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According to official reports, the U. S. Navy has begun extensive naval exercises in the Caribbean to train local forces into marine security issues in response to recent developments in international waters, particularly piracy in East Africa and Latin American countries' buildup of coastal defenses.

Part of the exercise involves deployment of Military Sealift Command rescue and salvage ship USNS Grasp, HSV 2 Swift, a Mobile Diving Salvage Unit and training of divers from the region.

Indian stock markets fell into the negative zone in early trade today.

At 9.08 am, the 30-share index Sensex stood at 16,343.39 after declining 44.45 points. In the meantime, the broad-based Nifty remained lower by 15.25 points to trade at 4,902.15.

The Sensex belled the day at 16,410.88 after surging 23.04 points, while the broad based NSE Nifty began on a flat note at 4,917.40.

The major losers' list comprised Hindalco Industries, ICICI Bank, Infosys, RIL, H D F C Bank and Tata Steel.

National carrier Air India was making efforts to bring normalcy in its daily functioning after a two-day wildcat strike by 15,000 employees.

The company also said that it would take atleast two more days for flight schedules to turn normal.

An airline spokesperson said 78 flights, domestic as well as international, have been scheduled Thursday and more will be pressed into service next day to clear the backlog that took place due to strike.

Authorities have said that a baby received burns over 40 percent of his body at a British seaside resort while his mother was sunbathing.

The Sun reported on Wednesday that bystanders, on the beach in Brighton, seeing the 5-month-old baby boy badly sunburned, called police and the child was rushed to a local hospital.

The child's mother seemed unconcerned about the child's condition, witnesses have said.

Authorities have revealed that attorneys for the U. S. Justice Department are recommending a legal challenge to Arizona's recently enacted immigration law.

ABC News reported on Wednesday that the recommendation, contained in an ongoing department review, says the Arizona Legislature exceeded its authority in passing a law that could interfere with federal enforcement of immigration laws.

ABC also reported that the ongoing review could take weeks to complete, and no formal recommendation has been sent to the White House.

A Canadian official said on Wednesday that security for the summits to be held in Ontario next month is expensive because of the number of heads of state involved.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. has reported that the Group of Eight and Group of 20 are holding back-to-back meetings. The government now puts the price tag for security at $890 million and says it could go up.

The two summits are going to cost more than providing security for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver because the problem is different, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews has said.