Sixty years ago, most of the French colonies in sub-Saharan Africa became independent nations. Between January 1 and December 31, 1960, some 17 countries, including 14 under French rule, gained their statehood. Senegal's first post-independence president, Léopold Sédar Senghor, referred to 1960 as the "magical year", while others hailed a peaceful decolonisation process.

In US presidential elections, the vote in certain states is predictable. But in others – known as swing states – there can be surprises. Our correspondents Jessica Le Masurier and Céline Bruneau travelled to the key battleground states of Minnesota and Wisconsin to see whether voters in America's heartland will choose Donald Trump or Joe Biden as their next president.

A tense electoral campaign for Ivory Coast’s October 31 presidential election kicked off on Thursday with the incumbent, Alassane Ouattara, seeking a contested third term. Some Ivorians accuse him of undermining the constitution, and the opposition has called for widespread "civil disobedience" to disrupt his controversial plans. In the past 25 years, Ivory Coast has regularly been the scene of post-electoral violence. Often at the cost of multiple human lives.

October 25 is shaping up to be a historic day for Chile. Voters are due to take part in a referendum on amending the Pinochet-era constitution. The vote is the culmination of a year of protests, to which the government responded with a violent crackdown. Some 31 people were killed and thousands were injured – including 468 who lost an eye, mostly to rubber bullets fired by the police or military. These injured protesters have become the martyrs of the Chilean revolution. Our reporters went to meet them and gauge the anger of the young generation.

In the two English-speaking regions of southern Cameroon, the country's regular army has been fighting secessionist armed groups in an asymmetric war for the past three years. In October 2017, English-speaking separatists declared a breakaway state known as "Ambazonia". The armed insurgency has turned into a guerrilla war, killing thousands of people, displacing nearly 700,000 more and leaving millions of civilians trapped. FRANCE 24 brings you a rare glimpse of one of Africa's forgotten humanitarian tragedies.

Like Sweden's Greta Thunberg, young French citizens are determined to act in order to save the planet. They're fighting for a greener world, but also a fairer and more responsible one. It's not just about climate marches: by denouncing advertising and staging symbolic blockades, they aim to challenge the government and public opinion on the climate and social emergency.

In Afghanistan, the time for dialogue has finally arrived. Historic Intra-Afghan negotiations began on September 12 in Doha, Qatar and, for the first time, representatives of the Taliban and the Afghan government are holding direct talks to try to put an end to the 19-year conflict that began after the Taliban were ousted from power by American-led NATO forces in 2001. As a condition for the negotiations, the Taliban demanded the release of 5,000 of their fighters. Our reporters met with some of them, even as much of the Afghan population fears renewed violence.

At the beginning of the summer, a group of female Israeli teenagers fought for the right to come to school wearing shorts. This seemingly minor battle in fact reveals a deep divide within Israeli society between secular and religious views.

After the deadly explosion that hit the port of Beirut on August 4 and destroyed part of the city, amid a backdrop of government negligence, corruption and popular revolt, Lebanon is on its knees and seems trapped in a downward spiral. From the rubble of the central neighbourhoods of the Lebanese capital to the Shiite south along the Israeli border, our reporters Cyril Payen and Bilal Tarabey followed the daily life of a group of young friends. They tell us about their fears, hopes and dreams with the sincerity of those who have nothing left to lose.

For many foreigners in France, applying for a residence visa can be a long and hard-fought battle. For several years now, local prefectures have been taking appointments electronically and applicants are required to carry out administrative procedures on the internet. However, the demand for visas is so high it can take up to a year to score a highly-sought-after appointment. In the meantime, foreigners are unable to work legally and live in fear of being deported at any time. Our reporters investigate the long road to residency for foreigners in France.