• The nearly finished UAE pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai replicates the shape of a falcon's wings. Photo: Abu Dhabi Media Office
    The nearly finished UAE pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai replicates the shape of a falcon's wings. Photo: Abu Dhabi Media Office
  • The Saudi Pavilion at Expo 2020 will be 13,069 square metres - the second largest pavilion. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai
    The Saudi Pavilion at Expo 2020 will be 13,069 square metres - the second largest pavilion. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai
  • A total of 126 columns will be erected inside the Bahrain pavilion to create a steel 'forest'. Photo: Bahrain Expo 2020 Dubai
    A total of 126 columns will be erected inside the Bahrain pavilion to create a steel 'forest'. Photo: Bahrain Expo 2020 Dubai
  • The Omani pavilion, called Opportunities Over Time, will be part of the Mobility Thematic District and split into five zones. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai
    The Omani pavilion, called Opportunities Over Time, will be part of the Mobility Thematic District and split into five zones. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai
  • Kuwait's pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai replicates the funnel of a water tower. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai
    Kuwait's pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai replicates the funnel of a water tower. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai
  • The Lebanon pavilion for Expo 2020 in Dubai is simple in its design. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    The Lebanon pavilion for Expo 2020 in Dubai is simple in its design. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Morocco's pavilion contains 14 exhibition spaces connected by a continuous ‘inner street’, which begins at the building’s uppermost floor and gradually descends to the ground. Photo: Expo Morocco
    Morocco's pavilion contains 14 exhibition spaces connected by a continuous ‘inner street’, which begins at the building’s uppermost floor and gradually descends to the ground. Photo: Expo Morocco
  • An artist's rendering of an exhibit inside Syria's pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai
    An artist's rendering of an exhibit inside Syria's pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai
  • An artist's rendering of an exhibit inside Yemen's pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai
    An artist's rendering of an exhibit inside Yemen's pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai
  • Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, reviews final preparations for Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Dubai Government Media Office
    Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, reviews final preparations for Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Dubai Government Media Office

Emirates NBD Group gives staff extra week's holiday to volunteer at Expo 2020 Dubai


Sarah Forster
  • English
  • Arabic

Emirates NBD Group, an official partner of Expo 2020 Dubai, has told staff they can volunteer at the event for up to a week without using up any annual leave days.

The group's network of volunteers includes UAE citizens and residents.

Last week, Emirates NBD announced it would occupy a 3,000 square foot space on Al Wasl Avenue, describing it as the “future of global banking".

“Our employees will make history alongside thousands of other volunteers,’" said Eman Abdulrazzaq, group chief human resource officer at the group.

“The Expo 2020 Dubai volunteering programme is the largest-ever in the UAE and reflects the country’s diversity, with 135 nationalities participating.”

Volunteers from Emirates NBD Group include people of 85 different nationalities.

In addition to the week of paid leave to volunteer at the World Fair, all employees receive a day of paid leave to volunteer as part of the Exchanger programme, which was launched in 2015 and has accumulated more than 145,000 volunteering hours.

On Monday, government staff in Dubai were told they could take an extra week of paid holiday to enjoy the Expo.

Organisers announced the launch of the October Pass, which will allow access to the sprawling Dubai South site and all of its attractions at a heavily discounted rate.

The eagerly awaited world's fair will be home to 192 pavilions. It will feature up to 60 live events each day and 200 food and beverage outlets to fuel visitors during a journey around the world in one place.

It opens to the public on Friday and will be the first expo to be staged in the Middle East.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed tours Expo 2020 Dubai - in pictures

  • Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, visited the Expo 2020 Dubai site on Monday. All photos: Sheikh Hamdan’s Instagram account @faz3
    Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, visited the Expo 2020 Dubai site on Monday. All photos: Sheikh Hamdan’s Instagram account @faz3
  • Sheikh Hamdan visited the Al Wasl Plaza.
    Sheikh Hamdan visited the Al Wasl Plaza.
  • Sheikh Hamdan with Expo officials.
    Sheikh Hamdan with Expo officials.
  • Sheikh Hamdan tours the Expo site.
    Sheikh Hamdan tours the Expo site.
  • Sheikh Hamdan outside the huge entry gates that will welcome visitors when the world's fair gets under way on October 1, 2021.
    Sheikh Hamdan outside the huge entry gates that will welcome visitors when the world's fair gets under way on October 1, 2021.
  • Sheikh Hamdan with Expo officials taking a tour of the site only days before the opening.
    Sheikh Hamdan with Expo officials taking a tour of the site only days before the opening.
  • Sheikh Hamdan cycles around the site on Monday.
    Sheikh Hamdan cycles around the site on Monday.
  • He said he was proud of all the teams for their efforts to make Expo 2020 Dubai a reality.
    He said he was proud of all the teams for their efforts to make Expo 2020 Dubai a reality.
  • Sheikh Hamdan talking to an Expo official.
    Sheikh Hamdan talking to an Expo official.
  • Sheikh Hamdan takes a selfie with Al Wasl Plaza in the background.
    Sheikh Hamdan takes a selfie with Al Wasl Plaza in the background.
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

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Stormy seas

Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.

We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice. 

The specs: Macan Turbo

Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October

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Madrid Open schedule

Men's semi-finals

Novak Djokovic (1) v Dominic Thiem (5) from 6pm

Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) v Rafael Nadal (2) from 11pm

Women's final

Simona Halep (3) v Kiki Bertens (7) from 8.30pm

Updated: September 29, 2021, 4:55 AM