French officials have banned a Muslim woman from swimming in a public pool while wearing a swimsuit that covers her entire body. The woman known only as Carole had previously swum in July in the pool in Emerainville, east of Paris, in the “burkini” – a loose-fitting garment resembling a wetsuit with a hood. The management said this was for hygiene reasons, but she believes it was a political problem. Read more here
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has spoken out strongly against the wearing of the burka by Muslim women in France. Mr Sarkozy also gave his backing to the establishment of a parliamentary commission to look at whether to ban the wearing of burkas in public. Read more here
French investigative journalist Jean-Paul Ney, has been bailed from prison in the Ivory Coast after 16 months without trial. Read more here
French politicians have rejected a bill proposing that people caught downloading music illegally three times should be cut off from the Internet. Read more here