TOP 100 ENGLAND SITES
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| UK hostage 'killed by vest bomb' US special forces in Afghanistan were seconds from rescuing a UK hostage when she was killed by a vest bomb held or worn by one of her captors, the BBC understands. bbc.co.uk |
Megrahi case: I answer only to Holyrood, says Scottish justice secretary Kenny MacAskill Kenny MacAskill turns down request to appear before US Senate's foreign relations committeeThe man who controversially freed the Lockerbie bomber insisted today he was accountable to the Scottish parliament and "no other".US senators had wanted to question Scottish justice secretary Kenny MacAskill on his decision to grant compassionate release to Abdelbaset al-Megrahi.But MacAskill turned down the request to appear before the Senate's foreign relations committee.Today, he told delegates at the SNP's annual conference in Perth that he answered to Holyrood and no-one else, "irrespective of their size, status or power".The Libyan remains the only person convicted of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Scotland, in which 270 people died, most of them Americans.MacAskill did not explicitly mention the Lockerbie case or Megrahi in his address to the SNP conference this afternoon.But he told delegates it was a "great privilege" to be both a member of the Scottish parliament and the country's justice secretary.To loud applause, MacAskill stated: "It is those electors that I am accountable and to that institution that I am answerable. To no other, irrespective of their size, status or power."MacAskill released the Libyan, who has prostate cancer, on compassionate grounds almost 14 months ago after the bomber was given three months to live.Megrahi remains alive today.The decision sparked fury in America and was condemned by Barack Obama's administration.Today MacAskill said he believed he had "upheld the laws and followed the values of Scotland".And with Holyrood elections due to take place next May, he said he would be "proud" to stand on his record and that of the Scottish government.Scottish politicsScotlandAbdelbaset al-MegrahiLockerbie plane bombingGlobal terrorismUK security and terrorismAir transportLibyaMiddle EastTerrorism policyguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Osman sidelined by ankle injury Everton midfielder Leon Osman is likely to be out of the side for six weeks with the ankle injury suffered during last weekend's win over Liverpool news.bbc.co.uk |
OBR: inflation to outstrip wage growth over next two years Families to tighten belts even further with wage increases failing to keep pace with increases in cost of living. telegraph.co.uk |
Tests show students died in double suicide, despite parents’ protests Two students found dead in a Scottish hotel perished in a double suicide according to post-mortem tests, The Times has learnt. timesonline.co.uk |