A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
The opposition will not be able to field one candidate for the presidential elections, according to the former chair of the Maldivian Democratic Party. The deputy speaker of parliament Moosa Manik said he had no concerns over President Abdulla Yameen winning the presidency because the opposition was already showing signs of infighting, Mihaaru reported. The […]
The Maldives Integrated Tourism Development Corporation has apologised for scantily clad women who performed during a New Year show organised by the government, after criticism from an Islamist group. The show, which was broadcast live on state media and attended by President Abdulla Yameen and the first lady, attracted a backlash on social media for […]
More than 10,000 jobs will be created for local youths from a resort mega project, the tourism minister has said. Moosa Zameer made the remarks in an interview with state media PSM on Tuesday regarding Emboodhoo Lagoon, SunOnline reported. The first phase of the project will reclaim three islands for resort development and will be […]
Morning rainfall caused heavy flooding in Malé on Wednesday, Mihaaru reported. The flooding has made it difficult for pedestrians to use the road, especially in Maafannu and Galolhu ward. Water levels have reached over two and a half feet near the state hospital IGMH, causing parked motorcycles to fall over. The falling of a large tree […]
The Maldives government is “back on the route to success, while maintaining current peace and stability”, President Abdulla Yameen said in his new year message, as former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom criticised his half-brother for the continued authoritarian rule of the current regime. Yameen said the government welcomes the new year with hopes of “achieving […]
The Islamist group Jamiyathul Salaf has expressed concern after scantily clad women were shown during the live broadcast of the New Year show organised by the government in the capital city Malé, according to Sun Online. Sheikh Hassan Moosa Fikry, the group’s vice president, said the most upsetting factor is that such shows, which display […]
Opposition social media activists are squabbling over fake votes and Twitter bots after Gasim Ibrahim beat former president Mohamed Nasheed in a RaajjeTV Twitter poll on Sunday. The poll asked voters which opposition candidate was most likely to beat President Abdulla Yameen: former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) leader Nasheed, Jumhooree Party […]
Six people were brutally killed in the Maldives in 2017 despite a low rate of crime compared to the previous year, police statistics have shown. According to the stats, 12,745 cases were reported last year in comparison to the 13,580 cases reported in 2016. Theft was the most reported crime in 2017, at 3,503 incidents, […]
The Elections Commission has not explained the delay in holding by-elections for 12 constituencies that have lacked parliamentary representation for months. The affected constituencies are those where lawmakers were stripped of their seats after being expelled from the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM). The EC announced last August there would be by-elections for the […]