Swedish police on Wednesday granted permission to burn the holy book Quran as part of a protest outside Stockholm’s main mosque, ahead of the Muslim’s three-day Eid Al-Adha holiday, AFP reported.

Some private individuals had requested the police to allow them to demonstrate even though their earlier requests were blocked.

“I want to protest in front of the large mosque in Stockholm, and I want to express my opinion about the Koran… I will tear up the Koran and burn it," Salwan Momika, 37, wrote in the application, a copy of which was obtained by AFP.

Police said they have called in reinforcements from across the country to maintain order.

The decision comes two weeks after a Swedish appeals court rejected the police ban on Quran burning protests after the burning of the Muslim holy book outside Turkiye’s embassy in January led to weeks of protests and calls for a boycott of Swedish goods and further stalled Sweden’s NATO membership bid.

<h2>Unrest in Sweden over Quran burning during Easter weekend</h2>

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The police had refused to authorise the Quran burnings in Stockholm saying that the protest had made Sweden "a higher priority target for attacks."

But this was challenged in the appeals court,&nbsp;which in&nbsp;mid-June ruled that the police were wrong to ban the protest, saying that “the order and security problems" referenced by the police did not have “a sufficiently clear connection to the planned event or its immediate vicinity." 
 
If the protest takes place outside the main mosque on the Sodermalm island, it would be the first such&nbsp;act in the public since a Danish-Swedish far-right extremist caused an uproar in Turkey and other Islamic countries by burning a translated copy of the Quran near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm in January.

The January incident had been severely condemned by several Islamic countries, and the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan had ruled out supporting Sweden’s bid to enter the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation citing Stockholm's failure to crack down on Kurdish groups Turkey&nbsp;views as 'terrorists'.

The political leaders in Sweden have criticised the Quran burnings but defended the right to freedom of expression.

The move reflects the country’s growing tilt towards far-right groups and the emergence of neo-Nazi organisations in recent years, of which is the Sweden Democrats&nbsp;— which became the second-largest party in the Swedish parliament following elections last year.

It is also the&nbsp;largest party in the right-wing ruling bloc, although not recognized as a part of the government.

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Swedish police on Wednesday granted permission to burn the holy book Quran as part of a protest outside Stockholm’s main mosque, ahead of the Muslim’s three-day Eid Al-Adha holiday, AFP reported.

Swedish police on Wednesday granted permission to burn the holy book Quran as part of a protest outside Stockholm’s main mosque, ahead of the Muslim’s three-day Eid Al-Adha holiday, AFP reported. Some private individuals had requested the police to allow them to demonstrate even though their earlier requests were blocked. “I want to protest in front of the large mosque in Stockholm, and I want to express my opinion about the Koran… I will tear up the Koran and burn it," Salwan Momika, 37, wrote in the application, a copy of which was obtained by AFP. Police said they have called in reinforcements from across the country to maintain order. The decision comes two weeks after a Swedish appeals court rejected the police ban on Quran burning protests after the burning of the Muslim holy book outside Turkiye’s embassy in January led to weeks of protests and calls for a boycott of Swedish goods and further stalled Sweden’s NATO membership bid. Unrest in Sweden over Quran burning during Easter weekend The police had refused to authorise the Quran burnings in Stockholm saying that the protest had made Sweden "a higher priority target for attacks." But this was challenged in the appeals court, which in mid-June ruled that the police were wrong to ban the protest, saying that “the order and security problems" referenced by the police did not have “a sufficiently clear connection to the planned event or its immediate vicinity." If the protest takes place outside the main mosque on the Sodermalm island, it would be the first such act in the public since a Danish-Swedish far-right extremist caused an uproar in Turkey and other Islamic countries by burning a translated copy of the Quran near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm in January. The January incident had been severely condemned by several Islamic countries, and the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan had ruled out supporting Sweden’s bid to enter the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation citing Stockholm's failure to crack down on Kurdish groups Turkey views as 'terrorists'. The political leaders in Sweden have criticised the Quran burnings but defended the right to freedom of expression. The move reflects the country’s growing tilt towards far-right groups and the emergence of neo-Nazi organisations in recent years, of which is the Sweden Democrats — which became the second-largest party in the Swedish parliament following elections last year. It is also the largest party in the right-wing ruling bloc, although not recognized as a part of the government. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Sweden police allow Quran burning protest outside Stockholm’s main mosque

Calligrapher from a remote area in central Kashmir has handwritten the Islamic holy book Quran. The 22 year old college student first memorized the holy book and later wrote down the whole Quran.

22-year-old Kashmiri girl Salima pens down Quran

A calligrapher from a remote area in Central Kashmir's Ganderbal district has handwritten the Islamic holy book "Quran". Salima, a 22-year-old college student, first memorised the holy book and then wrote it by hand. She has become a role model for not only her village but the whole of the Kashmir region.&nbsp;

Salima's handwriting was always appreciated by her teachers and family and that's when she got the idea of writing the holy book. The calligraphy art of Salima is such that it hardly looks like it was written by her, it's no less than writing on a computer. Salima's grandparents played a major role in her interest in calligraphy as well as writing the Quran.&nbsp;

"I am so grateful to Allah, who gave me the capability of writing the Holy Quran. My grandparents always wanted all of my brothers and sisters to read and write the Holy Book Quran, and I suddenly developed an interest in writing the Quran. I was a little scared that I should not make any mistakes while writing the Quran. I went to two of our Maulanas who checked my writings every now and then and they found no mistakes," said Salima.&nbsp;

It took Salima four months to finish writing the holy book. She belongs to the Gujjar community, and the whole community is proud of her accomplishments. The whole village says that Salima has brought glory to the Gujjar community. Salima now plans to translate the holy Quran into her mother tongue 'Gojri' to make it easier for her community to understand the Quran.&nbsp;

"My parents and siblings supported me a lot while I was writing the holy book. Every family member showed extreme support for me, and my father brought me everything that I required to write. I was provided everything by my family. At first, I wanted to translate the Quran in Gojri, but I decided to write the Quran in Arabic first and later will do the Gojri translation as well. I belong to the Gujjar community, and I want to make it easier for our community to understand the Holy Quran. I want that this should be printed so that it reaches more and more people," said Salima.&nbsp;

The Gujjar community of the area now hopes that the government will help Salima to print and publish her handwritten Quran so that it reaches more and more people.&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

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A calligrapher from a remote area in Central Kashmir's Ganderbal district has handwritten the Islamic holy book "Quran". Salima, a 22-year-old college student, first memorised the holy book and then wrote it by hand.

A calligrapher from a remote area in Central Kashmir's Ganderbal district has handwritten the Islamic holy book "Quran". Salima, a 22-year-old college student, first memorised the holy book and then wrote it by hand. She has become a role model for not only her village but the whole of the Kashmir region. Salima's handwriting was always appreciated by her teachers and family and that's when she got the idea of writing the holy book. The calligraphy art of Salima is such that it hardly looks like it was written by her, it's no less than writing on a computer. Salima's grandparents played a major role in her interest in calligraphy as well as writing the Quran. "I am so grateful to Allah, who gave me the capability of writing the Holy Quran. My grandparents always wanted all of my brothers and sisters to read and write the Holy Book Quran, and I suddenly developed an interest in writing the Quran. I was a little scared that I should not make any mistakes while writing the Quran. I went to two of our Maulanas who checked my writings every now and then and they found no mistakes," said Salima. It took Salima four months to finish writing the holy book. She belongs to the Gujjar community, and the whole community is proud of her accomplishments. The whole village says that Salima has brought glory to the Gujjar community. Salima now plans to translate the holy Quran into her mother tongue 'Gojri' to make it easier for her community to understand the Quran. "My parents and siblings supported me a lot while I was writing the holy book. Every family member showed extreme support for me, and my father brought me everything that I required to write. I was provided everything by my family. At first, I wanted to translate the Quran in Gojri, but I decided to write the Quran in Arabic first and later will do the Gojri translation as well. I belong to the Gujjar community, and I want to make it easier for our community to understand the Holy Quran. I want that this should be printed so that it reaches more and more people," said Salima. The Gujjar community of the area now hopes that the government will help Salima to print and publish her handwritten Quran so that it reaches more and more people. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Fond of calligraphy, young Kashmiri girl memorises holy Quran, writes it by hand in four months

A violent mob stormed a police station in Pakistan’s Punjab province, grabbed an accused arrested of blasphemy charges, stripped him naked, hanged him and then set him on fire.&nbsp;According to reports, the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon at the&nbsp;Warburton Police Station in Nankana Sahib.

The faith of the person killed is unknown. He was accused of “desecrating the Quran”. Two senior police officers were suspended for failing to prevent the incident.

The videos that went viral on social media purportedly showed a violent mob scaling the large gate&nbsp;of Warburton Police Station&nbsp;and opening it, following which the crowd outside stormed the building.

Punjab Inspector General of Police Usman Anwar is said to have taken note of the videos circulating on social media, and has ordered an investigation into the matter.

The police statement said that IG Anwar suspended Nankana Sahib Circle Deputy Superintendent of Police Nawaz Waraq and Warburton Station House Officer Feroz Bhatti.

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Violent mob in district Nankana Sahib lynched a blasphemy victim to death. The man was held in a Warburton police station after allegations for doing witchcraft by pasting his ex-wife’s picture on religious papers. <a href="https://t.co/OySRDNgTak">pic.twitter.com/OySRDNgTak</a>
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According to Dawn newspaper, the IG has assigned a special investigative officer and asked him to submit the inquiry report immediately.

“No one is allowed to take the law into their hands no matter how influential they are,” the Punjab IG was quoted as saying.

“Strict departmental and legal action will be taken against those responsible for the incident, as well as the perpetrators of negligence and incompetence,” the IG said, according to the newspaper.

<h2>US: Indian-American Nikki Haley poised to enter 2024 Presidential race</h2>

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In Pakistan, a deeply conservative society, blasphemy is considered a serious crime.

The blasphemy laws, which can already mean death for those deemed to have insulted Islam or the Prophet Muhammad, can now also be used to punish anyone convicted of insulting people who were connected to him.

According to the Centre for Research and Security Studies, a Pakistan-based think tank, the Islamic country has reported a total of 1,415 cases of blasphemy since 1947.

According to the think tank report, a total of 18 women and 71 men were extra-judicially killed over blasphemy from 1947 to 2021.&nbsp;But the think tank believes that the actual number of cases might be higher as not all cases are reported.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A violent mob stormed a police station in Pakistan’s Punjab province, grabbed an accused arrested of blasphemy charges, stripped him naked, hanged him and then set him on fire.

A violent mob stormed a police station in Pakistan’s Punjab province, grabbed an accused arrested of blasphemy charges, stripped him naked, hanged him and then set him on fire. According to reports, the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon at the Warburton Police Station in Nankana Sahib. The faith of the person killed is unknown. He was accused of “desecrating the Quran”. Two senior police officers were suspended for failing to prevent the incident. The videos that went viral on social media purportedly showed a violent mob scaling the large gate of Warburton Police Station and opening it, following which the crowd outside stormed the building. Punjab Inspector General of Police Usman Anwar is said to have taken note of the videos circulating on social media, and has ordered an investigation into the matter. The police statement said that IG Anwar suspended Nankana Sahib Circle Deputy Superintendent of Police Nawaz Waraq and Warburton Station House Officer Feroz Bhatti. Violent mob in district Nankana Sahib lynched a blasphemy victim to death. The man was held in a Warburton police station after allegations for doing witchcraft by pasting his ex-wife’s picture on religious papers. pic.twitter.com/OySRDNgTak — Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) February 11, 2023 × According to Dawn newspaper, the IG has assigned a special investigative officer and asked him to submit the inquiry report immediately. “No one is allowed to take the law into their hands no matter how influential they are,” the Punjab IG was quoted as saying. “Strict departmental and legal action will be taken against those responsible for the incident, as well as the perpetrators of negligence and incompetence,” the IG said, according to the newspaper. US: Indian-American Nikki Haley poised to enter 2024 Presidential race In Pakistan, a deeply conservative society, blasphemy is considered a serious crime. The blasphemy laws, which can already mean death for those deemed to have insulted Islam or the Prophet Muhammad, can now also be used to punish anyone convicted of insulting people who were connected to him. According to the Centre for Research and Security Studies, a Pakistan-based think tank, the Islamic country has reported a total of 1,415 cases of blasphemy since 1947. According to the think tank report, a total of 18 women and 71 men were extra-judicially killed over blasphemy from 1947 to 2021. But the think tank believes that the actual number of cases might be higher as not all cases are reported. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Violent mob storms Pakistan police station, sets man accused of blasphemy on fire

Turkiye strongly condemned&nbsp;the burning of Quran&nbsp;and summoned the Danish ambassador to the Turkish Foreign Ministry as it accused Denmark of endorsing a “hate crime” after Rasmus Paludan, a right-wing activist burned copies of the Muslim holy book on Friday (January 27). 
This comes after a week the leader of the Danish right-wing political party Stram Kurs or Hard Line who also holds citizenship of Sweden, staged a Quran-burning protest in Sweden.&nbsp;

As per media reports, Paludan, on Friday, burned copies of the Quran near a Copenhagen mosque and outside the Turkish embassy in Denmark. He did something similar on January 21 outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, Sweden which drew widespread condemnation and triggered counter-protests in Turkiye. Additionally, he vowed to do so every Friday until Sweden is admitted into NATO which requires Ankara’s approval.

Turkiye has previously blocked Sweden and neighbouring Finland’s bid to join the military alliance that the two countries have sought following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, the membership requires approval from all NATO members, including Ankara, which has indicated that it would block Sweden’s bid partially after Paludan’s stunt in Stockholm last week.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/swedish-pm-kristersson-calls-burning-of-koran-deeply-disrespectful-554906">Swedish PM Kristersson calls burning of Koran ‘deeply disrespectful’</a>

The protests in Sweden also led to counter-protests in Istanbul where at least 200 people gathered outside the Swedish consulate in the city and burned Sweden’s flag in response to Paludan’s burning of the Quran.&nbsp;

In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry called the Danish politician an “Islamophobic charlatan” and said, “Showing tolerance towards such heinous acts that offend the sensitivities of millions of people living in Europe threatens the practice of peaceful coexistence and provokes racist, xenophobic and anti-Muslim attacks,”&nbsp;reported Al Jazeera. &nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkiye-cancels-swedish-defence-minister-visit-over-planned-protest-554716">Turkiye cancels Swedish defence minister’s visit over protest planned by right-wing leader</a>

Additionally, according to Ankara’s state-run Anadolu Agency, the Danish ambassador was summoned to the Turkish foreign ministry where officials “strongly condemned the permission given for this provocative act which clearly constitutes a hate crime”. The media report also said that the ambassador was also told that “Denmark’s attitude is unacceptable”, as Turkiye expected the permission to be revoked.&nbsp;

According to a report by the&nbsp;Associated Press,&nbsp;Paludan was seen with a protective helmet and surrounded by riot police during the recent protest&nbsp;in Copenhagen which he live-streamed on Facebook and said, “This mosque has no place in Denmark”. Subsequently, Paludan was driven away in a police car.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/tensions-escalate-between-turkiye-sweden-far-right-politician-burns-quran-in-stockholm-554809">Tensions escalate between Turkiye, Sweden; far-right politician burns Quran in Stockholm</a>

Later, he said, “Once he (President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan) has let Sweden into NATO, I promise that I will not burn the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy. Otherwise, I will do so every Friday at 2 pm,”&nbsp;reported the AP. Aside from the recent incidents, Ankara has also blocked Finland and Sweden’s bid to join NATO demanding a crackdown on Kurdish armed groups and others that it considers “terrorists”.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Turkiye strongly condemned the burning of Quran and summoned the Danish ambassador to the Turkish Foreign Ministry as it accused Denmark of endorsing a “hate crime” after Rasmus Paludan, a right-wing activist burned copies of the Muslim holy book on Friday (January 27).

Turkiye strongly condemned the burning of Quran and summoned the Danish ambassador to the Turkish Foreign Ministry as it accused Denmark of endorsing a “hate crime” after Rasmus Paludan, a right-wing activist burned copies of the Muslim holy book on Friday (January 27). This comes after a week the leader of the Danish right-wing political party Stram Kurs or Hard Line who also holds citizenship of Sweden, staged a Quran-burning protest in Sweden. As per media reports, Paludan, on Friday, burned copies of the Quran near a Copenhagen mosque and outside the Turkish embassy in Denmark. He did something similar on January 21 outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, Sweden which drew widespread condemnation and triggered counter-protests in Turkiye. Additionally, he vowed to do so every Friday until Sweden is admitted into NATO which requires Ankara’s approval. Turkiye has previously blocked Sweden and neighbouring Finland’s bid to join the military alliance that the two countries have sought following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, the membership requires approval from all NATO members, including Ankara, which has indicated that it would block Sweden’s bid partially after Paludan’s stunt in Stockholm last week. ALSO READ | Swedish PM Kristersson calls burning of Koran ‘deeply disrespectful’ The protests in Sweden also led to counter-protests in Istanbul where at least 200 people gathered outside the Swedish consulate in the city and burned Sweden’s flag in response to Paludan’s burning of the Quran. In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry called the Danish politician an “Islamophobic charlatan” and said, “Showing tolerance towards such heinous acts that offend the sensitivities of millions of people living in Europe threatens the practice of peaceful coexistence and provokes racist, xenophobic and anti-Muslim attacks,” reported Al Jazeera. ALSO READ | Turkiye cancels Swedish defence minister’s visit over protest planned by right-wing leader Additionally, according to Ankara’s state-run Anadolu Agency, the Danish ambassador was summoned to the Turkish foreign ministry where officials “strongly condemned the permission given for this provocative act which clearly constitutes a hate crime”. The media report also said that the ambassador was also told that “Denmark’s attitude is unacceptable”, as Turkiye expected the permission to be revoked. According to a report by the Associated Press, Paludan was seen with a protective helmet and surrounded by riot police during the recent protest in Copenhagen which he live-streamed on Facebook and said, “This mosque has no place in Denmark”. Subsequently, Paludan was driven away in a police car. ALSO WATCH | Tensions escalate between Turkiye, Sweden; far-right politician burns Quran in Stockholm Later, he said, “Once he (President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan) has let Sweden into NATO, I promise that I will not burn the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy. Otherwise, I will do so every Friday at 2 pm,” reported the AP. Aside from the recent incidents, Ankara has also blocked Finland and Sweden’s bid to join NATO demanding a crackdown on Kurdish armed groups and others that it considers “terrorists”. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Turkiye summons Danish ambassador after Quran-burning protest outside its embassy, mosque

The chance of Turkey's ratification of Sweden's NATO membership appears thin after the protests following the Quran-burning incident in the Scandinavian nation. Even as most of the NATO membership welcomed the move of Sweden and Finland's accession to NATO, Turkey has been in a diplomatic stand-off with the nations over several issues and has been demanding concessions from Sweden, one of which is the extradition of Kurds.

Sweden's bid to join NATO continues to lurk in dark. Amid this stalemate, Sweden gets another jolt as Turkey is now outraged&nbsp;after Danish activist Rasmus Paludan set Quran, the holy book of Islam, on fire outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm on 21 January.

On Monday, Turkish&nbsp;President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said they wouldn't support Sweden&nbsp;for NATO membership and slammed Rasmus Paludan’s Quran-burning protest, saying it was an insult to everyone, especially to Muslims.

He also criticised Swedish authorities for allowing the demonstration to take place outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm.

“So you will let terror organizations run wild and then expect our support for getting into NATO. That’s not happening,” Erdogan said, referring to Sweden and Finland’s accession bids for the military alliance. He said if Sweden won’t show respect to Turkey or Muslims, then “they won’t see any support from us on the NATO issue.”

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-military-captures-is-members-in-syria-helicopter-raid-554979">US military captures IS members in Syrian helicopter raid</a>

NATO membership approval by Turkey looks&nbsp;grim, and the stalemate, which continues since the Russia-Ukraine war started, seems to hold on for a further while.&nbsp;

While at one end, US continues to urge Turkey to ratify the accession of Sweden and Finland in NATO, Turkey seems relentless in its pursuit. Turkey is extremely important as a NATO member as the bloc requires unanimous approval from all existing member states to ratify any accession of other non-NATO members into it.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-investigators-find-more-classified-documents-at-president-bidens-home-in-delaware-554803">US: Investigators find six more classified documents at President Biden’s home in Delaware</a> 
&nbsp;

On January 22, while condemning Sweden for “state-supported Islamophobia”, Turkish people carried green flags in a display of their proclamation in their faith. These bitter ripples were seen in the diplomatic engagements as well as Turkey cancelled a planned visit by Swedish defence minister Pal Jonson to Ankara.&nbsp;

However, the friction was no less than a double-edged sword, as protests also erupted in Sweden where demonstrators hung the Turkish President's effigy.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-sacks-cabinet-minister-aryeh-deri-as-netanyahu-complies-with-supreme-court-order-555110">Israel sacks cabinet minister Aryeh Deri as Netanyahu complies with Supreme Court order</a>

"Burning books that are holy to many is a deeply disrespectful act. I want to express my sympathy for all Muslims who are offended by what has happened in Stockholm today,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said over the Quran-burning incident.&nbsp;

(With input from agencies)

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The chance of Turkey's ratification of Sweden's NATO membership appears thin after the protests following the Quran-burning incident in the Scandinavian nation. Even as most of the NATO membership welcomed the move of Sweden and Finland's accession to NATO, Turkey has been in a diplomatic stand-off with the nations over several issues and has been demanding concessions from Sweden, one of which is the extradition of Kurds.

The chance of Turkey's ratification of Sweden's NATO membership appears thin after the protests following the Quran-burning incident in the Scandinavian nation. Even as most of the NATO membership welcomed the move of Sweden and Finland's accession to NATO, Turkey has been in a diplomatic stand-off with the nations over several issues and has been demanding concessions from Sweden, one of which is the extradition of Kurds. Sweden's bid to join NATO continues to lurk in dark. Amid this stalemate, Sweden gets another jolt as Turkey is now outraged after Danish activist Rasmus Paludan set Quran, the holy book of Islam, on fire outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm on 21 January. On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said they wouldn't support Sweden for NATO membership and slammed Rasmus Paludan’s Quran-burning protest, saying it was an insult to everyone, especially to Muslims. He also criticised Swedish authorities for allowing the demonstration to take place outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm. “So you will let terror organizations run wild and then expect our support for getting into NATO. That’s not happening,” Erdogan said, referring to Sweden and Finland’s accession bids for the military alliance. He said if Sweden won’t show respect to Turkey or Muslims, then “they won’t see any support from us on the NATO issue.” ALSO READ | US military captures IS members in Syrian helicopter raid NATO membership approval by Turkey looks grim, and the stalemate, which continues since the Russia-Ukraine war started, seems to hold on for a further while. While at one end, US continues to urge Turkey to ratify the accession of Sweden and Finland in NATO, Turkey seems relentless in its pursuit. Turkey is extremely important as a NATO member as the bloc requires unanimous approval from all existing member states to ratify any accession of other non-NATO members into it. ALSO READ | US: Investigators find six more classified documents at President Biden’s home in Delaware On January 22, while condemning Sweden for “state-supported Islamophobia”, Turkish people carried green flags in a display of their proclamation in their faith. These bitter ripples were seen in the diplomatic engagements as well as Turkey cancelled a planned visit by Swedish defence minister Pal Jonson to Ankara. However, the friction was no less than a double-edged sword, as protests also erupted in Sweden where demonstrators hung the Turkish President's effigy. WATCH | Israel sacks cabinet minister Aryeh Deri as Netanyahu complies with Supreme Court order "Burning books that are holy to many is a deeply disrespectful act. I want to express my sympathy for all Muslims who are offended by what has happened in Stockholm today,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said over the Quran-burning incident. (With input from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Won't support Sweden's NATO membership', says Turkish President Erdogan

Tension in Sweden and Turkey are worsening just hors after Turkey called off a visit by Sweden's Defence Minister to the country. They called it off over a planned demonstration by a right-wing extremist in Stockholm. Watch the video to know more.

Tensions escalate between Turkiye, Sweden; far-right politician burns Quran in Stockholm

In pics | Politician burns Quran during protests in Sweden draws condemnation from Turkiye

A calligrapher from the remote area of North Kashmir's Gurez area has made it into the Lincoln Book of world records. Mustafa ibn-Jamil, 27, wrote the Islamic holy book "Quran" on 500-metre scroll paper in 7 months. The Lincoln Book of Records mentioned on its official website, "New world record for the first time in the world to write the Holy Quran on a 14.5 inch and 500-meter white scroll paper."

Jamil picked up calligraphy to improve his handwriting. And in the year 2017, he first started writing verses from the Holy Quran. Later, he decided to write the whole Quran in his calligraphy. Jamil first wrote a Quran in the year 2018, which weighed 21kgs and was completed in 11 months. And in December 2021, he started working on the 500-meter scroll and completed it in 7 months.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-arabic-calligraphy-inscribed-into-unesco-heritage-list-436970">Arabic calligraphy inscribed into UNESCO heritage list</a>

''I started in the year 2016, I wanted to improve my handwriting and when I saw that I could write calligraphy, I started writing the holy book of Quran. In 2018 I wrote a Quran which weighed 21 Kgs, In 2021 I thought of writing the longest Quran. And I think it was God's wish that I was able to write the Quran. It took me 7 months to complete the whole Quran. It was accepted by the Lincoln Book of World Records; I had applied with many other record-making organisations. I had less budget so couldn't do it at a much bigger level, '' said Mustafa-ibn-Jamil, calligrapher.

For this project, Jamil had to move to New Delhi, as the scroll paper was not available in the Kashmir Valley. He said that he couldn't have brought the raw material to Kashmir as it was too heavy to be carried from Delhi to Srinagar. He took 2 months to arrange the whole material. He worked 18 hours every day to finish the 500-metre scroll in 7 months.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/craftsman-uses-calligraphy-on-kashmiri-silk-carpets-demand-increases-417695">Craftsman uses calligraphy on Kashmiri silk carpets, demand increases</a>

''I used a special paper called 135 GSM, there are various types of papers on which we can write. The paper was not available in the valley in the roll form, so I went to Delhi, and I had to complete the whole project there. I couldn't have come with so much stuff to the valley, The pen also is different from what I have used for the writing of the Quran, The ink which we use is also special, "said Mustafa-ibn-Jamil, calligrapher.&nbsp;

The total cost of the project was about 2.5 lakh rupees. It took Jamil a month to laminate the whole 500-metre scroll. Jamil has also registered for the Asian Book of Records, the Indian Book of Records, and the International Book of Records for which documentation is under process.

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A calligrapher from the remote area of North Kashmir's Gurez area has made it into the Lincoln Book of world records. Mustafa ibn-Jamil, 27, wrote the Islamic holy book "Quran" on 500-metre scroll paper in 7 months.

A calligrapher from the remote area of North Kashmir's Gurez area has made it into the Lincoln Book of world records. Mustafa ibn-Jamil, 27, wrote the Islamic holy book "Quran" on 500-metre scroll paper in 7 months. The Lincoln Book of Records mentioned on its official website, "New world record for the first time in the world to write the Holy Quran on a 14.5 inch and 500-meter white scroll paper." Jamil picked up calligraphy to improve his handwriting. And in the year 2017, he first started writing verses from the Holy Quran. Later, he decided to write the whole Quran in his calligraphy. Jamil first wrote a Quran in the year 2018, which weighed 21kgs and was completed in 11 months. And in December 2021, he started working on the 500-meter scroll and completed it in 7 months. Also read | Arabic calligraphy inscribed into UNESCO heritage list ''I started in the year 2016, I wanted to improve my handwriting and when I saw that I could write calligraphy, I started writing the holy book of Quran. In 2018 I wrote a Quran which weighed 21 Kgs, In 2021 I thought of writing the longest Quran. And I think it was God's wish that I was able to write the Quran. It took me 7 months to complete the whole Quran. It was accepted by the Lincoln Book of World Records; I had applied with many other record-making organisations. I had less budget so couldn't do it at a much bigger level, '' said Mustafa-ibn-Jamil, calligrapher. For this project, Jamil had to move to New Delhi, as the scroll paper was not available in the Kashmir Valley. He said that he couldn't have brought the raw material to Kashmir as it was too heavy to be carried from Delhi to Srinagar. He took 2 months to arrange the whole material. He worked 18 hours every day to finish the 500-metre scroll in 7 months. Also read | Craftsman uses calligraphy on Kashmiri silk carpets, demand increases ''I used a special paper called 135 GSM, there are various types of papers on which we can write. The paper was not available in the valley in the roll form, so I went to Delhi, and I had to complete the whole project there. I couldn't have come with so much stuff to the valley, The pen also is different from what I have used for the writing of the Quran, The ink which we use is also special, "said Mustafa-ibn-Jamil, calligrapher. The total cost of the project was about 2.5 lakh rupees. It took Jamil a month to laminate the whole 500-metre scroll. Jamil has also registered for the Asian Book of Records, the Indian Book of Records, and the International Book of Records for which documentation is under process. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Kashmiri calligrapher writes Quran on 500 metres scroll, creates a record

The Taliban rule in Afghanistan continues to make&nbsp;a mockery of humanity. More than a month after Ajmal Haqiqi, a model-YouTuber, along with his three colleagues was arrested by the terrorist outfit, they are being brutally tortured and filmed for voyeuristic pleasures.&nbsp;

Reportedly, a video of Taliban terrorists mercilessly torturing and beating Ajmal with rods has gone viral on social media. It is being reported that the Taliban terrorists filmed the video for ‘fun’ and to share it on their WhatsApp groups.&nbsp;

Ajmal and his friends arrested on charges of Blasphemy

As reported previously by WION,&nbsp;Ajmal and his colleagues have been arrested on charges of Blasphemy, according to the Taliban's General Directorate of Intelligence.

Reportedly, in the controversial video, one of Ajmal’s aides,&nbsp;having a speech impediment, recited a few verses of the Quran in a funny manner. The video was made for humorous purposes and didn’t intend to insult the holy book of Muslims.

Read More:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/afghan-model-youtuber-arrested-by-taliban-for-insulting-islamic-sacred-values-486690">Afghan model-YouTuber arrested by Taliban for 'insulting Islamic sacred values'</a>

However, the Taliban took offence and dispatched its terrorists to arrest the youngsters, despite Ajmal posting an apology video, on charges of ‘insulting Islamic sacred values’. Since then, the four of them have been kept in captivity.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A video was released a day after their arrest where Ajmal could be seen parroting the lines fed to him by the Taliban and confessing to the non-existent crime.&nbsp;

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The Taliban have detained <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Afghanistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Afghanistan</a>’s famous fashion model and YouTuber <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AjmalHaqiqi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AjmalHaqiqi</a>. The Taliban have accused him of disrespecting ‘Islam &amp; Afghan culture’. In this video, he is giving a forced confession and it is evident that he has been beaten as well.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FreeAjmal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FreeAjmal</a> <a href="https://t.co/JjBnMcTIVk">pic.twitter.com/JjBnMcTIVk</a>
— Qais Alamdar (@Qaisalamdar) <a href="https://twitter.com/Qaisalamdar/status/1534217639068942338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Amnesty International objected to the arrest and demanded the Taliban immediately release the YouTubers and end their censorship. It further added:

<blockquote>
“Restrictions to the right to freedom of expression must be clearly provided by law and be strictly necessary and proportionate to a legitimate aim. International human rights law does not permit restrictions of freedom of expression simply on the grounds it has the potential to offend or insult nor for the protection of religious beliefs or the religious sensibilities of their adherents. This incident is a classic example of how the Taliban is creating a climate of fear in Afghanistan by using arbitrary arrests and coercion to force people into silence.”
</blockquote>

Ever since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan last August, the country has descended into chaos. Women’s rights have been snatched away and a plethora of caveman rules have been imposed to keep any kind of dissent in check.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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The Taliban rule in Afghanistan continues to make a mockery of humanity. More than a month after Ajmal Haqiqi, a model-YouTuber, along with his three colleagues was arrested by the terrorist outfit, they are being brutally tortured and filmed for voyeuristic pleasures.

The Taliban rule in Afghanistan continues to make a mockery of humanity. More than a month after Ajmal Haqiqi, a model-YouTuber, along with his three colleagues was arrested by the terrorist outfit, they are being brutally tortured and filmed for voyeuristic pleasures. Reportedly, a video of Taliban terrorists mercilessly torturing and beating Ajmal with rods has gone viral on social media. It is being reported that the Taliban terrorists filmed the video for ‘fun’ and to share it on their WhatsApp groups. Ajmal and his friends arrested on charges of Blasphemy As reported previously by WION, Ajmal and his colleagues have been arrested on charges of Blasphemy, according to the Taliban's General Directorate of Intelligence. Reportedly, in the controversial video, one of Ajmal’s aides, having a speech impediment, recited a few verses of the Quran in a funny manner. The video was made for humorous purposes and didn’t intend to insult the holy book of Muslims. Read More: Afghan model-YouTuber arrested by Taliban for 'insulting Islamic sacred values' However, the Taliban took offence and dispatched its terrorists to arrest the youngsters, despite Ajmal posting an apology video, on charges of ‘insulting Islamic sacred values’. Since then, the four of them have been kept in captivity. A video was released a day after their arrest where Ajmal could be seen parroting the lines fed to him by the Taliban and confessing to the non-existent crime. The Taliban have detained #Afghanistan’s famous fashion model and YouTuber #AjmalHaqiqi. The Taliban have accused him of disrespecting ‘Islam & Afghan culture’. In this video, he is giving a forced confession and it is evident that he has been beaten as well.#FreeAjmal pic.twitter.com/JjBnMcTIVk — Qais Alamdar (@Qaisalamdar) June 7, 2022 × Amnesty International objected to the arrest and demanded the Taliban immediately release the YouTubers and end their censorship. It further added: “Restrictions to the right to freedom of expression must be clearly provided by law and be strictly necessary and proportionate to a legitimate aim. International human rights law does not permit restrictions of freedom of expression simply on the grounds it has the potential to offend or insult nor for the protection of religious beliefs or the religious sensibilities of their adherents. This incident is a classic example of how the Taliban is creating a climate of fear in Afghanistan by using arbitrary arrests and coercion to force people into silence.” Ever since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan last August, the country has descended into chaos. Women’s rights have been snatched away and a plethora of caveman rules have been imposed to keep any kind of dissent in check. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Afghan YouTuber assaulted for 'fun' by Taliban terrorists

More than 40 people have been arrested after violent clashes broke out in Sweden. The unrest was triggered after a political claimed he burned a copy of Quran. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas: Riots in Sweden: Over 40 arrested

In Sweden unrest has been reported in several towns for the third day running since Quran burnings caused riots over the easter weekend. In the Swedish town of Norrkoping, at least three people have been hit by police bullets during clashes between the police and the protesters.

Unrest in Sweden over Quran burning during Easter weekend

Right-wing extremists gathered allegedly to burn Quran in Sweden which led to clashes with police. Riot-like situations were reported in several Sweden towns with at least three people getting injured and multiple vehicles getting torched. Sweden Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has condemned the violence.

Why are riots happening in Sweden?

The holy month of Ramadan 2022

Female Quran reciters take to social media as they push for greater female recitation. The movement urges for more women Quran reciters.

Female Quran reciters take to social media as they push for greater female recitation

A middle-aged man was stoned to death by a mob in a village of Khanewal district in Pakistan’s Punjab province for allegedly desecrating the Quran. Hundreds of locals gathered in Jungle Dera village after Maghrib prayers after there were reports that a man had torn and set fire some pages of the Quran.

The corpse of the innocent man was later hung on the tree.&nbsp;

According to a report by Dawn, the man was claiming innocence but nobody listened to him.&nbsp;

The eyewitnesses have claimed that a team of police had arrived way&nbsp;before the stoning took place. They had caught the culprit, but the crowd seized him from SHO’s custody.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistani-mob-tortures-sri-lankan-man-to-death-burns-body-for-tearing-up-posters-of-radical-islamist-party-433821">Also read |&nbsp;Pakistani mob tortures Sri Lankan man to death, burns body for tearing up posters of radical Islamist party</a>

This is not the first incident of mob lynching in Pakistan. Earlier in December, a frenzied mob tortured a Sri Lankan man to death and then burnt his body in public allegedly over blasphemy accusations. The incident took place on Wazirabad Road in Sialkot, where reportedly the workers of private factories attacked the export manager, a Sri Lankan national, of a factory and burnt his body after killing him, the Dawn reported.

Hundreds of men, enraged over the "blasphemy" incident, started gathering outside the factory from adjoining areas. Most of them were activists and supporters of the TLP.

"The mob dragged the suspect (the Sri Lankan national) from the factory and severely tortured him. After he succumbed to his wounds, the mob burnt his body before police reached there," the official said.

As per figures provided by the Centre for Research and Security Studies, Pakistan reported a total of 1,415 cases of blasphemy in the country since 1947.

(With inputs from agencies)

A middle-aged man was stoned to death by a mob in a village of Khanewal district in Pakistan’s Punjab province for allegedly desecrating the Quran. Hundreds of locals gathered in Jungle Dera village after Maghrib prayers after there were reports that a man had torn and set fire some pages of the Quran.

A middle-aged man was stoned to death by a mob in a village of Khanewal district in Pakistan’s Punjab province for allegedly desecrating the Quran. Hundreds of locals gathered in Jungle Dera village after Maghrib prayers after there were reports that a man had torn and set fire some pages of the Quran. The corpse of the innocent man was later hung on the tree. According to a report by Dawn, the man was claiming innocence but nobody listened to him. The eyewitnesses have claimed that a team of police had arrived way before the stoning took place. They had caught the culprit, but the crowd seized him from SHO’s custody. Also read | Pakistani mob tortures Sri Lankan man to death, burns body for tearing up posters of radical Islamist party This is not the first incident of mob lynching in Pakistan. Earlier in December, a frenzied mob tortured a Sri Lankan man to death and then burnt his body in public allegedly over blasphemy accusations. The incident took place on Wazirabad Road in Sialkot, where reportedly the workers of private factories attacked the export manager, a Sri Lankan national, of a factory and burnt his body after killing him, the Dawn reported. Hundreds of men, enraged over the "blasphemy" incident, started gathering outside the factory from adjoining areas. Most of them were activists and supporters of the TLP. "The mob dragged the suspect (the Sri Lankan national) from the factory and severely tortured him. After he succumbed to his wounds, the mob burnt his body before police reached there," the official said. As per figures provided by the Centre for Research and Security Studies, Pakistan reported a total of 1,415 cases of blasphemy in the country since 1947. (With inputs from agencies)

In Pakistan, mob stones man to death for allegedly burning some pages of Quran, hangs body from tree

A mob has assaulted and set fire to a police station in the Charsadda region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, demanding the release of a man imprisoned for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran.

Mob sets police station on fire in Pakistan over Quran desecration

Riots broke out in Pakistan's Charsadda district after the alleged burning of the Holy Quran at a mosque. The ob further set the police station on fire after the officials refused to hand over the suspect.

Pakistan: Mob sets police station on fire over alleged Quran desecration

On the request of officials, Apple has deleted one of the world's most popular Quran apps in China from its store. &nbsp;

The app, which is called Quran Majeed, is available across the world on the App Store. It has nearly 150,000 reviews and is used by millions of Muslims. &nbsp;

It seems to have been removed for hosting illegal religious texts, as per a BBC report. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/evergrande-risks-controllable-says-chinas-central-bank-420980" hreflang="en">Evergrande risks 'controllable', says China's central bank</a>

The app’s deletion was first noticed by Apple Censorship, a website, which monitors the apps available on Apple's App Store globally. &nbsp;

In a statement, the app's maker, PDMS, said, "According to Apple, our app Quran Majeed has been removed from the China App store because it includes content that requires additional documentation from Chinese authorities." &nbsp;

"We are trying to get in touch with the Cyberspace Administration of China and relevant Chinese authorities to get this issue resolved," added the company. &nbsp;

As per the app's maker, it had around one million users in China. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/satellite-images-show-china-has-upgraded-military-bases-facing-taiwan-420955" hreflang="en">Satellite images show China has upgraded military bases facing Taiwan</a>

Meanwhile, an employee of Apple, who led a fellow workers movement against alleged patterns of discrimination, racism and sexism at the tech company, was fired. &nbsp;

Janneke Parrish, an Apple program manager and one of the leaders behind the #AppleToo movement, said she was terminated for “non-compliance” after she deleted personal files from her work device amid an internal investigation, according to the Guardian. &nbsp;

Parrish, who worked at Apple for five years, claims that she was fired for speaking out publicly about "issues within the company". &nbsp;

“I’ve been very vocal, I’ve been very public. I have not been afraid to put my name and attach my face to #AppleToo,” she told the Guardian. “This feels very much like retaliation for having the courage to speak out.” &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

On the request of officials, Apple has deleted one of the world's most popular Quran apps in China from its store. The app, which is called Quran Majeed, is available across the world on the App Store.

On the request of officials, Apple has deleted one of the world's most popular Quran apps in China from its store. The app, which is called Quran Majeed, is available across the world on the App Store. It has nearly 150,000 reviews and is used by millions of Muslims. It seems to have been removed for hosting illegal religious texts, as per a BBC report. Also Read: Evergrande risks 'controllable', says China's central bank The app’s deletion was first noticed by Apple Censorship, a website, which monitors the apps available on Apple's App Store globally. In a statement, the app's maker, PDMS, said, "According to Apple, our app Quran Majeed has been removed from the China App store because it includes content that requires additional documentation from Chinese authorities." "We are trying to get in touch with the Cyberspace Administration of China and relevant Chinese authorities to get this issue resolved," added the company. As per the app's maker, it had around one million users in China. Also Read: Satellite images show China has upgraded military bases facing Taiwan Meanwhile, an employee of Apple, who led a fellow workers movement against alleged patterns of discrimination, racism and sexism at the tech company, was fired. Janneke Parrish, an Apple program manager and one of the leaders behind the #AppleToo movement, said she was terminated for “non-compliance” after she deleted personal files from her work device amid an internal investigation, according to the Guardian. Parrish, who worked at Apple for five years, claims that she was fired for speaking out publicly about "issues within the company". “I’ve been very vocal, I’ve been very public. I have not been afraid to put my name and attach my face to #AppleToo,” she told the Guardian. “This feels very much like retaliation for having the courage to speak out.” (With inputs from agencies)

After officials’ request, Apple pulls down Quran app in China

The prosecution in Sweden has decided to drop the preliminary investigation into the burning of the Quran, arguing that burning of the holy book is "not illegal".&nbsp;

The case is related to a protest on the streets of Malmo where far-right demonstrators burned a copy of the Quran in late August.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/norway-sweden-must-lead-by-example-on-how-to-uphold-the-interest-of-all-groups-324365">Norway &amp; Sweden must lead by example on how to uphold the interest of all groups</a>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Over 300 people participated in the protest where they threw stones at the police and also burnt tyres.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/riot-breaks-out-in-southern-sweden-after-anti-islam-actions-323819">Riot breaks out in southern Sweden after 'anti-Islam' actions</a>

"It is not possible to prove that a crime has been committed, burning a Quran in itself is not illegal", said chamber prosecutor Sofia Syrén to national broadcaster SVT, as quoted by Sputnik News.&nbsp;

She added that they went through evidence from the scene of the protest, including witness accounts and videos.&nbsp;

Several people from Swedish media and most politicians condemned the incident, but the prosecution did not find any legal ground against the accused.&nbsp;

"We have looked at what is happening around, how the person expresses themselves, and so on", said Syrén.&nbsp;

"From the material, it appears that there were people who expressed themselves in a way that may be judged as incitement against ethnic groups, but these cannot be identified."

The prosecution in Sweden has decided to drop the preliminary investigation into the burning of the Quran, arguing that burning of the holy book is "not illegal".

The prosecution in Sweden has decided to drop the preliminary investigation into the burning of the Quran, arguing that burning of the holy book is "not illegal". The case is related to a protest on the streets of Malmo where far-right demonstrators burned a copy of the Quran in late August. Also read | Norway & Sweden must lead by example on how to uphold the interest of all groups Over 300 people participated in the protest where they threw stones at the police and also burnt tyres. Also read | Riot breaks out in southern Sweden after 'anti-Islam' actions "It is not possible to prove that a crime has been committed, burning a Quran in itself is not illegal", said chamber prosecutor Sofia Syrén to national broadcaster SVT, as quoted by Sputnik News. She added that they went through evidence from the scene of the protest, including witness accounts and videos. Several people from Swedish media and most politicians condemned the incident, but the prosecution did not find any legal ground against the accused. "We have looked at what is happening around, how the person expresses themselves, and so on", said Syrén. "From the material, it appears that there were people who expressed themselves in a way that may be judged as incitement against ethnic groups, but these cannot be identified."

Swedish prosecution says Quran burning not 'illegal', decides not to press charges

Hundreds of people in a Bangladesh town on Thursday lynched a man who had allegedly desecrated the Quran.

Two men were accused of stepping on the Muslim holy book in the main mosque of the town of Burimari, near the frontier with India. One was beaten to death, and the second man escaped with injuries.

Police took the two men into protective custody in a municipal office after the allegations were made by worshippers at the Burimari Jame Masjid mosque.

They said more 1,000 people stormed the council office and police fired 17 live shotgun rounds in a bid to calm the crowd but could not stop them seizing the 35-year-old man. The victim was beaten to death before the crowd torched the office and burned the body in the street.

The incident came amid mounting anger in the Muslim majority country over comments about Islam made by France's President Emmanuel Macron.&nbsp;

Hundreds of people in a Bangladesh town on Thursday lynched a man who had allegedly desecrated the Quran. Two men were accused of stepping on the Muslim holy book in the main mosque of the town of Burimari, near the frontier with India.

Hundreds of people in a Bangladesh town on Thursday lynched a man who had allegedly desecrated the Quran. Two men were accused of stepping on the Muslim holy book in the main mosque of the town of Burimari, near the frontier with India. One was beaten to death, and the second man escaped with injuries. Police took the two men into protective custody in a municipal office after the allegations were made by worshippers at the Burimari Jame Masjid mosque. They said more 1,000 people stormed the council office and police fired 17 live shotgun rounds in a bid to calm the crowd but could not stop them seizing the 35-year-old man. The victim was beaten to death before the crowd torched the office and burned the body in the street. The incident came amid mounting anger in the Muslim majority country over comments about Islam made by France's President Emmanuel Macron.

Man lynched for desecration of Quran in Bangladesh

Clashes broke out at an anti-Islam rally in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The situation came to a head when a female member of SIAN ripped pages from the Quran and spat on them.

Norway: Anti-Islam protester ripped pages from Muslim holy book

Protesters threw stones at police and burned tyres in southern Swedish town of Malmo late on Friday, hours after an anti-Muslim Danish politician was blocked from attending a Koran-burning rally nearby.

At least 300 people had gathered to protest against anti-Islam activities.

The demonstration was connected to an incident earlier in the day in which protesters burned a copy of the Islamic holy book, police spokesman Rickard Lundqvist told Swedish tabloid Expressen.

Rasmus Paludan, who leads the far-right Danish anti-immigration party Hard Line, was due to travel to Malmo to speak at that event, which was being held on the same day as weekly prayers for the Muslim sabbath.

But authorities pre-empted Paludan's arrival by announcing he had been banned from entering Sweden for two years. He was later arrested near Malmo.

The demonstrations had escalated in the same place where the Quran had been burned.

Daily Aftonbladet said several anti-Islam activities had taken place in Malmo on Friday, including three men kicking a copy of the Quran between them in a public square.

Paludan last year attracted media attention for burning a Koran wrapped in bacon -- a meat that is anathema for Muslims.

Protesters threw stones at police and burned tyres in southern Swedish town of Malmo late on Friday, hours after an anti-Muslim Danish politician was blocked from attending a Koran-burning rally nearby.

Protesters threw stones at police and burned tyres in southern Swedish town of Malmo late on Friday, hours after an anti-Muslim Danish politician was blocked from attending a Koran-burning rally nearby. At least 300 people had gathered to protest against anti-Islam activities. The demonstration was connected to an incident earlier in the day in which protesters burned a copy of the Islamic holy book, police spokesman Rickard Lundqvist told Swedish tabloid Expressen. Rasmus Paludan, who leads the far-right Danish anti-immigration party Hard Line, was due to travel to Malmo to speak at that event, which was being held on the same day as weekly prayers for the Muslim sabbath. But authorities pre-empted Paludan's arrival by announcing he had been banned from entering Sweden for two years. He was later arrested near Malmo. The demonstrations had escalated in the same place where the Quran had been burned. Daily Aftonbladet said several anti-Islam activities had taken place in Malmo on Friday, including three men kicking a copy of the Quran between them in a public square. Paludan last year attracted media attention for burning a Koran wrapped in bacon -- a meat that is anathema for Muslims.

Riot breaks out in southern Sweden after 'anti-Islam' actions

New editions of the Quran and the Bible are to exclude content that goes against the beliefs of China’s leading Communist Party as part of a project calling for a "comprehensive evaluation of the existing religious classics aiming at contents which do not conform to the progress of the times,’’ it said citing a top party official. #Bible #Quran #China #Uighurs #WION

Reports: China planning to re-write the holy books Bible & Quran

A video footage of a man insulting a Muslim woman wearing Niqab in California coffee shop has gone viral on social media recently.

The video is recorded by the woman herself and has been seen by at least 1.6 million times on Twitter.

In video woman name Kathleen Amina Deady was asked by a man standing next to her in line "Is this Halloween or something?" to which Deady responds asked why he would say that. The unidentified man answers her that "because I want to".&nbsp

He then continues saying that he knows she is Muslim and that he does not "like" her religion.

"It says to kill me and I don't want to be killed by you, how's that?",he then asks.

The man and Deady then engage in back and forth during which she draws a comparison between the Bible and The Quran after which the man refuses to respond to her. She also tells him that he is aware that he committing hate speech.&nbsp

After the comments, the supervisor &nbsprefuses to serve the man &nbspas he says that he is "disrupting public place and being very racist."

An off-camera male voice can also be heard yelling at the man and asking him to leave the place.

The footage went viral on social media and has gathered support from people around the world.

The video was posted on Twitter on May 12 by a journalist name CJ Werleman.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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"I'm a Muslim [woman]." 
 
"I know your religion and I don't want to be killed by you." 
 
This took place at a cafe in California yesterday. <a href="https://t.co/4WAWKcQDh8">pic.twitter.com/4WAWKcQDh8</a>
— CJ Werleman (@cjwerleman) <a href="https://twitter.com/cjwerleman/status/995336596781121536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp

The video is recorded by the woman herself and has been seen by at least 1.6 million times on Twitter

A video footage of a man insulting a Muslim woman wearing Niqab in California coffee shop has gone viral on social media recently. The video is recorded by the woman herself and has been seen by at least 1.6 million times on Twitter. In video woman name Kathleen Amina Deady was asked by a man standing next to her in line "Is this Halloween or something?" to which Deady responds asked why he would say that. The unidentified man answers her that "because I want to". He then continues saying that he knows she is Muslim and that he does not "like" her religion. "It says to kill me and I don't want to be killed by you, how's that?",he then asks. The man and Deady then engage in back and forth during which she draws a comparison between the Bible and The Quran after which the man refuses to respond to her. She also tells him that he is aware that he committing hate speech. After the comments, the supervisor &nbsprefuses to serve the man &nbspas he says that he is "disrupting public place and being very racist." An off-camera male voice can also be heard yelling at the man and asking him to leave the place. The footage went viral on social media and has gathered support from people around the world. The video was posted on Twitter on May 12 by a journalist name CJ Werleman. "I'm a Muslim [woman]." "I know your religion and I don't want to be killed by you." This took place at a cafe in California yesterday. pic.twitter.com/4WAWKcQDh8 — CJ Werleman (@cjwerleman) May 12, 2018 ×

Watch: Coffee place refuses to serve man insulting woman in Niqab

After the memorial to former President APJ Abdul Kalam found itself in the middle of a controversy, visitors to the site have been prevented from taking photographs.&nbsp;

The DNA newspaper reported that visitors were stopped from taking photographs by police personnel stationed at the memorial.&nbsp;

DNA added that Rameshwaram district administration officials said the restrictions might have been imposed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation which is overseeing the upkeep of the premises.&nbsp;

&quot;We have not got any information on the imposition of restrictions on taking photographs inside the memorial,&quot; DNA reported sources in the district administration as saying.

The memorial to Kalam was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27.&nbsp;

The controversy erupted after one of the statues of Kalam -- of the former president playing the veena -- unveiled by Modi was found to include the Bhagavad Gita. The sculpture of the Gita was placed in front of Kalam.&nbsp;

MDMK chief Vaiko was the first to say that that was inappropriate considering Kalam&#39;s reputation as a man who was &quot;above religion&quot;.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/row-over-kalam-statue-with-gita-next-to-it-snowballs-18412" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;Row over Kalam statue with Gita next to it snowballs</a>

He added that it would have been better to associate Kalam with the Thirukural, a classic of Tamil literature, and which Kalam was reportedly fondest of.&nbsp;

Other political parties also chimed in, saying pretty much the same thing.&nbsp;

Following the furore, Kalam&#39;s grandnephew APJM Sheik Saleem placed copies of the Quran and the Bible near the sculpture of the Gita.&nbsp;

That then -- the placing of the Quran and Bible next to the sculpture of the Gita -- was objected to by the Hindu Makkal Katchi.&nbsp;

Visitors were stopped from taking photographs by police personnel stationed at the memorial

After the memorial to former President APJ Abdul Kalam found itself in the middle of a controversy, visitors to the site have been prevented from taking photographs. The DNA newspaper reported that visitors were stopped from taking photographs by police personnel stationed at the memorial. DNA added that Rameshwaram district administration officials said the restrictions might have been imposed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation which is overseeing the upkeep of the premises. "We have not got any information on the imposition of restrictions on taking photographs inside the memorial," DNA reported sources in the district administration as saying. The memorial to Kalam was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27. The controversy erupted after one of the statues of Kalam -- of the former president playing the veena -- unveiled by Modi was found to include the Bhagavad Gita. The sculpture of the Gita was placed in front of Kalam. MDMK chief Vaiko was the first to say that that was inappropriate considering Kalam's reputation as a man who was "above religion". Also read: Row over Kalam statue with Gita next to it snowballs He added that it would have been better to associate Kalam with the Thirukural, a classic of Tamil literature, and which Kalam was reportedly fondest of. Other political parties also chimed in, saying pretty much the same thing. Following the furore, Kalam's grandnephew APJM Sheik Saleem placed copies of the Quran and the Bible near the sculpture of the Gita. That then -- the placing of the Quran and Bible next to the sculpture of the Gita -- was objected to by the Hindu Makkal Katchi.

After Gita row, visitors to Kalam memorial not allowed to take photographs

The row over former President APJ Abdul Kalam&#39;s memorial has snowballed further with the Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK) objecting to the placing of a Quran and Bible next to a sculpture of the Bhagavad Gita.&nbsp;

The books were placed there by President Kalam&#39;s family.&nbsp;

Their intention was to say that the former president was &quot;above religion&quot;.&nbsp;

The memorial to Kalam -- in his hometown of Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu -- was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27.&nbsp;

The controversy erupted after one of the statues of the former president unveiled at the inauguration ceremony showed Kalam playing the veena with a copy of the Gita placed before him.&nbsp;

The row was initially triggered by protests by MDMK chief Vaiko who questioned the appropriateness of placing the Gita before the statue of Kalam given his image as someone who was above religion.

The Hindu newspaper reported Vaiko as saying associating Kalam with Thirukural, a classic of Tamil literature -- Kalam was reportedly fondest of it -- would have been more appropriate.

Following which, the Hindu reported, Kalam&#39;s grandnephew APJM Sheik Saleem placed a copy of the Quran and the Bible near the sculpture of the Bhagavad Gita.&nbsp;

The Hindu Makkal Katchi has objected to the placing of a Quran and Bible next to a sculpture of the Bhagavad Gita

The row over former President APJ Abdul Kalam's memorial has snowballed further with the Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK) objecting to the placing of a Quran and Bible next to a sculpture of the Bhagavad Gita. The books were placed there by President Kalam's family. Their intention was to say that the former president was "above religion". The memorial to Kalam -- in his hometown of Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu -- was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27. The controversy erupted after one of the statues of the former president unveiled at the inauguration ceremony showed Kalam playing the veena with a copy of the Gita placed before him. The row was initially triggered by protests by MDMK chief Vaiko who questioned the appropriateness of placing the Gita before the statue of Kalam given his image as someone who was above religion. The Hindu newspaper reported Vaiko as saying associating Kalam with Thirukural, a classic of Tamil literature -- Kalam was reportedly fondest of it -- would have been more appropriate. Following which, the Hindu reported, Kalam's grandnephew APJM Sheik Saleem placed a copy of the Quran and the Bible near the sculpture of the Bhagavad Gita.

Row over Kalam statue with Gita next to it snowballs

One of the jihadists who murdered an elderly French priest smiled as he carried out the attack, and nuns who witnessed the grisly murder said the killers spoke about the Quran. 
 
The two nuns who were in the church when Father Jacques Hamel was killed, his throat slit on the altar, said the men appeared aggressive and nervous during the attack at the Eglise Saint-Etienne in Normandy on July 26. 
 
Then, one of the attackers seemed pleased. 
 
&quot;I got a smile from the second (man). Not a smile of triumph, but a soft smile, that of someone who is happy,&quot; nun Sister Huguette Peron told Catholic newspaper La Vie on Friday. 
 
Abdel Malik Petitjean and Adel Kermiche, both 19, had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group and both were killed by police in the shock attack. 
 
The men stormed the 17th-century stone church during mass in the town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, taking several hostages before killing the priest and seriously wounding another captive. 
 
One nun fled the scene and alerted the police, leaving Sister Huguette and Sister Helene Decaux, both in their 80s, in the church with the jihadists. At one point, Sister Helene got tired and asked to sit down. &quot;I asked for my cane, he gave it to me,&quot; she said. 
 
Then the men started talking about religion, asking the nun if she was familiar with the Quran. &quot;Yes, I respect it like I respect the Bible, I&#39;ve read several suras. And those that hit me in particular are the suras about peace,&quot; Sister Helene responded. 
 
One of the attackers replied: &quot;Peace, it&#39;s what we want... as long as there are bombs on Syria, we will continue our attacks. And they will happen every day. When you stop, we will stop.&quot; 
 
Neighbours and acquaintances said Kermiche was &quot;obsessed&quot; with going to Syria, where an international coalition including France is carrying out air strikes against the IS jihadist group. 
 
&quot;Are you afraid to die?&quot; one of the attackers asked. The nun said no, then he said: &quot;Why?&quot; &quot;I believe in God, and I know I will be happy&quot; Sister Helene said, as she quietly prayed to herself. 
 
Then they started talking about God. 
 
&quot;Jesus cannot be God and a man. It is you who are wrong,&quot; one of the men said. &quot;Maybe, but too bad,&quot; Sister Huguette replied. At that moment, she prepared for her own death, not knowing what was coming next. 
 
&quot;Thinking I was going to die, I offered my life to God&quot; she added. 
 
(AFP)

The two nuns who were in the church when Father Jacques Hamel was killed said the attackers appeared aggressive and nervous

One of the jihadists who murdered an elderly French priest smiled as he carried out the attack, and nuns who witnessed the grisly murder said the killers spoke about the Quran. The two nuns who were in the church when Father Jacques Hamel was killed, his throat slit on the altar, said the men appeared aggressive and nervous during the attack at the Eglise Saint-Etienne in Normandy on July 26. Then, one of the attackers seemed pleased. "I got a smile from the second (man). Not a smile of triumph, but a soft smile, that of someone who is happy," nun Sister Huguette Peron told Catholic newspaper La Vie on Friday. Abdel Malik Petitjean and Adel Kermiche, both 19, had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group and both were killed by police in the shock attack. The men stormed the 17th-century stone church during mass in the town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, taking several hostages before killing the priest and seriously wounding another captive. One nun fled the scene and alerted the police, leaving Sister Huguette and Sister Helene Decaux, both in their 80s, in the church with the jihadists. At one point, Sister Helene got tired and asked to sit down. "I asked for my cane, he gave it to me," she said. Then the men started talking about religion, asking the nun if she was familiar with the Quran. "Yes, I respect it like I respect the Bible, I've read several suras. And those that hit me in particular are the suras about peace," Sister Helene responded. One of the attackers replied: "Peace, it's what we want... as long as there are bombs on Syria, we will continue our attacks. And they will happen every day. When you stop, we will stop." Neighbours and acquaintances said Kermiche was "obsessed" with going to Syria, where an international coalition including France is carrying out air strikes against the IS jihadist group. "Are you afraid to die?" one of the attackers asked. The nun said no, then he said: "Why?" "I believe in God, and I know I will be happy" Sister Helene said, as she quietly prayed to herself. Then they started talking about God. "Jesus cannot be God and a man. It is you who are wrong," one of the men said. "Maybe, but too bad," Sister Huguette replied. At that moment, she prepared for her own death, not knowing what was coming next. "Thinking I was going to die, I offered my life to God" she added. (AFP)

France church attackers spoke about Quran, gave a 'soft smile'

Republic of Maldives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, on the occasion of the country&rsquo;s 51st Independance day celebrations, said that it was the aim of the government to ensure that each primary school graduate in the country reads the book of Holy Quran in its entirety, starting next year. He added the government gave top priority to teaching Islam in schools because&nbsp;it was imperative to teach Quran to establish a &#39;modern society&#39;.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;It is important that the government ensures that all students in the country complete reading the Quran by the time they graduate primary school, starting from 2017,&rdquo; said the President&nbsp;during the flag raising ceremony held on Monday night. 
 
He admitted to the government being pressured to allow for religious freedom in the country, and also to receiving threats for trying to impose relgious prohibitions by teaching Islam in schools. The President, however,&nbsp;maintained that establishing Maldives Islamic University was a major step taken towards strengthening the hold of Holy Quran and Islam in the Maldivian society. 
 
Former Maldivian president and leader of the Progressive Party of Maldives, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, on the other hand, pointed to loss of religious sovereignity being a factor that could cost the country its independence.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;The country could lose its independence, not just from an attack from another army, but from wave of extremism that is spreading across the world,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp; 
 
In a press statement released on Monday, he pointed that political instability and influence of major economic powers were other factors that could shake the national unity.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s stated in Article 4 of the Maldivian Constitution that all powers of the State stem from the people. And that these powers are maintained through the people. There are national and individual rights and freedom that are guaranteed. I note that the challenges to the independence of the country that have come from some Maldivians, and express sadness over the fact,&rdquo; said Maumoon. 
 
He said that preserving the independance and sovereignity was of the highest national interest.&nbsp;

A former Maldives president, however, said loss of religious sovereignty could cost the country its independence

Republic of Maldives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, on the occasion of the country’s 51st Independance day celebrations, said that it was the aim of the government to ensure that each primary school graduate in the country reads the book of Holy Quran in its entirety, starting next year. He added the government gave top priority to teaching Islam in schools because it was imperative to teach Quran to establish a 'modern society'. “It is important that the government ensures that all students in the country complete reading the Quran by the time they graduate primary school, starting from 2017,” said the President during the flag raising ceremony held on Monday night. He admitted to the government being pressured to allow for religious freedom in the country, and also to receiving threats for trying to impose relgious prohibitions by teaching Islam in schools. The President, however, maintained that establishing Maldives Islamic University was a major step taken towards strengthening the hold of Holy Quran and Islam in the Maldivian society. Former Maldivian president and leader of the Progressive Party of Maldives, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, on the other hand, pointed to loss of religious sovereignity being a factor that could cost the country its independence. “The country could lose its independence, not just from an attack from another army, but from wave of extremism that is spreading across the world,” he said. In a press statement released on Monday, he pointed that political instability and influence of major economic powers were other factors that could shake the national unity. “It’s stated in Article 4 of the Maldivian Constitution that all powers of the State stem from the people. And that these powers are maintained through the people. There are national and individual rights and freedom that are guaranteed. I note that the challenges to the independence of the country that have come from some Maldivians, and express sadness over the fact,” said Maumoon. He said that preserving the independance and sovereignity was of the highest national interest.

Will ensure each primary school graduate has read Quran: Maldives President

With an excavation in southern Israel unearthing a Philistine cemetery for the first time, bones of the biblical giant Goliath&#39;s people can finally shed new light on mysteries of their culture. 
 
The cemetery&#39;s discovery marks the &quot;crowning achievement&quot; of some three decades of excavations in the area, the expedition&#39;s organisers say. 
 
Some of the site&#39;s finds were going on display on Sunday at the Rockefeller Archaeological Museum in Jerusalem. 
 
Almost three millennia since the Philistines were wiped off the face of the earth by Babylonian armies, a US archaeologist was hard at work crouched in one of their funeral chambers at the excavation in the Mediterranean city of Ashkelon. 
 
Brush in hand he delicately extracted from the sandy soil the complete skeleton of a Philistine buried with a terracotta perfume flask, fused to the skull with the passage of time. 
 
&quot;This discovery is a crowning achievement, the opportunity to finally see them face to face,&quot; said archaeologist Daniel Master, in charge of the site excavated since 1985 under the Leon Levy Expedition, affiliated with Harvard University&#39;s Semitic Museum, among other institutions. 
 
&quot;With these 145 corpses we hope not only to understand their funeral customs, but to collect clues in the bones to understand how they lived, to bring the Philistines to life again,&quot; he told AFP. 
 
Bone samples taken from the site are currently undergoing DNA, radiocarbon and other tests to try to shed fresh light on the Philistines&#39; origin. 
 
The first graves were discovered in Ashkelon in 2013 on the site of its ancient Philistine port city, which had 13,000 inhabitants at its peak. 
 
Today the area lies in a national park popular with Israeli families from modern Ashkelon who come for a stroll along the seaside lawns and paths. Who were the Philistines? The origins of this &quot;sea people&quot;, a term also used to describe their Phoenician contemporaries - remain a mystery. 
 
Their red-and-black pottery suggests they may have come from the Mycenaean civilisation of the Aegean. 
 
&quot;What is certain is that they were strangers in the Semitic region,&quot; where their presence between 1200 and around 600 BC is evident on a thin coastal strip running from present-day Gaza to Tel Aviv, said Master. 
 
Traders and seafarers, they spoke a language of Indo-European origin, did not practice circumcision and ate pork and dog, as proven by bones and marks found on them in the ruins of the other four Philistine cities: Gaza, Gath, Ashdod and Ekron. 
 
Beyond the previously scanty archaeological record, the Philistines are known mostly from the Old Testament account given by their neighbours and bitter enemies, the ancient Israelites. 
 
The book of Samuel describes the capture by Philistine fighters of the Ark of the Covenant and the duel between their giant warrior Goliath felled by a stone from David&#39;s sling. 
 
From these biblical descriptions of savage marauders comes the modern usage of &quot;philistine&quot; to mean a person without culture or manners.A few hundred metres (yards) from the dig, at its outdoor laboratory, anthropologist and pathologist Sherry Fox told the skeletons` story. 
 
&quot;In their teeth, we can see that they did not have an easy life,&quot; she said. 
 
&quot;We see these lines that indicate a growth interruption as the teeth are forming. There were problems in childhood with either fever or malnutrition.&quot; 
 
&quot;We also see from their bones that they were hard workers, they practised inbreeding and they used their teeth as tools, probably in the weaving industry,&quot; she said softly, holding up a skull. 
 
She said they were &quot;normal size&quot; with no evidence of any Goliath-sized giants. 
 
Master said that, despite similar-sounding names, there is no connection between the Philistines and today&#39;s Palestinians. 
&quot;The words are similar, but not the people,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;We know here in Ashkelon that these Philistines were completely destroyed by (Babylonian king) Nebuchadnezzar in December of 604 BC,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;Everything that came after was very different and a very different group of people.&quot; 
 
The 30 years of excavations at the Ashkelon cemetery come to an end this summer, when the dig will be reburied. 
 
(AFP)

In the Bible, Goliath is a giant Philistine warrior who was defeated by David. An excavation in south Israel unearthed a Philistine cemetery

With an excavation in southern Israel unearthing a Philistine cemetery for the first time, bones of the biblical giant Goliath's people can finally shed new light on mysteries of their culture. The cemetery's discovery marks the "crowning achievement" of some three decades of excavations in the area, the expedition's organisers say. Some of the site's finds were going on display on Sunday at the Rockefeller Archaeological Museum in Jerusalem. Almost three millennia since the Philistines were wiped off the face of the earth by Babylonian armies, a US archaeologist was hard at work crouched in one of their funeral chambers at the excavation in the Mediterranean city of Ashkelon. Brush in hand he delicately extracted from the sandy soil the complete skeleton of a Philistine buried with a terracotta perfume flask, fused to the skull with the passage of time. "This discovery is a crowning achievement, the opportunity to finally see them face to face," said archaeologist Daniel Master, in charge of the site excavated since 1985 under the Leon Levy Expedition, affiliated with Harvard University's Semitic Museum, among other institutions. "With these 145 corpses we hope not only to understand their funeral customs, but to collect clues in the bones to understand how they lived, to bring the Philistines to life again," he told AFP. Bone samples taken from the site are currently undergoing DNA, radiocarbon and other tests to try to shed fresh light on the Philistines' origin. The first graves were discovered in Ashkelon in 2013 on the site of its ancient Philistine port city, which had 13,000 inhabitants at its peak. Today the area lies in a national park popular with Israeli families from modern Ashkelon who come for a stroll along the seaside lawns and paths. Who were the Philistines? The origins of this "sea people", a term also used to describe their Phoenician contemporaries - remain a mystery. Their red-and-black pottery suggests they may have come from the Mycenaean civilisation of the Aegean. "What is certain is that they were strangers in the Semitic region," where their presence between 1200 and around 600 BC is evident on a thin coastal strip running from present-day Gaza to Tel Aviv, said Master. Traders and seafarers, they spoke a language of Indo-European origin, did not practice circumcision and ate pork and dog, as proven by bones and marks found on them in the ruins of the other four Philistine cities: Gaza, Gath, Ashdod and Ekron. Beyond the previously scanty archaeological record, the Philistines are known mostly from the Old Testament account given by their neighbours and bitter enemies, the ancient Israelites. The book of Samuel describes the capture by Philistine fighters of the Ark of the Covenant and the duel between their giant warrior Goliath felled by a stone from David's sling. From these biblical descriptions of savage marauders comes the modern usage of "philistine" to mean a person without culture or manners.A few hundred metres (yards) from the dig, at its outdoor laboratory, anthropologist and pathologist Sherry Fox told the skeletons` story. "In their teeth, we can see that they did not have an easy life," she said. "We see these lines that indicate a growth interruption as the teeth are forming. There were problems in childhood with either fever or malnutrition." "We also see from their bones that they were hard workers, they practised inbreeding and they used their teeth as tools, probably in the weaving industry," she said softly, holding up a skull. She said they were "normal size" with no evidence of any Goliath-sized giants. Master said that, despite similar-sounding names, there is no connection between the Philistines and today's Palestinians. "The words are similar, but not the people," he said. "We know here in Ashkelon that these Philistines were completely destroyed by (Babylonian king) Nebuchadnezzar in December of 604 BC," he said. "Everything that came after was very different and a very different group of people." The 30 years of excavations at the Ashkelon cemetery come to an end this summer, when the dig will be reburied. (AFP)

Old bones cast new light on Goliath's people

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