Tag: Slowing

  • Distribution of US-backed HIV medications to poorest nations in flux after Trump order slowing foreign aid


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    During a 90-day foreign aid freeze, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued exemptions for life-saving humanitarian assistance, but the fate of HIV treatment for the world’s poorest nations remains uncertain.

    On his first day in office, President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day pause on any foreign assistance as agencies review to ensure they will not be “disbursed in a manner that is not fully aligned with the foreign policy” of the president.

    On Tuesday, contractors working with the U.S. Agency for International Development received memos to halt work immediately, sources told Reuters. That evening, Rubio exempted humanitarian assistance, which he defined as “core life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter, and subsistence assistance, as well as supplies and reasonable administrative costs as necessary to deliver such assistance,” according to the waiver seen by the Washington Post.

    The waiver didn’t explicitly mention the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, a global health program that includes HIV treatment, testing and prevention drug distribution across the world, according to the New York Times. The distribution of HIV medications seemed to be permitted under the waiver, but whether preventative HIV drugs and other services are allowed is not immediately clear.

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio approved a waiver exempting humanitarian assistance after President Donald Trump ordered a freeze on foreign aid — but HIV medications are still in flux.
    Secretary of State Marco Rubio approved a waiver exempting humanitarian assistance after President Donald Trump ordered a freeze on foreign aid — but HIV medications are still in flux. (REUTERS)

    The program, which began in 2003 under the George W. Bush administration, received $6.5 billion in government funding in 2024. If aid to the program is cut permanently, more than 20 million people across the globe living with HIV, including 560,000 children, around the world would no longer have access to life-saving treatment.

    Gumisayi Bonzo, director of a health nonprofit in Zimbabwe, told the Associated Press that stripping access to HIV medication would be life-altering.

    “I have been religiously taking medicines for over two decades, I am living a normal life again, and suddenly we have to stop,” she said. “That’s a death sentence for many people.”

    If treatments are interrupted, patients are more susceptible to getting sick and the disease could spread to others, Reuters reported. Inconsistent treatment could also lead to drug resistance.

    “We can very rapidly return to where the pandemic is exploding, like it was back in the 1980s,” Dr. Steve Deeks, an HIV expert at the University of California, San Francisco, told the New York Times. “This really cannot happen.”

    The program has nearly 200,000 providers; on average, they make around $3,000 per year, “making even short funding suspensions extremely difficult,” according to amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research.

    Each day, the program supports more than 222,000 people receiving treatments, according to amfAR. The program also supports hundreds of thousands of HIV tests, newly diagnosing 4,374 people with HIV every day, including pregnant women.

    “If H.I.V. testing falls by the wayside, it’s unlikely that we will be able to even diagnose people who need to go into treatment,” Dr. Glenda Gray, a pediatric HIV expert at Wits University in South Africa, told the Times.

    If pregnant women are unable to get tested, they could unknowingly pass the virus to their children.

    The World Health Organization, which Trump ordered the U.S.’s withdrawal from, called on the Trump administration to “enable additional exemptions to ensure the delivery of lifesaving HIV treatment and care.”

    The global health body warned of the consequences around the world and in America should PEPFAR funding be frozen: “A funding halt for HIV programs can put people living with HIV at immediate increased risk of illness and death and undermine efforts to prevent transmission in communities and countries. Such measures, if prolonged, could lead to rises in new infections and deaths, reversing decades of progress and potentially taking the world back to the 1980s and 1990s when millions died of HIV every year globally, including many in the United States of America.”



    The distribution of US-backed HIV medications to the poorest nations is facing uncertainty after a recent order by President Trump to slow down foreign aid. This decision has left many global health organizations and advocates worried about the future of HIV treatment in developing countries.

    The US has been a major contributor to the global fight against HIV/AIDS, providing billions of dollars in funding for medication and treatment programs in low-income countries. However, with the new directive to reduce foreign aid, many fear that crucial medications will not reach those in need.

    The distribution of US-backed medications is already a complex process, involving partnerships between government agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and non-profit organizations. Any disruption in funding or support could have devastating consequences for the millions of people living with HIV in the poorest nations.

    Global health advocates are calling on the Trump administration to reconsider its decision and prioritize funding for HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention programs. They argue that cutting foreign aid will not only harm those in need but also undermine the progress made in the fight against the epidemic.

    As the situation continues to unfold, it is crucial for the international community to come together and find solutions to ensure that HIV medications reach those who need them most. The health and well-being of millions of people are at stake, and we cannot afford to let political decisions jeopardize their access to life-saving treatment.

    Tags:

    1. US-backed HIV medications distribution
    2. Trump foreign aid order
    3. HIV medications for poorest nations
    4. Global health crisis
    5. Trump administration policy impact
    6. HIV treatment access
    7. International aid programs
    8. US foreign aid cuts
    9. Healthcare disparities
    10. Public health policy changes

    #Distribution #USbacked #HIV #medications #poorest #nations #flux #Trump #order #slowing #foreign #aid

  • Distribution of US-backed HIV medications to poorest nations in flux after Trump order slowing foreign aid


    Your support helps us to tell the story

    From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

    At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

    The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

    Your support makes all the difference.

    During a 90-day foreign aid freeze, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued exemptions for life-saving humanitarian assistance, but the fate of HIV treatment for the world’s poorest nations remains uncertain.

    On his first day in office, President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day pause on any foreign assistance as agencies review to ensure they will not be “disbursed in a manner that is not fully aligned with the foreign policy” of the president.

    On Tuesday, contractors working with the U.S. Agency for International Development received memos to halt work immediately, sources told Reuters. That evening, Rubio exempted humanitarian assistance, which he defined as “core life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter, and subsistence assistance, as well as supplies and reasonable administrative costs as necessary to deliver such assistance,” according to the waiver seen by the Washington Post.

    The waiver didn’t explicitly mention the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, a global health program that includes HIV treatment, testing and prevention drug distribution across the world, according to the New York Times. The distribution of HIV medications seemed to be permitted under the waiver, but whether preventative HIV drugs and other services are allowed is not immediately clear.

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio approved a waiver exempting humanitarian assistance after President Donald Trump ordered a freeze on foreign aid — but HIV medications are still in flux.
    Secretary of State Marco Rubio approved a waiver exempting humanitarian assistance after President Donald Trump ordered a freeze on foreign aid — but HIV medications are still in flux. (REUTERS)

    The program, which began in 2003 under the George W. Bush administration, received $6.5 billion in government funding in 2024. If aid to the program is cut permanently, more than 20 million people across the globe living with HIV, including 560,000 children, around the world would no longer have access to life-saving treatment.

    Gumisayi Bonzo, director of a health nonprofit in Zimbabwe, told the Associated Press that stripping access to HIV medication would be life-altering.

    “I have been religiously taking medicines for over two decades, I am living a normal life again, and suddenly we have to stop,” she said. “That’s a death sentence for many people.”

    If treatments are interrupted, patients are more susceptible to getting sick and the disease could spread to others, Reuters reported. Inconsistent treatment could also lead to drug resistance.

    “We can very rapidly return to where the pandemic is exploding, like it was back in the 1980s,” Dr. Steve Deeks, an HIV expert at the University of California, San Francisco, told the New York Times. “This really cannot happen.”

    The program has nearly 200,000 providers; on average, they make around $3,000 per year, “making even short funding suspensions extremely difficult,” according to amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research.

    Each day, the program supports more than 222,000 people receiving treatments, according to amfAR. The program also supports hundreds of thousands of HIV tests, newly diagnosing 4,374 people with HIV every day, including pregnant women.

    “If H.I.V. testing falls by the wayside, it’s unlikely that we will be able to even diagnose people who need to go into treatment,” Dr. Glenda Gray, a pediatric HIV expert at Wits University in South Africa, told the Times.

    If pregnant women are unable to get tested, they could unknowingly pass the virus to their children.

    The World Health Organization, which Trump ordered the U.S.’s withdrawal from, called on the Trump administration to “enable additional exemptions to ensure the delivery of lifesaving HIV treatment and care.”

    The global health body warned of the consequences around the world and in America should PEPFAR funding be frozen: “A funding halt for HIV programs can put people living with HIV at immediate increased risk of illness and death and undermine efforts to prevent transmission in communities and countries. Such measures, if prolonged, could lead to rises in new infections and deaths, reversing decades of progress and potentially taking the world back to the 1980s and 1990s when millions died of HIV every year globally, including many in the United States of America.”



    The distribution of US-backed HIV medications to the poorest nations is currently in flux following a recent order by former President Donald Trump to slow down foreign aid. This move has raised concerns among health officials and advocates who fear that it could have devastating consequences for millions of people living with HIV in developing countries.

    The US has long been a major donor in the global fight against HIV/AIDS, providing lifesaving medications and funding for treatment programs in countries with high rates of infection. However, Trump’s order to slow down foreign aid has created uncertainty about the future of these programs and the availability of medication for those in need.

    Health officials warn that any disruptions in the supply chain could lead to a resurgence of the HIV epidemic in these countries, undoing years of progress in combating the disease. Advocates are calling on the Biden administration to prioritize funding for HIV treatment and prevention programs in developing nations to ensure that those most in need continue to receive the care they require.

    The distribution of US-backed HIV medications to the poorest nations is a critical lifeline for millions of people, and any delays or interruptions in this process could have dire consequences. It is imperative that the US government takes swift action to address these concerns and ensure that those living with HIV in developing countries continue to have access to the medication and care they need to stay healthy.

    Tags:

    1. US-backed HIV medications
    2. Trump foreign aid order
    3. Global distribution of HIV medications
    4. Impact on poorest nations
    5. HIV medication supply chain
    6. Foreign aid policies
    7. US government health initiatives
    8. HIV treatment access
    9. Aid to developing countries
    10. Global health crisis management

    #Distribution #USbacked #HIV #medications #poorest #nations #flux #Trump #order #slowing #foreign #aid

  • Apple Gets Rare Downgrade From Jefferies, Analyst Warns On Slowing Revenue Growth, Missed Forecasts, And Falling iPhone Demand – Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)


    Apple Inc. AAPL faces mounting pressure as Jefferies downgraded the tech giant to ‘underperform,’ citing concerns over revenue growth, following President Donald Trump‘s remarks about potential new U.S. investments from the company.

    The Apple Analyst: Jefferies analyst Edison Lee cut his price target to $200.75 from $211.84, reported CNBC, projecting a 12.7% downside for the stock.

     The rare bearish call stands in contrast to broader Wall Street sentiment, with only three other analysts recommending selling Apple shares compared to 19 buy ratings, according to Tipranks.com. The stock has already declined over 8% in 2024, following last year’s 30% gain.

    The Apple Thesis: Lee warns Apple could miss its 5% revenue growth forecast for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025 and expects disappointing second-quarter guidance, citing weak iPhone sales and limited artificial intelligence developments.

    The downgrade comes as Trump announced potential “massive investment” plans from Apple in the United States, revealed during his recent victory rally in Washington D.C. Trump cited a conversation with CEO Tim Cook, linking the investment to his election win and broader initiative to expedite approvals for companies investing $1 billion or more in the U.S.

    See Also: EXCLUSIVE: Where Will S&P 500 Open Tuesday After Trump’s Inauguration? 39% Pick This Range

    Apple, which recently approached but fell short of a $4 trillion valuation, is set to report earnings on Jan. 30, with investors closely watching for signs of revenue weakness highlighted in the Jefferies report.

    The contrasting narratives emerge amid strong market performance, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 gaining 1.9% in its best week since November. Apple’s consensus price target stands at $245.17, based on 30 analyst ratings, with recent analysis from MoffettNathanson, Bernstein, and B of A Securities suggesting a modest 2.25% upside potential.

    Price Action: Apple closed at $229.98 on Friday, up 0.75% for the day. In after-hours trading, the stock dipped 0.21%. Year to date, Apple’s stock is down 5.69%, but over the past year, it has gained 18.61%, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

    Read Next:

    Image Via Shutterstock

    Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

    Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs



    Apple Gets Rare Downgrade From Jefferies: Analyst Warns On Slowing Revenue Growth, Missed Forecasts, And Falling iPhone Demand

    In a surprising move, tech giant Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has received a rare downgrade from Jefferies analyst, warning investors about slowing revenue growth, missed forecasts, and falling iPhone demand.

    The downgrade comes as a blow to Apple, which has been a market leader in the tech industry for years. Analysts had previously been bullish on the company’s prospects, but recent trends have raised concerns about its future performance.

    According to the Jefferies analyst, Apple’s revenue growth has been slowing down in recent quarters, leading to missed forecasts and disappointing earnings reports. This has raised questions about the company’s ability to maintain its strong position in the market.

    In addition, the analyst highlighted a decline in demand for Apple’s flagship product, the iPhone. With competition increasing in the smartphone market, Apple has been facing challenges in maintaining its market share and attracting new customers.

    Despite these challenges, Apple remains a strong player in the tech industry, with a loyal customer base and a strong brand reputation. However, investors will be keeping a close eye on the company’s performance in the coming quarters to see if it can overcome these obstacles and continue its growth trajectory.

    Overall, the downgrade from Jefferies serves as a reminder that even the strongest companies can face challenges in a rapidly changing market. Investors should carefully monitor Apple’s performance and future strategies to assess its long-term potential.

    Tags:

    1. Apple downgrade
    2. Jefferies analyst
    3. slowing revenue growth
    4. missed forecasts
    5. falling iPhone demand
    6. Apple stock (NASDAQ:AAPL)
    7. Apple news
    8. technology sector
    9. tech industry analysis
    10. stock market update

    #Apple #Rare #Downgrade #Jefferies #Analyst #Warns #Slowing #Revenue #Growth #Missed #Forecasts #Falling #iPhone #Demand #Apple #NASDAQAAPL

  • Buffalo Bills Star Reveals Key to Slowing Down Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson


    Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is as dangerous a football player as they come, something Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller is well aware of headed into the AFC Divisional at Highmark Stadium.

    During a recent podcast appearance with Las Vegas Raiders edge Maxx Crosby, Von Miller talked about the challenge of trying to slow down Jackson, noting that it will take a balanced pass rush to keep him at bay. In Week 4’s 35-10 loss to Baltimore, Miller played just nine snaps on defense before beginning his four-game suspension the following week.

    “Going against Lamar Jackson, you don’t want to rush too conservative, but you don’t want to be too reckless at the same time,” Miller said, per the Bills team website. “You just gotta play your game…Cage rushing those guys each and every play is not effective. It’s Lamar Jackson, he’s gonna make plays. So, you just gotta rush. And you gotta be conscious of where you’re rushing and how you’re rushing. But at the end of the day, you just gotta go out there and play your game.”

    In that win over Buffalo, it was Ravens running back Derrick Henry ran all over the Bills. One would think that Sean McDermott’s defense will stop at nothing to prevent this from happening again, but this could leave room for Jackson to work his magic even more. In that game, the Ravens star quarterback finished 13 of 18 passing for 156 yards and two touchdowns along with six carries for 54 yards and another score.

    The Ravens were able to lean on their ground game for the majority of the game, but Jackson is more than capable of getting into a shootout with Bills star quarterback Josh Allen.

    Something will have to give when these two teams kick off from Orchard Park on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

    Make sure you bookmark Baltimore Ravens On SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!



    The Buffalo Bills have found success in slowing down Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback Lamar Jackson, and star player reveals the key to their defensive strategy.

    In a recent interview, Bills’ cornerback Tre’Davious White shared that the key to slowing down Jackson is to stay disciplined and maintain gap integrity. He emphasized the importance of not allowing Jackson to break contain and extend plays with his legs.

    White also mentioned the need for the defense to communicate effectively and stay focused on their assignments, as Jackson’s ability to make plays with both his arm and legs can pose a significant challenge.

    With this insight from one of the Bills’ key defensive players, it will be interesting to see if other teams can adopt a similar strategy to contain the dynamic and explosive Lamar Jackson.

    Tags:

    1. Buffalo Bills
    2. Baltimore Ravens
    3. Lamar Jackson
    4. NFL
    5. Football
    6. Key to Slowing Down
    7. Defense Strategy
    8. AFC Matchup
    9. NFL Playoffs
    10. Game Analysis

    #Buffalo #Bills #Star #Reveals #Key #Slowing #Baltimore #Ravens #Lamar #Jackson