THE US government has dismissed as fake news reports that it is considering freezing HIV funding until Zambia agrees to a minerals deal, stating that it is not seeking anything against Zambia’s laws or interests. Last week, the New York Times reported that the US State Department was considering withholding lifesaving HIV assistance to Zambia as a negotiating tactic to force the signing of a deal giving the United States more access to Zambia’s critical minerals. However, speaking during last week’s “Powering Africa Summit” in Washington DC, Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of African Affairs, Nick Checker, refuted the claims, adding that the US government encourages reforms to ensure assistance is used effectively and benefits both US interests and...