You needed to see it to believe it.
Nine years ago today, Snoop Dogg, clad in a beige kandoura and sporting a red-chequered ghutra, swaggered on to the Du Arena stage to the horn-soaked sounds of G Funk (Intro).
The response was awe and disbelief. After a few seconds of collective shock, the 15,000-strong crowd immediately whipped out their phones to record this heavily pixelated (we were in the age of the prehistoric iPhone 4 at the time) piece of UAE music history.
The Doggfather’s show, held on what was a sweltering evening, was a cultural and entertainment landmark for both the UAE and the region.
He was not the first hip-hop star to hold a major stand-alone concert in the UAE (the previous year Kanye West had performed as part of the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix), but he was the first popular western act to play a near-full concert wearing the traditional Emirati dress.
While these touchstones may seem trivial now, at the time, they were nothing short of pioneering.
Snoop Dogg’s successful Abu Dhabi show, alongside Kanye West’s concert, paved the way for a host of top rappers such as Jay-Z, Eminem, 50 Cent and J Cole to view the UAE and the region as a viable touring destination.
And when it comes to his sartorial choice, Snoop Dogg’s decision to perform in a kandoura influenced opinions both home and abroad. Here, it created a newfound consensus that celebrities can wear the traditional dress, if it’s to pay tribute to the country. Abroad, the images of Snoop Dogg in flowing robes was more impactful than any regional tourism campaign. It is no coincidence that after Snoop Dogg, a whole host of celebrities started rocking the kandoura, such as Tyreese (the singer even wore it on his flight back to Los Angeles) and, most recently, talk show host Steve Harvey.
To mark the anniversary of the concert, The National spoke to some of the players involved in the event.
The promoter: John Lickrish, chief executive of Flash Entertainment
The Canadian entertainment boss recalls that after the success of the first two Abu Dhabi F1 concerts, the Snoop Dogg show was part of Flash Entertainment’s strategy to kick-start a new phase of Yas Island offerings.
“We wanted to bring more people there and show that there is more to this great location than the F1,” he says.
“So the Snoop Dogg show was part of a number of events we did such as Creamfields, the Shakira and Amr Diab concert, outdoor movie screenings and a kids' funfair.”
Regarding the decision to bring Snoop Dogg to the capital, Lickrish said the move was a way to tap into a youth market hungry for live music.
“It was about creating a bucket-list moment,” he says. “Not many people imagined that Snoop Dogg would ever play in the UAE and we wanted to make that happen. So we called up his team and they said they were interested.”
With nearly two decades in the industry at that time, Lickrish recalls the professionalism of the artist and his entourage. Snoop Dogg stayed in the UAE for less than 24 hours. After arriving from the US, the rapper rested, sound-checked and then held informal meet and greets with fans who gifted him all sorts of items, ranging from a hockey jersey with the name The Doggfather emblazoned on the back of a kandoura.
Lickrish only knew about Snoop’s decision to wear the latter on stage a few hours before the show.
While admitting to be slightly worried at the reaction from the crowd, Lickrish realised that all would be OK due to the authentic affection Snoop Dogg had for the attire.
“You could just tell that he was genuine about it,” he says. “This was his first time performing in the Gulf and he wanted to pay tribute. Now, there were some who were not happy with that and we got letters from people angry at him wearing the traditional dress because of what his music represents. But that’s the thing with Snoop Dogg, you either love him or hate him.”
The supporting act: Swerte from The Recipe
Warming up the stage for the main act were the UAE’s very own music OGs, The Recipe.
In what was a rarity for the time, the hip-hop crew were one of several supporting acts that night, which included the Emirati duo Desert Heat and fierce Lebanese rapper Malikah.
According to The Recipe’s Swerte, the supporting line-up was not entirely surprising. They were, in fact, the usual suspects.
“A lot of that was because a lot of artists were not doing the right things to position themselves to be considered for the opportunity to perform and open for big acts like Snoop Dogg. The talent was there but what they needed to do was to be noticeable,” he says.
“We had been working hard as a band and building an artist CV, so to speak, to show promoters that we could do it. It was the same with Malikah and Desert Heat. We were really the only three hip-hop acts that were ready at the time. I knew this because we would always see each other at the same events and parties.”
The Snoop Dogg experience was a career milestone for The Recipe, and marked the first of two performances at the Du Arena – their follow-up gig was a 2014 slot supporting Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.
The drive to reach that level, Swerte explains, came when the band watched Kanye West perform at Du Arena in 2010.
“I remember us looking at each other and saying ‘I wonder what it would be like looking at the crowd from that stage?',” he recalls.
And when the time finally came a year later, how was that experience?
“I felt like I was going to pass out from all the emotion and sink,” he says. “But once we stepped out on to the stage and heard the crowd, it all just went away.”
The legacy: Snoop Dogg made YouTube popular in Saudi Arabia
While Hass "Big Hass" Dennaoui was not able to attend the performance, the Saudi Arabian music personality said the concert reverberated around the Gulf's hip-hop scene.
For one thing, it was the first time that young Saudis really interacted with YouTube.
"You have to understand that YouTube was launched in 2005, but even in 2011, not many of us were using it," Dennaoui explains. "But I remember the first real YouTube videos really being shared around were Snoop Dogg performing in a kandoura. When I saw it, I couldn't believe it. I thought he was a local act performing. Only once I heard him rapping I realised that this was actually him."
Regarding the concert’s impact on the Gulf hip-hop scene, Dennaoui’s response is unequivocal.
“It was monumental in every single way," he says. “It was also important for the hip-hop scene here. At that time, there was a lot of stereotypes regarding hip-hop and with Snoop coming here, and people from all around the Gulf flying to see him and having a great time put some of those misconceptions away.”
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
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Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Palestine and Israel - live updates
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
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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
World Test Championship table
1 India 71 per cent
2 New Zealand 70 per cent
3 Australia 69.2 per cent
4 England 64.1 per cent
5 Pakistan 43.3 per cent
6 West Indies 33.3 per cent
7 South Africa 30 per cent
8 Sri Lanka 16.7 per cent
9 Bangladesh 0
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Omar Yabroudi's factfile
Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah
Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University
2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship
2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy
2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment
2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment
2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
Will the pound fall to parity with the dollar?
The idea of pound parity now seems less far-fetched as the risk grows that Britain may split away from the European Union without a deal.
Rupert Harrison, a fund manager at BlackRock, sees the risk of it falling to trade level with the dollar on a no-deal Brexit. The view echoes Morgan Stanley’s recent forecast that the currency can plunge toward $1 (Dh3.67) on such an outcome. That isn’t the majority view yet – a Bloomberg survey this month estimated the pound will slide to $1.10 should the UK exit the bloc without an agreement.
New Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Britain will leave the EU on the October 31 deadline with or without an agreement, fuelling concern the nation is headed for a disorderly departure and fanning pessimism toward the pound. Sterling has fallen more than 7 per cent in the past three months, the worst performance among major developed-market currencies.
“The pound is at a much lower level now but I still think a no-deal exit would lead to significant volatility and we could be testing parity on a really bad outcome,” said Mr Harrison, who manages more than $10 billion in assets at BlackRock. “We will see this game of chicken continue through August and that’s likely negative for sterling,” he said about the deadlocked Brexit talks.
The pound fell 0.8 per cent to $1.2033 on Friday, its weakest closing level since the 1980s, after a report on the second quarter showed the UK economy shrank for the first time in six years. The data means it is likely the Bank of England will cut interest rates, according to Mizuho Bank.
The BOE said in November that the currency could fall even below $1 in an analysis on possible worst-case Brexit scenarios. Options-based calculations showed around a 6.4 per cent chance of pound-dollar parity in the next one year, markedly higher than 0.2 per cent in early March when prospects of a no-deal outcome were seemingly off the table.
Bloomberg
QUARTER-FINAL
Wales 20-19 France
Wales: T: Wainwright, Moriarty. Cons: Biggar (2) Pens: Biggar 2
France: T: Vahaamahina, Ollivon, Vakatawa Cons: Ntamack (2)
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
MATCH INFO
Champions League last 16, first leg
Tottenham v RB Leipzig, Wednesday, midnight (UAE)
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
Race 3
Produced: Salman Khan Films and Tips Films
Director: Remo D’Souza
Cast: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah, Saqib Salem
Rating: 2.5 stars
The past Palme d'Or winners
2018 Shoplifters, Hirokazu Kore-eda
2017 The Square, Ruben Ostlund
2016 I, Daniel Blake, Ken Loach
2015 Dheepan, Jacques Audiard
2014 Winter Sleep (Kış Uykusu), Nuri Bilge Ceylan
2013 Blue is the Warmest Colour (La Vie d'Adèle: Chapitres 1 et 2), Abdellatif Kechiche, Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux
2012 Amour, Michael Haneke
2011 The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick
2010 Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Lung Bunmi Raluek Chat), Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2009 The White Ribbon (Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte), Michael Haneke
2008 The Class (Entre les murs), Laurent Cantet
Greatest Royal Rumble results
John Cena pinned Triple H in a singles match
Cedric Alexander retained the WWE Cruiserweight title against Kalisto
Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt win the Raw Tag Team titles against Cesaro and Sheamus
Jeff Hardy retained the United States title against Jinder Mahal
Bludgeon Brothers retain the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos
Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental title against The Miz, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe
AJ Styles remains WWE World Heavyweight champion after he and Shinsuke Nakamura are both counted out
The Undertaker beats Rusev in a casket match
Brock Lesnar retains the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Braun Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble by eliminating Big Cass last
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
Breast cancer in men: the facts
1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key.
5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Retail gloom
Online grocer Ocado revealed retail sales fell 5.7 per cen in its first quarter as customers switched back to pre-pandemic shopping patterns.
It was a tough comparison from a year earlier, when the UK was in lockdown, but on a two-year basis its retail division, a joint venture with Marks&Spencer, rose 31.7 per cent over the quarter.
The group added that a 15 per cent drop in customer basket size offset an 11.6. per cent rise in the number of customer transactions.
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 285bhp
Torque: 353Nm
Price: TBA
On sale: Q2, 2020
More on Yemen's civil war
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Miguel Cotto world titles:
WBO Light Welterweight champion - 2004-06
WBA Welterweight champion – 2006-08
WBO Welterweight champion – Feb 2009-Nov 2009
WBA Light Middleweight champion – 2010-12
WBC Middleweight champion – 2014-15
WBO Light Middleweight champion – Aug 2017-Dec 2017
Kanye%20West
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Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
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Engine: 80 kWh four-wheel-drive
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 760Nm
Price: From Dh280,000
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
