Birth of French 'saviour sibling' raises bioethics questions

A very special baby was born on January 26th at the Antoine Béclère hospital near Paris. As an embryo, Umut Talha (Turkish for "our hope") was screened so that his parents knew he would not suffer the same genetic disorder that has afflicted his siblings. Not only that, but cells from his umbilical cord can also be used to treat his sister, an idea that's raising questions about bioethics in France.

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22/03/2013 - SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa's French learning curve

French is spoken in many countries in continental Africa, but South Africa has not been a place traditionally associated with the French language. That could be about to change, with French being increasingly synonymous with "chic". One university professor has tapped into this new energy to promote the Romance language.

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22/03/2013 - SYRIA

To arm or not to arm? EU considers giving weapons to Syrian rebels

EU foreign ministers are gathering in Dublin this weekend, as Ireland currently holds the rotating EU presidency. The lifting of the EU arms embargo to Syria will top the agenda. The ministers need to decide whether to lift the embargo, which would enable EU countries to provide Syrian rebels with weapons, or to extend it beyond its expiry date at the end of May.

21/03/2013 - AUSTRALIA

French not favoured by language learners Down Under

While the Australian population is largely a mixture of people who have moved Down Under from all over the globe, it's surprising how many Australians speak foreign languages. While French used to be a popular choice in schools, the distance between France and Australia has meant the popularity of French has been supplanted by languages closer to home, such as Arabic, Indonesian and Mandarin Chinese. Only 1% of Australians speak French, but one of them spoke to France 24.

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21/03/2013 - MIDDLE EAST

Iranians in Israel watch Obama visit closely

US President Barack Obama is currently on his first ever visit to the Middle East. Shortly after arriving he held joint press conferences with his Israeli counterpart, Shimon Peres, and later with Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu. Iran is featuring heavily in their talks. It's also an ongoing concern for one particular group of Israelis, namely the country's Persian community - Iranian Jews who have left their native country and are now living in Israel.

20/03/2013 - USA

Ever wondered where New Orleans' French influence came from?

In the southern US, French is spoken by a community of 500,000 people. These are the Cajun people, descendants of French-speaking Canadians who were forced from their homes by the English in the 18th century. Today they make up a tenth of Louisiana and their presence over the years have left a marked influence on the state. These days, the Cajuns continue their traditions through music and song, which help them to keep their linguistic heritage alive.