The Latest Breaking News from France

A complex picture of how Neanderthals died out, and the role that modern humans played in their disappearance, is emerging.

France's public debt is very much in the spotlight. The country's recently appointed prime minister, Michel Barnier, calls it a "sword of Damocles" hanging over future generations. Indeed, for many countries, paying interest on the national debt deprives them of investing in education, healthcare, research and so on. Similar debates…

French President Emmanuel Macron opened the two-day "Francophonie" summit on Friday, and called on the international community to avoid "double standards" in world conflicts.

How do you defend the indefensible? "I decided to defend Dominique Pelicot because he asked me to," said Zavarro.

Greenpeace is urging French energy giant EDF to abandon its plans to build two new reactors at its Gravelines nuclear plant, citing the risk of flooding due to rising sea levels. The environmental group accuses the French nuclear industry of underestimating the threat to the coastal site.

The transfer rules of Fifa go against European Union laws, the EU’s highest court said in a ruling on the case linked to former France player Lassana Diarra

Independence leaders in New Caledonia have reacted with caution to the French government's decision to scrap a constitutional amendment on voting rights, with some fearing it's a tactical delay that sidesteps the deeper issue of the Pacific territory's political autonomy.

The annual "Francophonie" summit kicks off on Friday – an opportunity for host-country France to try and bolster its influence in a conflict-ridden world, particularly in Africa. Chad President Mahamat Idriss Deby, an ally of France and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are among the prominent guests.

Israel’s assassination of longtime Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, its elimination of most of the group's top commanders and the destruction of its communications system – spectacularly illustrated by exploding pagers and walkie-talkies – has crippled the Shiite group, leaving it with little choice but to return to the guerrilla tactics…