President Abdulla Yameen has declared an extra day as a public holiday in relation to the occasion of Fitr Eid at the end of the month of Ramadan.
The President’s Office announced that if the Ministry of Islamic Affairs announces July 28 to be Fitr Eid, then July 31 will also be a holiday. If the Ministry instead announces July 29 to be Fitr Eid, then July 28 will be a holiday.
Government bodies will reopen on August 3 after Fitr Eid holidays.
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(0)Parliament’s public finance committee has on Thursday decided to summon State Electric Company Limited (STELCO) for questioning regarding its operations.
MPs decided to extend the duration of overdraft facility provided to STELCO by the Bank of Maldives in relation to a MVR 50 million loan and voiced concerns over the management of STELCO.
Maradhoo constituency MP Ibrahim Shareef said electricity is a basic necessity and expressed concern about how the company is run. Mandhoo constituency MP Ahmed ‘ADK’ Nashid alleged that STELCO is not run in a cost effective manner.
Eydhafushi Constituency MP Ahmed ‘Redwave’ Saleem echoed Shareef’s concern and suggested that STELCO be summoned for questioning.
Eight of the members in attendance voted in favour of summoning STELCO for questioning.
(0)Dislikes(0)The President’s Office on Wednesday has opened applications and nominations for the annual National Awards.
Applications will be accepted until the end of August and forms are available on the President’s Office website.
The National Awards aim to recognize service in a variety of fields.
At a press conference held today, President of the National Awards Committee Abdul Rasheed Hussain stated that the categories in which awards will be given will be published in today’s edition of the government gazette.
He revealed that awards will be categorized into two Awards of Honour and Awards of Encouragement.
(0)Dislikes(0)A French tourist, aged 33 years, who was reported missing during snorkeling on Wednesday has been discovered dead this morning.
The tourist was staying at Filitheyo Island Resort in Faafu Atoll.
Police revealed that the body was found 30 meters underwater at 9:00 am this morning.
(0)Dislikes(0)Former opposition MP Abdulla Jabir has been jailed upon his return from Malaysia to the Maldives.
The former Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP was sentenced to one year jail sentence in February for refusal to provide a urine sample during a police raid on Hondaidhoo Island in November 2012.
He was temporarily released on April 25 for a three month period to undergo medical tests in Malaysia.
According to the Maldives Correctional Services, Jabir is expected to submit medical records within seven days.
The Prosecutor General also charged Jabir over possession of cannabis but the Criminal Court acquitted by the MP citing insufficient evidence.
Charges of alcohol possession against Jabir are pending at the Criminal Court.
(0)Dislikes(0)President Abdulla Yameen is scheduled to visit China in August on the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the President’s Office has announced.
Yameen is to hold official talks with China and attend the opening ceremony of Summer Youth Olympic Games to be held in Nanjing from August 16 – 28.
“In addition, the president will participate in many activities on the sidelines of official talks. At a time when the government is preparing to begin many development projects, the president visiting a friendly country like China, which has contributed immensely to the development of Maldives, will prove most useful,” President’s Office Spokesperson Ibrahim Muaz Ali told Haveeru.
Relations between Maldives and China have seen a rise in recent years, with increased Chinese investment and a growth in tourist arrivals from China.
Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb said the government is seeking a US$ 400 million from China to develop the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) and three Chinese companies have recently expressed interest in building a bridge between Malé and suburb Hulhumalé.
(0)Dislikes(0)Police have identified the body discovered in the Malé sea near Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital as 36-year-old Azmee Latheef of Maadhan’dige in Maadhandu ward of the island of Fuvahmulah in Gnaviyani Atoll.
Police further revealed that according to the victim’s family, he was mentally challenged. They added that no missing persons report had been filed prior to their finding the body.
They claimed that further details of the victim cannot be revealed to the public as the family objected against releasing information.
Police did not provide details of the cause of death and stated that the investigation is ongoing.
(0)Dislikes(0)The High Court has ruled on Monday that both parents must be summoned to court before a child is questioned regarding cases of child custody in the event of divorce.
The court ruled as such in a hearing in which it overruled a Family Court sentence that handed custody of a child to an Indian mother rather than her Maldivian father.
The High Court sentence claimed that it is not just to let the child decide who he or she wanted to live with in the absence of any one parent, and on those grounds overturned the Family Court verdict.
(0)Dislikes(0)Addu City councillor for Feydhoo constituency Abdulla Aswan suffered a heart attack and died in the early hours of Tuesday morning (July 8).
According to the Addu City Council, they were notified of his death by the widow on Tuesday morning. They noted that Aswan was a passionate and active member of the team.
Aswan was a member of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party.
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