[ti:French Citizen Is Likely Among Militants in Beheading Video] [ar:Jonathan Evans] [al:In the News] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]A French official says there is a strong likelihood [00:04.39]that a French citizen was among the Islamic militants [00:08.83]who executed an American aid worker. [00:11.97]Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve announced on Monday [00:17.26]that French intelligence experts studied a newly- [00:21.89]released video from Islamic State militants. [00:25.93]The video shows the execution of aid worker Abdul-Rahman Kassig. [00:32.92]The minister said the experts believe a 22-year-old Frenchman [00:38.68]can be seen among images showing the American's head [00:43.52]and the beheading of several Syrian soldiers. [00:47.36]Officials are trying to learn [00:50.10]if a second Frenchman may have taken part. [00:53.73]Also, a Welshman, Ahmed Muthana, [00:58.51]says one of the other people shown in the video [01:01.50]looks like his son, medical student Nasser Muthana. [01:05.63]Abdul-Rahman Kassig was captured 13 months ago [01:10.76]while doing humanitarian work in Syria. [01:14.16]He was known as Peter Kassig [01:17.24]before accepting Islam during his captivity. [01:21.19]The United States confirmed the beheading of the aid worker. [01:26.13]He is the third American to be executed [01:30.03]in Syria by Islamic State militants. [01:33.53]President Barack Obama offered prayers and sympathy [01:38.95]to the parents and family of Mr. Kassig. [01:42.33]The president condemned the killing, [01:44.67]calling it "an act of pure evil." [01:48.21]The Japanese economy unexpectedly entered a recession [01:53.98]between the months of July and September. [01:57.31]The recession comes two years [02:00.35]after Shinzo Abe became Japan's prime minister. [02:04.94]Mr. Abe promised to help the economy [02:08.57]through public spending and reforms, [02:11.50]a plan he called "Abenomics." [02:14.59]The news of the recession makes it likely [02:17.76]that Prime Minister Abe will delay an unpopular sales tax. [02:23.65]He also is likely to call general elections [02:28.19]two years earlier than planned. [02:31.10]Economists have predicted the Japanese economy would expand. [02:36.72]The economy shrank 7.1 percent in the period [02:41.99]from April through June 2014. [02:45.48]News of the recession caused the leading measure [02:49.37]of Japanese stock prices to fall nearly three percent on Monday. [02:54.79]Australia and China have signed a free trade agreement. [03:01.36]The two sides hope the trade agreement [03:06.41]will open up markets worth billions of dollars [03:09.41]to Australian exporters. [03:11.85]The deal was approved after Chinese President Xi Jinping [03:17.17]spoke to Australia's parliament. [03:20.21]President Xi is only the second Chinese leader [03:24.54]to speak to the Australian parliament. [03:27.62]He told parliament that his goal is to create a modern, [03:32.50]socialist country and to double China's national income by 2020. [03:39.32]After his speech, Mr. Xi approved the free trade agreement. [03:44.54]It is expected to open up markets to Australia farmer exports [03:50.27]and the services industry, [03:52.61]while easing investment in Australia. [03:55.61]Scientists reported on Monday [03:59.60]that they have given an experimental Ebola vaccine [04:03.20]to almost 200 people. [04:05.86]The drug company GlaxoSmithKline developed the vaccine. [04:11.30]The trials began just over two months ago [04:15.53]in the United States, Britain, Mali and Switzerland. [04:20.46]The scientists have been testing the experimental drug [04:25.19]on healthy volunteers, [04:26.98]instead of patients infected with the Ebola virus. [04:31.71]The experimental vaccine uses a single Ebola virus gene [04:37.38]from a chimpanzee virus [04:39.47]to activate the body's natural defenses against disease. [04:45.10]The World Health Organization says [04:48.66]Ebola has infected more than 13,000 people, [04:53.08]mainly in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. [04:57.28]More than 5,000 of them have died from the disease.