Moscow - Three liberal parties currently not represented in the Russian parliament (Duma) have decided to join forces under the new party name "Just Cause," Russia media reported Saturday.

The parties - the Union of Just Forces (SPS), the Democratic party and the Citizens' Force - announced on Saturday in Moscow that they would be disbanding and forming a unit to contest March 2009 parliamentary elections, former SPS deputy chairman Leonid Gosman was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.

Erfurt, Germany - Germany's Green Party on Saturday elected Cem Oezdemir as one of its co-leaders, the first time one of Germany's major parties has elevated a child of Turkish immigrants to such a high position.

Oezdemir received 79.2 per cent of the vote at a party congress. He will co-lead the party with incumbent Claudia Roth, who was re- elected with 82.7 per cent of the vote. The Greens traditionally have two leaders, one male, one female.

Three top VHP leaders of Gujarat were grilled by Gandhnagar police for sending defamatory mobile messages in the name of Chief Minister Narendra Modi and his government.

They are State general secretary Kaushik Mehta, Rajesh Shastri and Jagdish Dwivedi. They were grilled for over three hours.

Ashwin Patel is already in police custody. He was arrested on October 27. Police investigations revealed that the messages were sent from his mobile number.

"It was an attempt by the Modi government to harass the VHP leaders and humiliate Hindus," said Mehta after appearing before the police.

But the police denied such allegations saying that there was no question of anyone being harassed.