Category: News in Brief

Ramazan begins on Wednesday

Tomorrow is the first day of Ramazan and will begin the month of fasting, with Muslims abstaining from eating, drinking and sexual activity from dawn until sunset.

During Ramazan, Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds.

The date is derived each year from phases of the moon, moving backwards an average of 10 days every year.

“Today the sun will set at 6.21pm and the moon will set 12 minutes later at 6.33pm. On average for all islands of Maldives, the moon will set 14 minutes after the sunset. However, as the sunsets the moon will also be vertically at the same level, thus the chances of moon being visible are very small,” reported Haveeru.

A ceremony was held at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs to announce this year’s Ramazan.

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Government can’t restrict judges from entering Supreme Court: lawyer Shaheen Hameed

Prominent lawyer Shaheen Hameed has said that the government did not have the authority to restrict judges of the Supreme Court from entering the court, reported radio station SunFM.

Shaheen Hameed is the nephew of former President Gayoom, and has represented current President Mohamed Nasheed when he was arrested by the former administration.

SunFM reported that Shaheen claimed he had lately noticed the armed forces and power of executive attempting to work beyond the laws.

Moreover, Shaheen Hameed claimed the government was influencing the juducial system, an institution stated as independent in the constitution of the Maldives, and that the attempt was “against the spirit of the constitution.”

The government contends that the Supreme Court and the interim judges ceased to have legitimacy on conclusion of the transitional period last Saturday, with the annulment of Chapter 14 governing transitional matters, and has urged parliament to legislate the appointment of a new Supreme Court as a matter of urgency.

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Group destroys door of DQP head office

A group of people have destroyed the door of the head office belonging to minor opposition Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) in an apparent attempt to break in, reported the DQP on its official website.

The website reported that it was the third attack such on the DQP headoffice, and that the party had reported the matter to concerned authorities, however the authorities were yet unable to determine the attackers.

Last time the attackers broke into the office, damaged property and fled with some of the documents and office equipment, the party said.

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Will Nasheed be able to compromise, asks Dr S Chandrasekharan

When the parliament session was suspended on August 2 to enable the MDP and the opposition to continue the talks to find a solution, the Speaker Abdulla Shahid called on all the members of the parliament to work in a spirit of compromise and cooperation, writes Dr S Chandrasekharan in the Eurasia Review.

“Cooperation and Compromise should have been the key, and both are missing in Maldives now. There is no doubt that the opposition could have been more accommodative.  One commentator went to the extent of calling the opposition as a bunch of “assorted kleptocrats, dodgy businessmen and friends of ex president Gayoom.”

“While this may not apply to all the opposition members (some are really good), there is some truth in this comment.  There are many ‘entrenched’ Gayoom’s men in all branches of the government who are suspected to be creating problems for the new government.

“It must have become clear now to President Nasheed that without the backing of his parliament, the civil servants and the judiciary,  he will not be able to implement his ambitious agenda and his promises to the people.

“He is a young President of integrity and in a hurry.  At the same time he has to sustain and get the young democracy take deep roots to ensure that authoritarianism never returns.  Will he be able to go for compromises?”

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President appoints heads of Maldives Inland Revenue Authority

President Mohamed Nasheed has appointed Yazeedh Mohamed as Commissioner General of Taxation, presenting letters of appointment at a function yesterday afternoon.

Hassan Zareer was appointed Deputy Commissioner General of Taxation.

Board members of the new tax authority, the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA), are Abbas Adhil Riza, Hassan Waheed, Ahmed Mohamed, Aishth Lulua Hassan and Uz Hussain Siraj.

The President made the appointments as per Article 4(e) of Tax Administration Act.

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Vice President calls for “concerted effort” to curb street violence

Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed has called for a concerted effort to curb street violence, following recent incidents of gang fights and street violence in Malé.

Speaking at a ceremony held at Hulhumalé Hospital this afternoon to inaugurate the new intensive care unit (ICU) established at the hospital, Dr Waheed noted that a number of patients who required intensive critical care were those injured in street violence and other gang-linked fights.

Dr Waheed underscored the need to keep criminals and convicts in detention to reduce violence and gang fights, and said “significant improvements” had been made to prisons to increase security and space.

The ICU at Hulhumalé Hospital was established with the assistance from the government of Pakistan.

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Politics of race and corruption impoverishing Malaysia: Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah

“Without a doubt, Malaysia is slipping. Billions have been looted from this country, and billions more are being siphoned out as our entire political structure crumbles,’ claims former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah speaking at the 4th Annual Malaysian Student Leaders Summit. “Yet we are gathered here in comfort, in a country that still seems to ‘work’ – most of the time. This is due less to good management than to the extraordinary wealth of this country.”

“Last year, we received US$1.38 billion in investments but US$8.04 billion flowed out. We are the only country in Southeast Asia that has suffered net FDI outflow,” he said. “I am not against outward investment. It can be a good thing for the country. But an imbalance on this scale indicates capital flight, not mere investment overseas.”

“When race and money entered our game, we declined,” he said. “The same applies to our political and economic life.”

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WikiLeaks publishes 1.4 GB encrypted ‘insurance’ file

A mysterious 1.4 GB encrypted file named “insurance” has appeared on the WikiLeaks Afghan War page that released tens of thousands of secret documents last Sunday.

The “insurance” file is also available for download through bittorrent.

“Cryptome, a separate secret-spilling site, has speculated that the file may have been posted as insurance in case something happens to the WikiLeaks website or to the organization’s founder, Julian Assange,” reports Kim Zetter for Wired Magazine. “In either scenario, WikiLeaks volunteers, under a prearranged agreement with Assange, could send out a password or passphrase to allow anyone who has downloaded the file to open it.”

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Ready to fight dengue in Sri Lanka with ‘any commitment’: President Rajapaksa

The Sri Lankan government is ready to make any commitment for the eradication of dengue from the country, says President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Every citizen has a responsibility to keep their environment clean and tidy, he says. They have a duty to ensure that there is no room for mosquito breeding grounds in their environment. The President said this task cannot be done by the government alone and it needs more public support.

Up to 30 July, official Sri Lankan dengue cases have reached 23,145, with 171 deaths. Colombo, Gampaha and Kandy have the highest infection rates.

Up to 25 July in Malaysia, 27,400 dengue cases have been reported, with 91 deaths. Kuala Lumpur has high infection rates.

In Thailand, 41,136 cases have been officially recorded up to 20 July, with 38 deaths.

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