Maldives News
State fisheries and trading companies merged
President Abdulla Yameen has decided to bring the debt-ridden and loss-making state-owned Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company under the umbrella of the behemoth State Trading Organisation.
01 Oct 2016, 09:00
Two tourists test positive for Zika after visiting Maldives
“The cases were linked to travels to Maldivian in February and June this year. Therefore, [the World Health Organisation] has classified Maldives as category 2, indicating possible endemic transmission in the country,” the Health Protection Agency said.
01 Oct 2016, 09:00
Indian university to counter terrorism in the Maldives
The agreement with the Punjab- based Lovely International Trust aims to “build individuals who can counter terrorism” and improve the skills of defence ministry officials, the defence minister said.
01 Oct 2016, 09:00
Government hikes food and electricity prices
Shops across the Maldives reported running out of food staples on Friday as customers rushed to buy rice, flour and sugar following an abrupt announcement by the government that it plans to cut food subsidies starting on Saturday
30 Sep 2016, 09:00
Government hopes to begin direct talks with opposition by mid October
The government is open to discussing the release of opposition leaders and has agreed to an opposition demand for mediation by the United Nations, the fisheries minister said.
29 Sep 2016, 09:00
Government resigned to missing target of 1.5m tourist arrivals
Tourism Minister Zameer blamed the opposition’s alleged scaremongering about religious extremism in the Maldives for lower than anticipated arrivals growth. Bad press in international media about Maldivian jihadis in Syria was more damaging that an Al Jazeera corruption expose aired earlier this month, he said.
28 Sep 2016, 09:00
Witnesses testify in trial of Raajje TV journalists
The criminal court heard both prosecution and defence witnesses Tuesday night in the trial of opposition-aligned Raajje TV journalists Mohamed Wisam and Leevan Ali Naseer on charges of obstructing police officers.
28 Sep 2016, 09:00
Commonwealth envoy warned of ‘severe democracy deficit’ in Maldives
“The long-term detention of political leaders has eroded the government and the judiciary’s legitimacy. The inability of political leaders to participate in political life could prevent a credible presidential election in 2018,” reads Dr Willy Mutunga’s briefing note to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group.
28 Sep 2016, 09:00
Head of state utility corporation replaced with former MP
The dismissal of Fenaka Corporation’s Managing Director Mohamed Nimal comes weeks after a US$1 million corruption scandal surfaced in local media. The state utility company has reportedly been unable to recover MVR17 million released to a local company to purchase dollars.
27 Sep 2016, 09:00
Raajje TV admits allegations of fraud against tax commissioner was a mistake
Raajje TV said it made a mistake by publishing allegations of fraud against the tax commissioner, Mohamed Yazeed, who has sued the station for defamation over the report
27 Sep 2016, 09:00
MDP decides to join all-party talks
The MDP’s national council decided to heed the Commonwealth’s call for time-bound dialogue without preconditions “to achieve national agreement on institutional reform, and to ensure a conducive environment for credible and inclusive presidential elections in 2018.”
27 Sep 2016, 09:00
EC promises to release political party funds ahead of January’s polls
“We are trying to distribute the funds as soon as possible. It will be given before the preparations for local council elections begin for sure,” EC member Ahmed Akram told The Maldives Independent today. “All that’s remaining now is the administrative procedures to distribute the money.”
27 Sep 2016, 09:00
Minister departs for final round of China-Maldives free trade deal
Economic Development Minister Saeed said the Maldives is hoping to secure duty-free status for fish and processed seafood exports. The Maldives’ first bilateral free trade deal is expected to be signed in early 2017.
26 Sep 2016, 09:00
After Commonwealth warning, government renews call for dialogue
On Sunday, the government asked the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party and the Adhaalath Party to send details of its representatives for all-party talks “as they were the only parties who have not yet done so despite several previous requests.”
26 Sep 2016, 09:00
Saudi Fund lends Maldives US$100m for new airport terminal
“This is a concessional loan from the Saudi Fund to be repaid within 25 years, with a grace period of five years, at an interest rate of two percent,” the finance ministry said. It will be used to finance the development of a new passenger terminal by the Saudi Binladin group.
26 Sep 2016, 09:00
Man sentenced to death over murder of student
Mohamed Visam was found guilty of stabbing 16-year-old Mohamed Arham with a knife in May 2012. The verdict was based on eyewitness testimony
26 Sep 2016, 09:00
Murder suspect hands himself in to Colombo embassy
A 20-year-old man wanted over a fatal stabbing in Malé gave himself up to the authorities by walking into the Maldivian embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Saturday.
26 Sep 2016, 09:00
Ridicule and relief after president mistakenly proclaims island uninhabited
A decree issued on Thursday declaring Mundoo as uninhabited was rescinded later that night with the president’s office blaming incorrect information from the department of national registration and apologising to the island’s small population.
25 Sep 2016, 09:00
Government announces austerity measures to rein in deficit
The finance ministry has slashed travel budgets, imposed a freeze on appointments, and ordered government offices to close by 2:30pm as it struggles to meet ambitious revenue targets.
25 Sep 2016, 09:00
Fuvahmulah declared Maldives’ third city
As Fuvahmulah is uniquely both an island and its own atoll, it currently has an atoll council as well as island councils for each of its eight administrative wards, with a total of 30 elected councillors. However, the island will now have a three-member city council.
25 Sep 2016, 09:00
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