Former Philippines President arrested in hospital

The former Philippines President Gloria Arroyo was arrested in her hospital room on electoral fraud charges yesterday after a high-profile legal battle in which she sought to leave the country to receive treatment for a bone ailment.

Ms Arroyo denies wrongdoing and has accused the government of political persecution. Her lawyer said the government had filed fabricated charges with "indecent haste".

The Supreme Court had upheld her right to travel, but a lower court where the formal charges were filed later issued an arrest warrant.