Most of the millionaire raffle winners in UAE are Indians

KT
April 7, 2018

Dubai, Apr 7: People the world over come to the UAE in search of better job opportunities and a better way of life. And for those in search of lady luck, it seems to be her very resting place too.

Who wants to be a Millionaire? It's the age old question on everyone's lips. And in the UAE, the answer is clear: Lots! But the reality is, people are no longer just wanting it, they're living it.

Over the years, headlines across the country have not been short of rags to riches stories of drivers, cooks, factory workers turning millionaires overnight after landing a big win on pastures new.

From Abu Dhabi's Big Ticket raffle to Dubai Duty Free's Millionaire Draw, these people no longer have to spend years grafting to make the dream a reality. With the quick purchase of a ticket and a whole lot of luck, lives here are changing in a flash. The UAE may be the land of opportunities, but it's fast becoming the land of dreams too.

Since it first launched back in 1999 to ring in the new millennium, Dubai Duty Free's Millionaire Draw has handed over 264 cheques worth $1 million each to visitors and residents of the UAE. And staggeringly, six of those 264 people were two-time winners.

Take Cypriot national Marc Khoury for instance. He first won the raffle in 2004. Speaking to Khaleej Times 14 years on from his first win, the now-retired Khoury said he was channelling a lot of positive energy in the run up to that draw announcement all those years ago.

"I was confident I would win. I went for high frequency purchases too; I bought about three of four tickets for every draw. My odds, and the odds in general, are very favourable for the raffle."

And after scooping his first $1 million, it was his wife who was first to be treated. But then luck was on his side again in 2009, when he became a millionaire for the second time.

"Now that was a big surprise to the point that I thought someone was pulling my leg. If I remember correctly, the initial call came from a mobile number and I asked to have the call come from Dubai Duty Free's official number just to make sure."

And it was true. Khoury was the 99th winner of the draw. With the second win he said he decided to stop working and "enjoy life a bit more". He did a lot more travelling and spoilt the immediate family too, including his grown up son and Dubai-based daughter.

When asked what the secret to being so lucky is, Khoury said he actually views his wins from a more practical perspective. "There is no secret to luck. I guess I just won due to the frequency of buying the tickets. I'm sure a lot of people won't accept this though, so fine, I would call it pure luck. As for the secret, I still have no idea myself."

Indians prove to be luckiest

With each Duty Free draw comprising a limited series of 5,000 tickets available to departing, arriving and transiting passengers from Dubai International Airport, it seems even in a pool of 5,000, lady luck is on Khoury's side.

But interestingly, when looking at data from two of the biggest raffle draws in the UAE (Abu Dhabi's Big Ticket raffle to Dubai Duty Free's Millionaire Draw), it's Indian nationals who are proving to be most lucky. Whether that's because they buy more tickets or not though, is unknown.

Of the 312 first prize winners for the Big Ticket since it began in 1992, Indian nationals have scooped 80 per cent of the total winnings. And of the 264 winners of the $1 million at Dubai Duty Free since 1999, Indian winners account for 125 of the total number.

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News Network
July 18,2020

Dubai, July 18: An NRI student who passed away in Dubai shortly after shortly after attempting his Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Grade 12 papers in March, has scored an impressive 91.4 per cent on his board examinations, including 100 in his media studies paper.

Ahmed Ziyad, a student of GEMS Our Own Indian School in Al Qouz, Dubai, died on March 19, suffered a heart condition called Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) that stopped him from being active in sporting activities.

Ziyad's parents, teachers, and classmates remember him as a very ambitious pupil, who wanted to launch his own business and achieve great things in his life. His board results are - mass media studies 100, Marketing 97, English 84, Entrepreneurship 82, and Home Science 94.
 
Ziyad's father, Shanavaz Manangath, a real estate professional who has been a resident of Dubai for over two decades said, "Six months ago, he had collapsed while playing with his friends. Since there was an irregularity in his heartbeat, he could not take part in any strenuous activities." He added, "Ziyad had just started playing with his friends on March 19 when he suddenly collapsed and died shortly after. My family has not been able to overcome his loss."

Unable to hold back his tears, an emotional Manangath said Ziyad wanted to do his BBA and launch his own business, "He was very ambitious. Honestly, I haven't looked into his board exam results, but, I know he had studied very hard for the exams."

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Arab News
March 9,2020

Dubai, Mar 9: The eyes of the world will be on the oil markets when the big trading hubs in Europe and North America open following the end of the deal between Saudi Arabia and Russia that has helped to sustain crude at relatively high levels for the past three years.

There were big falls on Friday when ministers from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) failed to get a deal with non-OPEC members — the so-called OPEC+ — to extend output agreements. Brent oil was down nearly 10 percent at $45.27 going into the western weekend.

Saudi Aramco took immediate action to cut prices after the OPEC+ collapse, offering big discounts for crude deliveries from next month, when the current output restrictions end.

According to a notification sent to customers by Saudi Aramco, seen by Arab News, the Kingdom’s oil giant will cut between $4 and $8 per barrel, with the biggest discounts being offered to buyers in northwest Europe and the US.

Roger Diwan, an oil analyst at consultancy IHS Market, said: “We are likely to see the lowest oil prices of the past 20 years in the next quarter.”

West Texas Intermediate, the US oil benchmark, fell to $28.27 in November 2001.

The move raises the possibility of a “crude war” between the three biggest oil blocs — the US, Russia and the Arabian Gulf. Some analysts believe the American shale industry is more vulnerable to low prices than either the Russians or the Saudis.

Robin Mills, head of the Qamar consultancy, told Arab News: “I don’t think this was premeditated but Saudi Arabia has clearly swung quickly into action to put the Russians under pressure. But the Russians, with low debt and a flexible exchange rate, can cope with a few months of low prices.”

The boom in US shale has made the country the biggest oil producer in the world, but with high financing costs. Lower global prices would put a lot of shale companies out of business.

On the other hand, American motorists, and President Donald Trump, would be pleased to see lower fuel prices in an election year.

In Moscow, one prominent financier with ties to the Kingdom played down the long-term significance of the Vienna fallout.

Kirill Dmitriev, chief executive of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, told Arab News: “Saudi Arabia is our strategic partner, and cooperation between our two countries will continue in all areas. We will also continue to work within the framework of the Russia-Saudi Economic Council.”

One Russian official, who asked not to be named, added: “There is a good relationship between Alexander Novak, Russian energy minister, and his Saudi counterpart Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman, and I am sure they will continue talking to each other less formally.”

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News Network
April 11,2020

Dubai, Apr 11: Saudi Arabia has reported another 382 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 4,033, the Ministry of Health announced on Saturday.

The ministry also confirmed five more deaths from the virus, pushing the death toll in Kingdom to 52.

A total of 35 people has made full recovery from the deadly disease, taking the tally of patients recovered to 720.

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