First AIDS conference
The week's news at a glance.
Durban, South Africa
Demonstrators booed South Africa’s health minister this week as the country held its first national conference on the AIDS crisis. Activists blamed Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang for refusing to provide public hospitals with anti-retroviral drugs. Tshabalala-Msimang says the drugs, the only medicines proven to be effective in treating AIDS, are dangerous and expensive. She said the public clamor for their introduction was the result of “a foreign agenda” set by drug companies. South Africa has 4.7 million people infected with HIV, nearly 11 percent of the population. Life expectancy there has dropped from 59.9 years in 1990 to a projected 45.2 in 2005. Activists say AIDS kills 600 South Africans a day.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
‘A legacy news brand brings a visibility of its own’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
8 of the best ‘cozy crime’ series of all time
The Week Recommends Murder mysteries don’t necessarily have to make us miserable, and these shows have perfected a feel-good crime formula
-
Youth revolts rattle Morocco as calls against corruption grow louder
THE EXPLAINER Snowballing controversy over World Cup construction and civic services has become a serious threat to Morocco’s political stability