MacKenzie Scott shakes up global philanthropy

U.N. report on child mortality; how to avoid COVID when flying [View this email online]( [NPR]( Goats and Soda editor's note Deena Mohamed If you could have one wish, what would it be? It's a question as old as the oldest fairytale. And as new as the newest graphic novel to make a splash -- [Shubeik Lubeik,]( for "your wish is my command," published this week by Pantheon Books.]( The drawing above is a self-portrait by the graphic artist Deena Mohamed, who came up with the idea of a tale of wishes -- with dragons, talking donkeys and a hilarious scene where someone wishes for a BMW and gets a toy car -- and then set her story in the realities of modern life in her native Egypt, from poverty to a poor health-care system. NPR's Malaka Gharib, author of two graphic novels about her own life, interviewed Mohamed to learn more about her wishful thinking. [Read the story here.]( And readers, if you'd like to share a wish for the world in 2023, send it to [goatsandsoda@npr.org](mailto:goatsandsoda@npr.org?subject=) with "wishes" in the subject line. we may share some of our readers' wishes in a future story. Marc Silver Editor, Goats and Soda in the news Alany Gonçalves [Is there mercury in the fish we eat? Amazonians tap WhatsApp to find out]( A community of Indigenous peoples in Brazil worried that mercury used by gold miners was contaminating the fish they eat. So they created a DIY team to find out more. [A U.N. report has good news and dire news about child deaths. What's the take-home lesson?]( A new U.N. report shares concerning data about the world's child mortality rate. We interview a doctor in Nigeria — where rates of child death are among the world's highest — to get his insights. [Don't think of Africa as a hungry child, says a champion of Africa's food prowess]( If you think that African countries have nothing to contribute to the global food supply, Ndidi Nwuneli would like you to think about what you eat daily. [MacKenzie Scott is shaking up philanthropy's traditions. Is that a good thing?]( Donations often come with rigorous applications and reporting requirements. Billionaire MacKenzie Scott, who divorced Jeff Bezos in 2019 and vowed to give away most of her fortune, does it her way. coronavirus FAQ Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Images/Sipa USA [How do I avoid catching COVID while flying?]( You'll see testing in a number of airports these days — it's just like we're going back in time to the start of the pandemic! And speaking of looking back, the things that protected fliers from COVID then are still a good idea. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- links we like - [Africa's first "heat officer"]( Eugenia Kargbo ofFreetown, Sierra Leone. The New York Times profiles her as she aims to "to make the city verdant and livable again by helping it cope with rising temperatures and other climate changes." - NPR reports that "China's authorities are quietly [rounding up people who protested against COVID rules."]( - "Naatu Naatu," a song from the hit India film RRR, has won a Golden Globe. [The exuberant video was filmed in Kyiv, outside the president's official residence, before the war.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Find a Station]( 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 Goats and Soda emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]