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Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Named Capital of Arab Culture for 2030

The selection means that Diriyah will become the second Saudi city to be named as the capital of Arab culture after Riyadh
The selection means that Diriyah will become the second Saudi city to be named as the capital of Arab culture after Riyadh
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Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Named Capital of Arab Culture for 2030

The selection means that Diriyah will become the second Saudi city to be named as the capital of Arab culture after Riyadh
The selection means that Diriyah will become the second Saudi city to be named as the capital of Arab culture after Riyadh

Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah has been named as the capital of Arab culture for 2030.

The city was selected by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) due to its remarkable history and cultural symbolism, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The selection means that Diriyah will become the second Saudi city to be named as the capital of Arab culture after Riyadh, which held the title in 2000, it said.

The announcement came after the endorsement of Arab ministers of culture at an annual ALECSO meeting held in Dubai on December 19-20, SPA added.

Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, the Minister of Culture and Chairman of the National Committee for Education, Science and Culture, expressed his appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz for the great support that the Saudi culture receives in all its fields, which resulted in naming Diriyah to be a sign of Arab culture.

ALECSO Chairman Hani Al-Muqbil congratulated King Salman and the Crown Prince on the occasion.

Al-Muqbil said choosing Diriyah as capital of Arab culture for 2030 reflects the cultural standing that the city enjoys.

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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)
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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.