Follow the Pope's funeral here
Mass will be held to pray for Pope Francis on Saturday evening at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Dubai, which will be open to all.
It will be led by Bishop Paolo Martinelli, the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, at 7.30pm at St Mary’s, one of the country’s oldest parishes, where more than 40,000 people are expected to gather during the day.
It will offer worshippers an opportunity to reflect on the life and celebrate the legacy of Pope Francis on the day of funeral.
Saturday's gathering is in addition to daily prayers being held at St Joseph’s, St Paul’s and St John the Baptist Church in Abu Dhabi, St Mary’s Church in Al Ain, St Mary’s and St Francis of Assisi in Dubai, St Michel’s in Sharjah and St Anthony in Ras Al Khaimah.
The Mass on Saturday in Dubai is open to all and we expect many people to come to the church to pray for the Pope as he was loved by all
Fr Darick D’souza,
secretary to the Bishop
A book of commemoration will be placed from Thursday at St Joseph’s Cathedral in Abu Dhabi for people to record their memories of the 88-year-old Pope Francis, who died on Monday from a stroke and heart failure after battling a severe respiratory infection.
“The bishop has asked all parishes to offer Mass and invite all people to pray for Pope Francis,” Fr Darick D’Souza, secretary to the bishop, told The National.
“We will also place a condolence book from Thursday onwards at St Joseph’s so people can share their thoughts,” Fr D’souza said.
“The Mass on Saturday in Dubai is open to all and we expect many people to come to the church to pray for the Pope as he was loved by all.”
The condolence book will be placed at a prayer corner created at St Joseph’s, with a photograph of a smiling Pope Francis surrounded by flowers.
The faithful have been praying in UAE churches for eternal peace for the late Pope, who became the first Roman Catholic leader to visit the Gulf when he held a Mass in Abu Dhabi in 2019.
“So many have their own special stories of Pope Francis that give them joy,” said Fr D’souza, who is also a priest at St Joseph’s in Abu Dhabi. “The Pope truly cared about people, enjoyed being among them, shaking their hand.”
Prayers for Pope Francis - in pictures
At churches in the UAE, worshippers were overcome with tears as they shared the hope and strength they drew from the Pontiff’s speeches. They also relived the experience of being at the stadium in Abu Dhabi to watch him lead the Mass six years ago.
Last respects
Bishop Martinelli has asked people to pray for Pope Francis over the coming days. At a service late on Monday in Abu Dhabi, he spoke of how Pope Francis, despite his frail health, passed through Rome's St Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday to greet people for the last time.
“We are all saddened by his death,” the bishop said in his message. “His pontificate from March 13, 2013, has been extraordinarily rich in prophetic gestures, significant encounters and a deep teaching that has faced the key challenges of our time.
“He showed his closeness to everyone, to the poor, to prisoners, to the sick; he had promoted everyday peace among those who are divided and in war.”
The Vatican has announced that people can pay their respects to the Pope on Wednesday at St Peter’s Basilica after his casket is taken in a procession from the Vatican guesthouse in which he lived.
The funeral ceremony will be on Saturday at 10am (noon UAE) at St Peter’s Square. This will be followed by nine days of mourning and Mass.
In his final will, Pope Francis stated he wanted to be buried at the St Mary Major Basilica in Rome, outside of the Vatican.
In a tradition dating back centuries, more than 100 cardinals under the age of 80 will vote for a papal successor in the Sistine Chapel in a secret ballot known as conclave
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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
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PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
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More coverage from the Future Forum
The Matrix Resurrections
Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
Rating:****
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
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Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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
