Wall Street Journal: House Subcommittee Passes Bill to Fund AIDS Treatment
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health approved a bill that would permanently reauthorize a federal assistance program for low-income HIV and AIDS patients, in hopes of getting the bill signed into law before the program expires at the end of the month. According to the Wall Street Journal, the bill would allow the government to award about $2.5 billion annually to people with the immunodeficiency disease.

Xinhua: Chinese, African women pledge cooperation in addressing challenges
Chinese women delegates and their 110 counterparts from 29 African countries expressed confidence in collaborated efforts to fight poverty, gender inequality and cope with global challenges on Wednesday at a forum in Cairo. During the forum, delegates discussed topics including women’s role in promoting Sino-African political and social dialogues, cooperation in response to the current global economic crisis, as well as women and the Millennium Development Goals.

Business Day (South Africa): IMMUNOLOGY: Taking aim at a weighty TB target
Business Day explores the Tuberculosis epidemic thriving in Africa and the findings of a new study, which indicates that the typical dose of a medication considered pivotal in treating TB effectively is “much too low to account for modern-day physiques.” With the World Health Organization having designated TB as a “disease of poverty affective young adults in their most productive years,” this study’s key findings are vital to developing a more effective treatment strategy. TB is also the leading cause of death among people infected with HIV/AIDS.

AllAfrica.com: Battle Against Malaria Intensifies
The Zambian Health Minister flagged off the distribution of 300,000 insecticide treated nets (ITNs) on Tuesday worth more than US$1.5 million in Southern, Eastern and Northern provinces to help fight malaria. Implemented by a consortium of NGOs, the ITN program in Zambia has expanded greatly over the past five years and is proving successful, particularly after the government launched a door-to-door campaign to increase distribution and usage.

The Washington Informer: Secretary of State Clinton Speaks at the U.S. – Africa Business Summit
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke at the Seventh Biennial U.S. – Africa Business Summit Summit about the significance of U.S.– African relations and articulated a new engagement strategy built on “shared opportunity and shared responsibility” for the continent. Clinton urged U.S. companies to move beyond the past stereotypes of Africa as a continent dominated by corruption and poverty, to a more diverse and dynamic one built on good governance, stable markets, and economic opportunity.

Reuters: Doha best hope for services trade reform:Lamy
World trade talks, although slow moving, offer the best hope of expanding global markets for finance, shipping and other big service sectors, the head of the World Trade Organization said on Wednesday. According to Reuters, The slow pace of the Doha round, and the intense focus on agriculture and manufacturing issues in those talks, recently has prompted U.S. service companies to look at other initiatives for expanding international trade, a move which WTO officials say will be ineffective in the long-term.