The man who allegedly shot and critically wounded East Timor’s president last month was in custody today after surrendering to police.

TO a sea of Albanian and American flags, Prime Minister Hasim Thaci called the republic of Kosovo into being last Sunday week, setting off a diplomatic firestorm, raising Russian- backed Serbian ire and sparking fears that minority ethnic groups from Spain to China would have a new basis for resistance.

Ireland can play a vital role in resolving global conflicts by sharing experiences of its troubled history, it was claimed today.

Australian troops backed by helicopters today launched a manhunt for suspects in the attacks on East Timor’s top leaders.

East Timor authorities declared a two-day state of emergency today, one day after assassination attempts on the country’s president and prime minister.

The president of East Timor was seriously ill in an Australian hospital today after being shot during a failed coup.

Rebel soldiers shot and badly wounded East Timor's president and opened fire on the prime minister in what was said to be a failed coup in the recently-independent nation.

Australia’s foreign minister today became the highest-level foreign official to visit East Timor since it installed a new government.

Former resistance fighter Xanana Gusmao was sworn in as East Timor’s prime minister today as violence by supporters of the party shut out of the new government entered a third day.

Security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at crowds setting government buildings on fire after independence hero Xanana Gusmao was named as East Timor’s new prime minister, police and witnesses said.

East Timor’s president is due to announce the formation of a new government today, as recently ousted prime minister Mari Alkatiri said he wanted his old job back.

Troubled East Timor today voted for a new president, choosing between a Nobel Prize winner and an ex-freedom fighter in an election critical to maintaining peace a year after the tiny nation was pushed to the brink of civil war.

East Timor began voting today for a new president, a critical step in Asia’s newest nation following violence and political turmoil last year that took it to the brink of civil war.

East Timor goes to the polls tomorrow to pick a new president, with voters in the tiny nation to choose between Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta and an ex-fighter who spent years in the jungle battling Indonesian rule.

East Timor’s presidential elections may require a second round of voting, a top election official said today.

Voters in East Timor lined up today to choose a new president, hoping the election would end bitter political rivalries and widespread poverty threatening the future of Asia’s youngest nation.

Hundreds of young men supporting rival political parties clashed in East Timor’s capital today, the final day of campaigning for next week’s presidential elections.

A UN report into recent violence that wracked East Timor today said former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri ignored evidence that members of his government were arming civilians.

Nobel Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta became East Timor’s new prime minister today, the president said, announcing the formation of a new government following months of violence and political instability.

East Timor’s ruling party will give the country’s president a list of prime ministerial candidates tomorrow – and Nobel prize-winning Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta may be on it, party members said.

A self-proclaimed hit squad leader who says he was contracted to kill political opponents of East Timor’s ousted prime minister Mari Alkatiri today said he would surrender his weapons soon.

East Timor’s ousted prime minister today failed to appear for questioning in relation to gunrunning charges that contributed to his downfall, saying he was immune from prosecution.

East Timor’s president will appoint a caretaker government to replace the Cabinet of the prime minister, whose resignation appeared to ease months of months of unrest in Asia’s newest nation, a senior adviser said today.

East Timor’s embattled prime minister announced his resignation today, triggering celebrations in the violence-scarred capital and raising hopes for an end to weeks of political turmoil and unrest.

East Timor’s president said he would decide whether to resign later today after hearing whether the country’s ruling party had agreed to sack the prime minister.

East Timor’s president backed off a threat to resign today, telling thousands of flag-waving supporters he would not abandon them as the country searched for a solution to weeks of political turmoil and bloody street battles.

East Timor’s president was reconsidering his threat to resign, a Roman Catholic bishop said after meeting the popular leader today, as protesters demanding the resignation took to the streets, raising fears of fresh violence.

East Timor’s president gave his beleaguered prime minister a dismal choice today – resign or be fired – saying he no longer had the trust of the people following weeks of bloody street battles in the capital.

The commander of rebels in a conflict with East Timor’s government said the insurgents would hand over weapons to international peacekeepers today, after being asked to disarm by President Xanana Gusmao.

Children in families that have flocked to tent camps to escape violence in East Timor’s capital face a high risk of malnutrition and disease, health officials warned today, as they kicked off a mass measles vaccination campaign.

THE European Union signed a €18 million aid deal with East Timor’s government yesterday, pledging to support democracy and economic development in the nation which has been torn by violence in recent weeks.

The European Union signed a €18m aid deal with East Timor’s beleaguered government today, pledging to support democracy and economic development in the newly independent nation which has been torn by violence in recent weeks.

The UN should help oversee elections in East Timor and stay involved in the violence-scarred nation for at least a decade, the foreign minister said today, noting that restoring order and building a democracy would take time and money.

A UN-led police force will be deployed in East Timor for at least two years to help restore stability to one of the world’s youngest nations, the country’s foreign minister said today.

About 2,000 protesters calling for the resignation of East Timor’s prime minister cruised around parliament in a convoy of horn-blaring trucks and motorcycles today, hours after mobs set buildings on fire and looted a warehouse filled with farm supplies.

East Timor dumped its defense minister today and the government showed signs of further unravelling, as desperate residents scuffled over scarce food in the capital and looters ransacked the prosecutor’s office of vast numbers of files.

East Timor’s government showed signs of unravelling today, as desperate residents scuffled over scarce food in the capital and looters defied foreign peacekeepers sent to restore order.

HUNDREDS of foreign troops struggled to keep East Timor from tipping into civil war yesterday amid widening violence, including a mob attack that killed six relatives of a government minister and set his house ablaze.

Australian troops won’t be drawn into the conflict in East Timor as they attempt to restore peace and stability to the troubled island nation, the country’s defence chief said today.

International peacekeepers arrived in East Timor’s smouldering capital to restore order as gunbattles beteen renegade troops and government forces threatened to plunge the world’s youngest country into civil war.

Fierce gun battles raged in East Timor’s capital today, killing at least three people and wounding more than a dozen, as international troops headed to the tiny nation to help it quell a rebellion by disgruntled ex-soldiers.

Peacekeepers from Australia and New Zealand were deployed to East Timor today to help restore calm after gun battles between the tiny nation’s military and disgruntled ex-soldiers killed two people and injured nine.

East Timor’s prime minister blamed Indonesia for the death of three suspected militiamen, saying it should have better control over its citizens along the border.

East Timor's president marked the tiny country's third anniversary today with a sombre speech warning that patience and sacrifice are still needed in the face of a moribund economy, stifling poverty and a declining UN presence.