Lebanese expat Musleh Mousa Hassan won the top prize of the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire lottery during the latest draw for the second time in six years.
The June 2018 drawing took place at the Dubai International Airport. The first time Hassan won the top prize of $1 million was in November 2012.
According to Dubai Duty Free, he is the tenth Lebanese citizen to win the jackpot since it was created in 1999.
Musleh Mousa Hassan won $1 million in Dubai Duty Free drawing for the second time. (Dubai Duty Free)
Hassan is a a 73-year old corporate manager of an insurance company. He was born in Lebanon, but lives in Dubai.
In a statement, he thanked the Dubai Duty Free store for the good luck — twice in six years!
“I remember when I first won $1 million in 2012 — I was over the moon, and winning again .. is just truly an unexpected surprise,” Hassan said. “Thank you, Dubai Duty Free for my amazing second win.”
After Hassan was declared the winner of the top prize, an additional three luxury vehicles were given away by the duty free store to French, Indian and Pakistani citizens.
WATCH: Lebanese man wins $1 million at Dubai Duty Free:
Lebanese television presenter Carla Haddad was 14-years-old when she recorded her first television advertisement. She fell in love with the camera, and has grown into one of the most popular entertainers in Lebanon.
The television star spoke exclusively with Lebanese Examiner about her rise to fame. She focused on being genuine and performing from the heart, she said.
“I am not a person who just reads the teleprompter,” Haddad said in an Arabic interview. “I consider myself more of an entertainer, who speaks off the cuff, than a presenter.”
Haddad was born in Beirut to a loving family originally from Jezzine in South Lebanon. Her parents recognized her bubbly personality and enrolled her in child modeling programs.
At just 14-years-old, Haddad was modeling for television commercials and print advertisements. Her career only grew from there.
“After that, great opportunities kept rolling,” she said. “I had the chance to be part of a stand-up comedy group, an actress, and even a show host in Los Angeles.”
Haddad’s shows, among the most popular in the Middle East, included Carlalala, Ya Leil Ya Ein, Comedy Night and Helwi El Hayat.
She most recently co-hosted the Arab world version of Dancing with the Stars on MTV with television personality Wissam Breidy.
“I have worked hard in my life on building great content and becoming more of an entertainer,” Haddad added. “It’s not just about your appearance on the outside, but how you can connect with people on the inside.”
Haddad is passionate about keeping her fans updated on social media, and connecting with her viewers on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
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Dan Koh, the descendant of Lebanese and Korean immigrants, is running to represent Massachusetts in Congress.
The 32-year-old is the former chief of staff of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. He announced his campaign in October with a dramatic launch video.
Koh, a Democrat, is already gaining traction, but faces a crowded primary field to succeed retiring Rep. Niki Tsongas in the state’s 3rd congressional district.
According to a March profile in Boston Magazine, Koh’s mother’s grandparents emigrated from Lebanon to Lawrence, Massachusetts in the 1890s. His great-grandfather patented an invention for improving mill efficiency.
His Lebanese mother, Dr. Claudia Arrigg, helps run the Arrigg Eye & Ear Associates offices, which his grandfather founded.
I’m so excited to announce the launch of our first TV ad! I’m running for #MA3 to stand with you, stand up to this president, and fight for the values that make the American Dream possible for all of us. Watch below and retweet to help spread the word about our campaign! #MApolipic.twitter.com/jE9Gnhi1vI
Koh’s father, Dr. Howard Koh, is the former United States Assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under President Barack Obama.
Dan Koh is running for Congress in Massachusetts. (Campaign photo)
According to his campaign website, Koh wants to bring a “new generation of leadership” to Congress, where he says he will make healthcare, the economy and education among his top priority issues.
Koh has a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he met his wife Amy. Before working in Boston government, he was the former chief of staff to Arianna Huffington, co-founder of the Huffington Post.
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Bill Essayli, the son of Lebanese-American immigrants, is looking to unseat the incumbent in California’s 60th State Assembly election this fall.
The former federal prosecutor, a Republican, announced his bid for California legislature at a gas station in his district. The announcement was livestreamed on his Facebook page.
His opponent Assemblywoman Sabrina Cervantes, a Democrat, voted to increase the gas tax in California, he says.
While working in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Essayli took part in the investigation of the 2015 San Bernardino terrorist attack, and assisted in a case against a Santa Barbara doctor who over-prescribed opiates to his patients.
To visit his official page and learn more about him, click here.
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Andre Sayegh was elected the first Lebanese-American mayor in Paterson, New Jersey during a Tuesday election, officials announced.
Sayegh, a Democrat, garnered 41 percent of the vote in a six-candidate field. His closest competitor Alex Mendez received 21 percent.
According to his online biography, Sayegh, 44, was a Paterson councilman and history teacher before he announced his bid for mayor. He ran on a ‘One Paterson’ platform, where he promised to promote diversity and connect with a cross-section of groups.
Sayegh, who speaks fluent Arabic, was born to a Lebanese father and Syrian mother, the Bergen Record reports. Many Lebanese and Syrian immigrants came to Paterson in the late 1800s to work in textile mills along the Passaic River.
Samer Khalaf, national president of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, said Sayegh’s victory meant a lot for the Paterson area, which has a large population of Arab Americans.
“Here you have an old Arab community that’s been around for over 100 years,” Khalaf told the Bergen Record. “We never had a councilman until Andre won his first term. Now we have a mayor.”
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(LOS ANGELES) — 14-year-old Lebanese student Jake al-Mir was the youngest iOS developer to receive a scholarship from the tech giant Apple Inc., according to a report published Thursday in Lebanon’s An-Nahar.
The newspaper said al-Mir was awarded the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference scholarship for developing an app to combat speeding. The scholarship includes complimentary admission to the developers conference, which takes annually place in San Francisco, California. It is normally $1,599 to attend.
al-Mir’s creation, registered as NoSpeed in the App Store, aims to decrease car accidents by alerting drivers when they exceed a set speed limit. A posted YouTube video shows how the app sounds an alarm warning drivers to slow down.
The young developer said he was inspired to create the app in response to the large number of car accidents in Lebanon. However, he hopes the app can be beneficial to users worldwide.
Most traffic accidents in Lebanon were caused by the drivers themselves, a 47 percent majority, according to a study conducted by Dr. Elias Choueiri of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.
al-Mir said it took him nine months to develop the app, which was later registered through the iOS Developer Program. The ambitious teen, who attends school at Collège des Saints-Coeurs Kfarhbab, also developed a game called Emoji Escape when he was 12-years-old.
“I would like to have my own company, not just aimed at developing apps, but also at manufacturing technological products,” he told Kuwaiti daily newspaper Al-Anba. “I would also like to work for Apple.”
al-Mir is among 350 scholarship recipients in all, a jump from 200 offered last year. Developers must be 13 or older to enter the scholarship program, according to Apple’s website.
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(DEARBORN, MI) — It’s no secret that Dearborn-based businessman Ali Jawad likes to stay active. Even during Ramadan, the hands-on and self-made entrepreneur jogs for six miles per day.
In between exercises and frequent soccer matches, Jawad manages Armada Oil, one of Michigan’s largest motor fuel distributors which he founded in 1982. But he rarely speaks of his financial and professional success.
Jawad would rather talk about his philanthropic success and ambitious vision to create a gathering place for Lebanese-Americans in Dearborn, Mich., which is home to the largest concentrated Arab population outside of the Middle East.
But admittedly, philanthropic success didn’t come easy.
As Jawad describes, mobilizing the Lebanese community often presented more challenges than operating a major business.
“On many occasions we told the community that if you lose your heritage, you lose your identity,” he said. “We had many challenges, but it eventually stuck with people.”
From Soccer to Service
In the early 1980’s, Jawad and a few friends started “Dearborn Stars,” a local soccer team created to stay active and pass time. Although it was entertaining and engaging for a couple of months, Jawad was called in a different direction.
“I was reading that all these Lebanese from around the world were starting Lebanese clubs,” said Jawad. “So I looked at the guys and said let’s start one.”
From there, the Lebanese-American Heritage Club (LAHC) was born.
The Lebanese American Heritage Club community center is located on Maple Street in Dearborn. (Lebanese Examiner/Charlie Kadado)
Since 1989, the organization has given over $1.5 million in scholarships for deserving Lebanese-American students.
But it didn’t start that way.
Jawad recalls facing pushback from some community members who labeled him as a “right-winger” for his Lebanese patriotism.
“People started accusing me and putting labels on me,” he said. “But my goal was to end the discussion of politics and stop our self-created divisions.”
That’s when Jawad called on Lebanese youth to come forward and take leadership roles in community activities.
“We told the older generations that LAHC has no Amal, no Kataeb,” he said, referring to opposing political factions in Lebanon. “We told them if you want to get involved in politics, go fight in the Republican or Democratic arena.”
The Lebanese-American Heritage Club (LAHC) offices proudly display the flags of the United States, Lebanon, and state of Michigan. (Lebanese Examiner/Charlie Kadado)
Jawad wanted to see the Arab community more involved in American affairs. He said he emphasized involvement on “both wings” — both American and Lebanese community involvement.
“America is built on immigration,” Jawad said. “But for Arab-Americans we had to double our resources because of all the problems in the Middle East.”
Jawad said “doubling” resources began with encouraging undergraduate and post-graduate education.
“We started giving out four scholarships and it naturally kept growing and growing,” said Jawad. “We started getting American corporations involved and American politicians and it grew to a whole new level.”
Encouraging Future Leaders
Today, LAHC is one of the largest and most respected Lebanese-American organizations in the country. Jawad gives credit to many community supporters who helped craft his vision, including former Consul General of Lebanon Nasrat El Assaad.
But more importantly, Jawad credits future generations of Lebanese-Americans for continuing the organization’s legacy and contributing to its global success.
Ali Jawad said he’s proud to support future generations of Lebanese-Americans in Michigan. (Lebanese Examiner/Charlie Kadado)
“My proudest moments is when I see the youth get a scholarship and do something positive,” he said. “I’m always proud to see the next generation go to college, open businesses, and take leadership positions.”
Hussein Hachem, founder of the Youth Leadership Committee of LAHC, is one of them.
“For me, LAHC is a place for common ground,” said Hachem. “It’s a place where we can be proud of our community and grow together.”
Jawad said his vision can only improve in the hands of community members like Hachem. This year the organization will award $103,000 in scholarships to 43 students of high academic distinction at the 27th Annual Awards Gala on May 8.
“You never know when you start something where it will end up,” said Jawad. “Sometimes you see success from the angels.”
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(WASHINGTON, DC) — The American Task Force for Lebanon hosted their 17th annual fundraising gala at the Fairmont Washington Hotel in Washington, DC on Apr. 16, which honored renowned geneticist Dr. Huda Zoghbi and journalist Sara Ganim.
The event drew hundreds of guests, including members of Congress and such dignitaries as General George Joulwan, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, and Dr. Charles Elachi, director of the U.S. Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
The first honor was presented to Dr. Zoghbi, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and founding director of the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital. She is also a trustee at the American University of Beirut and Rice University.
Sara Ganim, CNN correspondent based in New York, was also presented an award during the gala. Ganim covers investigative news for the news network, including Jerry Sandusky’s child sex abuse scandal, which won a Pulitzer Prize in 2012.
The American Task Force for Lebanon (ATFL) is a nonprofit organization comprised of Americans of Lebanese heritage who lobby U.S. officials to provide aid to Lebanon and promote the accomplishments and nationwide contributions of Lebanese Americans.
The organization features an array of Lebanese-American leaders, including former U.S. senator Spencer Abraham, chairman of ATFL, and U.S. congressman Darrell Issa, who serves on its Board of Directors.
ATFL says it works to promote national unity and sovereignty in Lebanon and to enlist greater support from the U.S. public to “assist Lebanon achieve its potential as a beacon of coexistence, tolerance, freedom of expression, democracy, and free enterprise in the Middle East.”
VIEW photos of the gala below:
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(PEORIA, IL) — Lebanese-American State Sen. Darin LaHood announced he would run for Congress in a seat vacated by embattled Republican Congressman Aaron Schock.
LaHood, 47, is the son of former Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, who represented the central and western Illinois district for 14 years.
“This is going to be a competitive race. I’m going to work really hard, and I’m going to leave no stone unturned,” Darin LaHood told WMBD-AM.
Schock announced on Tuesday he would resign at the end of this month, amid mounting allegations that he spent thousands of dollars in lavish office decorations and inappropriate travel reimbursements.
LaHood, a Republican, said he’s disappointed and surprised at Schock’s announcement.
“No one wants to see someone’s career end like that,” LaHood said.
LaHood spent nine years as a state and federal prosecutor before becoming a state senator in Peoria, Illinois.
Political strategists view LaHood as an early frontrunner in a congressional district considered “solid Republican.” He also has name recognition due to his father’s established political record in the area.
Ray LaHood served in Illinois’ 18th Congressional District from 1995 to 2009 before President Obama appointed him as Secretary of Transportation.
Darin LaHood, a Maronite Catholic, is married and has three children. He earned his law degree from John Marshall Law School in Chicago.
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(DETROIT, MI) — Michigan Governor Rick Snyder named Lebanese-American businessman Nick Khouri the new state treasurer, who will replace outgoing treasurer Kevin Clinton, according to Snyder’s press office.
Nick Khouri.
“Nick’s expertise in tax policies and financial issues will be a great asset as we continue working to reinvent state government,” Snyder said. “His strong track record of proven service in both the private and public sectors will be essential in this critical state role.”
Khouri, 57, previously served as senior vice president of corporate affairs at DTE Energy in Detroit, where he oversaw governmental and regulatory relations and community affairs.
He also served as vice president of Public Sector Consultants, where he focused on public infrastructure and state and local tax policy. In the 1990s, Khouri was the state’s chief deputy treasurer and chief economist of the Senate Fiscal Agency.
State records show Khouri has been a registered lobbyist for DTE since 2012, which drew criticism from some Democrats.
“Putting a registered lobbyist in charge of all taxpayer dollars is no way to create public trust in government,” said Democratic Party Chairman Lon Johnson.
Khouri earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from University of Michigan and a master’s degree in economics from Michigan State University.
Khouri’s appointment is effective April 20. His annual salary will be $174,204, according to state records.
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