After launching a series of virtual tours, Louvre Abu Dhabi is now celebrating International Museum Day (Monday, May 18) with a feast for the ears.
The Saadiyat Island cultural institution has teamed up with regional music streaming platform Anghami to produce seven mostly superb playlists embodying the spirit of the museum and its various exhibitions.
Louvre Abu Dhabi director Manuel Rabate says music and art lovers will be spoilt for choice, as each playlist contains 20 to 30 tracks and aims to capture the mood evoked by the museum’s arts and cultural masterpieces.
“The playlists offer a new and innovative dimension for audiences to experience Louvre Abu Dhabi’s collection through the universal language of music,” he said in a statement.
“We are excited to expand our digital offering to feature not just visual art, but also other forms of culture that offer different perspectives, new discoveries and inspiring encounters with human creativity.”
Let’s take a look at the tunes available now online:
A Journey Through Civilisations
This is a seriously good collection of traditional folk tunes from various cultures.
Beginning with the soul sounds of Malian singer Rokia Traore (Kounandi), the globetrotting playlist celebrates rich musical cultures ranging from North Africa (Algeria's Aziza Brahim and Morocco's Hindi Zahra) and Europe (Greece's Lizeta Kalimeri and Italian crooner Fabrizio De Andre) to Jamaica with Bob Marley's Redemption Song.
Contemplative vibes
A good option for your working day or to unwind. The soothing 31-song collection is packed with atmospheric tracks featuring the acclaimed electronic French duo Air (Playground Love), the cinematic Scottish group Boards of Canada (Peacock Tail), British producer Bonobo (Break Apart) and the brilliant Swedish-Japanese folk artist Sumie with Divine Wind.
Eternal Classics
It's all in the title: relax to 24 stirring pieces of classical music featuring the genre's biggest names, past and present. The selection features works such as Ludwig Van Beethoven's Symphony No.7 in a Major Op.92 and Igor Stravinsky's L'Oiseau de feu (The Firebird Suite) and pieces performed by modern conductors Simon Rattle (Stravinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps) and the Italian great Riccardo Muti with his aching take on Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade.
Louvre Abu Dhabi Collabs
A colourful selection celebrating Louvre Abu Dhabi’s partnerships with world music acts. All the 21 artists included here have either performed within the museum or provided the soundtrack to particular exhibitions.
The eclectic list of names here, from Malian blues woman Fatoumata Diawara and French jazz man Ibrahim Maalouf to Iraqi oud maestro Naseer Shamma and Emirati jazz singer Hamdan Al Abri, is a tribute to the museum's adventurous music and events programming.
Electro Pulse
The most current playlist of the lot. While the acts are from the here and now, their tracks are an example of how they are taking their respective genres forward. The big pop names include Eminem (Godzilla), Billie Eilish (Bad Guy) and The Weeknd (Losers). Their anthems are sandwiched between popular experimental artists such as Iceland's Bjork, Brazilian electro artist Amon Tobin and US house music producer Octo Octa.
Colourful Rhythms
A great way to start your day. This 31-song playlist is guaranteed to put a smile on your face, with upbeat anthems provided by the late Bill Withers (Lovely Day), Nina Simone (Feeling Good), Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Mustt Mustt) and Lebanon grand dame Fairuz with Oudak Rannan.
Family Times
More head scratching than nodding. While Family Times is meant to appeal to both young and old, the random nature of the selection is a bit jarring. Examples of musical whiplash include Amr Diab's Bayen Habeit followed by Pharrell Williams' Happy, or Michael Jackson's Billie Jean preceding Mohem Jeddan by Hussain Al Jassmi then followed by I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor. A good idea, but of all the playlists, this is the only misfire.
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
HOW TO WATCH
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MATCH INFO
Everton v Tottenham, Sunday, 8.30pm (UAE)
Match is live on BeIN Sports
The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler
Price, base / as tested Dh57,000
Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm
Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km
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
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
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OPTA'S PREDICTED TABLE
1. Liverpool 101 points
2. Manchester City 80
3. Leicester 67
4. Chelsea 63
5. Manchester United 61
6. Tottenham 58
7. Wolves 56
8. Arsenal 56
9. Sheffield United 55
10. Everton 50
11. Burnley 49
12. Crystal Palace 49
13. Newcastle 46
14. Southampton 44
15. West Ham 39
16. Brighton 37
17. Watford 36
18. Bournemouth 36
19. Aston Villa 32
20. Norwich City 29
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'Unrivaled: Why America Will Remain the World’s Sole Superpower'
Michael Beckley, Cornell Press
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
European arms
Known EU weapons transfers to Ukraine since the war began: Germany 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles. Luxembourg 100 NLAW anti-tank weapons, jeeps and 15 military tents as well as air transport capacity. Belgium 2,000 machine guns, 3,800 tons of fuel. Netherlands 200 Stinger missiles. Poland 100 mortars, 8 drones, Javelin anti-tank weapons, Grot assault rifles, munitions. Slovakia 12,000 pieces of artillery ammunition, 10 million litres of fuel, 2.4 million litres of aviation fuel and 2 Bozena de-mining systems. Estonia Javelin anti-tank weapons. Latvia Stinger surface to air missiles. Czech Republic machine guns, assault rifles, other light weapons and ammunition worth $8.57 million.
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
Bert van Marwijk factfile
Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder
Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia
Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands
