Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced that 60 per cent of the Oud Maitha Road and Al Asayel Street Development Project has been completed, marking a key milestone in the broader Sheikh Rashid Corridor Development Project. The initiative forms part of Dubai’s ongoing efforts to expand and modernise its road infrastructure in line with urban growth and rising population demand.

According to an RTA media centre report, the project is designed to enhance connectivity between Al Asayel Street and Al Khail Road via Al Wasl Club Street, while also providing a dedicated exit to Oud Maitha Road and Al Wasl Club Street. Once completed, the development is expected to significantly improve traffic flow across several densely populated and strategically important areas of the city.

Read more-Dubai’s new road project: 2,300 metres of bridges, major lane expansions planned

The scope of the project includes the development of four major intersections, supported by bridges spanning a total length of 4.3 kilometres and roads extending 14 kilometres. Upon completion, the upgraded corridor is expected to serve more than 420,000 residents by 2030, underscoring its importance within Dubai’s long-term transport planning framework.

Construction progress across key components of the project continues to advance steadily. The project contractor has completed 70 per cent of the bridges serving traffic movements from Al Asayel Street to Al Khail Road northbound towards Business Bay Crossing. Preparatory works are currently underway ahead of the bridge’s scheduled opening in the first quarter of the current year.

In parallel, approximately 60 per cent of construction works have been completed on the tunnel serving traffic from Dubai–Al Ain Road towards Al Wasl Club Street. RTA confirmed that works are continuing on the remaining road widenings and associated bridge structures, which are scheduled to open in the third quarter of this year.

Four intersections at the core of the upgrade

Mattar Al Tayer, director general and chairman of the board of executive directors of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority, said the Oud Maitha Road and Al Asayel Street Development Project aligns with leadership directives to complete the Sheikh Rashid Corridor in a way that supports Dubai’s expanding urban footprint.

“Oud Maitha Road and Al Asayel Street development project is being undertaken in line with leadership directives to complete the development of the Sheikh Rashid Corridor to accommodate urban expansion and population growth,” Al Tayer said. “The project is among key road infrastructure developments, encompassing the upgrade of four major intersections, including the construction of bridges spanning 4.3kilometre and roads extending 14 kilometre.”

He added that the project supports a wide range of service, residential and development areas, including Zabeel, Al Jaddaf, Oud Maitha, Umm Hurair, Latifa Hospital and Al Wasl Club. The population served by the upgraded corridor is expected to exceed 420,000 residents by 2030.

Beyond improved connectivity, the project is also expected to deliver major operational benefits. The capacity of Oud Maitha Road will increase from 10,400 vehicles per hour in both directions to 15,600 vehicles per hour, representing a 50 per cent increase. Journey times along the corridor are expected to be reduced from 20 minutes to just five minutes, an improvement of 75 per cent.

First intersection: Oud Maitha Road–Sheikh Rashid Road

The first of the four upgraded intersections is the Oud Maitha Road–Sheikh Rashid Road junction. Works at this location include the addition of a left-turn slip ramp for traffic moving from Oud Maitha Road onto Sheikh Rashid Road towards Al Garhoud Bridge, increasing capacity to 1,800 vehicles per hour.

The scope also includes upgrading the service road on Sheikh Rashid Road between the existing bridge and the Al Zahrawi Street exit. These improvements aim to address existing traffic overlap while enhancing road safety for all users.

In addition, the number of right-turn lanes for traffic travelling from Sheikh Rashid Road to Oud Maitha Road towards Dubai–Al Ain Road will increase from two to three lanes. This enhancement will raise capacity to 4,000 vehicles per hour.

Second intersection: Oud Maitha Road, Al Asayel Street and Al Wasl Club Street

The second major intersection upgrade involves Oud Maitha Road’s junction with Al Asayel Street and Al Wasl Club Street. This phase includes the construction of two bridges linking Al Asayel Street to Al Khail Road via Al Wasl Club Street.

The first bridge comprises two lanes with a capacity of 2,400 vehicles per hour and will serve traffic moving from Al Asayel Street towards Al Wasl Club Street. The second bridge features three lanes with a capacity of 3,600 vehicles per hour and will serve traffic moving from Al Khail Road towards Al Asayel Road.

Additionally, a separate two-lane bridge with a capacity of 2,400 vehicles per hour will accommodate left-turn movements from Al Asayel Street towards Oud Maitha Road. The scope also includes upgrading the access road to Al Wasl Club, along with entry and exit points on Al Wasl Club Street, to resolve existing weaving and merging conflicts along the corridor.

Third intersection: Al Wasl Club Street–Al Khail Road

The third intersection upgrade focuses on Al Wasl Club Street’s junction with Al Khail Road. Works include the construction of a two-lane bridge serving traffic movements from Al Asayel Street to Al Khail Road towards Business Bay Crossing, with a capacity of 3,000 vehicles per hour.

Further enhancements include upgrading Al Wasl Club Street by increasing exit capacity towards Al Khail Road to two lanes, constructing service roads in both directions, and providing dedicated parking spaces. These measures are intended to enhance traffic flow and accessibility within the area.

Fourth intersection: Zabeel Palace Street

The fourth intersection upgrade involves Zabeel Palace Street’s junction with Al Khail Road and Oud Maitha Road. Works include the addition of an extra left-turn slip lane on the ramp serving traffic from Al Khail Road towards Dubai–Al Ain Road, doubling capacity from 900 vehicles per hour to 1,800 vehicles per hour.

The scope also includes constructing a single-lane vehicle tunnel with a capacity of 1,200 vehicles per hour to serve traffic moving from Dubai–Al Ain Road towards Al Wasl Club Street, helping to resolve existing traffic overlap.

In addition, the number of lanes on the existing bridge serving traffic from Al Khail Road towards Oud Maitha Road will be increased from two to three lanes, raising bridge capacity from 2,200 vehicles per hour to 3,300 vehicles per hour.

The US capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, praised by President Donald Trump as stunning and powerful, leaves behind uncertainty about who is running the oil-rich country.

Trump said on Saturday that Vice President Delcy Rodriguez had been sworn in after Maduro‘s arrest and that she had spoken with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, leading to speculation that she would take the reins.

Under Venezuela’s constitution, Rodriguez becomes acting president in Maduro‘s absence and the country’s top court ordered her to assume the role late Saturday night.

But shortly after Trump’s remarks, Rodriguez appeared on state television flanked by her brother, the head of the national assembly Jorge Rodriguez, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez and said that Maduro remained Venezuela’s only president.

The joint appearance indicated the group that shared power with Maduro is staying united – for now.

Trump publicly closed the door Saturday on working with opposition leader and Nobel Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, widely seen as Maduro‘s most credible opponent, saying she doesn’t have support inside the country.

After Machado was barred from running in Venezuela’s 2024 elections, international observers say her stand-in candidate won the vote in a landslide, despite Maduro‘s government claiming victory.

Maduro flown to New York

The US captured Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro in a military operation and his wife Cilia Flores early on Saturday morning, culminating a months-long pressure campaign by President Donald Trump’s administration.

Maduro was then put on a warship bound for New York to face criminal charges, according to US officials.

Trump had been urging Maduro to cede power and has accused him of supporting drug cartels that Washington designated as terror groups, alleging they were responsible for thousands of US deaths tied to illegal drug use.

Since September, U.S. forces had killed more than 100 people in at least 30 strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats from Venezuela in the Caribbean and Pacific, which legal experts said likely violated US and international law.

Trump said on Saturday the United States will have large US oil companies go into Venezuela after the arrest of Maduro.

Trump said at a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida that US forces were prepared for a second, larger attack as part of the operation to capture Maduro overnight, but that it was not necessary.

The UAE will be affected by unstable weather conditions from Sunday through January 8, including fog, dusty winds, and the possibility of light rainfall, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM).

The NCM said weather conditions across the country will fluctuate between dusty conditions and partly cloudy skies, with periods of fog or mist formation, increased wind activity, particularly at sea, and intermittent chances of light rain in some areas.

On Sunday, January 4, conditions could cause fog or mist formation over internal and coastal regions, with dusty weather gradually giving way to partly cloudy conditions, state news agency WAM reported, citing NCM’s forecast.

Winds will be southwesterly to northwesterly, light to moderate but becoming active and strong at times, especially over the sea, raising dust and sand. Wind speeds are expected to range between 15 and 30 km per hour, reaching up to 50 km per hour.

Sea conditions in the Arabian Gulf will be rough to very rough, while the Oman Sea will be moderate, the NCM said.

Chances of fog and light rainfall on Monday, January 5

On Monday morning, January 5, humid conditions are forecast with a chance of fog or mist over some eastern internal areas. Skies will be fair to partly cloudy, with low clouds forming over eastern and northern regions and a possibility of light rainfall over the far north, the WAM report stated.

Temperatures are expected to fall, particularly in western areas.

Winds will be northwesterly, shifting to northeasterly, light to moderate and active at times, with speeds of 10 to 25 km per hour, reaching up to 40 km per hour.

Sea conditions will be rough to moderate at times in the Arabian Gulf and slight in the Oman Sea.

Humid conditions will persist into Tuesday morning, January 6, with a chance of fog or mist over internal and western coastal areas. The weather will range from fair to partly cloudy, with low clouds over islands and western sea areas and a continued chance of light rainfall.

On Wednesday morning, January 7, humidity is expected to remain high, with possible fog or mist over internal and western coastal regions.

Skies will be fair to partly cloudy, with low clouds over islands and western coastal areas and a chance of rainfall, according to the NCM.

Humid weather to continue until January 8

By Thursday morning, January 8, humid conditions will continue, with fog or mist likely over some internal areas, particularly in western regions.

The sky will remain fair to partly cloudy, with low clouds over islands and coastal areas, accompanied by a drop in temperatures, especially in the northern parts of the country.

Throughout the period, winds will vary between northeasterly and northwesterly, remaining light to moderate and active at times, while sea conditions will range from slight to moderate in the Arabian Gulf and remain slight in the Oman Sea.

Venezuela’s state-run oil production and refining were operating normally on Saturday and suffered no damage from a US strike to extract the country’s president, two sources with knowledge of the operations of energy company PDVSA said.

US forces captured President Nicolas Maduro, US President Donald Trump said, after months of pressuring him over accusations of drug-running and illegitimacy in power.

The port of La Guaira near Caracas, one of the country’s largest but one not used for oil exports, was reported to have suffered severe damage, one of the sources said.

Blockade

Trump in December announced a blockade of oil tankers entering or leaving the country and the US seized two cargoes of Venezuelan oil.

That lowered the OPEC country’s exports last month to about half of the 950,000 barrels per day (bpd) it shipped in November, according to monitoring data and internal documents.

The US measures prompted many vessel owners to divert away from Venezuelan waters, which has rapidly increased PDVSA’s inventories of crude and fuel.

PDVSA has been forced to slow down deliveries at ports and store oil on tankers to avoid crude output or refining cut-backs.

PDVSA’s administrative system also has not fully recovered from a cyberattack in December that forced it to isolate terminals, oilfields and refineries from its central system and to resort to written records to continue operations.

Read: India exports surge in November despite Trump’s steep tariffs

The UAE’s Ministry of Education has announced revised Friday school hours for public schools, effective from January 9, following a nationwide adjustment to Friday prayer timings, state news agency WAM reported.

The move comes after authorities set the Friday sermon and prayer time at 12:45 pm across the country, a change aimed at allowing students and school staff to observe religious obligations while maintaining instructional continuity.

Read: UAE unifies Friday prayer time at 12.45 pm nationwide

Updated timings for public schools

Under the updated schedule, kindergarten students will attend classes from 8 am to 11:30 am.

Cycle 1, or primary level schools, will follow one of two approved tracks, either from 7:10 am to 10:30 am or from 8:00 am to 11:30 am, according to the ministry.

For Cycles 2 and 3, covering intermediate and secondary education, timings will differ by gender.

Boys’ schools will operate from 7:10 am to 10:30 am, while girls’ schools will run from 8 am to 11:30 am.

Timings for private schools

The Ministry of Education also called on private schools to align their Friday schedules with the new framework, stipulating that classes should not extend beyond 11:30 am.

This, it said, is intended to give students sufficient time to prepare for Friday prayers and to support family cohesion.

The ministry emphasised that Friday will remain a full instructional day, with existing attendance and dismissal regulations still in effect.

The shortened schedule, it added, will not affect the quality of teaching or learning outcomes.

According to the report, the ministry stated that the decision reflects its broader approach to flexible learning, while recognising the religious and social significance of Fridays in the UAE.