Maldives News
Details revealed in UN opinion on Nasheed’s imprisonment
Ruling former President Mohamed Nasheed’s imprisonment arbitrary, a UN human rights panel has urged the Maldives to release him immediately and compensate him for losses.
05 Oct 2015, 09:00
Police step up Addu traffic monitoring to prevent fatal accidents
Police have begun monitoring traffic on southern Addu City’s link road in a bit to prevent fatal accidents, which have killed at least six people this year.
05 Oct 2015, 09:00
PPM proposes pay cuts for city councilors
The ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) has proposed salary cuts of more than 50 percent for the Malé and Addu city councilors.
05 Oct 2015, 09:00
MDP MPs clamour for Nasheed’s release as parliament resumes after recess
Shortly after today’s sitting began at 9:00am, MDP MPs started chanting “Free President Nasheed” and held up banners that read, “Free President Nasheed in line with the UN decision.” The People’s Majlis reconvened for its third and final session of the year today after a one-month recess.
05 Oct 2015, 09:00
Islamic ministry scraps special prayer for president’s safety
“Protect and save our ruler, our people, and our country from the evil plots of schemers, acts of terrorism, the deceit of deceitful, and the envy of the envious,” reads the prayer. Worshippers and Imams at some mosques as well as prominent religious scholars have objected to the mandatory prayer, contending that it is a bid’ah (heretical innovation).
04 Oct 2015, 09:00
Saudi Arabia holds reception in Maldives to mark its National Day
Vice President Ahmed Adeeb and senior government officials attended the first ever ceremony of its kind on Thursday.
04 Oct 2015, 09:00
Addu’s historical port suffers major damage
A large section of the harbor fell away under the weight of a tractor carrying gravel for construction. According to Addu Online, the tractor was carrying more than 70 tonnes of rock.
04 Oct 2015, 09:00
Police tightlipped over boat blast probe
The police have been taking statements from journalists who witnessed the incident from the Izzudin jetty as well as crew from the ‘Finifenma’ speedboat, parts of which have been sent abroad for forensic analysis. The police’s refusal to reveal updates of the investigation has fuelled speculation among the public, with suspicion cast on religious extremists and senior government officials.
04 Oct 2015, 09:00
Tourist arrivals increase in August as occupancy rate continues to fall
After registering a four percent decline in July, arrivals from China increased by 7.8 percent in August despite a slowdown in the Chinese economy and a surprise devaluation of the Yuan. China remains the largest source market for tourists to the Maldives with a 31.6 percent market share.
04 Oct 2015, 09:00
Maldives calls for UN reform
The Maldives has called on the UN to reform itself to better address the needs of small island states and global challenges such as climate change.
04 Oct 2015, 09:00
MVR450,000 stolen from Immigration
A police spokesman said the money was stolen from visa fee deposit drawers at the department’s counters during lunch break.
04 Oct 2015, 09:00
Who said what? Foreign Minister’s meetings in New York
Dunya called the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention’s ruling on Nasheed’s imprisonment “arbitrary” in a meeting with the UN human rights chief, and sought to downplay the call by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to grant clemency to Nasheed.
03 Oct 2015, 09:00
UN opinion on Nasheed’s jailing revives Maldives opposition
A UN human rights panel’s finding that former President Mohamed Nasheed’s imprisonment on a terrorism charge was arbitrary has revived the opposition’s streets activities, while the government’s refusal to adhere to the decision has triggered a storm of criticism online.
03 Oct 2015, 09:00
Amnesty joins calls for Nasheed’s release
Human rights advocacy group Amnesty International has called on the Maldives to release former President Mohamed Nasheed or give him a fair trial, in the wake of the government’s rejection of a UN rights panel’s finding that his continuing imprisonment on a terrorism charge is arbitrary.
03 Oct 2015, 09:00
Jailed ex-defence minister to petition UN too
“We attempted to exhaust local remedies from the Maldivian judiciary, but it seems that the courts have absconded from trial by refusing to hold hearings,” Nazim’s lawyer Husnu Suood said. An appeal of Nazim’s conviction on weapons smuggling charges has been stalled since April.
01 Oct 2015, 09:00
Supreme Court strikes down court order over “inappropriate language”
“[D]o you not know what was said in the court order? Is that why you are depositing different amounts of money on different months? I thought you are intelligent people. You must adhere to this court’s ruling. Even Pallambe, Ammakalhey, and Yahya would know to follow the order. This is a bit too much,” said the order in question.
01 Oct 2015, 09:00
Government enforces employment freeze as cost-cutting measure
The government has ceased filling vacancies in the civil service in a bid to reduce recurrent expenditure. The cost cutting measures suggest the government was unable to raise the forecast revenue of MVR21.5 billion (US$1.3 billion) for 2015.
01 Oct 2015, 09:00
MDP to scale up protests
“If the government refuses to abide by the recommendations and decisions of the UNWGAD, we will proceed with direct street action. MDP will protest relentlessly day and night,” Mohamed Shifaz, the vice president of MDP, said.
01 Oct 2015, 09:00
Court orders young man to cut hair “nice and short”
A magistrate court has conditioned the release of a young man arrested for assault on cutting and maintaining his hair “nice and short.” The judge said he would be jailed if he did not maintain a short haircut for three months.
01 Oct 2015, 09:00
Government reduces working hours
“The President’s decision was made in order to provide the opportunity for government employees to spend quality time with their families, to work in the private sector apart from the government, and to facilitate youth to be more involved in sports activities, further education and technical professions,” the president’s office said.
30 Sep 2015, 09:00
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