■ France
Anti-nuclear marches held
Thousands of anti-nuclear demonstrators marched Saturday to commemorate the 1986 Chernobyl disaster and demand an end to government plans to build a nuclear plant in western France. The protesters, braving rainy conditions, lined up to form the French words for ``Nuclear kills the future, let's abandon it'' -- visible from the sky -- as part of the demonstration in western Nantes. Police and organizers from activist group Sortir du Nucleaire estimated that about 6,000 people took part in the rally, which centered on remembrance of the April 26, 1986, explosion in Chernobyl, Ukraine. Many marches were planned across France this week to mark the anniversary. The marchers also protested government plans to build a pressurized-water nuclear reactor in the northwestern region of Normandy in 2007.
■ France
Tons of chemicals stolen
Police suspect Basque separatists were behind the theft of several tonnes of chemicals that could be used to make bombs from a factory in western France, officials said. Armed men wearing masks stole some 4 tonnes of sodium chlorate from a fertilizer plant in the western town of Saint-Benoit on Friday. Investigators suspected the armed Basque separatist group ETA was involved, the officials said, adding that a factory guard told investigators that at least one suspect spoke with a regional accent from southwest France. Authorities believed the factory's alarm system had been deactivated, and that the four suspects had used at least two vehicles -- expediting the theft, the officials said.
■ United States
Skydiver hits plane, dies
A skydiver lost both his legs when he struck the wing of a plane as he came down and later died from his injuries. Cinematographer Albert "Gus" Wing III had already opened his parachute when he hit the plane that he had jumped from over an airport in DeLand, Florida. His legs were severed at the knees. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
■ Colombia
Fight with FARC breaks out
A pair of Colombian military helicopter gunships struck at guerrilla positions in the mountains above this rebel-held town Saturday as the government tried to wrest control of the mountainous region away from the Marxist fighters. The engagement came amid a rebel offensive along at least a 22.5km-front that indicates the insurgents feel confident enough -- for the first time in more than five years -- to stand their ground and confront government forces, instead of carrying out hit-and-run attacks. An escalation of rebel violence has long been expected in an attempt to influence Colombia's 2006 presidential elections.
■ United Kingdom
Sir John Mills dies at 97
Actor Sir John Mills, who played the quintessential British officer in scores of films, has died at his home in Denham after an Oscar-winning career spanning more than 50 years. Mills was hospitalized last month with a chest infection, from which he did not recover. Mills' roles ranged from Pip in David Lean's Great Expectations to the village idiot in Ryan's Daughter. Historian Jeffrey Richards called him "truly an English Everyman." Prime Minister Tony Blair said Mills "made us proud to be British."
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