PARIS, March 9 (Xinhuanet) -- An armed former teacher on Thursday took 18 students, a teacher and a worker hostage in a classroom ofa state high school in western France.

    The male kidnapper, 33, served as a teacher two years ago at this high school in the town of Sable-sur-Sarthe, west of Paris, French LCI news channel quoted a local official as saying.

    "Now police at the spot are discussing with the kidnapper through a door that is barricaded," the official said. Enditem