Latest: Protesters surround Swedish embassy in Baghdad
Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE President, has condemned “blatant and repeated attacks” on the Islamic faith made under the guise of “freedom of opinion” after an activist in Sweden burnt the Quran in a public protest.
In an impassioned message on social media on Thursday, the senior Emirati diplomat said such actions serve only to “perpetuate hatred and rivalry”.
Police in Stockholm had given permission to Salwan Momika, a self-described atheist from Iraq and member of a far-right Swedish party, to carry out the stunt outside a mosque in the city on Wednesday, the first day of Eid Al Adha.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson later said the demonstration, in which pages of the religious text were torn and set alight, was “legal but not appropriate”.
Police said security risks did not justify blocking the protest – after authorities were overruled by a court when they tried to ban previous rallies.
“The blatant and repeated attacks on our Islamic faith under the pretext of freedom of opinion perpetuate hatred and rivalry, as the violation of the sacred deepens the value and ideological confrontation,” Dr Gargash wrote on Twitter on Thursday.
“The western world must realise that its value system and its justification for it cannot be imposed on the world.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs later summoned Liselott Andersson, Swedish ambassador to the Emirates, to inform her of the UAE's “strong condemnation” of the Swedish government for allowing the act to take place and to deliver a note of protest, state news agency Wam stated on Thursday.
It said Sweden's government had evaded its international responsibility and failed to respect social values.
The Arab League, at the level of foreign ministers, on Thursday condemned the incident and described it as a “horrific act [that] incites hatred and violence and upsets and offends the feelings of over two billion Muslims worldwide”, news agency Wam reported.
“The council emphasised the need to address such perilous acts of hatred that inspire violence and insult religions, and urged the global community to treat such behaviours as crimes of hatred and incitement,” the statement added.
Iraq described the “irresponsible actions” as racist in a statement issued on Thursday.
“These acts demonstrate a hateful and aggressive spirit that goes against the principles of freedom of expression,” the Iraqi government said.
“They are not only racist but also promote violence and hatred.
“These irresponsible actions, in direct conflict with the values of respect for diversity and the beliefs of others, are unequivocally condemned.”
Crowds of protesters gathered around the Swedish embassy in Baghdad on Thursday, apparently breaching security at the front of the building, hours after radical cleric Moqtada Al Sadr called for demonstrations at the site.
It was not clear if diplomats were present or had been evacuated.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticised Sweden for allowing the protest to take place.
“We will eventually teach the arrogant westerners that insulting Muslims is not freedom of thought,” Mr Erdogan said in televised remarks, adding that he condemned the incident “in the strongest possible terms”.
Turkey had on Wednesday denounced the incident, which was the second time a Quran has been burnt in public in Sweden this year.
“To condone such atrocious acts is to be complicit,” said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
The burning of a Quran outside Turkey's Stockholm embassy in January led to condemnation, protests and put the brakes on Sweden's Nato membership application.
Jordan on Thursday summoned the Swedish ambassador in Amman over the incident and informed her of Amman's strong protest, the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said.
Authorities in Turkey and Morocco also condemned the stunt.
Jasem Al Budaiwi, secretary general of the GCC, on Thursday called on Swedish authorities to take immediate action against those stoking hate and extremism.
‘’Such irresponsible acts, which provoke and inflame the feelings of Muslims in the whole world and in these blessed days, should be prevented and addressed by all legal and ethical means and with the co-operation of all, to renounce extremism and religious fanaticism,” he was cited by the Saudi Press Agency as saying.
The Makkah-based Muslim World League also criticised the scenes in Sweden, coming, as it did, on one of the most significant dates in the Islamic calendar.
Mohammed Al Issa, secretary general of the MWL, warned of the dangers of acts that promote hatred, provoke religious sentiments and serve only the agendas of extremism.
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Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
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Company name: NutriCal
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Cyberbullying or online bullying could take many forms such as sending unkind or rude messages to someone, socially isolating people from groups, sharing embarrassing pictures of them, or spreading rumors about them.
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126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
