British police forces are heavily reliant on Chinese-made cameras, drones and other surveillance equipment, a survey has revealed.
Bodies using the equipment were “generally aware that there are security and ethical concerns about the companies supplying their kit”, said biometrics and surveillance camera commissioner Fraser Sampson on the findings from a survey carried out by his office, the OBSCC.
The watchdog's warning comes amid growing concerns about the threat of Chinese spy balloons which prompted the UK to review its security measures after the US shot down four objects flying in its airspace this month. Washington declared one of them to be Chinese spyware.
Meanwhile, security fears over police using Chinese-made drones have also been raised.
The questionnaire, sent out in June, asked all 43 police forces in England and Wales — as well as the British Transport Police, the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, Ministry of Defence, and the National Crime Agency (NCA) — about their use of CCTV and other surveillance cameras including on drones and helicopters, body-worn video and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR).
The watchdog revealed several of the respondents said their camera systems used equipment about which there had been security or ethical concerns, made by companies such as Dahua, Hikvision, Honeywell, Huawei and Nuuo.
Suspected Chinese spy balloon shot down - in pictures
“It is abundantly clear from this detailed analysis of the survey results that the police estate in the UK is shot through with Chinese surveillance cameras," said Mr Sampson. "It is also clear that the forces deploying this equipment are generally aware that there are security and ethical concerns about the companies that supply their kit.
“There has been a lot in the news in recent days about how concerned we should be about Chinese spy balloons 60,000 feet up in the sky.
"I do not understand why we are not at least as concerned about the Chinese cameras six feet about our head in the street and elsewhere.
He added: “Myself and others have been saying for some time that we should, both for security and ethical reasons, really be asking ourselves whether it is ever appropriate for public bodies to use equipment made by companies with such serious questions hanging over them.”
US Navy recovers Chinese balloon - in pictures
Of the 47 bodies and forces contacted, 39 responded. City of London, Gloucestershire, Greater Manchester, Gwent, Merseyside, South Yorkshire and Thames Valley police forces and the NCA did not take part in the survey, which the OBSCC said was “disappointing”.
Twenty-three of the 31 respondents that operate cameras on drones said they were aware of “security or ethical concerns” about the Chinese manufacturer DJI, the findings showed.
At least 18 said their external camera systems use equipment about which there had security or ethical concerns, while at least 24 gave the same response when asked about internal camera systems.
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At least 11 respondents provided this answer when asked about their ANPR systems. There were also at least two which said they used cameras made by Hikvision for body-worn video.
“Following government guidance where governmental departments have been instructed to cease the deployment of such equipment around sensitive sites, UK Policing will conduct necessary reviews to ensure national security standards are met," said a National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) spokesman.
“Model contractual terms and conditions are widely used across policing and these include specific provision for equality, diversity and human rights. These are imposed on contracted suppliers and would be used to enforce any breach of contract.”
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
THE BIO
Ms Al Ameri likes the variety of her job, and the daily environmental challenges she is presented with.
Regular contact with wildlife is the most appealing part of her role at the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.
She loves to explore new destinations and lives by her motto of being a voice in the world, and not an echo.
She is the youngest of three children, and has a brother and sister.
Her favourite book, Moby Dick by Herman Melville helped inspire her towards a career exploring the natural world.
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
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
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The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
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Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producer: Excel Entertainment & Tiger Baby
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi
Rating: 4/5 stars
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
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Kanguva
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Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
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Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
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Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder
Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm
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Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km
How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
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.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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