The Latest Breaking News from France

France's armed forces will launch phase two of their flagship Orion 26 military exercises in Saint-Nazaire, on the country's west coast, on Sunday. As war rages in Ukraine, more than 10,000 military personnel are preparing for high-intensity warfare in drills designed to ready France to defend European territory from a…

The Six Nations kicks off this evening with a rare Thursday night fixture to avoid clashing with Friday's Winter Olympics opening ceremony, as France host Ireland in Paris. In other changes, this year's tournament will run for six weeks rather than seven.

Major change from ITV begins with France vs Ireland and is likely to mark a watershed moment for televised live sports coverage in the UK

A four-week public inquiry identified 27 men, women and children, whose bodies were recovered after they attempted the journey from France to the UK

Amid a flurry of diplomatic meetings in Moscow and Abu Dhabi, in an interview on TV channel France 2 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on his European partners – as well as United States President Donald Trump – to put more pressure on Russia to end the four-year war.

Screening for lung cancer could become as routine in France as checks for breast or colon cancer, according to Health Minister Stéphanie Rist, who says the country is preparing to roll out a pilot programme to screen thousands of at-risk individuals from next month.

The Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, in central France, is the largest of its kind in the world, with more than 500 films screened during a week-long event. Its African Perspectives section this year tackles themes from social media to colonial archives.

England have strength in depth, but France have history on their side, a returning hero, and hosting duties for the potentially decisive finale

Everything you need to know ahead of the tournament opener