A man wears a surgical mask in Dubai. AFP
A man wears a surgical mask in Dubai. AFP
A man wears a surgical mask in Dubai. AFP
A man wears a surgical mask in Dubai. AFP

Health

Coronavirus: avoid booking home beauty services, Dubai residents urged

Dubai Municipality has encouraged the public to report any violations

Gillian Duncan
Gillian Duncan

April 18, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Authorities in Dubai have urged residents to avoid booking home beauty services as the emirate continues to fight the coronavirus.

In a post on Instagram, Dubai Municipality said the decision to close salons had been made to improve public safety.

On Friday, the emirate extended its 24-hour stay-at-home order as part of its ongoing efforts to stem the spread of the pandemic.

Officials have also limited the number of trips residents can make outside their homes to once every three days.

"#DubaiMunicipality asks all citizens and residents not to request beauty home services," said the post.

“Remember that the temporary closure of men's salons and women's beauty centres is for the community's safety.”

Dubai's 24-hour mandatory stay-home order has been extended for another week.

The system, which requires residents to apply for a police permit to leave home, will remain in effect.

Last week, the emirate created the Middle East’s largest hospital by transforming the halls of the Dubai World Trade Centre into a space for more than 3,000 beds.

Officials believe the country will turn a corner in the next three to four weeks as the nationwide stay-home order limits the number of new cases, and mass testing identifies more people with the virus.

On Friday, the UAE announced 477 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 6,302. There have been 1,188 recoveries and 37 deaths.

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MATCH INFO

Euro 2020 qualifier

Fixture: Liechtenstein v Italy, Tuesday, 10.45pm (UAE)

TV: Match is shown on BeIN Sports

TOURNAMENT INFO

Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia

UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri

On Women's Day
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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