More US Aids funds but massive
defence spending
The US Senate last month approved a $16.35 billion foreign aid bill, including
$750 million to stem the spread of Aids. Meanwhile the US Senate approved
a huge increase in defence expenditure in early August with a $35 billion
annual increase to a record $350 billion (£225 billion) for next
year as rumours persist about President Bush's plans to invade Iraq.
Niger sociologist comes
out on TV
A well-known sociologist has come out as HIV positive on television in
Niger and done much to break the taboo surrounding the disease. "We
must break the wall of silence to fight Aids," said Salifou Ibrahim,
adding that the "media and hospitals are not well informed."
Aids remains a taboo subject in the predominantly Muslim west African
country. Islamic clerics view the disease as punishment for sinners and
adulterers and government officials have even denied its existence.
Call to boycott holidays in Florida
ACT UP Miami is calling on lesbian and gay travellers to boycott the sunshine
state in protests at cutbacks in support programmes for people living
with the virus. Activists are protesting at a $10 million cutback in funding
to people housebound with the disease in the state. ACT UP say Florida,
which has the third highest rate of HIV infection in the USA, is "in
a state of denial...Instead of lining the pockets of bar, hotel and club
owners...shouldn't gays be looking out for other gays who are sick?"
TV detective is Indian Aids educator
Britain's Department of International Development is funding Aids education
on state-run TV in India using a popular detective character. 'Detective
Vijay', produced by the BBC World Service, will present India's first
TV drama aimed at teaching ordinary people about HIV and Aids. In the
first episode of the cliffhanger serial, a turbaned villager tells Vijay
that he has heard that Aids can be
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spread by mosquito bites, but the detective hero explains that the virus spreads mostly through unprotected sex.
