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p>BRITS have been urged to come forward for HIV tests after heterosexual diagnoses of the illness have overtaken those in gay men. It's the first time the cases have shifted in decades and research shows that testing rates have dropped a third.It comes after a new HIV 'super strain' has been detected in with 109 new cases.The new 'super-strain' - called "VB" - was first found in the Netherlands as part of a study that collects samples.Data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows that in England in 2020, half of all new HIV diagnoses were in heterosexuals -...

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who is recovering from a recent coronavirus infection, said he urged former President Trump to be more vocal about the COVID-19 vaccine. “I’ve urged him to be aggressive and say, ‘Take the vaccine,’” Graham said in an interview with The Associated Press, which reported he urged Trump to "speak up." Graham told the AP he spoke to Trump on Thursday, adding the former president has checked in with him every day since Graham's infection was discovered earlier this week.

Jihadists are being encouraged to strike America in a sickening new way by bombing the funerals of U.S. service members killed in action. A recent post on the Ansar al-Mujahedeen web forum cites 2009's Fort Hood massacre as a truiumph. It urges readers to conceal suicide vests under fake military uniforms to get close to funeral VIPs like military brass and state governors. An unnamed author on the site writes: 'There is no doubt that targeting America in these times will have a significant impact in hastening its withdrawal from the countries it occupies, on top of which is Afghanistan.'

Wikileak documents reveals US official asked China to prevent its firms from sending dual-use commodities to Iran for use in its nuclear program Washington is trying to encourage China to make its companies aware of potential Iranian nuclear as a result of commodities the Chinese companies have provided Iranian firms involved in Teheran's nuclear program, according to a WikiLeaks document released last week. The document said that the US is trying to advance a strategy to prevent shipments of commodities "of concern to Iran," and that officials are providing information about dealings between certain Chinese and Iranian firms "in an...

On November 5, 2009, Maj. Nidal Hasan opened fire at a troop readiness center in Ft. Hood, Texas, killing 13 people. Within hours of the killings, the world knew that Hasan reportedly shouted "Allahu Akbar!" before he began shooting, visited websites associated with Islamist violence, wrote Internet postings justifying Muslim suicide bombings, considered U.S. forces his enemy, opposed American involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan as wars on Islam, and told a neighbor shortly before the shootings that he was going "to do good work for God." There was ample evidence, in other words, that the Ft. Hood attack was an...

Coalition forces in Afghanistan are going to have to adopt a "dramatically different" strategy to ensure success, the top US general there says. In his first speech since submitting a report calling for more troops, Gen Stanley McChrystal also said the operation had been "under-resourced". The success of the military operation could not be taken for granted in the face of a growing insurgency, he said. Meanwhile, a Nato strike in Helmand has killed at least six civilians. Women and children are believed to be among the dead. Nato has said it will investigate the incident. It said it had...

WASHINGTON, (AP) -- Hillary Rodham Clinton, President-elect Barack Obama's choice for secretary of state, rejected calls Tuesday for more details about donors to her husband's foundation, saying she has revealed enough to avoid even the hint of conflicts. An Associated Press review found that Clinton stepped in at least a half-dozen times on issues involving businesses and others who later gave to the charity. Clinton said as secretary of state she will not be influenced by her husband's contributors, which include foreign governments. "It will not be in the atmosphere," Clinton said.

WASHINGTON - Three senators who met with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf after opposition parties won a governing majority last week urged a "graceful exit" from power for the close Bush terror-fighting ally. "Were I their political adviser, that's what I would advise," Sen. Joe Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Sunday. He did not favor an attempt by that new coalition to impeach Musharraf; the parties have enough seats to govern, but not enough to impeach the president. "I firmly believe if they do not focus on old grudges — and there's plenty in Pakistan — and...

WASHINGTON - United for urgent action, the White House and Congress raced toward emergency steps Thursday to rescue the national economy from a possible recession, including tax rebates of at least $300 a person — and maybe as much as $800. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke endorsed the idea of putting money into the hands of those who would spend it quickly and boost the flagging economy. All the talk of rescue efforts failed to soothe Wall Street. The Dow Jones industrials plunged 306.95 points, underscoring deepening concern about the country's economic health. The sudden scramble to take action came...

(AP) A national assembly of Evangelical Lutherans urged its bishops Saturday to refrain from defrocking gay and lesbian ministers who violate a celibacy rule, but rejected measures that would have permitted ordaining gays churchwide. Still, advocates for full inclusion of gays were encouraged, calling the resolution a powerful statement in support of clergy with same-gender partners. The conservative group Lutheran CORE, however, said bishops will now feel more secure in ignoring denomination policy. The 538-431 vote came on the final day of a weeklong meeting in Chicago _ and after emotional debate over how the denomination should interpret what the...

As early as this week, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will appoint a new judge to one of the state's 58 trial courts – and begin seizing an unprecedented opportunity to leave a lasting mark on the state judiciary. Legislation passed last year empowers Schwarzenegger to appoint 50 new judges beginning this month and 100 more in the coming years. These are positions the judiciary says are needed to meet growing demands on trial and appellate courts. The seats are newly created, not replacements for retired or departed judges. Never before has a California governor been given such a chance to affect...

Moderate Muslims Urged to Speak Out Sunday October 1, 2006 2:16 AM By JAN M. OLSEN Associated Press Writer COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Moderate Muslims must take a stand against extremists, speakers said Saturday at a conference marking a year since the publication of Prophet Muhammad cartoons that led to violent demonstrations in Muslim countries. The 12 drawings, first published in the Danish daily Jyllands-Posten in September, were reprinted in several European countries four months later, prompting angry mobs to attack Western embassies in countries including Lebanon, Iran and Indonesia. The cartoons, which included a drawing of the prophet with...

Cleric who urged jihad to be freed from prison Jamie Doward, home affairs editor Sunday August 20, 2006 The Observer (UK) An Islamic cleric who influenced at least one of the 7 July bombers and whose videos may have been seen by several of the terror suspects arrested earlier this month, is to be freed from prison in weeks. Sheikh Abdullah el-Faisal encouraged Muslims to attend training camps so they could wage jihad on the West. He was jailed in February 2003 for nine years, reduced to seven on appeal, after being convicted of soliciting murder and inciting racial hatred....

The National Council of La Raza's annual convention in downtown Los Angeles today is turning out to be a who's who of Latino power brokers - with local politicians rearranging their schedules and attendees buzzing about who will come. But behind all the schmoozing and banquets, one of the nation's best-known civil rights groups is courting a lower-profile player, one some say is just as powerful a player: hometown associations. The hundreds of associations - built up over decades by tens of thousands of expatriates who send home billions of dollars a year - are increasingly flexing their political muscle...

Gung-ho US troops urged to be more British By Francis Harris in Washington (Filed: 03/05/2006) A senior American general has ordered his troops to reduce the lethal force used against Iraqis, citing fears that trigger-happy behaviour is aggravating the insurgency. Lt Gen Peter Chiarelli, who commands operations for the 132,000 American soldiers in the country, told his men to display more sensitivity and reach for their guns less often. "We risk the chance of creating an insurgent, of creating somebody who gets so disgusted. . . that they get off the fence and go to the wrong side," he told...

Calm is urged over bird flu caseAREA ON ALERT* Poultry owners within wild bird risk area must keep birds indoors or, if not possible, ensure they are kept away from wild birds * Bird transport within 6 mile (10km) surveillance zone will be curbed * Poultry within 1.8 mile (3km) protection zone must be kept indoors and will be tested A minister has warned against the temptation to "turn a drama into a crisis" over the discovery of H5N1 bird flu in a dead swan in Scotland. Scottish Rural Affairs Minister Ross Finnie said the case was being dealt with...

Act now to protect poultry, UK urged James Sturcke and agencies Monday February 20, 2006 All Britain's 180 million farm birds should be brought indoors or vaccinated against bird flu, a respected expert said today, as the government admitted the risk of the virus reaching the UK had increased. Tony Blair's official spokesman conceded there was a "higher" risk of the virus hitting the UK but said this was not yet inevitable. Ministers attempted to curb panic and said there were no plans to bring poultry indoors at this stage or carry out mass vaccinations. France and the Netherlands have...

Arrest pedlars of hate, police urged By George Jones and Ben Fenton (Filed: 06/02/2006) Police were under pressure last night to adopt "a no tolerance" approach to Muslim demonstrators threatening violence in Britain after a third embassy was set on fire in the Middle East. Government ministers and religious leaders appealed for calm as violent protests intensified across the Muslim world over cartoons mocking the Prophet Mohammed that were first published in Denmark. Muslims in London protesting against the publication of cartoons they say are offensive The Conservatives called for firm action against any further militant demonstrations as police faced...

Overthrow president, Syrians urged By Patrick Bishop in Moukhtara (Filed: 16/01/2006) Walid Jumblatt seemed admirably composed for a man whose name had just appeared on a hit list of Lebanese public figures. "The whole of Lebanon is on the death list, not only me," said the Druze leader and anti-Syrian figurehead. "The Syrian regime will not accept easily its defeat last year when the Lebanese people obliged them to get out. The regular forces left but [its] agents are still here." Mr Jumblatt, 56, has taken precautions. For the moment he is not leaving his rocky domain in the Chouf...

Trustees of San Diego's embattled retirement system yesterday urged consultants they hired two months ago to get their report out first on how the pension fund came to be saddled with a deficit of at least $1.4 billion. Navigant Consulting, a Chicago-based company that advises public agencies, is at least the fifth firm examining decisions made in 2002 to underfund the system while also increasing employee benefits. The teams of consultants appear to be competing in a race to see "who will be last" to finish their work, said pension board President Peter Preovolos. He added that one of the...