French fishermen angry over soaring world oil prices disrupted shipping in the English Channel and blocked deliveries today at two refineries of oil giant Total SA, stepping up protests that have hobbled ports around France.

AVIAN flu extended its grip on Europe yesterday, as Poland reported that two dead swans had the virulent H5N1 strain of the virus and Austria confirmed that several cats had been infected.

Hundreds of firefighters used helicopters and planes equipped with fire retardant to battle wildfires that raged through 990 acres of forest in southern France today, authorities said.