British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Egypt's Hosni Mubarak to avoid violence "at all costs" in a joint statement Saturday.

The three leaders called on Egypt's embattled president to commit to change in response to what they said were the "legitimate grievances" of his people.

British Ambassador to Lebanon Frances Guy on Saturday held talks with Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati.

After the meeting, Guy said she conveyed to Miqati London's hopes that the upcoming government would continue to respect Lebanon's commitments to U.N. Security Council resolutions, especially UNSCRs 1701 and 1757.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Thursday urged all political parties in Lebanon to join a new government headed by Najib Miqati and opposed by outgoing Premier Saad Hariri.

"We call on all parties to join the Miqati cabinet, and Syria is ready to cooperate with this government," Muallem told a joint news conference with his British counterpart William Hague.

Britain has raised its terrorist threat level specific to major transport hubs, including airports and London railway terminals, from substantial to severe, a report said Friday.

There was no suggestion of any intelligence of an imminent attack and security officials are stressing the change is precautionary, said the BBC.

Britain’s Foreign Office spokesperson Barry Marston said Lebanon’s stability is guaranteed by justice achieved in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s assassination case.

In an interview published Thursday, Marston said Britain will continue to provide financial and moral support to the international tribunal.

Authorities on three continents are investigating whether suspicious packages shipped from Yemen to Chicago religious sites are part of a terrorist plot.

Officials were investigating whether two packages — one described as containing a toner cartridge with wires attached and powder — were mailed as part of an attempted attack or a dry run for a future attack.

Queen Elizabeth II formally welcomed the emir of Qatar to Britain on Tuesday for a trip aimed at boosting growing trade links and both countries' bids for the football World Cup.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani shook hands with the British monarch upon their meeting in Windsor, west of London, as the military sounded a gun salute.

Israel on Wednesday was discussing the format of an investigation into its deadly raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted soldiers would be off-limits.

Israel was in talks with "several members of the international community" about the investigation, Netanyahu said, stressing that it should focus on "the pro-Palestinian activists who fought the naval commandos with knives and clubs."