Author: Minivan News

”Dangerous criminal” sentenced to 15 days for contempt of court

A person declared a “dangerous criminal” by police has been sentenced to 15 days imprisonment, after he demanded the judge provide him the opportunity to present witnesses from his side, reported Sun Online.

Sun identified the person as Ahmed Shareef of Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll Rathafandhoo.

Shareef told the judge that the judge was ignoring his requests and giving priority to the request of the Prosecutor General’s Office.

He told the judge that he would not appear in court if the court did not appoint another judge to handle his case, and the judge replied that he would be summoned to the court even with force if necessary, reported Sun Online.

The judge said that if the accused had witnesses, he should have said so during the police investigation rather than exercising his right to remain silent. Ahmed Shareef and Madhih Mohamed, both accused in the same case, also used the right to remain silent during the police investigation.

The judge declared that both Madhih and Shareef would not get the chance to present any witnesses.

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“No nepotism in a DRP rule”, says Gayoom at seventh anniversary of reform movement

Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom last night held a special rally to celebrate the seventh year of the former government’s reform.

Speaking at the rally, Gayyoom said the reform agenda he initiated seven years ago “can be perfectly successful and fruitful only after the DRP wins the Presidential Elections and reclaims authority.”

Gayoom said that then the people would come to realise the true values of democracy, as there would be no nepotism in DRP rule.

The former President claimed that under a DRP government people would be equal and there would “be no favouritsm,’’ according to reports in newspaper Miadhu.

Miadhu also reported that Gayoom criticised leader of main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, and called for primary elections to determine a presidential candidate.

In his speech, the former President also denied he was attempting to disunite the party or further his personal interests.

Leader of Peoples Alliance Party (PA) and half-brother of Gayoom, Abdulla Yameen, also spoke at the rally.

Yameen claimed the government was trying to influence the judiciary and called on people to “be cautious”.

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DRP Secretary General resigns

Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Secretary General Abdul Rasheed Nafiz has today resigned from his post, reports Haveeru.

Haveeru reported DRP’s media coordinator as saying that Nafiz had resigned because there were “some obstacles” in conducting his work.

Nafiz would remain in the party and continue to contribute to the party, the DRP said.

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UK officials conclude Chevening scholarship interviews

British officials from the UK High Commission in Colombo have concluded a visit to Malé to interview applicants for the Chevening scholarship programme.

Second Secretary Political and Public Diplomacy Dominic Williams, British Council Director Tony Reilly and Maldives Political Officer Shahla Ali visited to interview applicants.

“It is always a pleasure to meet the bright and enthusiastic students who apply to the Chevening scheme,” Williams said.

“This year the quality of the applicants was once again very high. Their energy and drive in many ways captures and reflects the optimism and ambition inspired by the Maldivian transition to democracy. I am sure that all the applicants will go on to make a significant contribution to their country.”

He said that the British government had substantially increased its funding to support the Maldives’ transition to democracy.

“During the visit, we were able to discuss ideas with a range of partners on how best to use this money to help consolidate the Maldivian success story,” Williams said.

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Maldives to face India ahead of football Challenge Cup

The Maldives national football team is expected to face India for a friendly match in July ahead of next year’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup finals.

The match, expected to be played during the next few weeks at an unspecified location, will form part of India’s own preparation for upcoming qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup tournament, according to sports news website, Goal.com.

Back in March, the Maldives’ national stadium in Male’ hosted every single Group C qualifying match for the 2012 Challenge Cup, with the home team coming out on top to qualify for the finals alongside second place Tajikistan.

Following its qualification for the 2012 Challenge Cup, the Maldives is also expected to find out next week if it has been chosen as the tournament’s host nation. The tournament is contested two years every two years among a number of second tier national football teams represented by the AFC and has been held in 2010, 2008 and 2006 in Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh respectively.

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Airport to conduct emergency training exercises on June 15

GMR Male International Airport will be running a full-scale airport emergency exercise on Wednesday June 15, from 4:00pm to 8:00pm.

The exercise will include activities in Male’, Hulhumale’ and Male’ International Airport.

In a statement the airport noted that “abnormal” events could occur during the training exercises.

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MBC requests recordings of Thunbafushi reports from Raajje TV after unspecified complaint

The Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) has asked Raajje TV for recordings of bulletins it aired relating to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA)’s fining of Mohamed Champa Moosa for damage to Thun’bafushi, reports Haveeru.

The MBC said the request was made regarding an undisclosed complaint, however Haveeru reported that the complaint concerned the tarnishing of Champa’s reputation.

“The license states that the content of the recording be kept for a set amount of days. The commission requested for the recordings regarding a complaint it received, so as to the complaint is valid or not,” the MBC told Haveeru.

Raajje TV issued a statement asking the MBC to deal with other broadcasting media in similar fashion.

“we call on the Maldives Broadcasting Corporation to investigate the complaints received about all other broadcasting medias in the same manner, and take action against those media sources spreading news obviously influenced by politics,” the station said.

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Bus service won’t affect taxis, says Mayor

Male City Mayor Adam Manik has reassured taxi drivers that they need not be concerned about trials of a bus service, reports Haveeru.

“Everyone’s not a millionaire. An affordable mode of transport should be available for the some 150,000 people living in Male’,” Haveeru reported Manik as saying.

“On the other hand, people who use cars are those who want to go directly to their homes. So taxi drivers shouldn’t be worried about that,” he said.

Manik said environmentally friendly buses would be introduced pending a six month trial of a bus service in the capital.

“In our efforts to become carbon neutral we need to reduce the number of fuel-powered vehicles,” Manik said.

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Maldivian Arab Spring focused on replacing democratically-elected president with aging despot: Take Part

As political unrest swept through the Muslim nations of North Africa, even the remote island nation of the Maldives was caught up in its own Arab Spring in the form of political protest and street clashes, writes author and documentary filmmaker Jon Bowermaster for Take Part.

“One major difference: efforts in the Maldives were focused on pushing out a young, democratically elected president and replacing him with an aging despot.

“As many as 5,000 protestors have been shouting not about green issues, but about homegrown concerns, including a sour economy and increases in crime and inflation. They have also complained about Nasheed’s alleged ‘westernization’ of the traditional Islamic culture. One report has his popularity rating at just 18 percent. The military has dispersed youthful crowds with high-pressure hoses and batons.

“Waiting in the wings? None other than Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, 74, whose 30-year dictatorship ended in 2008 with Nasheed’s election. Nasheed has no love lost for the former president, who still lives in the Maldives. A former journalist, activist and political prisoner, Nasheed was tortured while in prison during Gayoom’s presidency.”

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