Ban on burkini upheld

Ban on burkini upheld - France's highest administrative court has upheld a ban on full body "burkini" swimsuits in public pools, rejecting an appeal by the city of Grenoble. Last month, Grenoble authorised all swimwear, including burkinis, sparking a legal battle with the government. The dispute went all the way to the Council of State after a local court in Grenoble suspended the ban on the grounds that it seriously undermined the principle of neutrality in public services. At the time France’s interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has described the policy as an "unacceptable provocation" that was contrary to French secular values.