Business
DAMAC Properties Unveils Master Development, Launches New Sales Office In Egypt
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DAMAC launched DAMAC Islands 2 and a new Cairo office at the Grand Egyptian Museum, with Hussain Sajwani and Amira Sajwani hosting. Omar Khairat performed.
DAMAC (Representative Image)
DAMAC marked the launch of its new master development DAMAC Islands 2 and its new sales office opening in Egypt with a grand celebration in Egypt at the magnificent Grand Egyptian Museum, an architectural and cultural marvel overlooking the Pyramids of Giza. The glittering evening set against the backdrop of ancient history was hosted by Hussain Sajwani, Founder and Chairman of DAMAC Group, and Amira Sajwani, Managing Director of DAMAC Properties, who welcomed an audience of dignitaries, global investors, media, brokers, and VIP guests from across the world.
Guests at the event were given an exclusive preview of DAMAC Islands 2, the latest luxury community in Dubai, inspired by eight tropical island destinations. The project followed the phenomenal success of DAMAC Islands 1 in 2024, which achieved a record-breaking sell-out. DAMAC sold AED 10 billion in inventory, generating the highest revenue from a real estate launch in 24 hours, as recognised by the Guinness World Records.
The evening’s headline act was legendary Egyptian musician Omar Khairat, who regaled the audience with a captivating fusion of classical, jazz, and traditional Arabic music. Hadi Awada presented a thrilling, choreographed performance.
Hussain Sajwani, Founder of DAMAC Group, said: “This grand celebration and our presence in Cairo represents an affirmation of our deep connection with Egypt. This market has long been one of our most dynamic and promising markets. We’re here to bring DAMAC’s international portfolio closer to Egyptian investors who seek both quality and long-term value.”
Amira Sajwani, Managing Director of DAMAC Properties, noted: “Egyptians already rank among the top ten nationalities purchasing DAMAC homes. We have witnessed double-digit sales growth in this market and expect it to rise another 20% in 2026. Opening our Cairo office also brings us closer to our clients and strengthens the bridge between Cairo and Dubai, the two powerhouses of real estate investment in the MENA region.”
Dubai’s real estate market remains one of the world’s most active and attractive amongst investors and residents alike – with H1 2025 transactions up 40% year-on-year, reinforcing DAMAC’s position at the intersection of two of the region’s most vibrant markets. Furthermore, DAMAC communities continue to lead market performance, with DAMAC Islands recording 4,185 villa and townhouse sales in H1 2025 and DAMAC Hills 2 registering 1,942 sales.
On average from launch, price growth at DAMAC Hills 1 townhouses rose 86 per cent, DAMAC Hills 1 villas 72 per cent, DAMAC Hills 2 townhouses 60 per cent, and DAMAC Islands villas 29 per cent, demonstrating sustained investor confidence in the brand’s long-term value.
DAMAC Islands 2 brings the rhythm of the tropics to the heart of Dubai; blending lush landscapes, crystal lagoons, and wellness-driven design inspired by eight dream destinations: Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Cuba, Maui, Mauritius, and Tahiti. As part of the launch campaign for DAMAC Islands 2, DAMAC also launched a unique global competition to become ‘The Ultimate Islander’.
The competition winner will receive an all-expenses-paid trip and become an employee of DAMAC while living on one of their eight islands. The master-planned project will comprise six-bedroom luxury villas of approximately 583 square meters, five-bedroom twin villas of approximately 324 square meters, five-bedroom townhouses of approximately 293 and 263 square meters, and four-bedroom townhouses of approximately 203 square meters. Prices start at AED 2.7 million.
A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al…Read More
A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al… Read More
November 15, 2025, 13:25 IST
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Business
Chip ambitions: India targets top-four semiconductor rank by 2032; Ashwini Vaishnaw outlines 2035 roadmap – The Times of India
India is set to emerge as one of the world’s top four semiconductor manufacturing nations by 2032 and aims to become the best by 2035, driven by its talent base and expanding ecosystem, Union minister for electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Friday, reported PTI .Speaking on the sidelines of an event announcing approval of 22 projects worth Rs 41,863 crore under the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS), Vaishnaw said four chip companies will begin commercial production in 2026, with major automobile and telecom firms expected to source semiconductors domestically.“I think by 2032, we would be very significant among the top 4 nations of the semiconductor industry, and by 2035, we would be among the best. This direction is clearly visible. This can be clearly predicted,” Vaishnaw said .Under the Semicon India Programme, the government has so far approved 10 manufacturing units — including two fabrication plants and eight assembly, testing and packaging units — involving investments of about Rs 1.6 lakh crore, according to the minister.Detailing the production timeline, Vaishnaw said, “The plants which started pilot production last year, they are the ones that will get into commercial production earlier, which is Kaynes and CG Semi. Micron has also started pilot production very recently. They will also go next month. Tata plant in Assam will start pilot production by middle of the year, and by the end of the year they will start the commercial production,” he said .In parallel, India’s chip design capabilities are also expanding. Under the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme, 24 chip design projects are being supported through startups, representing a total project value of Rs 920 crore.Vaishnaw attributed India’s growing prominence in semiconductors to a strong focus on talent development. He said students across 298 universities in the country are now designing chips that are being validated.“We could not count more than 20 universities in the whole world, including the US, China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, where students can design a chip, manufacture it, and validate the product. India has, because of our focus on silicon, 298 universities,” Vaishnaw said .The minister said this expanding talent pipeline, combined with large-scale manufacturing investments, is positioning India to play a decisive role in the global semiconductor value chain over the next decade.
Business
Woman felt ‘dehumanised’ after Musk’s Grok AI used to digitally remove her clothes
A woman has told the BBC she felt “dehumanised and reduced into a sexual stereotype” after Elon Musk’s AI Grok was used to digitally remove her clothing.
The BBC has seen several examples on the social media platform X of people asking the chatbot to undress women to make them appear in bikinis without their consent, as well as putting them in sexual situations.
XAI, the company behind Grok, did not respond to a request for comment, other than with an automatically-generated reply stating “legacy media lies”.
Samantha Smith shared a post on X about her image being altered, which was met with comments from those who had experienced the same – before others asked Grok to generate more of her.
“Women are not consenting to this,” she said.
“While it wasn’t me that was in states of undress, it looked like me and it felt like me and it felt as violating as if someone had actually posted a nude or a bikini picture of me.”
A Home Office spokesperson said it was legislating to ban nudification tools, and under a new criminal offence, anyone who supplied such tech would “face a prison sentence and substantial fines”.
The regulator Ofcom said tech firms must “assess the risk” of people in the UK viewing illegal content on their platforms, but did not confirm whether it was currently investigating X or Grok in relation to AI images.
Grok is a free AI assistant – with some paid for premium features – which responds to X users’ prompts when they tag it in a post.
It is often used to give reaction or more context to other posters’ remarks, but people on X are also able to edit an uploaded image through its AI image editing feature.
It has been criticised for allowing users to generate photos and videos with nudity and sexualised content, and it was previously accused of making a sexually explicit clip of Taylor Swift.
Clare McGlynn, a law professor at Durham University, said X or Grok “could prevent these forms of abuse if they wanted to”, adding they “appear to enjoy impunity”.
“The platform has been allowing the creation and distribution of these images for months without taking any action and we have yet to see any challenge by regulators,” she said.
XAI’s own acceptable use policy prohibits “depicting likenesses of persons in a pornographic manner”.
In a statement to the BBC, Ofcom said it was illegal to “create or share non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material” and confirmed this included sexual deepfakes created with AI.
It said platforms such as X were required to take “appropriate steps” to “reduce the risk” of UK users encountering illegal content on their platforms, and take it down quickly when they become aware of it.
Additional reporting by Chris Vallance.
Business
2025 Marked A Year Of Faith, Leadership, Seva, And Conservation For Anant Ambani
New Delhi: 2025 emerged as a defining chapter in the public and personal journey of Anant Ambani, a year where faith, leadership, seva, and conservation came together with rare clarity and purpose. It was a year that reflected not just milestones, but a deeper alignment between belief, responsibility, and long-term vision.
At the heart of this journey was a 140-kilometre padyatra from Jamnagar to Dwarka, undertaken as an act of devotion, discipline, and spiritual reflection. The walk resonated with millions, symbolising humility, perseverance, and an unwavering connection to India’s civilisational ethos. Far from being symbolic alone, the padyatra underscored the belief that leadership begins with inner conviction and service.
Professionally, 2025 also marked a significant expansion of responsibilities as Anant Ambani took on a larger leadership role as Executive Director at Reliance Industries Ltd. His growing involvement reflected a focus on sustainable growth, long-term stewardship, and aligning enterprise with societal impact—values increasingly central to modern corporate leadership.
2025 Marked A Year Of Faith, Leadership, Seva, And Conservation For Anant Ambani#AnantAmbani #SevaAndConservation #Vantara #WildlifeConservation pic.twitter.com/Or0ikzi2GU
— Zee News English (@ZeeNewsEnglish) January 2, 2026
A major highlight of the year was large-scale pilgrim welfare initiatives during the Maha Kumbh, where efforts were directed toward healthcare, logistics, and support services for millions of devotees. These initiatives reinforced the spirit of seva, placing service to people at the centre of action.
Equally significant was the national recognition received by Vantara, India’s ambitious wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation initiative. Its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked a watershed moment for conservation in the country. Throughout the year, Vantara also became a global showcase, with prominent international personalities witnessing India’s commitment to ecological responsibility and compassionate conservation.
Together, these moments defined 2025 as a year of convergence—where devotion met duty, leadership embraced service, and conservation became a shared national and global mission.
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