Years of American-led investment into AIDS programs has reduced the number of people killed by the disease to the lowest levels seen in more than three decades and provided life-saving medicines for some of the world’s most vulnerable.

But in the last six months, the sudden withdrawal of U.S. money has caused a “systemic shock,” U.N. officials warned, adding that if the funding isn’t replaced, it could lead to more than 4 million AIDS-related deaths and 6 million more HIV infections by 2029.

A new UNAIDS report released Thursday said the funding losses have “already destabilized supply chains, led to the closure of health facilities, left thousands of health clinics without staff, set back prevention programs, disrupted HIV testing efforts and forced many community organizations to reduce or halt their HIV activities.”

It also said that it feared other major donors scaled back their support, reversing decades of progress against AIDS worldwide .

The $4 billion that the United States pledged for the global HIV response for 2025 disappeared virtually overnight in January, when U.S. President Donald Trump ordered that all foreign aid be suspended and later moved to shutter the U.S. AID agency.

North Carolina braces for more flooding

The threat of flash flooding returned to North Carolina on Thursday, only days after Tropical Depression Chantal dumped heavy rain across the central part of the state, flooding homes and highways and leading to dozens of rescues.

The National Weather Service issued a flood watch Thursday for central North Carolina that was in effect until 2 a.m. Friday, with heavy rain and thunderstorms in the forecast for Thursday.

The risk of flooding came as heavy rainfall and scattered thunderstorms were expected across southeast Virginia, central North Carolina and a portion of northern South Carolina into early Friday. The Weather Prediction Center issued a slight risk — level 2 out of 4 — for excessive rainfall that could lead to flooding. Rainfall totals could exceed 2 inches with up to 4 inches possible in some spots.

200 homes washed away in N.M. flooding

At least 200 homes were damaged during a deadly flash flood in the mountain village of Ruidoso, N.M., and local emergency managers warned Wednesday that number could more than double as teams survey more neighborhoods.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was among the officials who took an aerial tour of Ruidoso and the surrounding area as they looked to bolster their case for more federal assistance for the community, which has been battered over the past year by wildfires and repeated flooding.

The governor said the state has received partial approval for a federal emergency declaration, freeing up personnel to help with search and rescue efforts and incident management. She called it the first step, saying Ruidoso will need much more.

An intense bout of monsoon rains set the disaster in motion Tuesday afternoon. Water rushed from the surrounding mountainside, overwhelming the Rio Ruidoso and taking with it a man and two children who had been camping at a riverside RV park. Their bodies were found downstream. All other people who went missing are now accounted for.

U.K., France announce nuclear defense pact

Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain and President Emmanuel Macron of France on Thursday announced the details of a new defense relationship, including a first-ever pledge to have their nuclear arsenals work together in the event of serious danger to allies in Europe.

The announcement came as the two leaders concluded a three-day state visit with a trip to a British military base, Northwood, as they seek to underscore their support for defending Ukraine against Russian aggression.

The agreement between the two countries — referred to as “the Northwood Declaration” — means that any attack from an adversary will result in a “response from our two nations,” Starmer said.

Starmer and Macron, who last held a similar summit before President Donald Trump’s return to power in January, also announced a migration agreement that could reduce the number of people attempting to cross the English Channel in small, crowded boats launched from the beaches of northern France.

Greece intercepts 500 migrants

More than 500 migrants arrived at the port of Lavrio near Athens on Thursday after being intercepted south of the island of Crete, as Greece implements emergency measures to address a surge in Mediterranean crossings from Libya.

The migrants, consisting mostly of young men, were transferred overnight aboard a bulk carrier after their fishing trawler was intercepted by Greek authorities. Service vessels helped bring them ashore at the mainland port. They will be sent to detention facilities near the capital.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced Wednesday that Greece would suspend asylum processing for migrants arriving by sea from North Africa for three months. The new measures are due to be voted on in parliament on Thursday.

ICC alleges new war crimes in Darfur

The International Criminal Court believes war crimes and crimes against humanity are continuing to take place in Sudan’s vast western Darfur region where civil war has raged for more than two years, the tribunal’s deputy prosecutor said Thursday.

Nazhat Shameem Khan told the U.N. Security Council that the depth of suffering and the humanitarian crisis in Darfur “has reached an intolerable state,” with famine escalating and hospitals, humanitarian convoys and other civilian infrastructure being targeted.

“People are being deprived of water and food,” she said. “Rape and sexual violence are being weaponized. Abductions for ransom or to bolster the ranks of armed groups have become common practice.”

Sudan plunged into conflict in mid-April 2023, when long-simmering tensions between its military and paramilitary leaders broke out in the capital, Khartoum, and spread to other regions, including Darfur. Some 40,000 people have been killed and nearly 13 million displaced, including to other countries, according to U.N. agencies.

31 workers rescued in L.A. tunnel collapse

All 31 construction workers who were far inside a huge industrial tunnel being dug under Los Angeles made it to safety after a partial collapse, an outcome officials called a blessing after they initially feared much worse.

The workers were 400 feet underground and as much as 6 miles inside from the only entrance when the cave-in Wednesday evening threatened to trap them on the far side of the tunnel’s boring machine, said Michael Chee, spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts.

Fire Department Chief Ronnie Villanueva said the workers had to make it through the most treacherous part themselves, climbing over more than 12 feet of loose dirt and debris to reach the boring machine before rescuers could drive them to the opening of the nearly $700 million project, which is designed to carry treated wastewater to the Pacific Ocean.

Aerial footage showed a crane hoisting workers out of the tunnel in a yellow cage. None had major injuries, authorities said.

Would-be Trump assassin in court

A man charged with attempting to assassinate Donald Trump last year at his Florida golf course told a federal judge Thursday he wants to fire his court-appointed lawyers and represent himself, saying he will be ready to defend himself before a trial jury this fall.

Ryan Routh made his request during a hearing in Fort Pierce, Fla., before U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon.

When the judge asked Routh, 59, whether he wanted her to appoint new attorneys to defend him, Routh replied: “No. I will represent myself.”

Routh is scheduled to stand trial in September. Routh has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations.

“Do you understand that self-representation is almost always a bad idea?” the judge asked Routh.

“Yes, your honor,” replied Routh, who described the extent of his education as two years of college after earning his GED certificate.

— From news services