The idea of the American Dream can conjure up images of tidy suburban homes with immaculate green lawns, but achieving and maintaining that lush carpet of grass can seem like a nightmare. “Most people don’t install lawns, they get them when they buy the house. They’re stuck,” says Paul Robbins, author of Lawn People: How … continue reading -> “Do Americans Hate Their Lawns Enough to Get Rid of Them?”

In the Philippines, a high number of children haven’t received routine vaccinations. So now health care workers are on a major inoculation drive. Dave Grunebaum has the story. …

The Dutch government said on Tuesday it would hold U.S. industrial group 3M Co. liable for polluting the Western Scheldt river with potentially harmful substances known as PFAS, or “forever chemicals.”  3M said in a statement e-mailed to Reuters that it had received a letter from the Dutch government’s legal representative on Tuesday and was … continue reading -> “Dutch Government to Hold 3M Liable for ‘Forever Chemicals’ Harm”

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is exploring ways artificial intelligence can help detect fentanyl and prevent it from entering the country. VOA’s Julie Taboh has more. …

A growing number of health emergencies around the world, from COVID-19 to cholera, have left the World Health Organization’s response “overstretched,” a senior advisor said on Tuesday.   Speaking at the U.N. agency’s annual meeting, Professor Walid Ammar, chairman of a committee reviewing the WHO’s emergency response, said funding and staffing gaps were widening in the … continue reading -> “Increasing Health Emergencies Leave WHO ‘Overstretched’”

Brazil declared a state of animal health emergency for 180 days in response to the country’s first detection of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in wild birds, in a document signed Monday by Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro.   Infection by the H5N1 subtype of avian flu in wild birds does not trigger trade bans, based … continue reading -> “Brazil Declares Health Emergency Amid Avian Flu Cases in Wild Birds”

Arizona, Nevada and California said Monday they’re willing to cut back on their use of the dwindling Colorado River in exchange for money from the federal government — and to avoid forced cuts as drought threatens the key water supply for the U.S. West. The $1.2 billion plan, a potential breakthrough in a year-long stalemate, … continue reading -> “Group of Western US States Reach Deal to Stave Off Crisis on Drought-Stricken Colorado River”

As the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula approaches Tuesday, scores of women who have been treated for the medical condition are encouraging their peers in northern Cameroon to get help. Many sufferers of obstetric fistula — characterized by urinary and fecal incontinence — believe the disease is a curse for wrongdoing. Now former patients … continue reading -> “Aid Groups in Cameroon Urge Women With Obstetric Fistula to Seek Medical Treatment”

The World Health Organization on Monday won basic approval for a $6.83 billion budget over the next two years, including a 20% hike in mandatory membership fees. As the U.N. health agency kicked off its annual decision-making assembly, member states in a key committee approved the budget without objection. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed … continue reading -> “WHO Members Approve Nearly $7 Billion Budget”

The provincial health department in the South African province of Gauteng on Sunday announced 19 new cases of Cholera in Hammanskraal, including 10 deaths. South Africa reported its first cholera death in February, after the virus arrived in the country from Malawi. It was unclear how many cholera cases there was nationally as of Sunday, … continue reading -> “Cholera Outbreak Claims Ten More Lives in South Africa “

Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano rumbled to life again this week, belching out towering clouds of ash that forced 11 villages to cancel school sessions. The residents weren’t the only ones keeping a close eye on the towering peak. Every time there is a sigh, tic or heave in Popocatepetl, there are dozens of scientists, a network … continue reading -> “Mexico Keeps Close Eye on Volcano That Threatens 22 Million”

The World Health Organization on Saturday launched a global network to help swiftly detect the threat from infectious diseases, like COVID-19, and share the information to prevent their spread. The International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN) will provide a platform for connecting countries and regions, improving systems for collecting and analyzing samples, the agency said. The … continue reading -> “WHO Launches Global Network to Detect Infectious Disease Threat”

The U.S. space agency NASA announced Friday it has awarded the Jeff Bezos-owned aerospace company Blue Origin a contract to build a second lunar lander for the Artemis V moon mission, aiming to land a crew on the moon by 2029. At a Washington news conference, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said under the $3.4 billion … continue reading -> “NASA Awards Second Moon Lander Contract to Blue Origin”

More than half of the world’s large lakes and reservoirs have shrunk since the early 1990s, chiefly because of climate change, intensifying concerns about water for agriculture, hydropower and human consumption, a study published Thursday found. An international team of researchers reported that some of the world’s most important water sources — from the Caspian … continue reading -> “More Than Half of World’s Large Lakes Are Drying Up, Study Finds”

Mexican authorities said Thursday that they were trying to locate several hundred people, including U.S. nationals, potentially at risk of developing fungal meningitis after medical treatment near the border. The announcement came a day after the United States warned that suspected fungal infections had led to severe illness and even death among U.S. residents returning … continue reading -> “Mexico Post-Op Infections Prompt US Health Alert”