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.

Argentina returned home in the early hours of the morning following their 2022 World Cup final victory over France. The squad arrived in Buenos Aires and were greeted by thousands of fans, who lined the streets as players travelled on an open-top bus.

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.

Border control workers at six major airports have walked off their jobs ahead of the Christmas holiday, disrupting thousands of passengers. France also faces similar strike action.

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

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

China expects the total number of passenger trips made by travellers by road, rail, water and flight during the upcoming Lunar New Year to reach 2.1 billion this year, double from last year's 1.05 billion during the same period.

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!

Hunting remains one of the most divisive issues within French society. Today, just under one million people will hunt in France, but despite the number dwindling in recent years, the hunting lobby still remains powerful. While many hunters defend their activity, fiercely, their opponents decry what they see as a brutal and dangerous practice.