Author: Minivan News

Man accused of sexually exploiting 13 year old girl

A 29 year old man has been taken into police custody after being found lying naked with a minor at a home in Alifu Alifu Rasdhoo.

According to a police statement released today (March 26) the raid on the house was carried out after a report was made by a member of the community. The individual taken in was a Maldivian male with police records for illicit narcotics and theft.

The police have reported that the individual was taken in on March 20, 2014, and has been remanded into custody at a secure location decided by the Home Ministry for a period of 10 days for investigative purposes.

Rasdhoo police station is investigating the matter further.

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EC announces preliminary results for all constituencies except Nilandhoo

The Elections Commission (EC) has announced preliminary results of Saturday’s parliamentary polls for all electoral constituencies with the exception of the Nilandhoo constituency in Faafu atoll.

Independent candidate Abdulla Haleel appears to have won the Nilandhoo seat with 645 votes while incumbent Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Abdul Muhsin Hameed was placed second with 644 votes.

According to local media, the EC delayed announcing the results for Nilandhoo in order to address a number of election-related complaints by the ruling coalition.

Preliminary results show that the Progressive Coalition secured a comfortable of 53 seats while the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) won 26 seats.

Coalition parties have also lodged complaints regarding the Noonu Velidhoo constituency where MDP candidate Abdulla Yameen won the seat with a 13-vote margin against a Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) candidate.

PPM and MDA leaders told the press at the EC offices yesterday that there were discrepancies between the results the parties received from polling stations and those announced by the EC.

The coalition parties also informed the media that complaints regarding alleged vote buying in the constituency were also submitted with video and audio evidence.

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PG files second charge against MP Hamid for urine sample refusal

The Prosecutor General’s Office has charged opposition MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor with refusing to provide urine sample to test for illegal substances.

According to Haveeru, the charge against Hamid is in connection to incident in July 2012, when he refused to provide a urine sample to the police after being taken into custody near a police barricaded area for gathering people and for disobeying the police.

He is currently facing the same charge in another case from November 2012, where he was arrested along with other senior opposition members in Hondaidhoo – an uninhabited island – on suspicion of possession and consumption of alcohol and cannabis.

Opposition MP Abdulla Jabir who also was arrested from Hondaidhoo was last month sentenced to one year’s imprisonment for refusing to provide a urine sample.

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Three people arrested from Thoddoo for drug abuse and prostitution

A 33 year old man and two women of 26 and 27 years have been arrested from Thoddoo in Alif Alif atoll for prostitution and drug abuse.

According to Maldives Police Service, the man and one of the women were caught engaged in sexual activity when the police entered the room with a court warrant.

Drugs and money suspected to have been earned from prostitution were found in the room.

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Suspected explosive washed up on Baarah beach

An unidentified object suspected to be an explosive has washed up on Haa Alif atoll Baarah southern beach, Vnews has reported.

According to Maldives Police Service the object was reported early morning today, and is currently under the authority of Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF).

MNDF has confirmed that it is in fact an explosive devices and is currently being investigated by their officials who went to the island today.

Local media, referring to the pictures of the object, has said it looks like a naval mine.

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Ambergis worth estimated MVR50 million found by fisherman

A lone fisherman has found an object believed to be the incredibly rare substance, ambergris.

Local media reported that the object weighs 50kgs, and was found this morning (March 25) by Shareef Idhris whilst trawling near the Velidhoo channel.

“I saw an object floating about 30ft away. I went close to it, but then I rode away without picking it up. I went back and forth about three times before picking it up,” he told Haveeru.

“People say ambergris floats. I scraped off a bit of the object and it smelled weird, so I decided to take it to the island.”

The locals, who were fortunate enough to have come across ambergris before, have estimated it to be worth up to MVR50 million. Shareef is currently seeking to confirm that the objects is ambergris, but due to the island’s previous experience of ambergris he is confident in its authenticity.

In June 2012 police were required to guard 25kg of ambergris in Hanimaadhoo after disagreements fight broke out between those claiming to have first found the precious substance.
Ambergris occurs as a biliary secretion of the intestines of the sperm whale and can be found floating upon the sea, or lying on the coast. It’s most common use is in perfume due to its unique musky fragrance.
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Saudi Arabia’s growing role in the Maldives: BBC

“Foreign holidaymakers in the Maldives, one of the world’s most popular luxury honeymoon destination, were not happy earlier this year when their hotel bookings were cancelled at short notice,” writes Charles Haviland for the BBC.

“The reason was that Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, had booked out three whole islands for nearly a month.

It is just one example of the growing role of Saudi investment in the archipelago, a factor which may make the Maldives’ government unwilling to ruffle the feathers of Saudi Arabia’s rulers.

“The well-being of our guests is always our primary concern,” a spokeswoman for the Anantara resorts told the British newspaper, the Daily Mail, which reported that some tourists were angry at being moved to make way for the Saudi prince.

Prince Salman, who is also Saudi Arabia’s defence minister, was on an official business visit at the invitation of Maldives President Abdulla Yameen, who was elected in November after two years of political turmoil.”

Read more

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Man dies in motorcycle accident in Dhuvaafaru

A 21 year old man has died in an accident in the island of Dhuvaafaru in Raa Atoll on Saturday afternoon.

The man passed away at around 10.30pm on Saturday while he was receiving treatment in the island’s health centre for injuries sustained when falling off his motorcycle.

Police stated that they had gotten reports of the accident at 10:15pm and were preparing to assist the man’s transfer from Dhuvaafaru Health Centre to the regional hospital in Ungoofaaru when he passed away.

Police are further investigating the matter. The identity of the victim has not been revealed as of yet.

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Beautiful Eyes Association marks World Down Syndrome Day

Marking the World Down Syndrome Day on Thursday, March 20, Beautiful Eyes Down Syndrome Association of the Maldives held a march around capital city Malé, titled a ‘buddy walk’.

Minivan News observed close to a thousand participants in the march, including representatives from various organisations, private businesses, a number of schools, as well as families and friends of children with down syndrome.

The majority of marchers were sporting special tee shirts sold as a fund raising initiative by the Beautiful Eyes association. A large number of participants were also wearing mismatched socks – a symbol internationally used to mark the day.

The march stopped at five locations on main roads where participating children performed various items. Two of these items were presented by children with down syndrome.

Organisers from the Beautiful Eyes Association noted high public participation in the event, stating that it was a fund raising event in order to support its Therapy Centre – the only one of its kind in the Maldives which is run exclusively to provide therapy for children with Down Syndrome.

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