Your daily guide to community and cultural activities across the Emirates for January 6, 2017, including performances, festivals, art exhibitions, film screenings, health and fitness events, talks, classes, workshops and family fun.
Abu Dhabi
Cultural festival
Enjoy the extended opening of Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival. Learn more about local culture at this event that celebrates the legacy of the founding President of the UAE, including entertainment such as traditional dances, camel and horse rides, arts and crafts, a playground for children, films, handicraft demonstrations, henna, a souq and traditional food.
Daily until January 22, 4pm to 10pm, Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, www.zayedfestival.com
Dubai
Pottery classes
Start a new hobby with Yadawei at the pottery for beginners intensive workshop. Learn the main techniques of working with clay, including coils, pinch, slab and wheel-throwing, and begin your creative journey.
January 27 and 28, 10am to 3.30pm, Dh635, ages 16+, Yadawei, 8th Street, Al Quoz, Dubai, 04 379 1312, www.yadawei.net
Sharjah
Music festival
Attend the Sharjah World Music Festival, which features nine concerts over nine nights, starting tonight with Egyptian singer Sherine Abdel Wahab and Emirati singer Hussain Al Jassmi (pictured).
Daily until January 14, 8pm tonight; 9pm all other nights, from Dh250, locations include Al Majaz Amphitheatre, Flag Island Amphitheatre and Al Qasba Theatre, Sharjah, www.ticketmaster.ae
Nationwide
New movie
Catch The Great Wall, in which Matt Damon plays William Garin, a mercenary warrior imprisoned within China's iconic structure who joins an elite force when the wall comes under attack. Fantasy, also starring Pedro Pascal, Willem Dafoe and Andy Lau.
Screening at cinemas across the UAE (PG-15)
Abu Dhabi
Outdoor market
Check out Marhaba Market at Deerfields Mall, which features 30 exhibitors offering fresh produce, flowers and plants, plus art, handicrafts, fashion, toys and homewares. There’s also children’s activities, food stalls, football, Zumba and hip-hop dance classes.
Today, 4pm to 10pm, Deerfields Mall, Abu Dhabi-Dubai Road, www.facebook.com/deerfieldsmall
Abu Dhabi & Dubai
Arabic classes
Tackle that New Year’s resolution to learn Arabic at Eton Institute. The three-week, 30-hour intensive course is interactive and fun for beginners as well as those who are looking to enhance their Arabic skills.
Starts Sunday, runs until January 26, 8am to 10am or 10am to noon, from Dh1,550, Eton Institute, Park Rotana Office Complex, Khalifa Park, Abu Dhabi, 02 449 9649; Dubai Knowledge Park, Dubai, 04 438 6800, www.middleeast.etoninstitute.com
Dubai
Concert
Attend an exclusive performance by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli at a gala dinner featuring Italian cuisine and caviar. Bocelli will perform for 40 minutes with piano accompaniment. He’s famed for work with Luciano Pavarotti and Céline Dion.
Tomorrow, 8pm, packages from Dh2,500, Billionaire Mansion, Taj Hotel, Business Bay, Dubai, 04 510 3100
Dubai
Concert
Book tickets now for next month’s RedFest DXB and enjoy live music from Daya and The Veronicas (pictured) on Thursday and Demi Lovato, Mike Posner, Tove Lo and Alessia Cara on Friday.
February 2 and 3, 6pm to 1am on Thursday; 2pm to 1am on Friday, from Dh395 for a one-day ticket, Dubai Media City Amphitheatre, Dubai, www.ticketmaster.ae
Dubai
Film screening
Plan to catch a screening of Simshar as part of the Work in Progress film series presented by Cinema Akil and Alserkal Avenue. The 2014 drama directed by Rebecca Cremona was Malta's submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards in 2015 and tells two simultaneous stories – one involving the sinking of the ship Simshar; the other a boat of rescued migrants stranded as bureaucratic war rages.
Tomorrow, 7pm, free, The Yard, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai, www.cinemaakil.com
Dubai
Art exhibition
See the exhibition Word Chimes; Meaning in Movements, in which Pakistani artist Simeen Farhat presents a solo show of works that she describes as a record of her own evolution in that art is synonymous with life, and feature abstract forms created out of dyed-cast resin and texts of poems in various languages as well as the artist's personal writings. Pictured: A Whirlwind
Daily until January 24, 10am to 6pm daily, XVA Gallery, Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, Bur Dubai, 04 353 5383, www.xvagallery.com
Two products to make at home
Toilet cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup castile soap
10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice)
Method:
1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.
2. Add the essential oil to the mix.
Air Freshener
100ml water
5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this)
Method:
1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.
2. Shake well before use.
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
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
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
