A global conference on HIV/Aids has opened in Mexico City, a quarter of a century after the disease first became widely known.
Figures released ahead of the meeting reveal that the number of people with the condition around the world has gone down slightly overall.
However, infection rates are still rising in some countries and access to the right treatment is also an issue.
Across the world 33 million people are affected by the syndrome.
The six-day conference was preceded by an awareness march, a photo exhibition and other events.
About 20,000 scientists, government officials and campaigners are in Mexico City for the event.
A private rocket carrying three satellites, including a Nasa space sail, has failed to reach orbit.
It is the third unsuccessful launch attempt for the Falcon 1 rocket, built by private space firm SpaceX.
The vehicle’s two stages failed to separate two minutes and 20 seconds into launch from Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.
SpaceX’s engineers are still investigating the cause of the rocket’s failure.
“It was obviously a big disappointment not to reach orbit on this Flight 3 of the Falcon 1,” said Elon Musk, chief executive of SpaceX, in a short statement read to reporters.
HSBC has warned that conditions in financial markets are at their toughest “for several decades” after suffering a 28% fall in half-year profits.
Europe’s largest bank saw profits drop by $3.9bn to $10.2bn (£5.2bn) in the first six months of the year, as its North American arm made a $2.8bn loss.
The firm announced $3.7bn in fresh credit writedowns.
HSBC has been among the banks worst hit by the credit crunch, whose financial toll has run into the many billions.
It has already announced writedowns in the value of its assets - linked to the slump in the US housing market - of more than $15bn.
HSBC shares fell by more than 1% in initial trading after it announced its results and stressed that it would increase its shareholder dividend by 6%.
Sixteen Chinese policemen have been killed in an attack on a border post in the restive Muslim region of Xinjiang, state media say.
Two attackers reportedly drove up to the post in a rubbish truck and threw two grenades, before moving in to attack the policemen with knives.
The attack came four days before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
Both attackers were captured during the raid near the city of Kashgar, Xinhua state news agency reported.
Kashgar, known as Kashi in Chinese, is some 2,500 miles (4,000km) from Beijing, near the border with Tajikistan.