you to peacefully end your nuclear weapons and ballistic missile program or President Trump will destroy your nuclear weapons and ballistic missile program.”
New York Times: Trump’s Fight Against Antisemitism Has Become Fraught for Many Jews
Across the country, American Jews have watched with alarm or enthusiasm as an effort to address campus unrest over the war in Gaza has transformed into a campaign to deny elite universities billions of dollars in funding, to press major law firms into pro bono work on “antisemitism” and to deport foreign students even tangentially involved in the protests last spring. “We have to combat antisemitism as vigorously as we can,” said Matt Brooks, the chief executive of the Republican Jewish Coalition, adding that with President Trump in office, there is “a new sheriff in town.” The divisions mirror those that have long split Jewish communities and have grown deeper since the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, and the broad campus protests that followed Israel’s devastating response in Gaza.
New York Times: A Swastika, a Tesla and a Debate Over the Limits of Hate Crime Law
Many people would find it hard to imagine a more clear-cut example of a hate crime than vandalizing someone else’s property with a swastika, which has for almost a century been a terrifying and widely recognized symbol used to threaten Jews and other minorities. But given the rash of protests targeting the electric car company that have taken place nationwide, it appears clear that the vandals in New York City were using the swastikas to attack Elon Musk, the Tesla founder and a top adviser to President Trump — not to broadcast their own support of Nazism.
ABC 15 News: SC AG warns of disturbing teen trend linked to neo-Nazi, satanic cults
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has issued a stark warning to parents about a disturbing trend targeting children and teens in the state. Wilson urged parents to be vigilant, as many are unaware of the exploitation occurring among their children. The alarming trend, known as the 764 Movement, originated from an area code in Texas and has roots in various neo-Nazi and satanic cults. Wilson described it as "very disturbing." The movement involves teens coercing other teens and children as young as 8 years old to harm themselves on camera, sometimes leading to suicide.
Reuters: UC Berkeley antisemitism lawsuit can proceed, judge rules
A federal judge said Jewish groups may pursue a lawsuit accusing the University of California, Berkeley, of tolerating an "unrelenting" stream of antisemitic harassment toward Jewish students and faculty. In a decision made public on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge James Donato said two Jewish groups may pursue equal protection, free exercise of religion, and civil rights claims against school officials including University of California President Michael Drake and former UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ.
Fox News: Trump college crackdown: List of students detained amid antisemitism on campuses
Federal authorities have detained college students and professors at schools across the United States since the Trump administration began its crackdown on alleged Hamas sympathizers and those with expired visas. The administration is now facing legal challenges in at least two separate student detention cases, though that number will likely increase in the coming months. "They are not just random acts of law enforcement," national security and human rights lawyer Irina Tsukerman told Fox News Digital of the arrests. "They are part of a comprehensive domestic national security strategy that also involves investigation of universities for facilitating illegal activity, including acts of antisemitism and general violence, material support for terrorist organizations, and other violations that caused tremendous inconvenience, distress, and even terror to students, staffers, and the general population alike."
New York Times: A Gunman Returns to El Paso. So Does the Hateful Rhetoric That Inspired Him.
Five and a half years ago, Patrick Crusius, a 21-year-old with a documented history of mental illness, stopped at a Walmart in the border city of El Paso, heard everyone around him speaking in Spanish, and decided “the invasion” that then-President Donald J. Trump often spoke of was underway. Mr. Crusius’s rampage on Aug. 3, 2019, took the lives of 23 people, both U.S. citizens and Mexican nationals who had crossed the border to do some shopping, becoming the deadliest attack on Hispanic civilians in American history. His attorney, Joe Spencer, said on Tuesday in an interview ahead of his client’s sentencing hearing scheduled for April 21 for state charges that Mr. Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric was to blame. The president’s words, combined with “severe mental illness,” fueled Mr. Crusius’s hate, the lawyer said in his office in El Paso.
Canada
CBC: Neo-Nazi terror propagandist 'Dark Foreigner' guilty on all counts
An Ottawa man has been found guilty of sowing hate, fear and division by helping create racist recruitment videos and other terrorist propaganda for a now defunct far-right international terrorist group and a prominent neo-Nazi. Superior Court Justice Robert Smith found Patrick Gordon Macdonald guilty of the three charges he faced: participating in terrorist activity, facilitating terrorist activity, and inciting hate against Jews for one or more terrorist entities, including Atomwaffen Division and the neo-Nazi James Mason. Macdonald, 27, occasionally looked at the floor but otherwise showed no emotion during the judgment. His parents looked on from separate benches at the rear of the courtroom.
France
Reuters: Military confrontation seems inevitable if no new Iran nuclear deal, France says
France's foreign minister warned on Wednesday that if world powers were unable to quickly reach a new agreement with Iran over its contested nuclear programme then a military confrontation seemed "almost inevitable". peaking after President Emmanuel Macron convened a rare and undisclosed meeting of key ministers and experts on Wednesday to discuss the Iran dossier, Jean-Noel Barrot appeared to ramp up the pressure on Tehran. "The window of opportunity is narrow. We only have a few months until the expiration of this (2015) accord. In case of failure, a military confrontation would seem to be almost inevitable," Barrot told a parliamentary hearing.
BBC: Marine Le Pen's ban outraged France's far right - and they may well take revenge
Le Pen and her allies have boldly declared that France's institutions, and democracy itself, have been "executed", are "dead", or "violated". The country's justice system has been turned into a "political" hit squad, shamelessly intervening in a nation's right to choose its own leaders. And Marine Le Pen has been widely portrayed, with something close to certainty, as France's president-in-waiting, as the nation's most popular politician, cruelly robbed of her near-inevitable procession towards the Élysée Palace.
Agence France-Presse: Far-right leaders rally around France's Le Pen after poll ban
Prominent European far-right and nationalist figures as well as Donald Trump and Elon Musk on Monday rallied around Marine Le Pen after a French court sentenced her to a five-year ban on running for office. Le Pen was convicted over a scheme to take advantage of European Parliament expenses to employ assistants who were actually working for her far-right party in France. Le Pen as well as the other officials from her party were banned from running for office, with the judge specifying that the sanction should come into force with immediate effect even if an appeal is lodged.
Reuters: Judge who barred France's Le Pen gets police protection as Macron condemns threats
The judge who barred far-right leader Marine Le Pen from running in France's 2027 presidential election is under police protection after facing death threats and having her home address shared online, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said. The address of Benedicte de Perthuis - the head of a three-judge panel that found Le Pen guilty of embezzling EU funds and handed her a five-year ban on seeking public office - was shared online after she delivered her ruling on Monday, the source said. She is now receiving police protection at work and at home.
Germany
Daily Mail: Germany could BAN AfD candidates from running for office under proposed new rules - following decision in France to block Marine Le Pen's presidential bid
Germany could ban candidates of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party from running for office under proposed new rules following a decision in France to block Marine Le Pen's presidential bid. The centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) are currently holding coalition talks to build the incoming German government. The parties have proposed a law that would block those with 'multiple convictions of inciting to hatred' from standing in elections, according to a draft agreement between the parties seen by German newspaper Die Welt.
Yahoo! News: Leader of Germany's far-right, pro-Trump AfD criticizes US tariffs
The leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on Thursday called tariffs "poison for free trade," hours after US President Donald Trump announced sweeping customs duties. Alice Weidel, whose party courted support from Trump and his adviser Elon Musk in the run-up to the German election earlier this year, told dpa that the United States should be persuaded that an agreement on tariffs would be preferable to the unilateral duties.
Deutsche Welle: What is Germany doing to tackle the rise in violent crime?
Interior Minister Faeser said the legal system must take "tough action" against violent offenders, and highlighted Germany's introduction of a ban on knives at public events. "The knife bans we have introduced now apply to public events, festivals, public transport, and many other places — and can be checked and enforced without cause. Knives have no place in public," she said. Police chief Münch said the increase in violent crime was part of a trend, having now reached a record high. He also addressed the rise in violent crime among young people. "The sharp increase among children and adolescents is particularly striking. Continued stress as a result of the coronavirus measures is a possible driver of delinquency, especially among this age group. However, research is needed to better understand the causes of this development and to effectively counteract it." Measured against the proportion of the total population, the police recorded a four-times higher proportion of foreigners among suspects in violent crimes; across all crimes, this proportion was almost three times higher.
Schengen.News: Germany May Strip Dual Nationals of Citizenship Over Antisemitism
Germany could revoke the citizenship of “terror supporters, antisemites, and extremists” if they hold another nationality, new planning documents have revealed. As DW explains, a paper that was intended as a basis for the coalition agreement of the new German government suggested so. With the headline “Citizenship law” the paper said that the authorities are committed to reforming the current citizenship law, Schengen.News reports.
Morocco World News: Germany Moves to Deport Four Pro-Palestine Activists
Berlin’s immigration authorities have ordered four young foreign residents to leave Germany over accusation “antisemitism” and “support for terrorism” to due their participation in peaceful protests condemning Israel’s genocide in Gaza. The deportation orders are set to take effect in less than one month despite the four individuals – three EU citizens and an American – not having been convicted of any crime. The activists, who must leave Germany by April 21, issued a joint statement accusing the German officials of weaponizing immigration law in order to silence pro-Palestinian voices.
Romania
Romania Insider: New poll shows far-right candidate Simion wins first round but loses presidential elections in Romania
A survey conducted by MKOR shows that far-right candidate George Simion is leading in voting intentions for the presidential elections, with 31.2% of the votes cast. Still, he would lose the second round against two of his challengers: independent Nicuşor Dan and ruling coalition's candidate Crin Antonescu, according to the survey, presented by Bursa. According to the poll, Nicuşor Dan ranks second in the first round, with 22.7%, followed by Crin Antonescu, with 18.8%. Victor Ponta gets 17.1%, while Elena Lasconi is far behind, with 5.3%.
United Kingdom
The Telegraph: Terrorism suspect linked to 7/7 bombings set to be released from prison
A British terrorist linked to the 7/7 bombings is set to be freed despite remaining a “risk to national security”. Haroon Aswat, 50 – who was jailed for 20 years for plotting to form an extremist training camp – has been assessed by police as continuing to be a security risk. However, a High Court judge has ruled that he can be released from a secure hospital after completing treatment for mental ill-health.
Economic Times: Tory MP slams official UK report blaming Hindu extremists for Leicester riots, demands public presentation
UK MP Bob Blackman, who represents Tory, recently raised in the British Parliament an official report that tied local Hindu 'extremists' to the communal unrest that rocked Leicester in 2022. Excerpts from the controversial report were published on Sunday by the Daily Mail. Taking strong exception to the report, both in the parliament and on social media, Blackman demanded that the findings be made public so that they can be scrutinised and the "blame is put where it should be". He also pointed o ..
Times of Israel: Poll: Two-thirds of British Jews experience antisemitism at work
Nearly two-thirds of Jewish employees in the UK have encountered antisemitism in the workplace, according to a new survey published jointly by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Jewish Leadership Council, and Work Avenue. The survey of 427 Jewish employees, conducted at the end of 2024, found that 64 percent of respondents reported that they had experienced antisemitism at least occasionally.
LBC: 'Report your children to Prevent if they're watching misogynist videos online', police urge parents
A top anti-terror officer has urged parents to report their children to the anti-terror programme Prevent if they fear they're watching harmful, misogynistic content online, warning that it could lead them into extremism.
Sky News: Two men arrested in London over alleged Hezbollah links
Two men have been arrested in west London over alleged links to Hezbollah. One of the individuals, a 39-year-old man, was allegedly involved in preparations for an act of terrorism. He was arrested on 1 April and was also accused of being a member of a proscribed organisation and being involved in a funding arrangement for the purposes of terrorism. Police also arrested a 35-year-old man in west London on suspicion of being a member of a proscribed organisation.
Arab News: UK announces £1m fund to help track anti-Muslim hate crimes
The UK government on Wednesday announced £1 million in annual funding for a new service to monitor incidents of anti-Muslim hate and help victims. The Combatting Hatred Against Muslims Fund will help counter Islamophobia and ensure Muslim communities feel safe, the government said. The announcement comes as Muslims in Britain face a record number of Islamophobic incidents this year, according to police figures.
Russia
Reuters: US sanctions Russia-based network for helping Yemen‘s Houthis
The United States imposed sanctions on Wednesday on Russia-based people and entities working to help procure weapons and commodities - including stolen Ukrainian grain - for Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, the Treasury Department said. The operatives, who included Russia-based Afghan businessman Hushang Ghairat and his brother, Russia-based Afghan businessman Sohrab Ghairat, helped senior Houthi official Sa’id al-Jamal, procure millions of dollars’ worth of commodities from Russia for shipment to Houthi-controlled Yemen, Treasury said.
Gaza Strip
Times of Israel: Second Gaza clan accuses Hamas of killing a relative, during fight at food warehouse
A clan in the Gaza Strip has publicly accused Hamas of killing one of its members, marking the second such accusation in Gaza in less than a week. The allegation, which included a demand for justice, is a rare event in Hamas’s 18-year rule over the Gaza Strip. On Wednesday, an announcement from the Hassanein clan, based in Gaza City, was broadcast on the Saudi channel El-Shark, describing the alleged murder unfolding at a United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) warehouse in the city.
Jerusalem Post: Al Jazeera analyst calls on Hamas to deal with protesters, Fatah members as ‘traitors’
"Anyone who opposes or protests [Hamas] should be treated not as a political rival, but as a traitor," Saeed Ziyad, a political analyst who appears regularly on Al Jazeera wrote on his X/Twitter account on Wednesday. Such individuals must "be dealt with under the Palestinian revolutionary law,” he added.
Israel
Reuters: Hundreds of thousands flee as Israel seizes Rafah in new Gaza 'security zone'
Hundreds of thousands of fleeing Gazans sought shelter on Thursday in one of the biggest mass displacements of the war, as Israeli forces advanced into the ruins of the city of Rafah, part of a newly announced "security zone" they intend to seize. A day after declaring their intention to capture large swathes of the crowded enclave, Israeli force pushed into the city on Gaza's southern edge which had served as a last refuge for people fleeing other areas for much of the war.
Jerusalem Post: Israeli airstrikes in Syria meant to 'convey a message' to Turkey, source tells 'Post'
The recent airstrikes in Syria are to “convey a message to Turkey,” an Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday. “Do not establish a military base in the Syria and do not interfere with Israeli activity in the country's skies,” was the message according to the official. The strikes targeted the vicinity of Hama, as well as the scientific research building in the Syrian neighborhood Barzeh in the capital Damascus, the IDF confirmed on Wednesday. Israel spent years carrying out airstrikes on Syria during former President Bashar al-Assad's rule, targeting what they said were Iran-linked military installations and weapons transfers from Tehran intended for the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
Jerusalem Post: Katz: Duma village riots 'not defined as terrorism'
The torching of homes and vehicles carried out by Israelis in the Palestinian village of Duma in the West Bank on Tuesday cannot be defined as terrorism, Defense Minister Israel Katz told Army Radio reporter Doron Kadosh on Thursday. On Tuesday, the military said some 30 masked men, believed to be Jewish residents from the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council area, entered the village, torching property.
Ynet: Court indicts two Negev residents for incitement to terrorism, plotting attacks
The Southern District Attorney’s Office filed an indictment Thursday against two southern Israeli residents, ages 17 and 18, for incitement to terrorism and other offenses. The two were arrested in March by police and the Shin Bet. According to the indictment, from January 2024, the suspects operated public Instagram and TikTok accounts, repeatedly posting content praising terrorists, encouraging nationalist violence and attempting to incite young Bedouins to act against Israel in response to the war in Gaza.
Times of Israel: Security forces report 80% drop in Ramadan terror attacks, after West Bank crackdown
There was a significant decrease in terror attacks in the West Bank this Ramadan compared to last year, according to a joint statement released by IDF and Shin Bet on Wednesday. Ramadan 2024 saw 27 major attacks originating from the West Bank, while this year, only three occurred, marking an 80 percent drop, the statement said. The IDF and Shin Bet attributed this downturn to intensified security efforts and counterterrorism operations, particularly in the northern West Bank. The offensive, dubbed Operation Iron Wall, was launched on January 21.
Lebanon
Naharnet: Al-Rahi says disarming Hezbollah needs time, timing unsuitable for normalization
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi said Thursday that “the time has come for unifying arms Lebanon,” adding that “this is what was stipulated in the Taif Agreement.” “The army needs strengthening and world countries must support it, but the solution now is diplomatic, because we’re incapable of engaging in war and no one can confront Israel. When it had all its weapons, what did the resistance manage to do in the face of the Israeli war machine?” al-Rahi added, in a meeting with a delegation from the Press Editors Syndicate.
Naharnet: Report: Paris proposes French forces replace Israelis on 5 occupied hills
France has proposed a mediation aimed at replacing Israeli forces with peacekeepers from the French UNIFIL contingent on the five strategic hills Israel is still occupying in south Lebanon, sources told Al-Arabiya’s Al-Hadath television. “France backs Lebanon’s inclination to devise a timeframe for the handover of Hezbollah’s weapons,” the sources added.
Syria
Reuters: Israel strikes Syria military bases, infrastructure; kills armed militants
Israel launched airstrikes on military airbases and infrastructure sites in the Syrian cities of Damascus, Hama and Homs on Wednesday, the Israeli military said. The attack almost completely destroyed the Hama military airport and led to dozens of injuries among civilians and military personnel, the Syrian foreign ministry said in a statement. On Thursday, the Israeli military said it killed several armed militants during the overnight raid in the Tasil region of southern Syria. Israeli troops came under fire during the mission and responded with ground and aerial strikes. Israel and Syria have seen an increase in violence along the border after a new Islamist-led leadership was installed in Syria following Assad's ouster from power.
BBC: Syria condemns 'unjustified' Israeli strikes as tensions rise over Turkey
Syria has strongly condemned a fresh wave of Israeli strikes on airbases and other military sites overnight as an "unjustified escalation". The foreign ministry said the attacks almost destroyed Hama airbase and injured dozens of people. A monitoring group reported that four defence ministry personnel were killed. Israel's military said it hit "capabilities that remained" at the western Hama and central T4 airbases, along with military infrastructure in Damascus. It also said Israeli forces killed gunmen during a ground operation in Deraa province, where authorities put the death toll at nine. It came amid reports that Turkey was moving to station jets and air defences at Syrian airbases.
Iran
Newsweek: Iran Threatens Swift Response if U.S. Attacks
Iran's foreign minister warned that his country will respond swiftly to any attack and criticized the European Union for failing to "oppose the provocative rhetoric" of U.S. officials. Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. State Department, the European Union and Iran's foreign ministry for comment.
Bloomberg: How Close Is Iran to a Nuclear Weapon as Trump Pushes for a Deal?
Iran has faced suspicion for decades over its nuclear ambitions and whether it’s developing the capability to fire an atomic weapon. The country has been ramping up production of fissile material in recent years and would likely be able to produce the amount of enriched uranium needed for a bomb in less than a week. That step-up followed US President Donald Trump’s 2018 withdrawal from an international deal that had curbed Tehran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
Jewish News Syndicate: Iran has ‘several hundred’ missiles left in its arsenal
As U.S. President Donald Trump gives Iran a two-month ultimatum regarding its nuclear program and moves heavy stealth bombers into position to warn Tehran about the consequences of failing to reach a deal, it has increased its threats to fire missiles in response. Trump issued a stark warning to Tehran during an NBC News interview on March 30, saying, “If they don’t make a deal, there will be a bombing.”
Iran International: Iran’s foreign policy missteps carry high risk - Former diplomat
A former senior Iranian diplomat has warned that certain actors are actively working to prevent improved relations between Iran and the West, emphasizing the need for Tehran to maintain a balanced foreign policy with all global powers. Jalal Sadatian, who previously served as Iran’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, told the ILNA news website in Tehran: “It is important to recognize that there are serious enemies of Iran’s national interests who do not want to see improved relations with Europe and the United States.”
Yemen
Defence Blog: Houthis down another US MQ-9 over Yemen
Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have claimed the downing of another U.S. MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle over the Red Sea coastal city of Al-Hudaydah, marking the second such incident in less than three days. If confirmed, this brings the total number of U.S. MQ-9s lost in Yemen to 17.
Jerusalem Post. After two weeks of war, Houthis show no sign of surrender
The Houthis claim that they are continuing their attacks on US warships in the Red Sea. These claims come more than two weeks after the US began attacks on the Houthis on March 15. The US has demanded the Houthis stop attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis have not shown any interest in stopping their attacks. Instead, they increased attacks on Israel in the last two weeks, launching dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel. The question now is what comes next. The Houthis are not showing any signs of stopping. They are trying to put a brave face on their efforts. The reality is the Houthis do not have a huge arsenal, and they don’t seem to be able to damage US warships.
New Arab: Yemen’s Houthis say one killed in fresh strikes blamed on US
Yemen's Houthi rebels said fresh US air strikes on Wednesday killed one person in Hodeida province, after overnight air raids left four people dead in the same area. Anees Alasbahi, spokesman for the Houthis' health ministry, reported "one civilian martyr and one wounded" in the Red Sea port of Ras Issa, saying they were "victims of the US enemy's air force". Houthi-controlled media said strikes hit Ras Issa as well as the Iran-backed group's northern stronghold of Saada.
Associated Press: Suspected US airstrikes in Yemen kill at least 6 people, Houthi rebels say
Suspected U.S. airstrikes battered rebel-controlled areas of Yemen into Wednesday, with the Houthis saying the attacks killed at least six people across the country. Meanwhile, satellite images taken Wednesday and analyzed by The Associated Press show at least six stealth B-2 Spirit bombers now stationed at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean — a highly unusual deployment amid the Yemen campaign and tensions with Iran.
Technology
BuzzFeed: "Trends That Can Lead To The Alt-Right Pipeline": This Woman Is Calling Out Ways The Far Right Targets Women And Girls
Though it's largely known for going after young men, the alt-right targets women online, too, and you might be surprised by some of the ways this can happen. Recently, former social worker Jess Britvich (@jessbritvich) has been going viral on TikTok for calling out certain online trends for women that can lead to far-right indoctrination.
Coin Telegraph: US sanctions 8 crypto wallets tied to Garantex exchange and Yemeni Houthis
The US Treasury Department sanctioned eight cryptocurrency wallet addresses linked to Russian crypto exchange Garantex and the Yemeni political and military organization the Houthis. The United States Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned eight crypto addresses that data from blockchain forensic firms Chainalysis and TRM Labs had linked to the organizations. Two are deposit addresses at major crypto platforms, while the other six are privately controlled.
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