NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2024 tickets go on sale

Tickets for the 2024 NBA Abu Dhabi Games, which will feature two pre-season games between the Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics, have gone on sale.

The third edition of the NBA Abu Dhabi Games takes place October 4 and 6 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island.

The NBA and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) also announced that four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal will headline the return of “NBA Fan Appreciation Day in Abu Dhabi” and “NBA District”, two interactive fan events that will take place in October in conjunction with the Games.

“NBA Fan Appreciation Day in Abu Dhabi” will take place at Etihad Arena on October 5 at 4.30pm. It will feature various entertainment experiences, skills competitions, and appearances by Celtics and Nuggets players, O’Neal and other NBA legends. Special celebrity guests will be announced at a later date.

The weekend-long NBA District will return to Manarat Al Saadiyat for the third consecutive year from October 3-6. Fans will have the opportunity to participate in immersive experiences, partner activations, NBA talent appearances, basketball activities on a full-size NBA court, and purchase limited-edition NBA merchandise.

For basketball fans unable to attend the NBA Abu Dhabi Games in person, the games will be broadcast live in the UAE, across the Middle East and around the world on beIN Sports and NBA League Pass.

The 2024 Games will pit two of the best teams in the NBA against each other. Reigning champions Nuggets, led by two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, will take on 2022 and 17-time champions Celtics, who boast the likes of Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday.

The 2024 edition follows the inaugural event in 2022 that featured the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks, and last year's event between the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Tickets are available to purchase at ticketmaster.ae.

In addition to general admission tickets, hospitality and experiences for fans as well as local excursions and hotel accommodations are also available for purchase at http://nbaexperiences.com/abudhabi.

NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 in pictures

While you're here

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How to get exposure to gold

Although you can buy gold easily on the Dubai markets, the problem with buying physical bars, coins or jewellery is that you then have storage, security and insurance issues.

A far easier option is to invest in a low-cost exchange traded fund (ETF) that invests in the precious metal instead, for example, ETFS Physical Gold (PHAU) and iShares Physical Gold (SGLN) both track physical gold. The VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF invests directly in mining companies.

Alternatively, BlackRock Gold & General seeks to achieve long-term capital growth primarily through an actively managed portfolio of gold mining, commodity and precious-metal related shares. Its largest portfolio holdings include gold miners Newcrest Mining, Barrick Gold Corp, Agnico Eagle Mines and the NewMont Goldcorp.

Brave investors could take on the added risk of buying individual gold mining stocks, many of which have performed wonderfully well lately.

London-listed Centamin is up more than 70 per cent in just three months, although in a sign of its volatility, it is down 5 per cent on two years ago. Trans-Siberian Gold, listed on London's alternative investment market (AIM) for small stocks, has seen its share price almost quadruple from 34p to 124p over the same period, but do not assume this kind of runaway growth can continue for long

However, buying individual equities like these is highly risky, as their share prices can crash just as quickly, which isn't what what you want from a supposedly safe haven.

Company%20profile%20

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• UAE's monumental and risky Mars Mission to inspire future generations, says minister

• Could the UAE drive India's economy?

• News has a bright future and the UAE is at the heart of it

• Architecture is over - here's cybertecture

• The National announces Future of News journalism competition

• Round up: Experts share their visions of the world to come

MATCH RESULT

Liverpool 4 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Liverpool: Salah (26'), Lovren (40'), Solanke (53'), Robertson (85')

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

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.

EA Sports FC 26

Publisher: EA Sports

Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S

Rating: 3/5

Match info

Uefa Nations League A Group 4

England 2 (Lingard 78', Kane 85')
Croatia 1 (Kramaric 57')

Man of the match: Harry Kane (England)

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

SPECS

Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000)
On sale: Now