Havana  - Former leaders of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) have posted a document on the Internet to demand "participative and democratic" socialism on the island, warning that the current style of socialism generates unpredictable "frustration."

"Mostly, Cubans are frustrated, alienated and hopeless, and the new generations, demotivated, do not feel the same commitment as earlier ones to this 'poor and without perspective socialism' that is so far away from expectations," the document says.

The fire of protest was ignited by the killing of VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his disciples in an ashram at Jalespeta in Kandhmal district. The fire was visible when number of incidents of attacks on religious places took place across Orissa on Sunday.

On Monday, curfew was ordered by the administration in parts of Kandhmal district, as a dawn-to-dusk Orissa bandh was started by Sangh Parivar. CM Naveen Patnaik appealed to all the communities to maintain peace. Further suspension was passed against Kandhmal SP announcement of judicial action was made for the Saturday’s killings

Madhu Koda, who refused on Saturday, refused to support JMM President Shibu Soren, who claimed to form the next government in Jharkhand on Monday.

Koda's resignation cleared the way for the JMM president to stake his claim to form the new government. He recently sent a letter to Rajbhawan thorugh the hands of his son, Durga Soren, in which he had staked to claim the new government. But till now, it is unclear as whether he would be able to gather the majority for himself or not.  
 
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad, who has seven MLAs in the Jharkhand Assembly, is among those which have given support to Soren’s party.

Washington, Aug 23 : The Obama campaign believes that picking Senator Joe Biden as running mate ny Democratic Presidential candidate is a sign that foreign policy matters will be front and centre in the presidential election.

Obama has selected Biden to be his vice presidential running mate, balancing his ticket with an older congressional veteran well-versed in foreign and defence issues.

Biden brings the Democratic ticket immediate gravitas on issues ranging from the war in Iraq to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Georgia.

Harare  - Newly elected legislators of the Movement for Democratic Change, the main party opposing President Robert Mugabe's ZANU(PF), will attend the controversial opening of Zimbabwe's new parliament next week, a spokesman said Friday.

"We are gathering on Sunday and we will get sworn in on Monday at 10 am," said Eddie Cross, an MDC member of parliament from the western city of Bulawayo.

"Then at the first sitting on Monday afternoon, we will vote in a new speaker," Cross said.

Washington  - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will travel to Israel and the West Bank on Sunday for discussions aimed at nudging along the peace process, the State Department said.

Rice is still seeking a peace agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians by the end of the year that includes the creation of a Palestinian state, spokesman Sean McCormack said Friday.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed to a US-hosted Middle East conference in November to complete negotiations on an accord by the end of 2008.