Face masks will be compulsory in shops and supermarkets in England from next week, the government said, in a U-turn on previous policy, according to AFP.

“The prime minister has been clear that people should be wearing face coverings in shops and we will make this mandatory from July 24,” Boris Johnson's office said.

“There is growing evidence that wearing a face covering in an enclosed space helps protect individuals and those around them from coronavirus,” it said in a statement.

Opinion

Editorial

Larijani’s killing
19 Mar, 2026

Larijani’s killing

THE US-Israeli attempt to wipe out Iran’s top leadership is not likely to have the intended effect of making the...
War’s hunger toll
19 Mar, 2026

War’s hunger toll

THE conflict between the US, Israel and Iran continues to widen with far-reaching repercussions.The UN’s World ...
Let them in
Updated 19 Mar, 2026

Let them in

THE government need not be so difficult. Former prime minister Imran Khan’s sons, Kasim and Sulaiman, have not ...
Exit strategy
Updated 18 Mar, 2026

Exit strategy

MOST members of the international community, particularly states in the greater Middle East, are gravely concerned...
Unsafe trains
18 Mar, 2026

Unsafe trains

SUNDAY’S accident involving the Shalimar Express has once again brought into sharp focus the deep structural and...
Disappointment in Dhaka
18 Mar, 2026

Disappointment in Dhaka

FOR a side looking for lift-off after a disappointing T20 World Cup, it was despair for Shaheen Shah Afridi’s ...