Troops manning a checkpoint today rescued dozens of students, teachers and staff from a boys' school who had been taken captive by militants in the northwest, the Pakistani military said.

Two small bombs exploded in western Afghanistan, causing no casualties or damage, in attacks thought to be linked to a local power struggle, officials said today.

A teacher in northern Bangladesh cut the ears of 17 students with scissors to discipline them.

A chief reason for the problems besetting Muslims today is that they have lost sight of their rich scientific heritage, it was claimed today.

AN Afghan teenager who lost his left leg and part of his right foot in a landmine explosion ran the race of his life yesterday despite being in excruciating pain caused by his ill-fitting prosthetic limb.