- 300-kilo WWI bomb removed in Belgrade
- Zelensky in US to explain war plan to Biden, Harris, Trump
- 'Atrocious' Sudan war pushing refugees further afield: UNHCR chief
- 'Convergence' growing on global plastics treaty: UN environment chief
- MLB White Sox fall to Padres to match one-season loss mark
- All-Australian Ripper squad captures LIV Golf team crown
- Barnier promises compromise from France's embattled new govt
- Zelensky arrives in US to explain war plan to Biden
- Barca rout Villarreal but Ter Stegen hurt, Atletico draw at Rayo
- Darnold shines for Vikings, Steelers and Eagles win
- Atletico held to draw at Rayo Vallecano
- Marseille stun Lyon with 95th-minute winner after early red card
- Gabbia ends AC Milan's derby pain with late winner against Inter
- Surging Ko claims LPGA Queen City crown in spectacular style
- 'Impossible': Alcaraz shoots down Federer comparisons after Laver Cup win
- Scholz's party beats far-right AfD in east German state vote
- Verstappen says 'silly' swearing row could hasten F1 exit
- Calls for Israel and Hezbollah to step back from the abyss
- Israel and Hezbollah urged to avoid 'catastrophe'
- Colombia battles fires as drought fuels Latin American flames
- Pressure piles on new French government from day one
- Arteta proud as Arsenal salvage point from 'impossible' task
- Barca rout Villarreal in thriller but Ter Stegen hurt
- Roma stroll past Udinese as fans protest De Rossi sacking
- Horschel outduels McIlroy to win PGA Championship play-off
- Audiences summon 'Beetlejuice' to top of N. America box office for third week
- Stones salvages point for Man City against 10-man Arsenal
- Egypt fears 'all out' regional war: foreign minister to AFP
- Last-gasp Boniface gives Leverkusen victory, Stuttgart outclass Dortmund
- Scholz's party beats far-right AfD in east German state vote: projections
- Olympic champion Evenepoel retains world title in 'toughest time trial'
- Horschel's eagle beats McIlroy in PGA Championship play-off
- Mourners at commander's funeral express loyalty to Hezbollah
- Norris hails his 'mega' McLaren after dominant win at Singapore
- Monaco beat Le Havre to join PSG at the top of Ligue 1
- Scholz's party narrowly leads far-right AfD in east German state vote: exit polls
- New leftist president vows to 'rewrite Sri Lankan history'
- UN adopts pact to tackle volatile future for mankind
- Leclerc hails Ferrari fightback from torrid Singapore GP qualifying
- Belgian Evenepoel retains world title in 'toughest time trial'
- Sosa rescues point for Forest against Brighton
- Last-gasp Boniface gives Leverkusen victory over Wolfsburg in seven-goal thriller
- Swiss voters reject environment, pensions reforms: official results
- No fairytale ending for Ricciardo after 13 years in Formula One
- Israel and Hezbollah urged to step back from the brink
- What is the UN's 'Pact for the Future'?
- Norris dominates Singapore Grand Prix to cut Verstappen's title lead
- From bullets to ballots: Sri Lanka's comrade president-elect
- McLaren's Lando Norris wins Singapore GP to narrow F1 title race
- UN adopts pact promising to build 'brighter future' for humanity
AU to push renewal of US AIDS plan: Africa CDC boss
The African Union's health watchdog said on Sunday the continent's leaders will "send a strong message" for the renewal of the main US programme aimed at reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Launched in 2003, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, is a major funder of HIV testing, counselling and life-saving treatment worldwide.
The programme until recently has enjoyed near universal support in the US Congress.
But lawmakers have failed formally to renew the scheme for another five years due to the hot-button US issue of abortion.
African leaders "will send a strong message for the re-authorisation of PEPFAR", said Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
"We need to accelerate this agenda. Statistics are showing us that everyday young people are affected," he told reporters on the sidelines of the AU summit in Addis Ababa.
"Losing our young people means killing our economy and stopping our development."
The programme, launched by former US president George W. Bush, contributes $16 billion each year for Africa's anti-AIDS response, Kaseya said.
It has been credited with saving millions of lives but health advocates worry that cutting back aid is putting those gains at risk.
The United Nations says the HIV prevention response is 90 percent short of the amount needed by 2025.
As of 2022, there are 39 million people around the world living with HIV, according to the UN AIDS agency. Of them, 20.8 million are in eastern and southern Africa.
But out of the 39 million, 9.2 million do not have access to life-saving treatment. Those missing out include more than 600,000 children.
The UN first set out in 2015 the target of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
Kaseya said Africa was still on course to achieve that target, adding that the continent would organise a summit later this year to discuss funding.
"We are committed to this agenda and will do our best," he said.
Without re-authorisation, PEPFAR will not automatically end, with funding still in the pipeline, but supporters say that health providers and other donor nations need assurances on long-term US commitment.
Y.Aukaiv--AMWN