Maldives declares state of emergency

President of Indian Ocean island gives sweeping powers to security forces ahead of opposition protest rallyThe Maldives President, Abdulla Yameen, has declared a state of emergency, giving sweeping powers to security forces to arrest suspects before a major anti-government protest rally, his spokesman said. The move came two days ahead of a planned protest by the main opposition Maldivian Democratic party (MDP), whose leader, Mohamed Nasheed, is in jail after a widely criticised conviction under