Bluesky, the microblogging platform backed by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, has been attracting attention as more high-profile users leave X.
The platform gained more than 700,000 new users in the week following president-elect Donald Trump’s election victory in the US.
Actress Gabrielle Union is among the recent additions, joining other notable names like Don Lemon, Lizzo, and Barbra Streisand. They are part of a broader “Twitter exodus,” which also includes Stephen King, Guillermo del Toro and Ben Stiller.
Here’s a look at some of the other famous faces now active on Bluesky.
Lizzo
The Grammy Award winner, who hasn’t posted to X since September 2023, recently posted a mirror selfie on Instagram while wearing a white bathrobe. “I hate the internet,” she captioned the post. “Anyways I joined bluesky cus we're leaving toxicity in 2024.”
She also shared the post to her Instagram Stories adding the hashtag #TheGreatMigration.
Stephen King
The King of Horror recently announced he was leaving the platform, as he's been a vocal critic of Trump as well as X owner Elon Musk. “I'm leaving Twitter,” King tweeted, adding that he “tried to stay, but the atmosphere has just become too toxic.”
“Follow me on Threads, if you like,” he concluded, although he also has an account on Bluesky.
Ben Stiller
The actor didn’t make any grand announcement about leaving X but posted twice about his account on Bluesky, redirecting his 5.3 million followers to follow him there. His second post was to reconfirm the account was indeed his: “Red Hour is real me”.
George Takei
The actor most well-known for his role in the Star Trek franchise has been vocal about his dislike of Trump as well as Musk. Although he hasn’t quit X just yet, he recently told his 3.1 million followers on the platform to “join me over where the skies are blue” with a link to his Bluesky account.
Gabrielle Union
The Bring It On actress announced she was leaving the social media site in a post. “Platforms like X were founded on authentic connections, true engagement and creative expression, all anchored in respect for user privacy and trust,” Union wrote on Friday in a post she captioned: “End of an era.”
“Yet with the recent and upcoming changes to the terms of service – and the return of volatile figures – I find myself at a crossroads, facing a direction I can no longer fully support.”
However, she urged her 4.2 million followers to find her on other platforms, such as Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.
Barbra Streisand
The EGOT winner, who has been a vocal critic of Trump, announced she was leaving the platform on Friday. “Effective immediately, any comments I post will be on Bluesky,” she tweeted to her more than 820,000 followers. She also used the hashtag #TwitterExodus.
Quinta Brunson
The Emmy-winning actress and Abbott Elementary star appears to have deactivated her X account and has instead switched over to Bluesky writing “Hello again” on the platform.
Don Lemon
The American news anchor not only announced his departure from the platform but also deactivated his account.
“I have loved connecting with all of you on Twitter and then on X for all of these years, but it’s time for me to leave the platform,” he said. “I once believed that it was a place for honest debate and discussion, transparency and free speech, but I now feel it does not serve that purpose.”
He also redirected his followers to find him on other social sites such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Bluesky.
Guillermo del Toro
The Mexican filmmaker told his 2.4 million followers on the platform on November 11 that his account would “stay mostly unused” but that he might still “drop in on occasion”. His post also redirected to his Bluesky account where he claims he could be found there “more and more” before he wished everyone to stay well.
Company%20Profile
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The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html" charset="UTF-8" /></head><body><!--PSTYLE=* Labels%3aFH Label 18 Sport--><p>Beach soccer</p><!--PSTYLE=BY Byline--><p>Amith Passela</p><p /></body></html>
Results
4.30pm Jebel Jais – Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 (Turf) 1,000m; Winner: MM Al Balqaa, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Qaiss Aboud (trainer)
5pm: Jabel Faya – Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: AF Rasam, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
5.30pm: Al Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Mukhrej, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: The President’s Cup Prep – Conditions (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Mujeeb, Richard Mullen, Salem Al Ketbi
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club – Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Antonio Fresu, Abubakar Daud
7pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Pat Dobbs, Ibrahim Aseel
7.30pm: Jebel Hafeet – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Nibraas, Richard Mullen, Nicholas Bachalard
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
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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