UK & USA Today Editoweb 21 July 2010

Salmond defends Lockerbie release
Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond has defended his government's decision to release the Lockerbie bomber. Mr Salmond believes the Scottish government made the right choice to free Abdelbaset al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds last August. "You can only take a decision based on information at the time", he said. Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill also stands by the move. He said: "Al Megrahi is terminally ill. I stand by my decision. I dealt with it following the rules. It's easy to criticise from the sidelines." The defences by ministers of the decision to release al-Megrahi come a day after David Cameron and Barack Obama both criticised the Scottish government's actions.(itn)

Media tycoon Black freed from jail
Former media tycoon Conrad Black has been released from a US jail after a judge granted him two million US dollars bail. Black walked free from the minimum security prison in Coleman, Florida, after US District Judge Amy St Eve set conditions for bail in a Chicago courtroom.(press association)

Northern Ireland win golf challenge
Rory McIlroy had a brighter day in brutal weather as he led Northern Ireland to victory in a star-studded challenge match against the Republic of Ireland. Skip related content. Less than a week after the wind and rain at St Andrews scuppered his chances in the Open Championship, the young golf sensation joined forces with countryman Darren Clarke to defeat Republic duo Padraig Harrington and Shane Lowry in sodden conditions in Co Fermanagh. Thousands of golf fans huddled under umbrellas along the fairways of the Lough Erne Resort to see the northern pair clinch a hard-fought minus 6 to minus 5 victory in the stroke play better ball contest. Three-time Major winner Harrington took on Co Down man McIlroy in a singles match last year in the inaugural Lough Erne challenge on the Sir Nick Faldo-designed course. That duel proved so popular that the organisers decided to invite newly appointed Ryder Cup vice captain Clarke and reigning Irish Open champion Lowry to enter the fray this time around. Among the soaked crowds following the talent-laden fourball were former Northern Ireland goalkeeper Pat Jennings and actor Jimmy Nesbitt. McIlroy, who owns a house in the grounds of the five-star resort on the banks of Lough Erne, insisted the conditions had not ruined the day.(press association)

Shocking Train Station Attack Caught On CCTV
The moment a man launched a vicious attack on a young woman in broad daylight simply because she asked him to stop tapping his beer bottle has been caught on CCTV. The footage shows the man following the 27-year-old dancer before suddenly punching her in the face as she left a London train station. Police have described it as "a shocking assault that involved an act of extreme violence". It appears the man targeted the woman after she asked him to stop tapping a beer bottle loudly on a bench next to her at Harrow and Wealdstone Station. He then boarded the same train as the young woman before getting off at Carpenders Park Station and stalking her through an underpass towards some stairs. Without warning, he ran up behind her and punched her once in the face.(skynews)

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