Arab Countries Congratulate Saudi Arabia on Winning Bid to Host Expo 2030 in Riyadh 

A light display created using drones is performed after Riyadh won the right to host the 2030 World Expo at the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, on November 28, 2023. (AFP)
A light display created using drones is performed after Riyadh won the right to host the 2030 World Expo at the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, on November 28, 2023. (AFP)
TT

Arab Countries Congratulate Saudi Arabia on Winning Bid to Host Expo 2030 in Riyadh 

A light display created using drones is performed after Riyadh won the right to host the 2030 World Expo at the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, on November 28, 2023. (AFP)
A light display created using drones is performed after Riyadh won the right to host the 2030 World Expo at the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, on November 28, 2023. (AFP)

Arab countries congratulated on Tuesday Saudi Arabia on winning its bid to host Expo 2030 in the capital Riyadh. 

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its confidence in the Kingdom’s ability to organize this important international event.  

In a statement, the ministry stressed that the Kingdom’s organizing of this international event embodies the amount of appreciation for the bid it submitted and confidence in its ability to successfully organize the event. It wished the Saudi people further success and progress.  

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas congratulated Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on the occasion.  

In his cable to King Salman, he expressed the pride of his country and all Arabs in this great win, which came as a result of the effort and excellence of the wise leadership in the Kingdom, competent authorities and Saudi people.  

Abbas underscored his best wishes of constant good health and happiness to King Salman and further progress and prosperity for the Saudi people.  

In a similar cable, the Palestinian President also congratulated Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, on the well-deserved win.  

He underlined his confidence that this important international event will be a success. 

Jordan expressed its sincere congratulations to Saudi Arabia on its successful bid. 

The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday the victory is a culmination of the successes and achievements reached by the Kingdom in various fields. 

It is a testimony to its distinguished ability to host such important global events, which have been admired across the globe, it added. 



WHO Sends Over 1 Mln Polio Vaccines to Gaza to Protect Children 

Displaced Palestinians, who fled their houses due to Israeli strikes, look out from a window as they take shelter, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, July 24, 2024. (Reuters)
Displaced Palestinians, who fled their houses due to Israeli strikes, look out from a window as they take shelter, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, July 24, 2024. (Reuters)
TT

WHO Sends Over 1 Mln Polio Vaccines to Gaza to Protect Children 

Displaced Palestinians, who fled their houses due to Israeli strikes, look out from a window as they take shelter, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, July 24, 2024. (Reuters)
Displaced Palestinians, who fled their houses due to Israeli strikes, look out from a window as they take shelter, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, July 24, 2024. (Reuters)

The World Health Organization is sending more than one million polio vaccines to Gaza to be administered over the coming weeks to prevent children being infected after the virus was detected in sewage samples, its chief said on Friday.

"While no cases of polio have been recorded yet, without immediate action, it is just a matter of time before it reaches the thousands of children who have been left unprotected," Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in an opinion piece in Britain's The Guardian newspaper.

He wrote that children under five were most at risk from the viral disease, and especially infants under two since normal vaccination campaigns have been disrupted by more than nine months of conflict.

Poliomyelitis, which is spread mainly through the fecal-oral route, is a highly infectious virus that can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis. Cases of polio have declined by 99% worldwide since 1988 thanks to mass vaccination campaigns and efforts continue to eradicate it completely.

Israel's military said on Sunday it would start offering the polio vaccine to soldiers serving in the Gaza Strip after remnants of the virus were found in test samples in the enclave.

Besides polio, the UN reported last week a widespread increase in cases of Hepatitis A, dysentery and gastroenteritis as sanitary conditions deteriorate in Gaza, with sewage spilling into the streets near some camps for displaced people.