Mayyas landed triumphantly in Lebanon on Friday following the dance troupe's victory in series 17 of America’s Got Talent.
The group's arrival was a cheerful end to an otherwise troubled week in the country, after a series of armed bank hold-ups dominated headlines.
A large crowd of family, friends and fans welcomed the victorious Mayyas upon their landing at Rafic Hariri International Airport. The group arrived to screams and cheers, receiving a seemingly endless stream of flowers and balloons.
“I can't describe it, their win is a miracle for Lebanon, considering the calamity in this country,” the father of one of the performers told local media. “There aren't any words.
“We feel pride. They’ve raised our heads high.”
The dance troupe’s victory is a ray of hope for an otherwise dreary nation that for the past three years has endured a severe economic crisis that the World Bank has called one of the worst in modern history.
The financial collapse has pushed more than 80 per cent of the population into poverty while inflation and living expenses have reached record highs.
Public institutions have all but collapsed, while basic goods and services such as electricity, water and bread have become scarce commodities.
The struggling nation has previously made international headlines due to its economic problems, armed sectarian clashes and the deadly port explosion that ripped through Beirut two years ago.
Fans in the ailing country have welcomed Mayyas' critical acclaim as a breath of fresh air.
The troupe first made international headlines during the AGT auditions, when judge Sofia Vergara slammed the golden buzzer in the midst of their performance, thus ensuring their slot in the semi-finals.
Mayyas' 'America's Got Talent' audition
“Fabulous!” Vergara exclaimed “It was the most beautiful, creative dancing I have ever seen.”
Mayyas’ winning performance on Wednesday was a mesmerising routine in their signature serpentine style that received a standing ovation from the crowd.
Dressed in white costumes accented with sequins and feathers, their winning routine at one point featured the troupe merging into the shape of the cedar tree found on Lebanon’s national flag.
Mayyas — in pictures
Judge Simon Simon Cowell called the performance “astonishing”.
Several of Lebanon’s political leaders — including caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati — have jumped on the bandwagon of acclaim to congratulate Mayyas on their win.
The troupe’s choreographer Nadim Cherfan told local media their win was an “artistic revolution”.
“Now maybe the politicians will be moved towards another revolution — to give people their rights.”
LEADERBOARD
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Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
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Young women have more “financial grit”, but fall behind on investing
In an October survey of young adults aged 16 to 25, Charles Schwab found young women are more driven to reach financial independence than young men (67 per cent versus. 58 per cent). They are more likely to take on extra work to make ends meet and see more value than men in creating a plan to achieve their financial goals. Yet, despite all these good ‘first’ measures, they are investing and saving less than young men – falling early into the financial gender gap.
While the women surveyed report spending 36 per cent less than men, they have far less savings than men ($1,267 versus $2,000) – a nearly 60 per cent difference.
In addition, twice as many young men as women say they would invest spare cash, and almost twice as many young men as women report having investment accounts (though most young adults do not invest at all).
“Despite their good intentions, young women start to fall behind their male counterparts in savings and investing early on in life,” said Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, senior vice president, Charles Schwab. “They start off showing a strong financial planning mindset, but there is still room for further education when it comes to managing their day-to-day finances.”
Ms Schwab-Pomerantz says parents should be conveying the same messages to boys and girls about money, but should tailor those conversations based on the individual and gender.
"Our study shows that while boys are spending more than girls, they also are saving more. Have open and honest conversations with your daughters about the wage and savings gap," she said. "Teach kids about the importance of investing – especially girls, who as we see in this study, aren’t investing as much. Part of being financially prepared is learning to make the most of your money, and that means investing early and consistently."
Company%20profile
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MATCH INFO
BRIGHTON 0
MANCHESTER UNITED 3
McTominay 44'
Mata 73'
Pogba 80'
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Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
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The specs
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Power: 154bhp
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Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
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