Japan to give $41 million aid to Asian nations over vaccine supply

TOKYO - Japan will provide 4.5 billion yen ($41 million) grant aid through an international organization to 25 countries in Asia and the Pacific Islands region to help them build a cold-chain distribution network for COVID-19 vaccines, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

The grant aid will be used to secure cold-storage facilities, transport vehicles and other equipment necessary for the stable delivery of vaccines in those countries, including Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, according to the ministry.

Japan aims to help ensure the delivery of vaccines "to each and every person in the all corners of developing countries" with the hope of containing the coronavirus pandemic as quickly as possible, it said, adding the aid will be delivered through the United Nations Children's Fund.

The other recipient countries are Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, the Cook Islands, East Timor, Fiji, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Micronesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Niue, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Sri Lanka, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Vietnam.

Japan has also pledged $200 million to the COVAX facility, an international vaccine distribution platform set up to ensure equitable access to shots for developing countries.

The COVAX initiative aims to deliver 2 billion doses of coronavirus vaccines across the world by the end of 2021.

-Kyodo News

Pink takes on malnutrition as UNICEF ambassador

UNITED NATIONS, United States—Pink was appointed on Monday as UNICEF’s newest ambassador, pledging to raise awareness about malnutrition worldwide.

“As a mom myself, it’s devastating to know that children are suffering because they don’t have adequate nutrition,” said the Grammy Award-winning singer.

“All children should be able to grow up strong and healthy, with the opportunity to reach their full potential.”


“As a UNICEF ambassador, I want to use my platform to help end global malnutrition,” which affects one in four children around the world, according to UNICEF.

Pink has a three-year-old daughter, Willow, with husband Carey Hart.

In July, Pink traveled to Haiti to see how therapeutic food can have an impact on malnourished children.

She visited an infant care center where children are treated for severe acute malnutrition.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Spoelstra featured in typhoon relief ad; Heat, Carnival Corp. pledge $1M

MIAMI — Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, a Filipino-American, released a public service announcement with UNICEF on Wednesday asking people to help with typhoon relief efforts in the Philippines.

Spoelstra’s mother is from the Philippines, and the Heat coach has visited her homeland several times in recent years. The country’s eastern portion was devastated last Friday when Typhoon Haiyan struck, killing thousands, displacing hundreds of thousands and leaving enormous numbers of Filipinos homeless, hungry and thirsty.

“Devastation caused by the recent typhoon in the Philippines has been catastrophic and millions of children have been impacted,” Spoelstra said in the PSA, which was taped as he stood on the court where the Heat play home games.

The NBA, the NBA Players Association and the Heat are among the groups who have already announced donations to relief efforts. The Heat combined with Carnival Corporation to pledge at least $1 million to the effort; the team is owned by Micky Arison, who also chairs Carnival’s board.

In addition, the Heat held a moment of silence for those lost and affected by the storm before their game Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Spoelstra’s success as coach of the Heat has been huge news in the Philippines. Reporters from that country have traveled to cover the last three NBA Finals largely because of Spoelstra’s involvement, and when he returned to the Philippines as part of a sports envoy tour arranged by the NBA and the U.S. State Department in 2009 – his first trip there in 35 years – massive crowds awaited him at every stop.

Other than fans from the U.S. and China, the NBA has said that Filipinos are most active on the league’s Facebook and Twitter accounts.

“The NBA Family is teaming up with UNICEF to bring life-saving clean water, food, medicine and shelter that are urgently needed,” Spoelstra said in the PSA. “Join our team.”

He ends the spot by saying “Thank you” and “Maraming salamat po” – the Filipino phrase for “Thank you very much.”

source: sports.inquirer.net