Why China's 'zero COVID' policy is faltering

World Cup controversy over migrant workers; monkeypox renamed

View this email online Goats and Soda editor's note Michael Kaloki  We cover many serious stories in our blog with its focus on life in the Global South. We keep up with disease outbreaks. We write about life-threatening famines. We look at the plight of the poor. We have a special interest in the obstacles faced by women and girls. We also look for stories that are surprising. Which brings me to a story about Africa and ice. I was looking up the bio of a writer in Nairobi who did a story for us on farming and climate change and saw that a few years ago he competed in global ice-sculpting and snow-carving contests. Maybe it's a cultural bias, but I didn't think ice sculpting was a thing in a country like Kenya, where snow and ice sit atop mountains but aren't generally part of the weather scene. So I asked Michael Kaloki -- how did you get into ice art? In response, he wrote an essay about his unusual passion. It involves sending a message about climate change, recruiting others to share a vision that he was told is "crazy" -- and practicing in a hotel freezer! Spoiler alert: Kaloki went on to win a snow-carving prize! Read his story here. It's not only a great yarn -- it's a reminder that sometimes even the unlikeliest of dreams can come true. Marc Silver Editor, Goats and Soda in the news Kevin Frayer/Getty Images Why China's 'zero COVID' policy is finally faltering For nearly three years, China has enforced incredibly strict rules to keep coronavirus transmission in check. But now they're facing a potentially deadly omicron surge. Death and dishonesty: Stories of two workers who built the World Cup stadiums in Qatar Vinod Kumar of India and Anish Adhikari of Nepal are among the many migrant workers who helped build the stadiums. Adhikari says he was mislead about working conditions. Kumar died on the job. WHO renames monkeypox as mpox, citing racist stigma "Removing 'monkey' removes the stigma that monkeypox comes with," a Nigerian physician tells NPR. But he questions why the World Health Organization will wait a year for the change to take full effect.   climate Seid Mahamat Adam A new kind of climate refugee is emerging They flee their homes not solely because of climatic changes that make it difficult to earn a living but also because of violence sparked by the competition for dwindling resources.  photos Tommy Trenchard for NPR   Diamond diggers in South Africa's deserted mines break the law — and risk their lives Photos show the desperate search for scraps left by big diamond operators. But amid rampant poverty and unemployment, zama-zamas see no other way to provide for their families.  Newsletter continues after sponsor message links we like   NPR interviews Tania León, who got a ticket from her homeland Cuba to the U.S. as part of the "Freedom Flights" program and went on to become an esteemed composer. She will be one of the Kennedy Center honorees at this Sunday's ceremony. The World Bank's "Africa Can End Poverty" blog offers a three-step plan to "make schools safe for girls." Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey and Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg are among the big investors in African tech businesses. Yet all that cash hasn't produced benefits for average citizens -- like a dependable power grid and internet access. Ifeoma Ajunwa, a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Law, addresses the issue in a New York Times essay. 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