A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
Just a few days ago, President Abdulla Yameen referred to the Equatorial Convention Centre in Addu City as an “economic crime” committed by former President Mohamed Nasheed. The very next day, local media was flooded with the news of the construction of an airport on Kulhudhufushi to fulfil one of Yameen’s long overdue pledges. The […]
Aerial view of HDh. Kulhudhuffushi, which shows the large mangrove swamp of the island. PHOTO/EYEWELL PORTRAIT The government’s revelation that the mangrove swamp of Haa Dhaal atoll Kulhudhuffushi island will be reclaimed for the development of a domestic airport has sparked outcry from the island’s residents. While the government plans to commence development of Kulhudhuffushi […]
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 […]
Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who plays Jaime Lannister in the hit series, has called climate change “the big unknown” and warned of its devastating consequences. Coster-Waldau made the remarks at the end of a three-day visit to the Maldives, which is facing a rise in its sea levels and the bleaching of its […]
A man has been fined almost $10,000 for caging endangered green turtle hatchlings. Mohamed Musthafa from the island of Maakurathu in Raa atoll was fined MVR149,000 ($9,600), the first penalty of its kind imposed for caging the creatures. Five out of the seven species of sea turtle are found in the Maldives. Green turtles are […]
The following is a transcript of the video: IPU TV: So very warm welcome to IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union) TV exclusively, I mean, IPU TV is going to launch from today and this is the first time on 136 assembly from Bangladesh. We are going to launch this IPU TV. So we have a very special […]
by Azra Naseem 4.Saved by the bullshit? Saudi King Salman has postponed his trip to the Maldives indefinitely. Three resorts cancelled their bookings to accommodate the King and his entourage; the Republic Square in Male’ was whitewashed and made ready for the King’s landing in a helicopter; the jetty was spruced up; his special yacht […]
by Azra Naseem 3. Muizzing Maldives Yesterday, from The Guardian, Dhivehin finally learned what the government has in store for the Maldives. The publication ended weeks of speculation as to what Dear Leader Yameen has been planning for us ever since he got up close and personal with the unscrupulous and filthy rich Saudi royal […]
by Azra Naseem 2. Of myths and monsters This is a very interesting story. Today’s Crown Prince and Defence Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Mohamed was not always a very popular member of the aristocratic Saudi royal family. Those days, Mohamed used to spend a lot of time in the Maldives. He stayed on an island […]