NEW YORK – It’s a Friday evening, traditional kickoff time for the party scene in New York’s gay community, but the 75 men packed into a small room at a gay health center aren’t in a partying mood. Through a humbling 12-step program modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous (search), they are …

Here’s what is on tap for Monday: “FOX & Friends First” Starts at 6 a.m. ET Israel’s prime minister arrives in Crawford, Texas for a summit with the president. The big topic of discussion: Israel’s West Bank (search) withdrawal plan. Can both sides hammer out an agreement? We’ll get a …

“They Just Don’t Get It!” So says retired Army Colonel and counterterrorism specialist David Hunt (search) in his new book. He says Washington is still compromising your safety. And politicians have still left us ill equipped to wipe out this threat. In this book, Col. Hunt is publishing 50 pages …

This is a partial transcript of “The Big Story With John Gibson,” April 12, 2005, that has been edited for clarity. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, “FAHRENHEIT 9/11”) MICHAEL MOORE, DIRECTOR: How could Congress pass the Patriot Act (search) without even reading it? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sit down, my son. We don’t read …

CHICAGO – Rep. Henry Hyde (search), the Illinois Republican who steered the impeachment proceedings against President Clinton and championed government restrictions on abortion funding, announced Monday that he will retire when his term ends in 2006. Hyde, who serves as chairman of the House International Relations Committee, made the announcement …

NEW YORK – Applications for U.S. home mortgages eased last week amid weaker refinancings and purchases despite a dip in 30-year mortgage rates, the Mortgage Bankers Association said on Wednesday. Overall, the Mortgage Bankers Association (search) said its seasonally adjusted index of mortgage application activity decreased 4.4 percent to 644.5 …

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have an entire government on their side in the latest celebrity vs. paparazzi skirmish as they await the birth of their child in seclusion at a resort in Namibia. The Namibian Embassy in Pretoria tells journalists seeking visas for Namibia to …

LOS ANGELES – Dennis Farina is turning in his “Law & Order” badge. Farina has decided to leave his role as New York police Detective Joe Fontana after two seasons on the NBC drama to pursue other offers and projects being developed by his production company, his spokeswoman, Lori De …

SAVAR, Bangladesh – Textile workers demanding better pay and working conditions went on a rampage Monday at an industrial zone near the Bangladeshi capital, setting fire to two factories and several buses, police and witnesses said. At least 100 people, including several police, were hurt when factory guards and riot …

ROME – The justice minister has refused to send to the United States a request for the arrest and extradition of 22 purported CIA agents accused of kidnapping an Egyptian cleric from a Milan street in 2003, the ministry said Wednesday. Justice Minister Roberto Castelli told prosecutors who have accused …