Why India welcomes its population boom

Remembering David Gilkey; attacks on health care [View this email online]( [NPR]( Goats and Soda editor's note Graham Paul Smith/NPR One of the great privileges of my job is the chance to work with talented NPR journalists. This week I thought about one of the best: [photographer David Gilkey]( (pictured above), who contributed many photos of the Ebola outbreak and other global health topics to our blog. Gilkey and his interpreter were killed by a grenade attack in Afghanistan 7 years ago, on June 5, 2016. It was such a terrible loss. When I remember Gilkey, I think of the heartfelt humanity that informed his images. Talking about a photo he made of a woman in Liberia who was severely ill with Ebola, he told me: "I felt like I wanted her to not be standing there. But I also feel like, look, this is what Ebola does to you, and this is something that maybe we need to see. We see survivor pictures. We see the dead. But very rarely do you see someone clearly being affected by Ebola." The woman died of Ebola soon after. Even though he could be deeply serious, Gilkey had a wry sense of humor. The last time I saw him, I was proudly showing off a new "frontpack" I was using to carry my gear when I bike to work. I loved the fact that it took the load off my back, although perhaps I did look a little weird with a plump pack strapped across my abdomen. Gilkey just stared at me and my odd pack in amusement and said, "You know, I don't think so!" [Read this story about Gilkey's work and see some of his work here.]( Marc Silver Editor, Goats and Soda in the news Punit Paranjpe/AFP via Getty Images [India's population passes 1.4 billion — and that's not a bad thing]( Population growth has long been a source of worry in India, which now has more people than China: 1.46 billion residents. But some experts are optimistic about the impact of this population boom. conflict Joel Villanueva/Getty Images [2022 was the worst year on record for attacks on heath-care workers]( A new report from the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition documents almost 2,000 incidents in 2022: "a shockingly violent year against health care, especially in Ukraine and in Myanmar." newborns Andrew Caballero-Reynolds for NPR [Kangaroo care gets a major endorsement. Here's what it looks like in Ivory Coast]( A new study looks at the reduction in mortality among vulnerable babies if kangaroo care — skin-to-skin contact — is started soon after birth. Photojournalist Andrew Caballero-Reynolds spent time with new moms and dads learning how to kangaroo care their babies in Ivory Coast. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- links we like - Some headlines just hook you. Like The Guardian's "[I swam down Ghana’s Volta River for 40 days to show the true cost of cheap clothes"]( -- the title of Yvette Yaa Konadu Tetteh's essay on the impact of discarded secondhand clothes from Europe on African waterways. - [Can the world get rid of cash?]( tried it and it didn't work. But it is now dumping its largest denomination bill. The Indicator, from Planet Money, looks at the drawbacks of a completely cashless society. - NPR's "Picture Show" shares the story of Chedino Martin -- and her long journey to becoming [Miss Trans Africa.]( - Humans around the world enjoy yoga and say it's good for their health. Now elephants are learning it too. The Washington Post reports on [zoo yoga.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- 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]