Free Republic

The new pledges, timed to coincide with the opening in Thailand of the six-day 15th International AIDS Conference, came as a new opinion poll showed the Massachusetts senator widening his lead over President George W. Bush (news - web sites). Kerry welcomed the upcoming conference and promised to work with US international partners, faith-based and non-governmental organizations to strengthen the world's capacity for a sustained response to the AIDS epidemic. But in his statement, he also made a commitment that is likely to draw more fire from conservative groups insisting on tighter immigration requirements. "I will work with Congress to...

Actor Richard Gere has criticised American President George Bush's policy to combat AIDs during an international conference. He said the £100 billion to £150 billion spent on the Iraq campaign "probably could have eradicated this illness", the star of Pretty Woman and Chicago said. Supporters of Mr Bush's abstinence policy also came in for criticism for trying to tackle the spread of AIDs. Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni told delegates at the AIDs conference in Bangkok...