Thursday 2
September 2010
Maldives
a 99.41 percent Muslim country, claims RISSC
report
The Royal
Islamic Strategic Research Centre (RISSC)’s
report into the global state of Islam has
described the Maldives as a 99.41 percent Muslim
country. RISSC is an independent research entity
affiliated with the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute
for Islamic Thought, an international Islamic
non-governmental institute headquartered in the
capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
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ހަރުގެ
Universal
issues statement “deeply deploring” actions of
strike organisers
Universal
Enterprises has issued a statement announcing
the return of guests to the Kurumba Maldives
resort from August 26, following last week’s
industrial action. The statement said the
company “deeply deplored” the actions of strike
organisers at Kurumba last week, claiming they
“sent employees armed with makeshift weapons to
blockade the main kitchen and physically
threaten staff serving meals to guests”.
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President
reaffirms commitment to rule of law
In his weekly
radio address, President Mohamed Nasheed has
said his administration will use laws only to
uphold the rule of law. Expressing concern over
the misuse of laws and the courts, the President
said that “some politicians think of laws or
even the courts as political tools”.
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Pee
is for power: Your electrifying excretions
Why let
your waste go to waste when it could be powering
your mobile phone – or even your car? IT IS a
bright spring morning here at Heriot-Watt
University in Edinburgh, UK, where I have come
to meet my interviewee for this article, Shanwen
Tao. Normally when I interview someone, I give
them a business card and maybe the latest issue
of New Scientist. Today, I give Tao a bottle of
my own pee.
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Upper
North Utilities Ltd signs an agreement with
Merciel International to provide utilities
services to Upper North Province
Upper North
Utilities Limited (UNUL) has signed a
collaboration agreement with Merciel
International of the United States to provide
utilities services to all the islands of Upper
North Province.
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Maldives
Holidays See Strong Demand
In the
current age of austerity you may expect that
demand for Maldives holidays are on the wane,
but not according to one company International
Travel Connections who have just launched a new
brand, Maldives Connection, to cater for the
continued strong demand for The Maldives.
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Kurumba
staff return to work after 19 arrested
Staff at
Kurumba Resort have ceased striking and returned
to work following the arrest of 19 staff members
on charges of vandalism and intimidation. Almost
all the resort staff have been on strike for the
last three days complaining of management
inaction over poor staff accommodation, food,
unfair distribution of service charges and staff
discrimination. Rising tension prompted
management to move around 250 guests to other
resorts run by the Universal group yesterday,
while other visitors chose to depart the
country.
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Cabinet
decides to stop licence for cargo at ports
except Male’, Thilafushi and regional ports
At a
meeting held at the President’s Office today,
the Cabinet has decided to stop issuing licence
for cargo at all ports except Male’, Thilafushi
and the two regional ports. Taking the decision,
the Cabinet noted that it was crucial to closely
monitor the items imported into the country and
strengthen cargo facilities.
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If
a Country Sinks Beneath the Sea, Is It Still a
Country?
Rising
ocean levels brought about by climate change
have created a flood of unprecedented legal
questions for small island nations and their
neighbors. Among them: If a country disappears,
is it still a country? Does it keep its seat at
the United Nations? Who controls its offshore
mineral rights? Its shipping lanes? Its fish?
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Kurumba
management evacuates guests as strike talks
deadlock
An ongoing
strike at Kurumba Maldives resort near Male’ has
prompted management to move the island’s guests
to other resorts run by the Universal Group,
while other visitors have chosen to leave the
country. More than 150 Maldivian and expatriate
staff are on strike after complaining of poor
staff facilities, low wages, unfair distribution
of service charges and discrimination between
local and foreign staff.
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“Woodstock
of the mind” coming to the Maldives
Imagine Ian
McEwan, author of Atonement, performing a
reading or participating in a panel discussion
on a beach in a Maldivian island. That is
exactly what Hay Festival Maldives promises to
do. Famously described as “the Woodstock of the
mind” by former US President Bill Clinton, the
Hay Festival of Literature and Arts is among the
most famous literary festivals in the world.
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President
Nasheed ratifies Maldives' Broadcasting Bill
President
Mohamed Nasheed on Sunday ratified Broadcasting
Bill passed by the People’s Majlis at its
sitting on 3 August. Following the ratification,
the Broadcasting Act has been published in the
government gazette. The Broadcasting Act makes
provisions to establish a broadcasting
commission to implement broadcasting policy. The
Act states duties and responsibilities of the
commission, and stipulates how broadcasting
license can be issued.
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Maldives
to join International Criminal Court
Miadhu - Foreign Minister Dr. Ahmed Shaheed has
said that he hopes that the next cabinet meeting
will discuss on joining the International
Criminal Court (ICS). Speaking to Miadhu, Dr.
Shaheed said that after legal consultations with
Attorney General (AG) it has been sent for
approval to the cabinet ministers’ commission.
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Maldives
ship seized in Madras
The Madras
High Court has ordered the arrest a Maldives
registered ship lying at the anchorage of Kannur
port in Kerala. The court order, issued last
week, follows alleged non-payment of dues to a
Tuticorin-based company, the Siasath Daily
reported. “Justice V. Peruya Karuppiah passed
the interim order on an application from Hari
Company alleging that the owners of the ship M/v
Dhuvaafaru Galaxy had not paid for various items
worth 248,386 USD (approx Rs.1.27 crore)
supplied to the ship,” it said.
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President
Shares Views on Determining Inhabited Islands
for Council Elections
President
Mohamed Nasheed, in his weekly radio address,
discussed government’s views on determining
inhabited islands for local council elections.
The President said one view under consideration
was to combine two nearby islands as one island
for the purposes of decentralised
administration, adding that such consolidation
would bring a number of socio-economic benefits.
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President
Nominates a President and a Vice President for
HRCM
President
Mohamed Nasheed has proposed to the People’s
Majlis, a President and a Vice President for the
Human Rights Commission of the Maldives. Ms
Mariyam Azra was nominated as President while Ms
Jeehan Mahmood was nominated as Vice President.
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