Dubai Police arrested hundreds of beggars and more than 1,200 illegal street vendors in six months. Jeff Topping / The National
Dubai Police arrested hundreds of beggars and more than 1,200 illegal street vendors in six months. Jeff Topping / The National
Dubai Police arrested hundreds of beggars and more than 1,200 illegal street vendors in six months. Jeff Topping / The National
Dubai Police arrested hundreds of beggars and more than 1,200 illegal street vendors in six months. Jeff Topping / The National

Dubai Police arrest 1,287 illegal street vendors for touting watches, phones and tobacco


Ali Al Shouk
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Dubai Police arrested 796 beggars and 1,287 illegal street vendors in the first half of 2022.

The vendors were caught selling fake designer watches, phones and clothes. Other products such as water bottles, cigarettes, food and naswar — an outlawed form of chewing tobacco — were also seized.

The campaign to crack down on beggars and illegal vendors was launched by the Criminal Investigation Department.

Police said members of the public used its Police Eye app to file about 12,000 reports, of which 414 were related to begging.

“The campaign aims to reduce the number of beggars and street peddlers who exploit the feelings and sympathy of people,” Dubai Police said in a media release.

“The app allows the public to report suspicious activities in total confidentiality. The service aims to maintain security and reduce crime by encouraging the public to report illegal activities and offences.

“People can also report beggars online or by calling 901. Begging can lead to other crimes such as robbery and pickpocketing and sometimes people use children and the disabled for begging.”

Anyone caught begging in the UAE will be fined Dh5,000 and jailed for three months.

Those operating professional gangs of beggars or recruiting people from outside the country to work as beggars can be jailed for six months and will be fined Dh100,000.

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

How much of your income do you need to save?

The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.

In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)

Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.

 

ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Rio de Janeiro from Dh7,000 return including taxes. Avianca fliles from Rio to Cusco via Lima from $399 (Dhxx) return including taxes. 

The trip

From US$1,830 per deluxe cabin, twin share, for the one-night Spirit of the Water itinerary and US$4,630 per deluxe cabin for the Peruvian Highlands itinerary, inclusive of meals, and beverages. Surcharges apply for some excursions.

What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

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RESULTS: 2018 WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPE

Albania 0 Italy 1
Finland 2 Turkey 2
Macedonia 4 Liechtenstein
Iceland 2 Kosovo 0
Israel 0 Spain 1
Moldova 0 Austria 1
Serbia 1 Georgia 0
Ukraine 0 Croatia 2
Wales 0 Ireland 1

What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE

Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.

FIGHT%20CARD
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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

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Team Angel Wolf Beach Blast takes place every Wednesday between 4:30pm and 5:30pm

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Updated: September 15, 2022, 4:51 AM