Latest: Everything you need to know about Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, set forward a plan to overhaul the emirate's urban landscape, dramatically increasing community, economic and recreational areas, as well as nature reserves, by 2040.
The goal, he said on Saturday during the launch of the plan, was for Dubai to become the best city to live in for the estimated 5.8 million expected to reside there in 20 years.
Areas for economic and recreational activities will grow by one and a half times, and the length of beaches will increase by 400 per cent over the next 20 years, Sheikh Mohammed said on Twitter, sharing renderings of the proposed plans.
Part of those plans include vast swathes of green areas in the city, with 60 per cent of Dubai to be dedicated to nature reserves.
The emirate will be split into five main urban areas, focusing the main draws of the city to specific zones: Deira / Bur Dubai (city's historical essence), Downtown / Business Bay (global financial hub), Dubai Marina / JBR (tourism and entertainment), Expo 2020 (international gate for exhibitions and events), and Dubai Silicon Oasis (knowledge and innovation centre).
The "people-led" development aims to increase a sense of community across the emirate, designating integrated service centres in each area and improving interconnectivity by ensuring 55 per cent of the population will live within 800 metres of a main public transport station.
Spaces designated for educational and health facilities will increase by 25 per cent and areas for hotels and tourism will rise by 134 per cent.
Images of the master plan showed an area allocated for the emirate's third airport, just outside Dubai Silicon Oasis.
"The goal of the new Dubai urban plan is to plan life in [the city] over the next 20 years," Sheikh Mohammed said.
He said the plan would provide "the best and finest" quality of living for the population.
"And to prepare for the upcoming major demographic and economic developments in Dubai. We ask God to help everyone to serve the country and the people," he said.
Along with the physical plan, an Urban Planning Law was issued to support sustainable development and improvement in the emirate.
Dubai 2040 is the seventh urban plan to be brought into the emirate since 1960, 11 years before the unification of the UAE. Between then and today, the city's population has grown from 40,000 to 3.3 million.
The urban and developed areas of the emirate increased from 3.2 square kilometres to 1,490 sq km.
Under the plan, old districts will be revitalised and designated as Emirati housing.
Hatta, an area of Dubai in the eastern part of the country, is also included in Dubai 2040, with plans for a sustainable hydro-electric power plant and increasing tourism and agriculture contribution to the region's GDP by 32 per cent.
At least 78 per cent Hatta will be designated as conservation reserves, as the population is expected to double by 2040.
The plan was initially announced in October last year, with Sheikh Mohammed saying Dubai would create a dozen new beaches and 8 million square metres of green spaces at a cost of more than Dh2.5 billion ($680 million)
The 29 projects include more spaces for swimming, better running paths and longer cycling lanes
“We also approved the development of 12 kilometres of Dubai's beaches, that cover 1 million square meters, from Mamzar Beach to Umm Suqeim II,” Sheikh Mohammed said at the time.
The beach projects were being developed at a cost of Dh500m.
The project aims to revitalise the beachfront and increase swimming areas, reported state news agency Wam.
Dedicated areas for water activities and jogging and cycling tracks will be provided as part of the overall plan to promote a fitness culture and healthy lifestyle among the city’s residents.
Proposed projects under the 2040 Dubai plan
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday
AC Milan v Sampdoria (2.30pm kick-off UAE)
Atalanta v Udinese (5pm)
Benevento v Parma (5pm)
Cagliari v Hellas Verona (5pm)
Genoa v Fiorentina (5pm)
Lazio v Spezia (5pm)
Napoli v Crotone (5pm)
Sassuolo v Roma (5pm)
Torino v Juventus (8pm)
Bologna v Inter Milan (10.45pm)
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 Old Slave and the Mastiff
Patrick Chamoiseau
Translated from the French and Creole by Linda Coverdale
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
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The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
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The specs
Engine 60kwh FWD
Battery Rimac 120kwh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power 204hp Torque 360Nm
Price, base / as tested Dh174,500
US%20federal%20gun%20reform%20since%20Sandy%20Hook
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Global institutions: BlackRock and KKR
US-based BlackRock is the world's largest asset manager, with $5.98 trillion of assets under management as of the end of last year. The New York firm run by Larry Fink provides investment management services to institutional clients and retail investors including governments, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, banks and charitable foundations around the world, through a variety of investment vehicles.
KKR & Co, or Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, is a global private equity and investment firm with around $195 billion of assets as of the end of last year. The New York-based firm, founded by Henry Kravis and George Roberts, invests in multiple alternative asset classes through direct or fund-to-fund investments with a particular focus on infrastructure, technology, healthcare, real estate and energy.
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday Athletic Bilbao v Celta Vigo (Kick-off midnight UAE)
Saturday Levante v Getafe (5pm), Sevilla v Real Madrid (7.15pm), Atletico Madrid v Real Valladolid (9.30pm), Cadiz v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday Granada v Huesca (5pm), Osasuna v Real Betis (7.15pm), Villarreal v Elche (9.30pm), Alaves v Real Sociedad (midnight)
Monday Eibar v Valencia (midnight)
SPEC%20SHEET
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Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
READ MORE ABOUT CORONAVIRUS
How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
- Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
- Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
- Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
SPECS
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The%20specs
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