Anand, India | AFP | At a hostel for dozens of pregnant women, impoverished widow Sharmila Mackwan weighs up her decision to carry twins for another couple — her only ticket out of poverty — as the government moves to close India’s multi-million dollar surrogacy industry. She has left her …
Read More »Q&A: Bill Gates on why disease fight is tough but progress is ‘incredible’
Montreal, Canada | AFP | Through his foundation, billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates is the top nongovernmental donor to the Global Fund against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, with plans to give $600 million between 2017-2019. In an interview with AFP, Gates said the Global Fund’s successes have given him hope, even …
Read More »Global Fund collects $13 bln to end AIDS, malaria, TB by 2030
Montreal, Canada | AFP | An international donor conference in Montreal reached its goal of raising $13 billion for the fight to eradicate AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria by 2030, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday. “Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great Honour to announce that for the fifth …
Read More »At Canada conference, $13 billion sought for AIDS, malaria fight
Montreal, Canada | AFP | International donors gather in Montreal this weekend with a goal of raising another $13 billion for the fight to eradicate AIDS and two other major deadly diseases — tuberculosis and malaria — by 2030. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is chairing the conference, held every …
Read More »Traders selling dangerously dirty fuel across Africa
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | European oil companies, especially Swiss commodity traders, are exploiting weak African fuel standards by selling toxic diesel and gasoline across the continent, a campaign group said Thursday. A three-year investigation published by Switzerland-based environmental and economic group Public Eye did not accuse oil companies of …
Read More »Prostate cancer options show little difference in survival
Miami, United States | AFP | Men with localized prostate cancer were unlikely to die in the 10 years after diagnosis regardless of whether they chose surgery, radiation or no intervention at all, researchers said Wednesday. The findings in the New England Journal of Medicine included more than 1,600 men …
Read More »Who says you need an egg to create an embryo?
Paris, France | AFP | We all grow up to accept certain unassailable facts: water is wet, the Earth is round, and to produce a baby you need an egg and sperm. As it turns out, the last of these may turn out not to be true. On Tuesday, scientists …
Read More »Drug tests get boost after scientists find Zika-infected monkey
Paris, France | AFP | Scientists said Monday they had found a suitable animal model for testing new Zika drugs — a monkey whose offspring suffers brain damage similar to human foetuses exposed to the virus. One monkey, a pregnant pigtail macaque, was infected with Zika on day 119 of …
Read More »What happens if a US presidential candidate drops out?
Washington, United States | AFP | What happens if a candidate for the White House is forced to quit the race? Who steps up to fill their shoes? It’s a question suddenly in the spotlight Monday as Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton battles a case of pneumonia that left her feeling …
Read More »Clinton says ‘feeling fine,’ will resume campaigning soon
Washington, United States | AFP | Hillary Clinton said Monday she was “feeling fine” a day after she fell ill with pneumonia, and that she was eager to jump back onto the campaign trail in her battle against Donald Trump. “I’m feeling fine and getting better,” Clinton posted on Twitter, …
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