Latest: UAE weekend change: Saturday-Sunday off
It was a simple headline that introduced a sweeping change: "Saturday to replace Thursday as weekend in the UAE as of September 1".
"Federal ministries, government departments and schools would now close on Friday and Saturday,” reported state news agency Wam on May 16, 2006.
“Saturday will therefore replace Thursday as weekend."
The decision brought the UAE closer in line with the rest of the world.
When Thursday became a holiday, it was welcome relief
Stanley Johnson
Media reports from the time reflected on how the new weekend would boost business, the stock market and foreign trade as it would reduce the interruption between the world and the UAE’s weekend.
But the 2006 announcement was not the first alteration to the schedule. For decades, it had only been Friday, meaning life could be challenging for businesses.
"In 1981, our weekend was Friday afternoon," said Tim Sanderson, who worked in the UAE at the time. "We had to be in the office on Thursday [afternoon] and Friday [morning] in case a customer contacted us. There were no emails, mobiles or pagers – just rotary dial phones and telex."
By 1999, the UAE had decided to fix the weekend as Thursday and Friday.
“I distinctly remember the shift from a single weekend day of Friday to an additional day in Thursday,” said Stanley Johnson, who was in high school in Sharjah at the time.
“I remember having Thursdays initially as a half school day as schools tried to complete portions before exams by cramming in the extra half day for higher classes,” said Mr Johnson.
“When Thursday became a holiday it was welcome relief.”
Despite the 1999 change, the UAE was still not aligned with the global working week at a time when the country’s financial markets were growing rapidly.
Business people and media professionals in the West had to work hard to ensure their tasks were completed.
“[I have] fond memories of reporting on the Middle East from London in 2003, [with] a wallchart that showed different time zones and working days across the region,” said John Everington, who worked as a business journalist.
“I remember scrambling to get UAE [government] entities on the phone before 11am on Wednesday to have any hope of a comment before press day.”
The 2006 decision changed this as the country modernised and adapted to new challenges.
“Our weekend was getting closer to the western world,” said Marites Dizon, who has lived in the UAE since 1997.
“On the business side of things, the switch was good in terms of communication with the rest of the world.”
A year after the 2006 change, local newspapers reported that it had been welcomed by most residents but many in the private sector still continued to work a six-day week.
The rest of the Gulf followed, with Saudi Arabia the last to make the change in 2013.
UAE authorities on Tuesday have now gone one step further and the country becomes the first in the Arabian Gulf to introduce a weekend on Saturday and Sunday.
"Many developed countries have shown the benefits of shorter work weeks and this move may take a while for everyone to get used to but, in the long run, it is a positive change that many will appreciate,” said Mr Johnson, who still lives in the UAE.
“Flexibility on Fridays while Sunday being off strikes a balance between the Friday afternoon prayer times as well as the closed markets globally.”
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
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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
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Suggested picnic spots
Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes
Five ways to get fit like Craig David (we tried for seven but ran out of time)
Start the week as you mean to go on. So get your training on strong on a Monday.
Train hard, but don’t take it all so seriously that it gets to the point where you’re not having fun and enjoying your friends and your family and going out for nice meals and doing that stuff.
Think about what you’re training or eating a certain way for — don’t, for example, get a six-pack to impress somebody else or lose weight to conform to society’s norms. It’s all nonsense.
Get your priorities right.
And last but not least, you should always, always chill on Sundays.
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