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In France, Accents Are Now Protected by Law

Peter Yeung

April 02, 2021 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: France

The French National Assembly overwhelmingly passed “the Law to Promote the France of Accents,” which criminalizes discrimination against someone based on their accent. The bill makes linguistic discrimination, or “glottophobia,” an offense punishable by up to three years’ jail time and a fine of up to €45,000 (USD$54,000). Early indications of the law's impact include the normalizing of native accents in national discourse, the appointment of a Prime Minister with a strong accent, and the French national broadcaster FranceInfo’s naming “glottophobia” one of the words of 2020.

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A key to bridging the political divide: Sit down and talk?

Glenn Gamboa

March 29, 2021 |

Associated Press |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

One Small Step seeks to decrease toxic polarization by bringing people of differing views and backgrounds together to talk. About 800 people have met in pairs in around 40 cities to talk about commonalities, such as family and spirituality, in addition to other issues facing the country. The conversations, which highlight people’s commonalities and help to humanize one another, are based on research that shows bringing people together face-to-face decreases prejudice and discrimination. Some of the recorded conversations become part of the StoryCorps podcast or were broadcast on NPR.

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'Virtual rangers' help South African reserve keep poachers away

Akhona Matshoba Tanisha Heiberg

March 29, 2021 |

Reuters |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: South Africa, Johannesburg

Over 55,000 people have become “virtual rangers,” helping to protect South Africa’s Balule Nature Reserve from poachers. Officials at the reserve teamed up with Samsung and Africam to increase the ability to keep watch over the park, which is home to some of the most vulnerable animals to poaching, including rhinoceros, leopards, and elephants. Camera phones, held in protective cases, are mounted around the reserve and stream images to “virtual rangers” worldwide who have already reported hearing gunshots, which could indicate the possibility of poachers, and seeing trapped animals needing rescue.

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The resistance: can viruses save us from drug-defying superbugs?

Rosa Ellis

March 28, 2021 |

The Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that kill bacteria by latching on to and entering target cells and then multiplying and killing the host cell. Phages only attack bacteria, they can’t enter human cells, but the phage must be specific to the bacteria's DNA, which presents an obstacle because most health systems lack the capacity for such testing. To overcome this, researchers are developing phage cocktails that could be applied more widely, similar to antibiotics. A few locations around the world currently use phage treatment, particularly to treat the six most virulent antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

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In Sokoto, emergency ambulances tackling maternal mortality

Rakiya A Muhammad

March 25, 2021 |

RMTimes |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Nigeria, Sokoto

A program in Sokoto State uses 300 ambulances to improve access to emergency care in rural areas, which has significantly improved maternal health outcomes. High costs, limited availability of transportation, and traditional gender norms limited women’s access to care, but the program has made it easier to reach care, and more interactions with health facilities helped shift norms about maternal care. Routine immunizations, prenatal care, and nutrition services have also increased. Committees, made up of local leaders and healthcare officials, maintain the vehicles and provide drivers in each ward.

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How Taiwan triumphed over Covid as the UK faltered

Helen Davidson Emma Graham-Harrison

March 24, 2021 |

The Guardian |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Taiwan

Taiwan was among the first countries to respond to COVID-19 with decisive actions that contained the virus’ impact on the population. Its 2003 experience with the SARS virus provided an established infrastructure to focus on eliminating the virus rather than its mitigating spread. In-bound travel was quickly regulated, a centralized office coordinated responses across sectors, and clear communication campaigns limited disinformation. Officials temporarily authorized “intrusive data collection measures” to track, trace, and isolate infections and masks were required and made widely available.

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How to reuse a demolished building

Charlotte Horn

March 23, 2021 |

BBC |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Switzerland, Winterthur

A warehouse in Switzerland is being transformed into new creative workspaces. The catch: It’s being constructed out of reused building materials. About 70 percent of it is being made from old materials like wood floorboards, steel beams, and windows. A network of treasure hunters are on the lookout for used materials that can be used in constructing these buildings. The workspace is nearly complete and it already has tenants for all of the spaces. They were also able to cut the building’s carbon emissions in half.

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Meet the Black Mambas, South Africa's all-female anti-poaching unit

Emma Gregg

March 23, 2021 |

National Geographic |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: South Africa

The Black Mambas are an all-female anti-poaching and ranger unit based in South Africa’s Balule Nature Reserve. They patrol on foot and by vehicle to remove bushmeat snares and look for evidence of illegal poaching activities. They also run the Bush Babies Environmental Education Programme, which teaches local school children about wildlife and conservation. The group combines anti-poaching enforcement with efforts to ensure local communities have food security and understand the economic and employment benefits of tourism as a way to protect wildlife. The Mambas are seen as role models within the community.

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A village to nourish a child: FHI360 community structures provide nutrition for children in Borno

Thelma Chioma Abeku

March 23, 2021 |

Nigeria Health Watch |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Nigeria, Borno State

FHI360 is an initiative, supported by grassroots and international partnerships, providing healthcare to Internally Displaced Peoples in four locations. The nourishment of pregnant and lactating mothers, as well as their children, is a main focus. The group disseminates information and provides nutrition counseling in both one-on-one and community support group settings. They also offer vitamins and micronutrient supplements to women and children and create safe breastfeeding spaces and safe spaces for women who have been victims of gender-based violence.

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The equalizers

Katherine Stanley Obando

March 19, 2021 |

El Colectivo 506 |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s Ministry of Public Education quickly pivoted when COVID-19 led to school closures by training teachers to teach online, providing email addresses, and giving families autonomous learning guides. The Ministry also digitized its enrollment data so that it could track and stay connected with students, while also ensuring that all families had the food and nutrition they needed while children were not able to attend school in person.

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