Thirty Seconds To Mars – from left Tomo Milievi, Jared Leto & Shannon Leto – who have moved their Dubai which had been scheduled on April 10. Courtesy Thirty Seconds to Mars
Thirty Seconds To Mars – from left Tomo Milievi, Jared Leto & Shannon Leto – who have moved their Dubai which had been scheduled on April 10. Courtesy Thirty Seconds to Mars
Thirty Seconds To Mars – from left Tomo Milievi, Jared Leto & Shannon Leto – who have moved their Dubai which had been scheduled on April 10. Courtesy Thirty Seconds to Mars
Thirty Seconds To Mars – from left Tomo Milievi, Jared Leto & Shannon Leto – who have moved their Dubai which had been scheduled on April 10. Courtesy Thirty Seconds to Mars

Thirty Seconds to Mars postpone Dubai gig until September

Postponement blamed on "unforeseen scheduling conflict" – Battle of the Bands contest will go ahead for chance to support the group at gig.

Rob Garratt

March 29, 2015

  • English
  • Arabic

Thirty Seconds to Mars – the sci-fi influenced rock band fronted by Hollywood star Jared Leto – has postponed its Dubai gig.

The trio were set to perform at Dubai World Trade Center on Friday, April 10. However, the concert has been moved to Friday, September 25.

Promoters Live Nation blamed an “unforeseen scheduling conflict” for the change.

The concert was originally scheduled as part of the 2015 Middle East Film and Comic Conat the same venue from April 9 to 11, which will continue as planned.

The band offered “our sincere apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused”.

Dozens of local acts entered the heavily publicised #MarsBattleoftheBands contest, competing for the chance to support Leto and co on the night.

Organisers have pledged that the competition will continue, with existing entries still valid, while fresh entires will also be accepted at a later date.

All tickets purchased for the April 10 gig will be valid for the new date. A full refund is available to existing ticket holders who cannot attend the new date, which will be delivered within four days of making an application. Visit www.marsindubai.com before the deadline of April 10 for details of how to apply.

As an incentive to keep your tickets, 10 per cent of existing ticket buyers will be entered in a prize lottery for the chance to win ticket upgrades, signed merchandise or a meet-and-greet with the band.

Tickets for the September 25 show will resume selling on www.ticketmaster.ae on Wednesday April 1, at the same price, Dh295.

rgarratt@thenational.ae

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Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

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

Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
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