MOSCOW // Russian president Vladimir Putin on Wednesday opened one of Europe’s biggest mosques in Moscow, warning against the lure of extremists as the government frets over its citizens fighting for ISIL.
Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas were the guests of honour at the unveiling of the 20,000-square metre mosque in the Russian capital.
“This mosque will become an extremely important spiritual centre for Muslims in Moscow and the whole Russia,” Mr Putin said in a televised speech.
“It will be a source for education, spreading humanist ideas and the true values of Islam.”
The turquoise-domed mosque can host over 10,000 worshippers and is one of the largest in the country that will help to serve Russia’s estimated 20 million Muslims.
The US$170 million (Dh624m) project, which took a decade to complete, caused controversy over the destruction of an earlier mosque that stood on the same site.
Moscow – which has battled an Islamic insurgency in its volatile southern Caucasus region – is worried about the pull of extremist groups, especially ISIL extremists fighting in Syria and Iraq.
Interior minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev last week estimated that some 1,800 Russian citizens are fighting for the radical group.
Mr Putin in his speech lashed out at extremist groups for their “attempts to cynically exploit religious feeling for political ends”.
“We see what is happening in the Middle East where terrorists from the so-called ISIL group are compromising a great world religion, compromising Islam, in order to sow hate,” he said.
The Russian president was set to meet Mr Erdogan for talks that were expected to focus on the Syrian conflict, amid rising concerns in the West about a buildup of Russian forces in the war-torn country.
The United States says Moscow has recently sent troops, tanks and fighter jets to Syria, sparking fears that Russia could be looking to join the fight alongside its ally president Bashar Al Assad.
Turkey and Russia stand on opposing sides over the crisis in Syria, with Ankara fiercely backing the rebels trying to oust Mr Al Assad.
Turkey is currently waging what Ankara describes as a two-pronged “war on terror” against both ISIL and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), although so far air strikes have overwhelmingly focused on bases of the Kurdish militants in northern Iraq.
Moscow has been on a diplomatic push to try to get western and regional powers involved in a coalition against ISIL to join forces with Mr Al Assad.
* Agence France-Presse
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The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
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About Tenderd
Started: May 2018
Founder: Arjun Mohan
Based: Dubai
Size: 23 employees
Funding: Raised $5.8m in a seed fund round in December 2018. Backers include Y Combinator, Beco Capital, Venturesouq, Paul Graham, Peter Thiel, Paul Buchheit, Justin Mateen, Matt Mickiewicz, SOMA, Dynamo and Global Founders Capital
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Company%20Profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
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How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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