Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Sri Lanka likely to ban burqa

Almost a year after the Easter Sunday terror attack, Sri Lanka now mulls to ban the burqa. A Sri Lankan parliamentary committee on national security has proposed an immediate ban on the burqa.

It also suggests suspending the registration of political parties on an ethnic and religious basis, following the Easter Sunday terror attack that killed over 250 people.


A burqa is an enveloping outer garment which covers the body and the face that is worn by women in Islamic traditions.

If this becomes a reality, Sri Lanka will be the first country in Asia to impose such a ban.

The proposals featured in a special report presented in Parliament recently to resolve 14 controversial issues following the April 21 Easter attack in 2019.

The report was tabled by MP Malith Jayatilaka, Chairman Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security.

France was the first country in Europe to ban Islamic face veils, almost a decade ago. Countries such as The Netherlands, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark and Chad have banned the burqa.

The report suggested that the police should have the power to ask anyone wearing a face covering in a public place to take off such clothing to establish the identity of the person.

If such a request is not complied with, police should have the power to arrest the individual without a warrant, the report said.

It also recommended the country's Election Commission to enact legislation to suspend the registration of political parties on an ethnic and religious basis.

The report states that all students studying in madrassas should be absorbed into the normal school system under the Ministry of Education within three years.

The report also proposes to establish a special committee to regulate the madrasas under the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs.

Islam is a minority religion in Sri Lanka. Around 9.7% of the Sri Lankan population practice Islam. As many as 1,967,227 persons adhere to Islam as per the census of 2012, official data said.

Last year, nine suicide bombers belonging to local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaat (NTJ) have carried out a series of devastating blasts in three churches and three luxury hotels on the Easter Sunday, killing 258 people, including 11 Indians.

More For You

Covid inquiry begins probe into care home deaths

FILE PHOTO: A mother and daughter sit atop the Covid memorial wall on September 9, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

Covid inquiry begins probe into care home deaths

THE Covid inquiry has started examining how the pandemic affected care services for older and disabled people, with families describing the crisis as one of the worst failures of the pandemic.

Nearly 46,000 care home residents died with Covid in England and Wales between March 2020 and January 2022, with many deaths happening in the first weeks of the outbreak.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer and Glastonbury condemn anti-Israel chants by Bob Vylan

Keir Starmer speaks to members of the media during a visit to RAF Valley, on Anglesey in north-west Wales, on June 27, 2025. PAUL CURRIE/Pool via REUTERS

Starmer and Glastonbury condemn anti-Israel chants by Bob Vylan

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer and Glastonbury organisers said on Sunday (29) they were appalled by on-stage chanting against the Israeli military during a performance at the festival by Punk-rap duo Bob Vylan.

During their show on Saturday (28), the duo chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in reference to the Israel Defense Forces, the formal name of the Israeli military.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pakistan floods

A flooded street near Station Road after heavy rainfall in Hyderabad, Pakistan, on June 27, 2025.

Getty

Pakistan reports 45 deaths from flash floods and rain in monsoon onset

AT LEAST 45 people have died in Pakistan over the past few days due to flash flooding and heavy rainfall since the beginning of the monsoon season, according to disaster management officials on Sunday.

The highest number of deaths was reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan. There, 21 people were killed, including 10 children.

Keep ReadingShow less
UK Weather Alert: June Heatwave to Hit 34°C, Breaking Records

The UK is bracing for potentially one of the hottest June days on record

iStock

UK set for one of the hottest June days with highs of 34°C

Key points

  • Temperatures may hit 34°C in Greater London and Bedfordshire
  • Amber alert in place across five regions due to health risks
  • Wimbledon’s opening day to be hottest on record
  • Risk of wildfires in London labelled “severe”
  • Scotland and Northern Ireland remain cooler

Hottest June day in years expected as second UK heatwave peaks

The UK is bracing for potentially one of the hottest June days on record, with temperatures expected to reach 34°C on Monday (30 June). The ongoing heatwave, now in its fourth day, is most intense across the South and East of England, particularly in Greater London and Bedfordshire.

Although there is a small chance of temperatures hitting 35°C, they are unlikely to surpass the all-time June record of 35.6°C set in 1976.

Keep ReadingShow less
Air India flight crash
Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating flight AI-171 to London Gatwick, crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12.
Getty Images

Probing all angles in Air India crash, including sabotage: Minister

INDIA’s junior civil aviation minister said on Sunday that all possible angles, including sabotage, were being looked into as part of the investigation into the Air India crash.

All but one of the 242 people on board the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner were killed when it crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12. Authorities have identified 19 others who died on the ground. However, a police source told AFP after the crash that the death toll on the ground was 38.

Keep ReadingShow less