The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria finally granted USD35 million to Zimbabwe after rejecting the African country’s funding application in the past three years. The government cited “impertinent and purely political reasons” for the fund’s previous reluctance to provide assistance to the landlocked nation. Some 97 countries have requested fresh funding amounting to USD6.4 billion to combat the three diseases. (“Zim’s Wait for HIV/AIDS Grant Over” - Radio Vop, Oct. 18, 2008)