Sea Levels Rising during Maldives ‘Winter Season’: Prof. Weiqing Han

Winter season data shows a “significant sea level rise’ for Maldives, according to Professor Weiqing Han, leading author of a study led by the University of Colorado at Boulder USA.

The study combined sea surface measurements going back to the 1960s and satellite observations. It’s findings suggest that climate warming is amplifying regional sea rise changes in parts of the Indian Ocean, threatening inhabitants of some coastal areas and islands.

Other areas, such as the Seychelles, are experiencing lower sea levels.

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MDP to hold ‘national protest’ against corruption

The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has announced it will conduct a special protest today to eliminate corruption and bring “justice and balance” to the Maldives.

Spokesperson for the MDP, Ibrahim Haleem, said the party called on the “whole nation to take part in this protest”, but did not encourage any more people living in the islands to come over to Male’.

”A lot of people from the islands have arrived Male’ to participate in this event,” said Haleem. ”We are expecting at least 10,000 to participate in this protest.”

Haleem said the protest was to “eliminate corruption and to establish justice in the country.”

”MDP has made more than 27 pledges to the people of the Maldives. One of them is to eliminate corruption from the country and to establish justice and peace,” Haleem said. ”Today we will erase the civil unrest caused to the country due to the disgusting act of corruption and bribery for eternity.”

Jumhoree Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim and People’s Alliance (PA) leader Abdulla Yameen, both high-profile businessmen, were recently taken into police custody on charges of corruption and treason. Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim was also taken into custody.

On Sunday the Supreme Court ruled the pair be released from custody, as evidence against them was deemed insufficient. The major opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) denounced the arrests as political at a rally held Tuesday night, where it promised to deliver a “shocking message” to the government.

Today Haleem said protesters will call on judges “to judge fairly and to be impartial.”

”Judges should remember that they also shall work according to the laws, and the protesters will call on the judges to bring justice and peace to our country,” he said. ”We do not have any personal issues against any individual judge.”

He said the protest would start in front of the social centre at 4:00pm, “and God knows when or where we will conclude.”

”Our acts will be strong and voices will be loud today,” he suggested.

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No licences for unscripted Friday sermons: Ministry of Islamic Affairs

The Maldives ministry of Islamic Affairs has suspended issuing licenses to deliver Friday sermons without a script, reports Miadhu.

The suspension is to strengthen the Maldives regulation on religious unity, according to the ministry.

The decision came after intense debate within the ministry, said Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, minister of state for Islamic Affairs.

Unscripted sermons were not delivered in the country prior to the new government, comments Miadhu, and many people believe that the religious awareness in the country has increased as a result of the unscripted sermons.

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Are the Former Guantanamo Prisoners a Security Threat?: Speigel Online

“Are the two men [being resettled in Germany] a security risk or are they desperately in need of assistance? Will they be welfare cases or seek vengeance?” ask four writers for the German news website Speigel Online.

In both cases, the German host states are preparing to provide extensive assistance to the men. “To the best of our knowledge, special security measures are not necessary,” says Rhineland-Palatinate Interior Minister Bruch.

The assistance for the two men will apparently consist primarily of psychological counseling, language courses and intensive integration assistance. The goal is to enable the former inmates to live undisturbed in Germany, reports Speigel.

German authorities are determined to prevent the two men from receiving the same treatment as Murat Kurnaz, a Turkish-born resident of the northern city of Bremen. After his release in 2006, he arrived in Germany in chains.

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Clean energy possible in ten years: Zero Carbon Australia 2020 report

Australia’s energy grid could run entirely on renewables such as wind and solar power within 10 years, according to a report endorsed by the International Energy Agency (IAEA).

Only technologies that are proven and commercially available are referred to in the report, according to the ABC.

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Mass arrests of Calabrian ‘Ndrangheta mafia in Italy

320 people have been arrested by Italian police in dawn raids across Italy.

“This was a huge operation involving some 3,000 carabinieri [police],” reports the BBC’s Duncan Kennedy. People were arrested “on suspicion of crimes including murder, money laundering and belonging to a criminal organisation.”

There have also been associated arrests in the US.

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ElBaradei vs Mubarak in Egypt: Speigel interview

Egyptian Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei is challenging Hosni Mubarak, who has ruled Egypt for nearly three decades.

“The decisive moment was my return to Cairo in February. I really only wanted to visit my country again and spend a few weeks at my house here near the pyramids. But then, 1,500 people were standing there at the airport,” says ElBaradei in an interview with Speigel Online. “It was a cross-section of our society: students, business people, workers and surprisingly many women, including Egyptian women with head scarves and veiled faces. Some called out: “This country must be changed, please help us make that happen!” Others held signs reading: “ElBaradei for President!” It electrified me.”

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Is Selfish the evolutionary way to go?: Karen Armstrong

If we are indeed completely in thrall to the selfish gene, why not throw all constraint to the winds and just be selfish – individually and collectively, in our politics, social arrangements, financial and economic dealings? writes Karen Armstrong in her review of Absence of Mind by Marilynne Robinson.

We saw during the 20th century (not to mention the first decade of the 21st) what can happen when the “me-first” mentality is given free rein. But this was also the century of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and Nelson Mandela, who revealed the potential for altruism in humanity.

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Airport traffic controller in suspected suicide

An air traffic controller at Male’ International Airport was found dead at 4:00am this morning after apparently hanging himself from the control tower.

The man, identified by newspaper Haveeru as 26 year-old Ismail Mohamed Didi, was discovered after airport workers received no response from the tower’s phone.

The case was reported to police around 5:00am. Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam confirmed the body was found hanging from the tower but said it was too early to confirm whether the death was a suicide.

“His body was first taken to Hulhumale’ hospital and now he is in Indira Gandi Memorial Hospital (IGMH),” he said. “We are investigating the case.”

Spokesperson for the Maldives Airports Company (MACL) Rahmathulla Ashraf told Haveeru that the company could only comment once the police investigation was concluded.

“We are also waiting for the findings of the investigation,” he said.

Rahmathulla claimed the incident did not disrupt the operations of the control tower.

A source familiar with the victim said Didi was a junior air traffic controller who performed his job well.

The source said Didi had been an air traffic controller for 6-7 years and had recently worked at Kaadedhoo airport in Huvadhu atoll.

“He went up the control tower around 3:00am, a quiet time when there is no air traffic,” said the source.

“People at the airport received no response from the tower, so they went up to check and found him hanging there.”

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