Ukraine fights spreading HIV epidemic

BUCHA, Ukraine (AP) — Andrei Mandrykin, an inmate at Prison No. 85 outside Kiev, has HIV. He looks ghostly and much older than his 35 years. But Mandrykin is better off than tens of thousands of his countrymen, because is he receiving treatment amid what the World Health Organization says is the worst AIDS epidemic in Europe.Ahead of World AIDS Day on Saturday, international organizations have urged...

Read More..

Awareness of HIV Risk Has Dropped Among Gay Men Even As Infection Rates Rise

More than 30 years after the dawn of the HIV epidemic, the significance of the infection and awareness for how it's transmitted has dropped precipitously among young people, especially among gay men, according to new data from the federal government.National statistics for 2010 show that more than one-quarter of all new HIV infections are among youths ages 13 to 24. Of the estimated 47,500 new infections...

Read More..

Health officials: Athens has spiraling HIV crisis

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Athens is seeing an alarming increase in new HIV infections, particularly among intravenous drug users, health officials warned Friday, as Greece struggles through a protracted financial crisis in which funding for health care and drug treatment programs has been slashed.While there were about 10-14 new HIV infections per year among Athens drug users from 2008 to 2010, that...

Read More..

Zurich puts Sandy storm damage claims at $700 million

 Natural gas distributor Laclede Group Inc is buying two utilities from Energy Transfer Equity LP for $1 billion, doubling its customer numbers and boosting its exposure to more stable state-regulated income.More than 91 percent of Laclede's earnings will come from rate-regulated business after the acquisition of Missouri Gas Energy and New England Gas Co, owned by Energy Transfer's affiliate,...

Read More..

Laclede to double customers in $1 billion deal with Energy Transfer

 Natural gas distributor Laclede Group Inc is buying two utilities from Energy Transfer Equity LP for $1 billion, doubling its customer numbers and boosting its exposure to more stable state-regulated income.More than 91 percent of Laclede's earnings will come from rate-regulated business after the acquisition of Missouri Gas Energy and New England Gas Co, owned by Energy Transfer's affiliate,...

Read More..

Sun Life sells U.S. annuity business, shares drop

 Sun Life Financial Inc will sell its U.S. annuity business for $1.35 billion to a firm connected to Guggenheim Partners in a deal that should reduce the exposure of the insurer's earnings to market swings and boost its cash levels.While the deal could bring long-term benefits to Sun Life, whose earnings have been derailed by wild market swings during recent years, investors pulled the company's...

Read More..

FactSet forecasts second-quarter results largely below estimates, shares fall

FactSet Research Systems Inc reported lower-than-expected first-quarter revenue, and the financial information provider forecast current-quarter results largely below estimates as banks and brokerages cut costs.FactSet shares fell 5 percent before the bell on Tuesday.The company, which provides data to portfolio managers, research analysts and investment bankers, forecast second-quarter earnings of...

Read More..

Jefferies results beat estimates on higher fixed-income revenue

(Reuters) - Jefferies Group Inc reported a higher-than-expected adjusted quarterly profit as the investment bank benefited from higher earnings from its fixed-income unit, and said its business expansion in Asia has started delivering.The midsized investment bank has been expanding in China and India and recently poached bankers from the Royal Bank of Scotland to expand its business in China.Jefferies...

Read More..

Facebook Shrugs Off Instagram's New Class Action Lawsuit

For Instagram, there's good news and there's bad news about the class action lawsuit just filed against them. Bad news first: Somebody just filed a class action lawsuit. Good news: the lawyers from Instagram's parent company, Facebook, have plenty of practice getting rid of these pesky things. That might explain why they're so dismissive about the legal inconvenience a group of disgruntled Instagram...

Read More..

How 'Doctor Who' Kept Its Big Christmas Secret Off Twitter

Tonight Doctor Who fans get to gorge on their annual Christmas fix -- a full-length special episode the series has produced every year for the holiday since 2005. This time, however, there's some extra spice in the form of a new regular cast member: Jenna-Louise Coleman debuts in "The Snowmen" as the Doctor's next companion.Except it's not her debut. Coleman actually made her first appearance in the...

Read More..

Facebook in 2012: A Billion Users and Counting

Facebook is the most popular social network on the planet. It celebrated its eighth birthday on Feb. 4, 2012. Although Facebook has only been around since 2004, it certainly seems like much longer.For many of us, it feels like we've grown up habitually checking to see who has liked our photos and commented on our status updates. We love to use it. Sometimes we hate ourselves for loving it so much....

Read More..

Jessica Simpson's Christmas tweet seems to confirm pregnancy rumor

 Actress, singer and fashion designer Jessica Simpson sent a Christmas Twitter message that apparently confirms media rumors that she is pregnant - showing a photo of her daughter Maxwell with the words "Big Sis" spelled out in sand.The picture's caption reads "Merry Christmas from my family to yours."Simpson had her first child, Maxwell Drew Johnson, in May. She has since become a spokeswoman...

Read More..

New laws at a glance: Eyedrops, brakes, Facebook

As 2013 begins, many states are enacting new laws dealing with gay rights, child safety, abortion, immigration and other perennial concerns. Some other topics states are dealing with in new laws:ANIMAL WELFAREPennsylvania will prohibit use of carbon monoxide chambers to destroy animals at shelters and will make it easier for shelters to get drugs for a more humane method. Activists say animals are...

Read More..

Bears fire coach Lovie Smith after 9 seasons

 The Chicago Bears reached the Super Bowl under coach Lovie Smith and consistently boasted a formidable defense.However, they missed the playoffs too many times, never solved their problems on offense and even after a 10-win season they are moving on without him.The Bears fired Smith on Monday after the team missed the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons. General manager Phil Emery delivered...

Read More..

January groundbreaking for Atlanta's College Football Hall of Fame

Groundbreaking for a new College Football Hall of Fame in downtown Atlanta is set for January 28, and the first visitors are expected to walk through the doors in August 2014, the National Football Foundation said on Monday.The Foundation decided three years ago that it was moving the Hall of Fame to Atlanta from South Bend, Indiana, near the campus of the University of Notre Dame, a college football...

Read More..

Bills fire Gailey after 3 straight losing seasons

 Chan Gailey didn't work out after three losing seasons, leaving the Buffalo Bills looking for their fifth head coach since 2001.The Bills fired Gailey on Monday after he failed to deliver on his vow to transform a losing franchise into a playoff contender. Gailey's entire staff was fired, too, but the status of general manager Buddy Nix remained uncertain, and could be decided as early as Tuesday.Bills...

Read More..

Pacers surge past visiting Grizzlies

A furious fourth quarter from the Indiana Pacers sparked an 88-83 comeback win over the visiting Memphis Grizzlies on Monday.The Grizzlies, the NBA's top defensive team, led by 11 late in the third quarter before the Pacers charged back.Ben Hansbrough spurred the charge with two consecutive three-pointers to open the fourth, propelling the Pacers to a 14-4 run that gave them the lead for good."That's...

Read More..

Eagles fire Andy Reid after 14 seasons

 Andy Reid stuck around after he was fired by the Philadelphia Eagles, meeting with players, encouraging staff and shaking hands with the man who let him go.After 14 years, Reid found it hard to walk away.Owner Jeffrey Lurie understood. "He had the love and respect of every individual in this organization," he said at his news conference Monday. "This man is amazing to work with, smart and dedicated,...

Read More..