Deputy special envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus has taken a detour from diplomacy to stop by the salon chair of Lebanese hairstylist Tony El Mendelek in Beirut.
El Mendelek posted a video of Ortagus's transformation, with the caption: “The woman you’ve been all waiting for.”
He also shared videos of the makeover in progress. “The gorgeous Morgan Ortagus with a coiffure made in Lebanon,” he wrote.
A later clip shows Ortagus smiling approvingly at her new hairdo.
On Wednesday, while still in the country, she revealed she met Lebanese designer Elie Saab, calling him a "legend".
Ortagus, a former US State Department spokeswoman, was named deputy special envoy to the Middle East this year by US President Donald Trump. She, along with a high-level American delegation including special envoy Tom Barrack and Senator Lindsey Graham, is in the Lebanese capital this week to discuss a US plan to disarm Hezbollah and other militant groups.
Ortagus and Barrack were in Israel on Sunday, where they pressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to scale back his attacks in Lebanon, according to media reports.
El Mendelek is a popular hairstylist who has worked with Arab celebrities for over 25 years, from Egyptian pop star Sherine Abdel‑Wahab to Emirati-Yemeni singer and actress Balqees.
Trained in London and Paris, he operates several salons in Beirut as well as in other locations in Lebanon and in Dubai. He's set to open a branch of his eponymous salon in Riyadh soon.
With more than 700,000 followers on Instagram, El Mendelek, along with his wife, events planner Elena Massabni, is also a social media star. Their glamorous 2022 wedding in Beirut made headlines across the region. The couple have a one-year-old daughter, Yasma.
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The%20specs
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Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica
Best Agent: Jorge Mendes
Best Club : Liverpool
Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP
Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart
Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)
Best Women's Player: Lucy Bronze
Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi
Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)
Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs
The biog
Favourite car: Ferrari
Likes the colour: Black
Best movie: Avatar
Academic qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in media production from the Higher Colleges of Technology and diploma in production from the New York Film Academy
THE SPECS
BMW X7 xDrive 50i
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: Eight-speed Steptronic transmission
Power: 462hp
Torque: 650Nm
Price: Dh600,000
City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
