Three women who resorted to begging after falling on hard times during the coronavirus pandemic are to be released and flown home.
The women, two from Bangladesh and one from Ethiopia, were part-time house cleaners until the onset of the outbreak led to work drying up.
Unable to pay for their living expenses, they decided to beg on the streets of Sharjah.
All three were arrested by police. The law against begging, which includes fines and jail terms for those who break it, partly aims to tackle professional gangs recruiting people from outside the country to come and work as beggars. For those individuals who are caught begging because they have fallen on hard times, the authorities can at their own discretion, treat them more leniently than the law proscribes.
Sharjah Police settled their fines, purchased their tickets and they underwent Covid-19 tests as part of their travel procedures
After spending months in prison awaiting trial, police made the decision to free the trio without charges and pay for their flights home.
The women, who will be flown to their home countries next week, told The National how grateful they were to be given a fresh start.
The women could not be fully named in line with official guidance.
Tameesh, from Ethiopia, had absconded from the agency that brought her to the UAE three years ago.
“The first sponsor I worked for as a maid, sent me back to the recruitment agency because they believed I was too old for the job,” she said.
“Then for a whole year, I was sent to several other sponsors who all didn’t want me for the same reason,”
Then the 40-year-old mother of three earned a living by cleaning homes, and stayed in an apartment she shared with a number of other women.
But when the coronavirus hit, no families were asking for her services and she was left struggling for cash.
“I couldn’t pay rent, and one Friday I thought I beg. I was caught by police that same day,” she said.
She spent four months in detention before being informed she would face no charges.
She was then told police would her they would cover her overstay fines and travel costs.
She is now looking forward to being reunited with family back home.
“I will finally see my daughters who must think I was dead because I haven’t been able to call them for the past four months,” she said.
Koremon, 60, came to the country four years ago and she too absconded from her sponsor and worked in part time cleaning.
“Because of coronavirus, I couldn’t work and make money so I couldn’t cover my living costs,” said the Bangladeshi citizen.
Koremon said she was diabetic and could not afford her medication, so went out begging but was arrested.
After two and a half months in prison, she was told she would be released.
“When police said they bought me a flight ticket, I was filled with joy because like my fellow inmates, I didn’t have cash to buy one,” she said.
Rasheeda, who is also from Bangladesh, is looking forward to returning home.
“I don’t know my real age, my parents died when I was very young and I had no one to tell me when I was born,” she said.
She was also arrested for begging after people stopped calling her to come clean their homes due to the pandemic.
The decision to release the women and arrange for their return back home was made by Sharjah Police in celebration of the International Day of Older Persons.
Being the only three inmates detained for begging was another reason the force decided to act.
“Sharjah Police settled their fines, purchased their tickets and they underwent Covid-19 tests as part of their travel procedures next week,” said Brig Ahmad Shuhail, director general of Sharjah's prisons.
Life in a Dubai prison during a pandemic:
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
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Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
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The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
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Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
The biog
Favourite pet: cats. She has two: Eva and Bito
Favourite city: Cape Town, South Africa
Hobby: Running. "I like to think I’m artsy but I’m not".
Favourite move: Romantic comedies, specifically Return to me. "I cry every time".
Favourite spot in Abu Dhabi: Saadiyat beach
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Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
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Transmission: 9-speed auto
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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
The biog
Family: Parents and four sisters
Education: Bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing at American University of Sharjah
A self-confessed foodie, she enjoys trying out new cuisines, her current favourite is the poke superfood bowls
Likes reading: autobiographies and fiction
Favourite holiday destination: Italy
Posts information about challenges, events, runs in other emirates on the group's Instagram account @Anagowrunning
Has created a database of Emirati and GCC sportspeople on Instagram @abeermk, highlight: Athletes
Apart from training, also talks to women about nutrition, healthy lifestyle, diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Europe's top EV producers
- Norway (63% of cars registered in 2021)
- Iceland (33%)
- Netherlands (20%)
- Sweden (19%)
- Austria (14%)
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- Denmark (13%)
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- United Kingdom (12%)
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Source: VCOe
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THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
