Merz and Lula celebrate EU–Mercosur deal, but French resistance holds fast German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stood alongside Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Hanover on Sunday to celebrate what both men cast as a milestone for open trade – the long-awaited agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc.

Merz and Lula celebrate EU–Mercosur deal, but French resistance holds fast

French far right courts business community ahead of elections With a year to go before France’s presidential election, the far-right National Rally (RN) is stepping up efforts to win over business leaders. RN leader Jordan Bardella met representatives of Medef – the main bosses' union – for lunch on Monday, just a fortnight after a discreet dinner between Marine Le Pen and several billionaires.

French far right courts business community ahead of elections

PSG boss Enrique targets squad response against Nantes after Lyon defeat Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique on Monday urged his players to focus quickly on their Ligue 1 game against Nantes on Wednesday night and not dwell on the 2-1 defeat to Lyon.

PSG boss Enrique targets squad response against Nantes after Lyon defeat

Dakar hosts 10th peace forum amid rising tensions across Africa The Senegalese capital Dakar is hosting the 10th International Forum on Peace and Security in Africa on Monday and Tuesday – an anniversary edition taking place against a backdrop of major geopolitical shifts across the continent and competition over the continent's resources. 

Dakar hosts 10th peace forum amid rising tensions across Africa

French tennis star Fils continues return from injury with Barcelona Open title French tennis player Arthur Fils on Monday rose five places to 25 in the ATP world rankings after beating Andrey Rublev to lift the Barcelona Open.

French tennis star Fils continues return from injury with Barcelona Open title

Bulgaria's Kremlin-friendly ex-president wins sweeping election victory Bulgarian former president Rumen Radev, an EU critic who has called for renewing ties with Russia, has won an absolute majority in parliamentary elections that could spell an end to the country's half-decade of political uncertainty but also potentially push the EU and NATO member state closer to Moscow. 

Bulgaria's Kremlin-friendly ex-president wins sweeping election victory

UN welcomes progress on talks between DR Congo, M23 armed group MONUSCO, the UN's peacekeeping mission in DR Congo, has hailed progress after Kinshasa and rival M23 rebels agreed to ease humanitarian aid deliveries and release prisoners within 10 days, following talks last week in Switzerland. 

UN welcomes progress on talks between DR Congo, M23 armed group

French prosecutors summon Musk over alleged child abuse images, deepfakes on X Billionaire Elon Musk has been summoned to Paris, where investigators are looking into allegations of misconduct related to the social media platform X, including the spread of child sexual abuse material and deepfake content. 

French prosecutors summon Musk over alleged child abuse images, deepfakes on X

Extension of NATO fuel network gains momentum as Macron visits Poland Plans to extend a vast Cold War-era pipeline eastwards in order to bolster NATO’s fuel resilience are set to top the agenda at talks between French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish leaders in Gdansk on Monday.

Extension of NATO fuel network gains momentum as Macron visits Poland

Why China’s decades-long ambition to green the desert could run dry At the edge of China's Taklamakan Desert, rows of trees are slowly edging into one of the world’s harshest landscapes after decades of planting. Scientists say this shows how human action can transform extreme environments – but warn of the cost to water resources, and that such schemes might not be easy to repeat elsewhere.

Why China’s decades-long ambition to green the desert could run dry

French media mogul Bolloré defiant as authors quit his publisher en masse Vincent Bolloré, the conservative billionaire who has built up France's biggest media empire, says his Grasset publishing house will seek new talent after more than 150 of its authors quit in protest at what they claimed was an effort to push reactionary ideas.

French media mogul Bolloré defiant as authors quit his publisher en masse

'A rebel who liked order': Valérie André, France's first female general Fifty years ago this month, the French army got its first female general: Valérie André, a surgeon, parachutist and helicopter pilot who blazed a trail for women in the highest ranks of the military.

'A rebel who liked order': Valérie André, France's first female general

Crisis-hit Bulgaria votes in eighth election in five years Bulgaria on Sunday held its eighth legislative election in five years, with ex-president Rumen Radev's grouping tipped to win on a pledge to fight corruption, after an anti-graft movement triggered a long political crisis.

Crisis-hit Bulgaria votes in eighth election in five years

Beyond restitution, towards 'universal museums': the case for sharing heritage France this week passed a law to simplify the restitution of art and artefacts looted from its former colonies and now held in public collections, a move designed to speed up the response to requests from countries in Africa. Senegalese philosopher Souleymane Bachir Diagne reflects on what the reform means in practice – and why he believes there's a case for some objects to remain in France.

Beyond restitution, towards 'universal museums': the case for sharing heritage

Europe's far right seeks to regroup at anti-immigration rally in Milan Far-right figures from across Europe gathered in northern Italy on Saturday for a rally aimed at building momentum as key elections approach in several EU countries, including France, after the defeat of long-time leader Viktor Orban in Hungary last weekend. 

Europe's far right seeks to regroup at anti-immigration rally in Milan

Poet, trader, explorer: following Rimbaud's footsteps in Ethiopia In the heart of Ethiopia's ancient walled city of Harar, more than 500 kilometres east of Addis Ababa, stands a museum dedicated to Arthur Rimbaud. It offers visitors the chance to discover a little-known period in the brief life of the French poet, who spent most of his final 10 years in East Africa.

Poet, trader, explorer: following Rimbaud's footsteps in Ethiopia

The forgotten Statue of Liberty helping a French town rebuild its identity The town of Izon, near Bordeaux, is rebuilding the Statue of Liberty that once stood in its main square, 100 years after it was first donated by a local man who emigrated to the United States – and with it, restoring a sense of pride.

The forgotten Statue of Liberty helping a French town rebuild its identity

The French archaeologists helping war-ravaged Sudan save its heritage The war in Sudan, now in its fourth year, has seen thousands of people killed and millions displaced. Alongside the human toll, there are concerns too for the country’s abundant archaeological sites and artefacts, at risk from trafficking and destruction. Now France is helping develop innovative tools to preserve Sudanese heritage for future generations.

The French archaeologists helping war-ravaged Sudan save its heritage

European Union still exporting banned pesticides despite health risks The European Union continues to export pesticides that it has banned for health and environmental reasons – sending more than 122,000 tonnes abroad in 2024, as a promised EU law to stop the trade remains stalled.

European Union still exporting banned pesticides despite health risks

Civilians count costs of war as they return to southern Lebanon People displaced by weeks of airstrikes have begun returning to Beirut and southern Lebanon as a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took hold on Friday. Residents described scenes of destruction and fears of further conflict as they arrived home.

Civilians count costs of war as they return to southern Lebanon

French soldier killed in Lebanon in attack on UN peacekeepers A French soldier was killed and three others wounded in an attack on UN peacekeepers on Saturday, President Emmanuel Macron announced, adding that "everything suggests Hezbollah is responsible".

French soldier killed in Lebanon in attack on UN peacekeepers

Nathalie Baye, icon of French cinema, dead at 77 Nathalie Baye, who starred in some 80 films over a career spanning five decades, has died at the age of 77, her family announced on Saturday. She had been suffering from a type of dementia. 

Nathalie Baye, icon of French cinema, dead at 77

France, UK to lead 'defensive' force for Hormuz France and Britain said Friday they will lead a multinational mission to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, while emphasising the force would be entirely defensive and only deployed once lasting peace in the region was agreed.

France, UK to lead 'defensive' force for Hormuz

Erasmus returns as UK and European Union find common ground again The UK has announced its returned to the European Union's Erasmus student exchange programme, five years after Brexit forced it to pull out. The move is part of a wider effort to rebuild ties between London and Brussels. 

Erasmus returns as UK and European Union find common ground again

The Paris movement that planted the seeds of Algerian independence, a century on In 1926, migrant workers in Paris formed a small political group named North African Star, the first movement to call for Algerian independence and freedom from French rule – decades before decolonisation became a reality.

The Paris movement that planted the seeds of Algerian independence, a century on

Iran’s ambassador to France backs Lebanon truce, tells RFI ‘we prefer dialogue’ Iran has welcomed a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, calling it a chance to reduce tensions after months of conflict. Tehran's ambassador to France, Mohammad Amin Nejad, told RFI his country supports dialogue with Washington and insists its nuclear programme is peaceful, while leaving the door open to compromise.

Iran’s ambassador to France backs Lebanon truce, tells RFI ‘we prefer dialogue’

Suspect in 1982 attack on Paris Jewish restaurant faces judge after extradition A suspect in the 1982 attack on a Jewish restaurant in Paris that killed six people was due to be brought before a judge on Friday – a day after being extradited to France by the Palestinian Authority. The move reopens one of the country’s deadliest post-war cases of antisemitic violence, nearly 44 years later.

Suspect in 1982 attack on Paris Jewish restaurant faces judge after extradition

EU backs Morocco autonomy plan for Western Sahara and eyes new partnership The European Union has reaffirmed its support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara and is pushing for a new strategic partnership with Rabat to be finalised by the end of the year.

EU backs Morocco autonomy plan for Western Sahara and eyes new partnership

France to remove Windows from government computers in sovereignty push France is planning to replace Windows software with open-source alternative Linux across government computers, in a move aimed at reducing its dependence on American tech giants – but experts warn the transition will be costly and slow.

France to remove Windows from government computers in sovereignty push

French children spend 10 times longer on screens than reading, study finds Reading for pleasure is slipping among young people in France, as screen use continues to dominate their free time, according to a new study by the country’s National Book Centre (CNL).

French children spend 10 times longer on screens than reading, study finds