Experts called today for urgent work on HIV-killing gels that could help protect women who are unable to rely on condoms, and Nelson Mandela told the world not to ignore tuberculosis in its battle against AIDS.

Former South African president Nelson Mandela has called for stepped up efforts to control tuberculosis, saying the fight against AIDS is incomplete without targeting the lung disease.

The United States today urged its legions of detractors to end their bickering over condoms and drug patents and join with Washington in a global partnership to fight Aids.

The US, facing accusations of being tightfisted and of bullying developing countries in the fight against Aids, is defending its policies by citing a $15bn (€12.1bn) presidential initiative over five years to help millions of HIV sufferers worldwide.

France today accused the US of bullying poor countries into ceding rights to make cheap generic AIDS drugs.

About 100 noisy Aids activists carrying mock corpses disrupted a speech by the head of Pfizer, accusing multi-national drug firms of denying lifesaving drugs to HIV sufferers by charging inflated prices.

SCIENTISTS, activists and policymakers yesterday touted condoms as a trusted weapon in the fight against Aids, dismissing President George Bush’s policy of abstinence as a “serious setback” in global efforts to control the pandemic.

Scientists, activists and policymakers today touted condoms as a trusted weapon in the fight against AIDS, dismissing President George Bush’s policy of abstinence as a “serious setback” in global efforts to control the pandemic.

The Ugandan leader credited with slashing HIV rates in his country insisted today that abstinence and loving relationships in marriage are crucial to fighting Aids.

Thailand gave out condoms at airport lobbies, tollbooths and restaurants to showcase its frontline defence against HIV at today’s start of a week-long Aids meeting focused on getting treatment to the 38 million victims of history’s biggest epidemic.

In another grim report on the evolution of the global Aids pandemic, experts estimated today that the number of children in the developing world orphaned by the disease will increase from 13.4 million today to 25 million in the next eight years.

A potential Aids vaccine could be ready within five years, the International Aids Conference in Barcelona was due to hear today.