At least 20 soldiers have been killed in southern Sudan in a clash with rebel fighters. A spokesman for the southern Sudanese army, the SPLA, said the soldiers were killed when rebels attacked a village in Unity state. The oil-producing state is in the north of southern Sudan, which will become an independent country in July following a recent referendum. James Copnall reports from Khartoum.

A garrison from the southern army, the SPLA, came under attack in Unity state. A southern army spokesman admitted 20 of his men had been killed. A UN source said the peacekeepers would investigate the reports and he'd heard there were around 100 dead and wounded in total. The incident highlights two things. First, the number of rebellions in southern Sudan is reaching worrying proportions. The southern government says the rebels are supplied by the north, though Khartoum denies this. Secondly, north-south tensions won't end when the south becomes independent in July.

Firefighters in the United States are struggling to contain several massive wildfires raging across Texas. So far the fires have affected more than 400,000 hectares of land. Several towns have been evacuated, and the flames are now close to Fort Worth, one of the state's largest cities. Weather forecasters say higher humidity, decreasing wind speed and the chance of rain could ease condition later in the week.

Prince Charles has become the longest-serving heir to the throne in British history. He's so far waited to become King for 59 years, 2 months and 14 days. He became heir apparent at the age of three when his mother became Queen Elizabeth II in 1952.