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Obama on Swine Flu

President Obama says "If there is ever a day that reminds us of our shared stake in science and research, it is today." Watch.

Help Rick Reilly Do The Dishes

Rick Reilly: 

Ashton Kutcher isn't cool just because he's one of the few stars in Hollywood who played high school football. And he isn't cool because he recently promised to ding-dong ditch Ted Turner's house. He's cool because he just donated 10,000 nets at $10 a piece to stop the spread of malaria in Africa. Kutcher did it to celebrate becoming the first person to reach 1 million followers on Twitter, which inspired CNN to donate 10,000 nets, which got Oprah Winfrey to pitch in 20,000 nets. Perfect with World Malaria Day Saturday, April 25. But what if all million of Kutcher's Twitter-ers gave a net? That would be a million more lives saved! Now Turner has posed a challenge: If 10,000 more people join the Nothing But Nets campaign—the program I helped found with the United Nations Foundation—he's going to have Kutcher and his wife, Demi Moore, over for lunch If that happens, I'll donate 2,000 more nets myself. And do the dishes.

Here's how you can make it happen.

Closer to a Malaria Vaccine?

Beth Dickinson flags an upcoming big development in the anti-malaria campaign:

Sanaria, Inc. and the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative announced this morning that their potential vaccine for malaria ready to start human trials as early as this May.

An effective vaccine would, as Beth says, "do wonders." We're still a long way off from comprehensive malaria vaccination across Africa, though. So for now, do the best thing we can to prevent infection (and help Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore have lunch eat bison burgers with Ted Turner): send a net, save a life.

Taking Safe Water for Granted

This report illustrates why those with access to safe drinking water shouldn't take it for granted:

Vietnam is a nation crisscrossed by rivers and streams and has one of the longest coastlines in the world: Water is everywhere, yet there is hardly a safe drop to drink, with even much of the bottled water contaminated.

Tran Van Nhi, a scientist at the Vietnam Institute of Biotechnology, told IRIN Hanoi's water was heavily contaminated with ammonia: "It is 6-18 times higher than the allowed level."

A small amount of ammonia is not toxic but when it reacts with certain other substances, it can convert to a carcinogen, according to Nhi and other scientists. Nhi also found arsenic levels two to three times higher than acceptable World Health Organization standards.

Most residents boil drinking water as a matter of course, even though high temperatures do not remove arsenic or dangerous heavy metals. ...

In June 2008, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 20,000 people living in Vietnam die each year from contaminated water and poor sanitation.

For much more on the topic, read Water, Sanitation and Hygiene from the WHO.

Ted Turner Responds to Ashton Kutcher, Really!

Last night, Ashton Kutcher beat out CNN to become the first Twitter user to reach one million followers.  At stake was a pledge from the winner to donate 10,000 anti-malaria bednets through Malaria No More.  

United Nations Foundation founder Ted Turner is quite pleased with the outcome.  Here is Ted Turner's statement:

I salute both Ashton Kutcher and CNN for causing a buzz about malaria, a leading killer of children and refugees in Africa.

Now, I challenge them to get those Twitter followers to double their pledge by joining Nothing But Nets. How does 100,000 people sound?

One of the reasons I started CNN was to open people’s eyes to the news of the world.  Bringing people together and helping them understand each other was a big first step, but now we can also get them to do something.

It’s great that one million people used Twitter to get behind Ashton Kutcher, but imagine if those same people did something to directly improve the world today.  I can tell you an easy action that you can do right now, and it only costs $10.

The United Nations Foundation created the Nothing But Nets campaign to offer individuals – from 5-year olds, to CEOS, to professional athletes – the opportunity to send a net and save a life.  In just two years, more than 100,000 people have helped us raise $26 million and distribute two million nets.  Just think how many lives one million people could save.

World Malaria Day – April 25 – is right around the corner.  The malaria community is working together to send as many nets as we can to protect families. There’s no better time to join us in sending nets and saving lives.  Visit www.UNFoundation.org/NothingButNets to send a net and save a life.

*Note: UN Dispatch enjoys the sponsorship of the United Nations Foundation.  Follow us on Twitter.