Exactly two decades ago, on January 15, 2001, Wikipedia was born.
The collaborative, volunteer-produced internet encyclopedia was founded by British-American entrepreneur Jimmy Wales. Today, it is the seventh most popular website in the world, with more than 55 million articles being consulted 15 billion times every month.
The site is currently available in 309 languages, and Wales is intent on expanding this to include the languages of the developing world. “That's really important that the next billion people, two billion people who come online are going to want to participate in Wikipedia, to grow their own storehouse of knowledge, and they're going to rely on us to support that work, and that's a big part of how I think about the future," he says.
Wikipedia's non-profit nature makes it an outlier among other internet giants, and harks back to the idealistic early days of the open-source movement. But that’s not to say it hasn’t attracted its fair share of controversy. Unlike traditional encyclopedias, contributions by non-experts are welcome, which has been the source of much debate.
The website has also been criticised for the fact that its contributors are overwhelmingly white males from Western countries, with limited input from women and people in developing nations.
It has also been known to get things very wrong. From a fictitious war to the great "monkey selfie" debate, here are some of the site’s more controversial moments.
An eery coincidence
In June 2007, a statement about Nancy Benoit's death was added to wrestler Chris Benoit’s English Wikipedia page and picked up by Fox News. "Chris Benoit was replaced by Johnny Nitro for the ECW Championship at Vengeance, as Benoit was not there due to personal issues, stemming from the death of his wife Nancy,” read the addition – which was published a whole 14 hours before police discovered Nancy’s dead body. She and her seven-year old son had both been killed by Benoit, who then took his own life. The anonymous poster went on to Wikinews to assure everybody that his edit was a "huge coincidence and nothing more”.
A bit of a reach
When TV theme composer Ronnie Hazlehurst died in October 2007, a number of British media organisations reported in their obituaries that he had co-written the S Club 7 song Reach. He had not, but the information had been sourced from a hoax edit to Hazlehurst's Wikipedia article.
The break up
In March 2008, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales used the site to end a personal relationship with conservative political columnist, television commentator and university lecturer Rachel Marsden. He added a single sentence to his Wikipedia user page: "I am no longer involved with Rachel Marsden.” This was news to her.
Musical misquote
In March 2009, hours after the death of French composer Maurice Jarre, Irish student Shane Fitzgerald added a phony quote to Jarre's Wikipedia article, which read: "One could say my life itself has been one long soundtrack. Music was my life, music brought me to life, and music is how I will be remembered long after I leave this life. When I die there will be a final waltz playing in my head, that only I can hear." This was promptly incorporated into numerous obituaries in newspapers around the world, including The Guardian and The Independent.
Psychological issues
In June of the same year, Canadian doctor James Weilman uploaded copies of all tent inkblot images used in the Rorschach test to Wikipedia, on the grounds that their hcopyright had expired. Heilman was widely criticised by psychologists who used the test as a diagnostic tool, because they were worried that patients with prior knowledge of the inkblots would be able to influence their results.
FBI fakes it
In August 2010, the Federal Bureau of Investigation requested that Wikipedia remove the FBI seal from the site, due to concerns that people could use the high-resolution graphic to create fake FBI badges. Wikimedia Foundation's lawyer Mike Godwin sent a curt letter to the bureau – denying their request and suggesting that they may have misinterpreted the law.
An international incident
In October 2012, the governing body of Asian soccer was forced to apologise to the UAE’s football team, after referring to them as the "Sand Monkeys”. The derogatory term had been taken from a vandalised Wikipedia aprticle.
Imaginary war
In January 2013, a hoax article on the "Bicholim conflict" was brought to the attention of the world’s media. The piece was a meticulously crafted but entirely fabricated account of a fictitious war in Goa, India. It had been listed as a "good article”, a quality award given to less than one per cent of all content on English Wikipedia – for more than five years.
Monkey selfie
In August 2014, Wikimedia received a takedown notice from photographer David Slater, regarding a photograph of a Celebes crested macaque. The image, widely dubbed the “monkey selfie”, had been taken on Slater’s camera, which was, at the time, being operated by the macaque. The Wikimedia Foundation dismissed the claims, asserting that the photograph, having been taken by a non-human animal, rather than Slater, was in the public domain, as per United States law. A court in San Francisco agreed.
Wiki-product placement
In May 2019, a marketing agency for The North Face Brazil admitted that it had surreptitiously replaced photos of popular outdoor destinations with photos featuring North Face products, which would get them to feature more prominently in search engine results. Following extensive media coverage and criticism, The North Face apologized and the images were removed.
No_One Ever Really Dies
N*E*R*D
(I Am Other/Columbia)
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Gifts exchanged
- King Charles - replica of President Eisenhower Sword
- Queen Camilla - Tiffany & Co vintage 18-carat gold, diamond and ruby flower brooch
- Donald Trump - hand-bound leather book with Declaration of Independence
- Melania Trump - personalised Anya Hindmarch handbag
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
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
SPECS
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The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
THE%20FLASH
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ABU%20DHABI%20CARD
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
