Category: News in Brief

Pacific islands thought threatened by rising sea levels are growing

Shape-shifting islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean are standing up to the effects of climate change, writes Wendy Zukerman in New Scientist.

For years, people have warned that the smallest nations on the planet – island states that barely rise out of the ocean – face being wiped off the map by rising sea levels. Now the first analysis of the data broadly suggests the opposite: most have remained stable over the last 60 years, while some have even grown.

Paul Kench at the University of Auckland in New Zealand and Arthur Webb at the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission in Fiji used historical aerial photos and high-resolution satellite images to study changes in the land surface of 27 Pacific islands over the last 60 years. During that time, local sea levels have risen by 120 millimetres, or 2 millimetres per year on average.

Despite this, Kench and Webb found that just four islands have diminished in size since the 1950s. The area of the remaining 23 has either stayed the same or grown.

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Salaf’s ”The Call” launches this weekend

Religious NGO Jamiyyathul Salaf’s event ”The Call’ 2010 will start this evening at 20:30pm.

Two well known scholars from abroad would deliver seven sermons on different topics. The two scholars are Dr Bilal Philips from Canada and Br Abdurraheem Green from the United Kingdom.

The sermons are to be held at different venues.

Tonight Dr Bilal Philips would be delivering a sermon on the topic ”Liv’Islam” at Alimas Carnival stage.

Tomorrow afternoon Dr Bilal Philips is scheduled to deliver another sermon at the same venue at 4:15pm on the topic ”Why do we need a religion”.

That evening at 8:30pm Br Abdurraheem Green is scheduled to deliver a sermon at the same venue on the topic ”Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘N’ Roll”.

On June 5, Br Abdurraheem Green would deliver a sermon in Dharubaaruge at 4:15pm, on the topic ”Women’s rights in Islam”. On the same evening at the same venue at 8:30pm Dr Bilal Philips will deliver a sermon on the topic ”Qur’an-Is there more to it”.

On June 4, Dr Bilal Philips will deliver a sermon at Thaajuddeen School at 4:15pm on the topic ”Belief in Allah”. On the same day at 8:30pm in the evening, Br Abdurraheem Green would deliver a sermon on the topic ”Towards a peaceful Society” at Alimas Carnival.

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Call for “street action” on climate change

The President of the Maldives called for grassroots “street action” on climate change, reports the Ethiopian Review.

“What we really need is a huge social ’60s-style catalystic, dynamic street action,” said President Mohamed Nasheed, noting that the United States was the biggest obstacle to a global agreement on climate change.

Nasheed spoke via a live video link from the Maldives over the weekend with Ed Miliband, former British secretary of state for energy and climate change during the “Maldives — Dispatches from the Climate Change Frontline” event at London’s Hay Festival.

“My sense of China is that they tend to believe in climate change. My sense of the U.S. is that a fair amount of them simply don’t believe in it,” he said.

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Multiple lorry accidents when garbage truck collides with oil truck

A garbage truck yesterday collided with a parked oil truck near T-jetty on Boduthakurufaanu magu.

Police reported that the garbage truck, after hitting the oil truck, lost control and hit another small lorry before impacting with the wall of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) base ‘Kalhuthuhkalakoshi’.

The oil truck then rebounded and hit another parked lorry, which hit yet another vehicle.

Police reported that the accident caused damage to many vehicles but nobody was injured.

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Island households will not pay increased electricity tariffs until subsidies introduced

Households on islands other than the capital Male’ will not have to pay increased electricity tariffs until the subsidy scheme has been approved for the entire nation, the government has said.

The taskforce appointed by the President to assist the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) in giving subsidies has decided that a nationwide subsidy policy will be formulated by September this year.

The National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) will determine which households in the are eligible to receive electricity subsidy before September this year, the government said.

The increment charged in the electricity bills of island households by the provincial utilities companies since April will be deducted from the next electricity bills.

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President visits Australia

President Mohamed Nasheed has arrived in the Australian capital Canberra where he was greeted by a ceremonial welcome with full military guard of honour.

The President was met at the airport by Australia’s Governor General Quentin Bryce and MP Anthony Byrne, representing the Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd.

In his first state visit to Australia President Nasheed will meet with Rudd and other key Australian officials, and discuss ways of furthering the development of bilateral relations, as well as other international issues of common concern.

The President visiting at invitation of the Australian government, which is paying all expense apart from airfares.

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Alleged missionary departs with four Maldivians

Daily news paper Miadhu has reported that an alleged missionary named ‘Thomas’, has left the Maldives along with other four Maldivians who allegedly supported Christianity.

The newspaper reported that Thomas, during his times of stay in the Maldives, met with some Maldivians who supported Christianity.

“Anti-Islamic work is becoming widespread and people are concerned that it may spread further unless the responsible sources do enough to prevent it,” Miadhu said.

Miadhu reported that missionary activities are now “widely conducted” in the Maldives.

Correction: A previous version of this article translated Miadhu’s article as saying that “many people are concerned that religious unity among Maldivians is becoming weak”. Miadhu informed Minivan News that a more accurate translation is: “Anti-Islamic work is becoming widespread and people are concerned that it may spread further unless the responsible sources do enough to prevent it.”

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Nasheed to depart on first state visit to Australia

President Mohamed Nasheed will depart this evening on his first state visit to Australia, at the invitation of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

The President is to be given a full guard of honour when he is received in the Australian capital of Canberra, where he will meet Rudd and the Governor General Quentin Bryce.

Nasheed will also meet with Maldivian students studying in Canberra.

Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair noted that the Australian government will fund most of the costs associated with the trip, aside from airfares.

“Our country is becoming increasingly important on the world stage. People now listen to what the Maldives has to say on issues of international importance,” Zuhair said.

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Israeli navy attacks aid flotilla off Gaza coast

Israeli forces have attacked a flotilla of aid ships carrying humanitarian aid en route from Cyprus to Gaza.

News agency Al Jazeera reported that 19 people were killed in the incident and dozens injured when Israeli soldiers intercepted and boarded the convoy, called the ‘Freedom Flotilla’, 65 kilometres from the coastline of Gaza.

The Israeli military confirmed that the attack took place in international waters. It claimed four soldiers were injured when demonstrators fought back with firearms and light weaponry.

Al Jazeera’s correspondent said the ship surrendered and that there was no fire from passengers or crew on the vessel.

Organisers of the flotilla carrying said it was carrying 10,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid, including medical supplies.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas declared a three-day state of mourning, amid rising international condemnation of Israel from countries including Turkey, Spain, Greece, Denmark and Sweden have protested against the attacks.

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