Dramatic evidence of pandemic origins

Infant formula marketing; media coverage of Russia's war

View this email online Goats and Soda editor's note The samovar my grandmother's family brought from Kyiv. Marc Silver/NPR This is my keepsake from Kyiv. A samovar -- an urn used to heat water (with coals or charcoal or firewood in a basin at the bottom) to make tea.  My grandmother's family emigrated from Kyiv in the early 1900s and brought this urn with them. It's hard to imagine they shlepped such a honking big hot water device. It stands nearly 2 feet tall. They must have really loved their tea. (And maybe that's why I start every day with a warming cup.) The inside of the samovar is caked with layers of what look like mineral deposits, probably left behind by decades of water boiling inside. They're a reminder of the layers of history reflected in this urn. It bore witness to a Jewish family's journey to a new land at a time of persecution -- and today lives in a world where Russia has invaded Ukraine. And a world that seems to pay more attention to some conflicts than to others. For a story this week NPR's Malaka Gharib interviewed Magdalene Abraha, a British writer with roots in Ethiopia, where war has been ongoing since 2020. Here's what Abraha said about the media coverage of Russia's war. "My first reaction was fantastic. Human suffering of that nature should be covered and on a global scale. In the same breath, it would be good to have this kind of attention to all crises .... going on in the world." Read the story here. Marc Silver Editor, Goats and Soda Newsletter continues after sponsor message in the news Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images Dramatic new evidence points to Wuhan seafood market as pandemic origin point Two studies point to a link between the animals at the seafood market and the spread of SARS-CoV-2 — foreshadowed by photos from 2014 of raccoon dogs and birds. A top virus sleuth gives the details. Infant formula promoted in 'aggressive' and 'misleading' ways, says new global report UNICEF and the World Health Organization issued the paper. It shows "that formula milk marketing remains unacceptably pervasive, misleading and aggressive," says Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of WHO. author interview Sean Gallup/Getty Images The world's insect population is in decline — and that's bad news for humans Environmental writer Oliver Milman says habitat loss, pesticides and climate change are killing off insects worldwide, which, in turn, threatens humans. His new book is The Insect Crisis. coronavirus faq Malaka Gharib/NPR I'm a one-way masker. What strategy will give me optimal protection? Even as the CDC endorses the end of mask mandates in many areas, some folks still want to wear a mask in public places to reduce the risk of a coronavirus infection. Here's a guide to one-way masking. links we like A YouTube channel shows you what's cooking in a remote village in Bangladesh. Rest of World has the story. The Washington Post features Nahual, a new book by photographer Santiago Sierra Soler. The title refers to humans with the ability to shape shift and work magic. The photorapher worked with an ancient Yucatán community on the project. Nigerian musician Fireboy DML stars in a Tiny Desk at Home concert. His music is embued with deep feelings and anchored with a melodious piano. Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WBEZ (edit station). What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: goatsandsoda@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Health, Daily News, Code Switch and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Goats and Soda emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy