I will be in jail tomorrow: Maldives president Nasheed
February 9, 2012 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
MALE: The former president of the Indian Ocean archipelago of the Maldives sat inside his house awaiting arrest on Thursday after being ousted from his post in what he said was a coup at gunpoint.
About 200 supporters stood under umbrellas in the pouring rain outside as Mohamed Nasheed spoke to reporters at his home in Male, capital of the islands renowned for their luxury getaway resorts.
“The home minister has pledged (I will be) the first former president to spend all my life in jail,” said Nasheed, who was relaxed and smiling and showed no signs of his reported beating on Wednesday.
“I hope the international community will take note of what is happening in the Maldives.”
He said he hope the international community would act quickly as “the facts on the ground are that tomorrow I will be in jail.”
Only about 400,000 people live in the Maldives but there has been much interest in the tumult there this week because of the huge numbers who visit the islands on holiday. The Maldives receives about one million visitors each year, many of who are seeking a sun-and-sand getaway at resorts that charge up to $1,000 per night.
A criminal court has issued arrest warrants for Nasheed and his former defence minister, but the charges against them were unclear, a senior official of Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said.
“An arrest warrant has been issued for him and his former defence minister,” MDP official Adam Manik told Reuters. “We have no idea (what the charges are).”
Police said on state TV on Wednesday night that protests led by Nasheed after his ouster were “an act of terrorism”.
MDP officials said police and soldiers were on their way to arrest Nasheed, who had just met with a Commonwealth delegation to mediate in the political crisis that followed his resignation on Tuesday.
Nasheed was reported injured on Wednesday when police broke up protests against his ouster. He said earlier he was forced to quit at gunpoint.
“There were guns all around me and they told me they wouldn’t hesitate to use them if I didn’t resign,” he told a news conference.
The unrest has taken place far from areas frequented by tourists, who usually land at an airport on an adjoining island and go directly to the various resorts in the archipelago, bypassing Male.
Vice President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik was installed as president and has said he will form a government of national unity.
Protests against Nasheed’s government started after he ordered the military to arrest the criminal court chief justice, saying he was blocking multi-million dollar corruption and human rights cases against the allies of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, president for 30 years until he was replaced by Nasheed.
The Progressive Party of the Maldives, led by Gayoom, said in a statement it was appalled by Nasheed’s “desperate attempts at insurgency to return to power barely 24 hours after his resignation”.
“Nasheed must know that militancy and chaos do little to repair his tarnished image,” it said.
Western diplomats said they wanted all political parties, including Nasheed’s, to back down and join the unity government.
“We want to take the politics off the streets and cool the rhetoric down,” a European diplomat based in Colombo told Reuters.
The United Nations and Western governments have given the transfer of power at least an apparent seal of approval, based on their public statements.
However, John Rankin, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, said he was concerned for Nasheed.
“We are aware of reports of an arrest warrant issued for President Nasheed,” Rankin said. “We are concerned that no harm comes to him. If it did, it would be a matter of serious concern for us and the international community.” AGENCIES
Protests grip Maldives amid standoff with judges
January 19, 2012 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
MALE: Hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets of the Maldivian capital Male amid a standoff between President Mohamed Nasheed and the judiciary, officials and residents said Thursday.
Anti-government activists demonstrated overnight, keeping up pressure on Nasheed who initiated the arrest Monday of the head of the country’s criminal court on charges of misconduct and favouring opposition figures.
A senior figure in the opposition Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP), Mohamed Jameel, was also re-arrested on Wednesday as police investigate him and the party for allegedly spreading hate-speech, DQP leader Hassan Saeed told AFP.
The government has accused Jameel, a former justice minister, of making public remarks that Nasheed was working under the influence of “Jews” and “Christian priests” to weaken Islam in the Maldives.
“Hundreds of people staged demonstrations early this morning, but there were no fresh arrests,” a government official in Male, who asked not to be named, said when contacted by telephone.
The government on Wednesday raised fears of Islamic extremism taking hold in the Indian Ocean atoll nation, which is best known for its upmarket tourism and as a destination for honeymooners.
The foreign ministry said it said it was “extremely concerned” by an increase in extremist rhetoric used by the government’s rivals that could lead to “stigmatization, stereotyping and incitement to religious violence and hatred”.
There have been anti-Semitic protests recently about the transport ministry’s decision to allow direct flights from Israel, while a restaurant that hung up Christmas decorations in 2010 was also targeted. aGENCIES
Each displaced family to get Rs. 20,000: Kaira
August 20, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said on Thursday that the National Oversight Disaster Management Council (NODMC) has been set up to ensure transparency and judicious distribution of assistance to the flood affected people.
Addressing a press conference here, he said provinces have been asked to give names of persons with good repute for the Council.
Kaira said the NODMC would be established within one or two days as, “We are waiting for the names from provinces.”
He said the Council will comprise of eminent personalities with good reputation and impeccable integrity from different walks of life.
“People from the private sector with a good reputation would be taken into the council so that no one can point fingers at them.”
Indian Prime Minister, German Chancellor and President of the Maldives
Maria, Waqar beaten in Malaysian squash final
KUALA LUMPUR: Pakistan squash players Maria toor and Waqar Mehboob faced defeat in the women’s and men’s final of the Malaysian Series Squash here on Saturday.
Maria contested with Sharon Wee of Malaysia in the women’s final which was won by the Malaysian player 11-6, 11-4 and 15-13.
In the men’s final, Waqar Mehboob was beaten by Egypt top-seed Abdul Gawad 4-11, 11-7, 6-11 and 3-11.
Pakistan win Maldives Challenge Int’l Badminton C’ship
MALAY: Kashif Sulehry and Rizwan Azam of Pakistan defeated the Sri Lankan pair and won the Maldives Challenge International Badminton Championship.
In the final of doubles event, Pakistan pair of Kashif and Rizwan contested with the Sri Lankan pair of Karonaratne Dinoka and karonaratne Neeloka.
The Pakistan pair was in trouble in the beginning but it displayed brilliantly in the next two games.
Finally, Kashif and Rizwan won the match 17-21, 21-14 and 21-14 and clinched the title.
Afghan peace meeting begins in Maldives
May 20, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
COLOMBO: Afghan government envoys and Taliban representatives will hold a second meeting at a holiday resort in the Maldives later Thursday, a spokesman for the president of the Indian Ocean nation said.
Envoys for Afghan President Hamid Karzai were due to meet with several members closely connected to the Taliban to discuss national reconciliation.
The Maldives hosted a similar peace meeting in January ahead of the London conference of world powers to discuss Afghanistan.
Fight till elimination of terrorism will continue: Mukhtar
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will continue its struggle to combat and eliminate terrorism so as to ensure the security and integrity of the country.
This was stated by Federal Minister for Defence, Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar, at a meeting with the visiting Foreign Minister of Maldives, Ahmed Shaheed, who called on him Thursday.
The meeting exchanged views on various matters including Pakistan’s anti-terror efforts, bilateral trade and economic relations.
It also emphasized the need for promoting closer cooperation in the field of trade, economy, tourism and defence.
The Defence Minister briefed the visiting dignitary about the counter-terrorism efforts and the security challenges being confronted by Pakistan.
He said that Pakistan would continue to wage war against terrorism and extremism till their utter elimination which was imperative for the security and stability of Pakistan as well as entire region.
Acknowledging the anti-terror contribution made by Pakistan, the Foreign Minister of Maldives said that Pakistan, being a front line state against terrorism, had been playing a key role against the war on terror.
He said that his country was stood by Pakistan at this difficult time and was supporting its struggle against the menace of terrorism and extremism.
Pakistan also offered Maldives to strengthen the capacity of their Maritime Force.
He was also informed that Pakistan was considering allocation of scats to the students of Maldives in its educational institutions.
South Asia summit ends with pledges of cooperation
THIMPHU: South Asian leaders wound up a summit in Bhutan Thursday with an accord to tackle climate change and promises to pursue a new era of development for their under-performing region.
The two-day summit of the eight-nation South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was notable for the frank appraisal offered by several members of the bloc”s collective failings over the past 25 years.
In a final declaration, the summit said it was time for the organisation to live up “to the hopes and aspirations of the one-fifth of humanity” represented by the eight leaders gathered in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu.
It also adopted a statement on climate change that stressed the need for the region to join hands in combating a threat that faces all its members, from low-lying Maldives and Bangladesh to Himalayan nations like Bhutan and Nepal.
The host nation”s Prime Minister Jigme Thinley, who chaired the gathering, said there had been an overwhelming consensus to turn SAARC into “more than a talk shop”.
“The stage is set for SAARC to enter a new era 25 years after its founding,” Thinley said.
“I hope the things that did not happen in South Asia will now begin to happen,” he added.
SAARC, founded in 1985, groups Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Critics have blamed its failure to exploit the region”s common potential on the long and bitter rivalry between its two most powerful members, India and Pakistan, which has often hijacked the bloc”s agenda.
The two countries also stole the media spotlight at the Thimphu summit, where their respective prime ministers, India”s Manmohan Singh and Pakistan”s Yousuf Raza Gilani, held direct talks for the first time in nine months.
Maldives President Mohammed Nasheed, who will host the next SAARC summit, said the coming year would show whether the bloc could move away from declarations of intent to concrete implementation.
“My fear is that at the moment there is a disconnection between ambition and achievement. The ultimate result is that SAARC is not adequately delivering on the needs of the people of South Asia,” Nasheed said.
“Now, therefore, is the time… to begin a meaningful and self-critical appraisal,” he added.
It was the first time the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has hosted a SAARC summit in the bloc”s 25-year history.
Hrithik and Barbara shooting in Maldives today
Barbara Mori who quietly arrived in Mumbai on Monday morning left on Tuesday morning with Hrithik Roshan to shoot an ad campaign for Provogue.
The Roshans wish to keep her visit to a city that the Mexican actress now knows so well, as low-key as possible until she returns from the Maldives on April 22 for a series of press interactions in Mumbai.
Hrithik wrapped up the final few days of his shooting with Sanjay Leela Bhansali for Guzaarish before Barbara’s arrival. Both Hrithik and his wife Sussanne gladly played Barbara’s host on her arrival on Monday.
Speaking on her current visit to India, Rakesh Roshan said, “We don’t want to create any unnecessary hype about her presence. But we do want to make it clear that we didn’t sign Barbara for Kites because we needed any Caucasian girl. Barbara is not just a pretty girl. She is an amazing actress. You have to see her in Cosas Insignificantes where she had shaved off her hair. She is an outstanding dramatic actress.”
Barbara spent Monday in Mumbai with the Roshans and left early on Tuesday morning for the Maldives, prepared to return to Mumbai to a barrage of questions on her friendship with Hrithik which, apparently she is ready to tackle.
She leaves Mumbai on May 2 and will join Hrithik for the US premieres of Kites.
Nepal Cabinet Meets at Everest to Send Climate Message
December 4, 2009 by Trend PK
Filed under Technology
Nepal’s cabinet began a meeting close to the base camp of Mount Everest on Friday (December 4) to send a message on the impact of global warming on the Himalayas, days before global climate meeting in Copenhagen.
Nepal Cabinet Meets at Everest to Send Climate Message, Wearing oxygen masks and heavy jackets, Nepal’s Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and more than 20 ministers flew in by helicopter to meet at 5,242 metres (17,200 feet) above sea level with Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain, towering in the backdrop.
The base camp is the point from where climbers to the Everest summit begin their ascent. About 100 world leaders will meet in the Danish capital for the Dec. 7-18 UN summit on combating global warming.
For its part, Kathmandu is sending along some of its renowned Everest climbers to highlight the challenges facing Nepal, such as floods from glacier melting, erratic rains, longer dry spells and unprecedented forest fires.
Home to eight of the world’s 14 tallest peaks, including Mount Everest, Nepal is vulnerable to climate change despite being responsible for only 0.025 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, among the world’s lowest, officials say.
Thousands of glaciers in the Himalayas that are the source of water for 10 major Asian rivers could go dry in the next five decades because of global warming, experts say.
“So this gesture by the Nepali cabinet speaks volumes about it and it really says that though the glaciers are melting at a slower pace but it is still a clear and present danger for everyone,” one unidentified bystander told reporters.
In freezing temperatures and surrounded by snowy peaks, Nepal’s cabinet began meeting at Kala Patthar, a small patch of grassy land that is also one of the target destinations for trekkers.
The meeting follows in the footsteps of the Maldives government, which held the world’s first underwater cabinet meeting in October to underline how rising sea levels are threatening the Indian Ocean archipelago’s existence.
Nepal Cabinet Meets at Everest to Send Climate Message was first posted on December 4, 2009 at 9:22 pm.
