Urumqi OKs ban on full veils, body coverings

Legislators in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, have passed a regulation banning the wearing of full-face veils and full-body coverings in public.

The move is the latest attempt in the region to use the law to curb the spread of religious extremism.

The regulation was passed on Wednesday by the standing committee of the Urumqi people's congress. The approval of the regional people's congress will be required before it takes effect, www.ts.cn, the regional government's website, reported on Thursday. Details of the regulation were not given.