Christmas Day and the lead-up to the New Year is always an extra-busy time in the UAE, as the country goes into peak festive mode, with everything from meals and markets to fireworks and family-friendly events.
Here, The National rounds up seven things to do around the Emirates, from December 25 to 31.
Monday
Plant-based diners, or those who want to try the diet before Veganuary comes along, can head to Planet Terra in Dubai for a six-course meal made of animal-free, organic and ethically sourced ingredients.
Christmas Day lunch starts with an amuse-bouche of truffle taco with mushrooms and cream, followed by a starter of (not) tuna tartare with beef tomato, haricots and creme fraiche. Cleanse your palate with mango and lime granita before diving into the main, which is a choice between creamy butternut and pesto ravioli with basil, or pumpkin turkey roll with chestnut puree with rainbow carrots and jus.
End the meal with hazelnut and pecan millefeuille with cream, strawberries and ice cream, as well as an after-dessert treat of dark chocolate Christmas truffle with pistachio and ginger.
Planet Terra has a special menu for children that includes a main, hot chocolate and a Christmas cookie. Carol singers will be on site to set the festive mood, while little guests can get gifts from under the restaurant's Christmas tree.
Monday; noon-3pm; from Dh220 per person, Dh60 per child; The Greens, Dubai; 054 306 6000
Tuesday
On Tuesday, sign up the little ones for Mess Fest, which takes place in the outdoor area of edutainment play centre OliOli in Dubai. On offer are sensory-rich activities with sand, water and paint, which is code for one big messy play session.
The pop-up, which runs until Saturday, features different play areas with activities such as paint palooza and mud madness. Children can also blow bubbles or mess around with slime, and also witness fun and educational experiments.
Until Saturday; 10am-7pm; Dh139 for one child and one adult for three hours; Al Quoz, Dubai; 04 702 7300
Wednesday
Continue the play session at Cityland Mall in Dubai, which has launched a toy festival in partnership with pan-Arab free-to-air television channel Spacetoon.
The three-month festival brings together the world's leading toy makers such as Barbie and Hot Wheels to showcase their products. There are also meet-and-greets and photo opportunities with mascots such as CoComelon and Bluey, as well as parades and live performances.
Children can engage in arts and crafts workshops, interactive activities such as jumbo games, cupcake decorating, as well as a petting zoo. The mall's outdoor amphitheatre is hosting live performances, including one by Grammy-nominated Arab singer Rasha Rizk.
Until March 22; noon-10pm; Dh60; Wadi Al Safa 4, beside Global Village; citylandmall.com
Thursday
On Thursday, visit the new Graffiti Art House at Adrenark Adventure, a massive indoor adventure park in Abu Dhabi.
As its name suggests, the new attraction is built with art at its heart. Visitors can engage in fluid art, canvas and ceramic painting or face art under the guidance of in-house artists. You can channel your inner graffiti artist by wielding recreational spray paints in purpose-built chambers.
Mondays to Wednesdays, 10am-10pm, Fridays and Saturdays, 10am-midnight, Thursdays and Sundays, 10am-11pm; from Dh135; Al Qana, Abu Dhabi; adrenark.com
Friday
After Rachel's Thanksgiving trifle, another culinary recreation inspired by the sitcom Friends is on offer at a Dubai sandwich shop.
Head to Wise Guys in DIFC to sample the Moist Maker, a sandwich inspired by Ross Geller’s stolen Thanksgiving sandwich. It is made of smoked turkey, truffled mashed potatoes, herb mayonnaise, melted provolone and Kashkaval cheeses packed between pillowy slices of brioche bread. The sandwich also comes drizzled with a generous amount of gravy and is served alongside a dollop of cranberry sauce.
Daily; 8.30am-11.30pm; Dh70; Dubai International Financial Centre; 052 686 3801
Saturday
Join a vision board workshop Society Dubai on Saturday.
Participants will be taken through a three-hour step-by-step guide in crafting vision boards that serve as visual representations of their dreams and desires. The concept is meant to serve as a source of motivation, and has been endorsed by celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Steve Harvey.
The UAE session will be led by motivational speaker Ira Poladko, who's the creative mind behind Mira Vision Board. “Vision boards, also known as dream boards or inspiration boards, are a visual tapestry of your goals and aspirations, a simple yet profound way to clarify your desires,” explains Poladko. “It's more than just images; it's a personalised roadmap to make your dreams tangible through consistent focus.”
Saturday; 11am-2pm; Dh330 per person, inclusive of breakfast; Jumeirah 1; 04 222 2811
Sunday
Numerous spots across the UAE are turning into party venues and viewing hubs for dazzling fireworks shows to ring in 2024 with a literal bang. While Burj Khalifa spots can get a tad expensive, Global Village has not one but seven fireworks displays for a fraction of the cost.
The shows are timed to represent midnights in seven different countries and time zones. The first will commence at 8pm on the main stage, marking midnight in China. This is followed by fireworks at 9pm (for Thailand), 10pm (for Bangladesh), 10.30pm (for India), 11pm (for Pakistan), midnight (for the UAE) and 1am (for Turkey). Each display will have its own countdown.
Fireworks aside, visitors enjoy more than 250 dining options, head to the carnival area with about 195 rides, games and attractions, or shop at the various country pavilions.
Sunday; from 8pm; Dh27 per person; Global Village, Dubai; globalvillage.ae
Yemen's Bahais and the charges they often face
The Baha'i faith was made known in Yemen in the 19th century, first introduced by an Iranian man named Ali Muhammad Al Shirazi, considered the Herald of the Baha'i faith in 1844.
The Baha'i faith has had a growing number of followers in recent years despite persecution in Yemen and Iran.
Today, some 2,000 Baha'is reside in Yemen, according to Insaf.
"The 24 defendants represented by the House of Justice, which has intelligence outfits from the uS and the UK working to carry out an espionage scheme in Yemen under the guise of religion.. aimed to impant and found the Bahai sect on Yemeni soil by bringing foreign Bahais from abroad and homing them in Yemen," the charge sheet said.
Baha'Ullah, the founder of the Bahai faith, was exiled by the Ottoman Empire in 1868 from Iran to what is now Israel. Now, the Bahai faith's highest governing body, known as the Universal House of Justice, is based in the Israeli city of Haifa, which the Bahais turn towards during prayer.
The Houthis cite this as collective "evidence" of Bahai "links" to Israel - which the Houthis consider their enemy.
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Scores
Bournemouth 0-4 Liverpool
Arsenal 1-0 Huddersfield Town
Burnley 1-0 Brighton
Manchester United 4-1 Fulham
West Ham 3-2 Crystal Palace
Saturday fixtures:
Chelsea v Manchester City, 9.30pm (UAE)
Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur, 11.45pm (UAE)
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
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
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
WORLD RECORD FEES FOR GOALKEEPERS
1) Kepa Arrizabalaga, Athletic Bilbao to Chelsea (£72m)
2) Alisson, Roma to Liverpool (£67m)
3) Ederson, Benfica to Manchester City (£35m)
4) Gianluigi Buffon, Parma to Juventus (£33m)
5) Angelo Peruzzi, Inter Milan to Lazio (£15.7m
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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More coverage from the Future Forum
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Greenwood 77')
Everton 1 (Lindelof 36' og)
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
Your Guide to the Home
- Level 1 has a valet service if you choose not to park in the basement level. This level houses all the kitchenware, including covetable brand French Bull, along with a wide array of outdoor furnishings, lamps and lighting solutions, textiles like curtains, towels, cushions and bedding, and plenty of other home accessories.
- Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
- Level 3 features The Home’s “man cave” set-up and a display of industrial and rustic furnishings. This level also has a mother’s room, a play area for children with staff to watch over the kids, furniture for nurseries and children’s rooms, and the store’s design studio.
More on Turkey's Syria offence
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