A terror conference took place on Wednesday in London with the aim of making the capital's business district the “safest city area in the world".
Hosted by City of London Police, more than 150 security professionals, business leaders and counter-terrorism experts attended the CT2022 event.
Organisers said the event was focused on making the Square Mile the safest city area in the world.
Figen Murray, whose son, Martyn Hett, was killed in the Manchester Arena bombing, spoke about the importance of the proposed Protect Duty legislation and the need for more stringent security measures in public spaces.
Her son was killed along with 21 others when ISIS terrorist Salman Abedi detonated a bomb at the end of an Ariana Grande concert in 2017.
Since her son's death, Ms Murray has frequently campaigned for venues to enact terrorism protection measures.
Assistant Commissioner for Operations and Security at the City of London Police Paul Betts said the force is working hard to protect the City against attacks.
“Keeping people safe and feeling safe is a priority for the City of London Police,” he said.
“The City of London has huge historical, cultural and economic importance and we are committed to making it a safe space for people to enjoy.
“It is important that we all remain resilient to the threat of terrorism. We can only combat that threat by working closely with our community, partners and other law enforcement agencies.
“Coupled with our counter-terrorism strategy and the Project Servator policing tactic, we are all working together to make it more difficult for terrorists and other criminals to operate in the City.”
Project Servator is a policing strategy that aims to disrupt a range of criminal activity, including terrorism, while providing a reassuring presence for the public.
The event also included discussions on the world's most pressing security issues, with talks featuring experts from the National Counter Terrorism Security Office and Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure.
City of London Police cover St Paul's Cathedral, which has been a repeated terrorist target.
In 2020, ISIS supporter Safiyya Shaikh was jailed for life for planning to blow up herself up in St Paul.
Jonathan Brady, head of Security for St Paul’s Cathedral, said the venue was working closely with police to keep people safe.
“At St Paul’s Cathedral, we continue to work closely with Project Servator and the City of London Police,” he said.
“Our staff work with our visitors, volunteers and our neighbours to deliver a number of security and counter-terrorism measures.
“Events like CT2022 are a great way to share information and best practice in order to keep all our staff and visitors to the Cathedral and the City of London, safe.”
One way security professionals may be able to better identify and track suspicious activity is the “Notify Pad”, a new tool unveiled during the event.
The Notify Pad, which is set to be trialled in the Square Mile over the next three months, prompts security professionals to write down information that may be relevant to police when reporting suspicious activity.
The Counter Terrorism Security Advisers (CTSAs) gave an update on security training available to organisations, venues and events to help staff identify suspicious activity and to know what to do when they encounter it.
CTSAs also talked about their work with businesses and residents in raising awareness of the risk of radicalisation and how to stay safe online.
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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