AFGHANISTAN

Six Western troops and two Afghan soldiers died in southern and eastern Afghanistan in two days of clashes with militants, 10 of whom also were killed, officials said.

In the Netherlands, defense chief Gen. Dick Berlijn said a Dutch sergeant was killed by a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan. Gunmen shot and killed another North Atlantic Treaty Organization soldier during a foot patrol in eastern Afghanistan. A third NATO soldier was killed and another wounded when insurgents ambushed them in eastern Afghanistan, the alliance said. Their nationalities were not released.

Another ambush killed three members of the U.S.-led coalition and two Afghan soldiers in Kunar province in the east.

The militants were killed in Paktika and Zabol provinces, Afghan officials said.

BANGLADESH Government lifts curfew in 6 cities

The government said it was lifting a curfew imposed on six major cities after violent protests against emergency rule.

Bangladesh's military-backed interim government put the nighttime curfew in place Wednesday after student protests turned into clashes that left at least one person dead and 100 wounded. There have been no demonstrations since the curfew was imposed, but more than 140 people have been arrested.

NEW ZEALAND Injured explorer rescued from cave

A New Zealand cave explorer injured in a rock slide was pulled to safety early today by rescuers who spent three days carrying him to the surface, at times lying in narrow passages and passing his stretcher hand-over-hand.

Michael Brewer, 47, broke his pelvis and suffered head injuries Saturday in the Middle Earth cave system on South Island. His climbing partners said they were almost two miles from the cave's entrance and 1,300 feet underground.

From Times Wire Reports