Maldives News
Environment agency under fire for approving plan to blast reefs
The EPA approved reef blasting between the islands of Meedhoo and Ismahelahera in Addu Atoll on November 9, after it came under pressure from the government, according to informed sources.
14 Nov 2016, 09:00
Infant who died in state care had a broken arm
An informed source told the Maldives Independent on the condition of anonymity that the infant had “a broken arm which was not treated” before he died. “It was apparent from the scans that the injury was days old,” the source said.
14 Nov 2016, 09:00
Stabbing victim in critical condition
An 18-year-old man stabbed Sunday night amid a recent spike in violent assaults in the capital is in critical condition. The police have arrested 20 suspects and impounded three vehicles.
14 Nov 2016, 09:00
IPU slams MP’s conviction, calls for transfer to house arrest
Expressing concern about “the severity of the sentence” handed to the Independent MP, the international organisation of parliaments said it “fails to understand the justification for his conviction and sentence.”
13 Nov 2016, 09:00
Gasim denies role in no-confidence motion against speaker
“Neither JP nor I are working to remove Speaker Maseeh. I refute MP Ahmed Nihan’s claims,” Gasim said in a tweet.
13 Nov 2016, 09:00
Parliament denies RTI request for list of MPs who declared assets
Refusing to disclose a list of MPs who have declared their assets, the parliament secretariat cited discretion under the landmark Freedom of Information Act to deny requests “where the information is concerning the personal affairs of a third person.”
13 Nov 2016, 09:00
PPM MPs want to exempt Maldivians from paying new airport fee
A minister told the parliament’s budget review committee Thursday that the government did not plan to exempt Maldivians from paying the proposed US$25 Airport Development Charge.
11 Nov 2016, 09:00
Yameen praises Trump’s non-intervention foreign policy
“If [Trump] acts in accordance with this policy, the world will become much more peaceful than at present,” Yameen said. “Otherwise what we have seen so far is that some powerful imperialist has some kind of interest in anything that happens anywhere in the world.”
10 Nov 2016, 09:00
More MPs abandon Gayoom, return to Yameen’s fold
Two MPs have abandoned the Gayoom faction and returned to Yameen’s fold, just a day after condemning the president for cracking down on his opponents’ businesses.
10 Nov 2016, 09:00
Gayoom launches fresh legal bid to retake ruling party
Gayoom is petitioning the civil court asking it to invalidate Yameen’s usurpation of the authority of the party’s elected leader.
10 Nov 2016, 09:00
Supreme court lifts suspension of lawyer who represented Gayoom
Suood was suspended for and warned over flouting the apex court’s orders and challenging the judiciary’s authority in a series of tweets, the DJA said, adding that his license is to be reinstated Thursday. Suood has been advised not to repeat the offence, and told that his license would be reinstated Thursday, the DJA said.
09 Nov 2016, 09:00
Corruption alleged in the awarding of school contract
The anti-graft watchdog has launched an investigation into the education ministry’s awarding of a contract to manage a school to a company partly owned by the wives of two prominent judges
09 Nov 2016, 09:00
Third man in custody dies while awaiting trial
Hussain Zareer, 28 years, reportedly died in Malé at 4:40am on Tuesday, nearly 24 hours after he was brought to the capital city from Maafushi Jail for medical care,
08 Nov 2016, 09:00
Under pressure: Yameen accused of targeting business owned by MPs loyal to Gayoom
Yameen is being accused of cracking down on businesses owned by lawmakers loyal to his half-brother, following a renewed bid by the government to seize properties from Gasim’s Villa Group and Saleem’s Red Wave company, and the cancellation of a lucrative contract awarded to a third lawmaker.
08 Nov 2016, 09:00
New airport fees and ‘congestion tax’ among revenue-raising measures for 2017
A US$25 airport development charge, a “congestion tax” and increased import duties for tobacco and fizzy drinks are among a raft of revenue-raising measures proposed in the 2017 state budget
08 Nov 2016, 09:00
Finance minister presents MVR26.7bn budget for 2017
Along with an ambitious infrastructure scale-up, the finance minister said the budget is geared towards bringing the Maldives’ growing debt on a sustainable footing
08 Nov 2016, 09:00
Gayoom’s office raided over ‘missing’ ruling party documents
The police raided the PPM’s old office after Yameen’s faction filed a complaint alleging that hard drives from five computers, the party’s membership database, and additional documents had gone missing.
07 Nov 2016, 09:00
Ex-vice president’s lawyers withdraw from weapons trial in protest
Lawyers accused the criminal court of depriving ex-Vice President Adeeb and ex-Colonel Ahmed Fayaz ‘Papa’ of the constitutional right to have adequate time and facilities to prepare and mount a defence.
07 Nov 2016, 09:00
Prison break foiled at police custodial island
A group of detainees broke out of their cells at the police custodial facility on the island of Dhoonidhoo around 3am Monday morning but were caught before they could escape.
07 Nov 2016, 09:00
MDP elects candidates for local council elections
The MDP is the only party to have conducted primaries so far ahead of the local council elections scheduled for January 14. The elections commission today extended the deadline for accepting candidacy papers from November 15 to December 1.
06 Nov 2016, 09:00
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