On Dec. 21, the U.N. passed a resolution on returning foreign fighters:

The new resolution builds on UNSCR 2178 by creating new international obligations and other provisions to strengthen border security and information sharing, including the use of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data, Advanced Passenger Information (API), and biometrics to prevent terrorists from boarding airplanes; will strengthen judicial measures and international cooperation; ensure appropriate prosecution, rehabilitation, and reintegration of FTFs and their accompanying family members; and strengthen Member States’ cooperation, including with the private sector, to protect public spaces and soft targets.

The resolution:

• Reaffirms that Member States must comply with their human rights and other applicable international law obligations when fighting terrorism and notes that a failure to do so contributes to radicalization to violence;
• Expresses grave concern over the acute and growing threat posed by FTFs returning or relocating, particularly from conflict zones, to their countries of origin or nationality, or to third countries;
• Encourages Member States to share information related to watchlists or databases of known and suspected terrorists that include biometric data, in compliance with domestic and international human rights law.
• Calls for action at the global, regional, and national levels to raise the level of effective implementation of the ICAO’s new Global Aviation Security Plan, which seeks to enhance aviation security through enhanced risk awareness, measures against insider threats, enhanced cargo security, technological innovation, and improved oversight and quality assurance.

As to "Prosecution, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Strategies":

• Urges Member States, in compliance with relevant domestic and international law, to assess and investigate suspected FTFs – including their accompanying family members – and implement prosecution, rehabilitation, and reintegration strategies, as called for in Resolution 2178, and to ensure that such strategies are a part of their national counterterrorism strategies;
• Underscores the importance of a whole-of-government approach and recognizes the role civil society organizations play in the rehabilitation and reintegration of returning and relocating FTFs and their families.

Rehabilitate? Does anyone really think, given the person that presently occupies a desk in the oval office, that any attention will be paid to the phrase, "[implement] rehabilitation, and reintegration strategies, as called for in Resolution 2178?)."

In Yemen, a U.S. air raid has killed a significant AQAP member responsible for propaganda.

Interestingly, the US military claimed that while the US and its allies have been disrupting AQAP’s operations, the Islamic State’s Yemeni branch “has doubled in size over the past year.”

ISIS threats this week mainly target the US, Russia, France, Britain, Canada, Australia, Belgium and Italy. The goal is to sow panic. More of ISIS' design skills here.

Many of the Xmas images are by Khattab media, like this gif saying "Our gifts are ready" featuring a militant who detonates explosives while people gather to celebrate the holidays, and which lists cities across the West as targets.

As an aside, I wrote an end of year article in 2014 asking where these fighters are now. With respect to #3, the English speaking fighter who ordered captured soldiers to dig their own graves and lined people up to shoot them in the original Flames of War Video (showing killings of Syrian soldiers from Division 93 in Raqqa) and who the FBI asked the American public for help in identifying, I'll ask again, 3 years later, who is he and where is he now?