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Gulf Business
2 days ago
- Business
- Gulf Business
Binghatti Holding's H1 profit rises almost threefold to Dhs1.82bn
Image: Binghatti Holding Binghatti Holding announced record financial results for H1 2025 last week, with net profit and revenue nearly tripling year-on-year, driven by robust demand for its developments . Net profit for H1 2025 surged by 172 per cent year-on-year to Dhs1.82bn ($495m), up from Dhs668m ($182m) in the same period last year . Total sales climbed 60 per cent year-on-year to Dhs8.8bn ($2.39bn), while revenue increased by 189 per cent to Dhs6.3bn ($1.722bn), positioning the company as one of Dubai's fastest-growing real estate firms . The group also saw significant expansion in its development pipeline. As of June 30, Binghatti's revenue backlog reached Dhs12.5bn, an increase from Dhs6.6bn in the corresponding period last year . This surge was fuelled by the launch of seven new projects , while five projects, comprising 1,441 units, were successfully delivered during the first half . Branded residences drive global investor demand . The company's ability to blend architectural innovation with iconic design has attracted an elite international clientele, including Brazilian football star Neymar Jr and acclaimed opera singer Andrea Bocelli. In H1 2025, 61 per cent of Binghatti's sales were made to non-resident buyers, up from 55 per cent a year earlier, underscoring Dubai's safe-haven appeal and Binghatti's proactive marketing, which included the launch of a London sales office in July . Leading buyer nationalities in H1 2025 included India, Turkey, and China . Strong local demand While international investors continue to play a growing role in driving sales, Binghatti also continued to benefit from strong local demand, supported by the UAE's expanding population, and ongoing investment in infrastructure and housing accessibility . The Company continued to broaden its domestic customer base by improving affordability and access to high-quality real estate developments . In May 2025, Binghatti signed a landmark memorandum of understanding with Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) to offer Sharia-compliant home financing solutions tailored to both ready and off-plan residential units . Under the agreement, eligible buyers will be able to secure financing once construction reaches 35 per cent completion and 50 per cent of payments have been made, a flexible structure designed to unlock new demand among UAE-based homeowners and investors . To further support access to homeownership, Binghatti Holding was selected in July by the Dubai Land Department (DLD) and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) as one of 13 developers participating in the newly launched First-Time Home Buyer (FTHB) Programme . As part of this initiative, Binghatti has committed to allocating at least 10 per cent of its newly launched and existing residential units priced under Dhs5m exclusively to eligible first-time buyers . The earmarked units will be made available ahead of public launches, ensuring early access and greater affordability for UAE residents entering the property market for the first time . In addition to prioritised access, Binghatti is offering exclusive financial incentives to FTHB participants, including discounts on selected properties and reduced administrative fees, with enhanced packages for both Emiratis and expatriates . The initiative supports Dubai's broader economic and social development goals, including the D33 Economic Agenda which targets Dhs1tn in real estate transactions . In July, Binghatti also became a founding partner of the Dubai PropTech Hub, a joint initiative of the DIFC Innovation Hub and the Dubai Land Department . The Hub, which aims to attract $300m in venture capital by 2030, will position Binghatti at the forefront of real estate innovation through access to emerging technologies such as AI, blockchain, and sustainable smart infrastructure . As a founding partner, Binghatti will benefit from early engagement with next-generation PropTech start-ups through the Hub's Living Lab, Scale-up Accelerator, and bespoke innovation programs . Accelerated development and landmark land acquisition Binghatti currently has around 20,000 units under development across about 30 projects in prime residential areas across Dubai, including Downtown, Business Bay, Jumeirah Village Circle, Al Jaddaf, Meydan, Dubai Science Park, Dubai Production City, and Sports City . Read: During the first half, Binghatti launched seven new projects featuring 5,000 units spread over 3.8 million square feet and handed over five developments comprising 1,441 units over a million square feet . The company acquired a landmark megaplot in Nad Al Sheba 1, in the heart of Dubai's sought-after Meydan district with over 9 million square feet of gross floor area, which will serve as the foundation for its first master-planned residential community in Dubai with a total development value of over Dhs25bn . In the first half of 2025, Binghatti's credit profile was formally recognised by leading global rating agencies . In March, Moody's Ratings assigned Binghatti a first-time Ba3 Corporate Family Rating (CFR) with a stable outlook, citing the Company's strong market position in Dubai's luxury real estate sector, its vertically integrated operating model, and prudent financial management . The agency highlighted Binghatti's low leverage, strong liquidity, and effective cost control as key credit strengths, alongside its strategic expansion through branded developments and a deep pipeline of projects . Shortly after, Fitch Ratings upgraded Binghatti's Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) and senior unsecured debt to BB- from B+, also with a stable outlook . The upgrade reflected Binghatti's resilient growth trajectory, robust liquidity – including a low net debt-to-EBITDA ratio of just 0.8x – and its ability to self-fund future projects through internally generated cash flows . Both agencies recognised the company's strengthened corporate governance framework and the institutional credibility brought by its inaugural$500m sukuk, which is listed on both the London Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Dubai . A positive outlook Dubai's real estate market continues to show structural strength, supported by a growing population, stable governance, and surging global investor interest . As of June 2025, Dubai's population surpassed 3.75 million and is expected to exceed four million by the end of 2026 . In the first half of 2025 alone, over 19,700 new residential units were handed over, primarily in JVC, Al Merkadh, and Business Bay . However, delivery across core and premium submarkets has not kept pace with demand . This gap is even more evident in the luxury and branded segment, where sustained demand continues to drive strong absorption rates . Rental values in prime zones such as Marina, Business Bay, and Downtown Dubai are up significantly year-on-year, clear indicators of supply pressure and investor appetite .
Fox News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Ellie Goulding flaunts toned physique in multiple bikinis during sun-soaked Italian holiday
Ellie Goulding is living it up on her European vacation. The 38-year-old "Lights" singer posted a series of photos on Instagram from her Italian vacation, captioning the post, "Carbs IT." The carousel of photos not only featured the singer sightseeing but also a few bikini photos. In one photo, Goulding can be seen lying on a lounge chair poolside, while wearing an olive-green string bikini. The star can be seen basking in the sun as she held open a book in one hand. Another photo showed Gouldig reading the same book, this time dressed in a black bikini, which she paired with round black and gold sunglasses. The post also featured a selfie of Goulding in the same black bikini, as she posed for the photo indoors. She also took some time to relax on the beach, as she posed for a photo on a dock in the ocean, while wearing a brown bikini with a black pattern design on it. She gave the camera a slight smile as she held a tropical drink. Other photos in the post show the singer enjoying the beautiful views of Italy, exploring the city's ruins, as well as the architecture and the art. "Italy looks so good on you," one fan wrote in the comments section. Another added, "drop the lifting routine ellie omg," while a third chimed in with "Stunningly beautiful." Goulding recently performed her cover of Elton John's hit, "Your Song," at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos' wedding reception in Venice, Italy. Opera singer Andrea Bocelli's son, Matteo Bocelli, also performed at the reception, singing a cover of Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love" as the newlyweds' first dance song. This isn't the first time Goulding has sung her version of "Your Song" at a famous couple's wedding reception, as she previously performed the song at Prince William and Kate Middleton's second wedding reception after they tied the knot April 29, 2011, in London. The Prince and Princess of Wales shared their first dance to Goulding's cover of the famous song. Goulding made headlines in August 2023 when a video of her getting hit with a firework during her performance at the Victorious Festival in Portsmouth, U.K. went viral on social media. "To those asking I am ok! Pyro didn't hit me directly in the face. Face is intact. Love you thank you x," Goulding wrote on her Instagram stories following the accident. A video from the performance shows Goulding attempting to shield her face from the rogue firework, and she could be heard exclaiming, "F---," before going on with the show. The incident occurred while she was performing her song "Miracle," which she collaborated on with Calvin Harris, when one of the on-stage pyrotechnics malfunctioned and seemed to hit her in the face.
News18
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
How Cities Are Turning Their Oldest Buildings Into The Newest Cultural Hotspots
Last Updated: In cities across the world, historic spaces once considered sacred or obsolete are being radically reimagined; as live music venues, design-led restaurants, boutique hotels There was a time when history was something you visited politely. You queued up, bought a ticket, read a plaque, and occasionally muttered 'fascinating" while slowly backing away from a mannequin in a powdered wig. But increasingly, cities around the world are deciding that their pasts are simply too interesting to be left behind glass. History has started to dress differently. It's gotten louder, more confident, and occasionally, a little performative. In cities across the world, historic spaces once considered sacred or obsolete are being radically reimagined; as live music venues, design-led restaurants, boutique hotels, and contemporary art havens. The walls still whisper stories. But now they do it with curated lighting and a tasting menu. AlUla is a place where time folds in on itself. Once a bustling oasis on the incense trade route, it's home to Hegra, Saudi's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, where tombs carved into rose-gold cliffs by the Nabataeans have stood for over 2,000 years. For decades, these landscapes sat quietly. Today, they hum with new life. Just beyond the archaeological sites, the futuristic Maraya concert hall rises from the desert; a mirrored cube that reflects the surrounding cliffs so seamlessly it appears to vanish. At over 104,000 square feet, Maraya (which means 'mirror" in Arabic) holds the Guinness World Record as the largest mirrored building on Earth. Inside, it has hosted performances by Alicia Keys, Andrea Bocelli, and Lang Lang, as well as large-scale art exhibitions and film screenings. It is also one of the main venues for Winter at Tantora, the region's flagship cultural festival. And yet, the past remains – monumental and unmoved. United Kingdom: Brick by brick revival in Shoreditch Of all places to wear its past lightly, Shoreditch in East London does so with a wink. A former industrial borough, it was once home to textile factories, slaughterhouses, and Shakespeare's original theatre. Today, it's a study in layered reinvention. The Old Truman Brewery, a sprawling complex of Victorian-era buildings, has been transformed into a dynamic cultural hub, housing everything from experimental art exhibitions to street food markets and digital art fairs. Its exposed brick walls, once home to bottling lines, now showcase photography, illustration, and AR installations. But it's not just one building. Throughout Shoreditch, you'll find repurposed churches that host DJ sets, railway arches that now serve Michelin-starred ramen, and cobbled alleys where history meets hyperlocal. It's imperfect, commercialised, and not without criticism. But it's also alive. Hobart, Tasmania: Underground and unapologetic At first glance, Salamanca Place in Hobart looks like a well-preserved postcard, rows of sandstone warehouses facing the harbour, framed by hills and sea breeze. But behind the tidy facades lies a story of reinvention as dramatic as any in modern Australia. Built in the 1830s, these warehouses once stored whale oil, grain and imported goods, Today, their contents are decidedly different: art galleries, independent cafés, bookshops, and the famous Salamanca Market, where stallholders set up every Saturday to sell everything from Tasmanian honey to hand-carved Huon pine bowls. Live jazz filters through the crowd. Somewhere, someone is handing out fresh oysters. Just a short ferry ride away lies the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA). Dug into a sandstone cliff on the site of a former winery, MONA offers a bold take on art and history. Its annual festival, Dark Mofo, draws thousands to Hobart each winter for a heady mix of light, sound and performance, all set against the southern cold. New Bahru, Singapore: Old school, new rules top videos View all In a city often praised for its precision, it's the quiet reinventions that surprise. New Bahru, once the Nan Chiau High School, now hums with a different kind of energy. The classrooms still stand, but blackboards have been replaced by concept stores and design ateliers; home to labels like Make by Ginlee and Sea Apple Create. The old school hall now hosts chef residencies and art showcases, while familiar corridors lead not to detention, but to wellness studios, listening rooms and slow coffee counters. It's a place that honours its past without being bound by it, proving that sometimes the best way to preserve history is simply to let people walk through it differently. About the Author Swati Chaturvedi Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 More The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health, fashion, travel, food, and culture — with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 26, 2025, 08:51 IST News lifestyle » travel How Cities Are Turning Their Oldest Buildings Into The Newest Cultural Hotspots Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Forbes
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Getting To Know You Tuesday: Dorothy K. Butler
Dorothy K. Butler Dorothy K. Butler Most of us have a hidden talent that we trot out from time to time. Maybe you bake amazing cupcakes or you play the piano—but chances are, those are things you do on the weekends or at family parties. Most of us don't have the opportunity to share those talents with the world on a regular basis—but Dorothy K. Butler does. A lawyer by trade, Dorothy is also a professional musician who performs in the greater Austin, Texas area. She has shared the stage with Andrea Bocelli, Bernadette Peters, The Who, Marvin Hamlisch, Il Divo and Celtic Women. When she's not performing, Dorothy is an attorney with over 13 years of experience in the fields of tax, bankruptcy and debtor defense. She assists individuals and business owners with tax preparation, defense from tax audits, offers in compromise, installment agreements, and formation of nonprofit entities. Here's what else Dorothy had to say: Where are you now? Working for myself, through Dorothy Butler Law Firm. What's your job title, and what does it mean? I am the principal attorney and owner of Dorothy Butler Law Firm. I work for myself, by myself. What it means to me is I can balance running a busy tax practice with being a mom. Tax, law, and accounting are such broad topics. What's your area of special interest? My area of special interest is working with musicians on their taxes. As a professional musician, I know the ins and outs of being a self employed musician. With an LL.M. in taxation, I also understand the Internal Revenue Code. Marry the two together, and you have my favorite clients to work with. What's the first thing you typically do while at work? Open up the emails. I tend to work late nights so I shoot off lots of emails between midnight and 2am. When I get going next day, I have all the email responses from the night before. If you had an extra couple of hours open up in your day—outside of work—what would you do? Spend more time with my boys. I am a mother to two and they are the lights of my life. What's one tool or resource that you couldn't live without at work? My tax prep queue system. I had this built out so that as clients turn in tax documents to me, they get assigned a number. It's digitized and each night, as I work, sends out an update to let them know how many more returns before theirs is prepared. If you weren't working in the tax profession, what would your dream job be? My dream job would be to be a full time professional musician. As a college student who started in music, I always said that my dream was to be a lawyer by and symphony musician by night. I guess I basically made it happen. What's the best tax or financial advice that anyone ever gave you? Hang on to every receipt–you never know what expense might be deductible with a good tax professional. What books or magazines are on your nightstand? Jodi Picoult's 'By Any Other Name.' She's my favorite author and I haven't had the window to finish this one yet! Who has been the biggest influence on your career? Honestly, my children have been the greatest influence. When I finished my LL.M. program, I thought I would go to work for a firm but shortly after, I became pregnant with my first son. I didn't want to put him in daycare and I couldn't afford a nanny – so the only way I knew to make my career work while being a mother, was to open up my own firm at the kitchen table. At the time, I thought I could do that for a few years, get enough experience to find a job at a firm that would allow me to work around his hours. By the time he was old enough for preschool, I was busy enough that I couldn't imagine going work for someone else. It was absolutely the right decision. What would I be surprised to know about you? That I am slated to play a Vegas residency with a VERY well known rock band in 2026. It'll make for a much more interesting tax season!! If you had the opportunity to make one change in the tax code tomorrow—an extra credit, a disallowed deduction, whatever—what would it be and why? I would bring back unreimbursed employee expenses as an item for itemized deductions. This was a huge hit to many of my clients. What was the best tax conference, continuing education (CE), or continuing legal education (CLE) event that you ever attended? I have most enjoyed conferences that combine another area of law (like tax and family law or tax and bankruptcy). What has been the biggest change that you've seen in the tax profession in the last five years? The biggest change to hit my clients has been the loss of entertainment expenses for my self employed individuals. This was a huge change. What are you most concerned about or excited about with respect to the profession moving forward? I know many are worried about artificial intelligence (AI) taking over, but in my opinion, a good tax professional can't be replaced by AI. AI cannot take a list of client potential expenses and always know what exactly to do with everything. If Uncle Sam handed you a huge refund check right now, what would you do with it? I'd take a week long trip with my kids – and the rest would go into my Schwab. Dorothy's law firm, Dorothy Butler Law Firm, is located in Austin, Texas. You can find Dorothy—and her nearly half-million followers—on Instagram. This article is part of our Getting To Know You Tuesday series—a chance to get to know all kinds of tax professionals and understand that the field of tax is bigger than April 15. If you'd like to nominate tax professional to be featured, send your suggestion to kerb@ with the subject: Getting To Know You Tuesday. Forbes Getting To Know You Tuesday: Arielle Tucker By Kelly Phillips Erb Forbes Getting To Know You Tuesday: Nicole Davis, CPA By Kelly Phillips Erb
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Wales fans sing through the night but Euro 2025 elimination is a reality check
Midnight in St Gallen, 21 hours to Wales' final Euro 2025 kick-off. Andrea Bocelli is issuing orders. It's time to say goodbye, apparently, to the night and this place, specifically a 15×15-foot karaoke hot box two stories high in the Swiss sky. The room is stuffed with Wales fans, former players, friends and family of current ones, and even the Welsh media. And, of course, no one is listening to Bocelli, or the gracious but bleary-eyed Swiss bartender in a bar that is almost certainly in contravention of Swiss safety codes with this mosh-pit of bodies and creaking floorboards. Instead, there is protest by song, Welsh hymns beating against the impending silence of closing time, against the rising Swiss sun itself. Advertisement This has been Wales' Euro 2025 story: a happy, song-filled act of resistance to inevitability. Because bars close and suns rise and Wales are going home. Their 6-1 defeat to reigning European champions England on Sunday proved to be the unavoidable last call on their first major tournament. On paper, this is unsurprising. Wales are the lowest-ranked side (30th) at this competition, drawn into a wretched group of two former European champions (England, 2022; Netherlands, 2017) and 2022 semi-finalists France. Some former Wales national team players from the 1990s and their families speak about the potential of a 7-0 win before kick-off to progress to the knockout rounds, dissecting the avenues where such a feat could happen — but an early goal, then two on either side of half-time, all while quadruple-marking Lauren James, soon mean flights home on Monday are being checked into, train departures discussed. Advertisement 'We're Wales,' says Michele Adams, one of the three women who successfully lobbied the Football Association of Wales (FAW) in 1992 to formally recognise a national women's team, more than 20 years after the near 50-year ban on women's football was lifted in the country. 'It has never been easy,' Karen Jones, another of the three, finishes for her. But Wales fans gather for the 800-metre walk to Kybunpark regardless, bracing for a lopsided battle in the only way they know how: by song. Into pink-streaked clouds hums Yma o Hyd, a patriotic 1983 ode to this nation's ability to survive. A pair of boots is packed surreptitiously into a Wales fan's carrier bag. 'In case of a pitch invasion,' they explain with a wink. Among the Wales family section, a buzz simmers. Wales forward Hannah Cain's grandfather has made the trip. Lily Woodham's nan. Esther Morgan's sisters and parents each wear a shirt bearing the full-back's name but a different number. 'All the numbers she's ever worn,' they tell 'We are her career.' Advertisement It has taken multiple villages to reach this point. From Adams, Jones and former Wales captain and UEFA vice-president Laura McAllister penning their letter in 1992, to the women's team being removed from their Euro 2005 qualification due to FAW budget cuts. From Woodham's nan watching her granddaughter play on the local grass pitches at seven years old — 'I never imagined one day we'd be here,' she says, her eyes scanning the crowd — to when Jess Fishlock made her 100th Wales appearance in Llanelli in April 2017. 'How many of us were there?' a family friend of Fishlock's asks. From here, heads turn, taking in the sheer weight of red around them. 'Not as many as there are now,' comes the answer. It is perhaps why the manner of Wales' final tussle in Switzerland stings so coldly, to have the known yawning gaps of quality and infrastructure exposed under such harsh fluorescent lighting. At half-time, four goals down, confirmation is murmured that James is 'actually untameable'. Beers are bought. Grimaces exchanged. 'Reality check' becomes the word of the hour. Wales are the only nation in Group D without a fully professional domestic league. The only team with a 0.2 per cent chance of lifting the trophy, according to Opta. Advertisement A sigh. A shrug. A bare-boned list of consolation prizes assembles: no more goals conceded. A goal of Wales' own. 'This is just where we're at now,' it is agreed. The appropriate thing to do here is to discuss necessary forward progression, how to construct bridges over gulfs. But then Wales centurion Fishlock picks up the ball in the 76th minute. And at this point, the 38-year-old midfielder's ineffably still whirring legs are the only forward-moving objects anyone cares about. Because the Seattle Reign forward is now laying a perfectly weighted pass off to Cain, who thumps Wales' second goal of the Euros beyond Hannah Hampton with enough venom to momentarily banish memories of everything else: the 13 goals conceded, the three defeats, the hard-edged reality crystallising around what, just a few hours earlier, still warbled like a daydream. By every technical standard, Cain's goal is pure consolation. But that does not stop fans and family from choosing to remain in it, not only because of how illusory these moments have long been for this team with a dragon on its heart, but because of the movements those moments potentially inspire. Advertisement So at full time, there are tears. Chants of 'Wales!' are belted back into the sky from the nearly 3,000 in attendance. Manager Rhian Wilkinson is leaping over the pitch's side hoardings, much to the alarm of the stadium security. The former Canada international is shaking every hand she can. Finally, it is midnight — three hours since Wales' final Euro 2025 kick-off. There is no Bocelli. Kybunpark should be empty. But in the terraces, the remaining families of players are singing Yma o Hyd. 'They're still here? Singing?' asks Adams as she wanders outside with Jones. Whether the former midfielder is looking for a response is unclear. But the answer is, unimaginably, yes. Because, sometimes, what else is there to do? This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Wales, Women's Soccer, Women's Euros 2025 The Athletic Media Company
