Protesters demanding the immediate resignation of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/maltas-ruling-party-lawmakers-back-embattled-prime-minister-265622">Malta's prime minister</a> blocked an entrance to his office on Monday, the latest demonstrations over his handling of a journalist's murder.&nbsp;

The sit-in outside the side entrance of the offices of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat began shortly after 7:00 am&nbsp;and involved about 30 protesters.&nbsp;

Activists sat on the ground, shouting and banging on drums and blowing whistles. It was not clear whether Muscat was in his offices at the time.&nbsp;

At one point, journalists covering the sit-in were forced out of the passageway and protesters were locked inside by soldiers. They later exited the passageway, joining other protesters outside the building.

Muscat announced earlier this month that he will resign in January, responding to a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rattled-by-journalist-murder-probe-maltas-ruling-party-meets-to-decide-pms-future-265579">wave of mass protests</a> over a much-criticised probe into the 2017 murder of journalist and blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia.

The investigation, which is ongoing, has also led to the resignations of Muscat's chief of staff and tourism minister.

Caruana Galizia was killed by a car bomb in October 2017 after exposing corruption on the Mediterranean island that implicated top government officials. Her family has accused Muscat of protecting those involved in her murder. &nbsp;

Protesters demanding the immediate resignation of Malta's prime minister blocked an entrance to his office on Monday, the latest demonstrations over his handling of a journalist's murder.

Protesters demanding the immediate resignation of Malta's prime minister blocked an entrance to his office on Monday, the latest demonstrations over his handling of a journalist's murder. The sit-in outside the side entrance of the offices of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat began shortly after 7:00 am and involved about 30 protesters. Activists sat on the ground, shouting and banging on drums and blowing whistles. It was not clear whether Muscat was in his offices at the time. At one point, journalists covering the sit-in were forced out of the passageway and protesters were locked inside by soldiers. They later exited the passageway, joining other protesters outside the building. Muscat announced earlier this month that he will resign in January, responding to a wave of mass protests over a much-criticised probe into the 2017 murder of journalist and blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia. The investigation, which is ongoing, has also led to the resignations of Muscat's chief of staff and tourism minister. Caruana Galizia was killed by a car bomb in October 2017 after exposing corruption on the Mediterranean island that implicated top government officials. Her family has accused Muscat of protecting those involved in her murder.

Malta protesters block entry to prime minister's office

A fire broke out on the sixth floor of the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's office on Monday.

Evacuation from the Prime Minister's office is underway, reported Geo TV.

The Prime Minister was holding a meeting inside the building when the fire broke out. Quoting sources, Geo TV reported that Imran Khan continued with his meeting despite the fire.

When the Prime Minister was informed again about the fire, he asked the staff to be evacuated first. The rescue teams on the spot are working on extinguishing the fire.

Further details are awaited.&nbsp;

A fire broke out on the sixth floor of the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's office on Monday. Evacuation from the Prime Minister's office is underway, reported Geo TV.

A fire broke out on the sixth floor of the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's office on Monday. Evacuation from the Prime Minister's office is underway, reported Geo TV. The Prime Minister was holding a meeting inside the building when the fire broke out. Quoting sources, Geo TV reported that Imran Khan continued with his meeting despite the fire. When the Prime Minister was informed again about the fire, he asked the staff to be evacuated first. The rescue teams on the spot are working on extinguishing the fire. Further details are awaited.

Pakistan: Fire breaks out at PM Imran Khan's office

The exiled former president of the Maldives said today he will run again for office, hours after a surprise Supreme Court decision to free a group of political prisoners led to unrest in the capital of the Indian Ocean archipelago.

Current President Yameen Abdul Gayoom had been set to run for re-election virtually unopposed, with all of his opponents either jailed or exiled. But ex-President Mohammed Nasheed, who is among the prisoners ordered freed, said he would challenge Yameen, who has rolled back many democratic reforms since coming to power five years ago.

&quot;I can contest and I will contest and hopefully we will win it again,&quot; Nasheed told the AP in Colombo, the capital of neighbouring Sri Lanka.

Nasheed was jailed in 2016 but received asylum in Britain later that year after travelling there on medical leave from prison. He has lived in exile ever since.

Nasheed also called for reforms in the country&#39;s security services, telling the AP that &quot;a small element within the military and police want to prop up the dictatorship&quot; of Yameen.

Male, the capital, was quiet today afternoon, although an opposition leader said Yameen&#39;s opponents were planning further protests.

The Supreme Court of Maldives ordered the release of former president Mohamed Nasheed and former vice president Ahmed Adeeb along with other politicians.

The court ordered the immediate release of high-profile prisoners and held that &quot;the prisoners were free until fair trials could be conducted without undue influence&quot;, a statement said.

The order given Thursday night could be a major blow to President Yameen Abdul Gayoom who has a tight grip on power, controlling institutions like the judiciary, police and the bureaucracy, Fox News reported.

The clashes lasted about three hours, with police dispersing rock-throwing crowds using pepper spray and batons. At least one injured police officer was taken to a hospital. It was not immediately clear if anyone was arrested, though some protesters were taken away by police.

Atul Keshap, the US ambassador to the Maldives, welcomed the Supreme Court order. &quot;I urge the government and security services to respect this ruling, which bolsters democracy and rule of law for all Maldivians,&quot; he wrote on Twitter.

India, on Friday, said it was imperative for &quot;all organs&quot; of the Maldivian government to abide by the country&#39;s Supreme Court order to release all political prisoners &quot;in the spirit of democracy&quot;.

In a statement, the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/imperative-for-maldivian-govt-to-abide-by-sc-ruling-india-31617">Ministry of External Affairs</a> (MEA) said it was &quot;closely monitoring&quot; the evolving situation in the Maldives and also hoped that the safety and security of Indian expatriates in the island nation would be ensured by the Maldivian authorities under &quot;all circumstances&quot;.

In 2015 Nasheed was sentenced to 13 years in prison, convicted of terrorism charges in a trial widely condemned by international rights groups.

Yameen&#39;s former deputy, Ahmed Adeeb, who had been jailed on accusations of plotting to kill the president, was also ordered released.

Adeeb was sentenced to 33 years in prison in 2016, charged with corruption, possession of illegal firearms and planning to kill Yameen by triggering an explosion on his speedboat. However, FBI investigators said they found no evidence of a bomb blast.&nbsp;

(With PTI inputs)

Current President Yameen Abdul Gayoom had been set to run for re-election virtually unopposed, with all of his opponents either jailed or exiled

The exiled former president of the Maldives said today he will run again for office, hours after a surprise Supreme Court decision to free a group of political prisoners led to unrest in the capital of the Indian Ocean archipelago. Current President Yameen Abdul Gayoom had been set to run for re-election virtually unopposed, with all of his opponents either jailed or exiled. But ex-President Mohammed Nasheed, who is among the prisoners ordered freed, said he would challenge Yameen, who has rolled back many democratic reforms since coming to power five years ago. "I can contest and I will contest and hopefully we will win it again," Nasheed told the AP in Colombo, the capital of neighbouring Sri Lanka. Nasheed was jailed in 2016 but received asylum in Britain later that year after travelling there on medical leave from prison. He has lived in exile ever since. Nasheed also called for reforms in the country's security services, telling the AP that "a small element within the military and police want to prop up the dictatorship" of Yameen. Male, the capital, was quiet today afternoon, although an opposition leader said Yameen's opponents were planning further protests. The Supreme Court of Maldives ordered the release of former president Mohamed Nasheed and former vice president Ahmed Adeeb along with other politicians. The court ordered the immediate release of high-profile prisoners and held that "the prisoners were free until fair trials could be conducted without undue influence", a statement said. The order given Thursday night could be a major blow to President Yameen Abdul Gayoom who has a tight grip on power, controlling institutions like the judiciary, police and the bureaucracy, Fox News reported. The clashes lasted about three hours, with police dispersing rock-throwing crowds using pepper spray and batons. At least one injured police officer was taken to a hospital. It was not immediately clear if anyone was arrested, though some protesters were taken away by police. Atul Keshap, the US ambassador to the Maldives, welcomed the Supreme Court order. "I urge the government and security services to respect this ruling, which bolsters democracy and rule of law for all Maldivians," he wrote on Twitter. India, on Friday, said it was imperative for "all organs" of the Maldivian government to abide by the country's Supreme Court order to release all political prisoners "in the spirit of democracy". In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it was "closely monitoring" the evolving situation in the Maldives and also hoped that the safety and security of Indian expatriates in the island nation would be ensured by the Maldivian authorities under "all circumstances". In 2015 Nasheed was sentenced to 13 years in prison, convicted of terrorism charges in a trial widely condemned by international rights groups. Yameen's former deputy, Ahmed Adeeb, who had been jailed on accusations of plotting to kill the president, was also ordered released. Adeeb was sentenced to 33 years in prison in 2016, charged with corruption, possession of illegal firearms and planning to kill Yameen by triggering an explosion on his speedboat. However, FBI investigators said they found no evidence of a bomb blast. (With PTI inputs)

Maldives: Exiled ex-president to run for office again

Actor Mark Salling, who had a supporting role as a high school athlete-turned-singer in the TV series &quot;Glee,&quot; was indicted on Friday on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography, officials said.

The 33-year-old Salling agreed to turn himself in on June 3 to face the charges filed in federal court in Los Angeles, the U.S. Attorney&#39;s Office for the region said in a statement.

Representatives for Salling, a Los Angeles resident, and his attorney, did not immediately return calls.

The federal charges against the Texas-born Salling for receipt and possession of child pornography stem from his arrest by Los Angeles police and federal agents on Dec. 29, 2015. He was released on bail of $20,000 and was initially expected to be charged in Los Angeles County court.

But after investigators realized the &quot;scope of the collection&quot; of child porn they had uncovered, the case was handed over to federal prosecutors, the U.S. Attorney&#39;s Office said.

&quot;The traditional stereotype about the kinds of people who commit child sexual exploitation crimes simply doesn&#39;t dovetail with reality,&quot; Joseph Macias, a special agent in charge for the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement on the filing of the charges.

Macias added that child pornography suspects can be of &quot;all ages and from all walks of life.&quot;

Salling&#39;s arrest came after investigators received a tip that he was in possession of child porn, Los Angeles police said in a statement at the time.

A laptop, a hard drive and a mobile flash drive from Salling&#39;s home contained thousands of images and videos of child pornography, and investigators continue to review the material, federal prosecutors said.

In the meantime, the charges against the actor center on a still image and three videos of child pornography depicting young girls, the statement said. The two charges each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

Salling on the Fox television show &quot;Glee,&quot; which ran from 2009 to 2015, played Puck, a bully and a football player who shows a softer side when he joins the glee club at his high school.

Before that show, Salling had a number of smaller roles, including a part in 1996 horror film &quot;Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering.&quot;

Actor Mark Salling, who had a supporting role as a high school athlete-turned-singer in the TV series "Glee," was indicted on Friday on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography, officials said. The 33-year-old Salling agreed to turn himself in on June 3 to face the charges filed in federal court in Los Angeles, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the region said in a statement.

Actor Mark Salling, who had a supporting role as a high school athlete-turned-singer in the TV series "Glee," was indicted on Friday on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography, officials said. The 33-year-old Salling agreed to turn himself in on June 3 to face the charges filed in federal court in Los Angeles, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the region said in a statement. Representatives for Salling, a Los Angeles resident, and his attorney, did not immediately return calls. The federal charges against the Texas-born Salling for receipt and possession of child pornography stem from his arrest by Los Angeles police and federal agents on Dec. 29, 2015. He was released on bail of $20,000 and was initially expected to be charged in Los Angeles County court. But after investigators realized the "scope of the collection" of child porn they had uncovered, the case was handed over to federal prosecutors, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. "The traditional stereotype about the kinds of people who commit child sexual exploitation crimes simply doesn't dovetail with reality," Joseph Macias, a special agent in charge for the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement on the filing of the charges. Macias added that child pornography suspects can be of "all ages and from all walks of life." Salling's arrest came after investigators received a tip that he was in possession of child porn, Los Angeles police said in a statement at the time. A laptop, a hard drive and a mobile flash drive from Salling's home contained thousands of images and videos of child pornography, and investigators continue to review the material, federal prosecutors said. In the meantime, the charges against the actor center on a still image and three videos of child pornography depicting young girls, the statement said. The two charges each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Salling on the Fox television show "Glee," which ran from 2009 to 2015, played Puck, a bully and a football player who shows a softer side when he joins the glee club at his high school. Before that show, Salling had a number of smaller roles, including a part in 1996 horror film "Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering."

'Glee' star Mark Salling indicted on federal child porn charges

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