Author: Minivan News

MDP campaign office ransacked

The campaign office of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in Male’ was robbed on Friday night.

According to MNBC One, a number of documents, including a voter list of Male’ constituencies and an office laptop were stolen.

MDP Male’ Primaries Coordinator Sofwan Ibrahim said the thieves rifled through desks and drawers but the office was not seriously damaged.

He added that police arrived to inspect the scene when the robbery was reported on Saturday morning.

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DRP and Adhaalath deny reports of coalition for local election

The opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) will not look to battle upcoming local council elections in a coalition with conservative religious group, the Adhaalath Party (AP), an MP has told local news service Miadhu.

MP Rozaina Adam, the Local Council Committee coordinator of the DRP and representative for the Thulusdhoo constituency, says the country’s main political opposition group has no plans to work alongside the AP to try and enhance its prospects during next year’s local elections.

Miadhu reported that there has been rising speculation that DRP members have been actively campaigning alongside their AP counterparts in some constituencies ahead of the council elections scheduled for early February, 2011.

However, the newspaper cites unnamed representatives for both the AP and DRP parties that deny any collaboration strategy for the election.

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US Navy-MNDF conduct medical camp

A medical camp organised jointly by Naval officers of the warship USS Momsum and medical staff of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) took place yesterday at the Children’s Park in Male’.

The event is part of a series of social programmes to be conducted with the visiting American Naval officers and MNDF.

Dental information, fitness checks and instruction on first-aid and fire emergencies were offered to children at Saturday’s camp.

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Man injured in collision with ambulance

A 25 year-old man is seriously injured after colliding with an ambulance Saturday morning at the cross section of Orchid Magu and Chandaanee Magu.

According to police, the ambulance was driving with its siren sounding en route to an emergency pickup.

The man sustained injuries to his head, face and arms in the collision and was taken to Indira Gandi Memorial Hospital for treatment.

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First lady’s father dies aged 69

Ali Abdulla, prominent Maldivian businessman and father of the First Lady Laila Ali, died on Friday November 19 aged 69.

Abdulla passed away while being treated for an illness at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital. The First Lady was unable to attend the funeral as she was away on pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, the Dhivehi Observer (DO) reported.

Abdulla entered into business following his banishment for dissent, DO reported, going on to create the Alia business empire which dealt in trade and tourism, opening one of the first modern hotels in Male’.

Late Ali Abdulla was awarded the National Award of Recognition in 1980 acknowledging his contribution to develop the trade of carpentry and wood works in the country.

The funeral was held in the Islamic Centre after the Friday prayer and was attended by President Mohamed Nasheed, who flew home early from a state visit to Sri Lanka.

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Maldives contributes double-digit boost to South Asia tourist growth

The Maldives has contributed strong growth to the overall number of tourists arriving within the South Asia region during August, according to new travel industry-supplied figures.

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) says that international arrivals to the Maldives were up by 27 per cent during the month when compared to the same period the previous year.

The South Asia region as a whole, which also includes Sri Lanka, India and Nepal among its members, posted an increase of the 10 per cent in the total number of monthly visitors during August 2009, according to the association’s figures.

PATA claimed that a more stable outlook within global economics and a growing number of airline services and seats has allowed the Asia Pacific region to benefit from a surge in tourist demand, particularly during the Northern Hemisphere’s summer holiday period.

Total regional tourist growth for August was seen by the association as being slower than the figures recorded during the previous three months, which were found ranging between 14 and 16 percent. However, PATA remained optimistic about the prospects for tourism across Asia and the Pacific Rim territories in 2010.

“To date, visitor arrivals have grown by a very positive 12 percent during the first eight months of the year,” the association stated.

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Poster exhibition in Sultans Park to mark World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse

The NGO Advocating the Rights of Children (ARC) is hosting a poster exhibition in Sultans Park November 19 from 4pm to 6pm to mark World Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse.

The posters displayed at the exhibition will consist of those received for the poster competition that ARC announced on 10 October 2010, on the theme “Against the many faces of child abuse”.

This poster competition and exhibition is held in association with Thilafushi Corporation and in partnership with United Artists of Maldives (UAM).

ARC will also be launching a holiday programme, including swimming and art, for children at the Kudakudhinge Hiyaa orphanage on November 20, the Universal Chidren’s Day.

The swimming programme will be conducted in conjunction the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).

The NGO said it hoped both the swimming and art lessons would “give the children more self confidence as well as give them something meaningful and fun to look forward to, especially during the holidays when schools are closed.”

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Damaged and excess drug cargo seized

A half container of prescription drugs has been seized by local Customs authorities after the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) uncovered damage to products within the shipment, local media reports.

Excess levels of medication beyond those recorded on an invoice attached to the container were also seized from the shipment, which was imported to the country on November 2, 2010, according to Haveeru.

Customs officials quoted in the report said that it was to procedure to dispose of any damaged drugs being brought into the country.

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