Maldives News
Language Academy introduces hefty fines to protect Dhivehi
Despite introducing fines up to MVR5,000 (US$324), Ashraf Ali, president of the academy, said that the rules are intended to offer incentives for the use of Dhivehi over other languages rather than penalising offenders.
17 Jul 2016, 09:00
Managers suspended after violence at baibalaa tournament
Two managers of rival teams in the annual baibalaa tournament have been suspended after violence broke out at the end of a match last Monday. Footage shows players and supporters of teams BG and Club Teenage running onto the pit and throwing punches at each other.
17 Jul 2016, 09:00
Mother and uncle arrested over rape of minor
According to local media, the girl’s mother repeatedly facilitated the abuse. The alleged rapist was her uncle who lived in Malé and visited the island regularly. Both suspects have been remanded in custody for 15 days.
17 Jul 2016, 09:00
Drugs worth MVR7.5m seized at sea
A large drug haul with an estimated street value of MVR7.5 million (US$486,000) was seized on July 9 from a boat en route to Malé from the Indian port of Tuticorin.
17 Jul 2016, 09:00
Opposition coalition reschedules first rally for July 21
The Maldives United Opposition, launched in London last month by opposition leaders in exile, had planned to hold the rally Thursday night despite the last-minute withdrawal of a permit granted by the housing ministry, but was forced to cancel due to bad weather.
16 Jul 2016, 09:00
An eye for an eye, or save the lives of mankind?
As the state prepares for its first execution in more than half a century, Shahindha Ismail ruminates on the value of forgiveness and mercy in Islam.
16 Jul 2016, 09:00
Maldives enlists top US lobbying firm for US$55,000 a month
Amid mounting foreign pressure and the threat of targeted sanctions, Akin Gump has been employed for six months to assist the government with “outreach and communications with US government officials and media regarding ongoing priorities of the Republic of Maldives.”
15 Jul 2016, 09:00
UK considering ‘exclusion orders’ against Maldives officials
“It is crucial that concrete progress is delivered by CMAG’s September meeting. We are also considering bilateral action, including exclusion orders against senior members of the Government and the judiciary,” Hugo Swire told the House of Commons last week.
15 Jul 2016, 09:00
Government in u-turn cancels permit for opposition rally
Despite the withdrawal of the permit, the MDP has said the first rally of the new opposition coalition will go ahead as planned tonight. Maldives United Opposition Spokesman Ahmed Mahloof told said the rally will take place if the weather improves.
14 Jul 2016, 09:00
New foreign minister downplays UN request to halt execution
Contrary to reports in local media, the UN Human Rights Committee has not “ordered” the government to halt the imminent execution of a 22-year-old convict, newly-appointed Foreign Minister Dr Mohamed Asim said today.
13 Jul 2016, 09:00
UN rights committee requests halt to Humam’s execution
The UN Human Rights Committee has requested the government to halt the imminent execution of Hussain Humam Ahmed pending the outcome of its review of his case.
13 Jul 2016, 09:00
Chaos islands
With the new opposition coalition’s first protest rally due to take place tomorrow night, a divided government now readies itself to face a fragmented opposition, setting in motion a battle for legacy in the Indian Ocean, writes Omkar Khandekar.
13 Jul 2016, 09:00
MDP celebrates anniversary behind police barricades
The main opposition party has condemned the “unlawful obstruction” of its anniversary parade as well as the “unnecessary harassment and intimidation of the participants.”
12 Jul 2016, 09:00
Ex-Islamic minister defends death penalty regulations
Dr Shaheem, the vice chancellor of the Maldives Islamic University, argued that the concerns raised by Professor Tariq Ramadan in a letter to the president last week are addressed in the regulations approved by the cabinet in April 2014 for implementing the death penalty.
11 Jul 2016, 09:00
Court threatens to hold AG in contempt
The civil court has threatened to hold Attorney General Mohamed Anil in contempt after his office decided to appeal a judgment that barred former Haveeru staff from working for any other media organisation for two years.
11 Jul 2016, 09:00
MDP to hold anniversary parade in defiance of police
At a meeting last Thursday, senior police officers informed MDP officials that political activity will not be allowed in the streets of the capital, citing complaints about traffic jams and inconvenience to pedestrians.
10 Jul 2016, 09:00
Police use pepper spray to disperse opposition prayer gathering
Riot police also thwarted on Wednesday morning a prayer gathering by opposition supporters outside the Islamic centre in Malé after the communal Eid al-Fitr prayer.
09 Jul 2016, 09:00
State to appeal ‘unlawful’ work ban on ex-Haveeru staff
The state believes a civil court order barring former Haveeru staff from working at any other media organisation for two years is unconstitutional, unlawful, invalid, and cannot be enforced, the attorney general’s office said.
09 Jul 2016, 09:00
Maldives top court upholds second death sentence
The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld its second death sentence since the government ended an unofficial moratorium on capital punishment in 2014, paving the way for the Maldives’ first state-sanctioned executions in more than half a century.
09 Jul 2016, 09:00
A tightening of the noose
“Humam’s death will affect all of us, our national psyche because with him we will lose that sense of longing for something good that we might have been,” writes Latheefa Ahmed Verall.
07 Jul 2016, 09:00
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