Fourteen Arabs and Africans died and several others were injured Sunday night after a minibus rammed into a truck near the Majdoue roundabout south of Jeddah.
“The accident took place at 9 p.m. and most of the victims were trapped inside the vehicle,” said Col. Saeed Al-Ghamdi, spokesman of the Civil Defense.
He added that five Civil Defense teams had taken part in the rescue operation.
The minibus, which was carrying 17 passengers, had rammed into the tipper truck.
Civil Defense servicemen had to cut through the minibus to reach the victims and rescue the three survivors who were transported to King Abdul Aziz Hospital.
Rescuers also put out a fire that was caused by a petrol leak from the bus, Al-Ghamdi said.
The traffic department has launched a probe to determine the cause of the accident.
Meanwhile, in south Dhahran, a Saudi woman and her daughter died on Sunday after the front tire of a GMC van they were traveling in along with other family members burst and the vehicle rolled over several times. The father and their two daughters escaped with injuries.
14 die in Jeddah minibus accident
14 die in Jeddah minibus accident
Board of Grievances unveils judicial intelligence hackathon to foster innovation
- Registration opens on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, and continues through Jan. 20, 2026
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Board of Grievances has opened registration for the Judicial Intelligence Hackathon, the institution’s first competition seeking sustainable solutions that harness cutting-edge technology to improve the efficiency of judicial procedures, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Registration opens on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, and continues through Jan. 20, 2026, as part of efforts to cultivate talent and promote innovation in digital transformation and artificial intelligence in the judicial sector.
The board is calling on industry experts, experienced professionals, and university students to form teams of three to five members. Each team must be led by a Saudi citizen or academic staff member at least 18 years old.
Participants register via a dedicated portal on the board’s digital platform and must submit a preliminary proposal demonstrating practical and legal viability, incorporating advanced technology with appropriate quality standards, and showing innovation relevant to the board's operations with transformative impact and long-term sustainability.
Competition unfolds in two distinct tracks. The first addresses AI applications and creative solutions for administrative justice, tackling challenges such as minimizing procedural errors and offenses during virtual court proceedings and streamlining lawsuit filing classifications.
The second track emphasizes digital innovation enhancing user journeys, focusing on simplifying document submission processes when initiating lawsuits and developing accessibility solutions enabling seniors and people with disabilities to navigate board services more effectively.
Finalists are scheduled to be announced on Jan. 23, 2026, followed by virtual project discussion and presentation sessions on Jan. 28.
According to the SPA, this methodology for sourcing innovative concepts underscores the dedication of the board’s leadership to advance performance across judicial chambers and administrative divisions while pursuing strategic goals of refining administrative court litigation processes, expediting case resolutions, and establishing competitive leadership in the judicial arena.
