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Koran-Burning Activist Shot Dead In Sweden, Five Suspects Detained

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Salwan Momika, the Iraqi-born Christian activist known for repeatedly burning the Koran in 2023, was shot and killed in Södertälje, south of Stockholm, late Wednesday.

His death comes amid an ongoing trial where he faced charges of inciting ethnic hatred.

Prosecutor Rasmus Oman confirmed to AFP on Thursday that an investigation had been opened into the killing of the 38-year-old, with five individuals detained in connection with the crime.

READ ALSO: Deadly Stampede At Hindu Festival In India Leaves 15 Dead

“We’re in the very early stages … there’s a lot of information gathering. Five people have been detained suspected of involvement in the crime,” Oman stated.

Swedish police responded to reports of a shooting in an apartment building where Momika lived. Officers found a man with gunshot wounds, who was transported to a hospital but later succumbed to his injuries.

Several media outlets reported that the attack may have been broadcast live on social media. Aftonbladet suggested the assailant gained entry to the building via the roof, though authorities have not confirmed this detail.

Momika’s killing occurred just a day before a Stockholm court was set to deliver a ruling on his trial for “agitation against an ethnic group.” The court has since postponed its decision until February 3 following his death.

Momika gained international attention in 2023 after publicly desecrating the Koran, including burning copies of Islam’s holy book outside a Stockholm mosque.

He, along with co-protester Salwan Najem, was charged with inciting hatred against an ethnic group on four occasions that summer.

Their actions sparked outrage across the Muslim world and led to diplomatic tensions between Sweden and several Middle Eastern countries.

Recall that in July 2023, angry protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad twice, setting fires within the compound during the second demonstration.

In response to the escalating backlash, Sweden’s intelligence agency, Säpo, raised the country’s terror threat level to four on a five-point scale, citing the Koran burnings as a factor that made Sweden a “prioritised target.”

Despite the controversy surrounding his protests, Momika insisted that he had no ill intentions toward Sweden.

“I don’t want to harm this country that received me and preserved my dignity,” he told Aftonbladet in April 2023.

Momika had been living in Sweden since 2018, but in October 2023, the Swedish Migration Agency revoked his residency permit, citing false information in his original application.

However, authorities granted him a temporary permit, stating that there was an “impediment to enforcement” of his deportation to Iraq.

The month before, Iraq had formally requested his extradition in response to his Koran-burning demonstrations.

In March 2024, Momika left Sweden for Norway, where he sought asylum, claiming that Sweden’s commitment to free speech and human rights was “a big lie.” However, Norwegian authorities deported him back to Sweden a few weeks later.

Before moving to Sweden, Momika had a controversial political history in Iraq. His social media activity indicated links to a Christian armed faction that fought against the Islamic State, as well as the creation of an obscure Syriac political party.

He also had public rivalries with influential Christian paramilitary groups and was briefly arrested.

In 2019, he joined Iraq’s anti-corruption protests, which were met with a violent crackdown that left over 600 people dead nationwide.

Momika’s case is among the first in Sweden to test the boundaries between free speech and inciting hatred.

While Swedish law generally protects acts of religious criticism, prosecutors argued that the context and rhetoric surrounding Momika’s actions could constitute “agitation against an ethnic group.”

In October 2023, a Swedish court convicted another man of inciting ethnic hatred for a 2020 Koran burning, marking the first legal ruling of its kind in the country.

 

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Miracle in Venezuela: Toddler Rescued Alive Six Days After Deadly Earthquakes

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Morocco Earthquake Victims Passes 2,000

A three-year-old child has been rescued alive from beneath the rubble in Venezuela, six days after two powerful earthquakes devastated parts of the South American nation, offering a glimmer of hope amid a worsening humanitarian crisis.

The remarkable rescue took place in La Guaira, one of the areas hardest hit by the twin earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitudes, which struck less than a minute apart on June 24.

SEE ALSO: Over 800 Dead As Earthquake Devastates Eastern Afghanistan

Rescue workers have continued round-the-clock search operations despite the challenges posed by repeated aftershocks.

The United Nations described the rescue as a powerful reminder that every life matters as emergency teams continue combing collapsed buildings for survivors.

According to Venezuelan authorities, the earthquakes have claimed nearly 2,000 lives, while more than 6,400 people have been rescued since the disaster struck.

Tens of thousands of survivors remain without adequate shelter, with humanitarian agencies warning that urgent needs continue to grow.

The UN refugee agency said the scale of the disaster has left thousands of families in desperate need of emergency assistance, while the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed that national and international rescue teams remain active in the affected communities.

UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) teams are also assessing the extent of the destruction and identifying communities most in need of humanitarian support.

Officials said about 1,000 buildings, including hospitals, have either been damaged or completely destroyed.

More than 400 schools and water systems have also been severely affected, worsening living conditions for residents.

To support relief efforts, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has delivered an initial 47-tonne shipment of humanitarian supplies, including emergency medical kits, water purification materials, safe birth supplies, wheelchairs, child-friendly tents and educational materials. The shipment follows an earlier consignment that arrived from Panama.

UNICEF said the combined aid will support more than 100,000 children and their families over the next three months.

Speaking from La Guaira, UNICEF representative Gabriel Vockel said the organisation is working around the clock to reach as many children and families as possible, while appealing for more donations to expand its life-saving operations.

UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Roberto Benes, said many affected families are sleeping outdoors for fear of continued aftershocks and remain in urgent need of clean water, healthcare and safe shelter.

The agency estimates that about 680,000 children across six affected states require humanitarian assistance following what has been described as Venezuela’s most significant earthquake disaster in more than a century.

Authorities also reported that more than 600 aftershocks have been recorded since the initial earthquakes, increasing concerns over further damage and risks to survivors.

UNICEF is seeking $52 million to respond to the earthquake emergency as part of its broader 2026 Humanitarian Action for Children appeal for Venezuela, which remains significantly underfunded.

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Panic in Europe as France Records First-Ever Ebola Case

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France has confirmed its first-ever case of Ebola virus disease, triggering concern across Europe as health authorities move swiftly to contain the deadly infection.

The French Health Ministry announced on Wednesday that a doctor returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which is currently battling a major Ebola outbreak, tested positive for the virus after arriving in France.

SEE ALSO: Fresh Ebola Alert: Lagos Tightens Airport Surveillance as Virus Threat Looms

According to officials, the patient was immediately isolated upon arrival, even before laboratory tests confirmed the diagnosis, helping to reduce the risk of transmission.

In a statement, the ministry confirmed the identification of “a first positive case of Ebola virus disease on national territory,” marking the first time the virus has been detected in France.

The development also represents the first confirmed Ebola case recorded outside Africa during the current outbreak, which has affected both the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

French authorities disclosed that the case was detected in mainland France, while Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is closely monitoring the situation as health agencies intensify surveillance and response measures.

The current outbreak in the DRC was officially declared on May 15 following a series of unexplained deaths in the eastern Ituri Province.

The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.

Despite growing concerns, public health experts have stressed that the risk of widespread global transmission remains low because Ebola is less contagious than many airborne infectious diseases.

The virus spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids and contaminated materials.

Ebola is a severe and often fatal haemorrhagic fever that can cause symptoms including high fever, weakness, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, and in severe cases, internal and external bleeding.

French health authorities have assured the public that all necessary precautions are being taken to contain the case and prevent any further spread of the disease.

The announcement has nevertheless sparked anxiety across Europe, given the deadly nature of the virus and its emergence outside the African continent during the ongoing outbreak.

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“He Failed Badly” — Trump Says Starmer Will Step Down as UK PM

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U.S. President Donald Trump has predicted that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will step down from office, accusing the Labour leader of failing on two critical issues — immigration and energy policy.

Trump made the remarks on Sunday in a post on his Truth Social platform, where he claimed Starmer’s leadership had fallen short in addressing challenges facing the United Kingdom.

SEE MORE:New US Strike on Iran Sends Oil Prices Soaring as Middle East Tensions Escalate

“Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom,” Trump wrote. “He failed badly on two very important subjects — IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!). I wish him well!”

The U.S. president did not provide any evidence to support his claim, nor did he reveal the basis for his prediction that Starmer would leave office.

Starmer, who leads the Labour Party, became Prime Minister after securing victory in the UK’s general election.

Since taking office, his government has faced criticism over a range of issues, including migration policies, energy security, and the cost-of-living challenges confronting many Britons.

Trump’s comments come as debates over immigration and energy continue to dominate political discussions in the UK.

However, there has been no official statement from Starmer, his office, or the British government suggesting that he plans to resign.

As of the time of filing this report, Starmer remains in office and continues to lead the government despite the claims made by the American president.

 

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