I was an intern at The National a year ago. Before my internship, I drew a picture of the newsroom in my mind. I imagined I would be surrounded by people who were far from my culture, who barely smiled and were busy, with no time to eat properly. I imagined the newsroom to be very elegant and expected to see people dressed professionally.
But, things turned out to be quite the opposite. When I first stepped into the newsroom, I was not sure I was in the right place. My mentor came to welcome me and she introduced me to other colleagues. All of them wore a smile and emphasised: “Just shout out if you need any help.”
I was kind of confused by my colleagues’ kindness. As an Emirati, I find people do not usually approach me because they are unsure of how I will react. This was weird.
I was also aware that some mysterious people have been telling expatriates that Emiratis are self-important and can get anyone deported.
I thought my colleagues’ good treatment of me was due to their fears that I might complain about them and get them in trouble.
Once, in the cafeteria, I was waiting to pay my bill. I met eyes with a Western reporter who immediately looked away. I thought to myself: “Does she fear I will deport her if she looks into my eyes?”
Some people say ignorance is the mother of a stereotype. So I approached the reporter the next day and tried to talk to her. I could sense her nervousness when she saw me walking towards her desk. Maybe I looked scary?
Now, we get along well. I made an effort every day to be friendly and offer my help. In the end, I was successful in breaking the barrier between us.
I was also right about people barely smiling here –– but they do laugh and chit chat. I expected it to be stern and quiet.
Once, I was so caught up with my work that a sudden burst of laughter distracted me. It was scary at first because I was not used to such weird laughters in my house (we laugh more quietly). It is fine now. In fact, I have started laughing with them these days. Once, a sports reporter sitting near me started laughing out of nowhere upon remembering the joke he shared hours ago. I found that attitude relaxing because I thought only I did something like that. I was pleased to discover there are more people like me.
Another issue I had to cope with in the beginning was nose blowing. In my culture, blowing your nose is a private thing. Once I heard a blast from the online section. That time, my friend Ayesha was also part of the company. She and I looked at each other in surprise. We were trying to figure out what that noise was. It turned out to be someone who had a leaking nose. We laughed really hard that day.
It is worth mentioning that many people eat at their desk in a newsroom. In the Photography section, you can find some people typing with one hand and eating with the other. They are always generous and share with others. Sharing is indeed caring!
Some people dress very casually. If you go to the Sport section, you will see lots of coloured clothes, and many T-shirts. I have seen very few people wearing a suit.
We have people from different nationalities, but that does not seem to bother them. They chit chat, take breaks, eat more than enough, blow their noses. Each culture has its own quirks, but what matters at the end of the day is their performance. Most of them work wholeheartedly, I must say!
Today, there are three new female Emirati reporters (the other two are my best friends) and everyone treats us kindly. This is not because they fear we will deport them, but because they consider us one of them. This is what makes the newsroom an interesting place to work and learn.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The drill
Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.
Stick to the schedule, says Mike Addo: “We have an entire wall known as ‘The Lab,’ covered with colour-coded Post-it notes dedicated to our joint weekly planner, content board, marketing strategy, trends, ideas and upcoming meetings.”
Be a team, suggests Addo: “When training together, you have to trust in each other’s abilities. Otherwise working out together very quickly becomes one person training the other.”
Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.”
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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The specs
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Transmission: CVT auto
Power: 181bhp
Torque: 244Nm
Price: Dh122,900
