Category: News in Brief

Head of Chinese legislature pledges cooperation with Majlis

China’s legislative body the National People’s Congress (NPC) has pledged closer cooperation with the Maldives Majlis after a meeting between NPC Standing Committee Chairman Wu Bangguo and Majlis Speaker Abdulla Shahid.

Wu met Shahid in Bejing on Monday, reports Chinese news agency Xinhua, and stated that he was keen to expand “mutual trust and economic and trade cooperation” in areas such as fisheries, tourism, infrastructure and construction.

China would encourage Chinese companies to further participate in the Maldives’ national construction and more Chinese tourists to visit the country, Xinhua reported.

Shahid said the rapid growth of the Chinese economy offered inspiration to developing countries, including the Maldives.

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Thousands apply for government housing in congested Male’

Thousands of Maldivians lined up outside the Male’ municipality offices this morning to apply for houses under the ‘Veshi Fahi Male’ programme, reports Haveeru.

Municipality president Adam Manik told Haveeru that 8000 applications had been issued and that ward offices had started to print more.

Male’ is the most densely populated city in the world with approximately 50,000 people per square kilometre, eclipsing Mumbai.

Five hundred units in Male’, 250 in Hulhumale and 250 land plots will be provided in the first round of the programme.

Application forms are available until January 16 from the application office on the ground floor of the Ghazee building.

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Italian paparazzi took Ronaldo and Irina photos, says resort management

Widely-circulated photographs of Real Madrid player Cristiano Ronaldo and his bikini-clad girlfriend, Russian supermodel Irina Shayk, on the beach of the ‘Rania Experience’ resort were reportedly taken by Italian paparazzi on a chartered yacht anchored nearby.

Director of the resort’s management Platinum Capital Holdings, Hassan Shiyam, said a yacht registered in the Maldives as ‘Unmeed 5’ anchored next to the island, citing engine trouble.

“Later we discovered that two European paparazzi were operating in the yacht with huge cameras. The yacht also had maps of Rania,” he said. “We are sure that the pictures were taken by the paparazzi on the yacht.”

British comedian Russell Brand and pop star wife Katy Perry were also tailed by paparazzi during their honeymoon in the Maldives in October.

Minivan News understands the couple first transferred to Four Seasons Kuda Hura in North Male’ Atoll, before surreptitiously transferring to Four Seasons Landagiraavaru after supposed media intrusion before travelling to yet another resort.

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Second Radisson resort to open in Maldives

Hospitality and travel company Carlson, which owns the famous US restaurant chain TGI Fridays and the Radisson hotel chain, has announced the signing of a US$91 million 281-villa resort to open in the third quarter of 2012.

The Radisson Plaza Resort Maldives, owned by Three K International, will be situated on the island of Naagoshi in Haa Dhaalu Atoll and will include 182 land and 99 water villas.

Executive vice president and chief development officer of Carlson Hotels in Asia Pacific, Xerxes Meher-Homji, said the resort would cater to both couples and families

“This spectacular resort is being created as a unique holiday sanctuary retreat for couples and families, through distinct facilities and design features catering to both markets,” he said.

Multidisciplinary firm Hassell has been appointed architectural, interior and landscape design consultants for the resort.

Carlson also has a second hotel presently under construction in the Maldives, the 250-room Radisson Hotel Maldives Hulhumale scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2013.

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Thai airways launches flights to Maldives

Thai Airways has launched flights to the Maldives from Bangkok, increasing the country’s access to one of Asia’s largest travel hubs.

The airline began operating three flights a week from the start of the year, under a code-share agreement with Bangkok Airways.

The Airbus A319 aircraft will fly Bangkok-Maldives on Monday, Thursday and Sunday until the conclusion of the winter schedule on March 2011.

Thai Airways’ General Manager for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Weerawat Swasdibutra, said the code-share agreement would “offer more travel opportunities for passengers who book and travel with Thai.”

“Through this code-share arrangement, more passengers will be able to travel to the Maldives and experience the renown pure beauty of the Maldives at its best,” he said.

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India and Maldives conduct joint surveillance operation

India and the Maldives have begun an operation to conduct surveillance of the Maldives’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), using Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) coastguard vessels and Indian navy aircraft.

The joint surveillance operation comes after several boatloads of Somali castaways were rescued in the Maldives last year. One of the dinghies contained a spent bullet shell.

No suspicious activities have been detected since the launch of the operation on Thursday, the MNDF said.

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