In 2001, the government of Nigeria, along with all African Union countries, pledged to spend 15 percent of its annual budget on health care. But the country has never come close to reaching that goal. The result is that up …
Month: February 2019
The World Health Organization reports it is scaling up efforts to try to control an outbreak of Lassa fever, which is escalating at a rapid pace. Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness that occurs after human exposure to …
Rainwater is essential for life. It helps plants and food crops flourish, and it keeps grasslands green and lush. But too much of it, especially in the city, can lead to flooding, causing sewers to overflow and carry pollutants and …
The National Institutes of Health is investigating whether a dozen researchers there failed to report taking funding from foreign governments, specifically China. Last August, NIH sent a letter to more than 10,000 research institutions urging them to ensure that NIH …
Up to 85 percent of the jobs that today’s college students will have in 11 years haven’t been invented yet. That’s according to a panel of experts assembled by the Institute for the Future, although an exact percentage is impossible …
Measles is spreading in the U.S. As of Feb. 5, there were 50 cases in Washington state and five in Houston. New cases are being added daily. Health officials, including the U.S. surgeon general, are urging parents to get their …
There is no real preparation for dealing with the reality of being in a combat zone. But training helps, and that’s the idea behind a virtual reality exercise that the International Committee of the Red Cross is providing to field …
A portion of TransCanada Corp’s Keystone oil pipeline remained shut on Thursday for investigation of a possible leak on its right-of-way near St. Louis, Missouri, a company spokesman said. TransCanada shut the pipeline on Wednesday between Steele City, Nebraska and …
Apple Inc. on Thursday rolled out software updates to iPhones to fix a privacy issue in its FaceTime video calling service, and said it would contribute toward the education of the Arizona teenager who discovered the problem. The software bug, which had let …
Apple Inc has moved its modem chip engineering effort into its in-house hardware technology group from its supply chain unit, two people familiar with the move told Reuters, a sign the tech company is looking to develop a key component …
Melania Trump, addressing an anti-drug conference, says “recovery is possible.” The first lady traveled to Maryland on Thursday to address the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America’s annual youth leadership forum. Her signature “Be Best” campaign focuses on a number of …
The World Meteorological Organization says 2018 was the fourth hottest year on record confirming, what it calls a clear sign that long-term climate change is going on. Of the four past record-breaking years, 2016 was the hottest. The World Meteorological …
Facebook has been ordered to curb its data collection practices in Germany after a landmark ruling on Thursday that the world’s largest social network abused its market dominance to gather information about users without their consent. Germany, where privacy concerns …
Twitter said Thursday profits rose sharply in the fourth quarter, lifted by gains in advertising despite a drop in its global user base. The short-messaging platform said it posted a $255 million profit in the final three months of 2018, …
In Southern California, there are some special creatures that have adapted and thrived in an urban environment. Some advocates for conservation and the environment say a city may be the perfect man-made space for some endangered species. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee …
Kenyan health officials say unsafe abortions are common in the east African nation with nearly half a million in one recent year. Abortion is prohibited unless, in the opinion of a trained health professional, there is need for emergency treatment, …
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and Robert Bosch have agreed to pay lawyers representing owners of U.S. diesel vehicles $66 million in fees and costs, according to court filing on Wednesday and people briefed on the matter. In a court filing …
F.A. Cole was 11 when her stepmother told her to dress up for a special occasion near her hometown of Freetown, Sierra Leone. It was, instead, a traumatic occasion, Cole recalls 34 years later. Her stepmother turned her over …
Californians are bracing for what could be the next big earthquake. Scientists have developed a new early warning system relying on sensors and an algorithm to help prepare. Deana Mitchell reports. …
The United Nations has declared Feb. 6 International Zero Tolerance Day for Female Genital Mutilation. Contrary to popular perception, female genital mutilation, or FGM, is relatively widespread in the United States as well. Indeed, according to a report by the U.S. Centers for …
President Donald Trump says Treasury Department official David Malpass is his choice to lead the World Bank. Trump introduced Malpass on Wednesday as the “right person to take on this incredibly important job.” Malpass is a sharp critic of the …
Last year was the fourth warmest on record and the outlook is for more sizzling heat approaching levels that most governments view as dangerous for the Earth, a U.N. report showed on Wednesday. Weather extremes in 2018 included wildfires in …
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Wednesday that President Donald Trump had a “quite productive” dinner with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. He says they discussed a wide range of subjects, from the state of the economy to the Super Bowl …
No matter who wins Algeria’s presidential election, 29-year-old cardiologist Moumen Mohamed plans to seek his fortune elsewhere. He is one of a growing number of young, educated Algerians who are looking for work in Europe or the Gulf to escape …