Fiji’s military leader today asked his countrymen to accept that his regime has executive control of the nation, and said there is no going back to the corruption of the past.

Fiji’s ousted prime minister today said the South Pacific country was sliding toward “the worst kind of dictatorship”, and offered to hold talks with the military regime to find a way to restore democracy as quickly as possible.

The Fijian prime minister ousted by a coup will return to Suva early next week despite the risk of arrest, his spokesman said today.

Promised elections to restore democracy to Fiji after this week’s coup could be more than two years away, the military-installed prime minister said today.

Fiji’s military ruler declared a state of emergency today, one day after seizing power, the country’s media has reported.

Fiji was facing the prospect of suspension from the Commonwealth today after a military coup was staged in the South Pacific island.

The military coup in Fiji today has “raped our constitution” and will send the south Pacific country’s tourist-dependent economy crashing, the ousted prime minister said.

Fiji’s military commander said today he has taken control of the country from the elected government.

Troops entered at least two police compounds in Fiji and grabbed weapons today in the apparent first step towards seizing control of the south Pacific country.

Troops stayed in their barracks as a threatened coup deadline in Fiji passed on Friday, with the country’s defiant military commander enjoying a day at a sporting event while the prime minister left the capital and went into hiding.

FIJI’S prime minister clashed with the military on the eve of a racially charged election in the unstable South Pacific nation after the armed forces chief urged his troops yesterday not to vote for the government.

Democracy has returned to Fiji's parliament for the first time since armed nationalists stormed its debating chamber 16 months ago.

The caretaker prime minister of Fiji is to be sworn in as the democratically elected prime minister.

Fiji coup leader George Speight won election to the Pacific nation’s Parliament today, 16 months after he overthrew its democratically elected government.