A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
The High Court has upheld an Employment Tribunal order for the reinstatement of 22 employees sacked from the Conrad Maldives Rangali Resort in June 2011. The posts of the dismissed workers were made redundant “due to the partial closure of its guest rooms for renovation and lower occupancies,” Conrad Rangali had insisted at the time, […]
Basic questions about an abducted Maldives Independent journalist have not been answered by the state including whether he is still alive, a court heard Thursday. Three suspects have been charged in connection with the kidnapping of Ahmed Rilwan, who went missing three years ago. Two of them, Aalif Rauf and Mohamed Nooradheen, are not in […]
The Maldivian government, political parties and opposition leaders have strongly condemned US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. In a statement Wednesday, the government called the move “a flagrant disregard of international law which could have dire consequences not only for the Middle East peace process and to the […]
A former police officer pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a terrorism charge raised over alleged calls to assassinate President Abdulla Yameen. Ibrahim Saleem, from the Dhabuvilaage house on the island of Hoarafushi in Haa Alif atoll, is accused of using two Twitter accounts to encourage and offer money for the assassination. According to local media, […]
South Asian neighbours are “jealous” of the progress the Maldives is making through its partnership with China, MP Riyaz Rasheed said at a ruling party rally Tuesday night. “There are neighbours of ours who are jealous of the progress and development that could come to this nation because we joined China,” the deputy parliamentary group […]
A well-being poll of Maldivians could give the first indication of how people might vote in presidential elections next year. A thousand people are being surveyed as part of the Gallup World Poll, which includes the Maldives for the first time, and covers a number of topics such as corruption, governance, job quality and citizen […]
President Abdulla Yameen is to make his first state visit to China, days after rushing through a massive trade deal with the world’s second biggest economy. A brief notice issued Monday said the trip, which takes place from December 6 until December 9, was at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. “High-level discussions with top […]
India will “do nothing but upset itself” if it tries to prevent closer trade ties between China and the Maldives, Beijing state media has said, days after the tiny island nation approved a deal with the world’s second biggest economy. The Free Trade Agreement has reportedly stunned New Delhi into silence, but the Global Times […]
A bout of extreme weather during the weekend caused damage to households and property in 62 islands across the Maldives. Heavy rainfall caused flooding on 36 islands, strong winds tore off roofs and felled trees on 22 islands, and swells were reported from four islands, the National Disaster Management Centre told local media. The flooding did […]