Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Crowns Winners of Industrial Hackathon

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Crowns Winners of Industrial Hackathon

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Industrial Development Fund (SIDF) Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef and Prince Sultan bin Khalid bin Faisal, CEO of the SIDF, crowned the winning teams of the second edition of the “Industrial Hackathon”.

Launched by the SIDF to encourage youth contribution in developing industrial sectors, the Industrial Hackathon introduces innovative solutions to the challenges facing national manufacturers through three aspects: design, production, and sustainability.

In the design track, the PSU Industry 4.0 team secured the first-place position, with the THROUGH team taking second place. In the production track, the BRDAN team claimed first place, while the Mankhal team earned the second-place spot.

In the sustainability track, the HEXA team emerged as the first-place winner, followed by the E-VIVE team in second place. The RedNest team was recognized for presenting the most outstanding solution to the challenge posed by the Red Sea International Company (RSI) during the hackathon.

The first-place winning teams received a prize worth SAR 50,000, and the second-place winning teams won a prize of SAR 35,000, while the winning team in the Red Sea International Company (RSI) Challenge received a prize of SAR 25,000

Al-Khorayef congratulated the participants, extending his gratitude to all the entities supporting the Hackathon from the public and private sectors.

He reiterated that the Hackathon reflects the Industrial Fund’s continued commitment to supporting national manufacturers, embracing and supporting innovators, being one of the most important platforms that gather talents and creative ideas in a number of diverse industrial fields and challenges.

He pointed out that the Hackathon aims to support national companies and factories by devising creative solutions to the challenges that the manufacturers face and contributing to the growth of national products and promoting them at the local and global levels.

The Hackathon aims to bolster national companies and factories by devising innovative solutions to the challenges they encounter, helping with the advancement of domestic products and enhancing their visibility both locally and globally, he added.

The Industrial Hackathon is an opportunity to learn about the creative potential in Saudi society that can help in achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Strategy for Industry.

The total prize pool for the second edition of the Hackathon amounted to more than SAR 1,000,000.

This edition was held in partnership with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) as an innovation partner, Riyad Bank as a financial partner, and Sipchem Company as a Platinum sponsor.



Spain and Portugal Continue to Battle Storm Leonardo as New Storm Approaches

 A mountain landslide blocks railway tracks during heavy rains, as storm Leonardo hits parts of Spain, in Benaojan, Spain, February 6, 2026. (Reuters)
A mountain landslide blocks railway tracks during heavy rains, as storm Leonardo hits parts of Spain, in Benaojan, Spain, February 6, 2026. (Reuters)
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Spain and Portugal Continue to Battle Storm Leonardo as New Storm Approaches

 A mountain landslide blocks railway tracks during heavy rains, as storm Leonardo hits parts of Spain, in Benaojan, Spain, February 6, 2026. (Reuters)
A mountain landslide blocks railway tracks during heavy rains, as storm Leonardo hits parts of Spain, in Benaojan, Spain, February 6, 2026. (Reuters)

Storm Leonardo continued to batter the Iberian Peninsula on Friday, bringing floods and putting rivers at risk of bursting their banks while thousands of people were evacuated from their homes in Spain and Portugal.

In southern Spain's Andalusia region, some 7,000 people have had to leave their homes due to successive storms.

Among them were around 1,500 people ordered to evacuate the mountain village of Grazalema, where Andalusia's regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno warned that aquifers were "full to the brim with water,” and at risk of collapsing.

“It's raining on already saturated ground. The land is unable to drain," Moreno said. “We urge extreme caution. This is not over.”

Spanish police said Friday they had found a body located 1,000 meters (about 0.6 miles) away from where a woman had disappeared Wednesday after she fell into a river in Malaga province while trying to rescue her dog. Police said they had not yet identified the body, but believed it belonged to the 45-year-old woman.

Another storm front, Marta, was expected to arrive Saturday, with Spain's weather agency AEMET saying it would bring even more rain and heavy winds, including to areas already drenched by Storm Leonardo.

Marta is expected to affect Portugal, too.

Of particular concern was southern Spain's Guadalquivir River, which flows through Córdoba and Seville and eventually into the Atlantic Ocean, and whose water levels have dramatically risen in recent days.

Additional rain Saturday could leave many more homes at risk in Córdoba, local authorities warned.

In Portugal, parts of Alcacer do Sal were submerged after the Sado River overflowed, forcing residents to leave the city located 90 kilometers (about 56 miles) south of Lisbon.

Alerts were issued also for regions near the Tagus River due to rising water levels.

A separate storm in late January left a trail of destruction in Portugal, killing several people, according to Portuguese authorities.


AROYA Cruises Debuts Arabian Gulf Voyages for 2026

AROYA offers a curated experience featuring culturally inspired entertainment and diverse dining options - SPA
AROYA offers a curated experience featuring culturally inspired entertainment and diverse dining options - SPA
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AROYA Cruises Debuts Arabian Gulf Voyages for 2026

AROYA offers a curated experience featuring culturally inspired entertainment and diverse dining options - SPA
AROYA offers a curated experience featuring culturally inspired entertainment and diverse dining options - SPA

AROYA Cruises, a subsidiary of the PIF-owned Cruise Saudi, has officially launched its inaugural season in the Arabian Gulf.

Running from February 21 to May 8, the season marks a milestone in regional tourism by blending authentic Saudi hospitality with international maritime standards, SPA reported.

AROYA offers a curated experience featuring culturally inspired entertainment and diverse dining options.

The season is designed to provide guests with a dynamic way to explore the Gulf, setting a new benchmark for luxury travel that reflects the Kingdom's heritage on a global stage.


Snowstorm Brings Much of Denmark to a Halt

A car drives in heavy snow at Store Heddinge in South Zealand, Denmark, 05 February 2026.  EPA/Mads Claus Rasmussen
A car drives in heavy snow at Store Heddinge in South Zealand, Denmark, 05 February 2026. EPA/Mads Claus Rasmussen
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Snowstorm Brings Much of Denmark to a Halt

A car drives in heavy snow at Store Heddinge in South Zealand, Denmark, 05 February 2026.  EPA/Mads Claus Rasmussen
A car drives in heavy snow at Store Heddinge in South Zealand, Denmark, 05 February 2026. EPA/Mads Claus Rasmussen

Denmark authorities halted public transport, closed schools and cancelled flights on Friday as heavy snowfall blanketed much of the country.

The Nordic country's meteorological institute DMI warned that heavy snow would likely continue until Friday evening in the east, where the capital Copenhagen is located.

Police said people should avoid going outdoors unless necessary and stay indoors in the capital and the surrounding region.

Copenhagen's airport cancelled flights to Paris and Berlin and warned of "delay and cancellation risks because of snowy conditions." Many schools were closed.

In the second-largest city of Aarhus, bus services were cancelled.