Dubai commuters will be getting to work faster, football fans in Qatar will not be able to buy alcohol in stadiums and a $5bn floating turtle city is coming to Saudi Arabia – it has been event-filled week in the Middle East.
From last-minute World Cup U-turns to news about the chances of pay rises in the UAE next year there has been a lot to take in.
But Arabian Business has got you covered. Check out our round-up of the biggest news of the week.
Beer will no longer be served at FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar.
“Following discussions between host country authorities and FIFA, a decision has been made to focus the sale of alcoholic beverages on the FIFA Fan Festival, other fan destinations and licensed venues, removing sales points of beer from Qatar’s FIFA World Cup 2022 stadium perimeters,” FIFA said on Friday.
Rich fans in VIP hospitality suites will, however, still be able to buy alcohol.
Sheikh Mohammed announces major plans to ease Dubai traffic
In news that is certain to delight Dubai’s commuters the RTA said it will open up new roads. Dubai traffic is set to ease, as three new roads are set to open shortly. The roads are Al Quoz 2, Nad Al Sheba 2 and Al Barsha South 3.
The opening of the three roads is set to ease traffic on Hessa Street and spans over 37 kilometres.
“Such a drive is prompted by the need to cope with the needs of demographic and urban expansion and improve the wellbeing and happiness of people in the emirate,” Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) via Twitter.
Sunny Varkey calmed GEMS Education exit fears with 5-year plan
GEMS Education founder Sunny Varkey said that he would continue to play a central role in the organisation in the future in remarks made during the launch of the group’s new education strategy.
Varkey had previously told Arabian Business that he had no current plans to relinquish a majority stake in the business but would be looking at all the options.
“Education is in my life blood and everything I do is committed to enabling educational experts and practitioners such as the amazing leadership and teaching teams at GEMS Education to thrive and continue to do the work that ensures positive futures for everyone,” Varkey said this week.
UAE scraps VAT for some sectors
The Ministry of Finance (MOF) announced that starting January 2023, board members across institutions in the UAE will not be subject to value added tax (VAT).
The tax will still be applicable for legal persons who have appointed a board member to act in the name of the legal person.
Younis Haji Al Khoori, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance, noted that as per the cabinet decision which will go into effect on 1 January 2023, performing the duties of a member of a board of directors at a government entity or private establishment in exchange for a reward (monetary or benefits in kind) will not be considered as a supply of services for the purposes of VAT. Read our story to get the full information.
Zomato UAE food delivery scrapped
Takeaway food-lovers in Dubai were hit hard by the news that Zomato UAE’s food ordering mobile application will shut down on November 24, with users redirected to the Talabat mobile application to order food.
When contacted for clarification, a Talabat spokesperson said that the company’s agreement with Zomato UAE in 2019 had ended, and both parties had decided to amicably separate, with Zomato UAE’s food delivery service ending as a result.
Talabat had operated Zomato UAE’s delivery service since 2019 following a $172m deal. Will this mean people start cooking for themselves again?
Dubai staff let go as Facebook owner cuts 11,000 jobs
Meta employees in the Middle East were among the 11,000 let go by the Facebook owner as it looks to stem losses that saw share value dive by more than 70% in the past year.
Fares Akkad, regional director for Meta in Mena, said in a post on LinkedIn that the team based in Dubai would see job losses.
The global reductions for Meta are expected to be around 11,000 people, equal to about 13% of the workforce, and were disclosed by company head Mark Zuckerberg.
Saudi Arabia’s $5bn turtle-shaped floating city
Saudi Arabia will soon be home to a $5 billion terayacht titled ‘Pangeos’.
The new project, is shaped like a turtle and will accommodate up to 60,000 people. On completion, Pangeos will become the largest floating structure ever built.
Read that again. Yes, you understood it right. A $5 billion floating turtle large enough to accommodate 60,000 people is coming to Saudi Arabia. We are not making this up.
Dubai’s Emirates slashes check-in, boarding, immigration at DXB
Your face will be your passport as futuristic biometric scanning technology will make airport check-ins quicker than ever. Emirates Airline in collaboration with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs in Dubai (GDFRA) now offers international travellers the opportunity to speed up airport processes by consenting to the use of biometric data.
The feature was previously only available for UAE residents and GCC nationals, the service will now be available for international passengers in 2023.
The agreement is the first of its kind in the world, the agreement seeks to improve the innovative and digitally focused travel experience for Dubai visitors. It also improves passenger traffic procedures at Dubai International Airport Terminal 3 and ensures a faster and efficient airport experience for travellers on connecting flights and Dubai bound flights.
UAE employers offer bonuses instead of pay rises in 2023
According to the Robert Half 2023 Salary Guide salaries in the UAE are expected to stay at current levels, despite inflation concerns.
As a result employers are more likely to offer a package of benefits and perks in a bid to retain staff.
UAE National Day 2022 holidays announced
The UAE Cabinet has officially announced the UAE National Day and Commemoration Day holiday for 2022. The break will be from Thursday, December 1, to Saturday, December 3.
Since Sunday is a holiday in the UAE, work will resume on Monday, December 5.
The UAE is set to celebrate its 51st National Day, with 10 days of celebrations due next month.
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