Dubai Basketball enjoyed a dream start in their ABA League debut at the Coca-Cola Arena on Sunday, defeating defending champions Red Star from Serbia 86-84 and providing an unforgettable evening for the fans.
The opening game had everything that the new Dubai franchise wished for, as fans filled up the arena with an official count of 4,761 in the 5,000-capacity venue.
Dubai BC, as the team are also known as, had assembled a 12-member squad in just over three months with players from nine countries – Croatia, Italy, Jordan, Latvia, Serbia, Slovenia, the Philippines, Turkey, and USA. And the entire group delivered when it mattered.
“All credit of this success should go to the organisers and the players. It was not only a win but a historic game,” Dubai BC head coach Jurica Golemac said at the end of the game.
“Everybody gave everything. The players really fought hard on the floor. Only six offensive rebounds over the Red Star and it was the key to the game and for the win.
“It was not realistic that we were going to be up all 40 minutes for an easy game. They [Red Star] came back a couple of times but we showed character and won the game.”
Golemac was delighted with the support his team received at the Coco Cola Arena in what was an electric atmosphere for the ABA League's first game in Dubai, adding that he was hoping to make their home stadium a tough place for opposition teams to play at.
“I want to really congratulate the fans,” Golemac said of the crowd. “I was really surprised that they came in big numbers to support us. They gave us the extra energy. I really wish in the future that Coca-Cola Arena is going to be an even bigger hit and that more fans are going to come. With that kind of backing, it’s going to be very, very hard to beat us here.”
Dubai BC travel to Slovenia for their second game in the league against Olimpija at the Arena Stozice, Ljubljana, on Sunday. They did not have to rely too heavily on a couple of heavy hitters with NBA experience in their team; American Isaiah Taylor did not take part in the game while Latvian Davis Bertans was on court less than 10 minutes.
According to Golemac, both are of high quality and are expected to play key roles for the team whose target is now to build on what was a superlative start.
“The league is long, there's going to be ups and downs,” added Golemac. “We've got time to rest, we've got time to prepare. We are up against another very strong opponent.
“Every game we're going to treat like the next one. Every game we've got quality to go for the win. We are going to play like that with a lot of confidence.
“The most important thing is that we fight like this and that we never lose this kind of sharpness. When you play against a reigning champion, it's easy to make the motivation.
“Now we need to be the same in every game. Whether you play a good or an ordinary team, you need to be the same. This is the key to the success, to stay humble in victory and to stay normal in the loss and to have your own way.”
Nate Mason, the diminutive guard who led the charge by scoring 18 points, descried the night and result as “amazing”.
“My teammates and my coaching staff, I think we prepared really well for this upcoming week. It was amazing and was great to see how it turned out,” the American said.
“I just go out there and play hard. I wanted to go out there and be the first one to punch. I think we did that.”
Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
European arms
Known EU weapons transfers to Ukraine since the war began: Germany 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles. Luxembourg 100 NLAW anti-tank weapons, jeeps and 15 military tents as well as air transport capacity. Belgium 2,000 machine guns, 3,800 tons of fuel. Netherlands 200 Stinger missiles. Poland 100 mortars, 8 drones, Javelin anti-tank weapons, Grot assault rifles, munitions. Slovakia 12,000 pieces of artillery ammunition, 10 million litres of fuel, 2.4 million litres of aviation fuel and 2 Bozena de-mining systems. Estonia Javelin anti-tank weapons. Latvia Stinger surface to air missiles. Czech Republic machine guns, assault rifles, other light weapons and ammunition worth $8.57 million.
Afro%20salons
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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
