British minister reveals being Gay

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JNN 17 Nov 2010 : Britain’s Conservative prisons minister Crispin Blunt has announced that he is homosexual and this is why he has separated from his wife.

He said that he is “coming to terms with his homosexuality,” the Guardian reported.

The timing of Blunt’s announcement about his sexuality, Friday afternoon, prompted speculation that a weekend paper had been given information and was planning to publish a story about his private life.

The 50-year old Tory MP, who has represented Reigate since 1997, announced his separation from his wife Victoria in a statement on the ConservativeHome website, saying he had “explained the position” to his family.

As prisons minister, Blunt is responsible for penal policy and finding savings in the prisons budget as part of this autumn’s departmental spending review.

UK sex infections at 'record high'

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JNN 17 Nov 2010 : New figures show that around half a million people, mostly the youth, have contracted sexually transmitted infections (STI) over the past year in Britain.

According to the UK’s Health Protection Agency (HPA), the most affected people were between 15 and 24 years old, British media published on Wednesday.

The latest HPA data on STI distribution in 2009 reveals that women were at a greater risk of developing sexually transmitted diseases.

The 482,696 new cases recorded in 2009 represent a three-percent rise since 2008, continuing an upward trend for the past decade.

Meanwhile, Chlamydia diagnoses increased by seven percent, from 203,773 in 2008 to 217,570 in 2009, while gonorrhea rose by six percent, from 16,451 cases in 2008 to 17,385 in 2009.

“These latest figures show that poor sexual health is a serious problem among the UK’s young adults and men who have sex with men,” AFP quoted Gwenda Hughes, head of the HPA’s STI section as saying.

She also explained that re-infection was also “a worrying issue”, with around one in ten 15- to 24-year-olds diagnosed with an STI likely to become re-infected within a year.

“The numbers (of re-infections) we’re seeing in teenagers are of particular concern as this suggests teenagers are repeatedly putting their own, as well as others, long-term health at risk from STIs,” Dr. Hughes pointed out.

Young adults under 25 had the highest rate of infections, particularly in large cities like London, and also those who engaged in homosexual sex.

UK sex infections at ‘record high’

Posted on by

JNN 17 Nov 2010 : New figures show that around half a million people, mostly the youth, have contracted sexually transmitted infections (STI) over the past year in Britain.

According to the UK’s Health Protection Agency (HPA), the most affected people were between 15 and 24 years old, British media published on Wednesday.

The latest HPA data on STI distribution in 2009 reveals that women were at a greater risk of developing sexually transmitted diseases.

The 482,696 new cases recorded in 2009 represent a three-percent rise since 2008, continuing an upward trend for the past decade.

Meanwhile, Chlamydia diagnoses increased by seven percent, from 203,773 in 2008 to 217,570 in 2009, while gonorrhea rose by six percent, from 16,451 cases in 2008 to 17,385 in 2009.

“These latest figures show that poor sexual health is a serious problem among the UK’s young adults and men who have sex with men,” AFP quoted Gwenda Hughes, head of the HPA’s STI section as saying.

She also explained that re-infection was also “a worrying issue”, with around one in ten 15- to 24-year-olds diagnosed with an STI likely to become re-infected within a year.

“The numbers (of re-infections) we’re seeing in teenagers are of particular concern as this suggests teenagers are repeatedly putting their own, as well as others, long-term health at risk from STIs,” Dr. Hughes pointed out.

Young adults under 25 had the highest rate of infections, particularly in large cities like London, and also those who engaged in homosexual sex.

US unemployment on the rise

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JNN 17 Nov 2010 : Unemployment in some US states is still on the rise, as the American labor market continues to struggle against the backdrop of a bleak economy.

In the state of Missouri, the jobless rate increased by 0.1 percent in October to stand at a depressing 9.4 percent.

That means that the state’s net payroll fell by 2,900 jobs, the Missouri Department of Economic Development said Tuesday.

This is while, according to the Missouri Office of Administration, individual income tax collections increased 7.7 percent in October compared to the same month last year.

The latest data shows that the US labor market remains sluggish, with some states reporting an unemployment rate as high as 10 percent.

Last month, Nevada, Michigan and California reported double-digit unemployment rates.

Meanwhile, the US Labor Department has announced a 20,000 increase in initial claims for unemployment benefits last month.

According to data released last week, almost 15 million Americans currently collect unemployment benefits.

However, even the jobless benefits are now faced with a crisis as concerns grow over reports that the Republican House majority may put an end to the aid.

US President Barack Obama is likely to discuss the matter with congressional leaders on Thursday.

Approximately 800,000 laid-off workers will be affected by the upcoming lapse in benefits.

The number is expected to increase to at least 2 million by next month.

Anti-India protesters rally in Kashmir

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JNN 17.11.10 Fresh clashes with security forces have broken out in Indian-controlled Kashmir as pro-independence protesters hit the streets in the disputed Himalayan valley.

Police fired shots in the air and used teargas on Wednesday to disperse hundreds of anti-India protesters in Srinagar.

Protesters took to the streets of the valley’s main city after holding prayers to mark the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha (the feast of sacrifice).

Similar anti-India demonstrations erupted in the southern district of Anan-tang, a Press TV correspondent in Srinagar said.

All major towns in Kashmir, which has been the scene of violent clashes on an almost daily basis, have been under a strict curfew over the past five months.

More than 100 Kashmiri protesters have lost their lives at the hands of Indian troops since the current unrest erupted back in June when police killed a teenage protester.

Several regional and international rights groups, including Amnesty International, have called on India to take immediate steps to protect and respect human rights in Kashmir.