Religious intolerance is both widespread culturally and institutionalized in some countries world wide. US scored fairly well. Worst nations: Pakistan, Egypt, Iran and Bangladesh. In 10% of countries, it leads to terrorism.

As many as three-quarters of state schools are failing to push their brightest pupils because teachers are reluctant to promote 'elitism', an Ofsted study says today.Many teachers are not convinced of the importance of providing more challenging tasks..

Mrs Herald, who is just 2ft 4ins, was told that becoming pregnant could kill her but has already defied doctors to have two healthy babies.

Amnesty International recently issued a major report Iran: the last executioner of children, As of May 2009, there were at least 137 known juvenile offenders awaiting execution in Iran.

The two couples had never met each other, and probably never would. They had come from opposite sides of a border between longtime enemies.

The nine-year-old boy lay on a bloodstained hospital sheet crawling with ants, staring blindly at the wall.

A 22 inch-tall Nepali teenager who laid claim to the title of world's smallest man when he came of age this week says he is looking forward to global fame, international travel - and an arranged marriage with a bride of similar stature.

When an 8.3-magnitude earthquake struck on Wednesday morning, causing a massive tsunami that may have claimed nearly 200 lives, New Zealand hospitality student Chris Nel laid down on his surfboard and rode it to safety.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy accused Iran's leader of "blackmail" Wednesday for suggesting a prisoner exchange might allow a young French academic to return home after she was arrested in Iranian postelection protests.

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico - Police have arrested five men accused of dozens of murders, including two mass killings at drug treatment centers in this northern Mexico border city.