A German container vessel with 27 crew on board has run aground in the Dover Strait off the coast of Kent. The 90,465-tonne LT Cortesia was en route to the Suez Canal when it ran aground on the Varne Bank, East of Folkestone and Hythe.
"Under my leadership, we will campaign for opportunity for everyone, with people, families, and communities in control of their destinies.
Pakistan's electoral commission has suggested that elections scheduled for next week should be postponed because of unrest following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. Although Miss Bhutto's party was pressing for the vote to be held as planned on Jan 8, a spokesman for the election supervisor said this morning that the date appears "impossible".
Claire Darke and Councillor Robin Lawrence have both welcomed traffic calming plans for busy Larches Lane, Haden Hill and Clarendon Street. Liberal Democrats began consulting with residents on traffic calming in these streets in January 2006 and have been encouraging Wolverhampton Council to try to solve the traffic problems of the area ever since. Commenting on the proposals Park Ward Liberal Democrat candidate Claire Darke told Focus "I am very pleased that at long last there are plans for calming the traffic in this area. The Liberal Democrats have been right to call for such a scheme for so long. The roads are used far too often as rat-runs and speeding traffic is a dangerous nuisance for residents.'
A Book of condolence has been opened at Leicester Town Hall following the assassination of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
The Preliminary Agenda (including the registration and accommodation forms) for the Liberal Democrats' UK-wide (federal) Spring conference 2008 is now available at www.libdems.org.uk/media/conference/S08PrelimAgenda.pdf