Monthly Archives: December 2019
UAE Public Holidays for 2020
These are the official dates of public holidays for the UAE for the coming year, as well as notable dates, so you can make a note in your diary now and plan ahead. Actual days of holiday for both the public and private sector should be the same and these are the dates announced by the UAE Government.
With this in mind, this article will be updated throughout the year as any changes are announced.
Occasion | Date | Day of the week | No. of Days |
New Year’s Day | January 1st | Wednesday | 1 |
Beginning of Ramadan* | April 24th | Friday | 0 |
Eid Al Fitr* | May 23rd | Saturday | 4 |
Arafat (Haj) Day* | July 29th | Wednesday | 1 |
Eid Al Adha* | July 30th | Thursday | 3 |
Hijri New Year’s Day* | August 23rd | Sunday | 1 |
Prophet’s Birthday | October 29th | Thursday | 1 |
Commemoration Day | December 1st | Tuesday | 1 |
UAE National Day | December 2nd & 3rd | Wednesday & Thursday | 2 |
*Islamic holiday dates are dependent on moon sighting and all are subject to confirmation and may change |
I write articles such as this one as part of the holistic personal financial planning service and that I provide to expats, and the general consumer, financial and legal information that I provide in The National newspaper, on Capital Radio UAE, and on the Facebook group British Expats Dubai.
To arrange a meeting to discuss any aspect of your personal financial planning, please email me at keren@holbornassets.com Please take a look at the other useful articles on this website.
Source: UAE Government Communications Office
How much do those Christmas pop songs earn every year?
Every year, we hear familiar songs on the radio but have you ever stopped to wonder just how much the writers and performers receive from the repeated airplay? The amounts may surprise you as for the biggest songs the amounts are very large indeed. No wonder some artists refer to these hits as their pension funds!
Most of the best loved Christmas songs are not recent ,with the 70s and 80s being a golden era in terms of the UK charts, so the total royalties have really added up over the years. The law in the UK changed in 2011 so that now royalties last the entire life of the songwriter and another 70 years after they have passed away. In the US, they are payable for 95 years following a similar change in legislation in 1998. These earnings can support not only the writers and artists but also their dependents.
Here are some facts and figures about some of the biggest earners.