The comforting aroma of coffee mingles with the murmur of Tagalog greetings as a group of Filipina women sit around a long table inside Caribou Coffee at Al Majaz Waterfront in Sharjah.
Some have brought their children along, others have been dropped off by their husbands. The group, called the Sharjah Filipina Squad, aims to be a haven where women from the Philippines, mostly mothers, find solace, strength and a shared cultural connection.
The first gathering was initiated by Angelica Christine De Guzman in April and the second session was held on May 11, a day before Mother's Day in the Philippines. “Over the past 19 years that I've been in the UAE, it's always been about work,” says the Sharjah resident who juggles motherhood alongside a full-time job. “Then, when I started my own family, everything became all about them.
“There have been many times when anxiety hits,” she adds, describing a crippling feeling of “suffocation at times”. De Guzman knew she needed to do something about it. “I believe I won't be able to make my family happy if I myself am not happy.”
Although she describes herself as a “very private person”, the Filipino expat decided it might be good for her well-being to open up. “I posted on a Filipino community group on Facebook and immediately got several responses from other women who wanted to meet up for coffee,” she says.
“We often find ourselves juggling numerous roles and navigating life's challenges alone. Sometimes we get scared to share our struggles even with our closest family members for fear of being judged or misunderstood. But life is too short and we need to take care of each other.”
Just days after initiating the group online, De Guzman managed to organise the first in-person meeting at Sahara Centre. Now the 60-strong group plans to meet twice a month at cafes across Sharjah.
The format is refreshingly simple: a casual get-together fuelled by coffee and conversation. But beneath the surface of friendly chitchat lies a powerful undercurrent of support.
'I immediately felt better'
Connecting with the group has been a game-changer for Baby Jane Mendoza Kuhail, who lives in Sharjah with her husband and their child. The Filipina expat is married to an Arab, and she finds mingling with fellow Filipinos a much-needed breather.
“There's a different connection when you get together with other Filipinos. First of all, it's very hard to argue with my husband in English,” she says with a chuckle.
You just have to find the right people that you are comfortable with
Richelle Taki Aldin,
member, Sharjah Filipina Squad
Aside from the in-person meetups, members also communicate in an online group chat. “I get excited every time someone sends a message, even if it's just a meme or a joke,” says Kuhail, who gets emotional when talking about finding like-minded people she can relate, and if needed, vent to.
While some members see the group as a quick respite, others call it “life-saving”. Mary Grace Abejoro Rentoria, 31, one of the youngest members, says meeting with the others helped her deal with anxieties.
“My anxiety has manifested physically in the past months, and it's been a struggle,” she says. “After our first event, meeting new friends and being able to open up, I immediately felt better.” The group, Rentoria adds, made her realise that she isn't alone.
This openness is what makes the Sharjah Filipina Squad effective, notes fellow member Zara Concepcion. “Everybody is open, welcoming and very willing to share a part of their lives,” she explains. This is especially important, she adds, as “relationships in the UAE can be temporary as people come and go”.
Sunshine Lamdagan, who describes herself as an extrovert, says she loves listening to other members' stories. “Someone would share her experience and I'd immediately relate,” she says, adding how people often underestimate the power of opening up.
'Empowering to witness the connections formed'
The Philippines has one of the biggest diaspora populations in the world, with about 10 per cent of its 115.6 million population living overseas, according to the 2022 census. The natural inclination for Filipinos to stick together is well documented and has even given rise to the term “Filipino mafia”.
The phrase was first used to describe the informal network of Filipino sailors in the US Navy in the 1950s, born out of the need to resist systemic racialised labour. At the time, enlisted Filipino men were treated differently from their American counterparts leading them to stick together and create deep bonds.
We come together to embrace our vulnerabilities and learn from each other
Angelica Christine De Guzman,
founder, Sharjah Filipina Squad
For the Sharjah Filipina Squad, it's all about relatability. “There are many community groups out there that Filipinos can try to be members of,” says Richelle Taki Aldin. “You just have to find the right people that you are comfortable with – a group where you can share your feelings freely and with security.”
De Guzman, who says she is “beyond excited” to organise more meetups, says she did not expect such an overwhelming response.
“It is empowering to witness the connections formed and the support offered as we come together to embrace our vulnerabilities and learn from each other,” she says.
“The first two meetups have taught us that it's OK to open up about our struggles – knowing that we have a community that not only listens, but also uplifts and encourages us on our journey.”
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
The%20specs
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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
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
ICC men's cricketer of the year
2004 - Rahul Dravid (IND) ; 2005 - Jacques Kallis (SA) and Andrew Flintoff (ENG); 2006 - Ricky Ponting (AUS); 2007 - Ricky Ponting; 2008 - Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI); 2009 - Mitchell Johnson (AUS); 2010 - Sachin Tendulkar (IND); 2011 - Jonathan Trott (ENG); 2012 - Kumar Sangakkara (SL); 2013 - Michael Clarke (AUS); 2014 - Mitchell Johnson; 2015 - Steve Smith (AUS); 2016 - Ravichandran Ashwin (IND); 2017 - Virat Kohli (IND); 2018 - Virat Kohli; 2019 - Ben Stokes (ENG); 2021 - Shaheen Afridi
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.
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.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
UAE squad
Ali Kashief, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdelrahman, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Mohmmed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammad Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Eisa, Mohammed Shakir, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Adel Al Hosani, Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah), Waleed Abbas, Ismail Al Hammadi, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli Dubai) Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Mahrami (Baniyas)
Honeymoonish
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What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
