CAPE TOWN, 10 March 2010 (Health-e) - Human rights groups have called for political leaders to fulfil their commitments towards universal access for antiretroviral (ARV) treatment and keep their promises.

PRETORIA, 9 March 2010 (MRD) - SAfAIDS with support from MDG3 in partnership with Oxfam Novib, HIVOS and KIT will be hosting a regional conference on the strategic linkages between HIV, gender and culture.

GENEVA, 9 March 2010 (Global Fund) - Global Fund-supported programmes have played a key role in recent progress in the global fight against TB, the Fund's latest results report finds. TB prevalence in many countries is declining, and the international target of halving TB prevalence could be met by 2015 if the current rate of scaling up investment is maintained. The Fund also projects that virtual elimination of mother to child HIV transmissions by 2015 is now within reach, if current rates of progress by Global Fund-supported programs are maintained; and that malaria may be eliminated as a public health problem within a decade in most countries where it is endemic.

CAPE TOWN, 8 March 2010 (Telegraph) - As many as 40,000 women could enter South Africa to work as sex workers during this year's football World Cup, officials have warned. The host nation is tightening border controls ahead of a predicted influx of sex workers hoping to ply their trade with fans during the month-long tournament.

GENEVA, 8 March 2010 (IAS) - As the HIV pandemic continues to exact an increasing toll on women and children, the International AIDS Society (IAS) and 15 other leading public and private sector organizations have released a comprehensive new research agenda designed to significantly advance global responses to HIV in women and children.