LONDON (Reuters) – The fate of Britain’s Defense Secretary Liam Fox may be decided next week after claims his relationship with a close friend and unofficial adviser may have breached national security.

The role of defense secretary is particularly sensitive in Britain because of the involvement of about 10,000 British troops in Afghanistan and its role in helping NATO protect civilians in Libya after the uprising against Muammar Gaddafi.

LONDON/MISRATA (Reuters) – Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron stepped into a row surrounding his defence secretary’s working relationship with a former flatmate on Saturday by demanding initial findings of an inquiry be delivered within 48 hours.

The prime minister had earlier in the day given his backing to his embattled minister, and suggested the internal inquiry should be given time to investigate claims by the opposition that national security or ministerial code of conduct may have been breached.

LONDON/MISRATA (Reuters) – Prime Minister David Cameron backed his defence secretary Saturday after media reports suggested his links with a friend and self-styled adviser might have threatened national security.

The media coverage overshadowed Liam Fox’s first visit to Libya, where he announced an additional 500,000 pounds of funds to help the new interim government fight arms proliferation.

LONDON, Oct 7 (Reuters) – Dubai’s flagship Emirates airline
will sponsor Britain’s first urban cable car spanning
London’s river Thames, saying it hoped the new addition to the
city’s skyline would be ready for next year’s Olympics.

The 60 million pound ($92.3 million) project, due to be
completed next summer, will link the 02 arena, which hosts
concerts and sporting events on the south bank, with the ExCeL
conference centre on the north side.

LONDON (Reuters) – London Mayor Boris Johnson urged Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday to accept a 17 million pound package to stay in north London and drop a legal battle over the future of the main Olympic stadium.

The Northumberland Park development, close to Tottenham’s historic White Hart Lane home, would help regenerate one of the most run-down areas of London which was a focal point in riots in August, Johnson said.

LONDON, Sept 28 (Reuters) – London Mayor Boris Johnson urged
Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday to accept a 17 million pound
($26.6 million) package to stay in north London and drop a legal
battle over the future of the main Olympic stadium.

The Northumberland Park development, close to Tottenham’s
historic White Hart Lane home, would help regenerate one of the
most run-down reas of London which was a focal point in riots in
August, Johnson said.

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) – The board of News Corp was threatened with legal action in the United States by a British lawyer acting for phone-hacking victims, potentially opening a new legal front against the company.

A U.S. lawsuit against News Corp’s directors could be a new embarrassment for the company as it tries to put the News of the World tabloid hacking scandal behind it. Civil claims damages in the United States, where News Corp is based, also tend to be much higher than in Britain.

LONDON (Reuters) – News International is expected to pay three million pounds ($4.7 million) to settle hacking claims by the family of murder victim Milly Dowler against Britain’s now defunct News of the World newspaper, sources close to the issue told Reuters on Monday.

The settlement is likely to involve close to a two million pound payment to the schoolgirl’s family and a donation of at least one million pounds to charity.

LONDON, Sept 19 (Reuters) – News International is
expected to pay three million pounds ($4.7 million) to settle
hacking claims by the family of murder victim Milly Dowler
against Britain’s now defunct News of the World newspaper,
sources close to the issue told Reuters on Monday.

The settlement is likely to involve close to a two million
pound payment to the schoolgirl’s family and a donation of at
least one million pounds to charity.

LONDON (Reuters) – The bodies of all four miners missing after a flash flood in a south Wales coal mine have been found, emergency services said on Friday.

The mood over the small Swansea Valley community turned increasingly gloomy during the past two days as one-by-one the bodies were discovered.