The so-called "caliphate" that rose from the ruins of Syria and Iraq is now on the verge of collapse. On Friday, it was dealt twin blows in Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria and Al Qaim in western Iraq. Its remaining fighters are now concentrated in a border town in Syria and a village on the banks of the Euphrates in Iraq. Their final defeat now looks imminent. ISIL exercised the power of life and death over innumerable peoples just a few years ago. It proclaimed authority over all Muslims, and threatened to upend governments and establish its rule over the whole world.
We must acknowledge the tremendous sacrifice and unyielding resolve on the part of the anti-ISIL forces in Iraq, Syria and beyond that have brought us to this juncture. Their achievement has made the world a safer and measurably better place. Congratulations, however, must not give way to complacency. Because even when ISIL is physically destroyed, the hideous ideology that animated it will continue to exert influence. Its fighters, operating in a terrain congested with terrorist outfits such as Al Qaeda and Jabhat Al Nusra, have plenty of opportunities for re-recruitment. They may even reconstitute themselves as a guerrilla force. As Colonel Ryan Dillon, spokesman for the US joint task force, has observed, ISIL fighters clearly believe that, if they can bide their time, they may be able "to devolve back into an insurgent terrorist group". "The idea of ISIL and the virtual caliphate", he warned, "will not be defeated in the near term. There is still going to be an ISIL threat".
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Read more
ISIL on the brink of complete rout in Syria and Iraq
Our response to ISIL must be equal across the world
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Nations that have been on the front lines would be committing a grave mistake if they returned to business as usual or, worse still, plunged into infighting. As this newspaper has repeatedly warned, the rancour over Kurdish independence in Iraq is a costly distraction from the dangers that are far from being extinguished. Within Syria, there is an urgent need to address the causes of the chaos and carnage from which ISIL was able to profit. This means dealing with Bashar Al Assad. To leave him in place is to invite even greater unrest in the future.
Beyond the Middle East, ISIL ideas will continue to find an audience on the internet. Youngsters will continue to remain vulnerable to indoctrination by extremists through social media channels. This in turn means potential attacks by lone wolves must remain a significant factor in our assessments of security threats. Terrorism is now a quotidian fact of life. It has seeped into the vocabulary of our everyday lives. Tackling it will require a multi-pronged counter-terrorism approach. The internet, as British prime minister Theresa May has said, should no longer be allowed to remain a "safe space" for terrorist recruitment. Intelligence is our greatest asset. But it must be deployed without disrupting lives. Demonising communities must never be tolerated. We can only win the fight against terrorism by being smart, not hysterical.
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Barings Bank
Barings, one of Britain’s oldest investment banks, was
founded in 1762 and operated for 233 years before it went bust after a trading
scandal.
Barings Bank collapsed in February 1995 following colossal
losses caused by rogue trader Nick Lesson.
Leeson gambled more than $1 billion in speculative trades,
wiping out the venerable merchant bank’s cash reserves.
THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
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Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
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