World News: Exodus of 2000 refugees as military crackdown begins

Syrian state television today said the army had begun operations to "restore security" in a restive northern town near the Turkish border.

Troops backed by tanks were said to be on the outer edges of Jisr al-Shughour, where authorities say 120 officers and security personnel were killed by "armed groups" last week.

Expectations of an imminent military operation in the town have prompted an exodus of around 2000 refugees to nearby Turkey over the past few days.

The military operations are part of a crackdown on an uprising against President Bashar Assad that started in mid-March.

The fleeing refugees gave graphic accounts of a week of revolt, mutiny and mayhem in Jisr al-Shughour, where they said the streets were deserted, leaving no resistance against a regime equipped for all-out battle.

They said Syrian policemen turned their guns on each other, soldiers shed their uniforms rather than obey orders to fire on protesters, and three young men who tried to escape were beheaded by forces loyal to President Bashar Assad.

Activists say over 1300 people have died in the crackdown on the 11-week uprising.

Gingrich campaign team quits

Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the US House of Representatives, has received a setback in his bid for the Republican nomination in next year's presidential elections. His campaign team quit en masse, blaming "different visions of a path to victory". It is feared the exodus will deter funders.

Land mine kills ten policemen

Maoist rebels have triggered a land mine explosion in eastern India, killing ten policemen, according to officials.

Three others were injured in last night's attack in Chhattisgarh state.

Land mine kills ten policemen

Police said rebels shot and killed five officers in the state earlier yesterday.

Babies to be born HIV-free

World leaders have launched a global plan to ensure every baby is born HIV-free by 2015 - and their HIV mothers live to bring them up.

The U.N. says nearly every minute a baby is born with the HIV virus. In 2009, that meant 370,000 children were infected with HIV, almost all in low- and middle-income countries, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa.

Organisers said the plan, known as Countdown to Zero, was realistic and achievable and would save millions of lives.

26 fishermen missing in storm

The Philippine navy is searching for 26 fishermen reported missing in a tropical storm that has drowned at least five people in chest-deep floods.

The fishermen's boat failed to return from the South China Sea. Several days of heavy rains delayed the search until today when the weather started to improve.

Five shot in busy area near beach

United States: Five people have been shot and wounded on a crowded boardwalk near a New York City beach. Two of them are in critical condition. Police said the shootings by two gunmen happened during an altercation late yesterday afternoon.

Kashmir: A bus carrying schoolchildren fell into a canal, killing at least seven of the youngsters. Three were rescued. Seven others and the bus driver are still missing.