Category: News in Brief

Maldives holds India to a draw ahead of Iranian World Cup test

The Maldives national football team came from a goal down to avoid defeat at the hands of India as its prepares for its first qualifying match later this month to earn a spot at the 2014 World Cup tournament in Brazil.

The Maldives is scheduled to face Iran on July 23 for the first leg qualifying match for football’s largest competition, with the return fixture set for July 28.

However, preparations for facing Iran, who last qualified for the World Cup when it was hosted back in Germany in 2006, appeared to get off to a bad start for the Maldives on Sunday (July 10) as India went a goal ahead within 18 minutes during a friendly match at the national stadium in Male’.

According to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Indian Captain Sunil Chhetri opened the scoring for the visitors during the first half after finding his way onto a Steven Dias corner to head his team in front. India were reported to continue to dominate play after taking the lead, yet were unable to build upon the single goal deficit they held over the homeside.

Despite coming near to doubling their lead in the 43rd minute of the match through Jeje Lalpekhlua, India were immediately punished by the Maldives through Mukhtar Nasir, who fired a curling effort over goalkeeper Subrata Pal to round out the first half in a stalemate.

India continued to pressure in the second half with a number of notable chances falling to Lalpekhlua, but the home side held on to secure a 1-1 draw ahead of facing experienced World Cup qualifiers in the form of the Iranian national side.

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Father arrested for molesting two daughters in Noonu Atoll

Police have arrested a father alleged he had been molesting his two daughters for years, reports SunFM.

SunFM reported that the one of daughter was 13 years of age while the other was only four years-old.

The news outlet reported that the two girls were the only two daughters that he had.

An islander told SunFM that the man’s wife and mother of the two girls were aware of the abuse and obstructed police from arresting him.

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August deadline set for foreign study funding applications

Students currently pursuing or looking to study higher education at foreign institutions have been given a deadline of August 7 this year to apply for funding from an additional government-backed Rf100 million student loan programme.

Funding packages ranging between Rf100,000 and Rf300,000 are reportedly set to be made available to students participating in various types of study ranging from foundation courses to PHD.  After studying abroad, participants  are then expected to begin paying back their loans to the state six months after completion of their course and within a ten-year period, according to newspaper Haveeru.

The foreign study loans are expected to be delivered specifically to Bank of Maldives (BML) accounts assigned to each individual student participating in the foreign loan scheme during August.  The student loan system for Maldivians abroad follows on from the launch of a similar domestic study programme announced by the government early last month.

The funding switch has raised concerns among some students and opposition figures, who claim that not enough is being done by government to support and prepare young people for the challenges of a more diverse Maldives job market.  Opposition MPs in particular have been critical that the funding, like the entire education system had not been sufficiently updated from the 1980s to meet the demand for the current jobs market in terms of skills.

Haveeru reported that despite concerns by some Male’-based students regarding continued delays to receiving their individual loan payments, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between BML and the Finance Ministry was expected to come into place today to ensure loan payments could be made within a 48 hours period.

The student loan programme is a new intiative being taken up by the government to replace the previous “pocket money” grant scheme that supplied limited study funding free of charge.

The government claimed  last month that an initial Rf50 million loan programme for domestic students represented attempts to support a larger number of local people in further education.

Aminath Ali, Deputy Minister of Human Resources, Youth and Sports, previously told Minivan News that she accepted that a number of students had concerns about the change towards providing loans instead of the free grants previously offered.  However, the minister claimed the new system was in place to try to ensure that both the country and citizens could afford further education on a more sustainable basis in the long-term.

“Under the current budget we cannot provide free learning and funding for students at higher education institutions.  The [student loans] are similar to mechanisms in place in countries all over the world,” she said.  “Say a student has a total loan amount of Rf24,000 over their studies, they will have to pay back this amount and a five percent administration charge to cover the role of their bank over an agreed period of time.”

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Authorities review feasibility of Maldives to India 30-hour ferry journey

Consultations are said to be underway to outline the economic viability of a proposed 30-hour ferry route between the Maldives and India designed to try and boost trade and tourism links between the two countries.

According to the Business Standard newspaper, Indian shipping authorities are looking into the possibility of running a passenger liner from the port of Cochin or Tuticorin as part of collaboration with their Maldivian counterparts to target both traders and tourist travel.

With any ferry service between the two destinations expected to last around 30 hours, research is ongoing into the possible benefits and demand for the services as a result.

Earlier this year, ferry services between India and Sri Lanka were restarted after a thirty year hiatus as part of aims to try and strengthen economic and diplomatic ties between the two different nations.

As part of the Maldives’ own commitments to hosting the 17th summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) this year in Addu City, the government has outlined “Building Bridges” – both in terms of physical connectivity and figurative political dialogue – as a key aim for the meeting.

Both India and Sri Lanka are SAARC embers along with the Maldives.

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Expatriate workers climb to safety during Male’ apartment fire

No injuries have been reported from a fire that broke out of the Galolhu Feeroz Lodge building in Male’ this morning, after expatriate workers living at a fourth floor property escaped the blaze using ropes to climb to safety, according to new reports.

Haveeru reported that the Fire and Rescue arm of the Maldives National Defense Force’s (MNDF) put out the fire shortly after arriving to the property, which is owned by the Donad Garment Factory.

Despite damage to the fourth floor apartment, a textile storeroom situated below the location of the fire was reportedly undamaged.

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Maldives recognises independence of South Sudan

The Maldives Foreign Ministry has issued a statement formally recognising the Republic of South Sudan as an independent and sovereign state.

Foreign Minister Ahmed Naseem sent a letter of congratulations to his South Sudanese counterpart Deng Alor Kuol.

“The Government of Maldives plans to establish diplomatic relations with South Sudan at an early date and work towards strengthening cooperation between the Maldives and South Sudan in areas of mutual interest,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“After decades of civil war and sacrifice of many lives, the South Sudanese people, in January this year, voted overwhelmingly in a referendum to declare independence and create a new country,” the statement noted.

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Police investigating baby’s bones found in Laamu

Police are investigating the case of the remains of a baby discovered buried on Kunahandhoo beach in Laamu Atoll.

Haveeru reported Kunahandhoo Council member Lirugam ‘Larey’ Saeed as stating that doctors believed the bones to be 8-10 years old. He said they were found inside a buoy buried under a pile of rocks, together with a handkerchief.

The Council had requested a DNA test, he added. Police meanwhile said the matter was being investigated.

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Maldives largest annual night bazaar opens this evening

The Maldives Night Market opens this evening from 8:00pm at the surf point in Male, and will run for the next 10 days ahead of Ramadan.

The bazaar is organised by the Maldives National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI) and will feature 450 tables running from Tuscaloosa Café to the State Electric Company (STELCO) building.

MNCCI Treasurer Ahmed Adeeb told newspaper Haveeru that in the event of poor weather the duration of the night market would be extended.

“We’ve put up a fence just in case the waves get too high,” Adheeb told Haveeru.

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