Culture

‘Hahdhu’ film touches upon controversial issues in the Maldives

Flogging. Pre-marital sex. Suicide. Maverick film-maker Abdul Faththaah’s latest flick touches on taboo subjects in the Maldives.

Almost 100 expats detained for screening

Short films aim for big change

Maldivian-made films on mental health, gender equality and plastic pollution will debut on social media Wednesday following a joint project between a United Nations body and telecoms firm Dhiraagu.

Final flat winners list made public despite ongoing corruption probe

The housing minister on Wednesday defended a decision to publish an anonymous list of flat winners as a corruption probe continued into the social housing scheme and despite thousands of people complaining about its lack of transparency.

Fire destroys Bileyfahi powerhouse

The powerhouse on the northern island of Bileyfahi in Shaviyani atoll has been completely destroyed by a fire that broke out late Saturday night.

Concrete structure completed for 25-storey hospital tower

Housing minister defends anonymised flat winners list

Muiz denied allegations that applicants of the government’s social housing programme were phoned by the first lady’s campaign office to check their political allegiance.

New tobacco rules to introduce graphic warnings, ban sale of single sticks

The sale of single sticks of cigarettes needs to be banned because “it is a tactic mainly used to lure children and young adolescents into smoking,” said Dr Aishath Aroona, vice chair of the Tobacco Control Board.

Port worker burned after accidental explosion

A port worker was severely burned and two others injured when an oil barrel exploded Tuesday morning near the welding workshop at the Maldives Ports Limited’s commercial harbour in Malé.

Anonymised flat winners list prompts anti-corruption probe

The anti-corruption watchdog launched a probe after an anonymised list of 661 flat winners caused an uproar from unsuccessful applicants of the government housing programme.

‘Maldives with Rohingya’: Raajje TV raises MVR4m for refugees

Several groups have been organising fundraising activities amidst an outpouring of sympathy for the fellow Sunni Muslims.

Maldives conferred WHO Excellence in Public Health award

The Maldives became the first member state of the WHO Southeast Asia region to be verified malaria-free in 2015 and went on to eliminate lymphatic filariasis and measles during the past two years.

Amitabh Bachchan cancels visit to attend WHO meeting in Maldives

The cancellation comes after a social media campaign launched by MP Ahmed Mahloof, the spokesman for the four-party opposition coalition, urging the legendary actor to boycott the Maldives in protest against the deteriorating human rights situation.

Disgruntled flat winners told to secure housing loans by October 15

Some flat winners are unhappy with what they call “a forced entry into a ruinous loan scheme” after the central bank devised an affordable housing loan scheme to help pay for flats built in Malé by a subsidiary of India’s Tata Group.

Inmate dies in Maafushi jail

A 32-year-old inmate at the high-security Maafushi prison died around 7:50 am Thursday morning while undergoing treatment at the island’s medical centre.

Sultan Park revamped and reopened as ‘Rasrani Bageecha’

The government has meanwhile drawn criticism after announcing that expatriates must pay an entrance fee to visit the new park.

Rilwan and Yameen’s relatives fired for joining protest march

The nephew of missing journalist Ahmed Rilwan and sister of murdered blogger Yameen Rasheed were sacked on Monday for joining a protest march to mark three years after the former was abducted at knifepoint.

Two expats caught after escape from detention centre

The pair was among five Bangladeshi men who broke out of the expat detention centre after tearing through a tin fence.

Teacher sacked for wearing niqab

A primary school teacher on the island of Mathiveri in Alif Alif atoll was sacked on Thursday for refusing to take off her niqab, or full-face veil, in compliance with a controversial civil service dress code.

Police crack down on march for abducted journalist

The police cracked down Tuesday afternoon on a march led by the family of abducted journalist Ahmed Rilwan, snatching banners and placards and arresting nine people.