A response to IRIN/PlusNews list of six potholes in the road to significantly increasing HIV treatment coverage in Africa.
1. Cost:
The Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has estimated that US$ 28 billion to US$ 50 billion would be needed globally every year from 2010 to 2015 in order to progressively reach universal access targets for HIV/AIDS by 2015. One-third of this will contribute towards the cost of the drugs.
The figure may sound “staggering” but it needs to be put in perspective with a few other figures such as:

The cost of …

It is confirmed. His Madness Benedict XVI will be visiting the United Kingdom at the invitation of PM Gordon Brown. This will be the first papal visit since another controversial catholic leader, John Paul II, came in 1982.

The frock does not make the man

The announcement came with a stern critic of the forthcoming Equality Bill that would remove the exemption given to the Catholic Church not to comply with anti-discrimination laws, particularly in the area of employment and adoption.
The Catholic Church is naturally entitled to have its own views and …

Lost Decade Gays

It used to be simple: there were the Gay ones and the Rest (though the Rest would have said that “there was us and the Gay guy next door”). But starting at the end of the “sleepy 50s” to climax by the end of the “Glorious 30s” (1945-1975), a sexual revolution had happened and had revealed a world of sexualities.
It was no coincidence that the “Lost Decade” (1980-1990) inaugurated by the abandon of state-led development policies in favour of Neo-liberalism was also the starting point of the tragic …

With same-sex marriage defeats in New York and New Jersey, and gay marriage currently on trial in California it’s time to play “whose marriage is it”. All you have to do is say “gay or straight”. Now you are in the hot seat!
Another brilliant instalment from Mark Fiore.

Rating 3.00 out of 5

French MP Christian Vanneste triggered a flurry of outraged reactions whilst participating in a talk show on French TV channel France 5. Invited to represent the traditional views on family in a debate on homoparentality following the decision by a French court to give parental rights to both partners in a lesbian couple, Mr. Vanneste showed how entrenched homophobia and pernicious and distorted views on homosexuality still exist in a modern country such as France in the 21st century.
On homosexual couples, M. Vanneste said: “Also, it must be said that …