FRANCE-PAYING FOR PINK?

PARIS - Hair salons do it, dry cleaners do it, and so do department stores selling health and beauty products. Now France wants to know why, for some goods and services, women seem to be paying more than men. The question was first taken up by a group of French activists inspired by a study that found American women overpay hundreds of dollars a year for the same products. The activists persuaded the Economy Ministry this month to launch an in-depth study to determine what price differences exist in France, the reasons behind them and which sectors are most affected. Findings are expected early next year. 

ISLAMIC STATE

PARIS - A second French militant has been identified in the video showing a beheaded American aid worker and the deaths of Syrian soldiers, France's president said Wednesday, calling for vigilance on "how these young people can be indoctrinated." Speaking in Canberra, Australia, President Francois Hollande said Wednesday that the roles of the two men have yet to be determined precisely. 

SWITZERLAND-NEW PARTICLES

GENEVA - Scientists at the world's largest smasher say they have discovered two new subatomic particles never seen before that could widen our understanding of the universe. An experiment using the European Organization for Nuclear Research's Large Hadron Collider say the particles are baryons that were predicted to exist and could sharpen the picture of how things work beyond the "Standard Model" physics theory explaining the basic building blocks of matter.

ALBANIA-FLOODS

TIRANA, Albania - Flooding in Albania has killed three people, after torrential rain caused power and water supply cuts in the western part of the country, authorities said Wednesday. A 60-year-old man and his 26-year old daughter were found dead after their car was swept away by floodwaters in Lac, northwest of the capital, Tirana, late Tuesday. A 21-year-old motorcycle driver was also found dead in Lac, while his teenage passenger was rescued. 

UKRAINE

MOSCOW - Russia's foreign policy chief on Wednesday claimed that Ukraine's decision to freeze budget payments to the eastern rebel-held territories could be a precursor to a military onslaught. Ukrainian officials announced earlier this month that they will freeze the $2.6 billion in state support to the areas now in rebel hands, which could further worsen the deplorable economic situation there. 

UNITED NATIONS-NUTRITION

ROME - More than 170 governments pledged Wednesday to do more to prevent malnutrition around the globe, adopting voluntary guidelines to promote healthy diets and reduce levels of obesity at the start of a three-day U.N. summit.