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January 17, 2025 at 2:30 PM

Many Syrians Want Justice For Regime Crimes. Others Want Revenge.

“Bashar Abdo had just returned home last month after four years in the Syrian military when a mob of neighbors and others armed with guns and knives swarmed his family’s front door and accused him of being a thug for the ousted regime. His sisters and sister-in-law tried to block the crowd as he hid…

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January 16, 2025 at 2:30 PM

Israel, Hamas Reach Ceasefire Deal To End 15 Months Of War In Gaza

“Hamas and Israel reached a deal for a ceasefire in Gaza that mediators said would take effect on Sunday and include a release of hostages held there during 15 months of bloodshed that devastated the Palestinian enclave and inflamed the Middle East. The complex phased accord outlines a six-week init…

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January 15, 2025 at 2:30 PM

A Look At The Terms — And Tensions — In The Israel-Hamas Draft Ceasefire Deal

“If the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal goes according to the current draft, then fighting will stop in Gaza for 42 days, and dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be freed. In this first phase Israeli troops will pull back to the edges of Gaza, and many Palestinians will…

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January 14, 2025 at 6:45 PM

Extremist Content Online: ISIS Propaganda Allegedly Helped Inspire New Orleans Attacker

The Counter Extremism Project’s (CEP) weekly report on the methods used by extremists and terrorist groups on the Internet to spread propaganda and incite violence returns. Last week, ISIS’s al-Naba newsletter, over a week after the attack, claimed that the terrorist group’s propaganda had inspired …

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January 14, 2025 at 2:30 PM

Hamas Has Accepted A Draft Agreement For A Gaza Ceasefire And The Release Of Hostages, Officials Say

“Hamas has accepted a draft agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages, two officials involved in the talks said Tuesday. Mediator Qatar said the negotiations were at the “closest point” yet to sealing a deal. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the propose…

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January 13, 2025 at 3:31 PM

This Part Of Mozambique Was Like Paradise. Now It’s A Terrorist Hotbed.

“In October, we traveled to the Cabo Delgado Province in northern Mozambique to understand how terrorists who claim an affiliation with the Islamic State have gained a foothold and wreaked havoc on Muslims and Christians alike. Officials in the region and in the West say they are deeply concerned th…

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January 10, 2025 at 2:45 PM

Arab States Race Turkey For Influence In New Syria

“Saudi Arabia and other Arab states are jockeying for influence with Syria’s Islamist government, hoping to gain an advantage on rivals in the strategically positioned country despite misgivings about the jihadist past of its new leaders. The kingdom, along with Jordan and Qatar, is rushing humanita…

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January 9, 2025 at 2:30 PM

Strikes, Raids In West Bank Follow Hamas Killing Of Three Israeli Settlers

“Three Palestinians were killed, including two children, in an Israeli airstrike in the West Bank on Wednesday, Palestinian officials said, as arrests, raids and strikes continued across the occupied territory in the wake of an attack that killed three Israelis on Monday. Late Wednesday, the al-Qass…

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January 8, 2025 at 2:30 PM

Tensions Between Pakistan And Afghanistan Escalate Amid Border Clashes

“When Kabul fell to the Afghan Taliban in 2021, the head of Pakistan’s intelligence service was one of the first foreign guests to visit the new regime, telling reporters that “everything will be okay.” But less than 3½ years later, relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have dramatically deteri…

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January 7, 2025 at 3:08 PM

Hurdles Remain As Israel And Hamas Once Again Inch Toward A Ceasefire Deal

“Israel and Hamas once again appear to be inching toward a ceasefire that could wind down the 15-month war in Gaza and bring home dozens of Israelis held hostage there. Both Israel and Hamas are under pressure from outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump to reach a deal be…

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January 6, 2025 at 2:31 PM

Israel And Hezbollah Trade Threats Over Future Of Ceasefire As Deadline Looms

“Israel accused Hezbollah on Sunday of failing to meet the terms of their fragile 60-day ceasefire agreement, due to expire on Jan. 26, threatening that it would be “forced to act” if the militant group’s violations continue. The warning comes days after Lebanon reported to the U.N. Security Council…

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January 3, 2025 at 5:15 PM

New Orleans Terror Attack: 'For years ISIS has been calling for attacks just like this one

At least 15 people, including the perpetrator, were killed in the early morning on New Year’s Day in New Orleans when a pickup truck plowed into the crowd on the corner of Bourbon and Canal streets. The vehicle was flying an ISIS flag, and the driver has been identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S.…

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January 3, 2025 at 2:30 PM

Taliban Assault On Women's Rights Reaches A New Level In Afghanistan

“Since their return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban have steadily wound back women's rights week after week, gradually eroding their freedoms and dignity. On December 29, 2024, the Taliban's Economy Ministry announced that all non-governmental organizations (NGOs), both national …

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January 2, 2025 at 2:31 PM

U.S. Amplifies Strikes On Yemen’s Houthis As Tensions With Israel Flare

“The Biden administration directed new airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen on Tuesday, as the United States and its ally Israel struggle to halt a campaign of regional assaults by the Iranian-backed militant group. U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said t…

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December 30, 2024 at 2:30 PM

Israeli Airstrikes Hit A Yemen Airport As A Jet With Hundreds Onboard Was Landing, UN Official Says

“Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen’s main airport as a civilian Airbus 320 with hundreds of passengers on board was landing and a U.N. delegation was waiting to leave, the U.N.'s top humanitarian official in Yemen said Friday. Julien Harneis told U.N. reporters that the most frightening thing about the t…

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December 27, 2024 at 2:31 PM

Terrorist Murders Woman, 83, In Herzliya

“A 28-year-old terrorist from Tulkarem in Samaria shouted “Allahu Akbar” and then stabbed and mortally wounded a woman near the nursing home where she lived on Kedoshi Hashoah Street in Herzliya on Friday morning. Magen David Adom emergency personnel treated the victim, Ludmila Lipovsky, 83, and she…

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December 26, 2024 at 2:30 PM

At Least 2 Dead And 60 Hurt After A Car Drives Into A German Christmas Market In A Suspected Attack

“A car plowed into a busy outdoor Christmas market in the eastern German city of Magdeburg on Friday, killing at least two people and injuring at least 60 others in what authorities called a deliberate attack. The driver was arrested at the scene shortly after the car barreled into the market at aro…

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December 20, 2024 at 2:30 PM

Pakistan's Missile Program Is 'Emerging Threat', Top US Official Says

“A senior White House official on Thursday said nuclear-armed Pakistan is developing long-range ballistic missile capabilities that eventually could allow it to strike targets well beyond South Asia, making it an "emerging threat" to the United States. Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer's su…

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December 19, 2024 at 3:02 PM

Analysts: Syrian Rebels Adopt Approach Similar To Taliban's To Seek International Recognition

“While the international community is setting conditions for the new rulers in Syria, the leading rebel group has taken a conciliatory approach, similar to one the Taliban adopted in Afghanistan, to seek international recognition, say analysts. Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, …

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December 18, 2024 at 3:09 PM

Syrian Rebel Leader Says Rebel Factions Will Be Dissolved

“The leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist rebel group that spearheaded the ouster of the Bashar al-Assad regime, said Tuesday that Syria’s rebel factions will be dissolved, with all fighters uniting under the country’s Defense Ministry. “Syria must remain united, and there must be a s…

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December 17, 2024 at 2:30 PM

Syrian Rebel Leader Calls For Lifting Of Sanctions, As Al-Assad Defends Exit

“Ahmed al-Shara, the leader of the rebel coalition that swept into Damascus last week and ousted the Assad regime, urged the United States and other nations to remove sanctions imposed on the country, saying in an interview on Monday that all constraints needed to be lifted so that Syria could rebui…

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December 16, 2024 at 2:31 PM

A Diminished Hezbollah Is Made Even Weaker By The Toppling Of Assad In Syria

“A severely hobbled Hezbollah was in no position to help defend former Syrian President Bashar Assad, a longtime ally, from the lightning-fast insurgency that toppled him. With Assad gone, the militant group based in Lebanon is even weaker. Hezbollah was dealt a major blow during 14 months of war wi…

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December 13, 2024 at 2:30 PM

Hamas Concedes On Israeli Troops In Gaza, Raising Hopes For Hostage Deal

“Hamas has yielded to two of Israel’s key demands for a cease-fire deal in Gaza, Arab mediators said, raising hopes of an agreement that could release some hostages within days despite the repeated collapse of previous negotiations. The militant group told mediators for the first time that it would …

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December 12, 2024 at 2:31 PM

Afghan Blast Kills Key Minister, Shocking Taliban

“Senior Taliban minister Khalil Haqqani was killed in an attack Wednesday, the Taliban’s chief spokesman said, marking the highest-profile government casualty since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan three years ago. Haqqani was the acting minister for refugees and a key member of the Haqqani netwo…

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December 11, 2024 at 2:30 PM

Rebel-Backed Figure Takes Charge As Syria's Interim Prime Minister

“Syria's new interim leader announced on Tuesday he was taking charge of the country as caretaker prime minister with the backing of the former rebels who toppled President Bashar al-Assad three days ago. In a brief address on state television, Mohammed al-Bashir, a figure little known across most o…

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December 10, 2024 at 3:01 PM

Assad's Fall In Syria Weakens Iran But May Fuel Islamist Resurgence

“The ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, after rebel forces swept into Damascus this weekend, shattered Iran's network of influence in the Middle East but Israel, the United States and Arab powers must now deal with the risk of instability and extremism from the mosaic of forces that replace…

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December 9, 2024 at 2:30 PM

With Assad Gone, New Era Starts In Syria As The World Watches

“Syrians awakened on Monday to a hopeful if uncertain future, after rebels seized the capital Damascus and President Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia, following 13 years of civil war and more than 50 years of his family's brutal rule. With a curfew declared by the rebels, Damascus was calm after dawn,…

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December 6, 2024 at 2:30 PM

Iran, Hezbollah Aim To Bolster Assad As Rebels Bear Down On Homs

“Iran will send missiles, drones and more advisers to Syria, a senior Iranian official said on Friday, as rebel forces pushed their lightning offensive south towards the city of Homs in the biggest challenge for years to President Bashar al-Assad's rule. Seizing Homs would cut off Syria's capital Da…

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December 5, 2024 at 11:18 PM

CounterPoint Brief: Rebels Seize Aleppo, Renewing Fighting in Decade-Long Syrian Conflict

On November 27, 2024, Syrian rebel forces advanced into Aleppo and its surrounding villages, launching the largest offensive against the Syrian government in years. Dubbed Operation Deterrence of Aggression, the rebels are led by the internationally designated terror group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)…

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December 5, 2024 at 2:30 PM

Exclusive: Lebanon's Hezbollah Aims To Rebuild Longer Term Despite Israeli Blows, US Intel Says

“Lebanon's Hezbollah has been significantly degraded militarily by Israel, but the Iran-backed group will likely try to rebuild its stockpiles and forces and pose a longterm threat to the U.S. and its regional allies, four sources briefed on updated U.S. intelligence told Reuters. U.S. intelligence …

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December 4, 2024 at 7:15 PM

Counterpoint Brief: The Fear of Blasphemy Laws in Britain

Last week, British Labour MP Tahir Ali asked Prime Minister Keir Starmer if the government would “commit to introducing measures to prohibit the desecration of all religious texts and the prophets of the Abrahamic religions.” Starmer did not immediately dismiss the idea of adopting such legislation,…

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December 4, 2024 at 2:41 PM

Israel Threatens To Expand War If Hezbollah Truce Collapses

“Israel threatened on Tuesday to return to war in Lebanon if its truce with Hezbollah collapses, and said this time its attacks would go deeper and target the Lebanese state itself, after the deadliest day since the ceasefire was agreed last week. In its strongest threat since the truce was agreed t…

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December 3, 2024 at 2:30 PM

Deadly Israeli Strikes Hit Southern Lebanon After Hezbollah Attacks, Testing Shaky Ceasefire

“Israeli strikes killed at least nine people in southern Lebanon, Lebanese authorities said Monday, the deadliest day since a ceasefire brokered by the United States and France came into effect last week. The strikes in the Nabatiyeh governorate near the Israeli border killed five people in the town…

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December 2, 2024 at 2:30 PM

Lebanon Cease-Fire Appears To Hold Despite Israeli Strike

“The uneasy truce between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah largely held through its second day in Lebanon on Thursday, although Israel conducted an airstrike that it said targeted militants violating terms of the cease-fire deal. The Israeli strike was the first of its kind since the U.S.-bac…

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November 27, 2024 at 2:30 PM

Ceasefire Between Israel And Lebanon's Hezbollah Militants Has Begun

“A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect at 4 a.m. Wednesday local time. Israel agreed Tuesday to the ceasefire to stop the war it has been fighting with the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon for more than a year. "The Security Cabinet approved the United States' proposal for a…

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November 26, 2024 at 2:30 PM

Yemeni Fighters Reportedly Join Russia’s War In Ukraine

The Russian military has recruited "hundreds" of Yemeni fighters, according to a new report, as Moscow pays dearly in casualty counts for gains in eastern Ukraine. Yemeni citizens were promised high wages and Russian citizenship before traveling to Russia to be "forcibly inducted into Moscow's army …

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November 25, 2024 at 2:32 PM

Four Italian U.N. Peacekeepers Wounded As Israel And Hezbollah Militants Clash In Lebanon

“Four Italian soldiers were lightly hurt Friday in a rocket "attack" on the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Lebanon amid reported intense clashes between Hezbollah militants and Israeli forces, Rome said Friday. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said initial evidence pointed to Hezbollah being be…

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November 22, 2024 at 2:30 PM

Death Toll In Gaza From Israel-Hamas War Passes 44,000, Palestinian Officials Say

“The death toll in the Gaza Strip from the 13-month-old war between Israel and Hamas has surpassed 44,000, local health officials said Thursday. The Gaza Health Ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count, but it has said that more than half of the fatalities are wome…

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November 21, 2024 at 2:45 PM

US Envoy In Israel After Progress On Hezbollah Ceasefire

“A US envoy has arrived in Israel to continue negotiations on a ceasefire with Lebanon's Hezbollah movement, after reporting “additional progress” during a second day of talks in Beirut. Amos Hochstein, who has led the Biden administration’s efforts to end more than one year of conflict, was expecte…

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November 20, 2024 at 4:50 PM

Iran Defies International Pressure, Increasing Its Stockpile Of Near Weapons-Grade Uranium, UN Says

“Iran has defied international demands to rein in its nuclear program and has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, according to a confidential report by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog seen Tuesday by The Associated Press. The report by the International Ato…

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November 19, 2024 at 2:30 PM

Israel Finds Large Troves Of Russian Arms In Hezbollah’s Hands

“As Israel advances its invasion of southern Lebanon, its troops are finding large troves of Russian weapons, confirming longstanding suspicions in Israel that Hezbollah is enhancing its fighting capacity with the help of sophisticated Russian arms. Some of the weapons, which include modern Kornet a…

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November 18, 2024 at 2:39 PM

Taliban Relocation Plan Could Worsen Humanitarian Crisis In Afghanistan, Analysts Say

“The Taliban's Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation announced plans this week to return millions of internally displaced people (IDP) to their home villages and provinces in Afghanistan, a move analysts warn could worsen the country's humanitarian crisis. “In the first phase, 5,000 displaced famili…

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November 15, 2024 at 2:30 PM

Lebanese Ceasefire Efforts Inch Ahead As Israel Keeps Up Fierce Bombardment

“Diplomacy aimed at securing a ceasefire in Lebanon showed tentative signs of progress on Thursday as Israel pounded its northern neighbour including heavy airstrikes on the stronghold of armed group Hezbollah near Beirut. Pressing its offensive against the Iran-backed group, Israel hit Beirut's Hez…

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November 14, 2024 at 3:06 PM

US Concerned By Russia-North Korea Ties And Technology Exchanges

“The United States is concerned by Russia's growing relationship with North Korea and by what technology the two countries may be exchanging, the top U.S. arms control official said on Wednesday. Speaking to Reuters in Bucharest at a forum on preventing nuclear and radiological terrorism, Under Secr…

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November 13, 2024 at 2:31 PM

Israeli Strikes Pound Lebanon, Hezbollah Strikes Back

"The Israeli military pounded Beirut's southern suburbs with airstrikes on Tuesday, mounting one of its heaviest daytime attacks yet on the Hezbollah-controlled area, and struck the middle of the country where more than 20 people were killed. Smoke billowed over Beirut as around a dozen strikes hit …

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November 12, 2024 at 2:30 PM

Iran Says It Will Pursue 'Its Interest' When Asked About Possibility Of Trump Talks

“Iran will pursue whatever secures its interest, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said on Tuesday, when asked if there could be direct talks with the Trump administration. "Whatever secures the country's interest and values of the revolution will be pursued by the government," Mohajerani t…

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November 9, 2024 at 1:30 PM

Antisemitic Violence Instigated by Pro-Palestinian Protestors in Amsterdam

Counter Extremism Project (CEP) CEO Ambassador Mark D. Wallace and Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler issued the following statement in response to a wave of antisemitic violence from pro-Palestinian protestors targeting fans of the Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer club following a game against FC Ajax…

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November 8, 2024 at 3:22 PM

Hezbollah Calls For US Action, Not Words, As Trump Reclaims White House

“Hezbollah welcomes any effort to stop the war in Lebanon but does not pin hopes for a ceasefire on any particular U.S. administration, Hezbollah lawmaker Ibrahim al-Moussawi said on Thursday when asked about Donald Trump's election victory., opens new tab "It might be a change in the party who is i…

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November 7, 2024 at 2:34 PM

FBI Foils New York Man's 'Evil Plan' To Wage Jihad On ISIS' Behalf In Syria: DOJ

“FBI agents stopped a New York man from boarding a flight from New York to the Middle East, where he was allegedly going to join the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) to wage jihad, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). The DOJ said in a press release that Syed Aman, a U.S. citizen an…

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November 6, 2024 at 2:30 PM

Bomb Threats In Swing States Disrupt A Mostly Smooth Election Day

“A series of bomb threats across multiple battleground states and baseless claims of wrongdoing by former President Donald Trump disrupted an otherwise smooth Election Day that capped a tumultuous presidential campaign. The bomb threats in parts of Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania on Tuesday turned…

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