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
Subscribe to 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.
-
Magazine solutions - July 4, 2025 / July 11, 2025
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - July 4, 2025 / July 11, 2025
-
Magazine printables - July 4, 2025 / July 11, 2025
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - July 4, 2025 / July 11, 2025
-
Controversial GOP plan to sell millions of federal acres hits major roadblock
IN THE SPOTLIGHT Republican Sen. Mike Lee says he'll revisit legislation to sell millions of acres of federally held land to create 'freedom zones' of single family homes