Instead of your traditional chocolates or flowers, New York city officials decided to celebrate this year's Valentine's Day by handing out free condoms to city residents.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whose health department's condom program already distributes 1.5 million free condoms each month, hopes the city's special Valentine's Day efforts will help encourage people to engage in safe-sex practices during the holiday and beyond

The number of individuals who have acquired the HIV infection and AIDS virus continues to climb to record highs in Japan according to Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

In 2006, newly recorded HIV-infected individuals numbered 914 (up almost 10 percent from 2005). In 2006, newly recorded individuals who developed the AIDS virus numbered 390 (up more than 6 percent from 2005)

Scientists at the University of Utah are developing a "molecular condom" to protect women and their unborn or nursing children from HIV. The researchers say it will probably not be tested on humans for about five years and will not be available for widespread use for about 10 years.

The condom is a liquid that changes into a gel-like coating when inserted into the vagina. It reverts to liquid form and releases an anti-viral drug when it comes in contact with semen

A Vatican City cardinal has highlighted fidelity in marriage and premarital abstinence from sex to be the best methods in the fight against AIDS.

Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, who prepared the study on condom use, said Wednesday that Vatican City might issue a document about the use of condoms after examining the study

Two African trials show that circumcision can decrease the rate of HIV infection in heterosexual men by 50%.

The findings were so strong that the US National Institutes of Health had cut the trials early on grounds that it would be unethical to continue, according to sources