NICE, France — A French administrative tribunal on Monday upheld a burkini ban decided by a Riviera resort which was one of a growing number of towns to outlaw the body-concealing Islamic swimsuit. Villeneuve-Loubet, just west of Nice, was among the first French towns to ban the burkini, triggering a fierce debate in France and elsewhere about the highly-contentious issue. So far 15 towns in the southeast, including Nice itself, have already banned the burkini including nearby film festival host city Cannes, where three women were each fined 38 euros (US$43) under the ban at the weekend. "The administrative tribunal rejected our request. It’s a decision along the way and it’s not really a surprise," he added, noting that the same tribunal earlier this month upheld a burkini ban by Cannes, the first French town to impose one.

Source: Viet Nam News August 22, 2016 19:07 UTC