The UN said on Monday that despite counter-terrorism efforts, ISIS remains resilient and continues to adapt its “modus operandi”.
Speaking at a Security Council meeting on terrorist threats to international peace and stability, Vladimir Voronkov, head of the UN counter-terrorism office, expressed particular concern about the situation in Syria after the fall of former president Bashar Al Assad.
“The terrorism landscape is evolving and demands collective, multilateral action, as terrorist attacks threaten life, well-being and the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals,” he said.
Mr Voronkov said Syrian's Badia region remains a centre for ISIS’s external operational planning and activities and noted the possibility of advanced weapons stockpiles falling into the hands of terrorists.
Adding to the complexity is the condition of camps, detention centres and other facilities in north-eastern Syria, where about 42,500 former fighters and their families are being held, he said.
“This includes 17,700 Iraqis and 16,200 Syrians, along with 8,600 nationals from other countries,” he added.
Regrettably, said Mr Voronkov, the overall pace of repatriations has declined significantly.
“Only five member states reportedly repatriated more than 760 individuals from Iraq and the Syrian Arab Republic. The government of Iraq repatriated approximately 400 Iraqi children from the north-east of the Syrian Arab Republic to a rehabilitation centre,” he said.
US deputy ambassador Dorothy Shea told council members President Donald Trump's administration is watching the situation in Syria.
She said Washington is committed to preventing Syria from being used as a base for “ISIS, Iranian-backed terrorism or other terrorist groups” that threaten the region, and further emphasised the critical importance of dismantling Syria's chemical weapons arsenal and ensuring the “weapons are not used for terrorism".
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
The five pillars of Islam
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
Company name: Farmin
Date started: March 2019
Founder: Dr Ali Al Hammadi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: AgriTech
Initial investment: None to date
Partners/Incubators: UAE Space Agency/Krypto Labs
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
