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.

SYRIA’S army stormed another two towns yesterday in pursuit of anti-regime protesters, activists said, in defiance of Western calls for action after a “chilling” UN Security Council briefing.

An adviser to Mahmoud Abbas said today that the Palestinian president sees no need to quit indirect Middle East peace talks over Israel’s assault on a Gaza-bound humanitarian aid ship.