A vaginal gel has strong HIV- and herpes-blocking action even an hour after use. The gel is PRO 2000, now in large-scale clinical tests. It’s hoped that the odorless, colorless product — what scientists call a vaginal microbicide — will slow the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. …

WASHINGTON – The Earth may be on the brink of a worldwide epidemic from a bird flu virus that may mutate to become as deadly and infectious as viruses that killed millions during three influenza pandemics of the 20th century, a federal health official said Monday. Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, …

BOWLING GREEN, Va. – The tent city that houses the National Scout Jamboree (search) every four years at Fort A.P. Hill vanished overnight as the event came to a close Wednesday. Acres of land that just days earlier had been filled with more than 40,000 Boy Scouts (search), leaders and …

ANGLETON, Texas – A Texas jury found pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. (MRK) liable for the death of a man who took the once-popular painkiller Vioxx (search) in the first of thousands of lawsuits pending across the country. The decision came during the second day of deliberations. The seven-man, five-woman …

PARIS – Fire raced through a crowded, rundown apartment building housing African immigrants early Friday, trapping residents in their sleep and killing 17 people — 14 of them children, officials said. The blaze began after midnight under the ground-floor stairwell of the seven-story building on the corner of a major …

WASHINGTON – A third person has now come forward to verify claims made by a military intelligence unit that a year before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, it had information showing that lead hijacker Mohamed Atta (search) and other terrorists were identified as being in the United States. J.D. Smith, …

This is a partial transcript of “Special Report With Brit Hume,” July 29, 2005, that has been edited for clarity. Watch “Special Report With Brit Hume” weeknights at 6 p.m. ET JIM ANGLE, GUEST HOST: A dramatic announcement Friday from Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (search) that he is breaking …

CANBERRA, Australia – Aborigines have long lived on the fringe of Australian society, but they will take center stage when Parliament holds a historic ceremony to acknowledge the nation’s capital is built on their land. On Thursday, Aboriginal leaders welcomed the latest step in a new era of indigenous relations …

This is a rush transcript from “The O’Reilly Factor,” May 21, 2008. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated. Watch “The O’Reilly Factor” weeknights at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET and listen to the “Radio Factor!” LAURA INGRAHAM, GUEST HOST: In the “Miller …

FORT WASHINGTON, Md. – Two homemade bombs containing toilet cleaner and tinfoil packed inside plastic bottles exploded at a Fort Washington high school Wednesday, authorities said. No one was injured. A total of four bottle bombs were found inside Friendly High School, but only two exploded, according to Sgt. Mario …