Many new UAE residents will be furnishing their homes this coming autumn. Getty Images

Where to buy furniture in the UAE – the ultimate guide


Farah Andrews
  • English
  • Arabic

Furnishing a new home can be daunting at the best of times, let alone if you have just moved to a new country.

Here, we've broken down a few fail-safe starting points, from the shops to browse for essentials to Facebook groups that sell an entire apartment's worth of furniture in one go, with international brands and home-grown favourites to choose from.

Second hand

Dubizzle

You can find almost anything for sale in the classified sections of Dubizzle, the UAE's version of Craigslist or Gumtree. People sell individual items as well as entire rooms' worth of furniture if they are moving or renovating. There is always room for some haggling, or "best price?" texts, as anyone who has ever sold on Dubizzle will certainly know.

Top tip: As you would with a car, search for specific brands. If you know you like the aesthetic of certain stores, searching for that in the Dubizzle classifieds is worth a go. Although it's unlikely you'll get the exact piece you had your eye on in the mall, you could find something very similar.

Facebook groups

There are plenty of second-hand furniture Facebook groups in the UAE, such as Buy&Sell Abu Dhabi & Dubai Second Hand and EK Cabin Crew Buy And Sell, to neighbourhood-specific pages like the JVC 2nd Hand Selling Page and Al Reem Island Community Items For Sale, and the more specific Upcycled Furniture Buy & Sell Dubai. They aren't all necessarily furniture-specific – you will see clothes, toys and cars posted, too, but entire homes' worth of furniture and accessories can be posted, often for good prices. It's worth joining a few and keeping an eye on them if you are looking for budget-friendly pieces quickly.

Top tip: You will often have to request to join the group, so plan ahead. But be ready to act fast when you see something you want, sellers are often looking for the quickest buyers, not necessarily the highest price.

Annie Sloan Furniture Renovation

Similar to the Upcycled Furniture Buy & Sell Dubai group is the Dubai Annie Sloan Furniture Renovation Group. Best described as a furniture renovation community, you will find people giving tips on how to best upcycle furniture using Annie Sloan chalk paints, as well as people who are selling second-hand pieces that they have already upgraded.

Top tip: This is where to look out for statement pieces, rather than items to furnish an entire home.

Vintage Finds

Find the Abu Dhabi upcycler and painter Vintage Finds on Facebook. The page features country and farmhouse-style furniture that has often been given a new lease of life with a good coat of paint.

Top tip: There are pieces posted for sale that have already been renovated, and the team also offer furniture refurbishing and painting services.

More information is available at www.facebook.com/VintagefindsAD

Custom pieces

Lucky Furniture

Lucky Furniture is spread across a number of warehouses in Sharjah. Photo: Lucky Furniture
Lucky Furniture is spread across a number of warehouses in Sharjah. Photo: Lucky Furniture

It won't take long for newbies to the UAE to hear about Lucky Furniture. The Sharjah warehouse sells solid-wood antique and antiqued furniture. The pieces can be bought as they come, or customised to the colour and size you are looking for. A good-sized dining table costs anywhere between Dh1,500 and Dh2,500 – although some of the antiques are on sale for as much as Dh15,000.

R2R Furniture

Located in the Jebel Ali Industrial Area is R2R Furniture, a company that will make custom beds and sofas for you. Simply show them a photo of a piece you have seen online with your required dimensions, and the company can recreate it for you. The company also offers reupholstering services to give older pieces of furniture a new look.

It is worth noting that R2R Furniture is only one such company – plenty of people you speak to will have experience dealing with similar outlets, and it's always worth following recommendations and testimonials from happy customers.

More information is available at www.r2rfurniture.com

New furniture, high-end

All of the main international brands are represented in the malls of the UAE, but there are also stores that have been launched in the Emirates that are well worth checking out, too.

West Elm

Furniture to suit a contemporary living room space on sale at West Elm. Photo: West Elm
Furniture to suit a contemporary living room space on sale at West Elm. Photo: West Elm

For the more contemporary shopper, with an eye for quality and some money to spend, West Elm is the store for you. The US store has outlets at Dubai Mall and Dubai Hills Mall, and Abu Dhabi's The Galleria Al Maryah Island and Yas Mall. Catering for the whole home, you will find pieces for bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and gardens in store.

More information is available at www.westelm.ae

Marina Home

Premium interiors store Marina Home started life as a warehouse in Dubai and now has stores in malls across the region. You will find heavy wooden furniture, statement accessories and standout decor in store, with pieces often sourced from across the Middle East, or items inspired by Arabic and Asian designs. Find Marina Home at Abu Dhabi Mall and Reem Mall in Abu Dhabi; in Al Barsha, Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates and City Centre Mirdif in Dubai; and at Sharjah's Sahara Centre. You can also shop online.

More information is available at marinahomeinteriors.com

Pottery Barn

Another classic American brand, Pottery Barn caters to homely homemakers, with a full store collection as well as more playful kids' and teen ranges. Find Pottery Barn Dalma Mall, The Galleria Al Maryah Island and Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi, Dubai Hills Mall, Dubai Mall and Mirdiff City Centre in Dubai.

More information is available at www.potterybarn.ae

The One

A Dubai-founded brand, The One sells statement furniture. Photo: The One
A Dubai-founded brand, The One sells statement furniture. Photo: The One

This UAE-born store was conceptualised by Swede Thomas Lundgren as an "antidote" to Ikea. So expect personality by the barrel at this stylised furniture store. It offers living-room pieces, bedroom furniture, kitchen essentials and accessories and items for younger shoppers. There are stores across the UAE, including Dubai Hills Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Al Quoz, Jumeirah Beach Road and Jumeirah 1 in Dubai and at Al Ain Mall, Yas Mall and in the Mushrif Area in Abu Dhabi.

More information is available at www.theone.com

Crate and Barrel

For a more minimal aesthetic, turn to Crate and Barrel. The store has a focus on living and dining accessories and furniture, which means they sell everything from coffee-makers and egg timers to new sofa sets. The brand also sells bedroom furniture, so kitting out an entire home from Crate and Barrel is not an impossibility. In the UAE, there are only Crate and Barrel outlets in Dubai, at Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Mall and City Centre Mirdif in Dubai.

More information is available at www.crateandbarrelme.com

New furniture, budget-friendly

Dragon Mart

For anyone looking to kit out a new home, a visit to Dragon Mart shouldn't be too far from the top of their to-do list. It is not only a place to buy furniture; it offers toys, food and electronics and is also a go-to for outdoor furniture, bedding and even renovation pieces like tiles and lighting. You will need to be prepared to spend time browsing a good number of stores, but the pay-off will be worth it when you get a full garden set for close to wholesale prices. Dragon Mart is in Dubai on Al Awir Road.

More information is available at www.dragonmart.ae

CB2

CB2 is a sister brand to Crate & Barrel, focused on selling more affordable furnishings. The brand sells primarily contemporary pieces and minimalist pieces and is located at Mall of the Emirates in Dubai.

More information is available at www.cb2.ae

Jysk

Jysk, pronounced yusk, is another chain of Scandinavian furniture superstores. There is almost always a sale in store, and you can pick up everything from storage solutions to accessories, beds, towels and sofas. Find Jysk in Dubai on Umm Suqeim Street, at City Centre Mirdif and Nakheel Mall and at World Trade Centre Mall, The Galleria Al Maryah Island and Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi.

More information is available at jysk.ae

Ikea

It is very likely you will be familiar with Ikea, the Swedish flat-pack furniture giant. Most of us have an item or two from the store in our homes, whether it's a bed, a wardrobe, a kitchen or merely cutlery and tumblers. There are a number of Ikea superstores across the UAE, including in Dubai Festival City, and on Yas Island and at Al Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi. There's also an Ikea ordering and collection point in Al Ain near Bawadi Mall. The company offers paid-for installation, assembly and delivery services.

More information is available at www.ikea.com/ae/en

Pan Home

At a Pan Home, formerly Pan Emirates, sale you will find sofas for as low as Dh300 and full dining sets from about Dh500, which proves that homes can be personalised on a budget. Naturally, not all of the pieces in store hover around low prices, but there are certainly bargains to be found. Pan Home has 17 stores across the UAE, including at Madina Mall and on Umm Suqeim Street in Dubai; at World Trade Centre Mall and Deerfields Mall in Abu Dhabi; on Al Wahda Street in Sharjah; in Al Ain Mall; in Al Hamra Mall, Ras Al Khaimah; and in Haleefath in Fujairah.

More information is available at www.panhomestores.com

Home Centre

Sharjah-founded Home Centre also offers interior design services. Photo: Home Centre
Sharjah-founded Home Centre also offers interior design services. Photo: Home Centre

Having started as a single store in Sharjah in 1995, Home Centre has grown to become a popular wallet-friendly option, with more than 100 stores in the Middle East and India. It offers everything from lighting and kids' accessories to bath and laundry items, bedroom decor and living-space essentials. There are 14 stores across the Emirates.

More information is available at www.homecentre.com

2XL

The brand offers classic furnishings with ostentatious finishings, as well as minimalist accessories that would please many a millennial eye.

It is worth browsing 2XL for some of your finishing touches and to add personality to your home. Find 2XL at the Regus Building and City Centre Al Zahia in Sharjah; on Al Muntasir Road in Ras Al Khaimah; in Abu Dhabi at Marina Mall, The Galleria Al Maryah Island and Dalma Mall; in Al Ain Mall; and in Dubai on Al Wasl Road in Jumeirah and Park Centre Mirdif.

More information is available at www.2xlme.com

Watch Out For Sales

It is often said that you don't need to buy anything for full price in the UAE. Of course, when needs must, you will purchase the essentials, but it is also worth holding out for Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, Ramadan, Dubai Shopping Festival, the Abu Dhabi Summer Shopping Season and Dubai Summer Surprises sales. Prices are slashed at malls across the UAE, with interiors and home stores regularly having some of the best bargains.

Managing the separation process

  • Choose your nursery carefully in the first place
  • Relax – and hopefully your child will follow suit
  • Inform the staff in advance of your child’s likes and dislikes.
  • If you need some extra time to talk to the teachers, make an appointment a few days in advance, rather than attempting to chat on your child’s first day
  • The longer you stay, the more upset your child will become. As difficult as it is, walk away. Say a proper goodbye and reassure your child that you will be back
  • Be patient. Your child might love it one day and hate it the next
  • Stick at it. Don’t give up after the first day or week. It takes time for children to settle into a new routine.And, finally, don’t feel guilty.  
Company info

Company name: Entrupy 

Co-founders: Vidyuth Srinivasan, co-founder/chief executive, Ashlesh Sharma, co-founder/chief technology officer, Lakshmi Subramanian, co-founder/chief scientist

Based: New York, New York

Sector/About: Entrupy is a hardware-enabled SaaS company whose mission is to protect businesses, borders and consumers from transactions involving counterfeit goods.  

Initial investment/Investors: Entrupy secured a $2.6m Series A funding round in 2017. The round was led by Tokyo-based Digital Garage and Daiwa Securities Group's jointly established venture arm, DG Lab Fund I Investment Limited Partnership, along with Zach Coelius. 

Total customers: Entrupy’s customers include hundreds of secondary resellers, marketplaces and other retail organisations around the world. They are also testing with shipping companies as well as customs agencies to stop fake items from reaching the market in the first place. 

How the bonus system works

The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.

The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.

There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).

All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.

Electric scooters: some rules to remember
  • Riders must be 14-years-old or over
  • Wear a protective helmet
  • Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
  • Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
  • Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
  • Do not drive outside designated lanes
if you go

The flights

Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Seoul from Dh3,775 return, including taxes

The package

Ski Safari offers a seven-night ski package to Korea, including five nights at the Dragon Valley Hotel in Yongpyong and two nights at Seoul CenterMark hotel, from £720 (Dh3,488) per person, including transfers, based on two travelling in January

The info

Visit www.gokorea.co.uk

MEDIEVIL%20(1998)
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ZIMBABWE V UAE, ODI SERIES

All matches at the Harare Sports Club:

1st ODI, Wednesday - Zimbabwe won by 7 wickets

2nd ODI, Friday, April 12

3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14

4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16

UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed

Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?

Some facts about bees:

The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer

The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days

A queen bee lives for 3-5 years

This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony

About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive

Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.

Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen 

Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids

Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments

Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive,  protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts

Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain

Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities

The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes

Is beekeeping dangerous?

As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.

“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”

 

 

The specs

Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder

Power: 220 and 280 horsepower

Torque: 350 and 360Nm

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT 

On sale: now

The rules of the road keeping cyclists safe

Cyclists must wear a helmet, arm and knee pads

Have a white front-light and a back red-light on their bike

They must place a number plate with reflective light to the back of the bike to alert road-users

Avoid carrying weights that could cause the bike to lose balance

They must cycle on designated lanes and areas and ride safe on pavements to avoid bumping into pedestrians

What to watch out for:

Algae, waste coffee grounds and orange peels will be used in the pavilion's walls and gangways

The hulls of three ships will be used for the roof

The hulls will painted to make the largest Italian tricolour in the country’s history

Several pillars more than 20 metres high will support the structure

Roughly 15 tonnes of steel will be used

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UAE WARRIORS RESULTS

Featherweight

Azouz Anwar (EGY) beat Marcelo Pontes (BRA)

TKO round 2

Catchweight 90kg

Moustafa Rashid Nada (KSA) beat Imad Al Howayeck (LEB)

Split points decision

Welterweight

Gimbat Ismailov (RUS) beat Mohammed Al Khatib (JOR)

TKO round 1

Flyweight (women)

Lucie Bertaud (FRA) beat Kelig Pinson (BEL)

Unanimous points decision

Lightweight

Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) beat Regelo Enumerables Jr (PHI)

TKO round 1

Catchweight 100kg

Marc Vleiger (NED) beat Mohamed Ali (EGY)

Rear neck choke round 1

Featherweight

James Bishop (NZ) beat Mark Valerio (PHI)

TKO round 2

Welterweight

Abdelghani Saber (EGY) beat Gerson Carvalho (BRA)

TKO round 1

Middleweight

Bakhtiyar Abbasov (AZE) beat Igor Litoshik (BLR)

Unanimous points decision

Bantamweight

Fabio Mello (BRA) beat Mark Alcoba (PHI)

Unanimous points decision

Welterweight

Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Magomedsultan Magomedsultanov (RUS)

TKO round 1

Bantamweight

Trent Girdham (AUS) beat Jayson Margallo (PHI)

TKO round 3

Lightweight

Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) beat Roman Golovinov (UKR)

TKO round 1

Middleweight

Tarek Suleiman (SYR) beat Steve Kennedy (AUS)

Submission round 2

Lightweight

Dan Moret (USA) v Anton Kuivanen (FIN)

TKO round 2

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

Ultra processed foods

- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns 

- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;

- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces

- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,

- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.

Indika
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HWJN
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Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

It's Monty Python's Crashing Rocket Circus

To the theme tune of the famous zany British comedy TV show, SpaceX has shown exactly what can go wrong when you try to land a rocket.

The two minute video posted on YouTube is a compilation of crashes and explosion as the company, created by billionaire Elon Musk, refined the technique of reusable space flight.

SpaceX is able to land its rockets on land  once they have completed the first stage of their mission, and is able to resuse them multiple times - a first for space flight.

But as the video, How Not to Land an Orbital Rocket Booster, demonstrates, it was a case if you fail, try and try again.

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
Fight card

Preliminaries:

Nouredine Samir (UAE) v Sheroz Kholmirzav (UZB); Lucas Porst (SWE) v Ellis Barboza (GBR); Mouhmad Amine Alharar (MAR) v Mohammed Mardi (UAE); Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) v Spyro Besiri (GRE); Aslamjan Ortikov (UZB) v Joshua Ridgwell (GBR)

Main card:

Carlos Prates (BRA) v Dmitry Valent (BLR); Bobirjon Tagiev (UZB) v Valentin Thibaut (FRA); Arthur Meyer (FRA) v Hicham Moujtahid (BEL); Ines Es Salehy (BEL) v Myriame Djedidi (FRA); Craig Coakley (IRE) v Deniz Demirkapu (TUR); Artem Avanesov (ARM) v Badreddine Attif (MAR); Abdulvosid Buranov (RUS) v Akram Hamidi (FRA)

Title card:

Intercontinental Lightweight: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) v Angel Marquez (ESP)

Intercontinental Middleweight: Amine El Moatassime (UAE) v Francesco Iadanza (ITA)

Asian Featherweight: Zakaria El Jamari (UAE) v Phillip Delarmino (PHI)

Results

2.30pm: Expo 2020 Dubai – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: Barakka, Ray Dawson (jockey), Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer)

3.05pm: Now Or Never – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: One Idea, Andrea Atzeni, Doug Watson

3.40pm: This Is Our Time – Handicap (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Perfect Balance, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar

4.15pm: Visit Expo 2020 – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Kaheall, Richard Mullen, Salem bin Ghadayer

4.50pm: The World In One Place – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1.900m; Winner: Castlebar, Adrie de Vries, Helal Al Alawi

5.25pm: Vision – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Shanty Star, Richard Mullen, Rashed Bouresly

6pm: Al Wasl Plaza – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Jadwal, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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ATP WORLD No 1

2004 Roger Federer

2005 Roger Federer

2006 Roger Federer

2007 Roger Federer

2008 Rafael Nadal

2009 Roger Federer

2010 Rafael Nadal

2011 Novak Djokovic

2012 Novak Djokovic

2013 Rafael Nadal

2014 Novak Djokovic

2015 Novak Djokovic

2016 Andy Murray

2017 Rafael Nadal

2018 Novak Djokovic

2019 Rafael Nadal

Graduated from the American University of Sharjah

She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters

Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks

Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding