Whaling commission conference ends in deadlock over hunting, calls for 1 year ‘pause’ in talks

Whaling meeting delays decision on hunting 1 year

Report: Pollutants taint whales even in remote regions, could threaten humans’ seafood supply

Report: Toxins found in whales bode ill for humans

Unexpected discovery of high heavy metal contamination of oceans causes health concerns

Danger at sea: Toxic metals threaten whales

Nations can’t agree on how to curb whaling; Japan can still raid marine sanctuary unchecked

Nations fail to limit whaling, Japan still hunts

Nations can’t agree on how to curb whale hunts; Japan blames anti-whaling nations

Nations fail to agree on curbing Japan whale hunt

Bribery or aid? Japan pays developing countries that support its positions at whaling meetings

Japanese vote buying is the buzz of whaling meet

Contentious whaling commission meeting holds 2 days of closed talks on suspending hunting ban

Whaling commission ponders suspending hunting ban

Ivory Coast minister accused of stealing compensation meant for victims of toxic waste spill

Ivory Coast minister investigated for corruption

UNESCO delays awarding contested prize named after president of Equatorial Guinea

UNESCO delays awarding contested prize

PARIS — The United Nations’ arm for education, science and culture decided Tuesday to delay awarding a prize that had outraged critics because it was named for Equatorial Guinea’s longtime dictator.

Tainted ponds kill cattle and children play in contaminated fields in Nigerian lead crisis

Environmental damage looms in Nigerian lead crisis

Gold, and lead, bring illness and death to poor villages in northern Nigeria

Gold, and lead, bring illness and death in Nigeria

CDC: Nigerian lead poisoning outbreak ‘unprecedented’ as doctors struggle to help ill children

CDC: Nigeria lead poisoning crisis ‘unprecedented’

Equatorial Guinea president defends UNESCO prize in his name that critics call disgrace

Equatorial Guinea defends UN prize critics blast

International Appalachian Train aims for Morocco, linking ancient mountains through Europe

Appalachian Trail to leap abroad toward Morocco

Actor Don Cheadle is named a goodwill ambassador for the UN’s environmental program

Actor Don Cheadle named goodwill ambassador for UN

Animals die as Zimbabwe’s Starvation Island lives up to its name, lake waters submerge it

Animals die, drown on Zimbabwe’s Starvation Island

Archaeologists discover 13th century BC ‘lost tomb’ of ancient Egyptian capital’s mayor

Ancient mayor’s ‘lost tomb’ found south of Cairo

Divers explore ruins of Cleopatra’s palace, temple complex, knocked into sea by earthquake

Divers explore sunken ruins of Cleopatra’s palace

Conservation group declares water bird in Madagascar extinct, 25 years after last sighting

Group: Madagascar bird declared extinct

GENEVA — Alien fish species and nylon nets have forced the extinction of a water bird in Madagascar, a conservation group said Wednesday.

South Africa’s neighboring countries hope to see more tourists as a result of World Cup

Neighboring countries hope for WCup tourism

Animal airlift to NKorea a business deal by cash-strapped Zimbabwe, say wildlife officials

Animals sent to NKorea for business, officials say

Royal Dutch Shell promises $2B project to cut gas flaring in Nigeria

Shell pledges $2B to cut gas flaring in Nigeria

Upriver Nile countries sign compact pitting the 4 countries against Egypt and Sudan

Upriver Nile countries sign compact for water use

Zimbabwean baby elephants won’t survive airlift into North Korea, conservationists warn

Dumbo drop: Zimbabwe to give NKorea baby elephants

You Neanderthal: New look at genome suggests some ancient interbreeding with modern humans

You’re a Neanderthal: Genes say yes _ a little bit