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World AIDS Day: A Look at the Fight Against the Global Pandemic
CDC: AIDS the Leading Cause of Death Among African American
Women Aged 25-44
Hampton Univ. Students Face Disciplinary Action for Anti-Bush
Walkout
NYU Grad Student Strike: A Debate On the Rights of Students
to Unionize
World AIDS Day: A Look at the Fight Against the Global
Pandemic
The 18th annual World AIDS Day was observed yesterday around
the theme "Stop AIDS, Keep the Promise." The World
Health Organization estimates that 3.1 million people worldwide
will die of AIDS this year including 500,000 children and
a recent UN AIDS report showed that the number of people living
with HIV has topped 40 million for the first time. We speak
with the Center for Health and Gender Equity. [includes rush
transcript]
The 18th annual World AIDS Day was observed yesterday around
the theme "Stop AIDS, Keep the Promise." AIDS organizations
across the globe are urging governments and the international
community to remain committed to fighting the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
The groups are focusing on holding political leaders accountable
for previous commitments to HIV/AIDS prevention. They are
especially interested in enforcing pledges world leaders made
at this year's G8 Summit to ensure universal access to AIDS
treatment by 2010.
The World Health Organization estimates that 3.1 million
people worldwide will die of AIDS this year including 500,000
children. Earlier this month, a UN AIDS report was released
showing that the number of people living with HIV has topped
40 million for the first time. Sub-Saharan Africa remains
home to more than half of those with HIV, but infection rates
have spiked all over the world.
In India, at least 4.5 million people live with HIV. This
is the most in any country outside of South Africa. Latin
America saw a record number of new infections. And the U.S.,
Canada and Europe also witnessed an increase in infections.
One million people in the U.S now live with HIV with at least
35,000 infections occurring this year.
Governments across the world announced initiatives and programs
to address the crisis. The African state of Lesotho, which
has one of the highest infection rates in the world, launched
the world's first door-to-door HIV testing service. India's
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called for people to shed inhibitions
and start discussing sex in an effort to increase AIDS awareness.
President George Bush stressed the US "ABC" policy
in a press conference Thursday. This stands for abstinence,
being faithful and using a condom. He also touted U.S efforts
to combat HIV abroad.
- President Bush, Washington DC, December 1, 2005.
For more on World AIDS Day we speak with the Center for Health
and Gender Equity
CDC: AIDS the Leading Cause of Death Among African
American Women Aged 25-44
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
68% of women who contract AIDS are black. The CDC also reported
AIDS was a leading cause of death among black women ages 25
to 44. We speak with the National Coalition of One Hundred
Black Women. [includes rush
transcript]
In the US, African-Americans make up nearly 13% of the population
but accounted for 51% of new HIV diagnoses in 2004. This according
to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And
68% of women who contract AIDS are black. The CDC also reported
AIDS was a leading cause of death among black women ages 25
to 44.
At the 2004 Vice Presidential debates, moderator Gwen Ifil
asked the candidates about this crisis in the African-American
community.
- Excerpt of 2004 Vice Presidential Debate.
Yesterday, AIDS activists and those living with HIV spoke
at the Human Rights Campaign press conference in Washington
D.C.
- Courtney Snowden, HIV/AIDS acitivist.
We speak with the National Coalition of One Hundred Black
Women.
Hampton Univ. Students Face Disciplinary Action for
Anti-Bush Walkout
Seven students at Hampton University in Virginia face disciplinary
action for staging a walkout during the World Can't Wait day
of action against the Bush administration one month ago. Shortly
before they appear before a disciplanary hearing today, we
speak with one of the walkout's main organizers. [includes
rush
transcript]
A month ago today, 20 students at this historically black
college staged a walkout as part of the World Can't Wait day
of action protesting the Bush administration.
The students began handing out fliers and information on
the Iraq war and the government's response to Hurricane Katrina
disaster. Then armed university police shut down the protest.
But that is only the beginning of the story. Two and half
weeks later, the college sent letters to seven of the students
ordering them to attend a hearing disciplinary hearing. They
were accused of for violating several statutes of the student
code of student conduct cajoling or proselytizing students;
"distributing and/or posting unauthorized information",
and "violating the administrative guidelines for student
demonstrations."
The maximum penalty was severe: expulsion. The hearings are
scheduled to take place this morning. After public outcry
from around the country, the university announced yesterday
the students will not be expelled. But it remains unclear
how they will be disciplined.
- Bryan Ogilvie, sophomore at Hampton University in Virginia
majoring in entrepreneurship. He is a member of the school's
Progressive Student Alliance.
NYU Grad Student Strike: A Debate On the Rights of
Students to Unionize
The New York University graduate student strike has entered
its 24th day. On November 9th, some of the school's graduate
student teaching and research assistants went on strike in
an effort to force the school to recognize the graduate student
union. We host a debate between Michael Palm, chair of the
student union, and Paul Boghossian, professor of philosophy
who is representing the administration. [includes rush
transcript]
Earlier this week, N.Y.U. President John Sexton threatened
to block any striking student from receiving financial stipends
next semester or the eligibility to teach courses if they
continued striking after this coming Monday. Sexton wrote,
"The time has come for the university to insist that
the academic needs of its undergraduates be met... Such disruption
must not continue."
The strike has gained the attention of the national labor
movement. AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and Ron Gettelfinger,
the president of the United Auto Workers, are both expected
to attend a rally today outside the N.Y.U. library at noon.
For years, N.Y.U. has been at the forefront of a nationwide
struggle to organize graduate student assistants. In 2000,
the National Labor Relations Board gave the N.Y.U. students
the right to unionize making N.Y.U. the first private university
to have a graduate student employee union. The students are
on strike because earlier this year the school stopped recognizing
the union after the labor board reversed its policy on graduate
student unions.
- Michael Palm, chairperson of the Graduate Student Organizing
Committee at New York University.
- Paul Boghossian, a professor of Philosophy at New York
University.
New York City Indymedia has more coverage
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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