The installation of hundreds of cameras with facial recognition capability in Belgrade, part of a local government surveillance program, apparently is causing potential protesters to reconsider their participation in anti-government demonstrations in the Serbian capital. However, despite criticism about eroded personal freedoms and even snooping by China, officials say the system designed by Huawei is helping to reduced crime. [node:read-more:link]
Companies such as Raytheon, best known as a defence contractor, are testing new technology that enables stadium operators to spot recreational drones and to track their operators. Raytheon says trials at U.S. venues has resulted in four arrests due to concerns about the potential lethal consequences of a drone failing or being disabled over a crowded venue. [node:read-more:link]
A Toronto emergency physician has rejected as impracticable the federal government’s proposal to empower municipalities to restrict handguns by working through the provincial governments and territories. Dr. Joel Lexchin said at a public event with Prime Minister Trudeau that it makes no sense for one city to impose a ban if others nearby do not.“The federal government needs to ... show leadership and do a national ban,” he said. [node:read-more:link]
Some “assault-style” rifles could be prohibited, and firearms possession and storage rules stiffened, by a re-elected Liberal government, according to Bill Blair, Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction. The former Toronto police chief says the plans will be detailed soon as part of the Liberals’ campaign platform for the Oct. 21 election. [node:read-more:link]
The U.S. intelligence community is said to be developing biometric identification systems which could single out individuals at a distance. Facial recognition and other biometrics technologies have improved in recent years but evidently are still prone to errors. [node:read-more:link]
Traffic jams and crowds paralysed the French capital Sept. 13 as transport workers went on strike. They were protesting President Emmanuel’s plan to consolidate dozens of pension schemes for different professions. [node:read-more:link]
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has withdrawn contentious draft legislation which would have permitted extradition of Hong Kong residents to China. The bill sparked months of protests in the former British colony, raising fears of Chinese military intervention. [node:read-more:link]
The overnight arrival of fresh Chinese military forces at the Hong Kong garrison is sparking widespread concern among democracy advocates in the former British colony. China insists that it is a routine activity designed to safeguard national sovereignty and security. [node:read-more:link]
Currently three Canadian police officers deployed to Iraq and a fourth deployment is planned for the coming month. Canadian police officers are being deployed in a gradual, phased and flexible approach until March 2019. [node:read-more:link]
A team of international experts from Rutgers University has completed the second of two intensive sessions focusing on police-community relations in particularly sensitive districts of Brussels. [node:read-more:link]
Results of a new poll commissioned by Fox News indicated that 67 percent of Americans support a ban on private ownership of assault rifles. Some 86 per cent of Democrat respondents supported a ban, as did 46 per cent of Republicans. [node:read-more:link]
Hundreds of members of China's People's Armed Police (PAP) have been conducting exercises in Shenzhen, which is effectively adjacent to the border with Hong Kong, where demonstrators are protesting a contentious legislative plan. There have been concerns that they could deploy into the former British colony but some diplomats discount the prospect. [node:read-more:link]
Ongoing and frequently violent protests in Hong Kong have prompted the Canadian government to enhance its travel advisory for the former British colony. Travellers now are being advised to exercise “a high degree of caution” as crowds protest proposed legislation, now suspended, which would permit offenders to be extradited to China for trial. [node:read-more:link]
U.S. President Donald Trump says there is a "very strong" political appetite in Congress for bipartisan legislation to require background checks or other restrictions on firearms ownership. for gun users. Leaving Washington to visit Texas and Ohio, where weekend shootings left 31 victims dead and dozens injured, he says he has had “plenty of talks” which suggest growing support among legislators. [node:read-more:link]
As Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests continue to escalate in the former British colony,the commander of its People’s Liberation Army garrison says violence should not be tolerated. Meanwhile, a spokesman for China's Hong Kong and Macau Office said the local government and police were capable"of handling the protests. [node:read-more:link]
