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Pakistan Tries a New Way to Pay for a Dam: Crowdsourcing

Meher Ahmad

October 25, 2018 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Pakistan

Under financial strain, Pakistan is asking its citizens and Pakistanis abroad to donate money to build two dams. Only $48 million of the estimated cost of $14 billion has been raised so far, yet the country’s new prime minister Imran Khan is optimistic. “We can build dams in five years if the donations continue,” he said.

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A Baseball Bat Dies, and Chopsticks Are Born

Jeré Longman

October 25, 2018 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Japan, Tokyo

When baseball bats break, as they often do during games, they don't always find another purpose. As part of a recycling and conservation effort in Japan, though, these bats are repurposed into chopsticks that don't just serve a practical purpose, but also raise awareness about the kind of wood used to make the bats.

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How to Really Help Children Abroad

Tina Rosenberg

October 23, 2018 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Short-term volunteering trips, especially those that involve working directly with vulnerable children, can do more harm than good. Instead, volunteers should look for opportunities to support staff and primary caregivers. Or even just send the money that would otherwise go towards airfare and expenses. “We confuse our own caring for help,” argues Tina Rosenberg.

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Australia Tells America: Here's How to Fix Your Voting System

Tacey Rychter

October 22, 2018 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Australia

Australia maintains a high voter turnout by making voting both easy and mandatory. Election day is always on a Saturday, and community groups host barbeques to mark the occasion. If an eligible voter still doesn’t cast a ballot, they can face a fine of up to nearly 80 Australian dollars.

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Where Chicago Trounces New York: Fixing Mass Transit

Winnie Hu

October 18, 2018 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

While New York struggles to fund improvements to its subway system, Chicago has stepped up to find creative ways to finance its own infrastructure improvements. Shepherded forward by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the city has invested over 7 billion in the L train system since 2011. By lobbying for federal funds, raising a tax on ride sharing, and focusing rebuilding efforts over intensive months rather than years, Chicago’s subway has become more reliable and more sustainable.

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Istanbul Vending Machines Offer Subway Credit for Recycled Bottles and Cans

Ceylan Yeginsu

October 17, 2018 |

The New York Times |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Turkey, Istanbul

In an attempt to lessen their role in contributing to waste, Istanbul has installed “reverse vending machines” at metro stations that incentivize recycling. For every plastic bottle or aluminum can inserted into the machine, public transportation users earn cash to redeem for trips.

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The Lasting Pain of Children Sent to Orphanages, Rather Than Families

Tina Rosenberg

October 16, 2018 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Costa Rica, San Jose

Casa Viva is an organization in Latin America that prioritizes family reunification over adoption. They have placed about 640 children with foster families, “60 percent of those went back to their biological family or another relative. About 35 percent were adopted.” In contrast to foster homes, orphanages have become thriving business which recruit western volunteers and charge them large fees. Casa Viva opposes this model because most kids have parents who are alive, but can’t afford to raise them.

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Rescuing Sea Turtles From Fishermen's Nets

Amy Yee

October 15, 2018 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Kenya, Watamu

In fishing communities, it isn't uncommon for fishermen to accidentally entrap endangered sea turtles. A non-profit in Kenya, however, has figured out a way to not only help raise awareness about the importance of releasing the turtles, but also to build trust with the fishermen and incentivize the releases.

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How an Unlikely Family History Website Transformed Cold Case Investigations

Heather Murphy

October 15, 2018 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Lake Worth, Florida

GEDmatch started as a "casual side project," but investigators have been using the genealogy website to solve murder and sexual assault cases, opening a new set of both opportunity and ethical questions. The site is free to all, so investigators have used it to match DNA information and find suspects using family connections - a strategy that concerned the founders of the site at first, although they've come around to the idea after seeing the positive impact it has had.

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Every Older Patient Has a Story. Medical Students Need to Hear It.

Paula Span

October 12, 2018 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Ithaca, New York

Some medical schools are now incorporating interviews with healthy seniors into their curriculum. These interactions help young medical students combat ageist stereotypes they may unconsciously develop through treating unhealthy older people. It also builds empathy and a sense of what good geriatric health looks like.

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