Experimental Ebola Treatments

Plus: Stories Of Freedom And Independence [NPR] editor's note Prime Minister Dileita Mohamed Dileita, surrounded by dancers in traditional dress, celebrates the 30th anniversary of Djibouti's independence. Patrick Robert/Corbis via Getty Images With July 4 just a week away, I started thinking about some of the stories we’ve published about America’s holiday of independence and how it connects with other countries. George Mwinnyaa, who grew up in Ghana, wrote an essay called “[Why I Love (And Question) Independence Day]( He remembered how, when he was in school, groups would march on his country's independence day. And then each participant got a bottle of Coca-Cola – a thrilling moment. But as he grew up, he began to wonder: Is Ghana really independent when “we depend on foreign aid for our basic necessities?” [Read his story here.]( We also looked at how Africa’s [most recently independent countries]( mark their independence: everything from skydivers to motorcycle acrobatics by police officers. [Read the story here.]( Last year we interviewed Ruben Malayan, the Armenian artist whose calligraphy was featured on the [posters that became a symbol of his country’s “velvet revolution”]( nonviolent protests that pressured the president to step down. The artist’s favorite word to write: "It's one word I love and it's not accidental," he says. "It says freedom." [​Read the story here.]( Happy Independence Day! Our newsletter will celebrate by taking the day off. So no newsletter next week. We’ll be back in your inbox on July 11. Marc Silver Editor, Goats and Soda in the news Copernicus Sentinel-2 Satellite Image/Maxar Technologies via AP [No Drips, No Drops: A City Of 10 Million Is Running Out Of Water]( In Chennai, India's sixth-largest city, the reservoirs are literally drying up. How are its citizens — and the government — responding? [How A Former Child Bride Got A Fatwa Against Child Marriage]( It happened in Senegal last week, at a conference organized by young Africans to address the issues of child marriage and female genital mutilation. Here's the story behind the fatwa. [Teen Yogis Do Yoga On Nails And Eggs]( Uttrasree Ilango just got a spot in a book of records for doing lotus pose for an hour atop 2,209 nails. Her brother can perch on eggs without cracking them. What's their secret? global health Kim Cloete/PopArt Study [They Thought This HIV Strategy Couldn't Work. But It Did]( An unprecedented five-year study aimed to find out whether the treatments to stop the spread of HIV in the West would work in sub-Saharan Africa. [Will 1 Of These 4 Experimental Treatments Cure Ebola?]( A landmark study in Congo is very close to finding out. But there are some major obstacles that have nothing to do with science. links we like Why couscous is [a symbol of harmony]( in northwest Africa. [Never-before-seen photos]( of Seoul during the Korean War. How climate change is affecting [life in Senegal](. How foreign aid [helped and hurt]( one of the world's poorest countries. This story was wild: Instagram growth hackers [are promising to send free meals to Sudan]( to get more followers. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [goatsandsoda@npr.org](mailto:goatsandsoda@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) 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 our Goats and Soda emails. | [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( | NPR 1111 N. CAPITOL ST. NE WASHINGTON DC 20002 [NPR]