Abu Dhabi and Al Ain are transforming into sprawling, open-air galleries for the next few months.
The first Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial, which opened on Friday and will run until April 30, features performances and site-specific installations. More than 70 local and international artists are taking part.
While several works are being presented during the biennial’s launch, many more will be unveiled as the event progresses.
The sheer number of works and locations that make up the biennial mean it can be difficult to know where to go and what to see.
Here is a guide to eight routes that are part of Public Art Abu Dhabi, as well as the visitor hubs:
Abu Dhabi Corniche
One of the most popular public spaces in the UAE capital, the Corniche is an important location. Artworks will be spread along the waterfront and its views of the Abu Dhabi skyline.
Eight artists and collectives will be displaying works. These include Wael Al Awar, Oscar Murillo, Farah Al Qasimi, Bik Van der Pol, Tania Candiani, Sammy Baloji, UT-R Studio and Nicholas Galanin.
Abu Dhabi Public Parks
The lush, interconnected spaces facing the Corniche will also showcase several artworks. The park network is a public favourite because of its maze, pond, outdoor gym equipment, as well as its cycling paths and barbecue areas.
Eleven artists and groups will be shown across the parks and along an hour-long walking tour. The artists include Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Kader Attia, Rand Abdul Jabbar, Hashel Al Lamki, Seema Nusrat, Abdullah Al Saadi, Rami Kashou x Emirati Artisans, Paweł Althamer, Nathan Coley, Athar Jaber, as well as Allora & Calzadilla.
Abu Dhabi Bus Terminal
Abu Dhabi’s main bus terminal is one of the most unique structures in the city. Designed by architect Georgi Kolarov and built in 1989, it features angular shapes with a clean, modernist aesthetic that stands out among the surrounding buildings.
Six artists and collectives will be featured at the venue, including Henrique Oliveira, Hussein Sharif, Zeinab Alhashemi, Atelier Aziz Al Qatami, Daniel Buren and Eko Nugroho.
Downtown Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi’s urban core embodies the capital’s concord between the traditional and the modern. The area is replete with souqs, commercial and retail spaces, as well as restaurants, all of which reflect the city’s cosmopolitan nature.
The biennial has curated a one-hour walking tour across the downtown area. Artworks by six artists and groups will be featured, including Superflex, Lucia Koch, Coley, Azza Al Qubaisi, Mohammed Al Hawajri, and Radhika Khimji.
Cultural Foundation
Unsurprisingly, the country’s first cultural and arts centre will be a major setting. The Cultural Foundation opened in 1981, functioning as a library, a performance auditorium and an exhibition centre. Several cross-cultural activities took place at the venue in the decades that followed.
The building underwent a major renovation between 2008 and 2018. It is now, once again, a key cultural location in the capital, featuring a year-round programme of exhibitions and events.
Seven artists and collectives will be featured in the area, including Mohamed Al Astad, Wael Shawky, Mircea Cantor, Ayesha Hadhir, Nnenna Okore, Arquitectura Expandida, and Load na Dito.
Carpet Souq
Located on Al Mina Road, the Carpet Souq features more than 100 shops selling carpets from across the world, both hand-woven and machine made.
The larger area is also significant in the urban fabric of the capital, featuring Heritage Park, as well as the familiar Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel, which looms as an example of modern heritage.
Five artists will be featured in the area that is along a 40-minute driving route. These include Christopher Joshua Benton, Khalil Rabah, Eddie Clemens, Yeesookyung and guBuyoBand.
National Theatre
Another important cultural landmark, the National Theatre was inaugurated in 1981 and has a 2,250-seat auditorium, a 150-capacity conference hall and art galleries.
The nearby Umm Al Emarat Park, meanwhile, is also a significant public space. It is one of the oldest in the emirate, and is renowned for its family-friendly attractions, including Children’s Garden, Animal Barn, and Amphitheatre.
Works by Afra Al Dhaheri and Kabir Mohanty will be featured in the area, with a 30-minute drive between them.
Al Ain Oasis
A Unesco World Heritage site, Al Ain Oasis is a key historical location for the country, alluding to a history that dates back thousands of years.
The oasis covers 1,200 hectares and has more than 147,000 date palms. The oasis is irrigated by the ancient al falaj system, which serves hundreds of farms. The area also showcases tombs from the Bronze Age. The nearby Al Jahili Fort, meanwhile, embodies a more recent past. It was built in the 19th century to defend Al Ain from enemy forces.
Seven artists will be showcasing works across a 45-minute Al Ain driving route which will also highlight the oasis city’s history. The artists include Latifa Saeed, Alex Ayed, Coley, Rawdha Al Ketbi, Shaikha Al Ketbi, and Yeesookyung.
Visitor Hubs
Visitor hubs have also been set up across several routes, including at the Corniche, the Carpet Souq, the public parks, as well as in Al Ain.
The hubs will feature artwork, as well as dining options, unique merchandise, and information points.
Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial will run until April 30. Public operating hours are from 10am to 10pm from Monday to Thursday; and 10am to midnight from Friday to Sunday
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
Scorebox
Sharjah Wanderers 20-25 Dubai Tigers (After extra-time)
Wanderers
Tries Gormley, Penalty
Cons Flaherty
Pens Flaherty 2
Tigers
Tries O’Donnell, Gibbons, Kelly
Cons Caldwell 2
Pens Caldwell, Cross
ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
Directed by: RS Prasanna
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar
The results of the first round are as follows:
Qais Saied (Independent): 18.4 per cent
Nabil Karoui (Qalb Tounes): 15.58 per cent
Abdelfattah Mourou (Ennahdha party): 12.88 per cent
Abdelkarim Zbidi (two-time defence minister backed by Nidaa Tounes party): 10.7 per cent
Youssef Chahed (former prime minister, leader of Long Live Tunisia): 7.3 per cent
RESULTS
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The five pillars of Islam
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE
1 Man City 26 20 3 3 63 17 63
2 Liverpool 25 17 6 2 64 20 57
3 Chelsea 25 14 8 3 49 18 50
4 Man Utd 26 13 7 6 44 34 46
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5 West Ham 26 12 6 8 45 34 42
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6 Arsenal 23 13 3 7 36 26 42
7 Wolves 24 12 4 8 23 18 40
8 Tottenham 23 12 4 8 31 31 39
Company%20profile
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Easter%20Sunday
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Tomb%20Raider%20I%E2%80%93III%20Remastered
%3Cp%3EDeveloper%3A%20Aspyr%0D%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Aspyr%0D%3Cbr%3EConsole%3A%20Nintendo%20Switch%2C%20PlayStation%204%26amp%3B5%2C%20PC%20and%20Xbox%20series%20X%2FS%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
Strait of Hormuz
Fujairah is a crucial hub for fuel storage and is just outside the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route linking Middle East oil producers to markets in Asia, Europe, North America and beyond.
The strait is 33 km wide at its narrowest point, but the shipping lane is just three km wide in either direction. Almost a fifth of oil consumed across the world passes through the strait.
Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait, a move that would risk inviting geopolitical and economic turmoil.
Last month, Iran issued a new warning that it would block the strait, if it was prevented from using the waterway following a US decision to end exemptions from sanctions for major Iranian oil importers.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Rain Management
Year started: 2017
Based: Bahrain
Employees: 100-120
Amount raised: $2.5m from BitMex Ventures and Blockwater. Another $6m raised from MEVP, Coinbase, Vision Ventures, CMT, Jimco and DIFC Fintech Fund
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
List of alleged parties
- May 15 2020: Boris Johnson is said to have attended a Downing Street pizza party
- 27 Nov 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
- Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
- Dec 13 2020: Mr Johnson and his then-fiancee Carrie Symonds throw a flat party
- Dec 14 2020: Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative Party headquarters
- Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
- Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
What is tokenisation?
Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets.
RESULTS
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Bombshell
Director: Jay Roach
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie
Four out of five stars
Stamp duty timeline
December 2014: Former UK finance minister George Osbourne reforms stamp duty, replacing the slab system with a blended rate scheme, with the top rate increasing to 12 per cent from 10 per cent:
Up to £125,000 - 0%; £125,000 to £250,000 – 2%; £250,000 to £925,000 – 5%; £925,000 to £1.5m: 10%; Over £1.5m – 12%
April 2016: New 3% surcharge applied to any buy-to-let properties or additional homes purchased.
July 2020: Rishi Sunak unveils SDLT holiday, with no tax to pay on the first £500,000, with buyers saving up to £15,000.
March 2021: Mr Sunak decides the fate of SDLT holiday at his March 3 budget, with expectations he will extend the perk unti June.
April 2021: 2% SDLT surcharge added to property transactions made by overseas buyers.
Gulf Men's League final
Dubai Hurricanes 24-12 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
