Subscribe!function(m,a,i,l,s,t,e,r){m[s]=m[s]||(function(){t=a.createElement(i);r=a.getElementsByTagName(i)[0];t.async=1;t.src=l;r.parentNode.insertBefore(t,r);return !0}())}(window,document,'script','https://tibet.net/wp-content/plugins/mailster/assets/js/button.min.js','MailsterSubscribe'); Representative Genkhang with Mr Lionnel Luca Brussels: On the invitation of the Mayor and former MP Lionnel Luca Representative Rigzin Genkhang of the Office of Tibet to participate in the 10th anniversary of the “Day for a free Tibet” The event was created in 2014 by the current Mayor aimed to celebrate It takes place every year on the 10th of March and this year marks the 10th anniversary Sunday morning started with a film screening titled “Espoir d’un Tibet Libre – Hope for a Free Tibet” by Migmar Jannot The documentary traces the journey of the first batch of 20 Tibetan children that arrived in France in 1962 following His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s appeal for international aid for Tibet and his people Representative Genkhang was invited to participate in an exchange with the public after the film screening in the presence of the Director Representative Genkhang was received by the Mayor at the town hall for a bilateral meeting during which she expressed her heartfelt gratitude for his continued support for Tibet since his time as a member of the French National Assembly and President of the Tibet group The two sides also discussed a range of issues including His Holiness the Dalai Lama the Central Tibetan Administration and the current situation of Tibet The Mayor thanked Representative Genkhang for her visit to his town and assured her of his continued support the Representative presented the Mayor with a traditional Tibetan scarf and a few books including His Holiness’ Book of Joy as a token of gratitude The two then joined the other guests and participants for the inaugural of the event which was moved indoors due to an exceptional severe weather alert Representative Genkhang in her remarks thanked once again the Mayor and his staff for their commitment to defend the just cause of Tibet and their efforts in organising such an event She also informed the audience the importance of 10th March and reminded that the day marked the 65th anniversary of the Tibetan National uprising day She then highlighted the ongoing repression of Tibetans in Tibet and the need for continued support Representative Genkhang also thanked the government of France for its support for Tibet and its people A candle was then lit to pay homage to the self-immolators and political prisoners observed a minute of silence and sang the Tibetan national anthem Different stands run by Tibet Support Groups As an expression of support and solidarity with the Tibetan people Villeneuve-Loubet hoists the Tibetan national flag permanently on their municipal building and is twinned with Lhuntse Dzong in Tibet since 2016 72 other municipalities in France are also part of this “Town twinning/adoption campaign” initiated by France-Tibet and Mr Jean-Louis Halioua with the support of Mr Lionnel Luca The campaign aims to garner grassroots support for the preservation of Tibetan identity and culture and bring international focus to the situation in Tibet 55 municipalities in Belgium and 40 municipalities in Luxembourg also hoist the Tibetan national flag either on the 10th of March or throughout the year Representative Genkhang presenting the books to the Mayor Lighting a candle in front of the wall of Tibetan political prisoners and self-immolators Tibetan national flag flying at the town hall throughout the year Representative Genkhang addressing the crowd  Villeneuve-Loubet is twinned with Lhuntse Dzong in Tibet  His Holiness the Dalai Lama Offers Congratulations to Anthony Albanese on His Re-election as Prime Minister of Australia Sikyong Meets Current and Former Chairs of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee to Discuss Appointment of Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issue His Holiness the Dalai Lama Congratulates Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on His Party’s General Election Victory Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel offers condolence over the demise of His Holiness Pope Francis Tibet at a Glance Tibetan National Flag Global Tibet Movement Constitution Leadership Judiciary Legislature Executive Election Commission Public Service Commission Auditor General Religion and Culture Home Finance Education Security Information & International Relations Health Issues Facing Tibet Sino Tibetan Dialogue Middle Way Approach Dolgyal-Shugden © Central Tibetan Administration • Privacy Policy • Terms of Service This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Amadeus has inaugurated its new site in Villeneuve Loubet christened “Bel Air” and owned by Texas Instruments hosts 1,400 employees in a modern environment à la Google Amadeus purchased 20 hectares of land at a cost of 20 million euros to create 23,000 m2 of offices and annexes The cost of redeveloping its site totaled 10 million euros A veritable “campus” that brings together Amadeus’s airline reservation activities Immeuble NICE PLAZA455, Promenade des Anglais,BP 3185, 06200 Nice France+33(0)4 92 17 51 51info@tnca.fr Copyright 2023 – Team Nice Côte d’Azur Leave us your contact details to schedule a meeting with one of our experts Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announced the signing of a franchise agreement with Groupe Reaumur France anticipated to open Victoria Marina Hotel Villeneuve-Loubet, Tapestry Collection by Hilton in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in France in 2025. The latest series of openings in the south of France includes Hilton Garden Inn Marseille Provence Airport opening this month, Canopy by Hilton Cannes and Le Hameau des Pesquiers Ecolodge & Spa Curio Collection by Hilton, which opened last year "France’s south coast is a key strategic market for us and there’s huge potential to develop our portfolio capturing the region’s high leisure and business travel demand The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region is full of charming towns and cities and its popularity with international tourists is second only to the capital so we’re excited to bring our world-renowned brands to the region Whether it’s a Hilton Garden Inn in Marseille or a Tapestry Collection by Hilton hotel in Villeneuve-Loubet we’ve demonstrated our commitment to growth across the coast while delivering strong returns for owners.” Hilton Garden Inn Marseille Provence Airport Under a franchise agreement with Groupe Dalofi Hilton plans to open Hilton Garden Inn Marseille Provence Airport later this month the largest hotel within the airport location Located just three minutes from Marseille’s international airport the hotel is ideal for international travellers while also benefiting from a calming environment with its location in a large guests can easily visit key tourist locations such as the Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde Basilica Major companies are also within three kilometers of the hotel It has 178 spacious rooms with modern decor and offers guests an outdoor swimming pool meeting and conference rooms for up to 250 people as well as a bar and restaurant with terraces Hilton Garden Inn Marseille Provence Airport joins five Hilton Garden Inn hotels operating in France an impressive level of growth for a brand that opened its first French hotel in 2018 Set within the mixed-use development of Marina Baie des Anges Tapestry Collection by Hilton will feature 58 guest rooms designed to be comfortable modern and inspired by the natural coastline with neutral tones and calming blues throughout outdoor ‘lagoon’ pool and private beach will mean guests have no shortage of options to swim and relax by the water while the hotel’s spa will also offer indulgent and rejuvenating treatments An all-day dining restaurant and canopied pool bar overlooking the coast will be available for guests to enjoy throughout their stay Business travellers and those interested in hosting events will be able to make use of the hotel’s two multi-function rooms and meeting space and the expansive parking lot will ensure guests and visitors alike are able to drive to the hotel guests will experience an authentic connection to the destination as the hotel’s location in the centre of the port will inspire guests to explore their surroundings venturing from the beach to the town’s many historical buildings and further afield all under a 30-minute drive from the hotel Hilton’s first property in the French Riviera city will offer a positively local stay with incredible views of the city from the hotel’s expansive rooftop terrace Following a franchise agreement with an affiliate of SDPNE the hotel will welcome guests later this year The hotel is just a five-minute walk from La Croisette the majority including balconies with sea views the hotel’s interior design has been led by the acclaimed design studio Ramy Fischler Hilton's development plans will include the opening of 24 hotels in France Hilton currently has 23 open hotels in France under the brands Waldorf Astoria Click here to join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest hotel news and trends Copyright © Hotel News Resource & Nevistas | All rights reserved Marwan Muhammad (left) of the Collective Against the Islamophobia in France one of the parties in a lawsuit against the town of Villeneuve-Loubet speaks to the media following the ruling on a burkini ban France's highest administrative court struck a blow against controversial 'burkini bans' Friday upending one town's decision to prohibit the full-body swimsuit on its beaches The Council of State suspended the ban in Villeneuve-Loubet breached the fundamental freedoms to come and go the freedom of beliefs and individual freedom." The Riviera town was one of roughly 30 municipalities to forbid beachgoers from donning the swimsuit often worn by Muslim women reporter Jake Cigainero tells our Newscast unit The ruling is expected to affect those other bans And a lawyer representing the Human Rights League — one of the groups that challenged Villeneuve-Loubet's ban — tells the news service that the decision "is meant to set legal precedent." Dozens of French cities and towns have banned the full-body swimwear Cannes Mayor David Lisnard has called the burkini a "symbol of Islamist extremism." "Today all the ordinances taken should conform to the decision of the Council of State Logically the mayors should withdraw these ordinances If not legal actions could be taken," Patrice Spinosi was quoted as saying by the AP called the swimsuit "the symbol of Islamist extremism," when his city instituted a ban earlier this summer Prime Minister Manuel Valls also has expressed support for the ban "Valls says France is in a 'battle of cultures' and that the burkini represents the enslavement of women." Reuters adds that former French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Thursday that if elected president, he would institute a nationwide ban on the burkini. Sarkozy announced his candidacy earlier this week Opponents of the bans celebrated Friday's ruling "This is a slap for the prime minister and a kick up the backside for Sarkozy," said Abdallah Zekri secretary general of the French Muslim Council International opposition to the ban galvanized recently as photos purporting to show a woman forced to strip out of her burkini made headlines and were widely shared on social media The Guardian describes the incident: "The images of police confronting the woman in Nice on Tuesday show at least four police officers standing over a woman who was resting on the shore at the town's Promenade des Anglais, the scene of last month's Bastille Day lorry attack she appears to remove a blue long-sleeved tunic although one of the officers appears to take notes or issue an on-the-spot fine "The photographs emerged as a mother of two also told on Tuesday how she had been fined on the beach in nearby Cannes wearing leggings read that she was not wearing 'an outfit respecting good morals and secularism'." In an interview with The New York Times this week, the women credited with inventing the burkini said those who banned the swimwear had "misunderstood" its purpose. "Because the burkini swimsuit is freedom and happiness and lifestyle changes — you can't take that away from a Muslim, or any other woman, that chooses to wear it," Aheda Zanetti told the newspaper Burkini bans in France have sparked international outrage people recently held a "Wear what you want beach party" outside France's embassy Become an NPR sponsor PARIS — France’s highest administrative court on Friday overturned a ban on the burkini enforced by the southern town of Villeneuve-Loubet after a global backlash against what many critics said was a discriminatory measure The ruling capped weeks of international outrage, including a condemnation by London mayor Sadiq Khan over burkini bans that have been enforced in about 30 towns Critics at home and abroad accused France of using strict rules on secularism in public spaces as an excuse to discriminate against Muslims ruled against the ban on burkinis in Villeneuve-Loubet which had been upheld by a lower court in Nice The trigger for such legal action was a lawsuit filed by two advocacy groups which had sued Villeneuve-Loubet over what they called a violation of human rights In its ruling the court said the bans were a “serious infringement on fundamental freedoms that are the freedom of movement the freedom of belief and personal freedom.” The decision applies specifically to Villeneuve-Loubet while leaving bans in other towns in place France now has a precedent against the bans because the highest administrative court would strike down other bans as well the ruling clarifies the limits of mayors’ authority to regulate religious practice in public life It could hamper their ability to intervene on other controversial matters relating to religion such as women-only bathing times at public swimming pools In what is normally a quiet period of French public life, controversy over the burkini ban inflamed the public and set politicians against one another, even within Prime Minister Manuel Valls’ cabinet Citing “tensions” in the Mediterranean city of Nice where a Tunisian man killed 84 people in July Valls had voiced support for mayors who banned the burkini by arguing that an overtly religious display could constitute a threat to public order disagreed publicly with him on the matter while another prominent Socialist had called for an end to the “media and political hysteria” over the burkini issue Outside of France, the burkini bans brought scorn, criticism and mockery. Critics pointed out that the burkini, which was first commercialized in Australia in 2004 resembled a conventional wetsuit worn by surfers and did not cover the face — which would have been against French law referring to “overt religious displays,” as to create confusion for the people in charge of enforcing them When photographs surfaced of police officers in Nice ordering a veiled woman lying on a beach to remove a covering that was not a burkini echoing a similar call from Jean-François Copé head of the far-right National Front party issued a statement criticizing the court’s ruling as “regrettable.” “As with teachers on the question of wearing the [Islamic] veil in the classroom mayors today on the issue of the burkini cannot be left on their own with no support against the pressure of Islamist fundamentalists,” Le Pen who is expected to reach the runoff round of a presidential election next year Also On POLITICO London Mayor Sadiq Khan slams burkini ban By Saim Saeed Estonian Commission official Henrik Hololei faces disciplinary measures after opening of internal probe into claims of wrongdoing. Hannah Neumann was targeted in a cyber-espionage operation by an infamous Iranian hacking group earlier this year, she said. In exclusive comments to POLITICO, the European Commission president touted the EU as a safe haven in an unpredictable world. The European Commission will enforce its digital rulebook without fear, said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. one does not come to the beach dressed to display religious convictions,' mayor says I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A second French Riviera resort has announced a ban against “burkinis” as uproar continues over the prohibition in Cannes said the prohibition of full-body swimsuits worn by some Muslim women was for sanitary reasons “I was told that there was a couple on one of our beaches where the wife was swimming fully dressed and I considered that unacceptable for hygienic reasons and unwelcome given the general situation,” he told the AFP news agency one does not come to the beach dressed to display one’s religious convictions especially as they are false convictions that the religion does not demand.” Mr Luca did not stipulate how the ban would be enforced A new local by-law states that throughout the summer the burkini is banned on the region's popular beaches It stipulates that only clothing that “is respectful to morality and secular principles and in compliance with hygiene and safety rules” is allowed It is unclear whether the rule would also apply to wetsuits or other clothing worn for swimming claimed that swimwear ”manifesting religious affiliation in an ostentatious way while France and its religious sites are currently the target of terrorist attacks could create risks of trouble to public order” The ban has provoked strong criticism from Muslim groups and anti-discrimination organisations who argue that women should have the freedom to dress how they wish France already has a controversial country-wide “burqa ban” and analysts have said the beach rules could worsen feelings of alienation and fuel extremist propaganda The latest move has been interpreted as a reaction to recent terror attacks in France including the murder of a Catholic priest by two Isis supporters in Normandy and an attack that killed 85 people in Niece “Since when was wearing a burkini, in most cases a loose fitting nylon version of a wetsuit, become an act of allegiance to terrorist movements?” she wrote, saying women’s bodies were being used “to score points in ideological wars”. The Collective Against Islamophobia in France was planning to file a lawsuit challenging the the legality of the ban in Cannes Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies The previously mild weather suddenly turned into a thunderstorm on Thursday afternoon With a drop of around 15 degrees compared to a few days ago the weather was in a capricious mood on Thursday 18 April The images of hail falling between Nice and Antibes gave the impression that winter had returned The Alpes-Maritimes département was put on yellow alert and the sudden change in weather conditions made traffic conditions difficult on the A8 Traffic jams of 10 to 12 km formed on the main road Exasperated passengers had a hard time of it at Monaco station Photo Credit: A view of an Amadeus office Bel-Air à Villeneuve-Loubet near Nice where the Madrid-based travel technology company has its engineering headquarters for Europe Amadeus has entered into a strategic partnership with Points International a provider of loyalty tech solutions to airlines. Amadeus Sometimes a small deal underscores a big trend. That's the case with Thursday's news that Amadeus, the travel tech colossus, and Points International a provider of tools for travel loyalty programs have signed a commercial and technical deal to sync their airline loyalty systems Points will be able to piggyback on Amadeus's broad customer list to sign up more airlines to its tools for servicing frequent flier programs the deal between the public companies may eventually help airlines offer easier ways for frequent fliers to earn and burn their miles a passenger might not see their points arrive in their accounts for three days after a trip," said Dominic Matthews "We can avoid consumer frustration by implementing real-time data exchanges," Matthews said our engineers from both teams will scope out how to streamline integrations." Amadeus's and Points.com's systems are cloud-based which can offer real-time data updates and backups more consistently than the on-premise data centers still used by many airlines Rival vendors include loyalty management systems from Oracle's Siebel and Comarch The nuanced point is that airline IT is becoming a hotbed of investment and software development Airline adoption of the cloud is driving the trend Internet-based systems communicate using more flexible methods of data exchange than former on-premise data centers This new reality has encouraged more non-traditional airline IT players to offer services in a dynamic that has sparked innovation and competition such as an opportunity to receive a bonus for a particular type of travel by providing different awards based on which tier a flyer belongs in their programs the deal represents a change in where the most crucial data gets crunched The deal highlights the rising importance of airline passenger services systems and related software applications loosely described as "airline IT." To an extent these systems are taking over some of the selling work that used to be the mainstay of so-called "distribution" tech systems We've written a lot about how Amadeus and its rivals Sabre and Travelport have been improving their reservation systems for travel agencies has been the growing prominence of airline operational systems Airlines need IT systems for services such as revenue management the accounting of passenger sales revenues and loyalty program management and servicing These systems all have an impact on airline sales efforts but happen in a different part of their so-called tech stack both airline IT and distribution systems will continue to work in concert the growing sophistication of airline IT systems means that when airline executives want to boost their selling games they're turning to these systems first to implement changes because they can instantly test the results directly on their mobile apps and other direct channels Amadeus and Points offered separate loyalty systems to airlines Points would often offer its tech wares to an airline only to discover that the airline was already using some different but related loyalty solutions from Amadeus Points would have to go through a back-and-forth between its team and the airline IT department to complete the integration The new integration between Points and Amadeus means that work has already been done in advance Airlines that haven't used either one will now have a one-stop process to add tools from both Amadeus and Points without having to split the work into phased commercial and technical talks Airlines wanting to configure more complex marketing promotions for their loyalty programs generally need better tech than their in-house systems which mainly manage accrual of balance totals and dispersals Amadeus and Points talked about immediate opportunities Amadeus could look at addition synergies between the two companies' product suites. It might also look one day at offering the advanced loyalty services beyond the users of its Altea suite of passenger service system to also include the primarily low-cost carriers that use its passenger service system Navitaire whose loyalty management tools are rudimentary today Points International also offers loyalty management tools to other types of suppliers such as hotel chains and rental car companies Amadeus also has business relationships with many of the same companies the deal helps Barnard of Points bolster the case he makes to investors in roadshow presentations that Points International has escaped its past doldrums and is on a growth trajectory The loyalty tech game and the broader airline IT investment it represents will only be heating up from here Jet Stream keeps you ahead of the fast-moving world of global airlines you agree to receive email communication from Skift Tags: amadeus, loyalty, Points.com Subscribe today to keep up with the latest travel industry news Already a subscriber? Login New users get20% offtheir first year of Skift Pro A top French court on Friday suspended a ban on full-body burkini swimsuits that has angered Muslims The ruling by the Council of State relates to the Mediterranean resort of Villeneuve-Loubet one of more than a dozen French towns that have imposed such bans The burkini ban has shone a light on secular France’s long-standing difficulties integrating its Muslim population and dealing with the aftermath of a series of Islamist attacks The court said in a statement the decree to ban burkinis in Villeneuve-Loubet “seriously the freedom of beliefs and individual freedom.” The lawyer representing the League of Human Rights campaign group which had challenged the ban in Villeneuve-Loubet told reporters the ruling meant all town halls would need to reverse their bans The group argued the bans contravened civil liberties But one mayor in Corsica said he would not suspend his own ban showing that the ruling will not put a quick end to the heated controversy that has already filtered into early campaigning for the 2017 presidential election “There’s a lot of tension here and I won’t withdraw my decree,” Sisco mayor Ange-Pierre Vivoni told BFM TV The issue has also made French cultural identity a hot-button issue along with security in political debates ahead of next April’s presidential election Prime Minister Manuel Valls robustly defended the burkini ban on Thursday while some ministers criticized it exposing divisions within the government as campaigning begins Former president Nicolas Sarkozy said on Thursday he would impose a nationwide ban on burkinis if elected as he seeks to position himself as a strong defender of French values and tough on immigration “This is a slap for the prime minister and a kick up the backside for Sarkozy,” Abdallah Zekri secretary general of the French Muslim Council (CFCM) said of the ruling Socialist Party spokesman Razzy Hammadi told BFM TV he hoped the ruling “will put an end to this nasty controversy I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward American Jews need independent news they can trust At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S rising antisemitism and polarized discourse This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs subject line “republish,” with any questions or to let us know what stories you’re picking up Copyright © 2025 The Forward Association A French burkini ban that has enraged observers around the world was suspended by the country’s highest court on Friday in a decisive ruling that painted the laws as blatant affronts to basic human rights and liberties The court’s action only applies to the burkini ban in Villeneuve-Loubet but it will set a precedent that could topple bans in up to 30 other French municipalities Villeneuve-Loubet’s prohibition of the full-body bathing suits worn primarily by observant Muslim women “dealt a serious and clearly illegal blow to fundamental freedoms of movement and personal liberty,” the three judges of the State Council (Conseil d’Etat) wrote Though the court will make its final ruling on the legality of the bans at a later date this unequivocal decision makes it seem very unlikely that the judges could find reason to defend burkini bans in other towns has said swimming in long sleeves and pants is unhygienic but a tribunal in Nice said the Villeneuve-Loubet ban was “necessary and proportionate” to keep the peace in the town Friday’s court ruling said the judges found no evidence to support the idea that any sort of bathing suit could be a threat to public order In a world that’s watching the unprecedented rise of a openly anti-Muslim leaders the court’s explicit rejection of any pretext for making Muslim women remove their clothing is a much-needed beacon of rational justice Muslim organisations also among those to decry ruling signed off by mayor David Lisnard outlawing full-body swimsuits A French human rights association and Muslim groups have said they will take legal action against the mayor of Cannes for issuing a decree banning burkinis from the resort’s beaches David Lisnard signed off on a ruling last month preventing women from wearing the full-body swimsuits in the Côte d’Azur town. The decree was introduced shortly after the Bastille day attack in Nice in July where a delivery driver killed 85 people when he ploughed into crowds celebrating the French national holiday on the seafront The decree states that Muslim women wearing burkinis could be a threat to public order and will be cautioned and fined €38 (£33) “Beachwear which ostentatiously displays religious affiliation, when France and places of worship are currently the target of terrorist attacks is liable to create risks of disrupting public order (crowds which it is necessary to prevent,” it says This article includes content provided by Facebook We ask for your permission before anything is loaded as they may be using cookies and other technologies said: “We are not talking about banning the wearing of religious symbols on the beach .. but ostentatious clothing which refers to an allegiance to terrorist movements which are at war with us.” human rights groups and Muslim associations have described the decree as illegal and preposterous In a statement, Hervé Lavisse from the Cannes-Grasse section of the French Human Rights League said: “This is an abuse of law and we will take it to court.” Rightwing politicians needed to calm their “discriminatory fervour and defend the spirit of the republic,” he said France has some of the toughest legislation on headscarves in Europe, including a law passed in 2004 on religious symbols that bans girls from wearing the hijab in state schools but no current laws ban anyone from wearing a headscarf or full-body bikini at a public beach Wearing a burkini remains legal in France as a whole The niqab, or full-face veil, was banned in all public spaces in 2011 by the former president Nicolas Sarkozy as part of a law against anyone covering their face in public which covers the head and body for swimming while leaving the face uncovered State workers must by law be impartial and neutral and so cannot show their religious belief with an outward symbol such as a headscarf but this applies only to public service workplaces such as hospitals and town halls “Wearing a burkini, headscarf, G-string or feather cabaret costume is not banned by the law,” tweeted Feiza Ben Mohamed of the Federation of Muslims in the South. She said the organisation, based in Nice, had lodged court papers with the intention of annulling the decree. Marwan Muhammad, the executive director of the Collective against Islamophobia in France, said he would go to court to get the decree scrapped. His organisation succeeded in legal action in 2014 to overturn a mayoral decree seeking to ban headscarves and religious symbols from summer events in Wissous, near Paris. a public law lecturer at the University of Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense told France Inter radio that the decree had no legal basis and was merely a “political message .. of the centre-right Les Républicains party said: “I don’t have time for controversies .. I’m simply banning a uniform that is the symbol of Islamist extremism.” another hardline member of Sarkozy’s Les Républicains signed a similar decree banning burkinis in the nearby area of Villeneuve-Loubet Islamic head coverings have long been a highly contentious political issue in France In the run-up to the 2017 presidential and parliamentary elections who this week insisted that Muslim headscarves should be banned from universities and in private companies Subscribe to BuzzFeed Daily NewsletterCaret DownIslamophobia Watchdog Group Vows To Sue Every Town To Overturn Burkini BansMeanwhile there have been 15 reported anti-Muslim incidents on beaches in France on the past few weeks NICE, France — The leader of a French Islamophobia watchdog group said Friday that it will sue every town that continues to enforce burkini bans after France’s highest administrative court struck down the practice in Villeneuve-Loubet "We will sue them in every single case. Until they abide by the law," Marwan Muhammad, the executive director of the association Collectif contre l'islamophobie en France (CCIF) said in a phone interview with BuzzFeed News CCIF was a party to the lawsuit in Villeneuve-Loubet because it reaffirms the rule of law when most politicians are falling in the Islamophobic trap," he added His comment came after city officials in Nice — located not far from Villeneuve-Loubet — said Friday that the bans will remain in effect as long as its own ban wasn't overturned Muhammad added that his group received 15 reports of discrimination against Muslim women on French beaches in the last two weeks even though the women were in hijab and not burkini swimsuits "On an average we have between 800-900 cases of discrimination and Islamophobic hate-crime cases over the year we have received 15 different incidents on beaches "All of the [cases] involved Muslim women wearing the simple headscarf they were not wearing what they call the burkini So this is the proof that this issue and controversy are not about the burkini or the bathing suit itself It's about stigmatising and banning Muslims from any sort of participation." One of the women who received a fine for covering her hair was Siam who says she was wearing hijab – not a burkini – with leggings and a tunic in Cannes "I wasn't intending on bathing, just dipping my feet in the water," Siam told L'Obs, the French news website In Nice on Friday, Muslim mothers sat on benches of the Promenade des Anglais while their children swam in the sea — previously they would have joined their children on the beaches Noticed last night as the sun was going down many Muslim families were out on promenade Mohammad said his anti-Muslim hate crime monitoring group gained seven thousand new members across the country just in the last two weeks The members come from different faith groups and communities The images of armed police on French Riviera ordering a middle-aged Muslim woman to remove her top had been a turning point (The woman was not wearing what's considered a burkini.) He added the Muslim woman – whose image has become a symbol of the burkini ban – did not know she was in the media spotlight Armed police on French Riviera order Muslim woman to remove burkini https://t.co/qtJ7KHv3Sf "It took her two days to realise this happened to her and she was really in shock because of what happened and she wants to keep very quiet and low profile and doesn't want any interaction with the media," said Muhammad "The turning point is that for the first time the political elite in France could not deny its own racism anymore because it was [shown] in front of everyone else in the rest of the world." He said some of the women the group had spoken to no longer saw the point of going to the beach and did not want to be humiliated in front of their children Yet, he said, after the ruling in Villeneuve-Loubet he said he hoped "tomorrow and the day after people go back and get on with their lives like they used to." 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Suscribe x MercoPress, en Español Montevideo, May 6th 2025 - 07:08 UTC A French court has rejected a demand by a group of French Muslims in Cannes to overturn a ban on full-body A lawyer for the Collective Against Islamophobia in France said after the decision Saturday by a court in nearby Nice that he would lodge an appeal with the Council of State  Sefen Guez Guez said by telephone the decision was made by a judge without a debate The ruling upholding the ban on so-called burkinis fell as the newspaper Nice Matin revealed that another Riviera town France is at the height of vacation season and on edge after deadly Islamic extremist attacks in Nice and on a Catholic church in northwest France The mayor of a Corsican town has banned full-body swimsuits known as “burkinis” after a clash between local residents and Muslim bathers of North African origin Ange-Pierre Vivoni is the latest French mayor to prohibit the swimwear in the wake of Islamic extremist attacks this summer Vivoni said on France-Info radio Monday that the ban in his town of Sisco is aimed at calming religious tensions and protecting Muslims The Interior Ministry says a clash Saturday in Sisco that left at least four people injured and three cars torched reportedly started over the presence of women in burkinis Commenting for this story is now closed.If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page Looking to access paid articles across multiple policy topics Interested in policy insights for EU professional organisations A top French court on Friday (26 August) suspended a ban on full-body burkini swimsuits that has angered Muslims designed by Lebanese-born Australian Aheda Zanetti at her fashion store in Sydney [Reuters] A truck ploughed into a crowd in the French resort of Nice killing at least 80 in what President François Hollande today (15 July) called a "terrorist" attack on revellers watching a Bastille Day fireworks display The European Commission today (25 August) dodged questions over France’s controversial burkini ban but said there was nothing to stop EU officials wearing a burka to work villeneuveloubet.fr and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed La 78e édition du prochain Festival de Cannes le Festival de Cannes s'empare de la ville et des tabloïds du monde entier Juliette Binoche présidera le jury du Festival de Cannes 2025 © Copyright 2025. Powered by WordPress Viewport Theme by ThemeZilla As the national mood hardens following terror attacks the seaside resort of Villeneuve-Loubet is divided over the new ‘religious offence’ Ed VulliamySun 21 Aug 2016 13.41 CESTFirst published on Sat 20 Aug 2016 21.41 CESTShareLate last week officers Lucenay and Roux of the municipal police were resuming their patrol of the beaches that extend from the vast marina complex at Villeneuve-Loubet along the Côte d’Azur towards Nice This would normally be a routine duty during peak season but now they have an extra task: to look out for “burkinis” – swimwear that covers the body and head preferred by orthodox Muslim women but now banned by the town Mayor Lionnel Luca made his municipality the third to outlaw the garment as a “provocation” after riots in the Corsican resort of Sisco last weekend when tourists taking photographs of women in burkinis were attacked by men of Maghreb origin seven people were badly injured and five men were arrested on charges of armed assault and face trial next month Cannes police said other women approached by officers had left the beach or changed into bikinis While Lucenay and Roux insist that they cannot speak officially they do admit to an element of what they see as absurdity in adding the new category of “religious offences” to their usual roster of “promiscuity offences” and “public order offences” Read moreValls came to Marseille last week to say that burkinis were “expressions of an archaic vision of women in public places … The burkini is not a new swimwear fashion; it’s the transmission of a political project founded notably upon the subjection of women Some people try to portray those who wear them as victims as though we were calling liberty into question But there is no liberty to subjugate women.” The premier added: “I understand mayors who The burkini row may seem banal, and to some a surreal inversion of laws in Islamic countries, but it has become yet another flame in the murderous tinderbox of Islamism in France, invoking issues of control over the body, religious freedom, racism, provocation, terrorism, Islam and Islamophobia, republicanism and what the French call laïcité Laïcité is the hardest for people outside France to understand: our words “laity” and “secularism” fail to express the depth of allergy to all things theocratic which is endemic to French societal fabric since the revolution just do not comprehend our French tradition of banning Islamic dress.” the CCIF successfully challenged it a second time Then came the Islamist onslaught against France beginning with the Charlie Hebdo massacre in January 2015 up to the slitting of a priest’s throat in Normandy two days after the Nice atrocity Most French people wonder how much more they can take – but brace themselves for more – while others argue that draconian measures in response encourage racism isolate the Muslim community and radicalise it The ironies are replete: it was on the same now breast-baring beach at Cannes that Brigitte Bardot famously appeared in a bikini during the 1953 film festival – when the garment was banned (for showing too much skin) in Spain Belgium and towns along the French Atlantic coast the Isis-inspired killer of four people in a kosher supermarket last year who wore an eye-catching two-piece swimsuit the Saudi King Salman has his palace and private beach access – there was little information to be had from there last week on the royal household’s balance of bikinis to burkinis A “burkini-only” event was banned this year at a pool in the Bavarian town of Neutraubling The issue was reignited in France after a swimming club called Sweet 13 advertised a women-and-children-only day at Speed Water aquapark near Marseille Publicity for the event said that “burkini/jiheb de bain” should be worn The Facebook page of Sweet 13 has now been taken down but a screenshot shown to the Observer indicates interests beyond swimming – with inflammatory language about “infidels” and “unbelievers” The outcry was led by a Republican senator from Marseille who said it “raised issues of provocation and the rights of women” Boyet has since claimed burkinis are “part of an encroachment by Islamist extremism in this area along with frequent wearing of niqabs on our streets the CCIF was joined by the League for Human Rights in a legal challenge through the administrative court in This time – a measure of how things have shifted in France – the bans were upheld Judge Dominique Lemaître ruled that burkini bans were “in accordance with the first articles of the constitution [that France is a République Laïque]” – which was mayor Lisnard’s defence Villeneuve-Loubet is a split-level community between what is probably the ugliest marina sprawl along this coastline and its loveliest unspoiled hillside village – convivially mixed-race The first world war hero Maréchal Philippe Petain made his home here in 1920 before becoming head of state of the Vichy puppet state after the Nazi victory over France in 1940 the text of Luca’s ban makes a direct connection with “recent terrorist attacks” – specifying Nice and Normandy – and says the ban is imposed “in this context” and that of the extended state of emergency He adds: “I think we need to avoid proselytisation which poses a threat to public order I don’t think this is religious dress; there is nothing in the Qur’an to say you have to wear a burkini Those who use this as a pretext are canvassing an ideological provocation which – given the attacks we have been through – is indefensible.” insists that: “Laïcité guarantees to every citizen a free conscience and freedom of religious expression Do we want a fashion militia like countries of the mullahs?” He warns that the bans “are a perfect recruiter for radicalisation with attitudes as exclusivist and repressive as these many of our compatriots will feel excluded?” Already internet messages threaten: “We men will defend our women in burkinis.” On a bench near the beach at the working-class resort of St-Laurent-du-Var and veiled – shrugged when asked about the row declined to discuss her preference and went for a swim “I’d hardly seen a burqa and never seen a burkini until recently,” said Philippe Bessone who owns a seaside apartment at Villeneuve-Loubet Resting on benches outside the CAP 3000 shopping centre It could be that the burkini ban is a good thing for us.” it is a relief to find a mixed group slouching around tables outside McDonald’s in St Laurent-de-Var drinking from a bottle of rosé obviously not purchased inside “what about all those people pissing in the sea and don’t much like the beach,” says Hiba Kahlaoui “Provocation with all the Islamic dress we never saw here five years ago This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has issued its decision in the appeal arbitration procedures between Romanian showjumper Andrea Herck the Sri Lanka Equestrian Association and the FEI The CAS Panel issued its decision on Tuesday 19th of April in which it upheld the appeals filed by Herck Karlsson and the Sri Lanka Equestrian Association CAS ruled that all competitive results obtained by Herck and Karlsson at the CSI2* events in Villeneuve-Loubet between 13 December 2019 and 26 January 2020 including any points earned counting for the Longines Ranking and the Olympic Ranking Karlsson is back as rank two in the Olympic Group for South East Asia with her horse Chopin VA and has earned her national federation an individual quota slot for the Olympic Games in Tokyo later this year.  the athletes who participated lost their ranking points from these competitions the FEI established that three of the six events in Villeneuve-Loubet in January 2020 also had two classes counting for the Longines Rankings added after the deadline for definite entries – again contrary to the FEI rules these additional competitions were also removed.  Herck – who is the son of the organizer of the events in Villeneuve-Loubet – had risen up 226 spots on the world ranking from December 2019 to February 2020 after collecting 805 of his then 1100 counting points at seven CSI2* shows at the venue held between 13th of December 2019 to 26th of January 2020 Herck appealed the FEI's decision to the FEI Tribunal who dropped from second to seventh on the Olympic Ranking for South East Asia Oceania following the FEI's decision to annul the points – with Sri Lanka losing its individual quota slot for Tokyo Nine out of Karlsson’s 15 counting results for the Olympic Ranking were from the December 2019 events in Villeneuve-Loubet However, the appeals against the FEI’s decision to annul the results were dismissed by the FEI Tribunal. On 16th of June 2020 the Tribunal concluded that there were justified circumstances to cancel the ranking points for the Villeneuve-Loubet events the Tribunal found that the integrity of the sport and the rankings had to supersede the interest of two individual riders to keep their points “This is an important decision to ensure the integrity of the sport and particularly the Olympic and Longines Rankings,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said in a statement following the Tribunal’s decision.  Karlsson and the Sri Lanka Equestrian Association filed appeals to CAS.  A press release from the FEI regarding the CAS decision details:  the Panel noted that the “protection of the integrity of FEI's events and competitions will be much more effective if they may also be cancelled retroactively because - in many cases - the circumstances giving rise to integrity or ethical issues (such as betting bribery or match fixing) will only become known through information that transpires as late as during or after the event”.  The Panel confirmed that Article 112.3 of the FEI General Regulations gives the FEI Secretary General the authority to remove events or competitions even with retroactive effect providing an “effective instrument” to intervene when the FEI “becomes aware of circumstances jeopardising the integrity of an event without the FEI having had any chance to prevent such circumstances before or during the affected event” the Panel ruled that it was not the purpose of Article 112.3 “to allow the FEI to retroactively rectify mistakes which entirely stem from its own sphere” referencing the “human error” at the FEI that had resulted in approval of the updated Schedules.  The Panel referred to the two-stage approval process (National Federation and the FEI) which should ensure that “only those schedules are approved which are compliant with the relevant rules and regulations for FEI events” While acknowledging that there had been a violation of FEI Rules the Panel declared “the rule violation would never have occurred without the FEI's erroneous authorisation of the Updated Schedules The Organiser could not have implemented the updates without permission of both the FFE and FEI.” The CAS Panel ruled that as the FEI had failed to establish "justified circumstances" for the removal of the competitions the prerequisites of Article 112.3 were not fulfilled and that the FEI decision as well as the appealed decision of the FEI Tribunal are unlawful and must be reversed." Adding more detailed information from the CAS decision, Schelstraete Law Firm stated in their own press release that:  "The CAS also reconfirms that Mathilda Karlsson as athlete bears no fault or guilt in the matter.  The CAS protects the position of the athlete and rules that the FEI may not keep other parties like the athletes the organizer of the French Federation responsible for its own errors The CAS observes that the FEI’s own negligence caused the rule violation in the approval process of the official schedules of the Villeneuve-Loubet events the FEI must stand in for the consequences The CAS holds that numerous different deadlines applicable under the FEI’s rules and regulations are not easy to understand and it cannot be expected from a rider who reviews the schedules that he or she readily discovers a mistake that two federations (FEI and the French NF) with professionally equipped administrative bodies have overlooked According to the CAS the FEI as the supreme regulatory body of the equestrian sports must observe utmost care in the approval process of the schedules Important to note is also that the CAS cleared the organizer of the Villeneuve-Loubet of all unfounded charges and allegations confirming that the organizer handled in full compliance with the applicable FEI Rules and Regulations.  As a consequence of the CAS decision an individual quota place for the Jumping Competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to take place in July-August 2021 is now confirmed in favor of Mathilda Karlsson." FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said: “This is a very disappointing result for the FEI but we respect the decision as we knew that mistakes were made and the CAS decision is based on that. When we decided to annul the Villeneuve-Loubet results in order to do the right thing from a sports integrity perspective we knew there was a possibility we could lose this case on appeal but we agreed it was a risk worth taking." we have been proactive in addressing the issues and in February 2020 implemented the online invitation system for FEI Jumping events that introduced a quota system for CSI 2* for the first time but the rules were not in effect at the time of the events in question," Ibáñez continued Organisers of CSI2* events that wish to include competitions counting for the Longines Rankings must now invite a minimum of 50 athletes and the FEI is also reviewing the scale of Olympic Ranking points based on the number of participants in competitions.” As a result of the CAS decision, the FEI has announced that the Longines Ranking is to be recalculated and there are also changes to the individual quotas for this year’s Olympic Games as Sri Lanka now has an individual place for Tokyo which had been allocated an individual slot for jumping following the removal of the Villeneuve-Loubet results by the FEI is now the first reserve for Tokyo in the Olympic Group for South East Asia The final list of competing nations at the Tokyo Olympic Games will be confirmed on 5 July 2021 The full version of the CAS decision has not yet been published.  © 2025 World of Showjumping - All rights reserved Powered by Artionet - Generated with IceCube2.Net celebrates its 50th anniversary (1966-2016) in honor of the great ambassador of the Art of Living à la Française: Auguste Escoffier the Musée Escoffier presents until October 31 2016 two exhibitions bringing together 40 works of a duet of contemporary artists: Aurélie Sastres author of J’ai Croqué un Chef (I Sketched a Chef) and Pascal Lattes culinary photographer at famous Thuriès Magazine a huge portrait of Auguste Escoffier reminds you that you are in the culinary realm of the celebrity chef Villeneuvois open your eyes because you will be invited to discover the world of Culinary Arts from the memories of the genius Escoffier to a large exhibition of chocolate works A to devour with the eyes: Aurélie Sastres’ sketches and photographs by Pascal Lattes The chefs here are sketched in the exercise of their ephemeral art Chez Frédéric Anton – Aurélie Sartres www.fondation-escoffier.org Click on pictures to enlarge – ©YesICannes.com – All rights reserved Chefs et personnalités autour de Michel Escoffier Located in the heart of the village of Villeneuve Loubet the Escoffier Museum of Culinary Art honors the Art Culinaire through Auguste Escoffier‘s rich history a great culinary personality who made decisive advances in a very difficult profession that requires the greatest gift of self to offet the best to others The label Maison des Illustres aims to enhance the museum to point it out as a place whose vocation is to preserve and transmit our heritage through the memory of a great cook a personality who has illustrated himself in the cultural history of France This label guarantees a quality cultural program and attests to the authenticity and originality of the museographic content The museum of the illustrious Auguste Escoffier corresponds to two objectives of importance for the territory: to value the considerable work of this great Chef whose culinary art makes of France a world reference and allow the French Riviera to stand out in a non-delocalizable area thus participating in the economic development of the region and the department where culinary art is celebrated on many tables and makes it fame and attractiveness The Escoffier Museum of Culinary Art thus contributes to the development of the tourism sector an essential activity for the prosperity of the territory The Maison des Illustres Label is issued by the Ministry of Culture and Communication and awarded for a renewable five-year period fondation-escoffier.org €25.00Add to cart “The atmosphere here is madness” – this is the slogan that greets the visitors of the amusement park for children and adults “Village of Fools” (Village des Fous) The “Mad” village that unwittingly awakens the child in every adult is located in the woods near the small town of Villeneuve-Loubet A selection of slides and a meandering maze will take you to a water playground And this is by far not the only fun that awaits you and your children in the “Village of Fools” The “Tour Affil” rises over the slides and playgrounds; it is the biggest rope pyramid in France From the top you will see a breath taking view of the entire park Entry to the park is located 2.5 km after the third junction Further information can be found on the park’s website: www.levillagedesfous.com. France’s Council of State overturned a ban on burkinis in Villeneuve-Loubet citing the absence of risk to public order as a result of the garment The ban sparked international shock and anger which peaked after images surfaced of a Muslim woman surrounded by four armed policemen The Local Europe ABVästmannagatan 43113 25 StockholmSweden Please log in here to leave a comment The French government has defended municipal bans on body-covering Muslim burkini swimwear but called on mayors to try and cool tensions between communities Villeneuve-Loubet and Sisco on the island of Corsica - have banned the burkini and Le Touquet on the Atlantic coast is planning to do the same The mainly conservative mayors who have imposed the ban say the garment The burkini debate is particularly sensitive in France given deadly attacks by Islamist militants including bombings and shootings in Paris which killed 130 people last November which have raised tensions between communities and made people wary of public places The socialist government's minister for women's rights said municipal bans on the burkini should not be seen in the context of terrorism but she supported the bans "The burkini is not some new line of swimwear it is the beach version of the burqa and it has the same logic: hide women's bodies in order to better control them," Rossignol told French daily Le Parisien in an interview which has the largest Muslim minority in Europe in 2010 introduced a ban on full-face niqab and burqa veils in public Rossignol said the burkini had sparked tensions on French beaches because of its political dimension "It is not just the business of those women who wear it because it is the symbol of a political project that is hostile to diversity and women's emancipation," she said a brawl broke out between Muslim families and a group of young Corsicans in Sisco after a tourist took pictures of women bathing in burkinis a Tunisian deliberately drove a truck into crowds in Nice on July 14 and a Roman Catholic priest had his throat cut in church by two French Muslims The string of attacks have made many people jumpy 41 people were injured in a stampede in the Riviera town of Juan-les-Pins when holiday-makers mistook the sound of firecrackers for gunfire member of the hardline Droite Populaire faction of the conservative Les Republicains party said the burkini was an ideological provocation the population is particularly sensitive," he told Le Parisien He said the burkini raised hygiene issues and could make rescue at sea more difficult The Collective against Islamophobia in France (CCIF) today filed a complaint against the bans with the Conseil d'Etat which is expected to hand down a ruling in the coming days CCIF spokesman Marwan Muhammad said the bans restricted fundamental liberties and discriminated against Muslim women "This summer we are witnessing a hysterical political islamophobia that pits citizens against one another," he said two exhibitions are taking place in Villeneuve-Loubet in December 2024 curated by the ArtoCercle des Artistes Vençois Association The exhibition presents a variety of creations characterized by a blend of vibrant colors The exhibition is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM with artists present to share their passion and emotions Villeneuve-Loubet was the site of decisive battles that led to the liberation of the town As part of the 80th anniversary of Villeneuve-Loubet’s liberation the Musée d’Histoire & d’Art is hosting an exhibition dedicated to the Provence landings and the First Special Service Force an elite unit that played a key role in these battles every day in Villeneuve Loubet will be filled with a surprise or a moment of joy to enjoy with family and friends The year-end festivities in Villeneuve Loubet are a deeply rooted tradition as evidenced by the rich program listed at the end of this article THE COMPLETE PROGRAM: Villeneuve_Loubet_Programma_Noël_2024 Everything and More: Summer in Villeneuve Loubet is Serious Business with a Rich Program of Initiatives and Opportunities the town transforms into a lively holiday village “Terre de Jeux 2024” is the summer program of Villeneuve Loubet you will find the complete calendar of events for August 2024 Christmas Village will be open until January 1