Floral tributes at Albert Square in Manchester, placed to commemorate the victims of the terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena on May 22, 2017. AFP
Floral tributes at Albert Square in Manchester, placed to commemorate the victims of the terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena on May 22, 2017. AFP
Floral tributes at Albert Square in Manchester, placed to commemorate the victims of the terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena on May 22, 2017. AFP
Floral tributes at Albert Square in Manchester, placed to commemorate the victims of the terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena on May 22, 2017. AFP

Manchester Arena Inquiry: police admit no emergency plan was in place


Nicky Harley
  • English
  • Arabic

A senior officer accepted police failed to have a contingency plan in place at Manchester Arena in the event of a major incident.

Chief Supt Allan Gregory, of British Transport Police, gave evidence at the public inquiry into the Manchester Arena terror attack.

Salman Abedi detonated a bomb in May 2017 at the end of an Ariana Grande concert, killing 22 people and injuring hundreds.

The hearing was told the arena was the UK’s only entertainment venue of such scale under the control of the transport police and Mr Gregory said there was no contingency plan in case of a major emergency.

When asked if this was an omission, he said: "In light of that awful event in May 2017, clearly that is a conclusion I would have to agree with."

He told the hearing that emergency services had failed to work together and said the local police force had failed to liaise with transport police.

Mr Gregory said he regretted not communicating with commanders of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and Greater Manchester Police.

"I should have been more diligent around reaching out and having conversations about what they understood," he said.

British Transport Police Chief Insp Tony Lodge told the inquiry that nearly an hour after the attack he was still trying to establish who had primary control.

Gold commander Robin Smith said better communication between emergency services was needed.

"Half the challenge is knowing who to ring and you are trying to ring the busiest people in the organisation," he said.

"The key thing is who you need to talk to."

Mr Smith suggested a WhatsApp group to aid communication.

"I think we could do that and I do not think it would be difficult. We can do better if we can communicate.

"That is what I would have enjoyed on the night."

During the inquiry, the emergency services were criticised for their slow response and relatives and survivors condemned delays in the treatment of victims and the evacuation.

The Manchester Arena Inquiry, set up by UK Home Secretary Priti Patel in October, is examining the circumstances of the attack and whether any opportunities to prevent it were missed.

Suicide bomber Abedi, 22, died as he detonated a rucksack bomb in a foyer.

His younger brother, Hashem Abedi, was convicted last year on 22 counts of murder, one of attempted murder and one of conspiracy to cause an explosion.

He was sentenced to jail for a minimum of 55 years.

Indoor cricket in a nutshell

Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side

8 There are eight players per team

There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.

5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls

Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs

B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run

Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs

Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

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AT4 Ultimate, as tested

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The biog

Name: Sarah Al Senaani

Age: 35

Martial status: Married with three children - aged 8, 6 and 2

Education: Masters of arts in cultural communication and tourism

Favourite movie: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin

Favourite hobbies: Art and horseback ridding

Occupation: Communication specialist at a government agency and the owner of Atelier

Favourite cuisine: Definitely Emirati - harees is my favourite dish

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German plea
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the German parliament that. Russia had erected a new wall across Europe. 

"It's not a Berlin Wall -- it is a Wall in central Europe between freedom and bondage and this Wall is growing bigger with every bomb" dropped on Ukraine, Zelenskyy told MPs.

Mr Zelenskyy was applauded by MPs in the Bundestag as he addressed Chancellor Olaf Scholz directly.

"Dear Mr Scholz, tear down this Wall," he said, evoking US President Ronald Reagan's 1987 appeal to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.

SPECS
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Ruwais timeline

1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established

1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants

1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed

1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.  

1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex

2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea

2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd

2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens

2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies

2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export

2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.

2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery 

2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital

2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13

Source: The National

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

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Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
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The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler

Price, base / as tested Dh57,000

Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine

Transmission Six-speed gearbox

Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm

Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km

Hotel Data Cloud profile

Date started: June 2016
Founders: Gregor Amon and Kevin Czok
Based: Dubai
Sector: Travel Tech
Size: 10 employees
Funding: $350,000 (Dh1.3 million)
Investors: five angel investors (undisclosed except for Amar Shubar)