Emigrate.co.uk News

New security device called the facial recognition scanner on trial at Manchester Airport

Jennie Smith — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:04:54 +0000

A new immigration security device is being tested at Manchester Airport. This device is a facial recognition scanner that will compare the passenger’s passport photo to the person in front of the camera. The hope is that this new device will ease lines at immigration security points. The facial recognition camera can also identify a passport that has been tampered with. It will also be able to check to see if the passenger is on a security watch list which will help stop criminals from entering into the country. If a person is found on the watch list they will be forbidden to board any flight heading toward the UK

The hope is that the trial run at Manchester will be successful. If everything goes well it is expected that the facial recognition cameras will be placed in other airports throughout the UK including Gatwick and Heathrow.

Jacqui Smith, who is the Home Secretary, said “The UK has one of the toughest borders in the world and we are determined to ensure it stays that way. Our hi-tech electronic borders system will allow us to count all foreign nationals in and out of the UK, while checking them against watch lists. These checks make up just one part of Britain’s triple ring of security, alongside fingerprint visas for three-quarters of the world’s population, and the roll-out of ID cards for foreign nationals locking people to one identity.”

www.homeoffice.gov.uk

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Increase in the number of foreign workers in Britain

Andy Scott — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:52:03 +0000

Britain is reporting that there has been an increase in the neighborhood of 300,000 foreign workers in the country over the last year. These numbers are expected to rise today as the Home Office is set to release immigration statistics covering numerous areas.

MP James Clappison spoke about the increase: “This makes a mockery about Gordon Brown’s pledge about the number of people in work in Britain today. It also reflects the numbers of people who are given work permits to work in Britain from outside the EU. These new arrivals will place further pressure on public services as well as housing, schools and hospitals.”

Shadow Immigration Minister, Damien Green, commented “The Government’s repeated claims that immigration is coming under control have been exploded time and again. This is another example showing why we need an explicit annual limit on economic migration, which is what a Conservative Government would introduce..”

In response to public outcry over immigration a spokesperson for the Home Office said “We have listened to the public’s concerns about immigration and we’re now delivering the biggest shake-up to Britain’s border security for 40 years. This includes an Australian-style points based system for workers, and new rules to ensure people earn their stay in the UK, learn English and play by our rules.

“Migrants contribute to the economy, putting more into the exchequer purse than they take out - they contributed £6 billion to the UK economy in 2006 alone.

“The Government will lock people to one identity by fingerprinting all visa applicants, introducing ID cards for foreign nationals, and using the latest technology to track people in and out of the country.”

www.homeoffice.gov.uk

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Rock star Gary Glitter returns to the UK after finishing prison sentence

Mathew Walters — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:36:48 +0000

UK rock star Gary Glitter was released from a prison in Vietnam yesterday. He had been in the prison for three years due to child molestation charges. Glitter boarded a plane to head back to London. There was some controversy over the flight with Qatar Airways as they would not let him book a seat in their first class and business class sections. The airline told his lawyer that they did not feel it was appropriate that someone just released from prison should be allowed to return home in luxury.

Glitter’s conviction in Vietnam stemmed from a molestation charge against two young Vietnamese children aged 10 and 11.

Upon his arrival at Heathrow airport police will force Glitter to sign his name in the register of sex offenders. This will require him to alert police to where he will reside in Britain and will likely lead to monitoring by police.

Glitter’s lawyer spoke about his situation: “He does not have any sentence to serve in London. If he wants to stop wherever he wants to he can. If he wants to he can change flights. He is a free man from today. The only problem is the countries he wants to go to because he has to get a visa. He is looking forward to coming back. He is thinking about being free, but worried about reporters. He is okay, but is worried about his health. He has problems with his hearing and his heart.”

www.homeoffice.gov.uk

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Protests over Falash Mura continue in India

Anna Rowlands — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:19:03 +0000

Nearly 9000 Falash Mura members were promised by the Israeli government that they would be allowed to immigrant into the country back in 2005. They are currently in Ethiopia and protestors are arguing that the government should stick to its word and let them into Israel.

One protestor named Taish Tafaka has been living in Israel for the last few years but the rest of her family including her father and some of her siblings are in Ethiopia fighting to be reunited with Tafaka. “Why are they separating us? We are in contact by telephone and it is very hard on them. They don’t have food and we send them money; giving what we can.” said Tafaka.

Tafaka added that “We go to the Interior Ministry every day and ask them to bring them here; we don’t understand why it isn’t happening. I am a Jew, so my mom is a Jew, why are they separating us?”

An official for the Prime Minister’s office said that “There is no commitment to a specific number of Falash Mura members that will immigrate to Israel, but there will not be one Ethiopian Jew who has the right to immigrate to Israel based on the Law of Return, who won’t immigrate.”

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert received a letter written by Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar. In the letter, Rabbi Amar said “I was sorry to hear that the Jewish identity of our Ethiopian brothers called Falash Mura is being doubted again…it is a hugely good deed to bring them to the land of Israel as Jews and save them from complete physical and emotional impurity… it is a huge honor for the nation of Israel and for the entire Israeli government.”

www.immigrationindia.nic.in

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