US Determines to See the End of AIDS

While praising the "tremendous progress" made in the battle against AIDS, President Barack Obama also expressed hope of continuing the determined fight against the disease that has claimed 25 million lives worldwide."At a time when so many men and women are living with HIV and AIDS every day, let's also recommit ourselves to build on the tremendous progress we've made both in preventing and treating the disease and ending the stigma and discrimination that too often surround it," Obama said in an online video.
The Empire State Building was among about 80 iconic landmarks in a dozen countries turning red at night to mark World AIDS Day.
The operation is led by (RED), a group founded by rock singer Bono, to drum up support for a campaign to end mother-to-child transmission of the deadly HIV virus by 2015.
As Obama commemorated the day of awareness, dozens of people protested outside the White House in a mock funeral procession to denounce the lack of access to care for the most destitute.
Philadelphia pastor Reverend Christopher Comer "implored the president to do more to keep his campaign pledges," as protesters around him sung gospels.
The Obama administration launched an ambitious plan in July to reduce by 25 percent each year the number of new infections in the United States by 2015.
"It's my hope that together we can move closer to the day when we eliminate this disease from the face of the Earth," Obama said.