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13,000 plus wild birds in Alaska tested, no bird flu found

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns and Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne has announced that their departments and the State of Alaska have tested more than 13,000 wild migratory birds for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in Alaska.

30 Aug 2006

New initiative to provide nutritional assistance to people in Ethiopia living with HIV/AIDS

About 54,000 people in Ethiopia living with or affected by HIV/AIDS will receive nutritional assistance from the U.N. World Food Programme under a new agreement announced Tuesday, the Daily Monitor/AllAfrica.com reports.

30 Aug 2006

HIV/AIDS is affecting the democratic process in Namibia

According to the report, HIV/AIDS is reducing the number of people who vote in elections, thus affecting the electoral process.

30 Aug 2006

South Carolina's HIV/AIDS problem is an enormous one

South Carolina's HIV/AIDS "problem is an enormous one," and state lawmakers "need to review the programs that fund HIV treatment" in the state, a Columbia State editorial says.

30 Aug 2006

XVI International AIDS conference characterized by 'guarded optimism'

The XVI International AIDS Conference, which was held Aug. 13 through Aug. 18 in Toronto, was characterized by "guarded optimism," the Los Angeles Times reports.

30 Aug 2006

California Senate happy to allow groups to distribute condoms to prison inmates

The California Senate on Thursday voted 22-16 to approve a bill (AB 1677) that would allow not-for-profit or public health organizations to distribute devices - such as condoms or dental dams - that can protect against sexually transmitted infections to the state's 162,000 prison inmates, the AP/San Jose Mercury News reports (Young, AP/San Jose Mercury News, 8/24).

30 Aug 2006

U.S. Senator Obama takes public HIV test during visit to Kenya

U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who for two weeks as part of a congressional delegation is traveling throughout Africa, on Saturday publicly took an HIV test to help combat the stigma surrounding the virus, the Chicago Sun-Times reports (Sweet, Chicago Sun-Times, 8/27).

30 Aug 2006

New York Times profiles Clinton's role in fight against HIV/AIDS

The New York Times on Tuesday profiled former President Clinton's role in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa, as well as in the rest of the world.

30 Aug 2006

Chinese scientists come up with safe and effective bird flu vaccine

According to official reports a bird flu vaccine for humans developed by Chinese researchers has proven to be both safe and effective.

29 Aug 2006

Fight against HIV/AIDS highlights interdependency of developed, developing nations

The global fight against HIV/AIDS highlights a "wider argument" about development issues, namely that the "prospects for advance in poor countries depend not just on programs launched within their borders, but also on programs launched in the rich world," a Washington Post editorial says.

28 Aug 2006

Sen. Rodham Clinton should allow passage of new formula to reauthorize Ryan White care act

While former President Clinton attended the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) was "hard at work with her own AIDS effort, albeit significantly more political and less noble," a Washington Times editorial says.

28 Aug 2006

African Life Assurance launches AIDS assurance policy in Zambia

African Life Assurance has launched an AIDS assurance policy in Zambia that will allow companies in the country to provide their employees living with HIV/AIDS access to affordable antiretroviral treatment for the rest of their lives, according to Zambia's Post, Xinhua/People's Daily reports.

28 Aug 2006

Taiwan launches new HIV prevention campaign

The Taiwan AIDS Foundation in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Taipei North Star has launched an HIV prevention campaign that aims to educate people about HIV/AIDS in light of the upcoming Chinese Valentine's Day holiday, the China Post reports.

28 Aug 2006

Waterborne infectious diseases could soon be consigned to history

Waterborne infectious diseases, which bring death and illness to millions of people around the world, could largely be consigned to history by 2015 if global health partnerships integrate their programmes, according to Alan Fenwick writing in Science.

28 Aug 2006