Author: France 24

It’s the word of the year in Japan with a literal take on the Rihanna song “Work”. Japan’s first female prime minister Takaichi Sanae announced she would “abandon the idea of a work-life balance” when she was elected as the head of Liberal Democratic Party back in October. The 64-year old Takaichi may espouse “work, work, work, work and work”, but how about those entering the labour market?

Vince Zampella, the influential video game developer behind the “Call of Duty” franchise and founder of Respawn Entertainment, died on Sunday after a car crash in California, Electronic Arts said on Monday. Tributes poured in for a creative force whose work helped shape modern first-person shooter games.

Christmas celebrations are back in Bethlehem after two years.

Mohamed Salah struck deep into stoppage time to spare Egypt an opening-day shock at the Africa Cup of Nations, sealing a hard-fought 2–1 win over Zimbabwe as the record champions made a winning start to their Group B campaign.

Ford is abandoning top EV models like the F-150 Lightning as weak demand and hostile policies from the Trump administration weigh on sales. We take a closer look. Also in this edition: the EU prepares to water down its own upcoming ban on sales of new internal combustion vehicles, while France tries to support its own EV battery sector.

This week, we dive into the world of classical music. We meet one of the most inspiring voices of her generation, mezzo-soprano Léa Desandre. She welcomes us into one of the French capital’s temples of classical music, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.

Iranians of all religions and all walks of life are marking the ancient Persian festival of Yalda. Historically marking the victory of Good over Evil, Yalda sees families and get together, eating nuts, sweets and fruits. Yet, rampant inflation and international sanctions may dampen this year’s spirits. Story by Rachael Griffiths.

Brahim Diaz and Ayoub El Kaabi scored second-half goals as Morocco beat Comoros 2-0 in the Africa Cup of Nations opener in Rabat. Diaz broke the deadlock 10 minutes after the break, and substitute El Kaabi sealed the win with a stunning overhead kick.

Crude benchmarks were rising on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump said the US would put a stop to any traffic of sanctioned oil tankers in and out of Venezuela. The country’s oil revenue is a lifeline for the Maduro government, which now mainly sells its barrels to China. Also in this edition: Warner Bros. Discovery is reportedly telling its shareholders to reject a takeover bid from Paramount Skydance. Plus: FIFA offers $60 tickets for the 2026 World Cup amid criticism over high prices.

A hero bystander wrests a gun from one of two assailants at a mass shooting on Sydney’s Bondi Beach, at least 16 Jeffrey Epstein-related files disappear from the Justice Department’s public website within a day of their release and deadly Thailand-Cambodia border clashes displace hundreds of thousands. FRANCE 24 looks back at the week’s most striking images.