Maldives: Leader gives coalition ultimatum

The new leader of the Maldives gave the ex-President's party four days from yesterday to decide whether to join a coalition government, hoping the move would end long-standing political divisions.

The nation has been in turmoil since the then-President Mohamed Nasheed ordered the arrest of a top judge last month and began losing support from security forces. He was replaced by the former Vice-President Mohamed Waheed Hassan, who is forming a coalition government to stabilise the country ahead of elections due next year.