Author: Minivan News

Special Envoy leaves for China

The President’s Special Envoy Ibrahim Hussain Zaki has left for China in the wake of several travel warnings in the region that may be impacting Chinese arrivals to the Maldives.

The President’s Office said the visit was at the invitation of the Chinese government to explore further avenues for cooperation between the Maldives and China.

Zaki will meet Vice Minister of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Ai Ping and Deputy Governor of Export Import Bank of China Su Hong. He will also visit Tianjin City and Chengdu of Sichuan Province.

He will be accompanied by Parliamentary Group Leader of the Maldivian Democratic Party Moosa Manik, Minister of State for Economic Development Ahmed Mujthaba, Undersecretary at the President’s Office Eman Hussain and Major Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives National Defence Force.

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Singer arrested in drug-related matter

Local singer Hassan ‘Meyna’ Mohamed has been arrested over a drug-related matter, reports Haveeru.

“He was arrested in a drug-related case. However, we cannot confirm whether he was taken into custody for possessing illegal drugs or taking the drugs,” a police spokesperson told the newspaper.

Hassan has performed at rallies of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), and sang the party’s theme song at the recent local council elections.

Haveeru reported that Hassan’s career peaked in the early 90s, and fell off after he told Haveeru he would “never ever sing again.” He later resumed his career.

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Private clinics increases charges

Haveeru has reported private health clinics in Male’ have increased consultation fee and other charges without the approval of the Health Ministry.

”The charges were increased because doctors and other technical staff are being paid in US dollar and the rise in prices of medical consumables,” claimed some clinics according to Haveeru.

Meanwhile senior official at the Health Ministry Dr Ibrahim Yasir told the paper that the ministry has not allowed clinics to increase consultation fees and other charges, and that action could be taken against those clinics who increase the prices without the approval of the ministry.


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Two ”high profile criminals” charged with assault

The Prosecutor General’s Office has today filed assault charges against two suspects arrested for conducting assault with a weapon and stabbing a person near Hulhumale’ ferry terminal.

The two persons charged Ahmed Shareef of Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll Rathafandhoo and Maadhih Mohamed of Laamu Atoll Gan. Both denied the charges in court today.

Shareef said he was arrested when he came out after having a coffee from a cafe’.

Madhih told the judge that he returned to Male’ after work from Hulhumale’ and saw unrest that was ongoing, and was pursued by a group after he attempted to run away and leave the area.

Madhih was arrested from the scene by police officers who attended the incident.

The judge ordered police to detain Madhih until the trial is over.

Both Madhih and Shareef were listed as ‘most dangerous’ criminals by police.

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Transport Ministry rules out Male’ bus service

The Transport Ministry has backed down from a plan to introduce a bus service in Male’ because of the condition of the roads and lack of alternate routes for large vehicles in the city’s narrow streets.

Adil Saleem has ruled out the possibilities of beginning bus transport service in Male because of the current condition of the roads.

“What would happen now is, if the bus were to travel from Hulhumale ferry terminal with a busload of people to Vilingili ferry terminal and if for some reason a road happens to be closed and there is no other route the bus could take, [the system] would be brought to a standstill,” said Transport Minister Adil Saleem, according to Haveeru.

“There are many things to do before we can begin the bus service. Space needs to be created on the roads of Male so that buses can be accommodated.”

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Male’ cinema celebrating Children’s Day with free 3D screening

The Athena Cinema on Male’s Boduthakurufaanu Magu is inviting children to a free screening of the 3D animated film “Despicable Me” this afternoon as part of a promotion to celebrate Children’s Day.

Schwack Maldives Pvt, which operates the cinema that specialises in showing Bollywood and Hollywood films, has said that the 200 tickets being made available for this afternoon’s 2:30pm showing of the 3D film will be provided on a first come, first serve basis.

According to the company, the film is being screened free of charge to try and appeal to families as a means of celebrating Children’s Day together in the capital.

“Despicable Me” was first released last year and has been rated PG for containing some rude humour and mild action.

Further details about today’s showing are available from the Athena Cinema on 333 8998.

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Bandos hosts liability claims conference

A two day conference aiming to bring together insurance and liability claims experts from across Asia and Africa in order to address industry challenges has kicked off today at Bandos Island Resort and Spa.

According to organisers, the Afro-Asian Claim Awareness Conference will bring together business leaders and other high-profile speakers including Maldivian Vice President, Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan.

Issues expected to be covered at the conference include addressing liability risks arising from resort-based tourism, online business and the provision of consumers goods.

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Police crack down on poker tournaments

Police are investigating complaints of the card game poker being played in Male’, after concerns were raised with a local restaurant manager that patrons were playing the game.

Haveeru reported that police were searching for expatriates who were witnessed playing the game.

“It starts as just having fun. A group of 3-4 people will start playing with a single deck of cards. One day a person lost and he had to pay a lot of money. There was an argument about it,” a restaurant owner told Haveeru.

Gambling is banned under Islamic Sharia law and punishable under Article 88 of the penal code, which defers to Sharia, Haveeru reported.

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Foreign minister spies mutual benefits from Sri Lanka tourism appeal

Rising international interest in the Sri Lankan  tourism market is expected to have mutual benefits for the Maldives travel industry, Ahmed Naseem, the country’s Foreign Affairs Minister has claimed.

Haveeru reported Naseem as stating during a visit to Sri Lanka that the two tourism markets had the potential to complement each other well in their individual aims of trying to attract a wider number of visitors.

He added therefore that working to offer a greater number of joint travel packages between Sri Lanka and the Maldives was seen as a lucrative development that was currently under consideration by authorities.

Preliminary tourism statistics for the first three months of 2011 have suggested that arrival numbers were up by 12.3 percent over the same period the previous year, with 246,606 visitors coming to the country.

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