Part bikini, part all-covering burqa, the burkini swimsuit has sparked huge controversy in France, but in Australia where beach culture is a national obsession, it's seen as a symbol of inclusion, says its designer Aheda Zanetti.

The light-weight, quick-drying two-piece swimsuit which covers the body and hair has been banned from French beaches by several mayors in recent weeks following deadly attacks linked to jihadists.

A senior Muslim cleric in Russia has prompted controversy by urging universal female genital mutilation after a rights group released a report on the practice in the country's North Caucasus region.

An Argentine judge known for investigating crimes committed during Spain's civil war will probe the murder of poet Federico Garcia Lorca, a victims' association said Thursday.

An Italian bishop has threatened legal action against Pokemon Go, saying the "diabolical" game has turned its army of smartphone-wielding players into "walking dead," reports said Thursday.

Italy will not follow France by allowing burkini bans on public beaches but is planning tighter regulation of imams and mosques, the country's interior minister said in comments published Wednesday.

Angelino Alfano told the Corriere della Sera daily that he regarded France's restrictions on Islamic clothing as counter-productive because of the potential backlash it could provoke.

Turkey said on Monday it has summoned Sweden's envoy in an escalating row after Stockholm accused Ankara of legalizing sex with children.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau marched with thousands of people in Montreal's annual Gay Pride parade Sunday, his third such appearance of the summer.

Large crowds along the parade route greeted the youthful politician whose popularity is soaring, as he walked through the city's downtown alongside colorful floats, dancers and musicians.

For Palestinians, summer is wedding season -- time for brides and grooms to celebrate. But for guests, who are expected to help cover the costs, it can mean financial misery.

Was Gerald Ford beaten by a tamale? Did Swiss cheese cost John Kerry the White House? Will Donald Trump lose after chowing down on fried chicken on a private jet?

Food can play a key role in how candidates solicit votes for the most powerful job on the planet.

A second resort on France's Riviera coast, Villeneuve-Loubet, announced on Saturday a ban against burkinis after Cannes banished the full-body swimsuit from its beaches.

The town's mayor told AFP that he made the decision to bar the burkini worn by some Muslim women because of sanitary reasons.