The Beach A Temporary Escape for Muslims - Sri Lanka

The Beach A Temporary Escape for Muslims - Sri Lanka

A Muslim woman in the water cares for her child in Weligama, Sri Lanka, on January 2nd, 2022. In Sri Lanka, the Muslim community has faced increasing challenges since the 2019 Easter bombings, when coordinated attacks on churches and hotels by a local Islamist extremist group claimed over 250 lives. In the aftermath, anti-Muslim sentiment surged across the island, leading to heightened discrimination and hostility. The situation worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the government introduced a series of stringent policies impacting the Muslim community. These measures included banning the burqa and niqab in public spaces, closing over 1,000 madrasas, and requiring all Islamic texts entering the country to be reviewed and approved by the Ministry of Defense. These actions have raised significant concerns about religious freedom and the marginalization of Muslims in Sri Lankan society. Weligama, a picturesque coastal town located approximately three hours south of Colombo, is home to a large Muslim populati

The Beach A Temporary Escape for Muslims - Sri Lanka

The Beach A Temporary Escape for Muslims - Sri Lanka

A Muslim woman in the water cares for her child in Weligama, Sri Lanka, on January 2nd, 2022. In Sri Lanka, the Muslim community has faced increasing challenges since the 2019 Easter bombings, when coordinated attacks on churches and hotels by a local Islamist extremist group claimed over 250 lives. In the aftermath, anti-Muslim sentiment surged across the island, leading to heightened discrimination and hostility. The situation worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the government introduced a series of stringent policies impacting the Muslim community. These measures included banning the burqa and niqab in public spaces, closing over 1,000 madrasas, and requiring all Islamic texts entering the country to be reviewed and approved by the Ministry of Defense. These actions have raised significant concerns about religious freedom and the marginalization of Muslims in Sri Lankan society. Weligama, a picturesque coastal town located approximately three hours south of Colombo, is home to a large Muslim populati

Record migration drives Australian population growth

STORY: Record migration drives Australian population growth SHOOTING TIME: March 23, 2024 DATELINE: March 24, 2024 LENGTH: 00:00:59 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. children playing 2. various of the ABS building 3. various of local residents STORYLINE: Australia's migrant intake has hit a record-high, driving a spike in population growth. According to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Thursday, 765,900 migrants arrived in Australia in the 12 months to the end of September 2023, an increase of 33.9 percent from the previous 12 months. In the same period, there were 217,100 migrant departures, resulting in net overseas migration of 548,800, the highest figure on record for a 12-month period. "Net overseas migration grew by 60 percent compared with the previous year," Beidar Cho, head of demography at the ABS, said in a media release. In the three months to the end of September, net overseas migration added 145,200 people to the Australian populati