
Makkah deputy governor washes Holy Kaaba on behalf of King Salman
Upon his arrival, the deputy governor washed the interior of the Holy Kaaba with Zamzam water mixed with rose water, gently cleansing the inner walls with cloth pieces soaked in the sacred blend prepared by the General Authority for the Two Holy Mosques. He also performed Tawaf.
During the washing ritual, the prince was accompanied by several officials, accredited Islamic diplomatic corps members to the Kingdom and the hereditary keepers of the Holy Kaaba.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Arab News
32 minutes ago
- Arab News
Wesal program looks to empower expats with work-based Arabic-language skills
RIYADH: The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language launched its Wesal program on Thursday. Wesal is an educational initiative intended to help non-native speakers working in Saudi Arabia's public and private sectors. The program aims to provide linguistic training opportunities within institutional training plans, as part of the academy's initiatives to 'empower the Arabic language in professional and organizational contexts,' according to a statement. The three-month program will be held at the academy's headquarters in Riyadh, with a flexible schedule tailored to accommodate participants' work hours and commitments. Abdullah Al-Washmi, secretary-general of the KSGAAL, told Arab News: 'The Wesal program represents a qualitative step in activating the Arabic language and strengthening its presence in professional and practical fields across the public and private sectors, reflecting the academy's role in developing multilingual work environments within the Kingdom. 'Through Wesal we seek to equip a wide segment of non-Arabic-speaking professionals with functional language communication tools, enhancing their performance and deepening their connection to the national culture and identity. This program underscores the academy's commitment to its educational and developmental responsibilities, as well as its role in supporting the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Human Capability Development Program,' he continued. The program covers aspects of the Arabic language focusing on key skills that support the functional use of Arabic in professional settings. It also includes content intended to enhance trainees' ability to perform their tasks efficiently within the context of Saudi culture, Al-Washmi explained. The new program is part of the academy's mission to consolidate the Arabic language and enhance its use across all fields of knowledge and communication, he added. Saad Al-Qahtani, head of the Educational Programs Sector at KSGAAL, told Arab News that the Wesal program offers communicative and functional content relevant to the real world of the workplace. It focuses on teaching Arabic in realistic administrative and professional contexts, away from traditional curricula of a general or academic nature, he said, and is based on a curriculum developed by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, but adapts activities and vocabulary to serve functional communication skills, such as writing official mail, handling administrative forms and participating in and managing meetings, while incorporating local administrative and cultural terminology. According to Al-Qahtani, the program adopts an initial language diagnostic mechanism to determine trainees' levels, in addition to gradually adapting the content to suit different levels. The design of language activities also takes into account the use of visual and contextual methods, employing intermediate language when necessary, and providing examples from diverse work environments to ensure greater inclusiveness and flexibility. Although the program has not yet received official accreditation from the relevant authorities in the Kingdom, its reliance on the CEFR framework aligns it with international best practices and paves the way for its future adoption as a recognized professional standard in the Saudi labor market, Al-Qahtani said. Bandar Al-Jasir, executive partner at public relations firm Syaq, told Arab News that he expects Arabic proficiency to become a seriously considered element in professional assessment, especially for positions that require deeper engagement with the local audience. Al-Jasir said that Saudi Arabia is leading efforts to build 'culturally aware artificial intelligence tools' and that the 'next challenge' is to ensure that these tools enhance the richness of the Arabic language, with human verification remaining a key element. The priority for business solutions, he believes, should be the Arabization of operating systems and user interfaces, the provision of effective language training programs, and the development of smart tools that handle Arabic with contextual awareness. Using Arabic internally naturally enhances corporate identity, according to Al-Jasir, who added that the 'real challenge' facing the Arabic language today is to preserve it in everyday conversation, particularly since English is becoming ever more widely used in 'informal business communication.'


Arab News
8 hours ago
- Arab News
Monkeys cross from Israel into southern Lebanese town exposing border vulnerabilities
RAMIEH: In a scene more befitting a nature documentary than a border incident, residents of the southern Lebanese town of Ramieh reported an unusual intrusion Thursday: a group of monkeys crossing in from the Israeli side. According to the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA), the primates were seen roaming the outskirts of the village in what is being viewed as the latest — and perhaps most bizarre — breach along the fragile Lebanese-Israeli border. This primate incursion follows a separate incident just weeks ago, when a herd of Israeli cattle wandered into Ramieh and neighboring Aita Al-Shaab, reportedly exploiting gaps in the fence separating the two countries. Local sources told NNA that these repeated animal crossings are the result of structural openings in the Israeli border barrier, which have allegedly been created — and at times used — by the Israeli army for nightime incursions into Lebanese territory.


Arab News
9 hours ago
- Arab News
Gaza civil defense says 11 killed by Israeli fire
GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories: Gaza's civil defense agency said 11 people were killed by Israeli gunfire and air strikes on Friday, including two who were waiting near an aid distribution site inside the Palestinian territory. Civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal said that five people were killed in a strike near the southern city of Khan Younis, and four more in a separate strike on a vehicle in central Gaza's Deir El-Balah. The Israeli army said it could not confirm the strikes without specific coordinates. Two other people were killed and more than 70 injured by Israeli fire while waiting for aid near a food distribution center run by the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) between Khan Younis and the nearby city of Rafah, the civil defense said. The army did not immediately respond to the report. Thousands of Gazans have gathered each day near aid distribution points in Gaza, including the four managed by GHF, whose operations have been marred by chaotic scenes and near-daily reports of Israeli forces firing on people waiting to collect rations. GHF has denied that fatal shootings have occurred in the immediate vicinity of its aid points. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defense agency and other parties. Israeli restrictions on the entry of goods and aid into Gaza since the start of the war nearly 22 months ago have led to shortages of food and essential goods, including medicine, medical supplies and fuel, which hospitals rely on to power their generators. The shortages were exacerbated by a more than two-month total blockade on aid imposed by Israel, which began easing the stoppage in late May as GHF was beginning its operations. Israel's defense ministry body overseeing civil affairs in the Palestinian territories, COGAT, said Friday that more than 200 trucks of aid had been collected and distributed by the UN and international organizations the previous day. The UN says Gaza requires at least 500 trucks of aid per day. COGAT added that four tankers of fuel for the UN had entered the Palestinian territory, and that 43 pallets of aid were airdropped in cooperation with the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Jordan.