Popular Dubai-based DJ Mark Lloyd has been reflecting on his career before he leaves UAE radio. The veteran presenter, 66, will host the last “The Nightshift” show on Dubai Eye on Thursday.
It will be an emotional moment for the British-born DJ who first took to the airwaves in the early 1990s. He has also interviewed countless global superstars and championed local musicians and the scene in the UAE.
He has had a front-row seat to a city and radio landscape that has significantly changed since those early days.
“I've been on the air for 33 years and certainly not to put up that fader and talk to that microphone is going to feel a little strange at first,” he told The National before his last show. “But it's time for me to move on.”
Mr Lloyd, aka DJ Cool, is leaving for life in the Philippines later this month where he still hopes to partake in broadcasting but also reignite his love of the keyboard – an instrument that helped bring him to the UAE in the 1980s.
After playing on cruise ships, he worked for three months with his musical partner, Michelle Brown, at the former Holiday Inn in Sharjah.
“I'd not heard of the UAE before,” he said. “It was hard work. We worked seven nights a week and a lunchtime as well. It was very demanding.”
This led to a series of gigs across the country including one on the helicopter deck of a US military vessel docked in Dubai for the Gulf War. Images of the event show Mr Lloyd and Ms Brown playing for military personnel.
Making waves
By the early 1990s, Mr Lloydwas about to become a father and needed more stability. Many people told him he had a radio voice and he sent a demo tape to Dubai 92.
He was given a one-hour show called “Good Sounds” at 4pm, when the city was usually waking up. Today some traditional shops still close from 1 to 4pm but it is not as widespread as before. “I had to kind of ease people out of that siesta time into the rest of the day,” he said. “So it was kind of a gentle show. A lot of love songs.”
Technology at this time consisted of a turntable, two CD players and what were known as “eight-track” tapes where DJs could play jingles or adverts without a computer. “No internet for sure,” he said with a chuckle. “So most of the money that I made, I spent on magazines and newspapers trying to find things to talk about. Smash Hits was a big one.”
At the time, Dubai centred around the Creek. Mr Lloyd recalls social life revolving chiefly around the legendary venue, Pancho Villa’s, at the Astoria Hotel in Bur Dubai and, later the Hard Rock Café. Both are now closed. But they speak to a different time in Dubai socially when everyone listened to the same shows and knew each other.
“We'd open up the telephone lines at 6am and by 7am, the whole four-hour show was full [with] everybody's requests and songs,” he recalls. “The whole city would call in. It was a big deal to have a request played.”
By the early 2000s, Mr Lloyd was asked to help establish a new talk show radio in Dubai. The working title of Dubai Guide became Dubai Eye and it launched in 2004. “I’ll never forget the stretch limo, picking us up to take us to the Burj Al Arab where the station was launched.”
Mr Lloyd recalls a period when everything was pre-recorded, listened to and then aired before live shows were allowed. “Once we knew the direction that the station was going, then we were allowed to go live.”
The 103.8FM frequency has been broadcasting ever since.
Giving a voice to local talent
On Mr Lloyd’s current show, “The Nightshift”, Mr Lloyd, champions local artists and the local scene with frequent live performances in the studio.
“It is a big deal for a lot of local musicians,” he said. “The musicians have really … thanked me a lot for that … just to give them a platform. It's a big deal for them to get it played … [and] have it heard. Otherwise, they don't have an outlet,” he said.
“There is a massive scene out there. Hopefully, I helped shape that scene.”
Through the years he has also interviewed stars such as George Clooney, Lionel Richie and Barry Manilow.
For his final show on Thursday, he is planning on airing the 2020 interview with Manilow but how will he feel once he turns down that fader for the last time?
“When you asked that question, I felt in my stomach,” he said. “Once … I have to say goodbye, I'm going to feel very emotional.
“If somebody told me that this guy coming from a working-class family in Shaw [area in Manchester] is going to be interviewing some of the biggest stars on the planet … I’d have said you're joking. But the UAE has given me that. I'll be forever grateful to this country.”
Mr Lloyd thanked his wife Jean, children Roxanne and Luther and granddaughter Dream whose support he said he couldn’t have done it without. He also hailed Arabian Radio Network, which runs Dubai Eye, and all the listeners over the years.
“I will cry the day I leave the UAE,” he said. “It's given me everything I've dreamt of.”
The biog
Simon Nadim has completed 7,000 dives.
The hardest dive in the UAE is the German U-boat 110m down off the Fujairah coast.
As a child, he loved the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau
He also led a team that discovered the long-lost portion of the Ines oil tanker.
If you are interested in diving, he runs the XR Hub Dive Centre in Fujairah
Green ambitions
- Trees: 1,500 to be planted, replacing 300 felled ones, with veteran oaks protected
- Lake: Brown's centrepiece to be cleaned of silt that makes it as shallow as 2.5cm
- Biodiversity: Bat cave to be added and habitats designed for kingfishers and little grebes
- Flood risk: Longer grass, deeper lake, restored ponds and absorbent paths all meant to siphon off water
The five pillars of Islam
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
