There was an outpouring of sympathy and praise online by Saudis for the personal bodyguard of King Abdullah, who served the late monarch for 10 years.
Col. Abdul Aziz Al-Faghm was seen performing the funeral prayers for King Abdullah in Imam Turki bin Abdullah mosque in Riyadh last Friday with his usual stoic expression, but clearly trying to hide his sadness.
Twitter users have created a hash tag to thank him for his service to the king and his country.
Mohammed Al-Abdulqader said on Instagram that Al-Faghm was loyal to the end. “We got so accustomed to seeing him with the king, in his black uniform, but never wondered about his name. He has surely served faithfully.”
“This is one of the most important positions in the country. He must have been a very sad man when the king died. The photograph of him standing alone after the king was buried, was heartbreaking. But this is life, it always comes to an end,” said Al-Abdulqader.
Al-Faghm graduated from King Khaled Military College in 1991 and was then appointed to the Special Brigade before being transferred to the Royal Guard. He also served as liaison officer for the procession of King Abdullah and his guard. Al-Faghm’s father worked for King Abdulaziz for 30 years.
Bodyguard of King Abdullah served loyally for 10 years
Bodyguard of King Abdullah served loyally for 10 years
Saudi innovation challenge launched to tackle dam sediment buildup
- Ministry said initiative designed to transform environmental challenges into development opportunities by leveraging advanced technologies
JEDDAH: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture announced on Saturday the launch of the “Innovation Challenge in Dam Sediment Management,” a strategic initiative aimed at addressing environmental issues caused by sediment buildup in dams.
The challenge falls under the Saudi Innovation Grants Program for Private Sector Challenges and seeks to encourage innovators and technology firms to develop sustainable, long-term solutions to sediment accumulation.
In a statement posted on its official X account, the ministry said the initiative is designed to transform environmental challenges into development opportunities by leveraging advanced technologies to enhance water resource sustainability across the Kingdom. The move aligns with national water security objectives.
The ministry outlined several key goals for the challenge, including improving dam storage efficiency by tackling soil and material buildup that reduces water capacity, extending the operational lifespan of dams through innovative maintenance techniques, and cutting costs associated with traditional dredging and maintenance.
It also aims to promote environmental sustainability by encouraging the safe and beneficial reuse of extracted sediments, such as in construction materials, and to minimize system disruptions caused by heavy sedimentation to ensure uninterrupted water flow.
Participation has been opened to a broad range of local and international stakeholders, including startups and small and medium-sized enterprises specializing in environmental technologies, advanced engineering solution providers, as well as research centers and universities.
