I never see myself as being a [gay] role
model. I don't think you should just define yourself
through sexuality. I think there's a lot more to life
than that.

Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys

AIDS Vaccine Imminent

American company VaxGen which is working on one of
eight possible AIDS vaccines announced at the
International AIDS convention in Barcelona, Spain,
that it might have a vaccine ready by 2007.

The company which is the only one of the eight
pioneering research who are testing on humans is
exceeding expectations by five years, but confirmed
that Phase III testing was almost complete in Europe,
Asia and America. The results should be compiled next
year before being submitted for approval. If the
results of these tests show success in over one-third
of cases approval will be granted and production can
start.

However as tests are not being carried out in
sub-saharan Africa, the worst affected area of the
disease where 6,000 people are dying as a result
daily, it is not all bright news. The convention also
pointed out that these are also the very countries who
cannot afford the medicines at present, which limits the
impact of the vaccine and are seeing their life
expectancies drop to shattering low levels after
decades of improvement.

Witch Hunt in Zimbabwe

Now that he has succeeded in passing laws preventing
the white land owners from farming their land, even if
they are born in his country, Robert Mugabe - Zimbabwe's
President - has had to find new fish to fry.

He has ordered his spies to make lists of members of
the cabinet and other government officials who may
be gay. Mugabe in the past has never hidden his
distaste for the gay community saying they are 'worse
than pigs and dogs'.

Earlier thsi year Alum Mpofu, the head of the
state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation,
resigned after allegations surfaced that he is gay. An
opposition MP has actually linked Mpofu in an alleged
affair with Mugabe's controversial chief spokesman,
Information Minister Jonathan Moyo.

No matter what Mugabe's personal preferences this
smells of a continued systematic witch-hunt going on
at the hand of Mugabe. Is he going to turn out to be
the Hitler of Africa?

If you want to make your grievance over this latest
issue known write to your local Zibabwean Embassy There is
a list of where they can be found here

Mark Ovitz

Last week we reported that former head of Artists
Management Group, Mark Ovitz, had condemned a gay
mafia for ruining his career as a Hollywood agent
supreme. This week he apologised in a brief press
statement:
'I made some statements that were
inappropriate during an open and frank discussion with
Vanity Fair. In particular, the term 'gay mafia' does
not reflect my true feelings or attitudes. It is
regrettable, and I am truly sorry'.

Unfortunately Mark, such off-the-cuff statements to
the press may express deep held feelings. We at
Somewhere Under the Rainbow and M2M2 accept your
apology but along with the rest of the gay press will
be paying careful attention to any other inappropriate
statements that may be made, by you or anyone
else.

We Need You

If you think you can contribute to 'Somewhere Under
the Rainbow' then post details of a suitable story to
the M2M2 News Centre. We
have already used every story that's been posted there,
so let us know what is happening under your segment of
the rainbow; after all I can't read the gay press in
every corner of the world.

The
Somewhere Under the Rainbow
Archive

11.07.02 Front Page

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