Etihad Salam, a premier telecommunications and digital infrastructure company in Saudi Arabia, has entered into a strategic with AFR-IX telecom, an infrastructure and telecom operator and the developer and operator of the Medusa Submarine Cable System.

This collaboration aims to elevate digital connectivity spanning Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, and Asia.  Through this agreement, Etihad Salam becomes the primary landing and interconnection hub for the Medusa system within Saudi Arabia through Aqaba (Jordan), solidifying the Kingdom’s position as a pivotal digital gateway connecting Asia, Europe, and Africa.

The partnership introduces resilient, high-bandwidth, and low-latency pathways from the Mediterranean to the Arabian Peninsula, fostering expansion for hyperscale data centers, cloud service providers, and digital operators throughout the region. 

With this partnership, Etihad Salam will deliver terrestrial backhaul services and capacity swapping to seamlessly incorporate Medusa’s network into Saudi Arabia and the broader GCC, and onward to Asia. This initiative represents a significant advancement in Etihad Salam’s global cable strategies and underscores its dedication to Saudi Vision 2030’s goals for digital innovation and economic diversification. 

Medusa Submarine Cable System is an 8,760 km undersea cable network linking critical points in the Mediterranean, such as Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Greece, Cyprus, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. Engineered for high-speed, reliable data transfer between Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, Medusa delivers up to 480 Tbps of capacity, serving as a vital conduit for surging intercontinental data flows. 

Quote from Salam

“Our partnership with Medusa underscores Salam’s commitment to positioning Saudi Arabia as a central hub for regional connectivity,” stated Amjad Arab, Chief Wholesale and Alliances Officer at Etihad Salam. “By linking the Medusa cable to our robust infrastructure, we’re creating innovative international routes that expand our worldwide presence and meet the surging needs for digital and cloud services in the Kingdom. Through this partnership, we seek to offer enriched connectivity services, experiences and bring the world closer, ultimately empowering businesses to scale and innovative in an increasingly digital landscape.” 

Quote from AFR-IX telecom

“We’re excited to collaborate with Etihad Salam, whose expertise and network complement our objective of providing secure, expansive, and high-performance connectivity from the Mediterranean outward,” said Norman Albi, Chief Executive Officer of AFR-IX. “This partnership elevates reliability and coverage for carriers worldwide, driving forward digital advancement across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.” 

• Revolutionizes India’s retail market by empowering merchants with first time real use case of AI and Blockchain
• SAII is a world’s first initiative set to turn millions of low-tech, high-potential neighbourhood retailers into a data-rich, AI-enabled commerce network

Infinia Technologies, a subsidiary of Sirius International Holding, announced a strategic partnership with Satya Retail, a DS Group affiliate, at GITEX Global 2025, the world’s largest technology and innovation event in Dubai. Through this collaboration, Infinia Technologies aims to leverage its advanced AI operating ecosystem to power Satya Retail’s merchant network with AI-driven analytics, blockchain-based invoicing, and digital financial tools, transforming India’s retail landscape.

By combining Infinia Technologies’ AI and blockchain infrastructure with DS Group’s unmatched distribution expertise and Satya Retail’s deep merchant network, this initiative will create an intelligent, scalable, and inclusive retail ecosystem designed to empower millions of small businesses across the country. The official signing took place today at GITEX Global 2025, in the presence of Arif Khan, CEO of Infinia Technologies, along with Ritesh Kumar, Director at DS Group.

The collaboration marks the launch of SAII – Smart AI Integrator, a world’s first initiative that turns millions of low-tech, high-potential neighbourhood retailers into a data-rich, AI-enabled commerce network. Branded as “The Digital Saathi for Merchants,” SAII provides a single platform for all merchant needs; from blockchain-based e-invoicing and micro-financing to insurance, hyperlocal advertising with two-way data transfer for merchants and vendor network.

For the first time, India’s retailers will receive access to powerful digital capabilities at scale through SAII. It will help merchants operate smarter, improve efficiency, and build deeper partnerships across the supply chain.

Commenting on the announcement, Arif Khan, CEO of Infinia Technologies, said: “This partnership represents a defining moment in how AI and Blockchain can drive real-world impact. This collaboration will positively accelerate India’s digital economy. Through SAII, we’re enabling millions of India’s retailers to access intelligent tools and digital services that were once out of reach, while advancing our mission to take advanced AI from Abu Dhabi to the world. This is only the beginning; we plan to extend the SAII model across Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, with more projects to be announced soon.”

Ritesh Kumar, Director at DS Group added: “Our collaboration with Infinia Technologies brings together the strength of our retail network and their AI innovation to empower small businesses across India. SAII will help local merchants modernize their operations, access financial and digital tools seamlessly, and become part of a larger connected commerce ecosystem. This is a major step toward building a more inclusive and technology-driven retail economy.”

Lexar, a global leader in storage solutions, unveiled the future of storage innovation in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) era, at Gitex Global 2025, the world’s largest tech and startup, at the Dubai World Trade Centre. With artificial intelligence (AI) reshaping industries and everyday life—projected by IDC to contribute $19.9 trillion to the global economy by 2030—reliable, high-speed storage is becoming more critical than ever. Lexar showcased the world’s lightest, toughest, and fastest memory solutions at its stand located in Hall1, Stand H1-25. Recognized for their large capacities, fast performance, and proven reliability, making them essential tools for AI developers, professional creators, gamers, and PC enthusiasts alike.

“Traditional memory solutions are no longer adequate for today’s demanding AI workloads. The future lies in high-capacity storage that enables faster data processing. Lexar’s all-flash arrays and SSDs, known for their speed and dependability, are becoming the go-to solutions for enterprises working on large-scale AI projects. Simultaneously, the booming imaging services sector in the Middle East is driving demand for our professional-grade storage solutions designed specifically for content creators,” said Fissal Oubida, General Manager – Middle East, Africa & India, Lexar.

Bringing the future of memory forward

One of Lexar’s standout innovations at the event is Lexar’s thumb-sized Professional Go Portable SSD with Hub – the world’s lightest portable SSD at just 13 grams. This groundbreaking innovation is optimized for the iPhone 16/17 series and Android devices, and is specifically designed for content creators to shoot seamless video from a mobile phone. Also taking the spotlight is the Armor Series, which includes the world’s first stainless steel SD cards—ARMOR GOLD and ARMOR SILVER PRO. These cards are built for durability, with strength up to 37 times that of standard SD cards, offering photographers, videographers, and content creators unmatched reliability for their demanding workflows. Another highlight is the ARMOR 700 Portable SSD, a rugged, high-speed storage solution offering up to 2000MB/s read/write speeds and full cross-platform compatibility—perfect for mobile professionals.

The CFexpress 4.0 Series is also making waves, with Type-B DIAMOND, GOLD, SILVER, and Type-A GOLD cards engineered for lightning-fast performance. Designed for 8K video and ultra-high-res photography, these cards cater to creators who demand top-tier speed and capacity.

Elevating the Gaming Experience

Lexar hasn’t forgotten the gaming community. At GITEX, the company is showcasing its ARES RGB 2nd Gen DDR5 Desktop Memory, featuring SK Hynix DRAM chips with speeds up to 8000MT/s (and 6000MT/s CL26), designed for elite desktop gaming performance. For handheld gamers, Lexar introduces the PLAY PRO microSD Express Card, which integrates PCIe technology for blazing-fast speeds—up to 900MB/s read and 600MB/s write—offering dramatically faster load and download times.

Engineered for AI developers, gamers, and creators, Lexar is showcasing two next-generation SSDs: the Lexar Professional NM990 PCIe Gen5.0 NVMe M.2 2280 SSD and the Lexar Professional NM1090 PRO PCIe Gen5.0 NVMe M.2 2280 SSD. Both these SSDs utilize PCIe 5.0 technology to deliver incredible speeds—up to 14,000MB/s read and 11,000MB/s write—nearly doubling the performance of Gen 4 drives, providing superior performance for serious gamers and professional rendering. “As the Middle East region solidifies its position as a global hub for gaming and imaging, Lexar’s high-performance products empower users to push creative and technological boundaries. From lightning-fast PCIe 5.0 SSDs to the latest microSD Express technology for handheld gamers, we offer a full suite of data storage innovations designed to help our customers scale and succeed in the digital world,” concluded Oubida.