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Analysis
Observer Research Foundation: Between Jihad and Geopolitics: Syria and Afghanistan’s Fragile Balancing Acts
Over the past decade, al-Sharaa has become the second leader with a jihadist background to take over a major state. While the US and Europe have, by design, pushed Afghanistan into the annals of their fractious political history, the fact remains that even after nearly 20-years of war that brewed in Afghanistan, Washington and its allies have thus far, only managed to replace the Taliban of Mullah Omar with a newer Taliban of the now in power emir Hibatullah Akhundzada.
Government of Canada: 2025 Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risks in Canada
The 2025 Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risks in Canada is a comprehensive assessment of the most pressing money laundering and terrorist financing threats and vulnerabilities in Canada. It assesses inherent risks and discusses the mitigation measures put in place to respond to them. Findings are informed through consultations with federal government authorities and external stakeholders, including provincial and territorial governments, the private sector, non-profit organizations, and international partners.
Homeland Security Today: The Novel Threat of Nihilistic Violent Extremism Online
Nihilistic Violent Extremism (NVE) consists of individuals who want to enact a variety of targeted violence, including grooming minors towards violence and sexual exploitation, as previously reported in HSToday. The DOJ has remarked that NVE networks “seeks to destroy civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations“ and has a goal of pursuing the “downfall of…the US Government.” Given the scope and online nature of NVE, some scholars and organizations have advocated for considering tech companies as first line practitioners in the fight to prevent targeted violence that originates online. However, there is currently not enough consideration of what that means in terms of implementation. This article examines the connection between tech and prevention frameworks for NVE with the goal of moving this conversation forward.
United States
New York Times: Trump Claims the Power to Summarily Kill Suspected Drug Smugglers
Because killing people is so extreme — and doing it without due process risks killing the wrong people by mistake — the question of which rules apply is not simply a matter of policy choice. Domestic and international law both set standards constraining when presidents and nations can lawfully use wartime force. After breaking new ground by labeling drug cartels as “terrorists,” the president is now redefining the peacetime criminal problem of drug trafficking as an armed conflict, and telling the U.S. military to treat even suspected low-level drug smugglers as combatants.
NPR: The U.S. is designating Ecuador's largest gangs as terrorists
The United States will designate two of Ecuador's most powerful gangs — Los Lobos and Los Choneros — as foreign terrorist organizations, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced during a one day visit to the South American country on Thursday.
College Fix: House committee probes numerous allegations of antisemitism at three top med schools
Three top medical schools are under investigation by the Republican-led House Education and Workforce Committee for numerous allegations of antisemitism. Committee Chairman Tim Walberg recently sent memos to the medical schools at the University of Illinois, University of California San Francisco, and University of California Los Angeles, demanding all documents and communications regarding antisemitic complaints fielded by the universities in recent years.
Associated Press: Northwestern University president says he will resign following tenure marked by White House tension
Northwestern University President Michael Schill said Thursday that he will resign, ending a three-year tenure marked by the freeze of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding by the Trump administration and heated criticism from House Republicans over the university’s response to campus protests.
Fox News: Exclusive video reveals Gaza boy, said to be killed by IDF, is alive
A young Gazan boy dubbed "Amir," who traveled to a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution site and was reported as having been killed by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in May, has been found alive and was hiding out with his mother.
Jewish Insider: Ro Khanna to appear at conference featuring pro-terrorism, antisemitic speakers
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) is set to speak later this month at ArabCon, an annual convention hosted by the Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, joining a lineup that includes numerous speakers with records of support for terrorism and antisemitism.
Jewish Insider: Columbia’s new school year starts quietly, but antisemitism still present
The first day of the new school year on Tuesday at Columbia University was met with a wary sense of relief from Jewish students and faculty, who returned to campus unsure whether recent reforms aimed at combating campus antisemitism would make any difference.
WBFF Community members debate 'antisemitism' definition amid Baltimore Schools investigation
As the U.S. Department of Education investigates a complaint by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) surrounding allegations of antisemitism in Baltimore City Schools, community members spoke out against the complaint during Wednesday night's School Board meeting. "We must denounce antisemitism full stop. At the same time, I am deeply disturbed by the ADL complaint against city schools," said Khadim Baluch, an educator with the school system.
CBS News: Antisemitic graffiti spray painted on Vernon Hills, Illinois synagogue
Police are investigating after antisemitic graffiti was spray painted on a synagogue in Vernon Hills, Illinois. Village officials said police responded to Congregation Or Shalom Tuesday morning after the graffiti was discovered. Officials said they believe it was painted at about 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 31.
The Hill: Trump’s strike on ‘narco-terrorist’ boat enters murky legal waters
The Trump administration has offered few details about a U.S. military strike on a boat in the Caribbean Sea that it has asserted killed 11 Venezuelan drug traffickers, fueling questions as to whether it violated maritime law or human rights conventions.
New York Post: Oh mama! Qatar bankrolled over a decade worth of films directed by Zohran Mamdani’s mom
Hamas-backing Qatar has bankrolled film and stage projects by socialist Zohran Mamdani’s Israel-bashing movie-director mom — and one of its royals is now pushing her son’s mayoral bid, The Post has found. Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani, sister to the ruling emir, and the state-funded cultural institutions she controls, have supported Mira Nair and her creative projects since at least 2009, even extending a personal invitation to participate in the cultural program the country organized as part of the festivities around hosting the 2022 World Cup.
Venezuela
Latin Times: Nicolas Maduro Claims Venezuela Is 'Standing On The Front Lines' Against 'Nazi-Extremists' Following U.S: Attack On Vessel That Killed 11
Venezuela's authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro said the regime he leads is "standing on the front lines" against "Nazi extremist movements" coming from the north, a reference to escalating tensions with the United States. "It's a Nazi extremist movement seeking to undermine peace in South America. They intend to continue attacking people's rights around the world," Maduro said.
Belgium
The Times: Belgium tests ECHR with plan to deport terrorist
Belgium is set to deport a convicted terrorist to his native Tunisia in what will be a test of the country’s sovereignty in the face of the European Court of Human Rights. Nizar Trabelsi, 55, a Tunisian citizen who was trained by al-Qaeda and jailed on terrorism charges, is being held in a detention centre for illegal migrants while the Belgian authorities prepare to deport him.
Germany
The Insider: German security services launch campaign against Russian recruitment of “disposable agents”
Germany’s security services have launched a campaign titled called “Don’t Become a Disposable Agent” (“Kein Wegwerf-Agent werden”) as part of an effort to warn citizens about attempts by Russian intelligence to recruit collaborators through social media. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) has announced that Russian intelligence services use messaging apps and social networks to find individuals who are willing to carry out espionage and sabotage operations in Germany, according to a report by Tagesschau.
Reuters: Suspect shot during arrest after stabbing at German school, police say
A suspect in the stabbing of a teacher at a school in the city of Essen has been injured by gunfire during his arrest, German police said on X on Friday. The suspect, who is now receiving medical care, had been at large after a teacher was injured and brought to hospital in a stabbing at the vocational college, police said.
ARD: Knife attack on teacher at vocational college in Essen
The police are currently deploying heavily armed special forces at a vocational college in Essen. A helicopter has also been circling over the school. A 17-year-old is said to have attacked and seriously injured a teacher here on Friday morning. According to the Essen police, the suspect is a 17-year-old Kosovar. He fled to a park near the main train station. There he ran towards police officers with a knife and the special forces then fired. The injured suspect is receiving medical treatment. The police have not yet confirmed reports that the suspect was a schoolboy.
United Kingdom
BBC: Four men arrested in terror plot investigation
Four men have been arrested at addresses across West Yorkshire and the Midlands on suspicion of terrorism offences, police have said. The suspects, who are aged 31, 33, 34 and 49, were all taken to local police stations for questioning on Friday.
Afghanistan
Amu: Female writers say Taliban restrictions have silenced their work
Several women who are writers and poets in northern Afghanistan say they have faced severe restrictions on their creative expression since the Taliban returned to power four years ago. Many say they are no longer allowed to publish their work or participate in cultural events, including poetry readings and literary gatherings. Despite the constraints, some continue to write in private and are calling for support to keep their voices alive.
Egypt
Reuters: Egypt vows to block Palestinian displacement, hardens rhetoric on Gaza
Egypt said on Friday it would not tolerate mass displacement of Palestinians and what it described as genocide, continuing to ratchet up its criticism of Israel's Gaza offensive as thousands of residents of Gaza City defied Israeli orders to leave. "Displacement is not an option and it is a red line for Egypt and we will not allow it to happen," Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told reporters in Nicosia.
Gaza Strip
New York Times: Why Hamas Refuses to Give Up
Since the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which ignited the war in Gaza, the group’s leaders have acknowledged that the resulting Israeli counterattack has caused enormous destruction. But they have said it is a “price” Palestinians must pay for their ultimate freedom. In interviews, some Hamas leaders have said that the group’s calculation was less about defeating Israel on the battlefield, and more about drawing the government into an intractable conflict, one that isolates it diplomatically and undermines its international support. Eventually, they say, Israel will be compelled to realize that its policies toward Palestinians are not sustainable.
Jerusalem Post: Abu Obeida: A Goebbels-esque propagandist who tricked the world
Foreign press coverage of Abu Obeida’s assassination downplayed him as a mere Hamas spokesman. They know he was so much more than that. Abu Obeida was the icon of Hamas and the entire international effort to destroy the State of Israel. His speeches were treated like direct instructions to the Gazan masses. Brainwashed children throughout the Middle East idolized him. And the international media parroted his every word as if it were as gospel from Jesus.
Times of Israel: IDF confirms strike on Gaza City high-rise that it says housed Hamas infrastructure
The IDF confirms that it struck a high-rise building in Gaza City earlier today, following reports from media in Gaza that the Al-Mushtaha tower was hit three times. According to the military, the building was being used by Hamas as operational infrastructure, including underground facilities beneath the tower that were utilized to plan attacks, stage ambushes against IDF forces and provide escape routes for terror operatives.
Iran
Iran International: Iran seeking new routes to send money to Hezbollah - Asharq Al-Awsat
Iran has sought new ways to move cash to Hezbollah, including a request to Baghdad for unusual access at a western border crossing with Syria, Asharq Al-Awsat reported on Thursday. An unnamed senior Iraqi official told the paper he “did not respond to the Iranian message because of political and security complications.” The report said Iranian networks of smugglers in Syria and Lebanon have recently stepped up attempts to deliver funds despite tighter monitoring.
Iran International: Iran deputy FM denies saying fresh conflict with Israel highly likely
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh has denied reports quoting him as saying the likelihood of fresh conflict with Israel was “very high,” the ISNA news agency reported on Friday. Some outlets, including IRGC-affiliated Tasnim, had cited Khatibzadeh as making the remark during a visit to Baghdad. He told ISNA he did not use that phrasing in his interview.
Iran International: Spies and slogans: Iran’s infiltration debate turns against radicals
The postwar debate over Israeli infiltration of Iran’s security and political system has added another layer to contentions in Tehran, with warnings and accusations directed at some hard-liners and radical insiders. Concerns have intensified as politicians on both sides beat the drums of a possible new war following the activation of the trigger mechanism by European powers which could reimpose international sanctions by month's end.
Jewish News Syndicate: Iran downgrades ties with Australia over antisemitic arson attacks
Tehran downgraded diplomatic ties with Australia on Thursday, a week after Canberra expelled its ambassador over accusations that the Islamic Republic was behind two antisemitic arson attacks in the cities of Sydney and Melbourne.
Iraq
ANHA: Iraqi Intelligence arrests three ISIS mercenaries in Anbar
The Iraqi Military Intelligence Directorate announced today the arrest of three ISIS militants in Anbar. In a statement, the directorate said that as part of its ongoing strategy to intensify intelligence efforts, eliminate terrorism, and cut off its sources, the 7th Infantry Division’s Military Intelligence Directorate carried out several specialized operations in coordination with security agencies within the division’s area of responsibility.
Israel
Wall Street Journal: Three Big Lies About the Israel-Hamas War
Foolish notions about Israel are being repeated morning and night. Relayed by high international authorities. Validated by respectable organizations, among them Action Against Hunger, which I helped found. They are echoed by one of my friends, the Israeli author David Grossman, who 30 years ago helped me launch La Règle du Jeu, a journal that supports every struggle for freedom. Yet they remain foolish notions.
Times of Israel: Hamas publishes video of hostages Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Alon Ohel ahead of Gaza City op
The Hamas terror group on Friday released a propaganda video showing hostages Alon Ohel and Guy Gilboa-Dalal, who have spent 700 days in the terror group’s captivity since their abduction on October 7, 2023. The video was released as a major new Israeli offensive looms in Gaza City — where Gilboa-Dalal says in the clip that he is located. Defense officials have warned that the takeover operation will put the hostages at greater danger, and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum on Friday urged the government to secure a deal for the captives’ release rather than go forward with the new campaign.
Times of Israel: IDF says it already controls 40% of Gaza City ahead of main offensive
The Israeli military said on Thursday it was in control of some 40 percent of Gaza City, the largest urban center in the Palestinian territory, which it is preparing to conquer after nearly two years of devastating war. Israel has intensified in recent days its strikes in the area of Gaza City, in the territory’s north, ahead of the planned offensive, despite mounting international pressure to halt the campaign. Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defense agency said Israeli strikes on Thursday killed more than 30 people in the city, out of at least 64 Palestinians killed across the Gaza Strip.
Lebanon
Naharnet: Shiite ministers walk out of cabinet session as army chief joins it
All five Shiite ministers walked out of a key cabinet session on Friday as Army Commander General Joseph Haykal joined it to present the army’s plan for monopolizing arms in the country. The ministers of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement withdrew from the session and were followed by independent Shiite minister Fadi Makki. Hezbollah and Amal's four ministers later left the Baabda Palace as Makki stayed at its premises. TV networks meanwhile said that Makki "put his resignation at the disposal of President Joseph Aoun."
Naharnet: Army plan does not include timeline, report says
The plan that the army will present in today's cabinet session does not include a timetable, LBCI reported Friday. "The army cannot commit to a fixed deadline as the implementation of the plan depends on logistics, operational resources, and the situation on the ground," the TV channel said, adding that its sources have refuted a report (published Wednesday in ad-Diyar) claiming that Hezbollah's disarmament would start from Beirut.
Naharnet: US officials warn Lebanon inaction on Hezbollah may push Israel to 'finish the job'
Lebanon’s leaders are running out of time to disarm Hezbollah before they risk losing U.S. and Gulf Arab financial support, and even a renewed Israeli military campaign, the New York Times quoted U.S. officials as saying, ahead of a key cabinet meeting in Beirut on Friday.
Turkey
The Jerusalem Strategic Tribune: Turkey’s Quiet Relationship with ISIS
Turkey had already forged ties with al-Qa’ida’s branch in Syria, Jabhat al-Nusra, as detailed earlier in this series of reports. Turkey permitted al-Nusra fighters to stage attacks from Turkish territory, including from the Hatay province in spring 2014. Al-Nusra later acknowledged that Turkey had done them a “big favor.” Unlike the Free Syrian Army, which Ankara had once fostered but which soon collapsed under corruption and infighting, al-Nusra was effective, capable of seizing and holding territory, including parts of Aleppo.
Yemen
Foreign Policy: How Israel’s Strikes on the Houthis Will Change Yemen
It is easy to make something grand out of Israel’s strikes on the Houthis’ militia leadership in Sanaa. After all, a position such as “prime minister” might sound like the pinnacle of power, and the deaths of a dozen cabinet members could appear to be a devastating decapitation. However, the so-called Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and his cabinet—Houthi appointees behind a government façade—made their presence felt in the public arena, shaking hands with loyalists and negotiating with international agencies.
Congo
Reuters: M23, Congolese forces may have committed war crimes in Congo, UN rights report finds
The Rwandan-backed rebel group M23, Congolese armed forces and other armed groups have committed serious rights violations in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, some of which may amount to war crimes, the U.N. Human Rights Office said on Friday. M23, Congolese armed forces and other groups have been responsible for gross violations of international humanitarian law since late last year when fighting began in North and South Kivu, a new report by the U.N. Human Rights Office's Fact-Finding Mission said. "The atrocities described in this report are horrific," said U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk in a statement, calling for accountability for victims.
Sudan
Reuters: Sudan's RSF committed crimes against humanity in al-Fashir, UN mission says
Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have committed multiple crimes against humanity during the siege of al-Fashir in the western Darfur region, a U.N.-mandated mission said on Friday. Those come on top of atrocities by both the RSF and its enemy, Sudan's army, in a broader civil war now in its third year, the mission said in a report that strengthened earlier findings.
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