The world's French-speaking countries gathered in Tunisia on Saturday for talks focused on economic cooperation, but faced calls to do more to resolve international crises.

The head of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (IOF) urged the organisation to use its clout in a world "fractured" by multiple crises.

"The IOF must remain a link that can be used to prevent tensions from degenerating into conflicts," said Louise Mishikiwabo, a former Rwandan chief diplomat.

Sergio Perez outpaced Red Bull team-mate and world champion Max Verstappen in setting the fastest time in Saturday's third and final practice for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Mexican, whose relationship with the two-time world champion is strained following the latter's refusal to obey team orders and let him pass in last Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix, clocked a best lap of 1minute 24.982 seconds.

This was enough to take him 0.152 seconds ahead of the Dutchman

Iranian security forces killed at least three protesters Saturday in the latest violence against demonstrations sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a rights group said.

The country's clerical leadership under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is facing its biggest challenge since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, in the two months of civil unrest since Amini's death in custody on September 16.

The state has responded with a crackdown that Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights said in an updated toll had left at least 378 people dead, among them 47 children.

Seven-year-old Alain trains with two dozen other children in Doha, the World Cup's host city, striving to lose weight in pursuit of his dream: becoming a professional footballer.

Dribbling around cones on a hot and sticky evening, he is taking part in a broad campaign to encourage health and fitness in the Gulf, home to alarming levels of obesity.

"I'm here to lose weight and become a footballer... because this sport makes me happy," Alain says with a smile, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Iran's opening World Cup match against England on Monday is likely to be overshadowed by a deadly crackdown on women-led protests back home.

The football-obsessed nation of 80 million people is normally united by football but is reeling after two months of nationwide protests since the death of Mahsa Amini in morality police custody on September 16.

Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian of Kurdish origin, died three days after her arrest in Tehran over an alleged breach of the Islamic republic's dress code for women, which includes the mandatory hijab headscarf.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino blasted the "hypocrisy" of Western critics of Qatar's human rights record on Saturday, making a passionate defence of the World Cup in the Gulf state on the eve of the kick-off.

The build-up to the tournament has been dominated by concerns over Qatar's treatment of migrant workers, women and the LGBTQ community, to the visible annoyance of organisers.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino hit back at criticism of Qatar's human rights record on Saturday, blasting the "hypocrisy" of Western critics on the eve of the World Cup kick-off.

Infantino, speaking at his opening press conference of the tournament in Doha, also expressed support for the LGBTQ community and migrant workers.

"This moral lesson-giving -- one-sided -- is just hypocrisy," said the Swiss.

"I don't want to give you any lessons of life, but what is going on here is profoundly, profoundly unjust."

A fraught UN summit wrapped up Sunday with a landmark deal on funding to help vulnerable countries cope with devastating climate impacts -- but also anger over a failure to be more ambitious on cutting emissions.

The two-week talks in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, which at times appeared to teeter on the brink of collapse, delivered a major breakthrough on a fund for climate "loss and damage".

Canada's spy agency said Friday it is investigating credible death threats against people in Canada by Iran, days after Britain levelled similar accusations against the Islamic regime.

"CSIS is actively investigating several threats to life emanating from the Islamic Republic of Iran based on credible intelligence," Eric Balsam, spokesman for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, told AFP.

"Ultimately, these hostile activities and foreign interference undermine the security of Canada and Canadians, as well as our democratic values and sovereignty," he said.

Several global stars have refused to take part in the opening ceremony of the Qatar World Cup, and with two days to go, it is still not clear who will perform.

The most likely appearance is Jungkook of K-pop megastars BTS, who was rumoured to have already arrived in Qatar on Friday.

Britain's Robbie Williams, who performed at the last World Cup in Moscow, is also considered a likely participant.

But several musicians have made clear they will not perform, in protest at Doha's human rights records, particularly with regard to LGBT rights.

- Rod Stewart -