(Cover from the FCN UK/International Edition, Vol. 29 #8)
What's going on in the United Kingdom?
The volume of email from the United Kingdom is increasing, which clearly comes as a result of our UK/International edition, which also reaches Africa and the West Indies. Here are some news briefs from "across the pond."
British man fights extradition in KBR bribe case
LONDON—A British lawyer accused in the United States of helping a former Halliburton Co. subsidiary bribe Nigerian officials for construction projects has begun his fight against extradition in a London court.
Federal prosecutors in Houston, Texas say 61-year-old Jeffrey Tesler helped steer bribe money from Kellogg, Brown & Root LLC to officials of the Nigerian government to win more than $6 billion in contracts.
Tesler's lawyer argued that he should not be extradited because the alleged crimes did not have a substantial link to the U.S. Attorney Bill Clegg says Tesler operated from London, through a company registered in Gibraltar, and the alleged bribes were paid into Swiss bank accounts.
Thatcher sweeps back to Downing Street
LONDON—Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is returning to London's Downing Street for good—in the form of a portrait installed at the country's official leader's residence.Thatcher, the British leader from 1979 to 1990, joined Prime Minister Gordon Brown and David Cameron, a successor to Thatcher as Conservative Party leader, at Downing Street on Nov. 23 to unveil the work.
Brown's spokesman Simon Lewis says artist Richard Stone's painting will be displayed in a first floor lobby.
Thatcher is the first living lawmaker to be honored with a portrait at Downing Street. Photographs of all modern prime ministers line the residence's main staircase, but only two ex-leaders have portraits on display: Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George.
UK police refer 4 British lawmakers to prosecutors
LONDON—British police say they've referred the cases of four of the country's lawmakers to prosecutors after an investigation into lavish expenses claimed by some members of Parliament.
Revelations that lawmakers manipulated expense rules to spend thousands of pounds on home improvements outraged voters and raised questions over the legality of some of lawmakers' financial dealings.
Scotland Yard said Nov. 23that evidence relating to four unidentified members of both of Britain's Houses of Parliament have been sent to prosecutors.
It was not immediately clear whether Britain's Crown Prosecution Service would press charges against the lawmakers named in the files. A call seeking comment from the service was not immediately returned.
New Book Identifies 500 Most Influential Muslims
WASHINGTON, D.C.—A new book listing the 500 most influential Muslims has just been released by The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center (in Jordan) in concert with Georgetown University’s Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, reports The Muslim Observer. The book recognizes scholars, women, youth, philanthropists, scientists, as well as leading figures in the arts and media. Seventy-two Muslims from the United States and thirty-two from the United Kingdom made the list. The book is available online to view in its entirety at http://www.rissc.johttp://www.rissc.jo/.
(Compiled from the Associated Press and other online news services.)
