World's tallest tower to light up with coronavirus donations

DUBAI -- One pixel at a time, Dubai will light up the facade of the world's tallest building to represent each donation made to relieve coronavirus-hit communities across the United Arab Emirates.

The Burj Khalifa, which stands 828 meters (2,717 feet) high, will be transformed into the "world's tallest donation box" as part of a campaign to provide 10 million meals to low-income people.

The appeal comes during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, a time of self-reflection, prayer and charity for the faithful.

For each 10-dirham ($2.7) donation, one of the building's 1.2 million LED lights will be illuminated -- each representing a meal. 

On Sunday, less than 24 hours since the launch of the appeal, a live count on the website indicated that more than 176,000 meals had been donated. 

The skyscraper regularly features displays of solidarity with crisis-stricken countries -- for Australia when bushfires ravaged parts of the country, and for China and Italy when they were hit hard by the COVID-19 respiratory disease.

"Representing donations as lights beaming on Burj Khalifa reflects the hope that small acts of kindness will bring to less fortunate communities as the country continues its battle against the pandemic," Dubai's media office said in a statement.

"They will see the impact of their contributions on the facade of the world's tallest building."



Last week, the UAE eased lockdown restrictions that were put in place to curb the spread of the disease.

Dubai, one of the seven sheikhdoms that make up the UAE, had imposed a total curfew.

The emirate depends heavily on trade, retail, tourism and real estate, and the restrictions have hit businesses hard. It is also home to millions of foreign workers, some of whom have found themselves out of work or unpaid as the economy crumbles.

The UAE has so far reported more than 14,000 infections, including 126 deaths. 

It has the second highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Gulf after Saudi Arabia, which has recorded more than 25,000 infections and 176 deaths.

Agence France-Presse

Online fundraiser for bushfire-hit koalas tops Aus$1 million

SYDNEY, Australia—An online fundraiser for koalas injured in devastating bushfires topped Aus$1 million ($680,000) on Thursday, making it Australia's biggest campaign on the GoFundMe platform this year.

Deadly bushfires have ravaged vast swathes of eastern Australia, and wildlife carers estimate the blazes have killed hundreds of koalas this month in New South Wales state alone.

A crowdfunding page set up by the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital to provide automatic water drinking stations for wild koalas soared past Aus$1 million, with donations from more than 20,000 people from countries including the United States, France and England.

The wildlife charity's "Help Thirsty Koalas Devastated by Recent Fires" drive, which had an initial goal of just Aus$25,000, got more donations than any other campaign in Australia this year, GoFundMe said, and is the second-biggest since the platform launched Down Under in 2016.

It is one of 700 bushfire-related fundraisers launched on the platform in the past 10 days, which to date have raised a combined total of Aus$2 million.

The next-biggest has raised Aus$60,000 to support firefighters and people impacted by the blazes, which have killed 6 people, razed hundreds of homes and scorched about 1.5 million hectares (3.7 million acres) of land since October.

The koala hospital, some 4 hours north of Sydney, has rescued 31 koalas from the scorched bush in recent weeks, and said it had been "overwhelmed by the kindness, good wishes and support from the Australian and international community."

It plans to use the excess funds to deliver koala drinking stations to other parts of the state, purchase a water-carrying vehicle to replenish the stations, and to establish a koala breeding program.

With more than 1.3 million hectares (3.2 million acres) of land scorched in the state, the fires have also destroyed large tracts of the tree-dwelling marsupial's habitat.

A so-called "Koala Ark" would be built for recovering koalas, the hospital said, hoping they will eventually breed and be returned to the wild.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Sagip Kapamilya accepts aid for 'Pablo' victims

MANILA, Philippines – ABS-CBN’s Sagip Kapamilya is accepting donations for the victims of typhoon “Pablo”, which devastated Mindanao on Tuesday.

Sagip Kapamilya will start receiving cash donations through the following bank accounts:

Peso Account
Bank Name: BANCO DE ORO
Bank Account No: 393- 011-4199
Bank Account Name: ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. - Sagip Kapamilya
Branch: Sct. Albano, Quezon Avenue, Quezon City
Swift Code: BNORPHMM

Dollar Account
Bank Name: BANCO DE ORO
Bank Account No: 393-008-1622
Bank Account Name: ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. - Sagip Kapamilya
Branch: Sct. Albano, Quezon Avenue, Quezon City
Swift Code: BNORPHMM

Peso Account
Bank Name: BANK OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
Bank Account No: 305-111-2775
Bank Account Name: ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. - Sagip Kapamilya
Branch: West Triangle, Quezon City
Swift Code: BOPIPHMM

Dollar Account
Bank Name: BANK OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
Bank Account No: 305-402-7035
Bank Account Name: ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. - Sagip Kapamilya
Branch: West Triangle, Quezon City
Swift Code: BOPIPHMM

Peso Account
Bank Name: PHILIPPINE NATIONAL BANK
Bank Account No: 419-539-5000-13
Bank Account Name: ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. - Sagip Kapamilya
Branch: Timog, Quezon City
Swift Code: PNBMPHMM

Dollar Account
Bank Name: PHILIPPINE NATIONAL BANK
Account Number: 419-539-5000-21
Account Name: ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc.-Sagip Kapamilya
Branch: Timog, Quezon City
Swift Code: PNBMPHMM

Peso Account
Bank Name: METROBANK
Account Number: 636-3-636-08808-1       
Account Name: ABS - CBN Foundation, Inc. - Sagip Kapamilya
Branch: Examiner Quezon Avenue, Quezon City
Swift Code: MBTCPHMM

Please send a copy of the deposit/transaction slip to Telefax Number: 411-4995 or email us at sagip@abs-cbn.com including your NAME, ADDRESS, CONTACT NUMBER and TYPHOON NAME for verification and issuance of official receipt.

You may bring your cash or check donations directly to Sagip Kapamilya Warehouse at #13 Examiner Street West Triangle, Quezon City(between Quezon Avenue and West Avenue) from 8am-8pm. For inquiries please call telephone number (+00 63 2) 394-9272

Sagip Kapamilya will also start receiving in-kind donations from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. (Monday-Sunday)

You may bring your in-kind donations directly to Sagip Kapamilya Warehouse at #13 Examiner Street West Triangle, Quezon City (between Quezon Avenue and West Avenue) from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

For inquiries please call the Sagip Kapamilya Hotline Numbers: 411-4995, 394-9272 and 0917-887-4411.

 source: abs-cbnnews.com