In Brief

Pakistani's Zardari meets China's Hu

BEIJING, China (AP) -- Pakistan's president met with China's premier Thursday, a day after clinching agreements boosting Chinese involvement in his country's ailing economy.

Agreements signed between the sides included deals on economic and technical cooperation, minerals, environmental protection, agricultural research, and electricity.

Ties between Pakistan and China have long been founded on mutual suspicion of joint neighbor India, against which both have fought bloody border wars.

-CNN

Key Iraq al-Qaeda leader 'killed'

The US military says al-Qaeda in Iraq's second-in-command has been killed during an operation in the northern city of Mosul.

The military has identified the militant leader as a Moroccan known as Abu Qaswarah or Abu Sara.

Abu Qaswarah's death, if confirmed, came two days after US troops say they killed another senior military commander of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Mahir al-Zubaydi, also known as Abu Assad or Abu Rami.

Mahir al-Zubaydi was said to have played a key role in planning some of the worst atrocities in Iraq over the past few years.

-BBC

SA minister calls for HIV vaccine

South Africa's new Health Minister, Barbara Hogan, has called for a renewed global effort to find a vaccine for HIV, which can lead to Aids.

Ms Hogan said it was unquestionable that HIV caused Aids and conventional medicines were the best treatment.

This comes in sharp contrast to her predecessor, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, who spent years resisting the introduction of anti-retroviral drugs.

Some 5.5 million South Africans have HIV - more than in any other country. Dr Tshabalala-Msimang earned the nickname "Dr Beetroot" for advocating healthy eating, as an alternative to ARV drugs.

Without directly criticising her predecessor, Ms Hogan told an international Aids vaccine conference in Cape Town on Monday that time had been wasted in the country's battle against Aids.

Ms Hogan's appointment as health minister has been welcomed by anti-Aids campaigners.

-BBC