Weekend Digest: UAE VAT update, Big Ticket win, new GCC aviation authority and more

From major economic shifts to life-changing lottery wins, this week’s headlines capture the UAE at its most dynamic. A new federal decree will update VAT rules from January 1, 2026, while a Dh25 million Big Ticket prize has gone to an Indian expat working in Saudi Arabia. Government services continue to simplify as authorities launch unified passport and Emirates ID renewal for Emiratis, and a Dubai court orders a family to vacate a hotel room after two years of unpaid dues. There’s also a new GCC aviation authority based in the UAE, plus cultural, entertainment and expat developments shaping the region.

UAE to ease VAT rules, filing system from January 1, 2026

The UAE’s Ministry of Finance has issued a new federal decree, which updates parts of the UAE’s VAT law. The new rules will take effect on January 1, 2026. The aim is to make the tax system easier to use and made in line with international standards. Read more ➜

Indian expat wins Dh25m Big Ticket jackpot in Abu Dhabi

An Indian expat from Saudi Arabia has hit the jackpot, winning the Dh25 million grand prize in the Big Ticket Draw Series 281 held in Abu Dhabi today. Rajan PV, a 52-year-old quality control supervisor, scooped the prize with ticket number 282824, purchased on November 9. Read more ➜

Passport, Emirates ID renewals in UAE to get faster

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security has started implementation of a new unified and intelligent service that streamlines the renewal of passports and Emirates ID cards for Emirati citizens, as part of the second phase of the Zero Government Bureaucracy (ZGB) Programme. Read more ➜

4. 6 supernatural K-Dramas so wild vampires look basic

No one does the supernatural quite like K-Dramas. Forget vampires and werewolves—they’re too mainstream. K-Dramas dive deep into their own lore with goblins, grim reapers, and gumihos (nine-tailed foxes), delivering cinematic storytelling you can’t look away from. Read more ➜

5. Family refuses to pay Dubai hotel bill after 2-yr stay

A civil court in Dubai has ordered an Arab family to vacate a hotel room they had occupied for two years without settling the full cost of their stay. The family was also directed to pay Dh155,000 in outstanding dues and fees as of October 1, in addition to daily accommodation charges until they vacate and 5 percent legal interest until full repayment. Read more ➜

6. Why UAE NRIs are getting foreign asset notices now

If you’re an NRI living in the UAE and suddenly received an email or SMS from the Indian Income Tax Department asking you to disclose “foreign assets” or fill something called Schedule FA or Schedule FSI, don’t panic. You’re not the only one. Thousands of NRIs worldwide are getting the same message. Read more ➜

7. 1972: Keralite who brought Al Wasl glory to Malappuram

On UAE National Day known as Eid Al Etihad, Abbas Panakkal, a 49-year-old Abu Dhabi-based historian, recalled how his late father, Muhammed Panakkal, transformed Dubai’s Al Wasl football club into a household name in their small village in Malappuram district of Kerala. Read more ➜

UAE petrol, diesel prices for December 2025 announced

The UAE fuel price committee on Sunday announced petrol and diesel prices for the month of December 2025. Read more ➜

Neelofar review: Fawad Khan-Mahira reunion falls flat

Pakistan’s UAE National Day holiday release Neelofar leans heavily—almost entirely—on the much-loved pairing of Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan. Their chemistry is the film’s emotional currency, its marketing hook, and frankly its main safety net. Read more ➜

New GCC aviation body as one-stop travel begins

A unified GCC Civil Aviation Authority was announced by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Al Budaiwi on Wednesday during the 46th GCC Summit in Bahrain. It will be headquartered in the UAE. Read more ➜