The AI-first work platform for human connection has established its first node in Saudi Arabia in partnership with centre3 and Zoom.

This initiative introduces high-performance infrastructure to address the increasing demand for low-latency conferencing, enhancing service performance for users across the region.

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“The deployment of this node in Saudi Arabia is a crucial step towards our mission to provide seamless and reliable global communications,” said Mohannad Alkalash, Head of METAP at Zoom.

“We’ve strengthened our ability to meet the unique needs of users in the Middle East, offering faster and more reliable experiences essential for modern collaboration through our partnership with centre3,” Alkalash added.

Fahad AlHajeri, CEO of centre3, highlighted that their partnership with Zoom demonstrates the company’s commitment to providing state-of-the-art infrastructure to empower customers.

“This collaboration also aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, supporting the localization of digital applications to benefit both the Kingdom and the wider region,” he said.

The partnership between centre3 and Zoom is set to not only deliver lasting value to users across the region but also act as a cornerstone of Zoom’s Middle East expansion.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has executed a series of traffic enhancements on the Dubai-Al Ain Road near the Al-Faqa area.

According to a report by RTA, the improvements on this route include the construction of an additional exit on Dubai-Al Ain Road towards Al Ain at Exit 58, leading to the U-turn tunnel before the Al-Faqa area.

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The road development aims to improve traffic flow and significantly reduce commute times for drivers heading to both Al Ain and Dubai.

The authority has made these enhancements to streamline traffic flow and cut down on travel time for vehicles heading towards both Al Ain City and Dubai.

“A new roundabout has also been constructed to improve entry and exit from the existing tunnel and enhance U-turn movements on the road, along with a 600-meter acceleration lane for vehicles exiting towards Al Ain, ensuring a seamless merge into the main traffic flow,” said Hamad Al Shehhi, Director of Roads at the Traffic and Roads Agency at RTA.

How the road improvements helped d rivers

These upgrades have not only eased congestion at Exit 58 but have also greatly benefited residents and visitors of the Hind and Al-Faqa communities. The improvements have improved access for farm owners and workers in the vicinity.

The Dubai Mall is all set to open a brand-new section at the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.

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As announced by Mohamed Alabbar, the founder of Emaar Properties and Eagle Hills in an Instagram post, the new section will feature 65 exclusive brands as well as other food and beverage outlets.

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A post shared by Mohamed Alabbar محمد العبار (@mohamedalabbar)

Emaar, on February 5, 2025, also announced the temporary closure of the Dubai Fountain for a comprehensive upgrade and routine upkeep.

According to a report by Emaar, the renovation is set to begin in May and will take about five months to complete.

Once the enhancement of the fountain is complete, the spectacular attraction will continue to display breathtaking performances with even more fabulous displays.

The fountain’s upgrade will include:

• Advanced technology
• Improved choreography
• Enhanced sound and lighting systems

All of these enhancements have been designed to create an even more spectacular and immersive show for those who have enjoyed it over the years.

Emirates Global Aluminium plans to explore alternative clean energy development in Indonesia, Jakarta said, amending a statement denied by the company that EGA planned to build a nuclear power plant in the Southeast Asian country.

Indonesia’s economic affairs ministry issued a statement late on Saturday, replacing one that had said EGA planned to build a nuclear plant of up to 5 gigawatts in an attempt to remedy a shortage of low-carbon power bedevilling efforts to boost capacity at an aluminium smelter in North Sumatra.

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An EGA spokesperson said in an email on Thursday that the company “is not in the nuclear power business so, with all respect, the account of this aspect… is inaccurate”. EGA reiterated it was “interested in Indonesia”.

Indonesia has no nuclear power capacity.

The company agreed in 2022 to help expand production capacity by up to 400,000 tons a year at the smelter owned by state-owned Indonesia Asahan Aluminium.

Indonesia has been trying to develop its mineral processing industry by attracting investment on the basis of its rich reserves of minerals such as nickel, copper and bauxite.

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Senior Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto and EGA CEO Abdulnasser Ibrahim Saif Bin Kalban met in Dubai on Wednesday to discuss development of the aluminium industry.

Airlangga, in Dubai to attend the World Government Summit, also met Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, the chief executive of UAE state-owned renewable energy firm Masdar.

The two discussed their projects in Indonesia, including a 145-megawatt floating solar power plant on a reservoir in the province of West Java and development of a gas pipeline from Aceh to East Java.

Marine fuel sales at the United Arab Emirates’ Fujairah, a key bunker hub in the Middle East, extended gains for a second straight month in January but edged lower versus the same month last year, latest data showed.

Volumes, excluding lubricants, totalled 628,663 cubic metres (about 622,700 metric tons) for January, based on Fujairah Oil Industry Zone data published by industry information service provider S&P Global Commodity Insights.

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The bunker volumes were up 3.7 per cent from December, but down 6.8 per cent compared to the same month last year.

The climb was led by strong sales of 380-cst high-sulphur marine fuel at the port, which climbed 15.9 per cent from December to about 185,000 cubic metres.

Fujairah marine fuel bunker sales hit new records

In contrast, low-sulphur marine fuel sales, including low-sulphur fuel oils (LSFO) and marine gasoils (MGO), fell 0.7 per cent to about 443,600 cubic metres for January.

This widened the market share of high-sulphur bunkers further to 29 per cent in January, compared with 26 per cent in December.

Fujairah port had retained its ranking at the world’s third-largest bunker hub as of 2024, though volumes have been capped by demand diversion to other neighbouring ports as well as broader geopolitical shipping risks in the region.

Fujairah bunker sales by month, in cubic meters:

Breakdown of volumes by grade for Jan-25:

Data source: Fujairah Oil Industry Zone data published by S&P Global Commodity Insights

(1 cubic metre = 6.29 barrels)

(1 metric ton = 6.35 barrels for fuel oil)