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China is hosting a summit for those who ratified the U-N treaty to combat desertification. Experts are discussing the drought situation in Africa, which they say has been made worse by conflict and poor land management. They’re also discussing protecting, restoring and managing the world’s drylands, which include savannahs. The health of drylands is linked to food security and climate change mitigation. Dr. Jonathan Davies is i coordinator of the global drylands initiative for the international union for the conservation of nature. From Ordos, China, he spoke to VOA’s Joe De Capua about the importance of drylands.

A new report says corruption, collusion and lack of law enforcement are seriously undermining efforts to crackdown on the illegal ivory trade in Central Africa. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

Those who are fortunate enough to survive infection with the Ebola virus could still face multiple health problems. New research says 80 percent of Ebola survivors suffer disabilities one year after being discharged from the hospital. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

U-N humanitarian agencies warn that hunger is on rise in central and eastern DRC, due to escalating violence, prolonged conflict and displacement. They estimate seven point seven million people now face acute hunger -- a 30 percent increase over last year. The World Food Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization say the crises in the Kasai and Tanganyika regions are made worse by an invasion of fall army worms, along with outbreaks of cholera and measles. Nearly two million people have been displaced over the past year in the two regions, mostly in Kasai. That brings the total number of displaced in the DRC Alexis Bonte is the interim FAO representative in Kinshasa. He spoke to VOA’s Joe De Capua.

INTRO: Up to two point seven million pangolins are hunted each year in Central Africa, pushing some species closer to extinction. A new study says hunting the world’s most illegally traded mammal has skyrocketed. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports. Photo Credit: National Botanic Garden of Belgium

Tens of millions of people around the world have been displaced by war, drought and natural disasters, like storms and earthquakes. But a new study warns by the year 2100 up to two billion people could become climate change migrants and refugees. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

Desert locusts are usually harmless. However, when conditions are just right they can swarm and destroy crops and pastureland. If things get really bad, a locust plague could put millions of people at risk for hunger. But now, a satellite early warning system is being developed to better predict when swarms might occur. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

Every year, 26 million metric tons of fish are stolen through illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. As a result, populations of tuna – one of the most sought after fish - have plummeted. But now a new global declaration has been approved to help stop illegal tuna fishing. It was approved at the U.N.’s first Ocean Conference in New York this week. (6/5-9). VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

There’s grim news today about the status of pangolins – the extremely endangered scaly ant eaters. customs authorities in Hong Kong seized about seven tons of pangolin scales this week. The animals are the most illegally trafficked mammal in the world. there are eight species of African and Asian pangolins. The international fund for animal welfare warns the pangolin could “vanish for good.” Mark Hofburg is the group’s assistant campaigns officer. He spoke to Joe De Capua about how may animals had to be killed to generate seven tons of scales.

While the civil war and humanitarian crisis in South Sudan grow worse, much of the country’s wildlife has found some safe havens. At least so far. That’s according to the first aerial assessment of the conflict’s effects on wildlife. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

One of the researchers who discovered the Ebola virus in 1976 -- and helped name it after an African river -- is following developments in the DRC. Dr. Malonga Miatudila (mee-ah-too-dill-ah) is currently a consultant since retiring from the World Bank in 2005. He spoke to VOA’s Joe De Capua about the DRC outbreak.

The World Health Organization says there are two confirmed and 18 suspected cases of Ebola in remote northern DRC. Three people have died. WHO officials gave an update Thursday on the situation. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

Health experts from the World Health Organization and the DRC continue to determine the scope of the Ebola outbreak in remote northern Congo. At least three deaths have been reported among the 20 suspected and confirmed cases in Bas-Uele Province. Some of the lessons learned in the huge West Africa outbreak a few years ago may be applied in the DRC. Penn State scientists in the U.S. led an international team that developed a new approach to gathering information on Ebola and quickly identifying the most effective ways to manage the outbreak. Penn State alumni professor of biology Katriona Shea is the lead author of the study. She spoke to VOA’s Joe De Capua about the new study and her reaction to the DRC outbreak.

A new study says ethical businesses can flourish in countries with serious corruption problems. But it takes time to earn the support of the public and investors. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

Morocco has been boosting its phosphate mining industry, hoping to corner up to 40 percent of the world market within three years. The country’s huge deposits of phosphate – a vital nutrient for agriculture – are part of an ancient seabed that’s littered with history. For example, in one of Morocco’s strip mines, fossils have been found of what may be one of Africa’s last dinosaurs. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

Since the Boko Haram insurgency began in northeastern Nigeria in 2009, more than two million people have been displaced. While most have remained in Nigeria, many have fled to neighboring countries, including Niger. The Diffa region of Niger has felt the full impact of the displacement. The medical aid group Doctors without Borders says immediate action is needed to deal with the humanitarian crisis. Mari Carmen Viñoles is program manager for the organization, also known as MSF. She spoke to VOA’s Joe De Capua about the crisis in Diffa.

INTRO: Scientists say Africa’s Sahel region has some of the most explosive storms on the planet, often causing flooding and disease due to poor sanitation. A new study says climate change has led to the number of extreme storms to triple in the last 35 years. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

About 100 thousand women die every year around the world from severe bleeding after childbirth. But a clinical trial says an inexpensive and readily available drug could save many lives. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

Malaria was officially eliminated in the United States in the 1950s. Nevertheless, a new study says deaths or hospital stays from malaria infection are far more common in the U.S. than thought. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

The infamous man-eating lions of Tsavo – portrayed in the 1996 film The Ghost and the Darkness – apparently had a practical reason to attack humans. A study of the lions’ teeth tells the dietary tale. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

The U.N. describes Yemen as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis with more than 17 million people facing food insecurity. It’s one of the countries facing famine, along with South Sudan, Somalia and Northeast Nigeria. The U.N. says despite the size of the crisis it does not receive as much media attention as the other countries. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

Most of the countries where Arab Spring uprisings took place have failed to achieve democratic and social reforms. A new study says one reason for that may be the lack of women’s rights in those nations. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

The head of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization has just returned from Africa’s Lake Chad Basin, which is an extension of the humanitarian crisis gripping Northeast Nigeria. He blames the hunger and poverty there on conflict, years of neglect and the effects of climate change. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

Millions of people remain at risk in Northeast Nigeria, as humanitarian agencies struggle to overcome the effects of the Boko Haram insurgency. The militants are not the force they once were when their attacks began in 2009. But insecurity is still widespread and millions are going hungry. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

Sick people can be bad for the environment. A new study conducted at Lake Victoria in Kenya says human illness can cause people to be less concerned about nature when trying to make a living. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

The Earth is losing some of its prime freshwater resources. But these are not lakes or rivers. They’re known as aquifers and are found deep underground. Some are so deep that even very heavy rains cannot seep down and replenish them. Many aquifers are used to irrigate crops, not only for domestic consumption, but for international consumption, as well. A new study warns these water deposits are being depleted and could affect food security and economies around the world. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

About 108-million people around the world faced severe food insecurity in 2016 – an increase from 80-million in 2015. That’s the finding of a new report released today by the UN, European Union, USAID and others. Conflict and drought are among the main reasons for the increase. The report says the demand for humanitarian and resilience building will escalate this year due to the famine risk in South Sudan, Somalia, Northeast Nigeria and Yemen. Shukri Ahmed is the deputy strategic program leader for resilience at the Food and Agriculture Organization. From Rome, he spoke to VOA’s Joe De Capua.

A U-N agency says famine or famine-like conditions in South Sudan, Somalia, Northeast Nigeria and Yemen are being made worse by unsafe water. UNICEF says the problem creates “a vicious cycle from which many children never recover.” Najwa Mekki is a spokesperson for UNICEF. From New York, she spoke to VOA’s Joe De Capua about worsening conditions in the four countries.

A human rights organization says armed groups in Central African Republic have occupied, looted and damaged hundreds of schools, preventing thousands of children from getting an education. VOA’s Joe De Capua has the story.

Twelve of the world’s largest chocolate companies have pledged to take action to end the destruction of rainforests. Production has expanded sharply in recent decades, destroying hundreds of thousands of hectares of trees. The pledge came at a summit (3/16) hosted by the Prince of Wales, who campaigns to save the world’s rainforests. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

For many Africans, justice remains elusive. That’s the finding of a new Afrobarometer survey conducted in 36 countries. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

The Transatlantic Slave Trade lasted nearly 400 years, during which about 17 million people were taken from their homes and sold into bondage. Many Africans died during the ocean crossing. Many more were brought to the Americas and Caribbean, where they labored and died on plantations. The U.S. is leading an effort to protect slave-related sites and antiquities. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports on a workshop scheduled for April in Charleston, South Carolina.

A new U.N. report describes global food supplies as robust, but famine, drought and conflict are preventing millions of people from getting enough to eat. VOA’s Joe De Capua report.

About two million people a year contract Leishmaniasis (leesh-man-EYE-ah-sis), which can cause disfiguring skin ulcers. It’s considered a neglected tropical disease, so it’s difficult to find investment for new therapies. But University of Pennsylvania researchers say the key to new treatments may be found in the body’s immune system. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

The crisis in northeastern Nigeria and the Lake Chad region is the focus of today’s emergency humanitarian summit in Oslo. At the summit, the United Nations announced a new one billion dollar appeal to respond to the terrible effects of the Boko Haram insurgency. Donors pledged more than 670-million dollars in humanitarian aid at today’s conference. Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama estimates 26-million people in the region have been affected. About 20,000 people have been killed since the militants began their attacks in 2009. There’s widespread displacement and food shortages -- and famine-like conditions are reported in some makeshift camps for the displaced. Aid agencies are just gaining access to many areas. Dr. Richard Brennan is director for emergency operations for the World Health Organization and is attending the summit. From the Norwegian capital, he spoke to VOA’s Joe De Capua about the scope of the crisis.

New research shows three African countries hard hit by the HIV/AIDS epidemic – Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia -- have made extraordinary progress in confronting the disease. A survey shows investments by the U.S. and other donors are paying off. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION SAYS IT’S DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ONGOING ANTI-IMMIGRANT VIOLENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA. AND IT SAYS IT’S ALSO WORRIED ABOUT AN ANTI-IMMIGRANT MARCH PLANNED FOR FRIDAY. THE VIOLENCE BEGAN OVER THE WEEKEND IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS AND CONTINUED THROUGH YESTERDAY. SOME HOUSES, SHOPS AND BUSINESSES OWNED BY FOREIGN NATIONALS WERE LOOTED AND BURNED. THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION SAYS THERE MAY BE AS MANY AS FIVE MILLION MIGRANTS IN SOUTH AFRICA OR ABOUT 10 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION. RICHARD OTS (OTTS IS THE I-O-M CHIEF OF MISSION IN SOUTH AFRICA. FROM PRETORIA, HE SPOKE TO VOA’S JOE DE CAPUA.

Around the world, thousands of children have been recruited or abducted for use as soldiers. Rights groups lay the blame on government forces, militias and rebel groups. The psychological scars that many of these children bear make it difficult for them to re-enter society or to trust government institutions. But a recent workshop in northern Uganda aimed to change that. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

While European countries try to stop the flow of sub-Saharan African migrants from Libya – a medical aid group warns that conditions for migrants in Libya are dangerous and unhealthy. Libya is the main departure point for those trying to cross the Mediterranean. However, many are physically and sexually abused before smugglers put them in unseaworthy vessels. Thousands have died in boat accidents. Doctors Without Borders – also known as MSF -- is providing medical care for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers being detained in and around Tripoli. MSF General Director -- Arjan Hehenkamp has just returned from the Libyan capital. From Amsterdam, he spoke to VOA’s Joe De Capua that the political turmoil in Libya is making conditions worse.

There was a big increase in the number of migrant children arriving in Italy last year, who either traveled alone or were separated from their relatives. UNICEF, the U.N. Children’s Fund, says they’re vulnerable to trafficking, exploitation and abuse. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

The World Economic Forum has released a new report outlining the top trends that could shape global developments over the next 10 years. About 750 experts contributed to the 2017 Global Risks Report. VOA’s Joe De Capua report.

The target date to achieve the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals is 2030. But a think tank says while African countries will make progress toward those goals, they will not meet the deadline. The assessment was made at a recent joint conference of the South African Institute for Security Studies and the British Defense Ministry. VOA’s Joe De Capua reports.

U.N. humanitarian officials say drought conditions are expanding in Somalia, despite rainfall in parts of the country in late November. Widespread crop failure is expected, livestock are threatened and disease outbreaks are reported. VOA’s Joe De Capua has the story.