A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
Jumhooree Party leader Gasim Ibrahim’s family has informed the prisons authority that he cannot return to the Maldives on Tuesday despite the refusal to extend a 20-day medical leave. “He actually cannot leave. As doctors have not authorised for him to fly, the airlines are refusing to sell tickets for him. We also requested that […]
Security has been heightened at the Velana International Airport as a precautionary measure, the defence minister has said after soldiers began carrying weapons and explosives detectors at the airport island on Saturday. Contrary to rumours, Adam Shareef Umar told the press that the Maldives is not at risk of an imminent terrorist attack. “There is no […]
The military’s firemen put out flames inside the parliament building in the early hours of Sunday after a dustbin and tissue box at a restroom caught fire. The fire was reported around 3:53 am, according to the Maldives National Defence Force, which is also responsible for maintaining security at the People’s Majlis. The fire incident […]
The powerhouse on the northern island of Bileyfahi in Shaviyani atoll has been completely destroyed by a fire that broke out late Saturday night. All three generators were damaged beyond use, according to Fenaka, the state utility company that operates the powerhouse. The police and the military’s fire department are investigating the incident. “We’re hoping […]
The Maldives will enter a new era of healthcare service delivery with the opening of the 25-storey Dharumavantha hospital next year, Health Minister Abdulla Nazim said at a topping off ceremony held Wednesday to mark the completion of the concrete structure. In his remarks after pouring the last batch of concrete, Nazim said the government hopes […]
Three Maldivians en route to join the fighting in Syria were arrested in Turkey and brought back to the country on Saturday. According to the police, the three men were arrested in a joint operation with the Turkish law enforcement authorities. They were alleged to have been planning to cross the border into Syria to join […]
A 19-year-old man died Saturday night while undergoing treatment for stab wounds at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Malé. The victim has been identified as Moosa Ahmed from the island of Keyodhoo in Vaavu atoll. He was stabbed along with a 24-year-old man and a minor near the Dhuburi mosque in the Maafanu ward […]
A special audit of the Fenaka Corporation has uncovered a foreign exchange scam and corrupt fuel supply and procurement deals that cost the state-owned utility company millions in losses. The damning audit report made public Wednesday flagged several suspicious transactions in 2014 and 2015 that unduly benefited private parties, including the conversion of local currency […]
Two suspects charged in connection with the August 2014 abduction of journalist Ahmed Rilwan appeared in court Wednesday for the first hearing of their terrorism trial. Judge Ali Arif gave Aalif Rauf and Mohamed Nooradeen – who remain free unlike other terror defendants – ten days to hire lawyers. As the family of the third […]