Each camera will be operational for five to six hours at a time and will scan for faces of those on watch lists, which the Metropolitan Police Service said will predominantly consist of individuals wanted for serious and violent offences. (BBC)

Talking point: London has become one of the main test grounds for the technology, as it is among the most-surveilled cities in the world. By August 2019, there had already been 10 trials over the previous three years in places popular with shoppers and tourists, despite growing privacy concerns that have led some to start painting their faces before venturing in public. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government has promised to “empower the police to safely use new technologies,” and a court ruled in favour of the police’s usage of facial recognition. (An appeal against the decision will be heard on June 23 this year.) Last week, a leaked report revealed the European Commission was considering imposing a temporary ban on the technology for up to five years.