NEW YORK

A collaborative study led by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified proof of retroviruses and herpes viruses in illegal wildlife imports at several international airports in the U.S.

Gay tourism destinations - those which showcase liberal attitudes toward same gender couples and boast extensive gay infrastructure offering socializing opportunities - have been recognized as a lucrative niche tourism segment.

Stock index futures dipped on Wednesday, a day after major indexes hit a five-month high, with pressure on the euro testing the recent view that the U.S. market was decoupling from Europe.

There is, as yet, no exact knowledge of what happened behind the scenes at the birth of American pop singer Beyonce Knowles' daughter. However, there are certainly several rumors flying about. The biggest, probably, such rumor suggests the singer was never really pregnant. Sources are now saying the baby was born via a surrogate.

Beyonce and husband Jay-Z checked out of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York with their newborn baby on Tuesday, a hospital spokeswoman confirmed.

The rivalry between Jay-Z and 50 Cent is not new to their fans. However, the feud between them seems to have been reignited, after 50 Cent posted fake snaps of Jay-Z and Beyonce's newborn daughter, Blue Ivy Carter.

A Muslim cleric from Iran has claimed that the social networking site Facebook is un-Islamic and being a member of it is a sin, the ISNA news agency reported last week.

U.S. wholesale baker Hostess Brands Inc filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Manhattan on Wednesday, just months after emerging from a similar process last year, after failing to reach an agreement with workers on pension and health benefits.

The Rio de Janeiro's winter 2012 fashion week got under way this Tuesday with a series of couture collection displays by designers like Alexandre Herchcovitch, Erika Frade and Alessa Migani.

From little black dresses to bejeweled black gowns, it was certainly clear which color was the favorite at the 2012 National Board of Review Awards Gala held at Cipriani 42nd Street, New York City.

The New York state's financial regulator is probing several large banks, including Bank of America Corp and Citigroup Inc, on whether they overcharged customers on force-place insurance, a source familiar with the matter said.

The tragic death of Amanda Cummings has prompted New York lawmakers to act. State Senator Jeffrey Klein (D-Bronx) introduced a bill that will make cyberbullying a crime in New York.

One of New York's hottest start-ups, Tumblr, will join the likes of Google and Microsoft as it becomes a sponsor for New York Tech Meetup, the place where Tumblr fostered its growth in the early days of the company's existence back in 2007.

Eastman Kodak Co announced a new business structure on Tuesday that divides its film group into its two other business units as the once-iconic photography company tries to refocus as a digital company to help fend off financial difficulties.

New Jersey lawmakers have accepted a one-year ban on the controversial drilling and natural gas extraction technique known as hydraulic fracturing.

There are people who try to grow up too fast - they're 18, so they're like, I'm not a kid anymore. People need to know I'm not a kid anymore. But at the end of the day, I'm not completely grown up, Bieber told V magazine.

When a restaurant can prove itself as a consistently reliable way to cure a hangover and please the taste-buds in a stylish room, the lines are guaranteed to be long, and in the case of Chelsea's Cookshop, all of the above have been true for years.

National education officials sent a message to New York educators telling if they don't shape up they could lose millions of dollars in federal school aid.

Rick Santorum, presidential candidate and internet meme, is now offering Santorum 2012 sweater vests to Americans who donate more than $100 to his campaign by tomorrow. Don't let sleeves slow you down - donate today! reads the GOP hopeful's website.

A city official said the Economic Development Corporation remained hopeful about creating another tech partnership. If the new plans go through, the EDC could be making an announcement in the coming weeks.

If the current Republican primary has taught us anything, having rich supporters with high incomes has become the difference between first and fifth place. Thank the Supreme Court. Its controversial Citizens United decision has prolonged the shelf life of candidates that once would have been long dead. Ask Newt Gingrich.