Maldives News
Maldives, India top diplomats to meet on Saturday
Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon will meet her Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj in Malé on Saturday to review and plan the future course for bilateral relations.
08 Oct 2015, 09:00
Staff injured in fire at Olhuveli resort
An employee at the Olhuveli Beach and Spa Resort in South Malé atoll was injured in a fire last night. A police media official told The Maldives Independent that the was reported around 7:40pm. The victim suffered minor burns and was brought to Malé for treatment.
08 Oct 2015, 09:00
Maafushi council president suspended over alleged conflict of interest
“[Mohamed] Musthafa has been presiding over Maafushi council meetings and participating in the decision making process of matters directly relating to guest houses of the island. He is an owner of a guesthouse. There is a clear conflict of interest,” Abdulla Varis, vice president of the atoll council, told The Maldives Independent.
08 Oct 2015, 09:00
“We shouldn’t rest until Mohamed Nasheed is a free man”: Richard Branson
Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon suggested that the celebrity status of Nasheed’s lawyers has a “very big impact” on international media coverage and shapes international opinion on the opposition leader’s case.
08 Oct 2015, 09:00
Contraband found in ex-defence ministers’ prison cell
Commissioner of Prisons Mohamed Husham said the “contraband was found during a routine check” at the ‘Asseryi’ jail in Himmafushi, but did not reveal what the item was. Husham downplayed the discovery and suggested that the prohibited item was not necessarily a mobile phone as reported by local media.
08 Oct 2015, 09:00
Home minister denies text message appeal to “save the country from vice president”
Several journalists received text messages from Umar Naseer that read: “During this critical juncture, I hope the media will properly fulfil its responsibility.” A second message read: “Consider this a national matter and work to save the country from the vice president. This is my final appeal. Thank you!”
07 Oct 2015, 09:00
MDP backs targeted sanctions to secure Nasheed’s release
The MDP’s national council adopted a resolution last night backing targeted sanctions on senior officials of the state if the government continues to detain former President Mohamed Nasheed in defiance of a UN recommendation. The government is accusing the MDP of inciting fear.
07 Oct 2015, 09:00
Vice President declares unwavering loyalty to president
Vice President Ahmed Adeeb declared unwavering loyalty to President Abdulla Yameen today, dismissing speculation of his involvement in a blast on the president’s speedboat last week.
07 Oct 2015, 09:00
Security stepped up for utility companies after attempted arson attacks
Soldiers were on guard outside the Malé Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) last night after arsonists attempted to set fire to powerhouses in the capital’s suburbs Hulhumalé and Vilimalé.
07 Oct 2015, 09:00
Blast on president’s speedboat an ‘assassination attempt,’ video shows fire inside cabin
Hours after a cabinet minister told international media that the explosion on board President Abdulla Yameen’s speedboat had been an assassination attempt, the president’s office called a sudden press conference at 1am to broadcast a video clip of the blast. Flames could be seen inside the cabin.
07 Oct 2015, 09:00
The UN Working Group Opinion: Next Steps
While the opinion of the WGAD is a helpful international contribution, it is the Supreme Court that ought, in accordance with the rule of law, have the final word on the fairness of Mohamed Nasheed’s conviction, argues Toby Cadman, partner at Omnia Strategy.
07 Oct 2015, 09:00
US$4.2m project launched for mangroves, coral reef protection
The environment ministry yesterday launched a US$4.2 million Climate Change Adaptation Project to establish eco-tourism facilities to manage protected mangroves and coral reefs in Fuvahmulah and Addu City and generate economic benefits for local communities.
06 Oct 2015, 09:00
Criminal court chief judge sues army for MVR5m
The Chief Judge of the criminal court, Abdulla Mohamed, is suing the Maldives army for his detention is January 2012. He is seeking MVR5million (US$324,254) in compensation.
06 Oct 2015, 09:00
Counterfeit MVR500 notes in circulation
Mariyam Hussein Didi, assistant governor of MMA, told reporters on Monday that some 20 counterfeit MVR500 notes had reached the bank so far.
06 Oct 2015, 09:00
PPM to reject bill stripping Gayoom of PPM leadership
PPM’s parliamentary group has issued a three-line-whip against the a bill that if passed would strip former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom of the party’s presidency.
06 Oct 2015, 09:00
Lawyers step up campaign for Nasheed’s release, call for sanctions
Jared Genser, Amal Clooney, and Nasheed’s wife, Laila Ali, briefed the British press yesterday on the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention’s (WGAD) opinion, which said the opposition leader’s conviction in March was politically motivated and breached international law. The heavyweight lawyers are seeking “travel bans and targeted financial sanctions against Maldivian government officials who have been implicated in serious human rights abuses.”
06 Oct 2015, 09:00
Government submits bills on Maldivian citizenship, marine transport and GST
The government has submitted amendments to the 1969 Maldivian Citizenship Act to specify procedures for relinquishing citizenship and proposed changes to the 1978 law on sea travel to include new procedures for registering and collecting fees from marine vessels and to authorise the relevant ministry to formulate regulations to enforce the Maldives’ obligations under international treaties and maritime agreements.
06 Oct 2015, 09:00
Three soldiers arrested in sign of foul play in boat blast
Two soldiers and an immigration official have been arrested in the ongoing investigation into a mysterious explosion on board the presidential speedboat on September 28. Their arrest is the first sign that the blast may have been a deliberate attack on President Abdulla Yameen’s life.
06 Oct 2015, 09:00
Man found with severe injuries dies at hospital
A 26-year-old man found unconscious with severe injuries at a residence in Malé yesterday has died while undergoing treatment. Ahmed Zameen from the island of Thoddoo in Alif Alif atoll was found was found at the stairwell on the sixth floor of Moosun Bahaaruge in the Maafanu ward of the capital.
06 Oct 2015, 09:00
Top Indian diplomat to visit the Maldives
Indian External Affairs Minister Shushma Swaraj is scheduled to arrive in the Maldives on October 10 for a two-day visit, The Maldives Independent understands.
05 Oct 2015, 09:00
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