Here, we bring you a quick round-up of all the latest news and top headlines from all across the globe: The Swedish government on Sunday that is the second of July condemned the burning of the Quran outside Stockholm's main mosque calling it an Islamophobic. This comes after the International Islamic body of 57 states called for measures to prevent acts of desecration of the holy book.

Swedish government condemns Quran burning as Islamophobic

<p>Iran&nbsp;will refrain from sending a new ambassador to Sweden in protest over the burning of a Quran&nbsp;outside a mosque in Stockholm,&nbsp;Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Sunday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A man tore up and burned a Quran&nbsp;outside Stockholm's central mosque on Wednesday, the first day of the Muslim Eid al Adha holidays.</p>

<p>Swedish police charged the man who burned the holy book with agitation against an ethnic or national group. In a newspaper interview, he described himself as an Iraqi refugee seeking to ban it.</p>

<p>Iran's foreign ministry summoned Sweden's charge d'affaires on Thursday to condemn what it said was an insult to the most sacred Islamic sanctities.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><meta charset="UTF-8" /><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sweden-police-allow-quran-burning-protest-outside-stockholms-main-mosque-609615"><strong>Sweden police allow Quran burning protest outside Stockholm’s main mosque</strong></a></p>

<p>"Although administrative procedures to appoint a new ambassador to Sweden have ended, the process of dispatching them has been held off due to the Swedish government's issuing of a permit to desecrate the Holy Koran," Amirabdollahian said on Twitter on Sunday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He did not specify how long&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;would refrain from sending an embassador to Sweden.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Swedish police have rejected several recent applications for anti-Quran&nbsp;demonstrations, courts have overruled those decisions, saying they infringed freedom of speech.</p>

<p>In its permit for Wednesday's demonstration, Swedish police said that while it "may have foreign policy consequences", the security risks and consequences linked to a Quran&nbsp;burning were not of such a nature that the application should be rejected.</p>

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Iran will refrain from sending a new ambassador to Sweden in protest over the burning of a Quran outside a mosque in Stockholm, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Sunday.

Iran will refrain from sending a new ambassador to Sweden in protest over the burning of a Quran outside a mosque in Stockholm, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Sunday. A man tore up and burned a Quran outside Stockholm's central mosque on Wednesday, the first day of the Muslim Eid al Adha holidays. Swedish police charged the man who burned the holy book with agitation against an ethnic or national group. In a newspaper interview, he described himself as an Iraqi refugee seeking to ban it. Iran's foreign ministry summoned Sweden's charge d'affaires on Thursday to condemn what it said was an insult to the most sacred Islamic sanctities. Also read | Sweden police allow Quran burning protest outside Stockholm’s main mosque "Although administrative procedures to appoint a new ambassador to Sweden have ended, the process of dispatching them has been held off due to the Swedish government's issuing of a permit to desecrate the Holy Koran," Amirabdollahian said on Twitter on Sunday. He did not specify how long Iran would refrain from sending an embassador to Sweden. While Swedish police have rejected several recent applications for anti-Quran demonstrations, courts have overruled those decisions, saying they infringed freedom of speech. In its permit for Wednesday's demonstration, Swedish police said that while it "may have foreign policy consequences", the security risks and consequences linked to a Quran burning were not of such a nature that the application should be rejected. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Iran holds off sending ambassador to Sweden in protest over Quran incident

<p>US President Joe Biden will host Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson next week in the White House amid the Quran burning controversy, AFP reported. The two leaders will talk about Sweden’s bid to join NATO and the war in Ukraine during the July 5 meeting.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Biden and Kristersson "will review our growing security cooperation and reaffirm their view that Sweden should join NATO as soon as possible," said the White House in a statement.</p>

<h2><strong>NATO chief calls meeting over Sweden</strong></h2>

<p>Earlier, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday said that a meeting between officials from Turkey, Sweden and Finland will be held on July 6 in Brussels to discuss Sweden’s NATO membership. “The time is now to welcome Sweden as a full member of NATO," he said at&nbsp;a press conference.</p>

<p>Sweden’s entry into NATO will be a symbolic moment for the Western alliance as it will indicate how Russia’s war in Ukraine is driving more and more European nations towards the West.</p>

<h2><strong>Turkey-Sweden tensions over Quran burning</strong></h2>

<p>Meanwhile, the tensions between Turkey and Sweden are running red-hot over the Quran-burning incident in Stockholm earlier this week. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier this week hinted that this would pose another obstacle to Sweden’s bid to join NATO. Speaking to members of his Justice and Development Party, Erdogan drew a comparison between “those who permitted the crime” and those who perpetrated it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“We will eventually teach Western monuments of hubris that insulting Muslims’ sacred values is not freedom of thought,” Erdogan said.</p>

<p>Turkey has long criticised Sweden for displaying leniency when dealing with anti-Turkey Kurdish groups, which Ankara sees as terrorists. Turkey accuses these Kurdish groups of being involved in a prolonged and deadly insurgency.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Sweden permits Quran burning protests - World News</strong></p>

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<p>Although Sweden has recently made changes to its anti-terror legislation pertaining to these groups, Turkey argues that supporters of these organisations are able to freely organise demonstrations, recruit new members, and obtain financial resources within Sweden.</p>

<p>Now, the Quran burning incident has further strained ties between Turkey and Sweden. Anti-Sweden protests were held in Ankara earlier this week, where the protestors burnt the flags of Sweden outside the Swedish embassy.</p>

<h2><strong>Hungary also yet to ratify Sweden’s membership</strong></h2>

<p>Apart from Turkey, Hungary is also yet to ratify Sweden’s bid to join NATO. Hungarian lawmakers have announced that the parliamentary vote on ratifying Sweden's NATO membership, which has already faced delays, will not take place until the autumn legislative session.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/swedens-nato-bid-in-jeopardy-after-allowing-quran-burning-as-ankara-seethes-609948"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;Sweden’s NATO bid in jeopardy after allowing Quran burning as Ankara seethes</strong></a></p>

<p>Since NATO requires unanimous approval from all member countries to expand, it is highly unlikely that Sweden will receive the green light in time for the upcoming NATO summit scheduled for July 11-12 in Vilnius, Lithuania.</p>

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US President Joe Biden will host Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson next week in the White House amid the Quran burning controversy, AFP reported. The two leaders will talk about Sweden’s bid to join NATO and the war in Ukraine during the July 5 meeting.

US President Joe Biden will host Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson next week in the White House amid the Quran burning controversy, AFP reported. The two leaders will talk about Sweden’s bid to join NATO and the war in Ukraine during the July 5 meeting. Biden and Kristersson "will review our growing security cooperation and reaffirm their view that Sweden should join NATO as soon as possible," said the White House in a statement. NATO chief calls meeting over Sweden Earlier, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday said that a meeting between officials from Turkey, Sweden and Finland will be held on July 6 in Brussels to discuss Sweden’s NATO membership. “The time is now to welcome Sweden as a full member of NATO," he said at a press conference. Sweden’s entry into NATO will be a symbolic moment for the Western alliance as it will indicate how Russia’s war in Ukraine is driving more and more European nations towards the West. Turkey-Sweden tensions over Quran burning Meanwhile, the tensions between Turkey and Sweden are running red-hot over the Quran-burning incident in Stockholm earlier this week. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier this week hinted that this would pose another obstacle to Sweden’s bid to join NATO. Speaking to members of his Justice and Development Party, Erdogan drew a comparison between “those who permitted the crime” and those who perpetrated it. “We will eventually teach Western monuments of hubris that insulting Muslims’ sacred values is not freedom of thought,” Erdogan said. Turkey has long criticised Sweden for displaying leniency when dealing with anti-Turkey Kurdish groups, which Ankara sees as terrorists. Turkey accuses these Kurdish groups of being involved in a prolonged and deadly insurgency. Watch: Sweden permits Quran burning protests - World News × Although Sweden has recently made changes to its anti-terror legislation pertaining to these groups, Turkey argues that supporters of these organisations are able to freely organise demonstrations, recruit new members, and obtain financial resources within Sweden. Now, the Quran burning incident has further strained ties between Turkey and Sweden. Anti-Sweden protests were held in Ankara earlier this week, where the protestors burnt the flags of Sweden outside the Swedish embassy. Hungary also yet to ratify Sweden’s membership Apart from Turkey, Hungary is also yet to ratify Sweden’s bid to join NATO. Hungarian lawmakers have announced that the parliamentary vote on ratifying Sweden's NATO membership, which has already faced delays, will not take place until the autumn legislative session. Also read: Sweden’s NATO bid in jeopardy after allowing Quran burning as Ankara seethes Since NATO requires unanimous approval from all member countries to expand, it is highly unlikely that Sweden will receive the green light in time for the upcoming NATO summit scheduled for July 11-12 in Vilnius, Lithuania. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Joe Biden to host Swedish PM in White House amid Quran burning controversy

<p>On Thursday, hundreds of followers of influential Iraqi Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada Sadr stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad in protest of the burning of a Quran in Sweden.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per an AP report citing an Iraqi security official, the protesters breached the embassy building, prompting its evacuation by security forces.&nbsp;</p>

<p>They reportedly raised pictures of Sadr and flags of his militia, the Mahdi Army, while some also burned rainbow flags, symbolising LGBTQ+ pride. Iraq has not yet made any public comments about the embassy storming.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Stockholm Quran burning incident</strong></h2>

<p>The protest took place after&nbsp;on Wednesday, a man in Sweden, who identified himself as an Iraqi refugee, burned a Quran outside a mosque in Stockholm.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to the Iraqi security official, the man was an Iraqi Christian and a former member of a Christian unit within the Popular Mobilisation Forces, a collection of predominantly Shiite militias incorporated into Iraq's armed forces in 2016.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protester-sets-fire-to-koran-at-stockholm-mosque-on-eid-holiday-609816">Protester sets fire to Quran at Stockholm mosque on Bakrid holiday, faces police action</a></strong></p>

<p>The act of burning the Quran during the Eid ul-Adha holiday drew condemnation from the Muslim world. On Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested that the incident could hinder Sweden's bid for NATO membership.</p>

<h2><strong>The protest</strong></h2>

<p>Following the incident, Muqtada Sadr took to Twitter, calling on his followers to protest at the Swedish Embassy and demand the expulsion of Sweden's ambassador to Iraq. He asked his followers to&nbsp;keep burning the LGBT flag until the eighth day of the lunar month of Muharram because "it is what irritates them the most".</p>

<p>The Swedish police authorised the protest on the grounds of freedom of speech. Previously, a similar protest was banned by the police. However, the ban was overturned by a court.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/swedens-nato-bid-in-jeopardy-after-allowing-quran-burning-as-ankara-seethes-609948">Sweden’s NATO bid in jeopardy after allowing Quran burning as Ankara seethes</a></strong></p>

<p>Sadr reportedly also urged the prosecution in absentia of the man who burned the Quran and also for the revocation of his nationality. He has called for another protest to be held in front of the embassy on Friday.</p>

<p>In a statement, the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that it had summoned the Swedish ambassador and called on Sweden's government "to take the necessary measures to stop the repeated insults to the Holy Quran". They also requested the extradition of the man responsible for burning the Quran to face prosecution in Iraq, stating that freedom of expression does not justify offence to religious sanctities. "Legal justifications and freedom of expression do not justify allowing offence to religious sanctities," said the statement.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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On Thursday, hundreds of followers of influential Iraqi Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada Sadr stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad in protest of the burning of a Quran in Sweden.

On Thursday, hundreds of followers of influential Iraqi Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada Sadr stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad in protest of the burning of a Quran in Sweden. As per an AP report citing an Iraqi security official, the protesters breached the embassy building, prompting its evacuation by security forces. They reportedly raised pictures of Sadr and flags of his militia, the Mahdi Army, while some also burned rainbow flags, symbolising LGBTQ+ pride. Iraq has not yet made any public comments about the embassy storming. Stockholm Quran burning incident The protest took place after on Wednesday, a man in Sweden, who identified himself as an Iraqi refugee, burned a Quran outside a mosque in Stockholm. According to the Iraqi security official, the man was an Iraqi Christian and a former member of a Christian unit within the Popular Mobilisation Forces, a collection of predominantly Shiite militias incorporated into Iraq's armed forces in 2016. Also read | Protester sets fire to Quran at Stockholm mosque on Bakrid holiday, faces police action The act of burning the Quran during the Eid ul-Adha holiday drew condemnation from the Muslim world. On Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested that the incident could hinder Sweden's bid for NATO membership. The protest Following the incident, Muqtada Sadr took to Twitter, calling on his followers to protest at the Swedish Embassy and demand the expulsion of Sweden's ambassador to Iraq. He asked his followers to keep burning the LGBT flag until the eighth day of the lunar month of Muharram because "it is what irritates them the most". The Swedish police authorised the protest on the grounds of freedom of speech. Previously, a similar protest was banned by the police. However, the ban was overturned by a court. Also read | Sweden’s NATO bid in jeopardy after allowing Quran burning as Ankara seethes Sadr reportedly also urged the prosecution in absentia of the man who burned the Quran and also for the revocation of his nationality. He has called for another protest to be held in front of the embassy on Friday. In a statement, the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that it had summoned the Swedish ambassador and called on Sweden's government "to take the necessary measures to stop the repeated insults to the Holy Quran". They also requested the extradition of the man responsible for burning the Quran to face prosecution in Iraq, stating that freedom of expression does not justify offence to religious sanctities. "Legal justifications and freedom of expression do not justify allowing offence to religious sanctities," said the statement. (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.

Iraqi protesters storm Swedish embassy in Baghdad following Quran burning incident

Protests outside Swedish embassy in Baghdad, Tehran over burning of Quran

<p>After Swedish police granted permission to burn the Quran outside Stockholm's main mosque as part of a protest, the Islamic world is angry. Turkey's foreign minister criticised Sweden and said the diktat could further complicate Ankara's long-delayed approval of the Nordic nation's application to join NATO.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I condemn the vile protest in Sweden against our holy book on the first day of the blessed Eid al-Adha,” said&nbsp;Hakan Fidan, the Turkish foreign minister, adding that&nbsp;it was “unacceptable to allow anti-Islam protests in the name of freedom of expression”.</p>

<h2><strong>Turkey holds the cards&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Turkey holds Sweden's fortunes in its hands regarding membership to the security alliance. Stockholm&nbsp;has been seeking a NATO spot since last year.&nbsp;So far, not much progress has been made on the issue as Ankara has refused to ratify Sweden's application.</p>

<p>The two countries have not been on cordial terms for long. In January, Turkey opened up an inquiry after&nbsp;an effigy of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was burnt by Kurdish elements.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Unrest in Sweden over Quran burning during Easter weekend</strong></p>

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<p>Erdogan continues to blast Sweden for providing a safe haven to Kurdish 'terrorists'. The Turkish leader is also cross with the Nordic countries for imposing an arms embargo on Ankara after Turkey's intervention in the Syrian conflict in 2019.</p>

<p>"Until the promises made to our country are kept, we will maintain our principled position. We are closely following whether the promises made by Sweden and Finland are kept or not, and of course, the final decision will be up to our great parliament," Erdogan had said in the country's parliament last year.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Finland, finally, got the approval and joined NATO in April this year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Notably, Sweden sped up its process to join the nuclear-armed alliance after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, last year.&nbsp;It submitted the official application in May but to become a member, all&nbsp;30 NATO allies need to sign the ratification document. Every country has signed the document, bar Turkey and Hungary.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What happened in Sweden?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>After police had refused to authorise Quran burning&nbsp;in the capital city, saying the protests had made Sweden a "high priority target" for attacks, the protesters went to the court.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The appeals court 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."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sweden-police-allow-quran-burning-protest-outside-stockholms-main-mosque-609615"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Sweden police allow Quran burning protest outside Stockholm’s main mosque</strong></a></p>

<p>Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson did not outright condemn the removal of the ban and said,&nbsp;“It’s legal, but not appropriate. We live in a time when one should stay calm and think of what’s best for Sweden’s long-term interest."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
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After Swedish police granted permission to burn the Quran outside Stockholm's main mosque as part of a protest, the Islamic world is angry. Turkey's foreign minister criticised Sweden and said the diktat could further complicate Ankara's long-delayed approval of the Nordic nation's application to join NATO.

After Swedish police granted permission to burn the Quran outside Stockholm's main mosque as part of a protest, the Islamic world is angry. Turkey's foreign minister criticised Sweden and said the diktat could further complicate Ankara's long-delayed approval of the Nordic nation's application to join NATO. “I condemn the vile protest in Sweden against our holy book on the first day of the blessed Eid al-Adha,” said Hakan Fidan, the Turkish foreign minister, adding that it was “unacceptable to allow anti-Islam protests in the name of freedom of expression”. Turkey holds the cards Turkey holds Sweden's fortunes in its hands regarding membership to the security alliance. Stockholm has been seeking a NATO spot since last year. So far, not much progress has been made on the issue as Ankara has refused to ratify Sweden's application. The two countries have not been on cordial terms for long. In January, Turkey opened up an inquiry after an effigy of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was burnt by Kurdish elements. WATCH | Unrest in Sweden over Quran burning during Easter weekend Erdogan continues to blast Sweden for providing a safe haven to Kurdish 'terrorists'. The Turkish leader is also cross with the Nordic countries for imposing an arms embargo on Ankara after Turkey's intervention in the Syrian conflict in 2019. "Until the promises made to our country are kept, we will maintain our principled position. We are closely following whether the promises made by Sweden and Finland are kept or not, and of course, the final decision will be up to our great parliament," Erdogan had said in the country's parliament last year. Finland, finally, got the approval and joined NATO in April this year. Notably, Sweden sped up its process to join the nuclear-armed alliance after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, last year. It submitted the official application in May but to become a member, all 30 NATO allies need to sign the ratification document. Every country has signed the document, bar Turkey and Hungary. What happened in Sweden? After police had refused to authorise Quran burning in the capital city, saying the protests had made Sweden a "high priority target" for attacks, the protesters went to the court. The appeals court 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." Also read | Sweden police allow Quran burning protest outside Stockholm’s main mosque Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson did not outright condemn the removal of the ban and said, “It’s legal, but not appropriate. We live in a time when one should stay calm and think of what’s best for Sweden’s long-term interest." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Sweden’s NATO bid in jeopardy after allowing Quran burning as Ankara seethes

As Eid-Ul-Adha celebrations are underway world over. Sweden is in the spotlight for allowing protestors to burn the muslim holy book, Quran. Outside the Swedish capital's main mosque on Wednesday. The demonstrations coincided with the first of three-day Eid celebrations. Iraq denounced the move, calling it racist. It could also hurt the former's bid for NATO membership before the bloc’s summit in July. You may recall, that Turkiye has been a roadblock in Sweden's formal induction into the NATO alliance. A NATO member itself, Ankara holds Stockholm accountable for sheltering Kurdish militants allegedly responsible for the 2016 coup.

Quran burning protest in Stockholm puts Sweden's NATO bid in jeopardy

Swedish authorities permitted a protester to burn the holy book of Quran in front of a Mosque. Is this kind of freedom of expression justified? Molly Gambhir brings you a report.

Gravitas: Sweden permits protester to burn the Quran

As the holiday of Eid al-Adha begins on Wednesday, Sweden police authorities have granted permission for protestors to burn the Muslim Holy Book of the Quran. "Security risks associated with the burning of Holy text were not of the nature that could justify, under current laws, a decision to reject the request," said the Swedish Police.

Clouds loom over Eid celebrations in Sweden as protestors to burn Quran during celebrations

Swedish courts overturn ban to burn Holy Book of Quran

As the holiday of Eid al-Adha begins on Wednesday, Sweden police authorities have granted permission for protestors to burn the Muslim Holy Book of the Quran. Will it complicate Sweden's NATO membership? Let's know more in this interview with Political Analyst and Journalist James Jackson.

Sweden permits Quran burning protests

<p>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.</p>

<p>Some private individuals had requested the police to allow them to demonstrate even though their earlier requests were blocked.</p>

<p id="7">“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.</p>

<p id="9">Police said they have called in reinforcements from across the country to maintain order.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<h2><strong>Unrest in Sweden over Quran burning during Easter weekend</strong></h2>

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<p>The police had refused to authorise the Quran burnings in Stockholm saying that the protest had made Sweden "a higher priority target for attacks."</p>

<p>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."<br />
<br />
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.</p>

<p>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'.</p>

<p>The political leaders in Sweden have criticised the Quran burnings but defended the right to freedom of expression.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>It is also the&nbsp;largest party in the right-wing ruling bloc, although not recognized as a part of the government.</p>

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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

<p>At least one person was killed and nine&nbsp;others, including one child, were injured after a roller coaster accident at the Grona Lund amusement park in the Swedish capital city of Stockholm, on Sunday (June 25), as per local media reports and the police. Meanwhile, several witnesses told broadcaster SVT that the ride had partly derailed.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What do we know about the incident so far?</strong></h2>

<p>The incident took place at an amusement park's Jetline roller coaster. As per reports and images from the scene, several ambulances, fire trucks and a helicopter were seen arriving at Grona Lund park while the police said that the incident is under investigation.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The police have also confirmed that multiple people had been injured due to the accident and they are “emptying the park and we’ve started our investigation,” quoted the news agency Reuters. Meanwhile, 140-year-old amusement park Grona Lund’s website said, “A serious accident has taken place on the Jetline. We are working with the rescue services. The park is closed for now.”&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Jan Eriksson, Grona Lund’s chief executive, said, "Today is a day of mourning at Grona Lund, we've had a very serious accident in the roller coaster Jetline, where one person has died and nine people have been injured."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Something like this should not happen at Grona Lund, and yet it happened," said&nbsp;Eriksson, during a press conference, hours after the accident.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Sweden’s Culture Minister Parisa Liljestrand speaking about the incident said it was incomprehensible. “My thoughts are with those that were affected as well as their families and loved ones,” said Liljestrand, as per TT news agency.</p>

<p>The amusement park’s website also said that the steel-tracked Jetline roller coaster reaches a speed of up to 90 kilometres per hour and a height of 30 metres and transports more than a million visitors every year. As per media reports, Jetline has been a part of the amusement park since 1988.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Eyewitness accounts of the accident</strong></h2>

<p>“There was a lot of screaming. No one knew what was going on,” Cornelia, one of the people in the park on Sunday, who had also been on the roller coaster where the incident occurred, told Sweden’s TV4.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Jenny Lagerstedt, a journalist who was visiting the park with her family, told SVT that she was nearby and heard a metallic noise and noticed that the track structure was shaking at the time of the accident. “My husband saw a roller coaster car with people in it falling to the ground,” Lagerstedt told SVT. She added, “My children were scared.”&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em><br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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At least one person was killed and nine others, including one child, were injured after a roller coaster accident at the Grona Lund amusement park in the Swedish capital city of Stockholm, on Sunday (June 25), as per local media reports and the police.

At least one person was killed and nine others, including one child, were injured after a roller coaster accident at the Grona Lund amusement park in the Swedish capital city of Stockholm, on Sunday (June 25), as per local media reports and the police. Meanwhile, several witnesses told broadcaster SVT that the ride had partly derailed. What do we know about the incident so far? The incident took place at an amusement park's Jetline roller coaster. As per reports and images from the scene, several ambulances, fire trucks and a helicopter were seen arriving at Grona Lund park while the police said that the incident is under investigation. The police have also confirmed that multiple people had been injured due to the accident and they are “emptying the park and we’ve started our investigation,” quoted the news agency Reuters. Meanwhile, 140-year-old amusement park Grona Lund’s website said, “A serious accident has taken place on the Jetline. We are working with the rescue services. The park is closed for now.” Jan Eriksson, Grona Lund’s chief executive, said, "Today is a day of mourning at Grona Lund, we've had a very serious accident in the roller coaster Jetline, where one person has died and nine people have been injured." "Something like this should not happen at Grona Lund, and yet it happened," said Eriksson, during a press conference, hours after the accident. Sweden’s Culture Minister Parisa Liljestrand speaking about the incident said it was incomprehensible. “My thoughts are with those that were affected as well as their families and loved ones,” said Liljestrand, as per TT news agency. The amusement park’s website also said that the steel-tracked Jetline roller coaster reaches a speed of up to 90 kilometres per hour and a height of 30 metres and transports more than a million visitors every year. As per media reports, Jetline has been a part of the amusement park since 1988. Eyewitness accounts of the accident “There was a lot of screaming. No one knew what was going on,” Cornelia, one of the people in the park on Sunday, who had also been on the roller coaster where the incident occurred, told Sweden’s TV4. Meanwhile, Jenny Lagerstedt, a journalist who was visiting the park with her family, told SVT that she was nearby and heard a metallic noise and noticed that the track structure was shaking at the time of the accident. “My husband saw a roller coaster car with people in it falling to the ground,” Lagerstedt told SVT. She added, “My children were scared.” (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. -

Sweden: At least one killed, nine injured after roller coaster accident in amusement park

Greta Thunberg and climate activists block entrance to oil port in Sweden’s Malmo.

Greta Thunberg: Climate crisis escalating

As fans from around the world spent money to witness Beyoncé's concert in Stockholm. The 'BeyHives' may have been a factor that caused the country’s inflation rate to stay higher than expected.

Gravitas: Did Beyonce cause inflation in Sweden?

<p>Continuing the rather absurd trend of targeting popular paintings and art pieces, two women climate activists on Wednesday vandalised a Monet painting at&nbsp;Stockholm's National Museum.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The women were arrested but not before they smeared red paint over the painting and glued themselves to the protective glass. The museum's press office confirmed the incident and said they were not sure if the painting had been destroyed or not.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“In the afternoon of June 14 around 2:30 p.m. (8:30 ET) an action was carried out at the National Museum in Stockholm. Two people made handprints with some kind of paint on an artwork by the artist Monet in the exhibition ‘The Garden – Six Centuries of Art and Nature’ and then glued themselves to the glass,” the museum’s press office said.</p>

<p>“The painting, which is encased in glass, is now being inspected by museum conservators to determine whether there is any damage,” it added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/germany-gets-tough-with-climate-activists-596379"><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Germany gets tough with climate activists</strong></a></p>

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<p>Aterstall Vatmarker, a platform that empowers such 'progressive causes' took to Twitter to post the video of the incident.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Emma &amp; Maj, nurse and nursing student respectively, today in action at the National Museum. The situation is so damn critical. Therefore, they put red handprints &amp; glued themselves to the protective glass of Monet's famous painting&nbsp;‘The Garden – Six Centuries of Art and Nature’" read the tweet.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="sv">Emma &amp; Maj, sjuksköterska respektive sjuksköterskestudent, idag i aktion på Nationalmuseum. Läget är så jäkla kritiskt. Därför satte de röda handavtryck &amp; limmade fast sig på skyddsglaset på Monets kända tavla Konstnärens trädgård i Giverny. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%C3%A5terst%C3%A4llv%C3%A5tmarker?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#återställvåtmarker</a> <a href="https://t.co/Gr0bFzqHDX">pic.twitter.com/Gr0bFzqHDX</a></p>
— Återställ Våtmarker (@vatmarker) <a href="https://twitter.com/vatmarker/status/1668991281169612801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The duo reportedly shouted&nbsp;"The (climate) situation is acute" and "our health is threatened" after their daring act.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Stockholm police arrest the activists&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The Stockholm police upon arriving at the scene arrested the two women who have been charged under aggravated vandalism.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“The crime is currently classified as aggravated vandalism. It is unclear whether more people than the two arrested are involved in the incident, but a number of people have been checked and the police will, among other things, review the course of events with the help of the museum’s surveillance cameras,” the police said in a release.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-police-launch-operation-against-disruptive-climate-change-protestors-and-groups-531856"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;UK Police launch operation against disruptive climate change protesters and groups</strong></a></p>

<p>The vandalism by the duo follows in the footsteps of similar episodes carried by supposed 'climate change activists' across Europe and outside. The modus operandi is the same in most cases.</p>

<p>Apart from art museums, climate activists have also impeded proceedings at F1 Grand Prix races and cricket matches. Recently, the England cricket team was held up as they attempted to make their way to the Lord's cricket ground to play the one-off Test match against Ireland. Just Stop Oil activists marched before the team bus with placards saying "life over oil", "we won't die quietly' and #no new oil and gas".</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong>&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Continuing the rather absurd trend of targeting popular paintings and art pieces, two women climate activists on Wednesday vandalised a Monet painting at Stockholm's National Museum.

Continuing the rather absurd trend of targeting popular paintings and art pieces, two women climate activists on Wednesday vandalised a Monet painting at Stockholm's National Museum. The women were arrested but not before they smeared red paint over the painting and glued themselves to the protective glass. The museum's press office confirmed the incident and said they were not sure if the painting had been destroyed or not. “In the afternoon of June 14 around 2:30 p.m. (8:30 ET) an action was carried out at the National Museum in Stockholm. Two people made handprints with some kind of paint on an artwork by the artist Monet in the exhibition ‘The Garden – Six Centuries of Art and Nature’ and then glued themselves to the glass,” the museum’s press office said. “The painting, which is encased in glass, is now being inspected by museum conservators to determine whether there is any damage,” it added. Watch | Germany gets tough with climate activists × Aterstall Vatmarker, a platform that empowers such 'progressive causes' took to Twitter to post the video of the incident. "Emma & Maj, nurse and nursing student respectively, today in action at the National Museum. The situation is so damn critical. Therefore, they put red handprints & glued themselves to the protective glass of Monet's famous painting ‘The Garden – Six Centuries of Art and Nature’" read the tweet. Emma & Maj, sjuksköterska respektive sjuksköterskestudent, idag i aktion på Nationalmuseum. Läget är så jäkla kritiskt. Därför satte de röda handavtryck & limmade fast sig på skyddsglaset på Monets kända tavla Konstnärens trädgård i Giverny. #återställvåtmarker pic.twitter.com/Gr0bFzqHDX — Återställ Våtmarker (@vatmarker) June 14, 2023 × The duo reportedly shouted "The (climate) situation is acute" and "our health is threatened" after their daring act. Stockholm police arrest the activists The Stockholm police upon arriving at the scene arrested the two women who have been charged under aggravated vandalism. “The crime is currently classified as aggravated vandalism. It is unclear whether more people than the two arrested are involved in the incident, but a number of people have been checked and the police will, among other things, review the course of events with the help of the museum’s surveillance cameras,” the police said in a release. Also read | UK Police launch operation against disruptive climate change protesters and groups The vandalism by the duo follows in the footsteps of similar episodes carried by supposed 'climate change activists' across Europe and outside. The modus operandi is the same in most cases. Apart from art museums, climate activists have also impeded proceedings at F1 Grand Prix races and cricket matches. Recently, the England cricket team was held up as they attempted to make their way to the Lord's cricket ground to play the one-off Test match against Ireland. Just Stop Oil activists marched before the team bus with placards saying "life over oil", "we won't die quietly' and #no new oil and gas". (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

WATCH | Climate activists smear paint over Monet painting in Stockholm

<p>Looking beyond Russia-Ukraine war or supply chain issues, Swedish authorities believe that the reason the country recorded higher-than-expected inflation in May is because of Beyonce.</p>

<p>The singer’s decision to kick off her Renaissance tour from Stockholm in May spurred massive demand for hotel bookings and meals which the economists blame for the rise in inflation by 0.2 percentage points..</p>

<p>According to data published by Statistics Sweden on Wednesday, the core inflation, which excludes energy prices, rose to 9.7 per cent in May.</p>

<p>The economists said that restaurants and hotels added 0.3 percentage points to the May figure, while recreation and culture contributed 0.2 percentage points.</p>

<h2><strong>Surprised with inflation figures</strong></h2>

<p>Experts had expected the inflation to hover around 9.4 per cent from 10.5 per cent in April. But they were surprised to find the Beyonce effect having that much impact on the country. The inflation in Sweden peaked at 12.3 per cent in December.</p>

<p>“Beyoncé is responsible for the extra upside surprise this month. It’s quite astonishing for a single event. We haven’t seen this before,” said Michael Grahn, Danske’s chief economist in Sweden, who said that the singer was responsible for the 0.2 percentage points inflation rise.</p>

<h2><strong>Sweden: Will allow NATO to base troops in territory</strong></h2>

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<h2><strong>The Beyonce effect</strong></h2>

<p>Major sporting tournaments often tip the scales on the higher side, but the economists said it was rare for a single event to do so.</p>

<p>In the middle of May, tens and thousands of fans descended to Stockholm to catch the two concerts that kicked off her first solo tour in seven years. Estimates peg the crowd at each concert to be at 46,000, with some forced to stay outside the capital as hotels filled up fast.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealand-slips-into-recession-as-gdp-fell-01-per-cent-in-the-march-quarter-604574">New Zealand slips into recession as GDP falls 0.1 per cent in March quarter</a></p>

<p>There were reports that a number of fans had travelled from overseas to see the shows, taking advantage of the weak Swedish currency and lower ticket prices.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wion-explains-new-zealand-loses-almost-decade-old-fight-for-manuka-honey-trademark-heres-what-it-means-595191"><strong>&nbsp;WION Explains: New Zealand loses almost decade-old fight for `mānuka honey` trademark. Here`s what it means</strong></a></p>

<p>In an interview to Wall Street Journal, Grahn said that the effect was “very rare” and he expected the situation to go back to normal in June.</p>

<p>But one economist told the Financial Times newspaper that Sweden might experience a similar inflation bump when Bruce Springsteen plays three nights of concerts in Gothenburg in June.</p>

<p>After Stockholm, Beyoncé moved through several European capitals including Brussels, Cardiff, Edinburgh and five nights in London. She has seven more dates in Germany, the Netherlands and Poland before moving to Canada and the US.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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Looking beyond Russia-Ukraine war or supply chain issues, Swedish authorities believe that the reason the country recorded higher-than-expected inflation in May is because of Beyonce.

Looking beyond Russia-Ukraine war or supply chain issues, Swedish authorities believe that the reason the country recorded higher-than-expected inflation in May is because of Beyonce. The singer’s decision to kick off her Renaissance tour from Stockholm in May spurred massive demand for hotel bookings and meals which the economists blame for the rise in inflation by 0.2 percentage points.. According to data published by Statistics Sweden on Wednesday, the core inflation, which excludes energy prices, rose to 9.7 per cent in May. The economists said that restaurants and hotels added 0.3 percentage points to the May figure, while recreation and culture contributed 0.2 percentage points. Surprised with inflation figures Experts had expected the inflation to hover around 9.4 per cent from 10.5 per cent in April. But they were surprised to find the Beyonce effect having that much impact on the country. The inflation in Sweden peaked at 12.3 per cent in December. “Beyoncé is responsible for the extra upside surprise this month. It’s quite astonishing for a single event. We haven’t seen this before,” said Michael Grahn, Danske’s chief economist in Sweden, who said that the singer was responsible for the 0.2 percentage points inflation rise. Sweden: Will allow NATO to base troops in territory The Beyonce effect Major sporting tournaments often tip the scales on the higher side, but the economists said it was rare for a single event to do so. In the middle of May, tens and thousands of fans descended to Stockholm to catch the two concerts that kicked off her first solo tour in seven years. Estimates peg the crowd at each concert to be at 46,000, with some forced to stay outside the capital as hotels filled up fast. Also read | New Zealand slips into recession as GDP falls 0.1 per cent in March quarter There were reports that a number of fans had travelled from overseas to see the shows, taking advantage of the weak Swedish currency and lower ticket prices. Also read | WION Explains: New Zealand loses almost decade-old fight for `mānuka honey` trademark. Here`s what it means In an interview to Wall Street Journal, Grahn said that the effect was “very rare” and he expected the situation to go back to normal in June. But one economist told the Financial Times newspaper that Sweden might experience a similar inflation bump when Bruce Springsteen plays three nights of concerts in Gothenburg in June. After Stockholm, Beyoncé moved through several European capitals including Brussels, Cardiff, Edinburgh and five nights in London. She has seven more dates in Germany, the Netherlands and Poland before moving to Canada and the US. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Swedish economists blame Beyonce for higher-than-expected inflation in May

<p>Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said that Ankara won't change its approach towards Sweden's NATO membership bid at the summit of the Western alliance next month unless anti-Turkey protests stop in Stockholm.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Turkey cannot approach the NATO bid of Sweden positively while terrorists&nbsp;continue their protests in Stockholm, and the position of Turkey would be made clear once talks are again held with Swedish officials in Ankara on Wednesday," President Erdogan was quoted as saying to the reporters on a flight which returned from Azerbaijan on Tuesday.</p>

<p>The comments were made by Erdogan before the officials from Turkey, Sweden, Finland and NATO held talks in Ankara on Wednesday with the aim of trying to overcome objections of Turkey that have delayed the NATO membership bid of Sweden.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sweden-agrees-to-extradite-pro-kurdish-pkk-supporter-to-turkey-603643">Amid NATO membership bid, Sweden agrees to extradite pro-Kurdish PKK supporter to Turkey</a></p>

<p>“Sweden’s expectations don’t mean we’ll meet them,” said Erdogan, while speaking to the Turkish media. “Sweden must, first of all, eradicate what this terrorist organisation is doing. In this picture, we can’t have a positive approach," he added.</p>

<p>The remarks of Erdogan suggest his reluctance to approve NATO membership of Sweden which is likely to&nbsp;continue even after the upcoming summit of the alliance in Vilnius, Lithuania, next month.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In April, Finland was given the approval to join NATO after Turkey ratified its bid in March.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Sweden compliant with Madrid agreement?</strong></h2>

<p>Sweden has continued to claim that it is in compliance with an agreement finalised at NATO’s summit in Madrid a year ago, which permitted the process to move ahead. On June 1, a new anti-terrorism law was enforced in Sweden, but Erdogan said that the country has not been able to anti-Turkey protests so far.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Speaking on Sweden's legal changes, Erdogan stated, "This is not only a matter of a law amendment or a constitutional change. What is the job of the police there? They have legal and constitutional rights, they should exercise their rights. The police should prevent these (protests)."</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Italy's special forces rescue Turkish crew</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>Effective Crackdown</strong></h2>

<p>Turkish President Erdogan appealed to the security forces of Sweden to carry out an effective crackdown on Kurdish militants to fully comply&nbsp;with the agreement signed in Madrid.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“There are rights already given to security forces under laws, the constitution. Use those rights,” Erdogan stated as he recalled the battle of Turkey against separatist Kurdish militants in southeast Turkey. “If you are not going to use those rights then where is NATO’s struggle against terrorism? NATO must solve this. Otherwise, we would not say ‘fine’ in Vilnius," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>You can&nbsp;<strong>now write for&nbsp;wionews.com</strong>&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>

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Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said that Ankara won't change its approach towards Sweden's NATO membership bid at the summit of the Western alliance next month unless anti-Turkey protests stop in Stockholm.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said that Ankara won't change its approach towards Sweden's NATO membership bid at the summit of the Western alliance next month unless anti-Turkey protests stop in Stockholm. "Turkey cannot approach the NATO bid of Sweden positively while terrorists continue their protests in Stockholm, and the position of Turkey would be made clear once talks are again held with Swedish officials in Ankara on Wednesday," President Erdogan was quoted as saying to the reporters on a flight which returned from Azerbaijan on Tuesday. The comments were made by Erdogan before the officials from Turkey, Sweden, Finland and NATO held talks in Ankara on Wednesday with the aim of trying to overcome objections of Turkey that have delayed the NATO membership bid of Sweden. ALSO READ | Amid NATO membership bid, Sweden agrees to extradite pro-Kurdish PKK supporter to Turkey “Sweden’s expectations don’t mean we’ll meet them,” said Erdogan, while speaking to the Turkish media. “Sweden must, first of all, eradicate what this terrorist organisation is doing. In this picture, we can’t have a positive approach," he added. The remarks of Erdogan suggest his reluctance to approve NATO membership of Sweden which is likely to continue even after the upcoming summit of the alliance in Vilnius, Lithuania, next month. In April, Finland was given the approval to join NATO after Turkey ratified its bid in March. Sweden compliant with Madrid agreement? Sweden has continued to claim that it is in compliance with an agreement finalised at NATO’s summit in Madrid a year ago, which permitted the process to move ahead. On June 1, a new anti-terrorism law was enforced in Sweden, but Erdogan said that the country has not been able to anti-Turkey protests so far. Speaking on Sweden's legal changes, Erdogan stated, "This is not only a matter of a law amendment or a constitutional change. What is the job of the police there? They have legal and constitutional rights, they should exercise their rights. The police should prevent these (protests)." WATCH | Italy's special forces rescue Turkish crew Effective Crackdown Turkish President Erdogan appealed to the security forces of Sweden to carry out an effective crackdown on Kurdish militants to fully comply with the agreement signed in Madrid. “There are rights already given to security forces under laws, the constitution. Use those rights,” Erdogan stated as he recalled the battle of Turkey against separatist Kurdish militants in southeast Turkey. “If you are not going to use those rights then where is NATO’s struggle against terrorism? NATO must solve this. Otherwise, we would not say ‘fine’ in Vilnius," he added. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Turkey won't support Sweden's NATO bid unless anti-Turkish protests are stopped: Erdogan

<p>Sweden on Monday (June 12) agreed to the extradition of a man who was convicted of drug trafficking and is a self-proclaimed supporter of the pro-Kurdish PKK. This also comes ahead of a meeting with Turkish and Swedish officials over the latter's stalled NATO bid. Earlier this month, Sweden even agreed to establish temporary NATO bases on its soil before becoming a member of the military alliance.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Who is the man being extradited to Turkey</strong>?</h2>

<p>A Swedish Justice Ministry official, Ashraf Ahmed, told AFP that the government has granted “an extradition from Sweden regarding a 35-year-old Turkish citizen.” This also comes after the Supreme Court, earlier this year cleared the individual’s repatriation to Turkey, where he is also expected to serve the rest of his drug trafficking sentence.</p>

<p>The man, whose extradition was approved, had been sentenced in 2014 to four years and seven months in a Turkish prison for transporting a bag of cannabis. However, he was later released on parole and moved to Sweden, but was again reported arrested last year after a request from Turkish prosecutors.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sweden-cannot-accept-some-demands-of-turkiye-for-nato-membership-pm-550526">Sweden cannot accept some demands of Turkiye for NATO membership: PM</a></strong></p>

<p>The convicted drug trafficker who has not been named has since opposed the move and claimed that the real reason that Turkey wants him back is due to his links to the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and for having shown support for the PKK, reported AFP.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Notably, the news agency cited the court ruling against the man which noted that when asked the Turkish prosecutors if he was involved in any ongoing probes or charges linked to a “terrorist organisation” or “insulting the Turkish president,” the authorities from Ankara had denied.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>How is this related to Sweden’s NATO bid?</strong></h2>

<p>Turkey has stalled Sweden’s NATO bid for months now while accusing the country of being a haven for “terrorists.” This was also in reference to the members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, a group which has now been banned by Turkey.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/sweden-awaits-turkiyes-approval-to-join-nato-550578">Sweden awaits Turkiye's approval to join NATO</a></strong></p>

<p>Additionally, Ankara has asked Stockholm to crack down on extremist groups and return dozens of people Turkey believes were involved in a failed 2016 coup and the decades-long Kurdish fight for an independent state.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier this year, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said they wouldn’t support Sweden for NATO membership this was after the Quran-burning incident in the Scandinavian nation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The incident in question took place in January when right-wing politician Rasmus Paludan, staged an event reportedly gave an hour-long speech against Islam and immigration and subsequently set fire to Islam’s holy book, Quran, outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-politician-burns-quran-during-protests-in-sweden-draws-condemnation-from-turkiye-554853/#ankaras-strong-condemnation-554864">In pics | Politician burns Quran during protests in Sweden draws condemnation from Turkiye</a></strong></p>

<p>The move had drawn strong condemnation from Ankara. Notably, Turkey, at the time was also facing pressure from NATO chief <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sweden-has-fulfilled-obligations-for-membership-says-nato-chief-to-erdogan-600473">Jens Stoltenberg</a> to give up its opposition to Sweden’s bid to become a member of the military alliance.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The ratification of any nation to join NATO requires a unanimous vote while Sweden’s bid has been blocked by Turkey and Hungary. Sweden and Finland applied last year to join NATO as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and while Helsinki’s bid was accepted back in April Stockholm continues to struggle.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>NATO to establish bases in Sweden?</strong></h2>

<p>There is a chance that NATO will set up bases in Sweden before the country is even a part of the alliance, “The government has decided that the Swedish Armed Forces may undertake preparations with NATO and NATO countries to enable future joint operations,” said Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Defence Minister Pal Jonson, last week.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/swedens-nato-membership-bid-gets-another-jolt-after-quran-burning-incident-outraged-turkey-555120">'Won't support Sweden's NATO membership', says Turkish President Erdogan</a></strong></p>

<p>In an opinion piece in the daily Dagens Nyheter, they also wrote, “The preparations may consist of temporary basing of foreign equipment and personnel on Swedish territory. The decision sends a clear signal to Russia and strengthens Sweden's defence.”&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em><br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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Sweden on Monday (June 12) agreed to the extradition of a man who was convicted of drug trafficking and is a self-proclaimed supporter of the pro-Kurdish PKK. This also comes ahead of a meeting with Turkish and Swedish officials over the latter's stalled NATO bid.

Sweden on Monday (June 12) agreed to the extradition of a man who was convicted of drug trafficking and is a self-proclaimed supporter of the pro-Kurdish PKK. This also comes ahead of a meeting with Turkish and Swedish officials over the latter's stalled NATO bid. Earlier this month, Sweden even agreed to establish temporary NATO bases on its soil before becoming a member of the military alliance. Who is the man being extradited to Turkey? A Swedish Justice Ministry official, Ashraf Ahmed, told AFP that the government has granted “an extradition from Sweden regarding a 35-year-old Turkish citizen.” This also comes after the Supreme Court, earlier this year cleared the individual’s repatriation to Turkey, where he is also expected to serve the rest of his drug trafficking sentence. The man, whose extradition was approved, had been sentenced in 2014 to four years and seven months in a Turkish prison for transporting a bag of cannabis. However, he was later released on parole and moved to Sweden, but was again reported arrested last year after a request from Turkish prosecutors. ALSO READ | Sweden cannot accept some demands of Turkiye for NATO membership: PM The convicted drug trafficker who has not been named has since opposed the move and claimed that the real reason that Turkey wants him back is due to his links to the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and for having shown support for the PKK, reported AFP. Notably, the news agency cited the court ruling against the man which noted that when asked the Turkish prosecutors if he was involved in any ongoing probes or charges linked to a “terrorist organisation” or “insulting the Turkish president,” the authorities from Ankara had denied. How is this related to Sweden’s NATO bid? Turkey has stalled Sweden’s NATO bid for months now while accusing the country of being a haven for “terrorists.” This was also in reference to the members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, a group which has now been banned by Turkey. ALSO WATCH | Sweden awaits Turkiye's approval to join NATO Additionally, Ankara has asked Stockholm to crack down on extremist groups and return dozens of people Turkey believes were involved in a failed 2016 coup and the decades-long Kurdish fight for an independent state. Earlier this year, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said they wouldn’t support Sweden for NATO membership this was after the Quran-burning incident in the Scandinavian nation. The incident in question took place in January when right-wing politician Rasmus Paludan, staged an event reportedly gave an hour-long speech against Islam and immigration and subsequently set fire to Islam’s holy book, Quran, outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm. ALSO READ | In pics | Politician burns Quran during protests in Sweden draws condemnation from Turkiye The move had drawn strong condemnation from Ankara. Notably, Turkey, at the time was also facing pressure from NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg to give up its opposition to Sweden’s bid to become a member of the military alliance. The ratification of any nation to join NATO requires a unanimous vote while Sweden’s bid has been blocked by Turkey and Hungary. Sweden and Finland applied last year to join NATO as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and while Helsinki’s bid was accepted back in April Stockholm continues to struggle. NATO to establish bases in Sweden? There is a chance that NATO will set up bases in Sweden before the country is even a part of the alliance, “The government has decided that the Swedish Armed Forces may undertake preparations with NATO and NATO countries to enable future joint operations,” said Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Defence Minister Pal Jonson, last week. ALSO READ | 'Won't support Sweden's NATO membership', says Turkish President Erdogan In an opinion piece in the daily Dagens Nyheter, they also wrote, “The preparations may consist of temporary basing of foreign equipment and personnel on Swedish territory. The decision sends a clear signal to Russia and strengthens Sweden's defence.” (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.

Amid NATO membership bid, Sweden agrees to extradite pro-Kurdish PKK supporter to Turkey

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Here we bring you a quick round-up of all the latest news and top headlines from all across the globe: Sweden has said that it would allow NATO to use the bases of troops in its territory even before it joins the alliance. Swedish Prime Minister and Defense Minister said that a Swedish Armed Forces may undertake preparations with NATO and that the NATO countries will enable future joint operations. These preparations will consist of placing foreign equipment and personnel on Swedish territory on a temporary basis. Russia applied for NATO membership last year following Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Sweden: Will allow NATO to base troops in territory

British prime minister Rishi Sunak ahead of U.S trip this week has signal support for his defense secretary Ben Wallace as NATO's next chief when asked if he would push in Washington for Wallace's appointment Sunak did not directly answer but heaped praise on his 53-year-old cabinet colleague listening Ben does a fantastic job he's a great defense secretary this is a conversation that is happening amongst leaders around the world more generally and I'm sure it will continue to happen I would say Ben is widely respected amongst his colleagues around the world particularly for the role he's played in Ukraine and supporting Ukraine and and the Britain has always been a leading contributor to NATO.

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NATO Chief advises turkier to drop its opposition to Sweden's entry into the block on a visit to Istanbul stoltenberger that Sweden has taken concrete steps to address all of turkey's concerns turkey has expressed its opposition to Sweden's admission to the defense cooperation the Balkan nation has previously accused Stockholm of failing to take concrete steps to crack down on the elements turkey deems as an existential threat a concern Sweden has now fully taken care of Stockholm has seen important steps to align with turkey's prerequisites including amending their constitution ending an arms embargo and more importantly stepping up their counter-terrorism cooperation.

NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg: Sweden has fulfilled obligations

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