Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, has led social media posts on the first day of the Dubai Fitness Challenge as the emirate gears up for 30 days of activity.
Sheikh Hamdan posted a video of himself to Instagram Stories on Saturday, standing on a board on top of what looked like a foam roller, and holding a kettlebell. The short clip showed him balancing for just under 20 seconds. He added the hashtag #Dubai30x30 and tagged @DubaiFitnessChallenge on the post.
On day two, he told his followers he's in Uzbekistan, where he's been on a falconry trip, but promised he wouldn't miss a day of the challenge, as he posted clips of himself working out in a gym, again using the tag.
The sixth annual event, championed by Sheikh Hamdan, runs until November 27, and challenges the city’s residents to commit to 30 minutes of daily activity for 30 days.
Scroll through the gallery above to see photos of participants on day two of the challenge
People chose all sorts of ways to begin their challenge, also posting their feats on social media, such as Skydive Dubai, which shared a video of three skydivers performing horizontal bar flips and tricks in the sky to mark day one.
Participants can do the challenge in their own time and in their own way, but there’s also a full schedule of events and activities taking place citywide to help keep participants motivated.
Much of this is taking place at the dedicated fitness villages. At Kite Beach, there's DP World Fitness Village, which has 15 fitness zones and hundreds of classes on offer, including aerobics, football, yoga, boxing, rowing and more. It's open from 7am to 11pm on weekends and 3pm to 11pm on weekdays.
The RTA Last Exit Al Khawaneej Fitness Village, meanwhile, has five different zones, and is open from 4pm to 11pm Sunday to Thursday, and until midnight on Friday and Saturday. It's hosting free ladies-only classes, group classes and children’s classes, and visitors can reward themselves with a snack from one of Last Exit’s many food trucks afterwards.
Elsewhere, DFC’s free Fitness Hubs are located across numerous residential and commercial neighbourhoods, with certified fitness instructors on hand. During the first week of the challenge, hubs can be found in Dubai Silicon Oasis, at the Hatta Wadi Hub, in the Dubai Design District, at Zabeel Ladies Club and in the Dubai International Financial Centre, with more set to open in the coming weeks. There will be 12 hubs in total, each offering free 30-minute sessions daily.
Throughout the month, there will also be major sporting events, such as the Dubai Ride for cyclists on November 6, followed by the second Dubai Padel Cup from November 9 to 27, and the Dubai Run on November 20.
A full schedule and details can be found at dubaifitnesschallenge.com.
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UAE finals day
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Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
3pm, UAE Conference: Dubai Tigers v Sharjah Wanderers
6.30pm, UAE Premiership: Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
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Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
Profile of Whizkey
Date founded: 04 November 2017
Founders: Abdulaziz AlBlooshi and Harsh Hirani
Based: Dubai, UAE
Number of employees: 10
Sector: AI, software
Cashflow: Dh2.5 Million
Funding stage: Series A
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
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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.
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