Sri Lanka to ban maids going to Saudi Arabia

The authorities are to ban young women from going to Saudi Arabia to be housemaids after a Sri Lankan was beheaded in the kingdom over the death of an infant in her care.

Sri Lanka recalled its envoy to Saudi Arabia in response to the execution on 9 January of Rizana Nafeek. The maid, who was 17 at the time, was convicted of smothering a four-month-old baby after an argument with the mother.