Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed regional and global developments and efforts to achieve security and stability with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Riyadh on Monday, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.

Rubio arrived in Saudi Arabia earlier in the day from Israel where he began his first visit to the region as the top US diplomat.

Rubio‘s previously planned visit comes ahead of an anticipated meeting between US officials with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that is set to focus on ending the war in Ukraine and restoring broader Russia-U.S. ties.

The Saudi statement, however, did not mention any particular discussion on Ukraine.

Australia’s competition watchdog on Tuesday backed a planned alliance between Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways, saying it would provide air travellers with improved services and products.

Read: Australia backs Virgin-Qatar Airways tie-up citing improved air services

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) draft determination comes after it gave its interim approval to Virgin Australia in November to market and sell 28 weekly scheduled return flights between Doha and Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

The flights would use Qatar Airways aircraft and crew in an arrangement known as “wet leasing”, and start as early as June.

Qatar Airways acquires 25% stake in South African carrier Airlink

“We consider that the proposed cooperative conduct would likely result in several public benefits including providing enhanced products and services for air travellers which would include increased choice of international flights, with additional connectivity, convenience and loyalty program benefits,” ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey said in a statement.

Virgin Australia is the biggest domestic rival to Qantas Airways, which has a partnership with Dubai-based Emirates and has an arrangement with Finnair to operate flights between Sydney, Bangkok and Singapore.

Qatar Airways is still awaiting government approval for its purchase of a 25 per cent stake in Virgin Australia from the US private equity firm Bain Capital.

The ACCC is now seeking feedback on its draft determination before making a final decision by March or April, the regulator said.

“The ACCC seems content with the Virgin-Qatar alliance and the resulting increased ticket options will likely be a welcome development for Australian consumers also,” Tim Waterer, market analyst at KCM Trade wrote in an emailed response.

“Whether the alliance is as warmly received by aviation competitors (… such as Qantas) is another matter.”

Qantas previously lobbied the government against Qatar Airways ultimately unsuccessful bid to fly additional services into Australia.

Qantas shares were trading 0.4 per cent lower.

Virgin Australia welcomed the ACCC’s decision, noting the flights were currently on sale. “Today’s ACCC announcement confirms their support for these services,” the carrier said.

Qatar Airways and Qantas did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Abu Dhabi on Monday as the two nations sought to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties.

During their meeting at Qasr Al Shati, Sheikh Mohamed reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to fostering international partnerships and supporting peaceful conflict resolution. Discussions covered economic cooperation, investment, development, renewable energy, and food security, aligning with both countries’ strategic priorities.

A major milestone of the visit was the signing of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the UAE and Ukraine, marking a new chapter in trade and investment collaboration.

“I met today with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Abu Dhabi for talks that explored ways to deepen ties between the UAE and Ukraine. Together we witnessed the signing of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which signals a new era of trade and investment collaboration. The UAE remains steadfast in our commitment to build partnerships based on cooperation and understanding to promote peace, stability, and prosperity for all,” Sheikh Mohamed said in a post on X.

Another key discussion point was the UAE’s role in mediating prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia. Sheikh Mohamed thanked Zelensky for Ukraine’s cooperation, reinforcing the UAE’s position as a neutral humanitarian mediator.

Zelensky expressed gratitude for the UAE’s diplomatic and humanitarian support while highlighting broader opportunities for economic cooperation.

“I had a meaningful conversation with President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi. One of our key topics today was the return of our people from Russian captivity. The UAE’s mediation has saved many lives. We are grateful for this crucial cooperation and today we discussed how to continue it. An important economic agreement between our countries was signed today, which liberalises access to the UAE market for nearly all Ukrainian goods. This will make it easier for our companies to sell their products in the UAE,” he wrote on X.

Following the discussions, Sheikh Mohamed hosted a luncheon in honour of the Ukrainian delegation.

Senior UAE officials, including Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed, attended the meeting alongside several ministers and advisors.

The visit marks a significant step in deepening UAE-Ukraine relations, particularly in economic and humanitarian cooperation.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has unveiled the fourth generation of its traditional abras, marking a significant upgrade to the city’s marine transport network.

The introduction of these new abras is aimed at improving the daily commuting experience for passengers and integrating marine transit more seamlessly with Dubai’s broader public transport system.

Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, CEO of RTA’s Public Transport Agency, emphasised the strategic importance of this move, stating: “This step reflects RTA’s commitment to enhancing service quality and improving the overall experience for marine transport users in line with its strategic goals.

“The newly redesigned abras now can accommodate up to 24 passengers (formerly 20 passengers), and fully adhere to the Dubai Universal Design Code, ensuring safety, accessibility, and comfort for all.”

Key features of the upgraded abras

The fourth-generation abras come with several key upgrades, including enhanced seating, improved flooring, and a more efficient layout featuring dedicated spaces for people of determination. In a bid to modernise the experience, RTA has also incorporated advanced smart systems, real-time passenger information screens, and safety alerts.

For the first time, digital destination boards have been introduced to support RTA’s efforts to boost ridership and strengthen the connectivity of Dubai’s public transport network.

Bahrozyan further noted: “We have implemented a range of technological enhancements, including advanced smart systems for public transport, real-time passenger information screens, and safety alerts. For the first time, digital destination boards have been introduced, supporting RTA’s efforts to boost marine transport ridership and strengthen connectivity across Dubai’s public transport network.”

The new abras also meet the highest standards of security, safety, and environmental sustainability in marine public transport.

RTA has secured certifications confirming that the upgraded vessels adhere to the Gulf Standard Specifications for maritime safety regulations.

The launch of the fourth-generation abras is seen as part of RTA’s broader commitment to enhancing the city’s transportation infrastructure and promoting Dubai as a world-class destination for both residents and tourists.

Saudi Arabia’s leading digital enabler, stc Group, through its AI arm stc.AI, has officially launched a landmark large language model (LLM) sovereign cloud platform.

This new platform is set to run the world’s largest open-source frontier model, powered by the fastest inference speeds for Llama 405B, one of the most advanced AI models globally.

The initiative is expected to drive significant innovation across multiple sectors in Saudi Arabia.

stc Enterprise GPT

The platform introduces stc Enterprise GPT, an advanced generative AI solution that will enable users to create new content while leveraging the rapid inference capabilities of the Llama 405B model.

The platform promises seamless integration and scalability for enterprises, providing them with the infrastructure needed to harness the power of artificial intelligence.

Designed with open-source principles in mind, the platform allows users within Saudi Arabia to modify and enhance the software according to their specific requirements.

This flexibility is intended to support stc Group’s ongoing development of Enterprise GPT, empowering Saudi enterprises and developers with cutting-edge AI technology.

By positioning Saudi Arabia as a leader in AI adoption and innovation, the platform aims to create new opportunities for both local businesses and the wider economy.

Saud Alsheraihi, VP of Digital Solutions at stc Group, highlighted the importance of the collaboration, stating, “This partnership with SambaNova marks a significant milestone in our journey to empower Saudi enterprises with sovereign AI capabilities.

“By offering a secure and scalable inferencing-as-a-service platform, we are enabling organisations to unlock the full potential of their data while maintaining complete control.”

Sovereign inferencing-as-a-service cloud

Rodrigo Liang, CEO of SambaNova Systems, also expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, saying, “SambaNova is pleased to partner with stc to introduce Saudi Arabia’s premier sovereign inferencing-as-a-service cloud, running the world’s largest open-source frontier models at one-tenth the power compared to other solutions.”

The platform was unveiled at LEAP 2025, a major technology event, and will be available later this year.

This collaboration between stc Group and SambaNova represents a key milestone in Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to position itself at the forefront of the global AI landscape, fostering innovation, securing data sovereignty, and driving future economic growth.