Maldives News
Group of teenage skaters detained in Hulhumalé
Police officers advised the teenagers “not to skate in a manner that is unsafe for themselves and other citizens” and took them to the police station. One of the teenagers has since accused the police of subjecting the group to “physical and verbal abuse.”
03 Jan 2016, 09:00
Elections Commission processing membership forms ahead of mass de-registration
“We are trying to process the forms sent in December by the end of January. We will be deregistering any membership form without fingerprints after that,” commission member Ahmed Akram told The Maldives Independent today.
03 Jan 2016, 09:00
Marital rape victim’s body sent to India for autopsy
The body of a marital rape victim who died of life-threatening injuries last week has been sent to India for a postmortem examination. The 37-year-old woman from the island of Thinadhoo in Gaaf Dhaal atoll was hospitalised in Malé last month. Her husband was arrested on December 11 and remains under police custody.
03 Jan 2016, 09:00
Japan opens resident embassy in Maldives
“The government of the Maldives believes that the new embassy would completely change the dynamics of Maldives-Japan relations as it will help open-up new avenues for cooperation that would propel relations to new heights,” the foreign ministry said.
03 Jan 2016, 09:00
Government denies Sri Lanka blacklisted foreign minister and MP
Newspaper Haveeru reported today that the pair were also held for more than an hour at the airport before being told they were blacklisted “by mistake.” Dunya and Faris – children of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom – reportedly traveled to Colombo on an unofficial visit in late December.
03 Jan 2016, 09:00
Watchdog rules out corruption in sale of luxury flats to state officials
“It must be noted that the government provided the opportunity to buy the flats for MVR1.6 million (US$103,761), when the government paid over MVR938,000 (US$60,830),” the ACC explained, stressing that the flats were sold for a profit of MVR600,000 (US$38,910).
03 Jan 2016, 09:00
Five arrested from president’s flight
Five Maldivians were arrested from a Bangkok Airways flight on Thursday after a family of tourists complained to the crew and refused to travel on the plane. All five have since been released after the police determined that they had not endangered the airplane’s security.
02 Jan 2016, 09:00
President orders investigation into missing journalist’s disappearance
More than 500 days after his unexplained disappearance, President Abdulla Yameen has asked the home minister to “do everything the government can” to find missing journalist Ahmed Rilwan. The home ministry said in a tweet last Thursday that the president’s appeal came after Rilwan’s family sent a letter to Yameen urging him to expedite the investigation.
02 Jan 2016, 09:00
Police question witnesses over disputed document on Nasheed’s house arrest
After accompanying a witness to the police headquarters last night, Mahfooz Saeed from Nasheed’s legal team told the press that the police have assured lawyers the investigation will be completed in two weeks. The witnesses were present when an officer from the Maldives Correctional Service presented the document to the former president at his residence, Maafanu Yaagoothuge, in Malé.
31 Dec 2015, 09:00
“China-Maldives Friendship Bridge” project launched
“Today you have made our impossible dream a reality,” President Yameen said at last night’s commencement ceremony, expressing “profound gratitude” to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
31 Dec 2015, 09:00
Regulations introduced for connecting renewable energy to power grids
The new net metering regulation will allow residential and commercial customers who generate their own electricity from solar power to feed electricity they do not use back into the grid. The solar panel owner will be credited for the electricity added to the grid and billed for “net” energy use.
30 Dec 2015, 09:00
Holiday Island Resort staff owed overdue allowances
Several employees at the Holiday Island Resort are owed three months worth of service charges, Ramadan bonuses, and last year’s travel allowance.
30 Dec 2015, 09:00
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
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