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Forbes unveils Middle East’s Top 30 Banks 

For the second consecutive year, Qatar’s QNB Group tops the list with $300.3 billion in total assets…reports Asian Lite News

Forbes Middle East has unveiled its ranking of the Middle East’s Top 30 Banks 2022, recognizing the region’s most resilient banking heavyweights that have emerged strong from the pandemic crisis. To construct the list, Forbes Middle East compiled data from listed stock exchanges in the Arab world and ranked companies based on sales, profits, assets, and market value.

As of June 28, 2022, the 30 banks had a total market value of $586.6 billion and assets worth $2.5 trillion. Gulf banks dominate this year’s ranking, with 25 out of the 30 based in the GCC. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are the most represented countries on the list, with 10 and seven banks, respectively. Qatar follows with four banks, while Morocco has three.

For the second consecutive year, Qatar’s QNB Group tops the list with $300.3 billion in total assets. The UAE’s FAB, Saudi’s Al Rajhi Bank, and Saudi National Bank follow in a three-way tie for second place. UAE-based Emirates NBD rounds up the top five. Combined, these five amassed $16.8 billion in 2021 profits, constituting 49% of the aggregate profits of the 30 banks on the list.

Top 5 Banks In The Middle East 2022

1 | QNB Group  
Country: Qatar
Group CEO: Abdulla Mubarak Al-Khalifa

2 | First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB)
Country: UAE
Group CEO: Hana Al Rostamani

3 | Saudi National Bank (SNB)
Country: Saudi Arabia
Group CEO and MD: Saeed Al-Ghamdi

4 | Al Rajhi Bank
Country: Saudi Arabia
CEO: Waleed Abdullah Ali Al-Mogbel

5 | Emirates NBD
Country: UAE
Group CEO: Shayne Nelson

ALSO READ-Emiratis dominate Forbes’ top CEOs list

Categories
-Top News Defence

Major reshuffle in Indian Military’s top hierarchy

Accordingly, Vice Admiral Ravneet Singh, assumed charge as the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff on Tuesday, taking over from Vice Admiral M.S. Pawar, who superannuated on May 31…reports Asian Lite News.

The armed forces saw a series of changes in the top hierarchy in the last two days, including new joinings in the posts of Commander-in-Chief of Andaman and Nicobar Command, Eastern Army Commander, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff and Director General of Assam Rifles.

The major reshuffle in the Indian military took place after several key posts fell vacant.

Accordingly, Vice Admiral Ravneet Singh, assumed charge as the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff on Tuesday, taking over from Vice Admiral M.S. Pawar, who superannuated on May 31.

Ravneet Singh was commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1983 and he specialised in aviation. The Flag Officer is a qualified flying instructor with Master Green instrument rating. He has flown HT-2, Kiran HJT 16, TS 11 Iskra, Hunter, Harrier Gr 3, Jet Provost, Chetak, Gazelle, Hawk and Mig 29 KUB aircraft during his illustrious career, the Navy said.

He has commanded various frontline ships and Naval Air Squadrons, including INS Himgiri, INS Ranvijay, INS Ranvir, INAS 551B, INAS 300 as well as the premier Air Base INS Hansa. Additionally, he was also appointed Indian Defence Advisor to Kenya, Tanzania and Seychelles from 2005 to 2008.

On promotion to the Flag rank, he has held key assignments of Assistant Controller Carrier Project and Assistant Controller Warship Production and Acquisition at IHQ MoD(N), Flag Officer, Goa area and Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet at Mumbai.

In the rank of Vice Admiral, the officer has tenanted the appointments of Chief of Staff at the Headquarters of Western Naval Command, Mumbai, Director General Project Seabird and Chief of Personnel at IHQ MoD.

Meanwhile, the Assam Rilfes got a new chief as Lieutenant General Pradeep Chandran Nair took over as its Director General.

Pradeep Chandran Nair has rich experience of Assam Rifles and the Northeast, having earlier been an Inspector General and a Company Commander in Assam Rifles, besides having commanded Assam Rifles battalions as a Brigade Commander.

The General Officer was commissioned into the Sikh Regiment in 1985. He has very vast combat experience having commanded his battalion in the Siachen Glacier and Assam.

He had earlier served as Inspector General of Assam Rifles in Nagaland. Nair has been an instructor in Infantry School, Mhow, Indian Military Training Team, Bhutan, and a Directing Staff at the prominent Defence Services Staff College.

He has served in the army headquarters as a Colonel, Major General and Lieutenant General. He has also served as Brigadier General Staff in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa and in the Defence Intelligence Agency.

In other significant postings in the Indian Navy, Vice Admiral Dinesh Tripathi took over as Chief of Personnel, Vice Admiral Sandeep Naithani assumed charge as Chief of Material, and Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh was appointed Controller Warship Production and Acquisition.

Lt Gen Manoj Pande took over the critical Eastern Command of the Indian Army based in Kolkata, while Lt Gen Ajai Singh took charge as the Commander in Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command.

The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) is crucial for the military’s planning as its the only tri-service of the country and the model for synergy based on which theaterisation of the country’s Army, Navy and Air Force capabilities is being planned.

Manoj Pande had commanded an Engineer Regiment along Line of Control during Operation PARAKRAM in Jammu and Kashmir, an Engineer Brigade in Western Sector, Infantry Brigade along Line of Control in J&K, Mountain Division in High Altitude Area of Western Ladakh and a Corps in Northeast.

He has varied experience in staff appointments which include the Military Secretary and Militay Operations Branches at army headquarters, Operations Branch in a Brigade headquarters in the Northeast and headquarters of the Eastern Command at Kolkata.

Lt Gen Ajai Singh, who heads the Andaman and Nicobar Command now, is an armoured corps officer and a fifth generation army officer. He was commissioned in December 1983 into 81 Armoured Regiment, a regiment raised by his late father.

He has also undertaken volunteer tenures for counter-insurgency operations in the Kashmir Valley and in Northeast, where he was posted at a Mountain Division on the border.

As a Major with over 16 years of service, the General had also volunteered for a tenure on the Siachen Glacier and was posted to a Battalion of the Maratha Light Infantry, with whom he commanded a Rifle Company in Operations VIJAY (Kargil) and MEGHDOOT (Siachen Glacier) and received the Army Chief’s commendation for gallantry.

The General has also held sensitive posts at the army headquarters as the Additional DG at the Military Operations Directorate, and has been the Director General (DG) of Financial Planning and also the Director General of Military Training.

ALSO READ-LoC truce led to sense of peace: Army chief

READ MORE-Pulwama martyr’s wife joins Indian Army

Categories
-Top News COVID-19 UK News

Appeal to take care of the long-term effects of Covid-19

British Health Secretary Matt Hancock warns of long-term effects of covid-19 as film released to alert the general public.  New data suggests long COVID affects around 10% of 18-49 year olds who become unwell with COVID-19 … reports Asian Lite News

The Health Secretary is urging the public – and especially young people – to follow the rules and protect themselves and others from COVID-19, as new data and film reveal the potentially devastating long-term impact of the virus.

The symptoms of ‘long COVID’ – including fatigue, protracted loss of taste or smell, respiratory and cardiovascular symptoms and mental health problems are part of the wider national Hands, Face, Space campaign. The film calls on the public to continue to wash their hands, cover their face and make space to control the spread of the virus.

The emotive film features the story of Piyush, 38, who explains how his life has been affected – weeks and months after being diagnosed with COVID -19 “I get short of breath easily and find it difficult to climb the stairs and play with my 3-year-old daughter”

Piyush, 38, alerts the community to take precautions against long-term effects of Covid-19

A study by King’s College London, using data from the COVID Symptom Study App and ZOE, shows one in 20 people with COVID-19 are likely to have symptoms for 8 weeks or more. The study suggests long COVID affects around 10% of 18-49 year olds who become unwell with COVID-19.

Public Health England have found that around 10% of COVID-19 cases who were not admitted to hospital have reported symptoms lasting more than four weeks and a number of hospitalised cases reported continuing symptoms for eight or more weeks after discharge

Dr Farzana Hussain

 “I am acutely aware of the lasting and debilitating impact long COVID can have on people of all ages, irrespective of the seriousness of the initial symptoms. The findings from researchers at King’s College London are stark and this should be a sharp reminder to the public – including to young people – that COVID-19 is indiscriminate and can have long-term and potentially devastating effects,” said Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock.

 “Most people recover from COVID 19 without needing specialist treatment and for the majority symptoms will clear just after 14 days. However, for some the symptoms continue for weeks and months, if people are suffering with breathlessness, muscular pain and fatigue then they must speak to their GP and get a diagnosis,” said Dr Farzana Hussain, GP at the Project Surgery.

UK Health Secy Matt Hancock

The Government is committed to supporting people suffering long-term symptoms of COVID-19. The NHS recently announced £10 million to run designated long COVID clinics in every area across England where specialists and GPs will all help assess, diagnose and treat thousands of people who have reported symptoms ranging from breathlessness, chronic fatigue, “brain fog” to anxiety and stress.

If you are suffering from any long-term symptoms or health problems after recovering from COVID-19, speak to your GP, call 111 or check the Your Covid Recovery website – an online COVID recovery resource for patients.