Stormy weather hits the UAE with some flights to Dubai cancelled


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Parts of the UAE were inundated by stormy weather on Saturday morning, when torrential rain in some cases forced flight cancellations.

Airline Flydubai told The National that it had cancelled some inbound flights, while diversions and delays were in place for others.

Police in Dubai called on motorists to exercise caution when driving in the wet, while all marine transport was suspended by the city's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

“The adverse weather conditions in Dubai this morning have resulted in few cancellations and delays to some of our flights,” Flydubai said.

  • A double rainbow appears after heavy rainfall in Dubai. Sarah Forster / The National
    A double rainbow appears after heavy rainfall in Dubai. Sarah Forster / The National
  • People use a canvas sheet to shield themselves from the rain on Hamdan Street, in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
    People use a canvas sheet to shield themselves from the rain on Hamdan Street, in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
  • The waterlogged yard of Mary Mother of Jesus Mosque, in the capital. Nick March / The National
    The waterlogged yard of Mary Mother of Jesus Mosque, in the capital. Nick March / The National
  • Flooding in Al Qattara area of Al Ain. Rana Afifi/ The National
    Flooding in Al Qattara area of Al Ain. Rana Afifi/ The National
  • Flooding in Al Qattara, Al Ain. Rana Afifi/ The National
    Flooding in Al Qattara, Al Ain. Rana Afifi/ The National
  • Riding an electric scooter amid the downpours in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
    Riding an electric scooter amid the downpours in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
  • Braving the winds and rain. Victor Besa / The National
    Braving the winds and rain. Victor Besa / The National
  • The wet weather caught many pedestrians unprepared. Victor Besa / The National
    The wet weather caught many pedestrians unprepared. Victor Besa / The National
  • It was business as usual for some people, nevertheless. Victor Besa / The National
    It was business as usual for some people, nevertheless. Victor Besa / The National
  • Time to bring out the umbrellas. Victor Besa / The National
    Time to bring out the umbrellas. Victor Besa / The National
  • A woman struggles against the force of the wind as it whips her umbrella sideways in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
    A woman struggles against the force of the wind as it whips her umbrella sideways in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
  • Traffic ploughs through the heavy rain and flood water on Sheikh Zayed road in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
    Traffic ploughs through the heavy rain and flood water on Sheikh Zayed road in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
  • People have been reaching for their umbrellas as heavy rain falls on Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
    People have been reaching for their umbrellas as heavy rain falls on Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
  • Flooding slows traffic in Al Quoz, Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
    Flooding slows traffic in Al Quoz, Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
  • A dark and grey pall hangs over Dubai as torrential rain falls. Antonie Robertson/The National
    A dark and grey pall hangs over Dubai as torrential rain falls. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • Sanitation workers clear drains that have been choked by heavy rain in Dubai. Antonie Robertson/The National
    Sanitation workers clear drains that have been choked by heavy rain in Dubai. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • Motorists in Dubai battle the elements. Authorities advise that only necessary journeys be made. Antonie Robertson/The National
    Motorists in Dubai battle the elements. Authorities advise that only necessary journeys be made. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • Adverse weather causes long tailbacks of traffic, testing the patience of motorists. Antonie Robertson/The National
    Adverse weather causes long tailbacks of traffic, testing the patience of motorists. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • Heavy rain fell across Dubai throughout Saturday morning. Antonie Robertson/The National
    Heavy rain fell across Dubai throughout Saturday morning. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • Motorists had to endure treacherous conditions on Dubai's roads on Saturday morning. Antonie Robertson/The National
    Motorists had to endure treacherous conditions on Dubai's roads on Saturday morning. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • Heavy rain has made driving difficult in Dubai. Antonie Robertson/The National
    Heavy rain has made driving difficult in Dubai. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • Police in Dubai are keeping motorists up to date with road conditions. Antonie Robertson/The National
    Police in Dubai are keeping motorists up to date with road conditions. Antonie Robertson/The National
  • Sharjah has not been spared the heavy rain. Photo: Ahmed Ramzan for The National
    Sharjah has not been spared the heavy rain. Photo: Ahmed Ramzan for The National
  • Parks in Sharjah were closed due to severe weather, authorities said. Ahmed Ramzan for The National
    Parks in Sharjah were closed due to severe weather, authorities said. Ahmed Ramzan for The National
  • The downpour as seen from a tunnel in Dubai. Ahmed Ramzan for The National
    The downpour as seen from a tunnel in Dubai. Ahmed Ramzan for The National
  • A motorist braves a waterlogged lane. Ahmed Ramzan for The National
    A motorist braves a waterlogged lane. Ahmed Ramzan for The National
  • Parked motorcycles knocked down by powerful gusts in Sharjah. Ahmed Ramzan for The National
    Parked motorcycles knocked down by powerful gusts in Sharjah. Ahmed Ramzan for The National
  • Sheltering from the rain in Sharjah. Ahmed Ramzan for The National
    Sheltering from the rain in Sharjah. Ahmed Ramzan for The National
  • Wet conditions have been forecast throughout the weekend across the emirates. Ahmed Ramzan for The National
    Wet conditions have been forecast throughout the weekend across the emirates. Ahmed Ramzan for The National

“A number of inbound flights also had to be diverted. We are continuing to monitor the weather conditions in Dubai.

“The safety of our passengers and crew is our No 1 priority, and we are doing all we can to minimise the disruption to our passengers’ travel schedules and are co-ordinating with all parties at the airport.”

Motorists were advised to make sure they took no chances on Dubai's roads, with police issuing a statement on social media to that effect.

“Various areas in Dubai are experiencing moderate to heavy rain,” Dubai Police said on X on Saturday.

“It is of utmost importance for drivers and road users to be extremely cautious while on the roads.”

The RTA announced on social media that all marine transport would be suspended until further notice.

Several flights from other airlines bound for Dubai on Saturday morning were diverted to other airports as bad weather in the emirate continued.

The flights were rerouted to destinations including Zayed International Airport, Al Maktoum International Airport, Muscat International Airport in Oman, and Hamad International Airport in Qatar.

Communities across Dubai were also hit by the rain, prompting a flood of coverage on social media channels.

Residents were advised to only leave their homes if necessary given hazardous conditions on the roads.

RTA teams were out across the emirate on Saturday morning to help ease the traffic build-up created by the wet weather conditions.

Elsewhere, most of the country remained under a yellow alert issued by the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), which was expected to last until at least 4pm on Sunday, March 10.

The NCM also issued an alert for those in eastern parts of the country.

“Precautions should be taken in case of heavy rain over some eastern areas and [people are] advised to stay away from areas of flash floods and accumulated rain,” said the NCM on X.

Thunder and lightning was reported in Abu Dhabi on Saturday afternoon, the NCM said.

Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.

Uefa Nations League: How it works

The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.

The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.

Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.

Dubai World Cup nominations

UAE: Thunder Snow/Saeed bin Suroor (trainer), North America/Satish Seemar, Drafted/Doug Watson, New Trails/Ahmad bin Harmash, Capezzano, Gronkowski, Axelrod, all trained by Salem bin Ghadayer

USA: Seeking The Soul/Dallas Stewart, Imperial Hunt/Luis Carvajal Jr, Audible/Todd Pletcher, Roy H/Peter Miller, Yoshida/William Mott, Promises Fulfilled/Dale Romans, Gunnevera/Antonio Sano, XY Jet/Jorge Navarro, Pavel/Doug O’Neill, Switzerland/Steve Asmussen.

Japan: Matera Sky/Hideyuki Mori, KT Brace/Haruki Sugiyama. Bahrain: Nine Below Zero/Fawzi Nass. Ireland: Tato Key/David Marnane. Hong Kong: Fight Hero/Me Tsui. South Korea: Dolkong/Simon Foster.

CREW
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Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation. 

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000. 

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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Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Name: Peter Dicce

Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics

Favourite sport: soccer

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Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer

Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates 

 

Results

5pm: Wadi Nagab – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Al Falaq, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)

5.30pm: Wadi Sidr – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Fakhama, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash

6.30pm: Wadi Shees – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Mutaqadim, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami

7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 – Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Bahar Muscat, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami

7.30pm: Wadi Tayyibah – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Poster Paint, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar

Updated: March 09, 2024, 11:19 AM