Rebel Soldier Shoots East Timor Prez

A rebel soldier shot East Timor's president today in an attack on his home, the BBC reports. President Jose Ramos-Horta, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, underwent surgery at an Australian army hospital and is expected to live. The president’s guards shot and killed the assailant, Alfredo Reinado, who had vowed to use force against the government.

The fighting began before dawn today when two cars passed the president’s house in the capital city of Dili. Local media also reported an attack on East Timor's prime minister, but said no one was injured. East Timor has been plagued by fierce battles between police and military forces since 2006, when former PM Mari Alkatiri dismissed a third of the armed forces. (More East Timor stories.)