World/nation briefs

FDA: Energy drink cited in 5 deaths Five people may have died over the past three years after drinking Monster Energy, a popular energy drink that is high in caffeine, said incident reports released by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA said the incidents are considered to be allegations, and no conclusion is drawn until an investigation is completed. The reports are being used by parents who sued Corona, Calif.-based Monster last week, claiming the drinks led to caffeine toxicity that killed their 14-year-old daughter. A spokeswoman for the company said that its products were safe.

1st defendant in FAMU hazing is sentenced The first of a dozen defendants to be sentenced in last year's hazing death of a Florida A&M drum major avoided jail time when he received his punishment, but he will spend more than two years on probation. Brian Jones, 23, also is required to perform 200 hours of community service. Judge Marc Lubet said Jones' role in the hazing death of Robert Champion was relatively minimal.

France to send drones to Mali region France will move two surveillance drones to West Africa by year's end and is holding secretive talks with U.S. officials in Paris this week as it seeks to steer international military action to help Mali's feeble government win back the northern part of the country from Al-Qaida-linked rebels, the Associated Press has learned. France and the United Nations insist any invasion of Mali's north must be led by African troops.

Despite ban, activists say they sent leaflets Activists said they had sent large balloons drifting into North Korea carrying leaflets, despite South Korean efforts to block the action and a threat from North Korean to retaliate with a military attack. The threat of a military clash prompted South Korean authorities to block the activists from a border village, but activists said they released the balloons from a different location instead.

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