Herpes simplex virus that causes genital herpes has infected more than half a billion people and nearly 24 million new cases happen per year, World Health Organization (WHO) said in a new study.

In the first global estimate of the prevalence and incidence of this incurable disease by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection, researchers found that 536 million people aged 15-49 are infected with it, which makes it 16 percent of people in that age range

More than 1 million people in the United States had HIV in 2006, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday, adding that but one in five people are also unaware of their infections.

The new federal estimate also adds that the population living with HIV is growing as people become newly infected and as more patients survive thanks to new anti-retroviral treatment. HIV prevalence has increased by 11 percent, or 112,000 people, since 2003, the study adds

One in five elderly Canadians suffer from a form of mental ailments ranging from depression to bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. But only few are getting the proper medical help, according to a study.

Researchers said in the article which will come out this week in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry that some of the mental illness such as depression has become an accepted part of aging. But reality is majority of 4.3 million Canadians considered as senior citizens live an active life at home and in the community. Some are even international travelers

While California and New York have mandated through legislation the inclusion of calorie counts in the menus of restaurant chains, some fast food dining establishments will voluntarily place the nutrition data on their own even without state fiat.

Leading the pack is Yum Brands, parent company of Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut. Yum senior vice president Jonathan Blum disclosed the information to USA Today ahead of the firm's formal announcement Wednesday. "We're a leader... We hope all restaurants, supermarkets and convenience stores follow our lead," Blum told USA Today

With the California budget impasse resolved after three months of delay, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has now shifted his attention to signing or vetoing a mountain of pending bills on his desk.

One of the pieces of legislation he is expected to sign into a law is a proposal to require restaurant chains in California to show the calorie count on each menu item. It will apply to dining establishments with 20 or more outlets in California, which would cover about 17,000 eateries