Bangkok  - A new Thai coalition government under the former opposition Democrat party took a step closer to reality Sunday when its chief rival acknowledged it had failed to set up a coalition.

Deputy House Speaker Apiwan Wiriyachai, a leader of the Puea Thai Party, admitted that it was preparing to become the opposition.

The Democrat party announced Saturday night that it had mustered enough support from the "Friends of Newin" breakaway faction from the Puea Thai and its former allies the Chart Thai, Matchiamathipataya, Puea Paendin and Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana parties to form a new coalition government.

After missing the post of Chief Minister, the suspended Congressman Narayan Rane on Saturday said he would topple the government if "provoked".

"If I wish, I can prevent the new government from taking charge or topple it when it is formed. It is not in a majority and I can prove it on the floor of the house, even if the opposition does not seek a trust vote," Rane said.

Rane was suspended from Congress after his outburst against the party chief Sonia Gandhi.

Welcoming his suspension, Rane termed it as a good omen. "In 1997, Vilasrao Deshmukh was suspended from the party for six years and in 1999 he became the chief minister," he said.

London/Johannesburg - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Saturday called for "international" action to remove Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe as the southern Africa nation sank further into political and social crisis.

The British premier said the international community had to show Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since its independence 28 years ago, that "enough is enough."

In light of the cholera outbreak in the country as well as the ongoing economic and political crisis, the situation in Zimbabwe was no longer a national emergency for Zimbabwe but an international one, Brown said.

Cholera in Zimbabwe has claimed close to 600 lives since its outbreak in August due to a breakdown of the countries infrastructure.

In a significant move, the CPM formed an alliance with the All India Anna DMK (AIADMK) in Tamil Nadu on Saturday for the coming Lok Sabha elections.

After two days of marathon deliberations at the State Committee Meeting here, CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat called on AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa at her Poes Garden Residence yesterday afternoon and announced the alliance.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of slain President John F. Kennedy, may succeed Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton in the U. S. Senate, sources say.

Citing a source identified only as a "Democrat who would know," ABC News reported Friday that New York Gov. David Paterson has spoken with Caroline Kennedy about replacing Clinton in the Senate seat that her uncle, Robert Kennedy, held until his assassination in
1968.

The younger Kennedy's uncle, Ted Kennedy, represents Massachusetts in the Senate.

Zagreb  - Demonstrations were held in cities across Croatia on Friday evening to protest the government's newest cost-saving efforts.

Protestors criticized the government cuts for impacting poor people disproportionately and accused the ruling parties and the opposition of mafia contacts. Demonstrators demanded lower food prices and more jobs.