News Headlines - 21 October 2011

▽British firms urged to 'pack suitcases' in rush for Libya business - The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/21/british-firms-libya-business
The starting pistol for British firms to pursue contracts in Libya has been fired by the new defence secretary, Philip Hammond, who urged companies to "pack their suitcases" and head there to secure reconstruction contracts.

▽US troops to leave Iraq by end of year - Financial Times
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/885e589e-fc07-11e0-b1d8-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=rss#axzz1bMHAHs7L
President Barack Obama has declared that all 46,000 US troops still in Iraq will be withdrawn by the end of the year, with his administration telling Baghdad that time has run out to reach a deal that would have allowed a small American training force to remain in the country next year.

▽Murdoch sorry yet again as investors demand answers - The Independent
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/murdoch-sorry-yet-again-as-investors-demand-answers-2374074.html
Speaking at the company's AGM in Los Angeles, he told Tom Watson, the Labour MP who has spearheaded a Parliamentary investigation into phone hacking, that allegations of the affair being even more widespread than previously thought are: "recent rumours".

▽Carmakers eye record 2012 if no "Lehman-style" crisis - Renault - Reuters
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/10/21/uk-renault-idUKTRE79K1DQ20111021
"Unless there is economic 'armageddon' and you see a 'Lehman-style' crisis, a huge surprise, I can tell you that 2012 will be another record year for the car industry no matter what Europe does," said Carlos Ghosn, who heads the two alliance partners.

▽£1 in every £10 is now spent online - Which?
http://www.which.co.uk/news/2011/10/1-in-every-10-is-now-spent-online-269140/
Internet retail sales now account for almost £1 in every £10 spent in the UK, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Internet retail sales in September reached £539.4 million, approximately 9.6% of total retail sales (excluding automotive fuel), compared with £415.9m in September 2010.