A far-right extremist sparked fresh anger on Friday when he burnt a copy of the Quran outside a mosque in Denmark, streaming his stunt live on Facebook.
Loud music blared from inside the mosque in Copenhagen as anti-Islam activist Rasmus Paludan spoke outside, in an apparent attempt to drown out his words.
“This mosque has no place in Denmark,” said Mr Paludan, wearing a protective helmet and surrounded by riot police. The activist was later driven away in a police car.
Later, in front of the Turkish embassy, the Danish-Swedish activist said: “Once he [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 2pm.”
Mr Paludan had performed the same stunt in Sweden last Saturday.
The politician has established far-right parties in both Sweden and Denmark that have failed to win any seats in national, regional or municipal elections. In last year’s parliamentary election in Sweden, his party received only 156 votes nationwide.
Before the protest on Friday, Turkey summoned Denmark's ambassador to condemn the planned actions of Mr Paludan who said he was protesting Ankara's refusal to let Sweden and Finland join Nato.
The ambassador was told that “Denmark’s attitude is unacceptable” and that Turkey expected that the permission be revoked, according to Anadolu.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry later issued a statement calling Paludan an “Islam-hating charlatan” and deploring the fact that he was allowed to stage the demonstration.
“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,” the ministry said.
Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen confirmed the ambassador had been summoned, and said his country enjoyed “good relations with Turkey, and this doesn't change that”.
“Our job is to explain to Turkey the conditions that prevail in Denmark with our open democracy, and make them understand that there is a difference between Denmark as a country — our people as a whole — and individuals who hold a wide range of views,” he told Danish television channel TV2.
Mr Paludan's actions have led to widespread protests across the world, including in Pakistan, Iraq and Lebanon.
In Pakistan's capital Islamabad, police officers stopped some demonstrators trying to march towards the Swedish Embassy.
In Beirut, about 200 angry protesters burnt the flags of Sweden and the Netherlands outside the blue-domed Mohammed Al-Amin mosque at Beirut’s central Martyrs Square.
Mr Paludan's actions were followed last Sunday by more destruction when Edwin Wagensveld, the Dutch leader of the far-right Pegida movement, tore pages out of the Quran near the parliament in The Hague and stomped on them.
Egypt’s top religious institution called on Muslims to boycott Swedish and Dutch products over the desecration of Islam’s holy book.
A decision by Swedish police to allow Mr Paludan to stage his protest in Stockholm last week prompted Turkey to postpone planned Nato accession talks with Sweden and Finland.
A Turkish diplomatic source said the Danish ambassador was summoned to protest against Denmark's “unacceptable” attitude towards Mr Paludan's actions.
“We strongly condemn the decision to grant permission for this provocative act, which clearly constitutes a hate crime,” the Turkish diplomatic source said.
Muslims across the region condemn burning of Quran in Sweden — in pictures
Swedish leaders have strongly condemned Mr Paludan's action but defended their country's broad acceptance of free speech.
Finland and Sweden broke with decades of military non-alignment and decided to join Nato in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Bids to join Nato must be approved by all 30 members of the alliance.
Turkey and fellow Nato member Hungary are the only members that have yet to ratify the two applications by votes in parliament.
Hungary's parliament is expected to ratify the two bids next month.
Four reasons global stock markets are falling right now
There are many factors worrying investors right now and triggering a rush out of stock markets. Here are four of the biggest:
1. Rising US interest rates
The US Federal Reserve has increased interest rates three times this year in a bid to prevent its buoyant economy from overheating. They now stand at between 2 and 2.25 per cent and markets are pencilling in three more rises next year.
Kim Catechis, manager of the Legg Mason Martin Currie Global Emerging Markets Fund, says US inflation is rising and the Fed will continue to raise rates in 2019. “With inflationary pressures growing, an increasing number of corporates are guiding profitability expectations downwards for 2018 and 2019, citing the negative impact of rising costs.”
At the same time as rates are rising, central bankers in the US and Europe have been ending quantitative easing, bringing the era of cheap money to an end.
2. Stronger dollar
High US rates have driven up the value of the dollar and bond yields, and this is putting pressure on emerging market countries that took advantage of low interest rates to run up trillions in dollar-denominated debt. They have also suffered capital outflows as international investors have switched to the US, driving markets lower. Omar Negyal, portfolio manager of the JP Morgan Global Emerging Markets Income Trust, says this looks like a buying opportunity. “Despite short-term volatility we remain positive about long-term prospects and profitability for emerging markets.”
3. Global trade war
Ritu Vohora, investment director at fund manager M&G, says markets fear that US President Donald Trump’s spat with China will escalate into a full-blown global trade war, with both sides suffering. “The US economy is robust enough to absorb higher input costs now, but this may not be the case as tariffs escalate. However, with a host of factors hitting investor sentiment, this is becoming a stock picker’s market.”
4. Eurozone uncertainty
Europe faces two challenges right now in the shape of Brexit and the new populist government in eurozone member Italy.
Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG, which has offices in Dubai, says the stand-off between between Rome and Brussels threatens to become much more serious. "As with Brexit, neither side appears willing to step back from the edge, threatening more trouble down the line.”
The European economy may also be slowing, Mr Beauchamp warns. “A four-year low in eurozone manufacturing confidence highlights the fact that producers see a bumpy road ahead, with US-EU trade talks remaining a major question-mark for exporters.”
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
