Politics
New US ambassador presents credentials to president
Atul Keshap, the new ambassador of the United States of America to the Maldives, presented his credentials to President Abdulla Yameen this morning. The pair discussed “issues of mutual interest encompassing global terrorism, human rights and environmental problems.”
19 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
MDP moves protest from pavement to the streets
Angered by the police’s attempts to limit protests to pavements, the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) led a march in Malé late at night, walking along streets randomly and sometimes, against the traffic last flow.
19 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
Government grants itself ‘extraordinary discretionary powers’ over NGOs
Under new regulations, a registrar at the home ministry has the discretion to suspend NGOs if it conducts activities that could be considered “a threat to national security” or “defamatory towards an individual.”
19 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
Security forces shut down Maldives tourism corporation
Employees of the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation turned up to work at 8am today only to find three military and police officers blocking the office entrance. The shut-down comes days after police raided the offices and the home of its managing director Abdulla Ziyath over a blast on the president’s speedboat.
18 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
After raid, top tourism official questioned
Abdulla Ziyath, who heads the MMPRC, was interrogated for more than three hours by the economic crime department. The summons came after his apartment was raided on Wednesday night. His passport has also been withheld.
18 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
Nasheed’s family wins right to weekly visits
“Visitation rights have now been set to as it was before. This is a big development. The MCS did not reveal why they had stopped giving us the chance to visit. We believe it was personal,” Nasheed’s brother told the press today.
18 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
President’s aide resigns
Aishath Liza, the president’s office media coordinator, was told to stay home from work on Friday. She says she resigned today to pursue higher education.
17 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
Top military officers detained in boat blast probe
The former head of the military unit tasked with providing security to senior state officials and a former bodyguard to Vice President Ahmed Adeeb are under administrative detention, a reliable source has confirmed.
17 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
Despite uncertainty, Vice President vows to return to the Maldives
Despite President Abdulla Yameen’s apparent suspicion of his deputy’s involvement in an explosion on his speedboat, Vice President Ahmed Adeeb has vowed to return to the Maldives this week after concluding an official visit to China.
17 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
Raids and rumours fuelling uncertainty in Malé
Police officers searched the office of the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation office. Earlier in the night, the police raided the home of an influential businessman related to Vice President Ahmed Adeeb.
16 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
Parliament questions police, army over boat blast
“[C]onsidering what was said in that meeting, I will not point a suspicious finger at anyone. I do not want it to adversely impact the investigation. I want a proper investigation to take place,” said an MP present at the closed door meeting.
15 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
Two associates of Vice President target of late night raids
Dozens of police officers raided a top tourism official’s apartment in Malé on Wednesday night and attempted to enter the home of an influential businessman related to Vice President Ahmed Adeeb.
15 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
Ex-president brought to Malé
Former President Mohamed Nasheed was brought to Malé this afternoon to attend a dispute resolution meeting at the civil court in a lawsuit filed by his brother against the prisons authority over denial of visiting rights. Ahmed Nazim Sattar had sued the Maldives Correctional Services over what he contends was an arbitrary decision to limit Nasheed’s weekly family visits to his parents, wife and children.
15 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
Police chief pledges full support for arrests, raids in boat blast probe
Urging all commissioned officers to support an inquiry into an explosion on President Yameen’s boat, police commissioner Hussein Waheed said he wants to assure the public that police “will not hesitate” to make the necessary arrests and raids.
15 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
Prosecutor general out of the country on unannounced trip
The PG has been absent at office since Sunday, while other credible sources say he is out of the country on a personal and unannounced trip. It comes amidst heightened tension in the wake of a blast on the president’s speedboat on September 28, which the government was an attempt to assassinate President Abdulla Yameen.
14 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
Defence minister sacked
President Abdulla Yameen has sacked his defence minister Moosa Ali Jaleel in what appears to be a shakeup of the security forces.
14 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
HRCM gets new president and vice president
The parliament yesterday approved Aminath Eenas and former MP Shifaq Mufeed as the new president and vice president, respectively, of the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM). Four members were also approved to the newly-established National Integrity Commission, an oversight body for law enforcement agencies.
14 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
New bill on land sales to close tax loophole
The president’s office explained that under the existing land law, buyers and sellers could agree upon prices without any regulatory controls and evade the 15 percent tax on land sales. The government has submitted amendments to the 2002 Land Act to close the loophole. The changes were proposed after a 1,102 square foot plot of land in Malé was sold last month for MVR1.
14 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
Majlis committee resumes work after threatening strike
A ruling-party dominated parliamentary committee resumed work a day after threatening a strike over fears of security for parliamentarians, following an apparent assassination attempt on President Abdulla Yameen.
13 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
PPM MP threatens to jail all opposition MPs with bill on sanctions
“All these people here belonging to MDP should be arrested. This is what we’re trying to do. God willing, that will happen now,” said ruling party MP Riyaz Rasheed.
13 Oct 2015, 9:00 AM
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