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2:11pm December 16, 2015 Russia bombs ISIL oil market in Syria as mourners watch from nearby funeral By ninemsn New video appears to show a Syrian funeral interrupted by a Russian bombing raid on a nearby fuel market used by ISIL. The footage shows dark black plumes of smoke rise into the skyline as a group of about 20 men gather beside tombs in a small desert graveyard. The video, posted to YouTube by Kaes Idlby, appears genuine and corresponds with a confirmed attack on a fuel market in the village of Maaret al-Naasan on Tuesday. The town in the...

GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump says the United States has "absolutely no choice" but to close down mosques where "some bad things are happening." "Nobody wants to say this and nobody wants to shut down religious institutions or anything, but you know, you understand it," Trump said on Fox News's "Hannity" on Tuesday. "A lot of people understand it. We're going to have no choice." Trump said on Monday he would "strongly consider" closing mosques if elected in response to the terrorist attacks in France last Friday that killed at least 129 people and injured hundreds more. Pressed to explain...

TEHRAN, Sept. 5--Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Tuesday emphasized the need for Muslim states to use all capacities to help improve standards of living of their people. The leader made the remark in a meeting with Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh, IRNA reported. “Iran attaches great importance to promotion of ties with Muslim states,“ he said. Ayatollah Khamenei added that colonial powers and warmongers have always prevented Muslim nations from using the opportunities for utilizing their capabilities. The leader also said that colonial powers escalate war and tension in the Middle East as one of...

Khaled Al-Dakhil, Saudi academic and columnist for the UAE daily Al-Itihad, wrote in his column that extremist discourse in Saudi Arabia enjoys significant freedom under the protection of the government, even though it often conflicts with state policy and interests. He also stated that extremist discourse has taken over school curricula, so that pupils are prevented from studying world history out of the fear that their faith might be compromised. [1] The following are excerpts: Extremist Discourse Enjoys More Freedom Than the State Allows Itself "Terrorism initially emerged in the Arab world out of the religious discourse, due to the...