By CHINEDU ASADU and ANNIE RISEMBERG Associated Press
Footage obtained by The Associated Press of a cruise ship in a rare-virus outbreak shows deserted decks and medical teams in protective gear as the vessel and its nearly 150 passengers and crew waited another day for help off West Africa. Officials say three passengers have died, and at least four people are sick. Authorities say the outbreak involves hantavirus, which usually spreads by inhaling contaminated rodent droppings. Two cases are confirmed. Passengers are isolating in cabins. The vessel is in the Atlantic off Cape Verde. Officials say it plans to move to Spain's Canary Islands after medical evacuations. But Spanish officials said earlier Tuesday that they haven't made a decision.
A new U.N. AIDS agency report says the sudden withdrawal of U.S. funding has caused a "systemic shock" to the global effort against AIDS and HIV. Years of American-led investment into AIDS programs has reduced the number of people killed by the disease to the lowest levels in more than three decades. U.S. aid has also bought lifesaving medicines for some of the world's most vulnerable people and rolled out testing and prevention services across Africa. The UNAIDS report released Thursday says if U.S. funding is not replaced it could lead to more than 4 million AIDS-related deaths and 6 million more HIV infections by 2029.
The head of the U.N. AIDS agency says the number of new HIV infections could jump more than six times by 2029 if American support of the biggest AIDS program is dropped. UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima warned that millions of people could die and more resistant strains of the disease could emerge. Since President Donald Trump's announcement the U.S. would freeze all foreign assistance for 90 days, Byanyima said officials estimate that by 2029, there could be 8.7 million people newly infected with HIV, a tenfold jump in AIDS-related deaths of 6.3 million and an additional 3.4 million children made orphans.
China appears to be keeping its distance as Russia and North Korea move closer to each other with a new defense pact that could tilt the balance of power among the three authoritarian states. Experts say Chinese leaders are likely fretting over a potential loss of influence over North Korea and how that could increase instability on the Korean Peninsula. Beijing so far has not commented on the deal and only reiterated boilerplate statements that it seeks to uphold peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and advance a political settlement of the North-South divide.
