Twelve years after it first opened to the public, Yas Island is undergoing a bit of a transformation.
Over the past year, the island has welcomed an 18-000-capacity-indoor-entertainment venue, debuted the world's first Warner Bros hotel and launched Yas Bay Waterfront — the capital's newest leisure and entertainment hub complete with an Ibiza-style beach club.
And it seems the area is also now making a name for itself as the go-to place for pet owners in the city, with several outlets on Yas Island welcoming guests that want to dine with their four-legged friends in tow.
If you’re in the capital and want to head out with your dog, here’s where you’ll be welcome on Yas Island.
Diablito
For tasty tapas and delicious stone-baked pizzas served with a side of Yas Marina views, the popular casual dining spot Diablito has you covered. With a Spanish-style menu, regular drinks deals and a welcoming atmosphere, it’s also open for those who want to dine with their dogs in tow. Four-legged diners are welcome to join on the downstairs terrace, where you'll also get great superyacht views. The terrace is small, so it makes sense to pre-book if you're bringing your furry friend along.
Yas Marina, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; www.instagram.com/diablito_yasmarina
Emmy Squared Pizza
The New York restaurant chain, known for its Detroit-style pizza, has found its first UAE home at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Bay Waterfront. Drawing inspiration from the original Brooklyn outpost, the restaurant serves square-shaped pizzas with crisp bases, fluffy focaccia dough and caramelised cheesy crusts. With indoor and outdoor seating and a location offering views of the waterfront, this new spot is also pet friendly — with dogs welcome to join on the terrace.
Yas Bay Waterfront, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; www.instagram.com/emmysquaredpizzauae
The Lighthouse
Abu Dhabi’s outpost of The Lighthouse restaurant serves up Mediterranean-inspired classics, great coffee and a yummy selection of pastries. It also has daily drinks deals and super-friendly staff who welcome human and doggy guests with a smile. You’ll only be able to sit outside if you bring Fido along, but huge umbrellas mean that it should be easy enough to find a spot in the shade of this Yas Bay eatery.
Yas Bay, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; www.instagram.com/thelighthouse_ae
Akiba Dori
Following its success in Dubai Design District, Japanese street-food concept Akiba Dori has recently opened at Yas Bay. The only Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizzeria in the UAE, the eatery takes its name and decor inspiration from the neon-filled district of Akihabara in the capital of Japan. Inside, it’s all neon lights and brightly-coloured furniture, but outside on the terrace things are a little more chill, so much so that you can bring your dog along when dining here. Staff will happily fill up a water bowl for your pooch, so you can both enjoy a refreshment accompanied by waterside sunset views.
Yas Bay, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; www.instagram.com/akibadori
Stars N Bars
While it’s not quite 100 per cent dog-friendly, Stars N Bars at Yas Marina hosts weekly seasonal Sunday brunches where pups are welcome. The long-running American-themed eatery welcomes dogs and humans from noon until 4pm, every Sunday during winter, with a Dh99 menu that includes one drink and items such as a full English breakfast, French toast and shakshuka. Even better, dogs get a big bowl of water and treats to keep them occupied while you eat. The last event this season took place at the end of March, but this is one to keep on your radar when the temperatures cool down again.
Yas Marina, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; www.starsnbars.ae
Yas Bay Waterfront
The recently opened Yas Bay Waterfront is one of the hottest places to go to in the capital right now, and it’s also incredibly dog-friendly.
With beautiful waterfront views, wide open palm-lined pathways and several very cool sculptures dotted along the perimeter, it’s a great place to go for a sunset walk. Dogs are welcome, as long as they are kept on-lead at all times. There are even handy bins with waste bags attached to them to make it easier to clean up after your dog.
W Abu Dhabi — Yas Island
Yas Island is also where you'll find the first luxury hotel in the capital that allows guests to book a room with their dog.
The W Abu Dhabi — Yas Island welcomes pets, including dogs, cats and goldfish, that weigh up to a maximum of 18 kilograms, with the animals allowed inside the hotel's Living Room (lobby area) and suites.
Doggy guests will get their own bed, bowls for food and water, and a complimentary snack. There's also a pet-friendly menu filled with tasty meals, snacks and toys that can be ordered from room service.
And while it’s great that the hotel welcomes pets, keep in mind that they’re not allowed at the pool or in any of the hotel restaurants or bars, but with many dog-friendly eateries nearby, you can simply head out of the hotel and find somewhere to dine at Yas Marina or Yas Bay Waterfront.
Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; www.marriott.com
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
MORE ON TURKEY'S SYRIA OFFENCE
Disposing of non-recycleable masks
Use your ‘black bag’ bin at home
Do not put them in a recycling bin
Take them home with you if there is no litter bin
- No need to bag the mask
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
INFO
What: DP World Tour Championship
When: November 21-24
Where: Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae.
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.”
More coverage from the Future Forum
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Fines for littering
In Dubai:
Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro
Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle
In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
