San Diego Pandoras Box is open when it comes to artificial intelligence, voice actors behind some of the worlds most popular animations and video games warned at this weeks Comic-Con event.

North Americas largest pop culture gathering is taking place during a major Hollywood strike, partly driven by actors and writers concerns about the encroachment of AI into art.

Voice actors are on the frontlines of the debate, with technology now readily available allowing users to clone somebodys voice and have it read new dialogue often without their permission or payment.

Tim Friedlander, founder of the National Association of Voice Actors, shared a recent example of a voice actor who had worked for a company for three years, but abruptly lost their work.

They said we have three years of your voice were just going to create an AI synthetic voice out what we already have,' Friedlander told press ahead of Saturdays panel.

The danger does not just come from studios. The last few years have seen a sharp rise in fans using AI deepfake mods to clone famous voices and have them read new material, often pornographic in nature.

I have children. There are things I dont want my voice to say and have my children hear and question if that is something that I have actually said, said Cissy Jones, of animated TV series The Owl House.

Zeke Alton, whose voice recently appeared in video game The Calisto Protocol, said voice actors were not trying to ban AI altogether.

Lets be clear Pandoras box is open, he said.

If youre going to replicate me or any other performer, we should consent to that, and then we should be compensated for the use of what makes us money.

Digital replica

Artificial intelligence is a key sticking point in stalled talks between Hollywood studios and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA), which this month joined writers on strike.

Actors have accused studios of failing to take seriously concerns that would leave them vulnerable to having most of their work replaced by digital replicas.

The studios said Friday they had offered to establish informed consent and fair compensation when a digital replica is made of a performer or their voice, and that the union did not respond.

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, chief negotiator for SAG-AFTRA, told journalists at Comic-Con that studios want to bury AI consent clauses in some sentence in the middle of a 12-page contract.

Voice actors are at the forefront of the AI debate, he warned, with changes happening more quickly with voice acting than it is in any other field.

...

Shoalwater Bay Australia and the United States rehearsed precision missile strikes during war games on Saturday as Canberra overhauls its military strategy in favour of long-range firepower.

A series of live-fire drills were held at the Shoalwater Bay military complex in the northeastern region of Queensland, showcasing the American-made HIMARS missile system recently sold to the Australian Defence Force.

More than 30,000 troops will take part in the biennial Talisman Sabre exercises over the next two weeks, including soldiers from Japan, France, Germany, and South Korea.

The drills come as Australia embarks upon a major overhaul of its armed forces, pivoting towards long-range strike capabilities in an effort to keep would-be foes such as China at arms length.

Australian Army Major Tony Purdy said the HIMARS weapon used to devastating effect by the Ukrainian military would provide a significant capability boost and much-needed long-range precision.

HIMARS or the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System was developed for the United States Army by Lockheed Martin in the 1990s.

Defence bosses have praised its coveted shoot and scoot ability it can be placed, fired, moved and reloaded quickly, making it more difficult for the enemy to find and target, lessening the risk to crew.

Australias first HIMARS are due in 2025 and are expected to come into use over the following two years.

Beijing has been keeping a close eye on the drills, which come amid increasing unease about Chinas growing military muscle in the Asia-Pacific.

A Chinese spy ship had been spotted off Australias northeastern coast as preparations were underway, Lieutenant General Greg Bilton, Australias chief of joint operations, told reporters on Friday.

The Talisman Sabre exercise will also see troops performing amphibious landings, air combat and maritime operations across several Australian states and territories.

Major Jimmy Sheehan, Talisman Sabre spokesperson for the US forces, said the exercise showed increased complexity, scope, and partner nation participation.

Language barriers aside, its challenging to synchronise long-range fires from both air and land, he told AFP. 

But today we saw service members from Australia, the US, Japan and the Republic of Korea successfully operate as a single unit from command and control to execution at the tactical level.

Speaking of the remainder of the exercise, he added: These initiatives and firsts ultimately create an exercise that will enhance Australia and the USs ability to respond to global security challenges in the region.

The post...

Moscow A Ukrainian drone attack on Crimea Saturday blew up an ammunition depot, sparking evacuations on the Moscow-annexed peninsula and halting rail traffic, just five days after drones damaged Russias symbolic bridge across the Kerch Strait. 

Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, has been targeted by Kyiv throughout Moscows 17-month long Ukraine offensive but has come under more intense, increased attacks in recent weeks. 

In a counteroffensive launched to retake lands lost to Moscow, Kyiv has increasingly made clear despite some Western unease that it aims to also take back the Black Sea peninsula. 

The goal is to return Crimea, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said, according to a transcript published by his office Saturday of a speech addressing the Aspen Security Forum Friday. 

He said Kyiv considers the Crimea bridge opened by Russian leader Vladimir Putin in 2018 as an enemy object and wants it to be neutralised.

Less than 24 hours later, the Moscow-installed head of Crimea Sergei Aksyonov, said an enemy drone had detonated an ammunition depot.

As a result of an attack by an enemy drone on the Krasnogvardeisky district, an ammunition depot detonated, Aksyonov said on Telegram, referring to an area that lies inland at the centre of Crimea. 

He did not specify exactly where it hit and ordered the evacuation of people living within five kilometres of the zone, without saying how many residents would be moved. 

Aksyonov reported no casualties and claimed there was little damage, but unverified videos on social media showed billowing smoke rising into the air. 

He also said rail traffic will be stopped on the peninsula: To minimise risks, it was also decided to halt rail traffic on Crimean railways.

Authorities later said that two trains going from Moscow to Crimeas main city of Simferopol and one in the opposite direction had been stopped.

Road traffic across the Crimea bridge one of the few ways to get out of Crimea as flights have been cancelled during the conflict only resumed Saturday after a Ukrainian attack damaged the bridge Tuesday, killing two people. 

Black Sea escalation

The attacks on Crimea have come as many of Kyivs Western allies feel uncomfortable about Ukrainian ambitions to take back the annexed land, fearing a larger scale conflict with Russia. 

They have also signified a sharp escalation in the Black Sea area, with Russia this week exiting the landmark grain deal that allowed the safe passage of cargo ships and saying it would consider vessels destined for Ukraine as potential military targets. 

Ukraine has also warned that it may consider vessels heading to Russian ports as carrying military cargo.

In his speech, Z...

Tokyo Paris Saint-Germain have left Kylian Mbappe out of their squad for a pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea, casting further doubt on the forwards future at the French champions.

PSG gave no reason for the omission of Frances captain but 24-year-old Mbappe is refusing to sign a new contract. 

His omission will fuel fresh speculation that he could leave to join Real Madrid before next season.

The forward declared in May that he did not want to extend his PSG contract, which expires next year, but indicated he wanted to remain at the club for a final season.

I still have a year left on my contract and I am going to honour my contract, he said.

That would allow him to become a free agent next summer and leave PSG for nothing, a prospect that club president Nasser al-Khelaifi said was impossible.

We cant let the best player in the world today leave for free, Khelaifi said.

Khelaifi even gave Mbappe an ultimatum of a maximum two weeks to make his decision sign a new contract or leave this summer. That date corresponds roughly with the departure of the team for Asia on Saturday.

When training resumed on July 15, Khelaifi again asked the Mbappe camp to clarify the situation. But he has not received a response, a source with knowledge of the negotiations told AFP.

Mbappe has been taking part in the clubs pre-season preparations and played the last 30 minutes and scored as PSG entertained Le Havre in a training ground friendly on Friday.

Mbappe, the clubs all-time top scorer with 212 goals in 260 appearances, remains the second most expensive player in history.

He was still a teenager when he joined PSG on a season-long loan from Monaco in August 2017.

The move turned into a permanent transfer the following year in a 180-million-euro ($200 million) deal.

The 29-player PSG squad that flies east will include Mbappes younger brother, 16-year-old Ethan Mbappe, as well as Neymar, the Brazilian whose transfer fee of 222 million euros in 2017 is the world record.

Madrid bound?

In a letter PSG sent to Mbappe on July 5, the club expressed a feeling of betrayal, saying it had helped you and supported your family since you were a teenager.

The club said Mbappe was not choosing the win-win solution extend and not leave for free or accept a transfer.

This is how all the great players, like you, left their club, PSG wrote in their July 3 letter to the player.

The club is convinced that Mbappe has already agreed to join Real Madrid for free in June 2024, with the promise of a staggering signing bonus, since the Spanish giants would have saved on the transfer.

A source involved in the negotiations insists that PSG have already received a 3...

Erbil (IraqiNews.com) An affordable national airline of the United Arab Emirates, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, has begun offering flights to Erbil, Iraq.

Beginning on October 6, there will be twice-weekly flights from Abu Dhabi to Erbil, on Monday and Friday. Tickets are currently being sold for as little as AED289 ($79) on wizzair.com and the airlines mobile app, both of which are available in Arabic.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is committed to strengthening connectivity between Abu Dhabi and the region, carrying the flag of ultra-low-cost travel, and creating exciting and affordable travel opportunities for everyone, said Johan Eidhagen, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi. We continue to play a pivotal role in contributing to the growth of the UAEs travel and tourism sector and connecting its capital with an eclectic mix of marvelous destinations, with Erbil the latest captivating city in our exciting expansion plans.

The post Wizz Air offers new route from Abu Dhabi to Erbil appeared first on Iraqi News.

Baghdad Iraqi security forces on Saturday dispersed roughly 1,000 supporters of Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada Sadr who tried to march to Baghdads Green Zone housing foreign embassies, believing a Quran had been desecrated in Denmark.

The protesters were reacting to reports of an apparent desecration of the Muslim holy book.

On its Facebook page, the extreme right group Danske Patrioter posted on Friday video of a man burning what seemed to be a Quran and trampling an Iraqi flag.

Copenhagen Police deputy chief, Trine Fisker, told AFP that not more than a handful of protesters had gathered Friday across from the Iraqi embassy.

I can also confirm there was a book burnt. We do not know which book it was, she said. It was quite peaceful.

In central Baghdad, the protesters gathered in the pre-dawn darkness after midnight at Tahrir Square.

Yes, yes to the Quran! shouted the protesters, mostly young men.

Some carried portraits of Sadr, who has a following of millions among the countrys majority Shiite population and wields great influence over national politics.

Security forces cut two bridges leading to the high-security Green Zone where governmental institutions and foreign embassies are located.

The demonstrators tried to force their way through before officers pushed them back and the protesters eventually dispersed several hours later, after scuffles erupted, an interior ministry official told AFP, speaking anonymously because he was not allowed to brief the media.

Protesters were trying to reach the embassy of Denmark, the official said.

Early Saturday Iraqs foreign ministry had condemned the desecration of the holy Quran and the Iraqi flag in front of the embassy of Iraq in Denmark.

The ministrys statement said that these actions provoke reactions and put all the parties in delicate situations.

A separate statement said we cannot allow to happen again what occurred at the Swedish embassy.

It reaffirmed Baghdads full commitment to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and said it guarantees the protection and security provided to diplomatic teams.

Hundreds of Sadr supporters were behind the storming and burning of Swedens embassy in Baghdad early Thursday, over a planned burning of the Muslim holy book in Sweden, weeks after the same protester there lit pages of the Quran.

The actions of Sweden-based Iraqi refugee Salwan Momika triggered condemnation across the Muslim world.

Iraq condemned the attack on Swedens embassy but expelled Stockholms ambassador.

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom called Momikas protest a clear provocation that in no way reflects the Swedish governments opinions&...

Seoul North Korea fired several cruise missiles into the Yellow Sea between China and the Korean peninsula on Saturday, South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said. 

Pyongyangs latest provocation comes as concern grows over the whereabouts and wellbeing of a US soldier who made an unauthorised dash into North Korean territory earlier this week, with the reclusive regime so far remaining tight-lipped about the incident. 

Saturdays launches are just the latest in a series by Pyongyang, and come as Seoul and Washington ramp up defence cooperation, with relations between the two Koreas nearing an all-time low. 

The cruise missile launches took place around 4 am (1900 GMT) on Saturday, Seouls military said.

South Korean and US intelligence authorities were analysing the launches while monitoring signs of additional activities, the JCS said. 

North Korea had fired two ballistic missiles into the sea off its opposite coast toward Japan just three days earlier. 

Diplomacy between Pyongyang and Seoul has stalled, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for ramping up weapons development, including tactical nukes.

In response, Seoul and Washington have staged joint military exercises with advanced stealth jets and US strategic assets, while an American nuclear-armed submarine this week made a South Korean port call for the first time in decades.

End of the regime

On his visit to the submarine on Wednesday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol warned Pyongyang it would face the end of the regime if it attacked the South with nuclear weapons.  

I feel assured having seen the US most important nuclear strategic asset here, he said.

On Thursday, North Korean defence minister Kang Sun Nam said the Ohio-class submarines deployment might have fallen under the conditions of the use of nuclear weapons specified in the DPRK law on the nuclear force policy, using an acronym for the Norths official name.

North Korea last year adopted a sweeping nuclear law setting out an array of scenarios in which it could use its nukes, including pre-emptive strikes if threatened.

A day later, South Koreas defence ministry reiterated that any use of nuclear weapons by the North would prompt an immediate and decisive response resulting in the Kim regimes demise. 

Saturdays launches came just days after US soldier Travis King was believed to have been taken into North Korean custody after he broke away from a tour group visiting the Demilitarized Zone. 

The United States has said it is very concerned about Private Second Class Kings treatment, and as of Saturday, Pyongyang had yet to respond to inquiries about the soldier.

King had been due to return to the Un...

Athens Greece was Saturday facing its hottest July weekend in 50 years, with temperatures forecast to soar above 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), while a record-breaking heat wave stretching across the southern United States was expected to expand in the coming days.

Tens of millions of people in the northern hemisphere have been suffering through intense heat this summer as the world appears headed for its hottest July on record.

As temperature records tumble, experts have pointed the finger at climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels, saying global warming is playing a key role in destructive weather.

Across the southern United States, about 80 million Americans will swelter in temperatures of 41C and above this weekend, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.

The countrys worst heat of up to 46C is forecast for Phoenix, Arizona, which has seen a record-breaking three weeks in a row of highs above 43C.

There were hellish scenes in the city on Thursday when a fierce blaze erupted at a propane business near the international airport, sending tanks exploding into the air.

Unfortunately, on a hot day like this, these propane tanks with that expansion of heat, they literally become missiles They can travel upwards of 500 yards (metres), Fire Captain Rob McDade told KPHO television station.

Tourists, meanwhile, have been flocking to Death Valley National Park, which straddles the border between California and Nevada, in order to post selfies with a temperature display outside the visitor center.

Many are hoping to see it break a world record of 56.7C, which was set in July 1913 but was likely the result of a faulty measurement, according to several meteorologists.

Hottest absolute month

Regardless, July 2023 is on track to be the hottest absolute month not only since records began, but also in  hundreds, if not thousands, of years, leading NASA climatologist Gavin Schmidt said.

The effects cannot be attributed solely to the El Nino weather pattern, which has really only just emerged and isnt expected to strengthen until later on in the year.

El Nino is associated with the warming of ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.

Schmidt said the trend of extreme heat was expected to persist, and the reason why we think thats going to continue, is because we continue to put greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.

Greece, which is battling dozens of forest fires, warned people not to venture out unnecessarily due to the baking heat.

The exceptional temperatures also mean key tourist sites such as the Acropolis will be closed during the hottest part of the day.

This weekend risks being the hottest registered in July in the past 50 years, said Panagiotis Giannopoulos, meteoro...

Fort Lauderdale Lionel Messi made a Hollywood start to his career in America, scoring a last-second winner in his debut game for Inter Miami on Friday.

Deep in the fourth minute of stoppage time, with the Leagues Cup match against Mexican club Cruz Azul standing at 1-1, Messi won a free-kick just outside the box, in perfect range for his famous left-foot.

The seven-times Ballon dOr winner took a glance at the position of Cruz Azul goalkeeper Andres Gudino, then put his head down before curling his shot high to the keepers right and into the top corner.

The capacity 20,000 crowd at Miamis DRV PNK Stadium went wild, with some fans running on to the field before being apprehended by security. Smoke bombs in Miamis trademark pink went off in the area behind the goal, occupied by the teams most passionate supporters.

Miami and Major League Soccer hope that the arrival of the Argentine World Cup winner and all-time great, will transform the sport and push it into the American mainstream.

If Messis debut was any guide, the former Barcelona star still has plenty to offer.

Even before his wonderful goal he had looked sharp and alert, his touch belying the fact that until little over a week ago he was vacationing on a Caribbean beach with his family.

Sergio Busquets, the Spanish midfielder and former Barca team-mate, who has joined Messi for his American adventure, also made a strong impression after they both entered the contest in the 54th minute as part of a triple change with Venezuelan Josef Martinez.

Busquets showed his famous, almost telepathic understanding with Messi remains, after over two years apart from each other, with the midfielder delivering pieces from all angles into the Argentines feet.

But it was Messis magical finish that will remain long in the memories of Inter Miami fans.

I knew I had to score, it was the last play of the game. I wanted to score so we didnt go to penalties. It was very important for us to get this win, its a new tournament, its going to give us confidence moving forward, said the Argentine.

In the Leagues Cup group teams are awarded a point each for a draw and then the winner of a penalty shoot-out gets an additional point, but Messi made sure Miami grabbed all three for a win.

He also made sure that the clubs co-owner David Beckham had a broad grin at the final whistle.

To be honest, as soon as I saw the free kick given I thought this is the way its meant to end. Especially when youve got players like Leo and Sergio on the pitch, thats what they produce, said the former England midfielder.

Its so exciting tonight for our fans. All of these people that come down here to see Leo just step onto the pitch, let alone just do what hes done. Its a dream come true for everyone in this stadium to see.

Marseille Chelsea striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has joined Marseille on a three-year contract, the French Ligue 1 club announced Friday. 

Come on OM See you in Marseille, the 34-year-old Gabon international said in a short video released by his new club on social media. 

Aubameyang scored just three goals in 22 appearances for Chelsea after reuniting with under former manager Thomas Tuchel in a 10.3m (12 million euros) deal from Barcelona last September.

Aubameyang had scored 79 goals in 95 appearances under Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund, earning a move to Arsenal in 2018 and finishing as joint top-scorer in the Premier League a year later.

But he was stripped of the Arsenal captaincy by Mikel Arteta before being sold to Barcelona just weeks later.

Aubameyang scored 13 goals in 23 matches in six months Spain, but was unable to reproduce that form during a season-long stay at Stamford Bridge.

France-born Aubameyang returns to French football, where he has worn the colours of Lille, Monaco and Saint-Etienne in the past. 

He stood out, especially, during his time at German Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund (2013-2018), before going lining out for Arsenal (2018-2022), Barcelona (2022) and Chelsea (2022-2023).

The post Chelseas Aubameyang seals three-year Marseille deal appeared first on Iraqi News.

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi Minister of Defense, Thabet Muhammad Al-Abbasi, received on Tuesday the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sebastien Lecornu, in Baghdad, where they discussed bilateral cooperation.

The French minister revealed that the French army will carry out a new round of training with the Iraqi army.

We reviewed the French-Iraqi relationship. We also discussed the presence of French forces within the international coalition and the important role they play in combating terrorism and remnants of the ISIS group, Al-Abbasi said during a press conference following his meeting with Lecornu.

Lecornu welcomed the decisive action of the French forces in Iraq, alongside the Iraqi forces and other partners, including the American partner.

We currently have a road map represented by an upcoming unique training called the Desert Battalion, Lecornu said.

The French official explained that the training, in which 80 French trainers will take turns training five battalions, or 2,100 Iraqi soldiers, will last for two years.

The two ministers also discussed armament, especially with regard to securing Iraqi airspace.

Lecornu talked about the discussions Baghdad is holding with Thales Group regarding the GM400 radar, clarifying that discussions will continue regarding other equipment and radars.

In January, during a visit to Paris, the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, met with representatives of Thales Group, Dassault Group and Airbus to discuss the possible supply of radars, Rafale aircraft and military helicopters to Baghdad.

In May, the Iraqi and French air forces conducted joint exercises in Iraq, in which Rafale aircraft participated.

The post Iraq, France discuss military cooperation appeared first on Iraqi News.

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The spokesperson for the US State Department, Matthew Miller, stated on Thursday that the United States strongly condemns the attack on the Swedish embassy in Baghdad in the early hours of July 20, according to a statement issued by the US embassy in Iraq.

Freedom of peaceful assembly is an essential hallmark of democracy, but what occurred last night was an unlawful act of violence, Miller said.

It is unacceptable that Iraqi security forces did not act to prevent protestors from breaching the Swedish embassy compound for a second time and damaging it, the US official illustrated.

We are in contact with our Swedish partners and have offered our support. Foreign missions should not be targets of violence, the spokesperson for the US State Department clarified.

Miller also called on the government of Iraq to honor its international obligations to protect all diplomatic missions in Iraq against any intrusion or damage, as required by international law, according to the statement.

Iraqi protesters set fire to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad early Thursday ahead of a planned burning of a Quran in Sweden, AFP reported.

Swedish authorities approved an assembly to be held later Thursday outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm, where organizers plan to burn a copy of the Quran as well as an Iraqi flag, AFP added.

On Wednesday, the Iraqi Foreign Minister, Fuad Hussein, during a phone call with his Swedish counterpart, stressed the need to prevent the recurrence of acts offensive to Islam and the Holy Quran, according to INA.

On June 28, Salwan Momika, a refugee of Iraqi origin in Sweden, burned a copy of the Quran outside Stockholms central mosque.

Momika, 37, tore up and burned several pages of a copy of the Holy Book outside Stockholms central mosque after the Swedish police granted him permission to do so, according to a judicial decision.

The incident sparked a wave of anger in the Arab and Islamic regions.

The post Washington condemns the attack on the Swedish embassy in Baghdad appeared first on Iraqi News.

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi government suspended on Thursday the license granted to the Swedish telecom company Ericsson to operate in the country, according to a statement cited by the Iraqi News Agency (INA).

The director of the Iraqi Communications and Media Commission (CMC), Ali Al-Moayad, issued a decision to suspend Ericssons license to operate in Iraq, according to a statement issued by the CMC.

The statement illustrated that the decision was made in response to Swedens permission to burn a copy of the Holy Quran and the Iraqi flag.

The move also follows the Iraqi governments decision to expel the Swedish ambassador from Iraq and withdraw the Iraqi charge daffaires from the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm.

Media outlets mentioned that the Swedish telecom company agreed last March to pay a $206 million fine for breaching its prosecution deal with US authorities by withholding information about its alleged misconduct in Iraq and other countries.

Reports mentioned that Ericsson admitted to accusations of bribery and other wrongdoing in multiple countries and paid a $1 billion fine under a deferred prosecution agreement struck with the US Department of Justice.

The post Ericssons work license in Iraq suspended appeared first on Iraqi News.

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, ordered on Thursday to withdraw the Iraqi charge daffaires in Stockholm and expel the Swedish ambassador to Iraq, the Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported.

The Iraqi government issued on Thursday a strongly worded statement threatening to sever diplomatic relations with Sweden if it allowed the Quran burner to repeat his act.

The Iraqi government mentioned in the statement that it informed the Swedish government of its intention to sever diplomatic relations if burning copies of the Holy Quran was repeated.

The decision was taken during an urgent meeting with senior military and security officials, chaired by the Iraqi Prime Minister on Thursday morning to discuss permission granted by the Swedish government to an individual to burn the Holy Book later in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, in addition to setting fire the Swedish embassy in Baghdad.

The meeting condemned the setting of fire to the Swedish embassy by protesters, considered the action a security breach that must be dealt with immediately, and stressed that those responsible for the security of the embassy must be held accountable.

Iraqi protesters set fire to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad early Thursday ahead of a planned burning of a Quran in Sweden, AFP reported.

Swedish authorities approved an assembly to be held later Thursday outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm, where organizers plan to burn a copy of the Quran as well as an Iraqi flag, AFP added.

On Wednesday, the Iraqi Foreign Minister, Fuad Hussein, during a phone call with his Swedish counterpart, stressed the need to prevent the recurrence of acts offensive to Islam and the Holy Quran, according to INA.

On June 28, Salwan Momika, a refugee of Iraqi origin in Sweden, burned a copy of the Quran outside Stockholms central mosque.

Momika, 37, tore up and burned several pages of a copy of the Holy Book outside Stockholms central mosque after the Swedish police granted him permission to do so, according to a judicial decision.

The incident sparked a wave of anger in the Arab and Islamic regions.

Following the incident, Iraq called on the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to arrest the Quran burner in Sweden and extradite him to Baghdad.

The post Iraq severs diplomatic relations with Sweden appeared first on Iraqi News.