The new president of the Maldives today called for the formation of a national unity government as police and soldiers kept watch over his predecessor at an undisclosed location.

The first democratically-elected president of the Maldives has resigned and been replaced by his vice president after the police and army clashed in the streets amid protests over the arrest of a top judge.

The first democratically-elected president of the Maldives has resigned and been replaced by his vice president after the police and army clashed in the streets amid protests over the arrest of a top judge.

Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed has resigned following weeks of public protests over his controversial order to arrest a senior judge.

THE Maldives’ newly elected president said in an interview yesterday that his government would begin saving to buy a new homeland in case global warming caused the country to disappear into the sea.

A former political prisoner won the Maldives’ first democratic presidential election today, defeating long-time ruler President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and sending euphoric opposition supporters pouring into the streets.

The Maldives are to hold elections for their 42 seat parliament tomorrow, three weeks after they were postponed when the tsunami devastated the Indian Ocean islands.