STONE COLD KILLING
An Indian women’s group claims stigma and fear killed a 30-year-old widow with HIV in Andhra Pradesh state in July. Women’s Initiative said neighbors stoned Munnuswamy Ponnamma to death and burned her body—along with a bench and mango tree she’d touched. Police say AIDS, not stoning, killed her; advocates cry cover-up.

--Mubarak Dahir
HYPER ACTIVISTS

AIDS dissident David Pasquarelli and varsity gadfly Michael Petrelispled “no contest” July 30 to misdemeanor charges for harassing and threatening San Francisco journalists, researchers and public officials. The duo spent 72 days in jail while awaiting bail, and the court gave both three years’ probation and a complex array of restraining orders.

--Alex MacDonald