Here's a video from RFE/RL's Afghan Service on an ex-Gitmo inmate who is now leading the fight against Islamic State in Afghanistan:
Haji Ghalib spent four years as a prisoner in Guantanamo Bay, but is now leading the fight against Islamic State militants in eastern Afghanistan. His best friend from his time in U.S. custody is now his deadliest enemy. (RFE/RL's Afghan Service)
The head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, has said that there is "confirmed information" that the Russian national beheaded by the IS group was a Chechen, RIA Novosti is reporting.
Russia has said that talks with Turkey on the Turkish Stream pipeline project have been suspended, AFP is reporting.
"Checkmate," reads the headline in today's Millet newspaper, which is supportive of Turkish President Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP), referring to a preliminary agreement Turkey has signed with Qatar for liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports.
The move followed economic sanctions on Turkey by Russia after the downing of a Russian Su-24 jet near the Turkish border last week. Turkey is the biggest importer of Russian natural gas.
'Not Just Tomatoes' -- Putin Warns Turkey Over Jet Downing
"Russia Won't Sabre-Rattle -- But Turkey Won't Escape With Just Tomatoes," is this morning's headline by the TASS news agency, a quote from Putin's state of the nation address this morning.
Putin was referring to Russia's response -- which has so far included sanctions on imports of fruits and vegetables -- over the downing by Turkey of an Su-24 jet near the Syrian border.
"At the heart of our actions there will be responsibility towards our country and our people. We are not preparing to and will not sabre rattle," Putin said.
"But if anyone thinks that, after committing a heinous war crime -- the murder of our people, they can get away with tomatoes or some sort of limitations in construction or other industries, they are deeply mistaken. We will remember more than once what they have done and they will regret more than once what they have done. We know what we need to do about this."
Russian 'Spy' Beheaded By IS 'Recruited By FSB'
RFE/RL's Kazakh service has more information on Magomed Khasiev, the Russian man beheaded by IS after being accused of being a "Russian spy."
RFE/RL have found a profile of a man named Magomed Khasiev on the Russian social network VKontakte whose photographs look very similar to the man by the same name who appears in the IS video.
From the age of nine, Khasiev was an orphan who "asked for help from the leader of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, but did not receive it," the report says.
In July 2014, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested Khasiev on suspicion of transporting narcotic pills, then enlisted him in exchange for his release and sent him to Syria to obtain information about Russian nationals fighting alongside IS.
Among those about whom Khasiev informed to the FSB could be students from the Stavropol State Medical Academy, who were convicted on December 1 to prison terms from five to seven years on terrorism charges.
In the video, Khasiev says that he studied in Maykop, the capital city of the Republic of Adygea and lived in the Chechen capital Grozny.
Turkey Dismisses Russia's 'Soviet-Style Propaganda' Over IS Oil
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has dismissed Russian allegations that his country is buying oil from the IS group as "Soviet-style propaganda," Reuters reports.
Davutoglu said Turkey was doing its utmost to secure its border with Syria.
"In the Cold War period there was a Soviet propaganda machine. Every day it created different lies. Firstly they would believe them and then expect the world to believe them. These were remembered as Pravda lies and nonsense," Davutoglu said, referring to the name of a Soviet newspaper.
"This was an old tradition but it has suddenly reared its head again. Nobody attaches any value to the lies of this Soviet-style propaganda machine."
Putin accuses Turkey of supporting militants in the North Caucasus since the 1990s.
Russian President Putin "touched on a sore subject -- the relations between Turkey and Russia" in his state of the nation address this morning, REN TV reports.
"We were ready to cooperate with Turkey. Probably only Allah knows why they did it," Putin said, referring to last week's downing by Turkey of a Russian Su-24 jet near the Syrian border.
"We know who in Turkey is stuffing their pockets and letting terrorists make money from stolen oil... Allah decided to punish Turkey's ruling clique," Putin added, according to REN TV.
Russian President Putin began his annual state of the nation address this morning with a minute of silence to honor the Russian military personnel killed in Syria.