World Aids Day

According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 33.2 million people living with HIV, including 2.5 million children. During 2007 some 2.5 million people became newly infected with the virus. Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35.
Around 95% of people with HIV/AIDS live in developing nations. But HIV today is a threat to men, women and children on all continents around the world.
Started on 1st December 1988, World AIDS Day is about raising money, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education. World AIDS Day is important in reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done.

http://www.avert.org/worldaid.htm

World AIDS Day 2008:LEAD-EMPOWER-DELIVER
03/06/2008 9:07 am

Leadership is the theme for World AIDS Day 2007 and 2008, promoted with the campaigning slogan, “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise.”
Leadership encourages leaders at all levels to stop AIDS. Building on the 2006 theme of accountability, leadership highlights the discrepancy between the commitments that have been made to halt the spread of AIDS, and actions taken to follow them through. Leadership empowers everyone – individuals, organisations, governments – to lead in the response to AIDS.
In 2007, people around the world were encouraged to take the lead to stop AIDS. Campaigns took the shape of marches, leadership discussions, public awareness events and pledges from leaders. These events all helped to put leadership in the spotlight.
People have offered their leadership – now it is time to deliver. Promises must be kept, and people must feel empowered to act.
Why is 2008 important?
2008 marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. Since 1988, the face and response to AIDS has greatly changed. While many of these changes are positive, this anniversary offers us an opportunity to highlight how much more still needs to be done.
For example:
Leaders in most countries from around the world now acknowledge the threat of AIDS, and many have committed to do something about it. As of 2007, nearly all countries have national policies on HIV. However, despite these policies, most have not been fully implemented and many lack funding allocations.
While treatment for HIV and AIDS has improved and become more widespread since 1988, many still do not have access to it – in 2007 only 31% of those in low- to middle-income countries who need treatment received it.
Despite HIV awareness now reaching nearly all areas of the globe, infection rates are still happening 2.7 times faster than the increase in number of people receiving treatment.
While the number of countries protecting people living with HIV continue to increase, one third of countries still lack legal protections and stigma and discrimination continues to be a major threat to universal access.
More broadly, real action on HIV and AIDS and human rights remains lacking. Legal barriers to HIV services still exist for groups such as women, adolescents, sex workers, people who use drugs, and men having sex with men, and programmatic responses promoting HIV-related human rights have yet to be prioritised.
World AIDS Day began in 1988 when health ministers from around the world met and agreed on the concept of the day as an opportunity for all of us to come together to demonstrate the importance of AIDS and show solidarity for the cause. In 2008, this underlining principle of solidarity and awareness remains the same.
We have only two years to go for “the goal of universal access to comprehensive prevention programmes, treatment, care and support by 2010”[1].”
To achieve this goal, leadership and action is needed now. Governments must deliver on the promises they have made. Communities must encourage leadership of its members. Individuals must feel empowered to access treatment, to know their rights and take action against stigma and discrimination, and to know and use methods of prevention against receiving and transmitting HIV.
Now, more than ever is the time to lead – empower – deliver.
For more information on the theme of leadership, click here.
To see the 2008 World AIDS Day posters and materials,

http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/static/en/Key-events/World-AIDS-Day/World-AIDS-Day-2008/Lead-Empower-Deliver/

Obama says thank you!

Obama says thank you!
You proved that change can happen. You built an unprecedented grassroots organization in all 50 states that brought a record number of people into the political process -- many for the first time, many for the first time in a long time.
Our success required unprecedented resources, and our the Democratic National Committee played a major role on the ground efforts that generated record turnout up and down the ticket.

What Obama is saying about Foreign Policy

Secure loose nuclear materials from terrorists:
Obama and Biden will secure all loose nuclear materials in the world within four years, and will negotiate a verifiable global ban on the production of new nuclear weapons material to curb the spread of nuclear weapons.
Barack Obama will pursue tough, direct diplomacy without preconditions to end the threat from Iran:
Obama and Biden will present the Iranian regime with a clear choice. If Iran abandons its nuclear program and support for terrorism, they would offer incentives like membership in the World Trade Organization. If Iran continues its troubling behavior, Obama and Biden will step up our economic pressure and political isolation.
Renew American diplomacy:
Obama and Biden will renew American diplomacy to meet the challenges of the 21st century. They will rebuild our alliances. And they would be willing to meet with all nations, friend and foe, to advance American interests.

For more information go to:

http://www.barackobama.com/index.php

Nelson Mandela and Desmond tutu congratulate Obama

Nelson Mandela and Desmond tutu congratulate Obama
November 05, 2008, 12:15.
SABCNEWS.COM

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and former president Nelson Mandela have joined Americans and people around the world in congratulating Democrat Senator Barack Obama on being elected as the first-ever African-American president.Tutu also congratulated Obama and his partner Joe Biden on their election victory. He says the victory is almost similar to that of South Africans when Nelson Mandela became the first black South African President in 1994. Tutu says the win shows that change is possible in the world. Obama will be sworn in as America's 44th president in January. In a letter to Obama, Mandela says his victory demonstrates that no one in the world should not dare to dream of wanting to change the world for a better place. He has applauded Obama's commitment to supporting world peace and security. Madiba has also expressed the hope that Obama will make it his mission to combat poverty and disease everywhere
To get more about the story go to SABCNEWS site:
http://www.sabcnews.com/south_africa/general/0,2172,179393,00.html

Obama's victory brings a new dawn of leadership

Obama's victory brings a new dawn of leadership
JONATHAN FREEDLAND - Nov 05 2008 11:56

The man who once described himself as a "skinny kid with a funny name" stood before a vast, euphoric crowd -- and a watching world -- and in a speech that was by turns sombre and inspirational, took upon his shoulders the great weight of leadership of the United States of America.

To find more about the story go to Mail & Guardian site :
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2008-11-05-obamas-victory-brings-a-new-dawn-of-leadership

Obama victory highlights need for change: Shikota

Obama victory highlights need for change: Shikota
November 05, 2008, 14:30
The Lekota-Shilowa political party says US President-elect, Barack Obama's landslide victory, signifies the strength of the will of people hungry for change. In a congratulatory statement, Mosiuoa Lekota says the victory also demonstrates that in a democracy, people had the power to change the course of history. Lekota has praised Obama's promotion of the value system, which includes human decency and respect and protection of the environment. Labour federation Cosatu has described Obama's victory as a huge step forward in the battle to defeat racism and discrimination in the United States and around the world.
For more about the story go to:
http://www.sabcnews.com/politics/the_parties/0,2172,179400,00.html

Hummer man, sex worms a myth

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2402104,00.html
Hummer man, sex worms a myth30/09/2008 14:00 - (SA)

Oris Mnisi & Thandy Ndlovu

Polokwane - Limpopo health officials have denied rumours that a growing number of women are seeking treatment for worms in their vaginas.
Rumours are doing the rounds that, in the past two months, a man driving a black Hummer has slept with and infected women from Phalaborwa to Polokwane, Mankweng, Mokopane.
"We are very concerned about these malicious rumours because curious people are flocking to our health facilities to catch a glimpse of these non-existent patients," said provincial health spokesperson Phuti Seloba.
He said some people arrive with R30 and ask hospital staff to buy liver with it, because they've heard that if the liver is placed on the woman's vagina, it will draw out the worms.
"We would really like to inform people that we do not have such patients in our hospitals - either now or in the past," said Seloba.
Instead, he reminded the public to practise safe sex by wearing a condom as part of the Zinthande (love yourself) campaign.
"The campaign is aimed to ensure that people manage and control the number of sexual partners they have in a lifetime. It is critical that people not wake up in bed with strangers," he said.
Limpopo police spokesperson Superintendent Moatshe Ngoepe said that while police had heard rumours of the Hummer man, no one had come forward to open a case against him.
"People have been talking about this Hummer man but they don't report him and there's no clear description of him," said Ngoepe.
Ngoepe urged anyone with more solid information about the man to go to their nearest police station.
- African Eye