A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
A 78-year-old with special needs has been transferred to government care after a Facebook post seeking a guardian for him went viral. Ali Anwar, the assistant director of Seenu atoll office, posted photos of Ali Thakuru after several unsuccessful attempts to get him into government special care. The post, which has more than 1220 shares […]
There has been an increase in the registered number of poor people in the Maldives, as the Islamic ministry Sunday began distributing zakat at a rate of MVR900 (US$59) per person. Zakat is an obligatory alms tax collected from the accumulated wealth of all able-bodied Muslims in the Maldives. This year’s zakat will be distributed […]
Ahmed Fauzan Abbas is on a ferry headed towards a popular surf spot an hour from Malé, the capital of Maldives. The surfer, better known as Karo, remembers a time when locals were arrested for surfing in spots where well-heeled foreign tourists were charged US$25 (MVR375) for access to the waves. “Back then surfing had […]
The Maldives National University will offer medical degree courses for the first time in 2018 with assistance from the Pakistani government, Health Minister Abdulla Nazim has pledged. Briefing the press together with the Pakistan ambassador last Wednesday about plans to establish the first national medical college, Nazim said US$5 million provided by Pakistan as grant […]
A nation of islands barely above sea level, the Maldives is a special case for tsunami preparedness and response. By Ahmed Mohamed Shihab, Program Analyst, Resilience and Climate Change unit, UNDP Maldives Everything I have heard about surviving a tsunami has been simple and to the point. Move to higher ground, and move further inland. It […]
State utility firm Fenaka has been fiercely criticised for power cuts in Addu City. Addu City, an atoll comprising six islands with a combined population in excess of 21,000, has been losing power for more than a week after four generators failed. The power cuts have triggered a probe, with Fenaka managing director Ahmed Shareef […]
Among the branches of the tallest tree, there is still a branch that is not a branch, actually, but a pole. A while ago, there was the al-Qaeda flag. Because a while ago, this was not Himandhoo Island: for its 600 inhabitants, it was Himandhoo Emirate. We are just 50 miles away from Male. But […]
Ali Waseem, 30, of Addu atoll Meedhoo island: he had received the most severe injuries in the accident. PHOTO/SOCIAL MEDIA An employee of Summer Island Resort, who was gravely injured in an accident that occurred between the resort’s speedboat and a supply boat last May, passed away early Thursday while being treated in India. Ali […]
Journalism Awards’ winners of Mihaaru pose for picture with their trophies (L-R): Aminath Mohamed Saeed (sister of Aasiyath Mohamed Saeed who accepted the award on the latter’s behalf), Niumathullah Idrees, Ali Naafiz, Azzam Alifulhu and Muizzu Ibrahim. PHOTO: NISHAN ALI/MIHAARU Daily newspaper Mihaaru bagged the most awards at Maldives Media Council (MMC)’s Journalism Awards for […]