Associated Press: Report Claims Yemen’s Houthis Have A Hypersonic Missile, Possibly Raising Stakes In Red Sea Crisis

“Yemen’s Houthi rebels claim to have a new, hypersonic missile in their arsenal, Russia’s state media reported Thursday, potentially raising the stakes in their ongoing attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and surrounding waterways against the backdrop of Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The report by the state-run RIA Novosti news agency cited an unnamed official but provided no evidence for the claim. It comes as Moscow maintains an aggressively counter-Western foreign policy amid its grinding war on Ukraine. However, the Houthis have for weeks hinted about “surprises” they plan for the battles at sea to counter the United States and its allies, which have so far been able to down any missile or bomb-carrying drone that comes near their warships in Mideast waters. The Houthis’ main benefactor, Iran, claims to have a hypersonic missile and has widely armed the rebels with the missiles they now use. Adding a hypersonic missile to their arsenal could pose a more-formidable challenge to the air defense systems employed by America and its allies, including Israel.”

Associated Press: Families Of Hostages Held In Gaza Despair As Ramadan Cease-Fire Deadline Passes

“A brother contemplated suicide. A sister stopped going to school. A father barely speaks. With each passing day, the relatives of hostages held in Gaza since Oct. 7 face a deepening despair. Their hopes were raised that a cease-fire deal was near to bring some of their loved ones home by the start of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month that began Monday. But that informal deadline passed without any agreement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s promise of “total victory” in the war against Hamas now rings hollow for many hostages’ families after five emotionally draining months. “We are reading the news every single minute. Egypt says something, the Qataris say something different, the Americans say a deal is close, Israel says it’s not,” said Sharon Kalderon, whose brother-in-law, Ofer, remains in captivity. “We try to read between the lines, but we haven’t heard anything about Ofer for months. Nothing that can help us breathe.”

CEP Mentions

GOV.UK: Government Strengthens Approach To Counter Extremism

“... Professor Ian Acheson, Senior Advisor, Counter Extremism Project said: “These are necessary next steps to confront and deter those who advocate for violent extremism. Hateful anti-British ideas that undermine our democracy creating intimidation and fear need ideologues to drive them. It is intolerable that the state underwrites people and organisations poisoning community life in one of the most successful multi-ethnic countries in the world.”

EuroWeekly News: UK Government Redefines ‘Extremism’

“... Professor Ian Acheson, Senior Advisor, Counter Extremism Project said: ‘These are necessary next steps to confront and deter those who advocate for violent extremism. ‘Hateful anti-British ideas that undermine our democracy creating intimidation and fear need ideologues to drive them. ‘It is intolerable that the state underwrites people and organisations poisoning community life in one of the most successful multi-ethnic countries in the world.’”

Mirror: Michael Gove Announces New Extremism Definition After Rise In Hate Crimes

“... He said: "This is the first in a series of measures to tackle extremism and protect our democracy.” Professor Ian Acheson, senior advisor at the Counter Extremism Project said: "Hateful anti-British ideas that undermine our democracy creating intimidation and fear need ideologues to drive them. "It is intolerable that the state underwrites people and organisations poisoning community life in one of the most successful multi-ethnic countries in the world.”

Jewish News: Gove Claims New Extremism Definition Will Target Those ‘Setting Out To Subvert Democracy’

“... Professor Ian Acheson, Senior Advisor, Counter Extremism Project said: “These are necessary next steps to confront and deter those who advocate for violent extremism. Hateful anti-British ideas that undermine our democracy creating intimidation and fear need ideologues to drive them. It is intolerable that the state underwrites people and organisations poisoning community life in one of the most successful multi-ethnic countries in the world.”

WTOP News: The Hunt: The Leader Of Al-Qaida’s Yemen Branch Dies

“In this week’s episode of “The Hunt with WTOP national security correspondent JJ Green”, Dr. Hans Jakob Schindler, senior director of the Counter Extremism Project, explains what the death of the leader of al-Qaida’s Yemen branch means for the terror group and the world.”

United States

Reuters: US Pause On Funding UN's Main Palestinian Relief Agency May Become Permanent

“U.S. officials are preparing for a pause on funding the main U.N. agency for Palestinians to become permanent due to opposition in Congress, even as the Biden administration insists the aid group's humanitarian work is indispensable. The U.S., along with more than a dozen countries, suspended its funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in January after Israel accused 12 of the agency's 13,000 employees in Gaza of participating in the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas attack. The U.N. has launched an investigation into the allegations, and UNRWA fired some staff after Israel provided the agency with information on the allegations. The U.S., which is UNRWA's largest donor, providing $300 million to $400 million annually, said it wants to see the results of that inquiry and corrective measures taken before it will consider resuming funding. Even if the pause is lifted, only about $300,000 - what is left of already appropriated funds - would be released to UNRWA. Anything further would require congressional approval.”

Reuters: US Expected To Impose New Sanctions Against Occupied West Bank Outposts, Axios Reports

“The Biden Administration is expected to impose new sanctions on two illegal outposts in the occupied West Bank that were used as a base for attacks by "extremist" Israeli settlers against Palestinians, Axios reported late on Wednesday, citing three U.S. officials. The sanctions, expected to be imposed as soon as Thursday, are intended to send a message that the U.S. is not only targeting individuals but also entities involved in providing logistical and financial support to attacks against Palestinians, Axios said citing one U.S. official. New sanctions will also be imposed on three Israeli settlers, the U.S. officials told Axios. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the Axios report. The Biden administration in February had imposed sanctions on four Israeli men it accused of being involved in settler violence in the West Bank, signalling growing U.S. displeasure with the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.”

CBS: Anti-Terrorism Team Of U.S. Marines Sent To Haiti To Protect U.S. Embassy After Prime Minister Says He Will Resign

“An anti-terrorism team of U.S. Marines has been dispatched to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to bolster the protection of the U.S. Embassy amid escalating gang violence and a deepening political crisis that has left some Americans stranded. With no clear plan for a transition to a new government and with free and fair elections in doubt, Haitians are seeking to escape their turmoil-ridden country. Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced Tuesday that he would resign once a transitional presidential council is created. Henry made the announcement hours after officials that included Caribbean leaders and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met in Jamaica to urgently discuss a solution to halt Haiti's spiraling crisis. Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic is tightening its borders against undocumented Haitians, sending many back to a homeland facing an unclear future.  "They treat us like dogs," a man told CBS News after saying he had been detained without food.”

Turkey

Reuters: Turkey To Discuss 'Common Understanding' On Security With Iraq-Official

“Senior Turkish officials will discuss security issues, particularly Turkey's operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Iraq, with their counterparts in Baghdad on Thursday, a Turkish defence ministry official said. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yasar Guler, and intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin are set to hold talks with Iraqi counterparts in Baghdad in a "security summit". "Turkish and Iraqi officials held a security summit in Ankara in December. Today, they'll hold the second such summit. They'll discuss developing a common understanding on the fight against terrorism," the defence ministry official told reporters. Ankara has ramped up cross-border operations against the PKK which is based in northern Iraq's mountainous regions, and warned of new incursion to the region. The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the insurgency.”

Lebanon

Associated Press: Lebanese, French Officials Float A Plan To Rebuild Beirut Port Nearly 4 Years After Huge Explosion

“Three and a half years after hundreds of tons of improperly stored ammonium nitrate ignited at the Beirut port, setting off one of the world’s biggest non-nuclear explosions, Lebanese and French officials put forward a plan for reconstruction and reorganization of the port Wednesday. The Aug. 4, 2020, explosion at Beirut’s port killed more than 200 people, injured and displaced thousands and devastated entire neighborhoods of the city. Since then, an investigation into the causes of the blast has ground to a halt, and reconstruction of the damaged areas has largely been carried out piecemeal with private funding as international funds promised for rebuilding were largely contingent on political reforms that never materialized. A number of proposals that have been floated for reconstruction and redevelopment of the still-functioning port have floundered, including an ambitious plan suggested in 2021 by a group of German companies to redevelop the port alongside new commercial and residential developments.”

The Independent: As Israel’s Cross-Border Fire With Lebanon’s Hezbollah Reaches New Heights, Fears Of A Ground War Grow

“Hezbollah carried out one of the largest attacks in five months of escalating conflict on the border between Lebanon and Israel this week, firing more than a hundred rockets, and vowing that the barrages would continue. The strikes on Tuesday led to Israel’s hardline national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir demanding a “war now” while criticising defence minister Yoav Gallant for not seeking severe retribution: “What are you waiting for? Over 100 rockets fired and you sit quietly? We have to start responding, attacking.” Hezbollah said it had launched the Katyusha missiles in response to Israeli air raids in the Bekaa Valley 24 hours earlier, and also to show continuing support for Palestinians in Gaza. Israeli military did, in fact, respond immediately, hitting Hezbollah targets near Baalbek. One man was killed, eight injured and a warehouse destroyed. It was the second time in a fortnight that sorties had been carried out so deep into Lebanon. A drone strike on a car near Tyre followed, killing two others.”

Middle East

Bloomberg: Qatar Seeks To Unveil Sources In Case Of Beheaded US Reporter

“Qatar National Bank and Qatar Charity are seeking the identities of individuals who supplied documents underpinning a lawsuit brought by the family of an American journalist beheaded by the Islamic State group, according to legal documents filed in the US. Steven Sotloff and another American journalist, James Foley, were in Syria covering the war when members of the terrorist organization captured, tortured, and then killed them in 2014. ISIS published videos of their executions online directed at US government officials. In a lawsuit filed in Florida court in May 2022, Sotloff’s family alleged the Qatari entities wired $800,000 to ISIS judge Fadhel al Salim, who ordered his execution. The family claimed Qatar knowingly funded extremist insurgents in order to destabilize the Syrian government and named Qatar National Bank and Qatar Charity as co-conspirators that were allegedly directed to facilitate transactions that funded Islamic State. The entities have called the case “meritless.”

Associated Press: Israel Says It Plans To Direct Palestinians Out Of Rafah Ahead Of Anticipated Offensive

“The Israeli military said Wednesday it plans to direct a significant portion of the 1.4 million displaced Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip’s southernmost town of Rafah toward “humanitarian islands” in the center of the territory ahead of its planned offensive in the area. The fate of the people in Rafah has been a major area of concern of Israel’s allies — including the United States — and humanitarian groups, worried an offensive in the region densely crowded with so many displaced people would be a catastrophe. Rafah is also Gaza’s main entry point for desperately needed aid. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said a Rafah offensive is crucial to achieve Israel’s stated aim of destroying Hamas following the militants’ Oct. 7 attack in which about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and around 250 taken hostage and brought into Gaza. Israel’s invasion of Gaza has killed more than 31,000, according to Gaza health officials, left much of the enclave in ruins and displaced some 80% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people.”

United Kingdom

Reuters: UK Unveils New Extremism Definition Amid Rise In Hate Crimes Against Jews, Muslims

“Britain unveiled a new definition of extremism on Thursday in response to an eruption of hate crimes against Jews and Muslims since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, although critics said the change risked infringing on freedom of speech. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak warned that Britain's multi-ethnic democracy was being deliberately undermined by both Islamist and far-right extremists, and more needed to be done to tackle the problem. Antisemitic incidents rose by 147% in 2023 to record levels, fuelled by the Oct. 7 attacks, according to Community Security Trust, a Jewish safety watchdog. Tell Mama, a group which monitors anti-Muslim incidents, said last month that anti-Muslim hate crimes also had grown by 335% since the attacks. "Today's measures will ensure that government does not inadvertently provide a platform to those setting out to subvert democracy and deny other people's fundamental rights," said Michael Gove, the communities minister who heads the department that produced the new extremism definition.”