On Nov. 26, France reported they were sending an additional contingent of troops to help in putting an end to the sectarian violence in Central African Republic (CAR). Continued fighting between Selaka soldiers and Christian militia has since escalated.

The World Cup draw earlier turned up some shockers, with some of the best teams in the world pitted against each other so early in the tournament.

Just when you thought the whole Harlem Shake craze was over, videos have appeared on YouTube. One of them shows French prison inmates enthusiastically doing the dance. Authorities are investigating how this could have possibly happened.

The draw for the group stages of the World Cup have churned out a number of tricky groups with several top teams set to face off in the group stages of the competition.

The astronauts and cosmonauts up on the International Space Station are in for a treat on birthdays and other special dates during their stay on the ISS in the future. NASA is ordering in French cuisine.

Paris - The French scientists looking into the death of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat have dismissed claims that he was poisoned by radioactive polonium, the former leader’s widow said on Tuesday.

Strasbourg - Two terrorism suspects imprisoned in the US military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba are suing Poland in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, France, alleging Warsaw's complicity in their torture at the hands of their American captors.

The company HRA Pharma has issued a warning that its morning-after pill is ineffective when taken by women who weigh more than 80 kilograms (176 pounds).

Nearly 300 officers contributed to an international arms traffic sweep in France. 45 international traffickers were arrested on Monday, according to police.

According to a leaked report, French scientists examining the death of Palestinian Authority president Yasser Arafat say he probably died of natural causes.

Paris - France, known for violent strikes and endless protests, faces more blocked roads in and around Paris and other major cities on Monday in an escalation of ongoing public protests.

Lota - Considered as one of the most outstanding examples of French and British landscape developments in Chile, the Botanical Park of Lota was conceived by the mining magnate Luis Cousiño as a gift of love to his wife Isidora Goyenechea.

Harrisburg - In a country where democracy is hanging on by a sheer thread, a Pennsylvania lawmaker is attempting to ban scented body products in all public schools. Teenage puberty and body odor due to normal body changes may get worse if this ban goes into effect.

New York - The November 24 "interim agreement on the Iranian nuclear program" reached between Iran and what is called p5+1 is important. And what happens now is important.

Toulouse - When several passengers on an Air France flight from Nice to Toulouse started showing symptoms resembling those of the H1N1 flu virus, the plane was quarantined at Blagnac airport near Toulouse.

Lille - Last year a French businessman, Gauthier Toulemonde, had a wild idea. He wanted to try and run his company from a remote island, thousands of miles away from France. He just got back home.

Paris - Dry-cured ham, or jamón, is an essential food item in Spain and the guys who slice this ham are pretty important too. They have a special name, "cortadores", and they often enter competitions or in this case, beat world records.

France wants to punish the client and protect the prostitute in dealings involving the world's oldest profession. A proposed law would be one of the toughest in Europe.

Paris - The double suicide of an elderly couple in France has provoked emotion and debate in the country as details of their plight hits the headlines.

New York - In a landmark decision, a jury awarded photojournalist, Daniel Morel, $1.2 million (£740,000) for infringement of copyright. The sum will be paid by defendants Agence France-Presse and Getty Images who used his photographs without asking his permission.