A Program that Enables 30 Saudis to Lead 'Digital Age'

MiSK foundation logo.
MiSK foundation logo.
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A Program that Enables 30 Saudis to Lead 'Digital Age'

MiSK foundation logo.
MiSK foundation logo.

Saudi Arabia's Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Sawaha announced the launch of the Digital Transformation Leaders Program in partnership with the Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Foundation (MiSK) and the Mohammed bin Salman College.

The program, announced at the Misk Global Forum in Riyadh on Thursday, aims to create a new generation of digital leaders by discovering Saudi entrepreneurs and enabling them to achieve success and excellence at the local and international levels.

The program provides supervision to 30 leading Saudi entrepreneurs to implement innovative economic and social ideas that will leave a significant impact on society and develop to local and global success stories.

Al-Sawaha said competitiveness in today's world is based not only on assets and expertise, but on knowledge, leadership and innovation.

"Countries with an advanced classification in the areas of competitiveness, transparency and happiness are those who made giant steps in digital transformation and innovation," he added.



Greece Battles Wildfires Across Country, Evacuates Villages

A firefighting helicopter makes a water drop as a wildfire burns in the village of Drosopigi, near Athens, Greece, July 26, 2025. (Reuters)
A firefighting helicopter makes a water drop as a wildfire burns in the village of Drosopigi, near Athens, Greece, July 26, 2025. (Reuters)
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Greece Battles Wildfires Across Country, Evacuates Villages

A firefighting helicopter makes a water drop as a wildfire burns in the village of Drosopigi, near Athens, Greece, July 26, 2025. (Reuters)
A firefighting helicopter makes a water drop as a wildfire burns in the village of Drosopigi, near Athens, Greece, July 26, 2025. (Reuters)

Firefighters were battling wildfires near Athens and across Greece on Saturday as the Mediterranean country sweltered under the third heatwave of the summer, with some villages and settlements being evacuated.

Explosions could be heard as huge clouds of smoke covered Drosopigi village 25 km north of Athens, where factories with flammable material are located. Helicopters dropped water and 65 firefighters battled the flames, assisted by 26 vehicles and two aircraft.

Two houses caught fire, according to state ERT television, while residents of nearby village Krioneri were instructed by authorities to leave towards Athens.

Temperatures in Greece were forecast to reach up to 44 degrees Celsius on Saturday, the Greek weather service said.

On the island of Evia, 115 firefighters and 24 vehicles were deployed to put out fires, assisted by six aircraft and seven helicopters, but strong winds were hampering their efforts. Residents of the island's Triada area were told to be ready in case they needed to leave.

The fire on Evia is the latest in a series of bushfires stoked by strong winds and dry conditions this month.

On the island of Kythera, authorities evacuated the villages of Aroniadika, Pitsinades and Aryoi. In the area of Messinia, west of Athens, residents of the Kryoneri and Sellas villages were also told to leave.

These sites were on a list of Greek regions on high alert for wildfires due to record-breaking temperatures and strong winds due on Saturday.

Tourism is a key earner in Greece, and the fires have hit since the start of the peak summer holiday season early in July.

Greece and other Mediterranean countries are in an area dubbed "a wildfire hotspot" by scientists, with blazes common during hot and dry summers. These have become more destructive in recent years due to a fast-changing climate, prompting calls for a new approach.