The Latest Breaking News from France

The Observer view on the forthcoming French elections

With seven leftwing Élysée hopefuls in the running, next time the left might win over voters by shunning factionalism

The Guardian - UK · Feb 6, 2022

The nuclear power dilemma: where to put the lethal waste

France is exploring new ways to dispose of radioactive materials but public opposition is as fierce as ever

Financial Times · Feb 6, 2022

Winter Olympics day two: curling, ski jumping, luge and freestyle skiing – as it happened

Team GB face Norway in mixed doubles and there are medals up for grabs in the luge, moguls and ski jumping. Join Martin Belam for the latest

The Guardian - US · Feb 6, 2022

Mass swarm of dead fish in Atlantic prompts French inquiry

France’s maritime minister has ordered an investigation after environmental group Sea Shepherd released video and photos of a massive swarm of dead fish released by a huge trawler in the Atlantic Ocean

The Independent UK · Feb 5, 2022

Rare Roman statue returned to French museum 50 years after heist

A Dutch art detective has returned a rare Roman statue that was considered one of France's most important treasures to the museum from which it was stolen nearly 50 years ago.

Radio France Internationale · Feb 5, 2022

Floating carpet of dead fish highlights France’s ‘lax’ attitude to overfishing

Some 100,000 dead fish were thrown back into the sea off the French coast on Thursday by one of the world's largest fishing vessels. While the crew dismissed it as a "fishing accident", NGO Sea Shepherd denounced it as a "pillaging". It hopes that shocking images of the dead marine…

France 24 · Feb 5, 2022

Winter Olympics: Host nation China wins its first gold at the Beijing Games

Host nation China nabbed its first gold medal in short track skating on Saturday, as France missed an opportunity in biathlon and came out with silver during the Beijing Winter Games.

France 24 · Feb 5, 2022

France's Macron, in call with UK's PM, says dialogue needed on Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the Ukraine crisis by phone with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and underlined the need "to maintain dialogue to de-escalate (the situation)," the French presidency said on Saturday.

Reuters · Feb 5, 2022

Sculpture of Algerian resistance hero vandalised before inauguration in France

Vandals in central France damaged a sculpture of an Algerian military hero who resisted France's colonisation of the North African country, just hours before it was inaugurated Saturday, AFP journalists reported.

France 24 · Feb 5, 2022

A war without a name: France's controversial colonial past in Algeria

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the end of a brutal conflict that France only officially recognised as being a war in 1999. Between 1954 and 1962, swords were locked between France and Algeria, with nationalists in the North African country determined to push the colonisers out. In March…

France 24 · Feb 5, 2022