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Middle East

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Statue of Selfie-Taking Ottoman Prince Vandalized

A statue of an Ottoman prince taking a selfie in the Turkish city of Amasya has become both a major tourist attraction and the victim of multiple vandalizations, as residents and tourists alike differ on whether the artwork is a fun homage to the city’s history or a vulgar commercialization of Turkish culture.

AP Photo

Tajikistan Considers Banning Arabic Names to Hold Islam at Bay

Tajikistan’s curious anti-Islam campaign has already seen the government cracking down on beards and hijabs, the traditional female garment in Muslim culture. They have also asked imams to include praise for the secular government in their sermons and applied travel restrictions to Muslim citizens seeking to make the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. The beard ban has reportedly been taken as far as the forcible shaving of illegally luxurious facial hair by security forces.

AP Photo/Hassan Ammar

Egypt Arrests Five Christian Children For Blasphemy

Egyptian authorities arrested five Coptic Christian children after a Muslim mob accused them of blasphemy. The mob was upset they appeared in a video that allegedly “mocked” Islam, but really only made fun of the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), which is determined to wipe Christianity, Judaism, and non-compliant Muslims off the Earth.

AP Photo/Jake Simkin

Pentagon: U.S. Begins Training Syrian Rebels

WASHINGTON, DC — The Pentagon announced on Thursday that the U.S. has begun training about 90 Syrian rebels at an overseas location, adding that pro-Bashar al-Assad regime forces are losing momentum in their fight against the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) and other groups.