Swiss voters approved a ban on full facial coverings, including niqabs and burqas, by a razor-thin margin in a highly-contested referendum Sunday, CNN reports.
Why it matters: The proposal, which has been criticized by various Swiss religious organizations, human rights groups and even the federal government, passed with 51.21% of the vote. While it does not mention Islam specifically, it has been referred to by some Swiss media as a "burqa ban," per CNN.
Students in the U.K. will return to in-person learning on Monday after being closed for two months.
Why it matters: The British government is reopening schools as the first step to lift all COVID-19 restrictions by June, the AP reports. Students will be tested for the virus frequently, with high schools and colleges to reopen in phases, allowing students to be tested several times before returning to regular classes.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in a speech on Sunday warned the U.S. against getting involved in China's "internal affairs," saying that "both sides need to abide by the principle of non-interference," CNBC reports.
Why it matters: Biden has promised a hardline approach with China. Tensions between the U.S. and China had heightened for years under the Trump administration.
Pope Francis was on Sunday visiting areas of northern Iraq once held by Islamic State militants.
Why it matters: This is the first-ever papal trip to Iraq. The purpose of Francis' four-day visit is largely intended to reassure the country's Christian minority, who were violently persecuted by ISIS, which controlled the region from 2014-2017.
Some 36,000 people turned out for the 2021 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade celebrating the LGBTQ community in Australia Saturday, per Nine News.
The big picture: For the first time in its 43-year history, organizers moved the event from Oxford Street to the Sydney Cricket Ground because of the COVID-19 pandemic. New South Wales, of which Sydney is the state capital, has reported no community cases for 50 days.
The World Health Organization said this week that variants of the coronavirus are provoking another uptick in infections across Europe.
Why it matters: European countries reported around 1 million new cases last week, around a 9% increase from the week prior. Last week's surge ended a six-week decline in new infections, the WHO said Thursday, according to AP.
The Dalai Lama received his first dose of coronavirus vaccine on Saturday in a hospital in northern India, AP reports.
Why it matters: The 85-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader urged others to follow his example and get vaccinated. Ten other people who live in the Dalai Lama’s residence also got a dose of the vaccine.
