Amin was driving when he found out he was a millionaire. Photo: Mahzooz
Amin was driving when he found out he was a millionaire. Photo: Mahzooz
Amin was driving when he found out he was a millionaire. Photo: Mahzooz
Amin was driving when he found out he was a millionaire. Photo: Mahzooz

Syrian will use Dh1m Mahzooz draw win to secure baby son's future


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A Syrian living in the UAE has struck it lucky in the latest Mahzooz draw after he won Dh1 million on Saturday.

Amin, 39, whose surname was not revealed by the organisers, has become the second Syrian millionaire in the draw's history.

The customs clearance agent has been living in the UAE for 15 years and is a father of a three-month-old baby.

“I was driving at 10pm when the live draw occurred. I decided to pull over to check the Mahzooz website,” he said.

“The first thing I noticed was the nationality of the winner, then I read my name next to it. I couldn't believe it at first, so I decided to continue driving while many thoughts were brewing in my head.

“When I reached home, I took a deep breath and double-checked my Mahzooz account to ensure that I was indeed the winner of Dh1,000,000.

“When reality finally hit me, I hugged my son and told him that his future is now secure thanks to Mahzooz.”

Amin had been participating in the draw for almost two years and had won only small prizes in the past.

In the same draw, 1,532 other participants took home Dh374,500, split between the second and third prizes.

UAE nationals have also been winners in the past, including an Emirati woman who won Dh1 million on May 31.

Sahar was one of 888 participants in the 130th Mahzooz draw. They shared the total prize money of Dh1,417,000, which was split between the second and third prizes of the grand draw and the guaranteed raffle prize.

Sahar, who won the guaranteed raffle prize, is the third Emirati to win Dh1 million in the draw and the first woman.

“While money does not buy happiness, I believe it can bring comfort and security to the life of a person,” Sahar said.

“This is what the prize is going to do for my family.”

Mahzooz said Emiratis are the fastest-growing group of participants in its weekly draws and have won Dh7.5 million in its 130 draws to date.

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Key findings of Jenkins report
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  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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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

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SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue. 

SL thanked the panellists for their efforts. "Indeed, I have some clarity on the consequence of the case and the next steps to take regarding my situation," he says. "Hopefully, I will be able to provide a positive testimony soon."

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“The insolvency law is indeed a relief to hear,” he says. "I will not apply for insolvency at this stage. I have been able to pay something towards my loan and credit card. As it stands, I only have a one-month deficit, which I will be able to recover by the end of December." 

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Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.

Mathieu Gallard, account manager with Ipsos, which conducted the most recent poll, said current forecasts suggested only two-thirds were "very likely" to vote in the first round, compared with a 78 per cent turnout in the 2017 presidential elections.

"It depends on how interesting the campaign is on their main concerns," he told The National. "Just now, it's hard to say who, between Macron and the candidates of the right, would be most affected by a low turnout."

Our family matters legal consultant

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How to vote

Canadians living in the UAE can register to vote online and be added to the International Register of Electors.

They'll then be sent a special ballot voting kit by mail either to their address, the Consulate General of Canada to the UAE in Dubai or The Embassy of Canada in Abu Dhabi

Registered voters mark the ballot with their choice and must send it back by 6pm Eastern time on October 21 (2am next Friday) 

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Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s

Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival

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A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.

Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.

The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.

When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

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Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

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Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana

Rating: 2/5

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Updated: June 14, 2023, 9:20 AM`