Today on Newsline: The WHO holds an emergency meeting on the Mexican Flu outbreak; Iran's presidential election campaign enters final hours; HIV/AIDS prevention efforts in South Africa appear to be working.

Mexican Flu outbreak officially a pandemic?

The World Health Organization consults with its emergency  committee of flu experts to decide whether the pandemic alert scale should be changed from level five to level six, indicating a full-blown pandemic is at hand. The WHO on Wednesday put the number of A(H1N1) infections at 27,737 in 74  countries, including 141 deaths. Newsline's Paddy Maguire speaks with Dr. Ab Osterhaus, head virologist at Erasmus University in Rotterdam.

Iranian presidential election campaign enters home stretch.

In Iran the Presidential campaign draws to a close tomorrow, with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is facing an increasing challenge from the reformist candidtate, Mir Hossain Mousavi. In a country where two thirds of the population are under the age of 30, personal freedom has become a key election issue. And that's led to a campaign with a surprisingly Western flavour as Iranian journalist Mina Saadadi explains to Newsline's Johan van Slooten.

AIDS prevention efforts prove effective in South Africa

A new study in South Africa shows that the tide is turning in the country's fight against HIV/AIDS.  A national survey carried out by the Human Sciences Research Council shows that safer sex and HIV awareness campaigns are finally having an effect, particularly among teenagers. We hear from Dr Warren Parker from the Human Sciences Research Council in Johannesburg.

Listen to the programme: