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.

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.

About 40 prisoners escaped from a jail in East Timor today, officials said, adding to security concerns in the tiny nation as it prepares for elections following political turmoil and violence last year.

East Timor’s international airport was closed today after a man was shot dead during clashes between rival gangs.

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.

Irish aid agency Concern today welcomed the appointment of a former Nobel Peace Prize winner as the new prime minister of East Timor.

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.

Thousands of supporters of East Timor’s ousted prime minister rallied in the capital today amid a massive security lockdown by foreign peacekeepers.

Hundreds of protesters today descended on East Timor’s capital to rally behind the ousted prime minister, triggering fears of more unrest as the president said early elections were the only way out of the country’s crisis.

Gangs hurled rocks at a camp housing refugees and torched buildings in East Timor’s capital today, as fresh violence erupted between supporters and opponents of former prime minister Mari Alkatiri.

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 leaders were trying to decide on a new prime minister today following the resignation of Mari Alkatiri, raising hopes for an end to months of political paralysis and violence in Asia’s newest nation.

East Timor’s prime minister resigned today, setting off celebrations in the violence-scarred capital and raising hopes for an end to the political crisis gripping the nation.

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 yesterday, 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 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.

East Timor prime minister Mari Alkatiri will likely resign, his spokesman said today.

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.

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.

An East Timor rebel leader today said he was willing to hold talks on ending the troubled country’s wave of violence, but made clear that any solution should not include a role for the current prime minister.

GANGS continued to attack homes in East Timor’s capital yesterday despite patrols by foreign peacekeepers and a pledge that parliament would meet this week to address the unrest.

The fired army commander whose rebellion triggered the collapse of security in East Timor today demanded that the prime minister resign and be put on trial.

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.

INDEPENDENCE hero and former guerrilla fighter President Xanana Gusmao yesterday urged warring factions to end the violence ripping through East Timor’s capital.

Tens of thousands of East Timorese fled their burning capital, Dili, or sought refuge in churches, embassies and at the airport today as gangs terrorised neighbourhoods virtually at will. Foreign peacekeepers dispersed some militants, who quickly regrouped.

Hundreds of UN employees were evacuated from East Timor today as rival gangs roamed the streets, torching homes and battling with machetes in defiance of foreign peacekeepers sent to quell violence that has plunged the fledgling country into chaos.

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.

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 ousted prime minister failed to appear yesterday for questioning over gunrunning charges that contributed to his downfall, saying he was immune from prosecution.

THE next pope will have a hard act to follow in Asia and the Middle East, where Muslims, Jews, Hindus and Buddhists alike mourned the loss of a man they saw as a messenger of peace and tolerance.

Foreigners fled East Timor today as security forces in the capital Dili fired warning shots in new clashes with students.

East Timor has declared a state of emergency after police shot and killed at least two student protesters.