“Business activity fell at the slowest pace for 12 months. That said, the latest reduction was still strong overall and panellists continued to mention the negative effects of political instability,” said the survey. Bloomberg
“Business activity fell at the slowest pace for 12 months. That said, the latest reduction was still strong overall and panellists continued to mention the negative effects of political instability,” said the survey. Bloomberg
“Business activity fell at the slowest pace for 12 months. That said, the latest reduction was still strong overall and panellists continued to mention the negative effects of political instability,” said the survey. Bloomberg
“Business activity fell at the slowest pace for 12 months. That said, the latest reduction was still strong overall and panellists continued to mention the negative effects of political instability,”

Lebanon’s private sector activity decelerates at slowest pace in year in February


  • English
  • Arabic

Business activity in Lebanon's non-oil private sector, which has the world's third highest debt to gross domestic product ratio, fell at the slowest pace for 12 months in February, amid continued pessimism about the shape of the economy due to political instability, a survey showed.

The Blom Lebanon Purchasing Managers’ Index, a composite gauge, rose to 46.9 in February, up from 46.5 in January, Blom Bank said in the survey published on Tuesday. A reading above 50 indicates economic expansion, and below 50 is contraction.

"The latest reduction was still strong overall and panelists continued to mention the negative effects of political instability,” according to the survey. “Similar to the trend in activity, new business continued to fall markedly in February. However, the pace of contraction decelerated to the softest for one year.”

Last week, S&P Global Ratings revised the outlook on Lebanon to negative from stable, amid worries about the ability of the indebted country to pay its foreign debt. In January, Lebanon’s deteriorating finances prompted Moody’s Investors Service to downgrade the country’s credit rating further into junk category for the first time in more than two decades.

Lebanon, whose debt reached $85 billion at the end of last year, has the world’s third highest debt to GDP ratio after Venezuela and Greece, projected at 133 per cent in 2019 by S&P. Struggling with its finances amid a weak macroeconomic environment, higher government spending and pressure from hosting over a million Syrian refugees, the country also suffered from a nine-month political impasse before forming a new government in January.

The delay in forming the government dented investor confidence, particularly due to procrastination in implementing reforms needed to contain its fiscal deficit and reduce the ballooning debt.

Reforms are also needed to unlock $11bn in pledged aid from donors during the Cedre donor conference in Paris last year.

WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

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The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK 

Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV

'Top Gun: Maverick'

Rating: 4/5

 

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

 

Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris

 
Game Of Thrones Season Seven: A Bluffers Guide

Want to sound on message about the biggest show on television without actually watching it? Best not to get locked into the labyrinthine tales of revenge and royalty: as Isaac Hempstead Wright put it, all you really need to know from now on is that there’s going to be a huge fight between humans and the armies of undead White Walkers.

The season ended with a dragon captured by the Night King blowing apart the huge wall of ice that separates the human world from its less appealing counterpart. Not that some of the humans in Westeros have been particularly appealing, either.

Anyway, the White Walkers are now free to cause any kind of havoc they wish, and as Liam Cunningham told us: “Westeros may be zombie land after the Night King has finished.” If the various human factions don’t put aside their differences in season 8, we could be looking at The Walking Dead: The Medieval Years

 

MATCH INFO

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While you're here
Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
How being social media savvy can improve your well being

Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.

As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.

Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.

Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.

Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.

However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.

“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.

People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.

COMPANY PROFILE

Company name: SimpliFi

Started: August 2021

Founder: Ali Sattar

Based: UAE

Industry: Finance, technology

Investors: 4DX, Rally Cap, Raed, Global Founders, Sukna and individuals

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO

Day 1 at Mount Maunganui

England 241-4

Denly 74, Stokes 67 not out, De Grandhomme 2-28

New Zealand 

Yet to bat

ARGYLLE
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Abaya trends

The utilitarian robe held dear by Arab women is undergoing a change that reveals it as an elegant and graceful garment available in a range of colours and fabrics, while retaining its traditional appeal.

EA Sports FC 25
Last 10 NBA champions

2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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