With fewer than 24 hours left until the beginning of the end of the action in Qatar, there are fears for France as Raphaël Varane and Ibrahima Konaté become the latest players to fall ill. Meanwhile, FIFA boss Gianni Infantino hails the tournament as "the best World Cup ever", and we discuss whether the mental health of players is being properly considered by football authorities.

Videos shot during World Cup celebrations expressing racism against French forward Kylian Mbappe have been making the rounds on social media. Not surprisingly, this has sparked outrage in France in particular.

The Burkinabe military government did not provide a reason for its decision. It comes after the government expelled two French nationals and accused them of espionage.

Movie star Omar Sy presented in Dakar Monday (Dec. 19) his latest film "Tirailleurs" by Mathieu Vadepied. The movie is a tribute to the hundreds of thousands of Africans who fought for France during the World Wars.

French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne is meeting the major players involved in, or largely opposed to, the government's pension reform plans. The reform is set to be the big political battle of the next six months, with President Emmanuel Macron promising to push it through before the summer.

The inter-ministerial watchdog set up to monitor and fight against sects in France has released its latest findings on everything from online coaches to conspiracists, neo-Shamans and would-be healers. The alarming report from MIVILUDES states that since 2020 – and especially since the coronavirus pandemic – such movements are on the rise and are spreading worrying quantities of misinformation when it comes to healthcare.

France's African World War era soldiers win a final battle known as the Senegalese tirailleurs the surviving fighters will be able to end their days back in Africa after a pension U-turn by Paris. Tunisia's central bank chief says 2023 will be a “complicated” year unless the country strikes a deal with the IMF. And Benin gears up for this weekend's legislative elections

Burkinabé authourities say they're looking into a massacre committed over the weekend. At least 28 bodies were found in the region of Nouna. In Rutshuru DR Congolese families have been fleeing clashes between M23 rebels and soldiers. And a grammy award winning Kenyan musician has created a one stop shop for artists to make it easier to get exposure and track and make money.

France's African soldiers, who fought in the world wars and France's colonial conflicts, win a final battle. Known as Senegalese tirailleurs, the surviving fighters will be able to live out their days back in Africa after a pension U-turn by Paris. Also

The bodies of 28 people who were shot dead have been discovered in Burkina Faso's north-western town of Nouna, the government has said. A civil society group blamed the killings on armed civilians claiming to be members of a government-backed volunteer force fighting jihadists.

Legend has it that in 1963, France's Vanoise National Park was created to save the last endangered Alpine ibex. With 107 peaks of over 3,000 metres or more, the park in the heart of France's Savoie region attracts thousands of hikers each year in search of fresh air and the great outdoors. In this intact nature reserve, locals have developed alternatives to the usual winter sports. From snowshoeing to discover wildlife, to dog sledding for a unique adventure and even diving into a frozen lake, there's something for everyone!

The UN commissioner has called for a swift and transparent investigation into the killing of 28 people in northern Burkina Faso. A rights group said the victims belonged to a traditional hunting community.