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.
'The%20Alchemist's%20Euphoria'
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- 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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The specs: Audi e-tron
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Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
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SNAPSHOT
While Huawei did launch the first smartphone with a 50MP image sensor in its P40 series in 2020, Oppo in 2014 introduced the Find 7, which was capable of taking 50MP images: this was done using a combination of a 13MP sensor and software that resulted in shots seemingly taken from a 50MP camera.
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yallacompare profile
Date of launch: 2014
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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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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Low turnout
Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.
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"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)
The National's picks
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5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
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7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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Know your Camel lingo
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Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
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
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
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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.
Transgender report
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
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Power: 819hp
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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