A whimsical summer pop-up is taking place at the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi.
Inspired by Farah Al Qasimi’s photographic exhibition General Behaviour, currently on view at the Cultural Foundation, the Cake and Sprinkles pop-up is a temporary show that features 25 artists in the UAE, 12 who have created artworks that interpret their love of desserts and 13 who have dressed mini mannequins on display in the pop-up cafe.
In addition to the exhibition, there’s also a gaming space and a cafe that serves sweet treats and drinks, including milkshakes or coffees, making it suitable for the entire family, as it is open to all ages.
Emirati artist Sumayyah Al Suwaidi, who is also the community programme's head at the Cultural Foundation, curated the show.
“One of the parts of her [Al Qasimi’s] exhibition is behaviour and how people behave around things, how they spend their money, what they buy, their lifestyle,” she says.
The Cultural Foundation, she says, wanted to do something that was between Al Qasimi's show and that of Emirati artist Mohamed Al Astad. The latter's Another Perspective is currently also on view on the first floor of the centre.
"So either you are well known and everybody knows you or no one knows you. So that gap is where we come in as a community to bridge it," says Al Suwaidi. "So we have 13 artists — they are fashion designers, architects and interior designers. For the light boxes, we have [12] illustrators. So as many [artists] as we can bring together, that's our job, that's our mandate."
When deciding which works to display, Al Suwaidi says there were two things she was looking for: the quality and how it spoke to the theme of cake and sprinkles.
Asim Mohamed is one of the artists whose work has been chosen for the exhibition. He says it took four to five days to go from sketching to making the piece in 3D.
"I always play with Arabic letters. I try to mix them and usually, it's always flat," he says. "This was my second time making it in 3D. When I work, I'm trying to get inspired by nature. But with this limitation of having this summer vibe of cakes; sprinkles, I tried to think, 'OK, what if I play with the word and then make the colours with the theme we have here?' So this is what I came up with here."
However, Cake and Sprinkles isn't just an art exhibition. There's also an area for children to enjoy that includes a pool filled with sprinkles and a pink flamingo, as well as a zone to play games such as mini-golf or mega chess. The space also includes a pop-up cafe that offers items such as Kinder, Lotus and pistachio cakes and a variety of gelato flavours.
“Parents can bring their children, so they can see both exhibitions and explore the summer activation," Al Suwaidi says. "So the whole family can enjoy the place."
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
THE SPECS
Range Rover Sport Autobiography Dynamic
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 518bhp
Torque: 625Nm
Speed: 0-100kmh 5.3 seconds
Price: Dh633,435
On sale: now
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
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
'The Sky is Everywhere'
Director:Josephine Decker
Stars:Grace Kaufman, Pico Alexander, Jacques Colimon
Rating:2/5
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30: UAE v Nepal; Hong Kong v Singapore; Malaysia v Oman
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
Company%20Profile
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
