Crescent moon-shaped lake appears in Dubai desert

A crescent-shaped lake appeared in the Dubai desert, just in time for Ramadan.

Moon Lake is in the middle of Al Qudra desert, surrounded by golden sand dunes.

The National went in search of the new landmark with a drone, and took these remarkable photographs.

The crescent moon lake was first pictured by Dubai-based photographer and videographer, Mostafa, who published images on his Instagram account @100.pixels.

He described the lake as a “hidden gem, full of wildlife and barely untouched nature”.

"You will find a lot of oryx in the area. The views during sunset and sunrise are amazing," he said.

The discovery comes after pictures of a pink lake on the coast of Ras Al Khaimah went viral on Instagram.

Scientists investigated the mysteriously rosy colour, and suggested the natural oddity was caused by red algae in the salty water.

This lake is likely to be man-made like the nearby Love Lakes, which have proved to be popular with tourists.

If you want to go in search of the crescent moon lake, the Google Map co-ordinates are 24.7874218, 55.3065662.

Be warned, you will need a 4x4 to cross the desert, as there is no paved road.

In pictures: the pink lake in Ras Al Khaimah

A small pool on the shoreline of Saraya Island in Ras Al Khaimah has turned pink. Pawan Singh / The National
A handful of salt crystals scooped from the pink lake in Ras Al Khaimah. Kelly Clarke / The National
Student Ammar Al Farsi shared drone images of the pink lake online and they quickly captured the attention of residents across the UAE. Pawan Singh / The National
Scientists from the Environment Protection and Development Authority in Ras al Khaimah have taken samples to find out why the lake is pink. Pawan Singh / The National
Local resident Mohammed Ahmed, 21, said that since the image of the lake went viral on social media, many people have visited the beach. Pawan Singh / The National
Mohammed (left) lives near the pink lake in Ras Al Khaimah. Pawan Singh / The National
People are increasingly visiting the lake in Ras Al Khaimah after seeing the photos online. Pawan Singh / The National

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Lt Gen Erik Petersen, deputy chief of programs, US Army, has argued it took a “three decade holiday” on modernising tanks.

“There clearly remains a significant armoured heavy ground manoeuvre threat in this world and maintaining a world class armoured force is absolutely vital,” the general said in London last week.

“We are developing next generation capabilities to compete with and deter adversaries to prevent opportunism or miscalculation, and, if necessary, defeat any foe decisively.”

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Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.

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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

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The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat

Crescent moon-shaped lake appears in Dubai desert

After the Pink Lake in RAK and Love Lakes in Al Qudra, there's a new Instagram-worthy landmark

In pictures: the pink lake in Ras Al Khaimah

Tank&nbsp;warfare