Maldives News
Maldives secures US$373m loan for airport development
Tourism Minister Moosa Zameer signed the “preferential buyer credit loan agreement” with the Chinese EXIM Bank yesterday during his ongoing official visit to China. The funds will be used to build a new 3.2 kilometre runway, reclaim land, and develop a fuel farm and a cargo complex.
29 Dec 2015, 09:00
Army captain testifies in ex-defence minister’s appeal hearing
During Nazim’s trial in March, the criminal court had refused to call all but two of the 37 defence witnesses, claiming some were not relevant while others could not negate the prosecution’s claims. Yesterday’s appeal hearing was closed to the media, but Captain Ali Ihusan was seen entering the court.
29 Dec 2015, 09:00
Elderly woman arrested on suspicion of practicing sorcery
“Some islanders had lodged complaints with the police over the course of several days about the Gemanafushi woman practicing sorcery and threatening to use sorcery,” the police said.
29 Dec 2015, 09:00
Adeeb faces fresh charges over missing funds from 17 resort leases
The police have also forwarded money laundering charges against Hamid Ismail, an influential businessman related to Adeeb. According to the police, acquisition fees paid to the MMPRC for a resort lease was deposited into the accounts of a company linked to Hamid, instead of the state treasury.
29 Dec 2015, 09:00
The Violent Lives of Maldivian Women
A 35-year-old victim of marital rape from the island of Thinadhoo died last night while undergoing treatment for severe injuries. Why is violence against women so prevalent in an Islamic society and how can we prevent it? asks the Gender Advocacy Working Group.
29 Dec 2015, 09:00
Maldives signs anti-human trafficking protocol
The Maldives today acceded to the the ‘Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children,’ a protocol to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime.
28 Dec 2015, 09:00
Three men arrested in Vilufushi on charges of sorcery
A police spokesperson told The Maldives Independent that the suspects were arrested with warrants after complaints from islanders alleging that they were practicing black magic in houses and boats. The islanders accused the men of causing damages to households using black magic.
28 Dec 2015, 09:00
Two northern islands hit by tidal swells
Ali Shaheem, vice president of the Komandoo island council, told The Maldives Independent that the swells have been continuing since 2:00am. One house was inundated by one and a half feet of water, he said, causing a power outage and forcing a family with three young children to temporarily move to another residence.
28 Dec 2015, 09:00
Police deny clearing former vice president of attempted murder charges
The police have threatened to take legal action against Adeeb’s lawyer Hussain Shameem, who said yesterday that the police have confirmed that the former vice president has been cleared of suspicion over the alleged attempt to assassinate President Abdulla Yameen.
28 Dec 2015, 09:00
Government plans to relocate ancient mosque to ‘heritage island’
The government is planning to relocate the ancient Kalhuvakaru mosque in Malé to a heritage island to be developed on the capital’s suburb Hulhumalé. Built in the late 18th century, it came to be known as the “travelling mosque” due to its history of relocation.
27 Dec 2015, 09:00
High Court to summon witnesses for ex-defence minister’s appeal
Mohamed Nazim’s lawyer also asked the High Court to consider sentencing him under the new penal code if judges decide to uphold the criminal court’s 11-year sentence on a weapons smuggling charge. Under the new penal code, weapons possession carries a jail term of less than one year.
27 Dec 2015, 09:00
Civil Service Commission denies rumours of laying off elderly employees
After facing criticism over its silence on the issue, the CSC said in a statement yesterday that the finance ministry staff made redundant by restructuring will be dealt with in accordance with chapter five of the civil service regulations. Uncertainty over job security prompted dozens of civil servants at the ministry to go on strike last Tuesday.
27 Dec 2015, 09:00
MDP launches recruitment drive to re-register members
The MDP said in a statement on Thursday that it is aiming to re-register more than 23,000 -nearly half of its 48,000 members – before the end of the month. The Elections Commission had imposed a deadline of December 31 for parties to re-register members who had submitted membership forms before a requirement for fingerprints was enforced.
27 Dec 2015, 09:00
Former vice president “cleared” of boat blast allegations
“According to the police, Adeeb is now only accused in the [Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation corruption] case. Apart from questions posed on the first day over the boat blast, no further questions have been put to Ahmed Adeeb in the investigation,” the former vice president’s lawyers said today.
27 Dec 2015, 09:00
Maldives hopeful of signing free trade agreement with China by 2017
After the first round of negotiations concluded at the Bandos Island Resort on Tuesday, Economic Development Minister Mohamed Saeed said a free trade pact with China will be most beneficial to Maldivian businesses that export fish products. “Our main aim is to export [fish products] to the China market without any tariffs,” he said.
24 Dec 2015, 09:00
Maldives bans Christmas celebrations at guesthouses
“[A]s activities such as celebrating Christmas are contrary to Islam and the Maldives’ culture and traditions, celebrating Christmas in any inhabited island is not allowed under Maldivian law,” reads the letter signed by the home minister to local councils.
24 Dec 2015, 09:00
More than half a million rufiyaa stolen in phone scams
Scammers pose as staff from large companies, offer financial rewards and gifts under fake promotions, and seek credit card information to steal money from unsuspecting victims, the police explained.
24 Dec 2015, 09:00
Missing journalist’s family delivers 500 paper cranes to president
Ahmed Rilwan’s family and friends delivered 500 origami cranes, which represent peace and happiness, to President Abdulla Yameen urging him to expedite the investigation into the journalist’s disappearance.
24 Dec 2015, 09:00
Yameen condemned for threats against civil servants
President Abdulla Yameen’s threats against striking civil servants has enraged human rights advocates and opposition parties, with some describing the warning as high-handed and yet another example of a deepening crackdown on civil rights.
23 Dec 2015, 09:00
President threatens to cut wages for striking staff
“They don’t have to protest for their jobs. They will remain in government jobs. But no government employee should tell me, ‘I will work at this office.’ That’s not something they can say. The government will decide that based on the level of skill and training,” Yameen said last night in the wake of a historic strike by staff at the finance ministry over imminent mass job cuts.
23 Dec 2015, 09:00
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