The United Nations says the cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe is a “very dire situation” because there are now cases outside the country’s capital, where the government has declared a state of emergency. Zimbabwe’s health minister, Obadiah Moyo, is calling on international aid agencies to chip in, following 20 deaths and …

California has experienced record heat waves and catastrophic fires this year and in previous years, leading climate experts to say it is likely to get worse. A recent state report blames global climate change, and California Governor Jerry Brown is preparing to host an international summit later this week (September …

World hunger rose in 2017 for a third consecutive year, fueled by conflict and climate change, the United Nations warned on Tuesday, jeopardizing a global goal to end the scourge by 2030. Hunger appears to be increasing in almost all of Africa and in South America, with 821 million people …

An effort to create a safe haven for whales in the South Atlantic was defeated Tuesday at the meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in Brazil. The proposal, which was introduced by Brazil in 2001, received support from 39 countries but was opposed by 25, denying it the three-quarters’ …

Leading philanthropists pledged hundreds of millions of dollars to rescue shrinking tropical forests that suck heat-trapping carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, on the eve of a global climate change summit in San Francisco. Nine foundations announced the $459 million commitment, to be delivered over the next four years, a day …

European Union governments are failing to comply with air quality limits that are already weaker than the World Health Organization’s recommendations, the bloc’s auditors said Tuesday. The findings by the EU watchdog come as Brussels is taking half a dozen member states to court over their failure to enforce the bloc’s air quality laws. …

To whip up a monstrous storm like the one chugging for the Carolinas you need a handful of ingredients — and Florence has them all. — Warmer than normal sea temperatures to add energy and rain to a storm. Check. — A wind pattern that allows a storm to get strong …

Global hunger rose in 2017 for a third consecutive year, fueled by conflict and climate change, the United Nations revealed in a report published on Tuesday. Obesity levels also increased. Here are some facts and figures from the report. World hunger levels rose in 2017 for the third consecutive year. …

Three new species of fish, aptly named Pink, Purple and Blue for their coloring, have been found at the bottom of one of the deepest parts of the Pacific Ocean. The fish belong to the snailfish (Liparidae) family, with bulbous heads, translucent, ribbon-like bodies and no scales. They were found …

Local authorities will carve out a larger role in fighting rising temperatures globally, as national governments have been slow to take action, said organizers of a climate change summit beginning on Wednesday in San Francisco. About 4,500 delegates from city and regional governments, as well as industries and research institutions, …

A cholera emergency has been declared in Zimbabwe’s capital after 20 people have died, the health minister said Tuesday. The deaths in Harare have many fearing a repeat of the outbreak that killed thousands at the height of the southern African country’s economic problems in 2008. Water and sanitation infrastructure …

Scientists are collecting rhino poop…all in the interests of conservation. It’s part of an initiative to help prevent global extinction of threatened species. The team from Chester Zoo and the University of Manchester has called the collaboration: “saving species with feces.” VOA Correspondent Mariama Diallo reports. …

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warned Monday that climate change is moving faster than efforts to combat it and that the international community needs to “put the brake” on greenhouse gas emissions, which drive global warming. “If we do not change course by 2020, we risk missing the point where we …

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warned Monday that climate change is moving faster than efforts to combat it and that the international community needs to “put the brake” on greenhouse gas emissions, which drive global warming. “If we do not change course by 2020, we risk missing the point where we …

When Esperance Nzavaki heard she was cured of Ebola after three weeks of cutting-edge care at a medical centre in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, she raised her arms to the sky with joy and praised the Lord. Her recovery is testament to the effectiveness of a new treatment, which …

Complaints filed with a West Virginia state agency say assisted living ResCare Agency facilities are struggling with staff shortages, causing problems such as missed doctors’ appointments and incorrectly administered medication.  The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports nine substantiated complaints filed with the state Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification since last …

Emergency officials are urging residents to prepare for severe storms that are forecast to hit the East Coast and Hawaii over the next week at what is the peak of this year’s hurricane season.        Coming in from the Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Florence is expected to make landfall …

A replacement bridge being built near a busy U.S. port is being fitted with seismic sensors that will measure earthquake activity in one of the country’s most earthquake-prone regions. The new span is just a few miles from two active faults capable of quakes with a magnitude range of 6.5 …

A highly prized species of tuna appears to be making a slow but noticeable comeback in the Atlantic Ocean. But as sushi lovers rejoice, conservationists are concerned about the future of the endangered Atlantic bluefin tuna as fishermen seek bigger commercial catches. VOA’s Julie Taboh has more. …

Two major health scares at U.S. airports involving inbound flights are related to pilgrims returning from the Hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, which ended in late August, U.S. health officials said on Friday. On Wednesday, U.S. health officials sent an emergency response team …

Lizzy Maupa uses a bucket to transfer water she used to bathe from her tub to her toilet.  She has a four-week-old baby and a three-year-old child, but the city water supply has not been working for a month, says Maupa.     So she collects water from a nearby river, …

Early, partial results from a historic gene editing study in human patients that was released earlier this week give encouraging signs that the treatment may be safe and having at least some of its hoped-for effect, but it is too soon to know whether it ultimately will succeed. Faith Lapidus …

Authorities in the U.S. and Britain are stepping up cooperation to tackle female genital mutilation, staging joint operations at airports in London, New York and elsewhere to raise awareness of an issue that affects millions of girls and women worldwide. Police and border security agencies on both sides of the …

Language detectives say the key clues to who wrote the anonymous New York Times opinion piece slamming President Donald Trump may not be the odd and glimmering “lodestar,” but the itty-bitty words that people usually read right over: “I,” “of” and “but.” And lodestar? That could be a red herring …

Tropical Storm Gordon weakened Wednesday into a tropical depression, while forecasters kept their eyes on a strong storm churning in the Atlantic. Gordon never strengthened into a hurricane but still brought misery along the central U.S. Gulf Coast. The storm knocked out power, caused floods and spawned several tornadoes. It was responsible for at …