Paris - A book published on Wednesday accuses French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner of using his position as head of a public health organization to carry out high-paying consulting activities in Africa for private companies.

The book, "The World According to K," by journalist Pierre Pean, alleges that from 2002 to 2007 Kouchner represented two private health consulting firms in Africa while at the same time heading the association Esther, the aim of which was to increase international hospital cooperation.

Paris - Despite a drop of sales, French-Japanese carmaker Renault-Nissan was able to increase its share of the world car market in 2008, the company announced on Wednesday.

Renault and Nissan sold nearly 6.1 million cars last year, a drop of 1.1 per cent over 2007 but good enough to increase their combined share of the global car market to 9.4 per cent, up from 9.1 per cent.

The reason for the improvement is that global car sales fell by 5 per cent in 2008, Renault said.

New Delhi, Feb 4 (ANI): India on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a French power major AREVA to build atomic power plants.

The MoU was signed by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited officials and AREVA.

Minister of State in PMO Prithviraj Chavan and visiting French Minister of State for Foreign Trade Anne Marie Idrac were present during the signing of a MoU.

New Delhi  - French nuclear group Areva Wednesday signed an agreement to build atomic power plants in India, the first commercial contract that ends the South Asian country's three-decade nuclear isolation.

Areva will build up to six new-generation European Pressurized Reactors of 1,650 megawatts each at Jaitapur in the western state of Maharashtra.

Paris - JK Rowlings, the creator of the wildly popular Harry Potter series of books, was named Tuesday a Knight of the Legion of Honour by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the Elysee Palace announced.

The Harry Potter books, which have been condemned by conservative clergy, have made the 43-year-old Rowling one of the richest women in Britain, with a fortune estimated at 560 million pounds (804 million dollars).

Strasbourg, France  - An application for recognition from the European Parliament of the euro-sceptic Libertas movement appeared stillborn Tuesday after one of its key backers said he had never joined the party.

Founded by Irish millionaire Declan Ganley, Libertas played a key role in successfully rallying opposition to the European Union's reforming Lisbon Treaty at a referendum held in Ireland last year.