Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein warned that ISIS was reorganising its ranks and exploiting the political vacuum and chaos in Syria where rebels led by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham toppled president Bashar Al Assad's regime.
In a phone call on Wednesday evening with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Mr Hussein explained that “the situation in Syria is highly complex, with different armed groups controlling various areas”. He pointed out that ISIS has begun “reorganising its ranks, taking advantage of the chaos caused by the collapse of the Syrian army and the withdrawal of [US-backed Kurdish forces] Syrian Democratic Forces to the eastern side of the Euphrates River”.
He urged swift action to secure prisons holding ISIS leaders and fighters, as well as urgently addressing the issue of Al Hol camp, which houses thousands of families with links to the extremist group, and is currently guarded by the SDF – currently engaged in clashes with Turkish-backed factions.
In a lightning offensive that kicked off on November 27, the Syrian rebels overthrew Mr Al Assad and took control of the country. The former president fled to Moscow on December 8, where he was granted asylum along with his family on humanitarian grounds, ending more than five decades of his family's iron-fisted rule. An interim government led by HTS is running the country.
That has raised fears in Baghdad of instability across Iraq's western border and a possible spillover of sectarian violence. Since the HTS assault, Iraq has stepped up security along its 600km border with Syria, posting thousands of troops and members of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), an umbrella group of factions under the Iraqi army that includes several pro-Iranian militias.
For his part, Mr Guterres echoed the same concerns, affirming that the UN, through its representative in Syria, is “continuously monitoring the situation and challenges there”, emphasising the importance of supporting the Syrian people.
He also expressed concern about potential tensions between certain groups, armed factions and the “increasing likelihood of conflict between them”.
ISIS overran large parts of Iraq and Syria, in the summer of 2014, declaring a caliphate that spanned areas of both countries. During that time, it led a campaign of widespread and systematic violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.
Iraqi troops, backed by a US-led international coalition, reclaimed all ISIS-held territory in Iraq in late 2017, after three years of fighting. However, ISIS fighters carry out sporadic attacks, mainly in rural areas. The US has about 900 troops left in north-eastern Syria aimed at fighting ISIS.
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ARM%20IPO%20DETAILS
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Step by step
2070km to run
38 days
273,600 calories consumed
28kg of fruit
40kg of vegetables
45 pairs of running shoes
1 yoga matt
1 oxygen chamber
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Paatal Lok season two
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
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What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
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Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
'The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are Setting up a Generation for Failure'
Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, Penguin Randomhouse
