A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
The Maldives’ foreign currency reserve declined during the third quarter of 2017 due to loan repayments and expenditure related to the development of a new hospital in Malé. Usable reserves amounted to US$191 million during the quarter, enough for about a month of imports, according to a quarterly economic bulletin released by the Maldives Monetary […]
Jumhooree Party leader Gasim Ibrahim has sought to reassure coalition partners that former home minister Umar Naseer joining the party would not cause divisions within the opposition alliance. “Relations in the coalition that the JP joined to bring the Maldives to the path of reform will not be affected because a particular individual joined JP […]
Heavy rainfall on Monday caused flooding and damage on four islands throughout the Maldives. According to the police, flooding was reported on the islands of Maalhos in Baa atoll, Isdhoo in Laamu atoll, Villigili in Gaaf Alif atoll, and Gadhdhoo in Gaaf Dhaal atoll. Police officers worked with island councils to pump and drain floodwaters, […]
The civil court Thursday gave the military 45 days to comply with a previous order to reinstate a senior officer who was unfairly dismissed after President Abdulla Yameen’s inauguration in November 2013. Sergeant Major Naushad Ali was among nine high-ranking officers fired over accusations of sowing discord within the military ahead of the 2013 presidential election. The […]
Five out of seven suspects standing trial for the murder of Mohamed Anas pleaded not guilty at the criminal court on Monday. Usman Shareef, 23, Ahmed Zayan, 19, Mohamed Shaz, 21, and Afrah Abdul Razzaq, 21, are accused of carrying out the murder while Junaih Abdulla, 19, Hassan Mahfooz, 22, and Simah Moosa, 23, were charged with aiding and […]
Foreign Minister Dr Mohamed Asim has hailed the strength of India-Maldives diplomatic ties, seeking to counter suggestions that the relationship is under strain due to growing Chinese influence. Relations with #India is time-tested and is based on people to people contact &cooperation in several sectors. We remain committed to further enhancing and strengthening existing ties […]
The fourth annual Maldives Investment Forum was inaugurated Monday morning by Vice President Abdulla Jihad and UAE Economic Minister Sultan bin Saeed Al-Mansoori. “The Maldives is open for business,” Jihad announced in his remarks at the opening ceremony. “Your investments will be secure and the return on investment is great and relatively high. The government of […]
The opposition has sought a court order to lift the suspension of three Gaaf Alif atoll councillors censured for meeting the Indian ambassador to the Maldives without approval from the government. The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party, together with the three council members, filed the case at the civil court on Sunday, according to local media. […]
Former Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim was transferred to house arrest last Thursday with the prisons authority citing repairs in his unit at the high-security Maafushi jail. The retired colonel has been shifted between jail and house arrest since early 2015 when he was found guilty of weapons smuggling and sentenced to 11 years. In January […]