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French sports fans are known for their love of soccer. But according to Le Figaro, the country's "second sport" is hunting. The newspaper cites the National Federation of Hunters, which says that among all European countries, France has the most hunters.

The data are based on the number of registered practitioners of a sport. Soccer has more than 2 million, while hunting had 1.2 million license holders for the 2011-2012 season, Le Figaro reports.

As in much of the United States, the end of summer brings the arrival of hunting seasons for game in France, from birds to boars. The new hunting season is well under way in many French regions.

According to France's National Federation of Hunters, the sport's popularity also brings risks — there were 21 fatal hunting accidents in France during the one-year period that ended on May 31, 2013. That's out of a total of 179 mishaps.

We glanced at the comments on the Figaro story to see if any readers protested its claims — perhaps with an eye to defending rugby or auto racing. But many comments simply stated a belief that hunting isn't a sport, while others defended it.

After concerns over its product led the Chobani Greek yogurt company to issue a voluntary recall of some packages earlier this week, the New York-based foodmaker now says the mold that was identified as the culprit is not dangerous.

"Through extensive testing and expert consultation, we now know that the mold found in the products we voluntarily recalled this week is a species called Mucor circinelloides," the company says. "Mucor circinelloides is not considered a foodborne pathogen."

A week ago, Chobani said that it was investigating its production chain after reports of packages swelling or bloating. Customers' claims of illness led the company to escalate its response on Thursday, when it announced, "To be extra cautious, we have moved from a voluntary withdrawal to a voluntary recall."

At the time of the recall, Chobani said it had successfully pulled more than 95 percent of the products in question. They were made at the company's new facility in Twin Falls, Idaho, which opened last December.

Chobani asked customers who bought containers showing the manufacturing code 16-012 and a "best by" date between Sept. 11 and Oct. 7 to dispose of the yogurt and get in touch for a refund.

The mold can cause spoilage in yogurt products by leading to swelling and bloating, Chobani says. To explain more about it, the company quotes Cornell University's Randy Worobo, a professor of food science:

"This mold should not pose a health risk to most consumers. Very rarely, it can act as an opportunistic pathogen, but not through food and usually only for people with compromised immune systems through inhalation. The organism is regularly used for the production of natural flavor compounds that are widely used in the food industry."

Cornell says that Worobo was not paid to speak about the mold and that he offered his comments as a food expert, not as someone who had tested the products in questions, the AP reports.

If you're unclear on your yogurt chemistry, we refer you to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, which reminds us that yogurt is made by adding bacteria to milk that has been heated.

Pope Francis is leading a mass prayer vigil in St. Peter's Square Saturday night, building on his calls to avoid violence in the escalating conflict over Syria. Tens of thousands of people have come to the Vatican on what the pontiff has declared a day of fasting and prayer in the name of peace.

Speaking to the crowd Saturday, Francis said that when people withdraw into selfishness, the world fills with violence, division, disagreement and war, according to updates from the Catholic News Service. The agency estimates that when the pope's address began, more than 70,000 people were in St. Peter's Square.

From Rome, NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports for our Newscast unit:

"Last Sunday, Pope Francis spoke out in anguish for the victims of a chemical weapons attack in Syria. But he strongly opposes a Western military intervention saying, war begets war, violence begets violence.

"In a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of the G-20 countries, the pope asked them to lay aside the futile pursuit of a military solution and to speedily enact initiatives promoting peace through negotiations.

"In addition to tonight's four–hour-long vigil, Francis has urged Christians, believers of other faiths as well as all people of goodwill to join him in fasting for peace in Syria."

America's most powerful European allies agree that Syria should be held responsible for what the U.S. calls a chemical weapons attack on Syrian citizens on Aug. 21. Despite Secretary of State John Kerry's request to support military strikes, members of the European Union believe diplomacy should be the priority.

NPR's Teri Schultz reports for our Newscast unit:

"Seeking to forge a common position on Syria, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton says the 28 EU governments are unanimous that the Syrian regime is the likely perpetrator of the Aug. 21 chemical attack and that something must be done.

"'A clear and strong response is needed to make clear such crimes are unacceptable and there can be no impunity,' she says.

"Ashton gave no sign the bloc as a whole is shifting toward support for military action. So far, only France backs possible strikes on the Syrian regime and Ashton welcomed the French promise to delay any moves until U.N. inspectors conclude their report on the attack.

"Asked whether the EU is urging Washington to also wait on U.N. conclusions, Ashton said the ministers didn't ask Secretary Kerry to 'pledge anything.' "