SnorkelRach has added a photo to the pool: flying into Male over the northern atolls

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Ditte Hallig has added a photo to the pool: Visit my blog at 50mmfromtheworld.blogspot.com/

nattu has added a photo to the pool: Haggaha, Hikee haffaro edaagoho.

HISAAN Photography has added a photo to the pool: Re-branding tourism Slogan Tourism Industry Power players criticize the governments decision to rebrand Maldivian tourism slogan as an unnecessary measure. Last year, the government had announced their intention to throw aside the age old tourism trade mark for Maldives the sunny side of life to another, yet undisclosed slogan. Speaking at DhiTVs Khabaru Therein programme about the re-branding of the Maldivian Tourism industry, Vice President of the Maldives Association for Travel Agents and Tour Operators Mohamed Haleel and Executive Committee Member Ibrahim Naazim said that, while there is no problem in re-branding, they do not see how it is relevant for the time being. Managing Director of Inner Maldives Holidays Mohamed Firaq said that, he accepts that they have been using the slogan sunny side of life for 11 years, but noted that there is a time and place for changes. He said that he does not believe that re-branding should be do...

By Minivan News | January 31st, 2011 | Category: News in Brief | No Comments Police have arrested several suspected gang members during a sweep of 14 guest houses.Haveeru reported Chief Inspector Hamdoon Rasheed as saying that police had gathered evidence in gang violence cases during the operation over the last 2-3 weeks.After gang violence activities, members of the gangs do not stay at the same place. Even though they are registered in Male they are moving to rented rooms, he told the press.He also appealed to local landlords and guest house owners to be aware of the problem when renting rooms.

Haanee Naeem has added a photo to the pool: Rising sea levels and coastal erosion are causing widespread damage in the Maldives. Our leaders have had their message sent across the world, hope the world has listened to our plight. Kyoto divided the world. It divided us between rich and poor, developed and developing, Annex 1 and non-Annex 1. Our task now is to unite the world, behind the shared vision of low-carbon growth. The Maldives is trying to lead the way. I call on every country in the room to join us, not just for the sake of the Maldives, but for all of us who live on this beautiful planet President Mohamed Nasheed in his Statement to the Joint High-level segment of COP15 and CMP5 in Copenhagen in September 2009. It is not too late to save the world. It is not too late to save the Maldives and other low-lying island nations. Only the vital collective commitment is missing President M. A. Gayoom at the 42nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the Special Debate o...

By JJ Robinson and Neil Merrett | January 30th, 2011 | Category: Politics | 2 comments Mobile security solutions vendor Nexbis has announced it will be taking legal action against parties in the Maldives, claiming that speculation over corruption was politically motivated in nature and had wrought irreparable damage to Nexbis reputation and brand name.Although we understand that the recent media frenzy and speculation of corruption are politically motivated in nature and not directly related to Nexbis, it has had an indirect impact on our reputation and brand name, the company said in a statement provided to Minivan News.Nexbis shareholders own and manage multi-trillion dollar assets globally and will not jeopardise their reputation for an investment return, the company stated.The Malaysian-based technology firm signed a concessionaire contract with the Department of Immigration in October 2010, to install an advanced border control system that is h...

By Ahmed Nazeer | January 30th, 2011 | Category: Politics | 5 comments The collapse of longstanding dictatorships in Tunisia and Egypt, leaders of which were classmates of former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, carried moral lessons for the Maldives, claimed Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) parliamentary group leader Reeko Moosa Manik.Today the citizens of Arab countries have stood up against their leaders classmates of [former President] Maumoon, in fact who were practicing dictatorship like Maumoon, said Reeko Moosa. Take a look at the situation in Tunisia, take a look at the situation in Egypt, where Maumoon received his education.Moosa said the citizens of the Maldives should see the moral in the situation in these countries.The citizens of the Maldives should see the moral in the situation in these countries, ahead of the local council elections, and should not let Maumoons regime reinstate their power, Reeko Moosa said. I call citi...

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By JJ Robinson | January 30th, 2011 | Category: Politics | No Comments The Maldives is a powerful symbol of a tolerant and democratic Muslim society, US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg said yesterday during a visit to the country.Steinberg was responding to a question regarding the extensive US interest in a such a small and isolated island nation in the middle of the Indian Ocean an interest apparently not extended to nearby countries such as the Seychelles.We have very practical interests in common, such as dealing with the challenges of climate change and piracy security in this region is of enormous importance to us, Steinberg said, in likely reference to US military interests in Diego Garcia, south of the Maldives.However as importantly, Steinberg said, the Maldives embrace of democracy showed that convictions such as democracy and freedom of expression are universal values that transcend culture, history and religion.The Maldives ...

By Yameen Rasheed | January 30th, 2011 | Category: Society | No Comments Just two weeks ago, the authoritarian regime of Hosni Mubarak seemed as firm and immovable as the great timeless pyramids that symbolise his country of Egypt.Today, the whole world is watching in suspended disbelief as tens of thousands of Egyptians openly defy Mubaraks security forces ignoring curfews, braving tear gas shells and water cannons, and tearing down giant posters of the powerful dictator that ruled over them for 30 years.In parts of Cairo, law enforcement has melted away before the protestors, and the army has been called in to wrest back government control as Mubarak faces the largest public uprising since the Egyptian monarchy was overthrown in 1952.Meanwhile, a sudden clamour for freedom is also posing serious challenges to despotic regimes elsewhere in the Arab world.This unlikely revolution began with a humble Tunisian fruit-seller, Muhammad Al Bouazizi who,...

fleckchen has added a photo to the pool: youtu.be/Yzr2pQnwmTs Blick auf Male. Male ist die kleinste Hauptstadt der Welt. Hier leben und arbeiten ca 130 000 Menschen auf nur 2 Quadratkilometer. Look at times. Times is the smallest capital of the world. Here approx. 130,000 people on only 2 square kilometres live and work.

By Minivan News | January 29th, 2011 | Category: News in Brief | No Comments Floating properties are to be developed on Five lagoons within the Kaafu Atoll that will include a convention centre and an 18-hole golf course as part of a joint venture agreement between the government and Netherlands-based developer, Dutch Docklands.As part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the government last year, the developer has now established a joint venture company known as Dutch Docklands Maldives that will hope to gather additional investment of about US$500m into the country, Haveeru has reported.The Maldives government will hold a five percent share in the joint venture, which is expected to begin work on the five floating developments this year with a projected completion date of 2015, the report added.During a signing ceremony held at the Ministry of Toruism, Arts and Culture on Thursday, Dutch Docklands claimed that the five developments w...

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axaje has added a photo to the pool: Fullmoon as observed from Herathera Chennel

fleckchen has added a photo to the pool: youtu.be/CjyqAokZpMo

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By Neil Merrett | January 27th, 2011 | Category: Society, Travel & Arts | 2 comments Police have confirmed that a safe containing thousands of rufiyaa has been taken during a burglary at the Kihaadhuffaru resort in Baa Atoll on Tuesday, but insist that security at other lucrative tourist destinations in the country should not be a concern for staff and visitors.Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said that a safe containing around Rf5,000 had been stolen from an office area at the resort and that no serious injuries had been reported by staff caught up in the theft.Shiyam added that investigations were continuing into the incident and that it was currently working to corroborate different reports it had received regarding Tuesdays theft.A spokesperson for Kihaadhuffaru said they were also unable to reveal details about the incident at present, though confirmed a burglary had taken place.Haveeru today reported that a group of masked men brandishin...

By Ahmed Nazeer | January 27th, 2011 | Category: Politics | No Comments The political Adhaalath Party led by State Islamic Minister Sheikh Hussein Rasheed has accused the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) of attempting to destroy the sanctity of the Party by misleading the public over its work.Although the Adhaalath Party is an institute in the current government, [it] is a party that supports justice and rights, and has expressed its opinions under the responsibility of integrity, the group said in a statement. Even if we were not an institute of the government, we will always keep our work to this policy.The party statement claimed that it was very concerned that some MDP officials were trying to misrepresent its work as the ideas of just a few specific individuals rather than an entire party in a manner that could damage the sanctity and honour of the party.Adhaalath Party will never just follow the decision of individuals, we will always ...

By Minivan News | January 27th, 2011 | Category: News in Brief | No Comments The Modern Academy for Professional Studies (MAPS) institute has promoted itself to college status this week and commenced the academic year.The college has introduced new courses in the field of accounting and said it was scheduled to introduce further areas of study later this year.MAPS college claimed that it was looking forward to introducing degree-level courses in the future and added that it was currently seeking for affiliates from the UK and Australia in order to achieve its goal to teach such programmes.The college currently offers management courses in Travel and Tourism, Human Resources, Business and IT to the level of Diploma and Advance Diploma.

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marco.fierli has added a photo to the pool: Marco Fierli Photography 2010 | All Rights Reserved | Please do not use without my permission.

Husain+9607773925 has added a photo to the pool: Small Luxury Island Natural Beauty" at Gaafu Alif Atoll Maldives. Maldives ranks second among World's most Beautiful Countries: The Patogonia Times.

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By Minivan News | January 25th, 2011 | Category: News in Brief | No Comments Cabinet held its first meeting outside the capital of Male today, on Kulhudhuffushi in Haa Dhaal Atoll.All ministers attended the meeting apart from Islamic Minister Dr Abdul Majeed Abdul Bari, who was overseas.Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair told Haveeru that meeting focused on deciding the date for the establishment of a National University, and issues raised during an early workshop concerning development projects for the Upper North Province.These included developing roads on the island, harbours, house construction, utilities and how to use recently reclaimed land on the island.

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peter_sherriff2003 has added a photo to the pool: ... before the light softens as the sun descends a little further...

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By Minivan News | January 25th, 2011 | Category: News in Brief | No Comments The Maldives has fallen from third to fifth place on the New Seven Wonders of Nature listing.Haveeru reported Director of the Maldives Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB) Mohamed Adam as saying that the board was preparing new activities to generate more votes for the Maldives.We will participate in several fairs in order to get more votes to the Maldives, Haveeru reported Adam as saying.At current pace the MTPD predicts Maldives with finish seventh on the list when voting ends in November 2011.Only 10 percent of the votes for a seven wonder coming from inside its country are considered 90 percent must originate from outside the country containing the wonder.People wishing to vote for the Maldives can do so by calling +44 203 347 0901 (international call) and entering 7718 after the automated message. Votes can also be lodged here.

By JJ Robinson | January 24th, 2011 | Category: Society, Travel & Arts | 1 Comment Ambitious plans by Lithuanian mega-brand Olialia to develop an all blondes resort in the shape of a gigantic high-heeled shoe have entered phase two, after the company reported that a delegation had visited the Maldives and selected three islands suitable for the project.Olialia did not reveal the name of the islands, but did publish CGI images of the planned resort, designed by famous Lithuanian architect Valerijus Starkovskis, and claimed it that construction would begin in a few years with a grand opening in 2015.Tenders for operators of the hotel, restaurants and serivce providers would be announced soon, the company said, also claiming that it would hold a worldwide competition to select the manager of the blonde island, which every citizen in the world will be able to participate in.Aside from reclaiming an island in the shape of womens footwear, the pres...

Mr eNil has added a photo to the pool: I took my Sigma 10-20mm last year and had some fun seeing how much of a vista I could squeeze into frame. I was able to get all 15 of the water villas at Komandoo into this photograph (previously I had to stitch shots together!) And yes, the sky and water really do look like that ... *sighs*

By Minivan News | January 24th, 2011 | Category: News in Brief | No Comments Turkey has said is stunned following the release of findings of an investigation by an Israeli probe into the Israeli Defence Force (IDF)s raid on a flotilla of aid ships in May 2010.Israel promised an investigation into the legality of the military raid after it received widespread international censure for its actions.However the commission concluded that the raid was legally pursuant to the rules of international law, as was the naval blockade of Palestine, and noted that troops encountered extreme violence when boarding one of the ferries, including weapon fire.Activists from a Turkish Islamist organisation on board the ferry denied the allegations, while Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed the commission had no credibility.How can a report ordered and prepared in the same country have any value? he said.Groups within Israel, including the Physicians for Human ...

driftingsun has added a photo to the pool: Leica M9 15mm Heliar

Roman V. Sergeev has added a photo to the pool: Dream coast

By JJ Robinson | January 23rd, 2011 | Category: Politics | No Comments Comments made by government officials toIndian magazine The Week, concerning the potential for homegrown terrorism in the Maldives, risk portraying the country as a safe haven for terrorists and creating problems for Maldivians overseas, the Islamic Foundation of the Maldives has said.The cover feature of The Week quoted a Maldivian intelligence official as saying that the spread of an extremist belief system in the Maldives is fueled by hate preachers like Sheikh Fareed and Sheikh Ilyas. Both are [under surveillance], the magazine reported a Maldivian intelligence official as saying, adding that a large section of Maldivian youth were becoming hooked to ideas of transnational jihad.The signs are ominous as seven radicals chose to contest the Maldivian polls in 2008. Though all [of them] lost, we found that Islam is being increasingly used as a political tool in Maldivian affair...

><yme has added a photo to the pool: it was my first trip to Addu and this is one of the beautiful places i visited..... www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=491260286835&set=a.49...

By Ahmed Nazeer | January 23rd, 2011 | Category: Politics | 1 Comment Youth Minister Dr Hassan Latheef has said the ministry has budgeted Rf 19 million (US$1.5 million) to be given out as loans for young people to pursue higher education.Latheef said the money would be distributed to provinces equally, with a view to increasing the number of educated professionals in the islands.While Latheef claimed that during the MDPs campaign across the islands he had witnessed a great amount of support for the ruling party among youth, the ongoing lack of education and employment opportunities for young people in the Maldives has led many to become involved in crimes, drugs and gang violence.President Mohamed Nasheed has previously said that there is not even a single family in the Maldives that has not been affected by drugs.In an effort to understand the countrys drug trade and its impact, Minivan News interviewed several self-described drug dealers in May l...

fleckchen has added a photo to the pool: youtu.be/l0J6zAFRusk

By Yameen Rasheed | January 22nd, 2011 | Category: Politics, Society | 15 comments It is a little known fact that many of the brightest, well-known stars in the sky have Arabic names. The luminous Aldebaran of Taurus, the majestic Rigel of the Orion constellation the night sky is studded with shining reminders of an age where the early Muslim astronomers mapped the heavens and the Earth, and committed the knowledge to thousands of paper manuscripts and stored them in the worlds first public lending libraries.In the early centuries following the Prophets death, Muslims made tremendous intellectual and scientific breakthroughs in areas as varied as astronomy, arts, science, math, philosophy and literature: a period accurately portrayed as the Golden Age of Islam.Referring to what he called civilizations debt to Islam, US President Barack Obama said in his famous speech at Cairo University in June 2009, It was Islam that carried the light of learning t...

By Aishath Shazra | January 22nd, 2011 | Category: Travel & Arts | No Comments Its a music launch with a difference: no pop concert, album promotion or even iTunes premiere a Malaysian rock band aims to break into the Maldivian music market through cell phone ringtones.Pop Shuvit, the Kuala Lumpur-based band, has four successful albums to its name. Its adrenalin fuelled live performances have won it fans across Asia and the band is often touted as the continents leading hip hop rock outfit.The band has followed an unusual route to stardom. Their first single Skaters Anthem was released exclusively online, where it became an instant hit and lead to the channel ESPN licensing the song for use in their Summer X-games broadcasts.Not content to rest on its laurels, Pop Shuvit has ambitious plans for global stardom, with tours planned in Europe and the US. Their fifth album, Cherry Blossom Love Affair, is going to be released in March.Pop Shuvit is ...

By JJ Robinson | January 20th, 2011 | Category: Environment, Travel & Arts | No Comments European travel and tourism group TUI has awarded the Eco-Centre at Kuramathi its International Environmental Award, recognising its exemplary contribution to the protection and conservation of nature and biodiversity and in particluar its work protecting coral reefs in the Maldives.The award, which includes a prize of 10,000 (US$13,500), was presented during a ceremony held at the resort yesterday attended by President Mohamed Nasheed.While many resorts in the Maldives now run eco-centres and environmental awareness programs, a trend that has grown in parallel with the increasing eco-awareness of guests from leading markets such as the UK. The Kuramathi centre, currently headed by Dr Reinhard Kikinger, is one of the oldest such facilities in the country. It was founded in 1999 by Director of Universal Resorts Ali Noradeen, in response to catastrophic coral...

By JJ Robinson | January 19th, 2011 | Category: Society | 3 comments Annual crime statistics released by the Maldives Police Service show an 11 percent decline in cases reported in 2010, compared with 2009.The number of cases reached an all-time high in 2009 at 19,259 for the year, with a particularly dramatic spike in crime between 2006 (8560 cases) and 2008 (17674).A comparison of crimes logged from 2008-2010 shows a general decline in drug offences from 2484 cases in 2008 to 1618 in 2010.Assaults spiked in 2009 to 2000 cases, but 2010 was on par with 2009 levels with 1638 cases reported.Theft remained one of the countrys most reported crimes, and was relatively consistent across the three-year period with 4000 cases reported in 2010.Reporting of domestic violence cases remained extremely low at just 135 cases in 2010, marking a steady decline.The number of cases fell across most offences from 2009-2010, with the exception of embezzlement and cheq...

By Ahmed Nazeer | January 19th, 2011 | Category: Society | 1 Comment A 36 year-old Chinese tourist was found dead off the coast of Sun Island Resort and Spa yesterday afternoon, police have reported.Police did not identify the tourist but stated that he was last seen snorkeling with other tourists staying on the island.His body was discovered by another tourist on the island, police said in a statement. He was declared dead by the resorts health centre.Tourists snorkeling with the man reported his disappearence to the reception. Resort staff searched for the man before his body was discovered by another tourist.,Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said the body had been brought to Male, and police were now investigating the incident.The resort had not responded to enquiries at time of press.Chinese visitors last year numerically constituted one of the largest tourism markets for the Maldives, with off-season arrivals from China compensating for the i...

By Minivan News | January 19th, 2011 | Category: News in Brief | No Comments The rays are great black silhouettes, scything streamlined shapes that fishermen called devil fish because of the curious horn-like fins hanging down near their mouths, writes Tim Ecott in UK newspaper The Telegraph.But side on and up close you can look into their eyes and get a sense of their peaceful nature. Unlike stingrays, mantas dont have venomous spines in their tails, and unlike many fish species they seem to enjoy human company. They tolerate our presence and sometimes perform loop-the-loops through the air bubbles exhaled from my scuba gear.I have come to Hanifaru, a small lagoon next to an uninhabited island in the Maldives, especially to see manta rays. These great harmless filter-feeders congregate here during the south-west monsoon between May and November and, if the tides and winds are right, enter a shallow cul-de-sac in the reef to hunt for food. On certai...

By JJ Robinson | January 18th, 2011 | Category: Politics | 12 comments Parliament has announced its intention to increase the height of the buildings boundary wall to 12 feet to increase the security of the building.Secretary General of the Parliament Secretariat Ahmed Mohamed told local media earlier that the decision was made on the advice of security services to prevent people from climbing the wall or throwing things. The Secretariat is currently searching for a contractor to do the work.Parliament has been subjected to recurrent protests outside its gates, most recently by demonstrators against the MP Privileges Bill and new pay structure, which would have seen the salaries of Maldivian MPs increased to a level on par with those in Sweden, as well as introduced a plethora of benefits ranging from tax-free cars to certain immunities from the criminal justice system.President Mohamed Nasheed refused to ratify the bill yesterday, after consulting ...

By Minivan News | January 18th, 2011 | Category: News in Brief | No Comments Wataniya has said it is preparing to launch a 4G network service to the Maldives for the first time.The introduction of single RAN aligns with the governments strategies towards carbon neutrality with over 54 per-cent reduction in power consumption per site, Wataniya said in a statement. Battery life has also increased from 4 hours to 16 hours, and in terms of size, there is more than 80 per-cent in reduction of footprint.Wataniya will soon be testing the 4G network, and over the course of the year, will be introducing new products and services, said the telco.

By Azra Naseem | January 17th, 2011 | Category: Politics | No Comments The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) will decide January 18 the candidates for the High Court bench, to be appointed the following week January 23.The JSC has interviewed a total of 18 candidates four women and 14 men after disqualifying three applicants for failing to meet one or more of the standards required. One candidate withdrew his application after JSCs integrity was publicly questioned, advising JSC members to act responsibly.The High Court appointments which would confirm the bench for the next 30 to 40 years, given the average age of applicants has been question following allegations that the JSC has failed to uphold the standards required of a judge under the 2008 Constitution.Article 149(a) of the 2008 Constitution requires judges to be of high moral character in addition to meeting educational qualifications and other competencies. Article 149 (b) 3 require...

By Minivan News | January 17th, 2011 | Category: News in Brief | No Comments Police have arrested a man for putting a six year-old boy in a cage, reports Manadhoo Live.Manadhoo reported that the offender accused the boy of stealing a chicken from the cage, and locked him inside the cage as a punishment for the alleged offense. The man was not a relative of the boy, it added.According to the paper, the man put called the police to report the theft of the chickens after he had caged the boy.