The Wire

Reports have come through this afternoon that East Timor’s embattled Prime Minister, Mari Alkatiri has resigned, in a move that observers hope will end the political deadlock in the world’s youngest nation. The move followed a bout of political brinkmanship ? last week President Xanana Gusmao threatened to resign if Alkatiri didn’t. Then on Sunday Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta did resign, because of Alkatiri’s failure to step down. So does this spell the end the political and security crisis that has claimed the lives of at least 30 people and left 150,000 people displaced on the tiny island nation.