• Yogafest Dubai is back this year at the Dubai Internet City Amphitheatre. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National
    Yogafest Dubai is back this year at the Dubai Internet City Amphitheatre. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National
  • Yogafest's mission is to raise awareness on living a healthy and sustainable life.
    Yogafest's mission is to raise awareness on living a healthy and sustainable life.
  • People can join a variety of classes and talks at Yogafest 2022.
    People can join a variety of classes and talks at Yogafest 2022.
  • Yogis participate in MyCore Studio instructor Anestis Mano's pilates group session.
    Yogis participate in MyCore Studio instructor Anestis Mano's pilates group session.
  • Hatha flow Instructor Yogacharya Subhendu on stage.
    Hatha flow Instructor Yogacharya Subhendu on stage.
  • Beads bracelets are on display at Strings & Beads stall.
    Beads bracelets are on display at Strings & Beads stall.
  • Crystal and stone bracelets at the Eclipse stall.
    Crystal and stone bracelets at the Eclipse stall.
  • The Neat by nicky yoga items stall being set up.
    The Neat by nicky yoga items stall being set up.
  • Yogawear on display at the Neat by nicky stall.
    Yogawear on display at the Neat by nicky stall.
  • Onyx holistic stones stall.
    Onyx holistic stones stall.
  • People check out what is on offer at the Motion Trading healing crystals and wellness products stall.
    People check out what is on offer at the Motion Trading healing crystals and wellness products stall.

Yogafest Dubai returns with community yoga, wellness sessions, meditation and more


Hayley Skirka
  • English
  • Arabic

Dubai’s biggest yoga festival is back for its 10th anniversary event with community yoga classes, wellness sessions, family activities and more.

The three-day Yogafest Dubai 2020 is under way at Dubai Internet City Amphitheatre and is set to attract thousands of yoga enthusiasts from around the UAE.

Classes and sessions run until 9pm on Saturday, and from 7am until 7pm on Sunday.

Tickets for the event are Dh95 per day or Dh150 for the entire festival with children under age 12 entering free of charge. The ticket sales are for a good cause, with proceeds going to charities that improve the lives of children.

Yogafest Dubai has raised Dh350,000 for charities over the last decade with donations to Gulf for Good, Al Jalila Foundation, Palestine Children's Relief Foundation and more.

Festival-goers can take their pick from four main tents, each specialising in different activities. There's the yoga tent and a mediation space, as well as a learning tent and family zone.

Visitors can try several types of yoga including hatha, yin, partner and laughter. There's also kids yoga and doga — yoga with your dog. Other sessions include pilates, Qoya dance classes, mediation and sound healing, as well as hands-on activities such as incense cone-rolling.

All events are guided by some of the best instructors in Dubai and there's also a handful of guest teachers who have flown in from around the world, including from Jamaica and Lebanon.

The eco-conscious festival has a marketplace highlighting sustainable fashion and products and a nourish zone where visitors can purchase a wide range of vegetarian food options.

Yogafest 2022 is expected to attract up to 5,000 yoga enthusiasts to the Dubai Internet City Amphitheatre this weekend. Antonie Robertson / The National
Yogafest 2022 is expected to attract up to 5,000 yoga enthusiasts to the Dubai Internet City Amphitheatre this weekend. Antonie Robertson / The National

Everyone is encouraged to bring their own yoga mat, with no hire mats available this year owing to Covid-19, although you can purchase a mat at the festival if you don't have one.

Water stations are also available on site and people are advised to bring their own refillable bottles.

Registration and more information is available at mycoredirection.com

How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
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What is graphene?

Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.

It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.

Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.

By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.

At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.

It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.

But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.

In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties. 

 

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Director: Hansal Mehta

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Biog

Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara

He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada

Father of two sons, grandfather of six

Plays golf once a week

Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family

Walks for an hour every morning

Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India

2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business

 

The bio

Who inspires you?

I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist

How do you relax?

Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.

What is favourite book?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times

What is your favourite Arabic film?

Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki

What is favourite English film?

Mamma Mia

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Director: Shawn Levy

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Abu Dhabi traffic facts

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Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.

The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.

The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.

Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019

 

SPECS
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Pupils to learn coding and other vocational skills from Grade 6

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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

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Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
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Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

Wonka
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Company profile

Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

Based: Dubai

Sector: Online grocery delivery

Staff: 200

Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends

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

Company profile

Name:​ One Good Thing ​

Founders:​ Bridgett Lau and Micheal Cooke​

Based in:​ Dubai​​ 

Sector:​ e-commerce​

Size: 5​ employees

Stage: ​Looking for seed funding

Investors:​ ​Self-funded and seeking external investors

Updated: March 19, 2022, 6:36 AM