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.

A boy scout saved the president of the Maldives from assassination today when he grabbed an attacker's knife as he was about to strike.

A home-made bomb exploded today outside a crowded city park in the Maldives, wounding at least 12 tourists a government official said tonight.

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.

BRITAIN has criticised a crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in the Maldives which the government has justified by saying the demonstrators were trying to topple President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s regime.