UAE to Host Global Media Congress in November

A general view of Abu Dhabi. (WAM)
A general view of Abu Dhabi. (WAM)
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UAE to Host Global Media Congress in November

A general view of Abu Dhabi. (WAM)
A general view of Abu Dhabi. (WAM)

The first edition of the Global Media Congress will be held in Abu Dhabi from November 15 to 17, 2022, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan announced.

It will be organized by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company in partnership with the Emirates News Agency (WAM).

The event will include a media conference and exhibitions to help media organizations discuss partnerships, which will be "aimed at developing their messages to serve humanity and support communities by providing useful and credible content."

It will be attended by a range of media leaders and global influencers, in addition to academics and students.

The Congress will also discuss topics including digital communication, artificial intelligence, advanced technologies, and innovation in the media sector.

Sessions focusing on journalism, radio, television, the internet, social media, and international influencers will be held.

The event will serve as a platform for international companies interested in engaging in media markets in the Gulf region, the Middle East, and North Africa.

Sheikh Mansour noted that the UAE is a "global host and an efficient platform for the entire media sector because of its integrated digital infrastructure".

It also has a supportive legal and legislative environment, as well as attractive living standards for all nationalities and international companies in the media and cultural industries, he added.



Dozens of Zoo Tigers Die after Contracting Bird Flu in Vietnam

Tigers are kept in cages at Dong Xoai zoo in Bien Hoa city, Vietnam on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (Phuoc Tuan/VNExpress via AP)
Tigers are kept in cages at Dong Xoai zoo in Bien Hoa city, Vietnam on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (Phuoc Tuan/VNExpress via AP)
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Dozens of Zoo Tigers Die after Contracting Bird Flu in Vietnam

Tigers are kept in cages at Dong Xoai zoo in Bien Hoa city, Vietnam on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (Phuoc Tuan/VNExpress via AP)
Tigers are kept in cages at Dong Xoai zoo in Bien Hoa city, Vietnam on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (Phuoc Tuan/VNExpress via AP)

More than a dozen tigers were incinerated after the animals contracted bird flu at a zoo in southern Vietnam, officials said.
State media VNExpress cited a caretaker at Vuon Xoai zoo in Bien Hoa city saying the animals were fed with raw chicken bought from nearby farms, The Associated Press reported. The panther and 20 tigers, including several cubs, weighed between 10 and 120 kilograms when they died. The bodies were incinerated and buried on the premises.
“The tigers died so fast. They looked weak, refused to eat and died after two days of falling sick,” said zoo manager Nguyen Ba Phuc.
Samples taken from the tigers tested positive for H5N1, the virus that causes bird flu.
The virus was first identified in 1959 and grew into a widespread and highly lethal menace to migratory birds and domesticated poultry. It has since evolved, and in recent years H5N1 was detected in a growing number of animals ranging from dogs and cats to sea lions and polar bears.
In cats, scientists have found the virus attacking the brain, damaging and clotting blood vessels and causing seizures and death.
More than 20 other tigers were isolated for monitoring. The zoo houses some 3,000 other animals including lions, bears, rhinos, hippos and giraffes.
The 30 staff members who were taking care of the tigers tested negative for bird flu and were in normal health condition, VNExpress reported. Another outbreak also occurred at a zoo in nearby Long An province, where 27 tigers and 3 lions died within a week in September, the newspaper said.
Unusual flu strains that come from animals are occasionally found in people. Health officials in the United States said Thursday that two dairy workers in California were infected — making 16 total cases detected in the country in 2024.
“The deaths of 47 tigers, three lions, and a panther at My Quynh Safari and Vuon Xoai Zoo amid Vietnam’s bird flu outbreak are tragic and highlight the risks of keeping wild animals in captivity,” PETA Senior Vice President Jason Baker said in a statement sent to The Associated Press.
“The exploitation of wild animals also puts global human health at risk by increasing the likelihood of another pandemic,” Baker said.
Bird flu has caused hundreds of deaths around the world, the vast majority of them involving direct contact between people and infected birds.