Attorney General Aishath Azima Shakoor has responded to the claims made by the former Immigration Controller Ilyas Hussain that the AG had conflicts of interest in the corruption laden border control system project. A letter sent to President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik by Ilyas stated that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) accusing corruption in the border control system project was seeking legal expertise from a law firm with affiliations to Azima.
In the letter he further alleged that the ACC had filed for appeal at the High Court under the legal expertise of that law firm.
However, Azima had refuted all claims made by the former Immigration Controller.
“No legal expertise in this case had been given to ACC before or after I was appointed as the AG. The law firm had not provided any legal expertise to the ACC. This is a blatant lie,†Azima said.
She detailed that the law firm has been appointed on ‘retainer’ and would only provide legal expertise in cases upon request by the ACC. But in the border control system case ACC had not sought legal expertise from the law firm at any time, AG added.
Azima further pledged continued assistance to the institutions in efforts to curb corruption. To that end, she stressed that the State must respond to the call by the ACC to investigate the allegations of corruption in the border control project.
“I’m not required to pick and choose the projects involving allegations of corruption. Basically, what Ilyas is trying to say is that the former AG of the previous administration had defended the project while the current AG had not followed suit. My answer is that when ACC asks to cease a particular project over corruption allegations, I will not defend it,†Azima explained.
She also said a decision of necessary action against the false allegations made in Ilyas’s letter which was demeaning in nature would be taken at the earliest. On that note, she added that her lawyers were now assessing the case.
“Ilyas has demeaned me by making false allegations. Hence my rights have been violated, I will decide on a course of action very soon,†she added.
Azima further said that the uncovered facts during the investigation of police and the ACC into the border control project have almost confirmed the levels of corruption in the border control system project.
Ilyas in his letter to the President had stressed that the conflicts of interest on the part of the AG could have dire consequences for both the State and the Immigration Department while adding that such conflicts of interest could not possibly ensure that the State could be presented without prejudice.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 1 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment More Loading comments... Please wait
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
AG has not defended Immigration Dept: Ilyas
Former Controller of Immigration Ilyas Hussain has accused the Attorney General of failing to defend the Immigration Department over the issue of the border control system project and submitted a letter of complaint to President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik. The letter sent to the President on April 16 signed by Ilyas stated that legal expertise over the border control system issue had been sought from a law firm with affiliations to present Attorney General Aishath Azima Shakoor.
Henceforth, the current arrangement had given way for conflicts of interest on the part of Azima, Ilyas had said in the letter.
“Questions arise when she defends the case on behalf of the State at the same time sending the State Attorney to advocate on Immigration’s behalf. But there has not been any dialogue with regard to this with the Immigration thus far. It has been noted that some documents have not been disclosed to the Immigration while it has also been highlighted that the State Attorney has not defended the Immigration in court. In addition, there have also been occasions where the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has been sympathized with while legal expertise has also been given to the Commission,†the letter detailed.
Ilyas further stressed that such conflicts of interest on the part of the AG could have dire consequences for both the State and the Immigration Department while adding that such conflicts of interest could not possibly ensure that the State could be presented without prejudice.
The former Controller had also forwarded a letter to Azima in relation to the issue. The letter sent on May 22 also detailed that Azima had conflicts of interest over the border control system issue.
In the letter Ilyas further expressed disappointment over the consultation with the Home Ministry regarding the issue whilst the Immigration Department had been left out.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Henceforth, the current arrangement had given way for conflicts of interest on the part of Azima, Ilyas had said in the letter.
“Questions arise when she defends the case on behalf of the State at the same time sending the State Attorney to advocate on Immigration’s behalf. But there has not been any dialogue with regard to this with the Immigration thus far. It has been noted that some documents have not been disclosed to the Immigration while it has also been highlighted that the State Attorney has not defended the Immigration in court. In addition, there have also been occasions where the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has been sympathized with while legal expertise has also been given to the Commission,†the letter detailed.
Ilyas further stressed that such conflicts of interest on the part of the AG could have dire consequences for both the State and the Immigration Department while adding that such conflicts of interest could not possibly ensure that the State could be presented without prejudice.
The former Controller had also forwarded a letter to Azima in relation to the issue. The letter sent on May 22 also detailed that Azima had conflicts of interest over the border control system issue.
In the letter Ilyas further expressed disappointment over the consultation with the Home Ministry regarding the issue whilst the Immigration Department had been left out.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Police decide to dismantle Usfasgandu tonight
Police, under an order of the Criminal Court are continuing with the search of the Usfasgandu area which began this morning. Police have further ordered to remove any items and vacate the area by 10.00 tonight. A police official revealed that the police had decided to dismantle the area in order to stop criminal activities and restore peace and public order in the area. Official added that the Police had taken into account the items confiscated from the site and criminal activities taking place at the scene.
Police statement today had ordered the removal of all items in the area by the people who had placed them.
“Maldives Police Service has decided to dismantle the Usfasgandu area and handover the site to the parent entity in order to stop criminal activities conducted at the scene, restore public order and ensure the safety and security of the general public,†Police statement detailed.
Police had cordoned off the Usfasgandu area currently being used by opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) for its political activities around 7.30 this morning. In the presence of the media, Police had officially launched the search of the area two hours later.
However, some police and military personnel in plain clothes had operated in the Usfasgandu area while the media had not been allowed into the area until the official launch had begun.
While the Police has accused of criminal offences taking place in the area, the items confiscated from the site thus far mostly includes iron pipes. Media personnel had witnessed the police retrieving some filters and aluminum foil from behind some containers located in the area, believed to have been used for drug abuse.
In addition, police also confiscated a box of condoms, a small knife, some scissors, a large hammer, and some welding rods.
Some of the items marked by police also include the crow cage and some parchments with markings believed to be used in black magic.
Haveeru has also learned that Police intend to dismantle the items set up at the site by MDP, while it is believed that the party would be afforded the opportunity to remove the items beforehand.
However, police is yet to officially confirm of such intentions to the media.
The Criminal Court order issued at 3.00 yesterday afternoon had given 48 hours for the police to conduct the search.
Police had given a copy of the court order to the former MDP Chairperson and Machchangoalhi-north MP Mariya Ahmed Didi before commencing the search.
Police had further requested MDP to appoint an observer to be present while the search was being conducted.
However, Mariya had stated that an observer can only be appointed upon a decision of the MDP National Congress, while adding that such an appointment could have been made if the police had informed the party in advance.
Police media official revealed that the search was being carried out in collaboration with the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and added that the military personnel had operated in the area to secure the location before police could commence its search.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Police statement today had ordered the removal of all items in the area by the people who had placed them.
“Maldives Police Service has decided to dismantle the Usfasgandu area and handover the site to the parent entity in order to stop criminal activities conducted at the scene, restore public order and ensure the safety and security of the general public,†Police statement detailed.
Police had cordoned off the Usfasgandu area currently being used by opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) for its political activities around 7.30 this morning. In the presence of the media, Police had officially launched the search of the area two hours later.
However, some police and military personnel in plain clothes had operated in the Usfasgandu area while the media had not been allowed into the area until the official launch had begun.
While the Police has accused of criminal offences taking place in the area, the items confiscated from the site thus far mostly includes iron pipes. Media personnel had witnessed the police retrieving some filters and aluminum foil from behind some containers located in the area, believed to have been used for drug abuse.
In addition, police also confiscated a box of condoms, a small knife, some scissors, a large hammer, and some welding rods.
Some of the items marked by police also include the crow cage and some parchments with markings believed to be used in black magic.
Haveeru has also learned that Police intend to dismantle the items set up at the site by MDP, while it is believed that the party would be afforded the opportunity to remove the items beforehand.
However, police is yet to officially confirm of such intentions to the media.
The Criminal Court order issued at 3.00 yesterday afternoon had given 48 hours for the police to conduct the search.
Police had given a copy of the court order to the former MDP Chairperson and Machchangoalhi-north MP Mariya Ahmed Didi before commencing the search.
Police had further requested MDP to appoint an observer to be present while the search was being conducted.
However, Mariya had stated that an observer can only be appointed upon a decision of the MDP National Congress, while adding that such an appointment could have been made if the police had informed the party in advance.
Police media official revealed that the search was being carried out in collaboration with the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and added that the military personnel had operated in the area to secure the location before police could commence its search.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Police raid on Usfasgandu to stymie party activities: MDP
Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has alleged that the police raid on the Usfasgandu area today is intended to stymie the party's political activities. Speaking during a press conference held at the MDP office today, party’s Spokesperson Imthiyaz ‘Inthi’ Fahmy claimed that the police are searching the Usfasgandu area to block the activities of political parties, especially to hinder and impede the activities of MDP.
Inthi further stressed that no incidents had occurred in the area that warranted the issue of a Criminal Court order. He added that if anyone has been suspected of committing a crime, Police are required only to arrest that person and carry out an investigation, but stressed that it should not prompt a search of a whole area.
MDP Spokesperson pointed out that a search of a mass area should only take place if allegations of major criminal activities are being conducted such as drug trade and the planning of a large scale assault.
Member of MDP’s legal team Hisaan Hussain said that it was difficult to fathom that the items including a box of condoms, iron pipes, scissors and aluminum foil confiscated from the area till this afternoon can be labeled as a criminal offence.
Hisaan explained that the aluminum foil confiscated from the area had been used in a barbecue a few days earlier; the scissors were being used on cloths while the iron pipes had been used to construct benches in the area.
Police had begun searching the Usfasgandu area at around 9.30 this morning under an order of the Criminal Court.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 1 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment More Loading comments... Please wait
Inthi further stressed that no incidents had occurred in the area that warranted the issue of a Criminal Court order. He added that if anyone has been suspected of committing a crime, Police are required only to arrest that person and carry out an investigation, but stressed that it should not prompt a search of a whole area.
MDP Spokesperson pointed out that a search of a mass area should only take place if allegations of major criminal activities are being conducted such as drug trade and the planning of a large scale assault.
Member of MDP’s legal team Hisaan Hussain said that it was difficult to fathom that the items including a box of condoms, iron pipes, scissors and aluminum foil confiscated from the area till this afternoon can be labeled as a criminal offence.
Hisaan explained that the aluminum foil confiscated from the area had been used in a barbecue a few days earlier; the scissors were being used on cloths while the iron pipes had been used to construct benches in the area.
Police had begun searching the Usfasgandu area at around 9.30 this morning under an order of the Criminal Court.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 1 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment More Loading comments... Please wait
Nasheed's nominee to Inquiry Commission withdrawn after Government accepts
After the government finally accepted the nomination made by former President Mohamed Nasheed to the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) set up to probe the circumstances surrounding the transfer of power on February 7, the name has now been withdrawn. Nasheed has nominated Mariyam Manaal Shihab who is the daughter of former Minister in the previous administration Mohamed Shihab.
A prominent government official that Manaal’s name had been withdrawn after she had been accepted by the government.
Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has refuted the claims that Nasheed had proposed a nominee to the CNI.
MDP Spokesperson Imthiyaz 'Inthi' Fahmy alleged that the claims made by the government were baseless and if Nasheed did make a nomination to CNI, the former President would duly inform the party first.
However, Nasheed is yet to inform the party of such a decision, Inthi added.
It has been found that Manaal had formerly worked in the legal department of the Economic Ministry.
Manaal as the nominee of Nasheed to the CNI had been accepted after the government had rejected various other nominations citing that they did not meet the specified criteria.
The last nominee Lieutenant Colonel Zubair Ahmed Manik of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) had been rejected by the government claiming that he did not meet the education criteria as per the prior agreement with opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
The work of the CNI has been temporarily halted until the proposed changes to the composition of the Commission are completed.
The government had decided to appoint a retired Judge from Singapore as the Co-Chair and a nominee of former President Nasheed to the Commission, following the call by the Commonwealth to revise the CNI in order to make it more independent, impartial and generally acceptable by the people.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
A prominent government official that Manaal’s name had been withdrawn after she had been accepted by the government.
Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has refuted the claims that Nasheed had proposed a nominee to the CNI.
MDP Spokesperson Imthiyaz 'Inthi' Fahmy alleged that the claims made by the government were baseless and if Nasheed did make a nomination to CNI, the former President would duly inform the party first.
However, Nasheed is yet to inform the party of such a decision, Inthi added.
It has been found that Manaal had formerly worked in the legal department of the Economic Ministry.
Manaal as the nominee of Nasheed to the CNI had been accepted after the government had rejected various other nominations citing that they did not meet the specified criteria.
The last nominee Lieutenant Colonel Zubair Ahmed Manik of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) had been rejected by the government claiming that he did not meet the education criteria as per the prior agreement with opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
The work of the CNI has been temporarily halted until the proposed changes to the composition of the Commission are completed.
The government had decided to appoint a retired Judge from Singapore as the Co-Chair and a nominee of former President Nasheed to the Commission, following the call by the Commonwealth to revise the CNI in order to make it more independent, impartial and generally acceptable by the people.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
President Waheed announces zero tolerance on corruption
President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik today reaffirmed his commitment to tackling corruption, pledging a zero tolerance policy. A statement by the President’s Office said that the President had stressed that the present National Unity Government was committed to an open and transparent system of governance.
In addition, President Waheed further assured full commitment to the United Nations Convention against Corruption.
“We acknowledge the crucial work carried out by the Anti-Corruption Commission and fully support any action taken by the Commission. Our policy on corruption is zero tolerance. Anybody found guilty of corrupt practice will face the full force of the law regardless of the position they hold. Nobody is above the law,†statement by the President’s Office also read.
While President Waheed has announced a zero tolerance policy on corruption, his brother in law and former Immigration Controller Ilyas Hussain has been accused of corruption in the awarding of the project to establish a border control system in the Maldives to Malaysia’s Nexbiz Company by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Following various pressures Ilyas has now been transferred as the State Defence Minister.
Furthermore, ACC has also expressed concern over the continued appointment of persons accused of corruption to various prominent government posts.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 1 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment More Loading comments... Please wait
In addition, President Waheed further assured full commitment to the United Nations Convention against Corruption.
“We acknowledge the crucial work carried out by the Anti-Corruption Commission and fully support any action taken by the Commission. Our policy on corruption is zero tolerance. Anybody found guilty of corrupt practice will face the full force of the law regardless of the position they hold. Nobody is above the law,†statement by the President’s Office also read.
While President Waheed has announced a zero tolerance policy on corruption, his brother in law and former Immigration Controller Ilyas Hussain has been accused of corruption in the awarding of the project to establish a border control system in the Maldives to Malaysia’s Nexbiz Company by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Following various pressures Ilyas has now been transferred as the State Defence Minister.
Furthermore, ACC has also expressed concern over the continued appointment of persons accused of corruption to various prominent government posts.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 1 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment More Loading comments... Please wait
Power failure possible for testing new generators: STELCO
State Electric Company Limited (STELCO) has said that as the new generators installed by the company are being tested, there is a possibility of power failure throughout the capital Male today. A STELCO official revealed that the testing of the new generators would take place from 3.00 in the afternoon till 5.00 in the evening.
“We have notified customers that there would be a possibility power failure as the performance of the new generators is being tested today. We have estimated that the process would take approximately two hours,†official added.
Official further detailed that one of the two new generators installed under the Fourth Power Development Project would be load tested today.
“The generator must be tested before it is operated on full capacity. The testing of the second generator would also commence very soon,†official said.
In accordance with the current schedule, the two new generators would be made operational by June 5, official added.
STELCO had claimed that when the two 8.9megawatt generators are fully operational it would solve the recent power cuts in Male.
The Company had also revealed that the 18 month project assigned to Danish-German joint venture Company on April 2, 2009 was first scheduled to be completed by November 2011. However, the deadline had been extended several times and finally agreed to be completed by June 1, STELCO had said.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
“We have notified customers that there would be a possibility power failure as the performance of the new generators is being tested today. We have estimated that the process would take approximately two hours,†official added.
Official further detailed that one of the two new generators installed under the Fourth Power Development Project would be load tested today.
“The generator must be tested before it is operated on full capacity. The testing of the second generator would also commence very soon,†official said.
In accordance with the current schedule, the two new generators would be made operational by June 5, official added.
STELCO had claimed that when the two 8.9megawatt generators are fully operational it would solve the recent power cuts in Male.
The Company had also revealed that the 18 month project assigned to Danish-German joint venture Company on April 2, 2009 was first scheduled to be completed by November 2011. However, the deadline had been extended several times and finally agreed to be completed by June 1, STELCO had said.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
India firms Myanmar ties during PM visit
India agreed a raft of deals with Myanmar on Monday during a visit by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh aimed at boosting trade and energy links and contesting the influence of regional rival China. The first Indian premier to visit in a quarter of a century, Singh met President Thein Sein in the capital Naypyidaw as energy-hungry New Delhi woos Myanmar after dramatic reforms ended its international isolation.
The neighbours signed 12 agreements covering an array of issues including security, development of border areas, trade and transport links.
Talks were described as "warm, cordial and constructive" in a joint statement released after the meeting, which stressed the potential for closer future ties.
"Alluding to the mutually agreed target of doubling the bilateral trade by 2015, both leaders emphasised that there is considerable untapped potential for greater trade and urged the business community to capitalise on this potential," it said.
Indian trade with Myanmar stood at $1.2 billion in 2010, far short of the $4.4 billion between China and Myanmar.
Singh is the latest in a series of top-level visitors to Myanmar as the international community begins easing sanctions, raising hopes that the impoverished nation could be the next big frontier market.
He is seen as looking to expand India's influence after half a century of military rule left Myanmar heavily reliant on Chinese investment and political support.
The Indian premier will on Tuesday hold talks with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in the main city of Yangon, in a move seen as a sign that India also wants to repair links with the veteran activist.
New Delhi was once a staunch supporter of the democracy icon, but changed tack in the mid-1990s as it sought closer ties with Myanmar, and drew international criticism for its engagement with the former junta.
India has since pointed to recent dramatic reforms under a new quasi-civilian regime, including Suu Kyi's election to parliament in April by-elections, as a validation of its stance.
Singh "commended the on-going efforts at political, economic and social reform", according to the statement.
Renaud Egreteau, of the Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Hong Kong, said India was "realigning" its policy on Myanmar in an attempt to become its neighbour's trading partner of choice.
"India is trying not to miss the bus in Myanmar as it opens to the world," he told AFP.
But he said the "obstacles are always the same for India", including delays to its infrastructure projects and a lack of political confidence between the two countries.
Singh is travelling with a top-level business delegation and the joint statement said Indian firms would be "specifically encouraged" to invest in oil and gas, infrastructure, tourism, and information and communication technology.
Indian-backed infrastructure projects in the country include a port at Sittwe on the Bay of Bengal, but New Delhi's presence lags well behind that of Beijing, which is behind a host of major energy developments.
According to data from IHS Global Insight, China led the ranking in investments in Myanmar last year, pledging $8.3 billion, with India trailing in 13th place, with $189 million pledged.
China insisted that it "likes to see" relations develop between Myanmar and India, state media reported. Ties between Beijing and New Delhi have not always been smooth, especially where border disputes are concerned.
Rajiv Biswas, Asia-Pacific chief economist at IHS, said Myanmar was in the grip of a "gold rush", and that oil and gas were an area of "considerable opportunity" for investors.
India sees Myanmar as the springboard to a closer connection with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as a key partner in counter-insurgency and economic development drives in its northeast border areas.
Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, was administered as a province of India during British colonial rule and the two countries have religious links dating back to the early spread of Buddhism more than 2,000 years ago. Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
The neighbours signed 12 agreements covering an array of issues including security, development of border areas, trade and transport links.
Talks were described as "warm, cordial and constructive" in a joint statement released after the meeting, which stressed the potential for closer future ties.
"Alluding to the mutually agreed target of doubling the bilateral trade by 2015, both leaders emphasised that there is considerable untapped potential for greater trade and urged the business community to capitalise on this potential," it said.
Indian trade with Myanmar stood at $1.2 billion in 2010, far short of the $4.4 billion between China and Myanmar.
Singh is the latest in a series of top-level visitors to Myanmar as the international community begins easing sanctions, raising hopes that the impoverished nation could be the next big frontier market.
He is seen as looking to expand India's influence after half a century of military rule left Myanmar heavily reliant on Chinese investment and political support.
The Indian premier will on Tuesday hold talks with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in the main city of Yangon, in a move seen as a sign that India also wants to repair links with the veteran activist.
New Delhi was once a staunch supporter of the democracy icon, but changed tack in the mid-1990s as it sought closer ties with Myanmar, and drew international criticism for its engagement with the former junta.
India has since pointed to recent dramatic reforms under a new quasi-civilian regime, including Suu Kyi's election to parliament in April by-elections, as a validation of its stance.
Singh "commended the on-going efforts at political, economic and social reform", according to the statement.
Renaud Egreteau, of the Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Hong Kong, said India was "realigning" its policy on Myanmar in an attempt to become its neighbour's trading partner of choice.
"India is trying not to miss the bus in Myanmar as it opens to the world," he told AFP.
But he said the "obstacles are always the same for India", including delays to its infrastructure projects and a lack of political confidence between the two countries.
Singh is travelling with a top-level business delegation and the joint statement said Indian firms would be "specifically encouraged" to invest in oil and gas, infrastructure, tourism, and information and communication technology.
Indian-backed infrastructure projects in the country include a port at Sittwe on the Bay of Bengal, but New Delhi's presence lags well behind that of Beijing, which is behind a host of major energy developments.
According to data from IHS Global Insight, China led the ranking in investments in Myanmar last year, pledging $8.3 billion, with India trailing in 13th place, with $189 million pledged.
China insisted that it "likes to see" relations develop between Myanmar and India, state media reported. Ties between Beijing and New Delhi have not always been smooth, especially where border disputes are concerned.
Rajiv Biswas, Asia-Pacific chief economist at IHS, said Myanmar was in the grip of a "gold rush", and that oil and gas were an area of "considerable opportunity" for investors.
India sees Myanmar as the springboard to a closer connection with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as a key partner in counter-insurgency and economic development drives in its northeast border areas.
Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, was administered as a province of India during British colonial rule and the two countries have religious links dating back to the early spread of Buddhism more than 2,000 years ago. Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Immigration employees to take ACC issue to the Controller
Immigration employees have decided to take up the matter of the summoning of many employees to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for the investigation into the controversial Border Control System project and the laptops brought in for the project, with the new Controller Dr Mohamed Ali. A prominent official of the Immigration Department claimed that as large numbers of employees are being summoned to the ACC every day, employees have had adverse psychological effects.
“The summoning chit had been delivered to 15 employees even yesterday. The chit is like an order,†official added.
“An employee had fainted after being summoned to the ACC for the investigation yesterday, who was later carried out by another employee.â€
The official further detailed that the employees would meet the Controller sometime today and raise complain about the emotional state of apprehension and fear facing the employees.
“Investigating the matter is a different thing. However, ACC had relayed a lot of false information to the media. For example they told the media that the laptops had been sold, we had objected to give up the laptops, we locked up places with ACC officials inside. Those are things that we simply did not do,†official said.
“The laptops given to us do not belong to the Immigration but had been given by Nexbiz for training. The laptops had barcodes and inventory numbers of the company. So how can we just handover the laptops even on orders of the ACC without authorization of a superior.â€
Official alleged that the Home Ministry had not made any efforts to “ease the apprehension.â€
“Home Ministry being our parent institution has not extended any cooperation to us in this issue. Even the Civil Service Commission had failed to cooperate with the many civil servants here,†official added.
Official stressed that no top officials would be involved and only low ranking employees would take up the issues with the Controller.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
“The summoning chit had been delivered to 15 employees even yesterday. The chit is like an order,†official added.
“An employee had fainted after being summoned to the ACC for the investigation yesterday, who was later carried out by another employee.â€
The official further detailed that the employees would meet the Controller sometime today and raise complain about the emotional state of apprehension and fear facing the employees.
“Investigating the matter is a different thing. However, ACC had relayed a lot of false information to the media. For example they told the media that the laptops had been sold, we had objected to give up the laptops, we locked up places with ACC officials inside. Those are things that we simply did not do,†official said.
“The laptops given to us do not belong to the Immigration but had been given by Nexbiz for training. The laptops had barcodes and inventory numbers of the company. So how can we just handover the laptops even on orders of the ACC without authorization of a superior.â€
Official alleged that the Home Ministry had not made any efforts to “ease the apprehension.â€
“Home Ministry being our parent institution has not extended any cooperation to us in this issue. Even the Civil Service Commission had failed to cooperate with the many civil servants here,†official added.
Official stressed that no top officials would be involved and only low ranking employees would take up the issues with the Controller.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Pakistan declares buried troops dead after 52 days
Pakistan on Tuesday declared dead 140 people buried alive by a huge avalanche in a disputed part of the Himalayas more than seven weeks ago. A huge wall of snow crashed into the remote Siachen Glacier base high in the mountains in disputed Kashmir in the early hours of April 7, smothering an area of one square kilometre (a third of a square mile).
Only three bodies have so far been recovered from the remote glacier, dubbed the world's highest battleground, despite desperate rescue efforts assisted by foreign teams, including from the United States.
The military said that given the improbability of recovering anyone alive, and after consulting religious leaders, "it has been decided to declare the remaining brave soldiers as 'shuhada' (martyrs)" to try to reduce the families' suffering.
"This is being done with mixed feelings of pride, grief and above all unflinching resolve to continue all out efforts to recover the bodies of all shuhada," the military said in a statement posted on its website.
Rescuers have dug tunnels into the mass of snow and ice that hit the battalion headquarters of the 6th Northern Light Infantry to try to recover the bodies of 129 soldiers and 11 civilians at the Gayari camp.
The site is 4,000 metres (13,000 feet) up in the mountains, just below the glacier where Pakistani and Indian troops have faced off since the 1980s.
Kashmir has been the cause of two wars between India and Pakistan and the nuclear-armed rivals fought over Siachen in 1987, though guns on the glacier have largely fallen silent since a peace process began in 2004. Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Only three bodies have so far been recovered from the remote glacier, dubbed the world's highest battleground, despite desperate rescue efforts assisted by foreign teams, including from the United States.
The military said that given the improbability of recovering anyone alive, and after consulting religious leaders, "it has been decided to declare the remaining brave soldiers as 'shuhada' (martyrs)" to try to reduce the families' suffering.
"This is being done with mixed feelings of pride, grief and above all unflinching resolve to continue all out efforts to recover the bodies of all shuhada," the military said in a statement posted on its website.
Rescuers have dug tunnels into the mass of snow and ice that hit the battalion headquarters of the 6th Northern Light Infantry to try to recover the bodies of 129 soldiers and 11 civilians at the Gayari camp.
The site is 4,000 metres (13,000 feet) up in the mountains, just below the glacier where Pakistani and Indian troops have faced off since the 1980s.
Kashmir has been the cause of two wars between India and Pakistan and the nuclear-armed rivals fought over Siachen in 1987, though guns on the glacier have largely fallen silent since a peace process began in 2004. Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Sri Lanka busts people-smuggling ring, 100 held
Sri Lankan police said Monday they had busted a people-smuggling ring and arrested 113 men who were preparing to board a trawler heading for Australia. The Sri Lankans were arrested as they were being transported in seven vans and a truck to board the boat for an illegal and dangerous journey that cost them an estimated $2,000 each, police said.
Six people operating the racket were arrested during the raid in the capital Colombo early Monday morning, which came after a tip-off from an informer.
"Our information is that over 150 people had signed up for this particular journey," police fraud bureau director J.K. Mark told AFP. "They were to go in a boat meant to carry only seven people and spend a couple of weeks at sea."
A senior naval official told AFP that authorities expected an increase in illegal boat operations from Sri Lanka to Australia after an Australian court shot down plans to send illegal immigrants to Malaysia for repatriation.
"We believe many more boats have set out from Sri Lankan shores in recent months. The arrests today confirm our suspicions," the officer said, declining to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media.
Canberra clinched a deal last year to send 800 boat people to Malaysia in exchange for 4,000 of that country's registered refugees in a bid to deter people-smuggling operations.
But it was struck down by the High Court, which ruled the Australian government did not have the power to send asylum-seekers to third countries where it could not guarantee their rights. Malaysia is not a signatory to UN refugee conventions.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Six people operating the racket were arrested during the raid in the capital Colombo early Monday morning, which came after a tip-off from an informer.
"Our information is that over 150 people had signed up for this particular journey," police fraud bureau director J.K. Mark told AFP. "They were to go in a boat meant to carry only seven people and spend a couple of weeks at sea."
A senior naval official told AFP that authorities expected an increase in illegal boat operations from Sri Lanka to Australia after an Australian court shot down plans to send illegal immigrants to Malaysia for repatriation.
"We believe many more boats have set out from Sri Lankan shores in recent months. The arrests today confirm our suspicions," the officer said, declining to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media.
Canberra clinched a deal last year to send 800 boat people to Malaysia in exchange for 4,000 of that country's registered refugees in a bid to deter people-smuggling operations.
But it was struck down by the High Court, which ruled the Australian government did not have the power to send asylum-seekers to third countries where it could not guarantee their rights. Malaysia is not a signatory to UN refugee conventions.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Islamist leader charged over Bangladesh war killings
A Bangladeshi court on Monday charged the head of the largest Islamic party with alleged atrocities including genocide and murder during the nation's 1971 independence war against Pakistan. Motiur Rahman Nizami, the leader of the opposition Jamaat-e-Islami party, was indicted on 16 charges including killing of some of the country's top professors, journalists and doctors, a state prosecutor said.
"Nizami was the head of a pro-Pakistan force called Al Badr. The Al Badr men killed many intellectuals on his orders just days before the country won independence," Ghulam Arif Tipoo told AFP.
The killing of intellectuals at the end of the nine-month war was one of the the darkest chapters of Bangladesh's independence struggle.
Most bodies were found in fields just outside the capital Dhaka.
Nizami, 71, who pleaded not guilty, was also charged with genocide, arson and the murder of scores of Hindus in his constituency in the northwestern district of Pabna during the war, Tipoo said.
Another top ranking official of Jamaat, Abdul Quader Molla, was also indicted Monday by the International Crimes Tribunal, a special court set up by the country's secular government in 2010 to try suspected war criminals.
The indictment brought the number of opposition figures to have been charged with alleged wartime atrocities to five, including four from Jamaat and one from the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
Both Jamaat and the BNP have dismissed the court as a "show trial", while Human Rights Watch has said procedures used by the tribunal fall short of international standards.
Muslim-majority Bangladesh, which was called East Pakistan until 1971, has struggled to come to terms with its violent birth.
The government says up to three million people were killed in the war by the Pakistani army and local pro-Pakistan militias -- a figure disputed by independent historians. Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
"Nizami was the head of a pro-Pakistan force called Al Badr. The Al Badr men killed many intellectuals on his orders just days before the country won independence," Ghulam Arif Tipoo told AFP.
The killing of intellectuals at the end of the nine-month war was one of the the darkest chapters of Bangladesh's independence struggle.
Most bodies were found in fields just outside the capital Dhaka.
Nizami, 71, who pleaded not guilty, was also charged with genocide, arson and the murder of scores of Hindus in his constituency in the northwestern district of Pabna during the war, Tipoo said.
Another top ranking official of Jamaat, Abdul Quader Molla, was also indicted Monday by the International Crimes Tribunal, a special court set up by the country's secular government in 2010 to try suspected war criminals.
The indictment brought the number of opposition figures to have been charged with alleged wartime atrocities to five, including four from Jamaat and one from the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
Both Jamaat and the BNP have dismissed the court as a "show trial", while Human Rights Watch has said procedures used by the tribunal fall short of international standards.
Muslim-majority Bangladesh, which was called East Pakistan until 1971, has struggled to come to terms with its violent birth.
The government says up to three million people were killed in the war by the Pakistani army and local pro-Pakistan militias -- a figure disputed by independent historians. Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Samsung to start selling Galaxy S3 in 28 nations
South Korea's Samsung Electronics said it would start selling its newest smartphone in 28 countries from Tuesday as it seeks to cement its position as the world's top-selling mobile phone maker. The Galaxy S3, unveiled in London earlier this month, will hit shelves Tuesday in nations including Britain, France and the United Arab Emirates, the firm said in a statement.
The phone will be available in 145 nations by July via 296 wireless carriers, it added.
The third version of the Galaxy S series offers face-recognition technology and improved voice-activated controls as well as a more powerful processor that lets users watch video and write emails simultaneously.
It also has a 4.8-inch (12.2-cm) screen that is 22 percent larger than the S2, while it can detect eye movements and override the automatic shutdown if the user is looking at the screen.
Samsung, the world's biggest technology firm, shipped 44.5 million smartphones in the first quarter, exceeding the 35.1 million of US rival Apple, according to market researcher Strategy Analytics last month.
It said the Korean firm also overtook Nokia as the biggest maker of all types of mobile phone in the same period.
Samsung is now pinning its hopes on the S3 to further erode its rivals' market share before the expected new version of Apple's iPhone 5 this year.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
The phone will be available in 145 nations by July via 296 wireless carriers, it added.
The third version of the Galaxy S series offers face-recognition technology and improved voice-activated controls as well as a more powerful processor that lets users watch video and write emails simultaneously.
It also has a 4.8-inch (12.2-cm) screen that is 22 percent larger than the S2, while it can detect eye movements and override the automatic shutdown if the user is looking at the screen.
Samsung, the world's biggest technology firm, shipped 44.5 million smartphones in the first quarter, exceeding the 35.1 million of US rival Apple, according to market researcher Strategy Analytics last month.
It said the Korean firm also overtook Nokia as the biggest maker of all types of mobile phone in the same period.
Samsung is now pinning its hopes on the S3 to further erode its rivals' market share before the expected new version of Apple's iPhone 5 this year.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Seven-title chasing Nadal ready for action
Rafael Nadal gets his bid for an historic seventh French Open title under way on Tuesday when he faces Italy's Simone Bolelli on Philippe Chatrier Court. Second seeded Nadal, who equalled Bjorn Borg's record of six Roland Garros titles last year, takes a 45-1 career record in Paris into the match.
Nadal has defeated the world 111 Italian in both of their career meetings.
Ten-times a Grand Slam title winner, Nadal, 25, has a remarkable CV at the French Open which has yielded six trophies in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011.
His only blip, a 2009 fourth round loss to Robin Soderling, came at a time when he was plagued by the acute knee problems which have often threatened to overwhelm him.
This season, Nadal has, once again, been surpreme on clay and arrives in Paris boasting a 16-1 record on the surface.
But the Spaniard is keen to play down talk of a seventh French Open.
"I have much more than I ever dreamed," said Nadal. "I am coming here every year with the motivation to play well. But I am not going to be more motivated because I have six and I can win seven."
British fourth seed Andy Murray starts his campaign against Japan's Tatsuma Ito.
In the women's tournament, second seed Maria Sharapova takes on Alexandra Cadantu of Romania while 2002 champion Serena Williams, the fifth seed, tackles France's Virginie Razzano.
Former champion Francesca Schiavone meets Kimiko Date-Krumm of Japan while Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, the fourth-seeded Czech, faces Australia's Ashleigh Barty. Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Nadal has defeated the world 111 Italian in both of their career meetings.
Ten-times a Grand Slam title winner, Nadal, 25, has a remarkable CV at the French Open which has yielded six trophies in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011.
His only blip, a 2009 fourth round loss to Robin Soderling, came at a time when he was plagued by the acute knee problems which have often threatened to overwhelm him.
This season, Nadal has, once again, been surpreme on clay and arrives in Paris boasting a 16-1 record on the surface.
But the Spaniard is keen to play down talk of a seventh French Open.
"I have much more than I ever dreamed," said Nadal. "I am coming here every year with the motivation to play well. But I am not going to be more motivated because I have six and I can win seven."
British fourth seed Andy Murray starts his campaign against Japan's Tatsuma Ito.
In the women's tournament, second seed Maria Sharapova takes on Alexandra Cadantu of Romania while 2002 champion Serena Williams, the fifth seed, tackles France's Virginie Razzano.
Former champion Francesca Schiavone meets Kimiko Date-Krumm of Japan while Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, the fourth-seeded Czech, faces Australia's Ashleigh Barty. Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Hazard opts to sign for Chelsea
Lille's Belgian international playmaker Eden Hazard announced on Monday he had signed for Champions League winners Chelsea in preference to Premier League champions Manchester City and runners-up Manchester United. The 21-year-old - who was voted Ligue 1 Players' Player of the Year for the second successive year recently - had previously said he would definitely sign for one of the Manchester clubs without specifying which one.
"I'm signing for the Champion's League winner," he tweeted.
Hazard, capped 27 times and scorer of two goals, was inspirational when Lille won the domestic double in 2011 and though they failed to defend their titles this season he nonetheless enjoyed a successful season, scoring 17 goals and providing 15 assists. Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
"I'm signing for the Champion's League winner," he tweeted.
Hazard, capped 27 times and scorer of two goals, was inspirational when Lille won the domestic double in 2011 and though they failed to defend their titles this season he nonetheless enjoyed a successful season, scoring 17 goals and providing 15 assists. Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Police forward cases of nine to PG, search for five more in VTV attack
Police have forwarded the cases of nine people to the Prosecutor General's Office and launched a search for further five for their alleged involvement in the attack on private television station Villa TV during the unrest that swept across Male following the reconvening of Parliament on March 19. Inspector Abdulla Shatheeh revealed yesterday that the investigation of nine people for the alleged attack on VTV with stones and fireballs and also the attempted attack on military personnel posted at the station for security had been completed.
However, as the whereabouts of the five people believed to be the lead suspects in the case are unknown, Police have made their photos public.
Police have urged anyone to come out with any information related to the current whereabouts of the five suspects.
Shaheeth detailed that cases of nine people that had been forwarded to the PG office include Raa Atoll Alifushi, Hameedhee Manzil, Hussain Hameed 26, his brother Ahmed Hameed 29, Registry 1471, Mohamed Hameed 50, Henveiru Ladhumaage aage, Ahmed Naeem, 27, Alif alif Atoll Feridhoo, Aazaadhuge, Ghaanim Haasan, 19, Maafannu Nooruzeyruge Hussain Shifau Jameel, 19, Raa Atoll Maduvvari Fehi Ali, Ismail Hammad, 19, Galolhu Haalam, Ahmed Muheen, 22 and a 17 year old child.
In addition to photos of the suspects, Police have also publicized photographic evidence of the suspects while carrying out the attack on VTV.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 1 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment More Loading comments... Please wait
However, as the whereabouts of the five people believed to be the lead suspects in the case are unknown, Police have made their photos public.
Police have urged anyone to come out with any information related to the current whereabouts of the five suspects.
Shaheeth detailed that cases of nine people that had been forwarded to the PG office include Raa Atoll Alifushi, Hameedhee Manzil, Hussain Hameed 26, his brother Ahmed Hameed 29, Registry 1471, Mohamed Hameed 50, Henveiru Ladhumaage aage, Ahmed Naeem, 27, Alif alif Atoll Feridhoo, Aazaadhuge, Ghaanim Haasan, 19, Maafannu Nooruzeyruge Hussain Shifau Jameel, 19, Raa Atoll Maduvvari Fehi Ali, Ismail Hammad, 19, Galolhu Haalam, Ahmed Muheen, 22 and a 17 year old child.
In addition to photos of the suspects, Police have also publicized photographic evidence of the suspects while carrying out the attack on VTV.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 1 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment More Loading comments... Please wait
Aguero dismisses Real move
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero on Monday insisted his future lies with the Premier League champions despite reports linking him with Real Madrid. The Argentinian international scored 30 goals for City in his maiden season following his move from Atletico Madrid last summer on a five-year deal.
"My future is at Manchester City," Aguero told the Times.
"I want to stay here. My contract has four years left to run and I see myself being here at least as long as that.
"There are always rumours, but there is no truth in them. I am not thinking about moving to Real Madrid or anywhere else.
"City have treated me very well from the very first day I arrived, I'm settled at the club and my family are happy in Manchester, and I want to stay."
Aguero's last-gasp strike against QPR on the final day of the Premier League season sealed City's first domestic championship since 1968, and the 23-year-old can see more silverware following for the Blues in the years to come.
"I can win everything that I want to win here," Aguero said.
"We have won one title now and we can go on to win more. Once you have one, you are desperate for the second, the third, the fourth, and it will be the same with us.
"We won the Premier League this season. Why shouldn't we believe we can win it in years to come, too?
"We will be even better next season, I am certain of that. We had a lot of new players getting to know each other this year. We want to keep going.
"It is fundamental to carry on winning. We will have more power next season, obviously. We will just keep getting stronger and better."
City's maiden Champions League campaign last season ended in elimination in the group stage, and Aguero - son-in-law of Argentinian legend Diego Maradona - believes the club's exploits in the competition next term will be vital to shaping their reputation on the world stage.
"It is important for the club that we do well in the Champions League next season," Aguero said.
"That is crucial if we are to show we are a power on the world stage." Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
"My future is at Manchester City," Aguero told the Times.
"I want to stay here. My contract has four years left to run and I see myself being here at least as long as that.
"There are always rumours, but there is no truth in them. I am not thinking about moving to Real Madrid or anywhere else.
"City have treated me very well from the very first day I arrived, I'm settled at the club and my family are happy in Manchester, and I want to stay."
Aguero's last-gasp strike against QPR on the final day of the Premier League season sealed City's first domestic championship since 1968, and the 23-year-old can see more silverware following for the Blues in the years to come.
"I can win everything that I want to win here," Aguero said.
"We have won one title now and we can go on to win more. Once you have one, you are desperate for the second, the third, the fourth, and it will be the same with us.
"We won the Premier League this season. Why shouldn't we believe we can win it in years to come, too?
"We will be even better next season, I am certain of that. We had a lot of new players getting to know each other this year. We want to keep going.
"It is fundamental to carry on winning. We will have more power next season, obviously. We will just keep getting stronger and better."
City's maiden Champions League campaign last season ended in elimination in the group stage, and Aguero - son-in-law of Argentinian legend Diego Maradona - believes the club's exploits in the competition next term will be vital to shaping their reputation on the world stage.
"It is important for the club that we do well in the Champions League next season," Aguero said.
"That is crucial if we are to show we are a power on the world stage." Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
'Men In Black 3' tops N. America box office
The third installment in the successful "Men In Black" sci-fi franchise blasted away competition to take the top spot at the North American weekend box office, industry estimates showed Monday. "Men In Black 3" -- again starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as secret agents battling aliens living on Earth -- made $70 million over the four-day Memorial Day weekend, according to box office tracker Exhibitor Relations.
It took the number one rank away from record-breaking comic book superhero blockbuster "The Avengers," which slipped to second place with a $46.9 million take.
The film has become the highest-grossing movie in Walt Disney Studios' history with global earnings so far of $1.295 billion, the fourth-highest total of all time.
"The Avengers" maintained its lead over the big-budget but critically panned "Battleship," which dropped to the number three spot in its second weekend with $13.8 million in box office receipts.
In fourth was comedian Sacha Baron Cohen's "The Dictator," with $11.8 million in its second weekend.
Fifth place went to horror flick "Chernobyl Diaries." The tale of a group of tourists taking an disastrous tour of the ghost town of Pripyat in Ukraine, abandoned after the 1980s nuclear disaster, made $9.3 million in its debut.
Next was Tim Burton's "Dark Shadows" reboot starring Johnny Depp, in sixth place with $9.4 million, ahead of romantic comedy "What to Expect When You're Expecting" with $8.85 million.
"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," a comedic drama about British retirees in India, took in $8.2 million for eighth place.
In the ninth spot was smash action hit "The Hunger Games," starring Jennifer Lawrence, which earned $2.85 million this weekend, and has brought in more than $395 million total in North America since its opening.
Rounding out the top 10 was romantic comedy "Think Like A Man" with $1.8 million in earnings.
Final figures are due to be released on Tuesday. Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
It took the number one rank away from record-breaking comic book superhero blockbuster "The Avengers," which slipped to second place with a $46.9 million take.
The film has become the highest-grossing movie in Walt Disney Studios' history with global earnings so far of $1.295 billion, the fourth-highest total of all time.
"The Avengers" maintained its lead over the big-budget but critically panned "Battleship," which dropped to the number three spot in its second weekend with $13.8 million in box office receipts.
In fourth was comedian Sacha Baron Cohen's "The Dictator," with $11.8 million in its second weekend.
Fifth place went to horror flick "Chernobyl Diaries." The tale of a group of tourists taking an disastrous tour of the ghost town of Pripyat in Ukraine, abandoned after the 1980s nuclear disaster, made $9.3 million in its debut.
Next was Tim Burton's "Dark Shadows" reboot starring Johnny Depp, in sixth place with $9.4 million, ahead of romantic comedy "What to Expect When You're Expecting" with $8.85 million.
"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," a comedic drama about British retirees in India, took in $8.2 million for eighth place.
In the ninth spot was smash action hit "The Hunger Games," starring Jennifer Lawrence, which earned $2.85 million this weekend, and has brought in more than $395 million total in North America since its opening.
Rounding out the top 10 was romantic comedy "Think Like A Man" with $1.8 million in earnings.
Final figures are due to be released on Tuesday. Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Egyptian runoff candidate's HQ torched in Cairo
Protesters set fire Monday to the headquarters of Egypt's presidential candidate and ex-premier Ahmad Shafiq after the election committee said he made it into a run off vote with an Islamist rival. The assailants set fire to an annex of Shafiq's headquarters in Cairo hours after election officials announced that the holdover from Hosni Mubarak's ousted regime will face the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohammed Mursi in the second-round election.
A police official said eight suspects were arrested near the headquarters, a villa in the middle class Dokki neighbourhood.
Some of the protesters returned to the iconic Tahrir Square and threw campaign leaflets taken from Shafiq's headquarters on to the street. Many appeared to be supporters of an unsuccessful leftwing candidate and opposed both Shafiq and Mursi.
There were no immediate reports of injuries at the headquarters and firefighters said the blaze was quickly put under control.
"We were inside when they attacked us," one member of Shafiq's campaign staff said, without identifying himself. "They set fire to the garage that had general Shafiq's campaign literature."
Earlier around 1,000 protesters had gathered in Tahrir Square to protest Shafiq's presence on the runoff ballot.
"Shafiq will be president when I'm dead," read one poster on a car parked in the square, the hub of the nationwide uprising that ousted president Hosni Mubarak in February 2011.
Announcing the results at an earlier press conference, election commission chief Faruq Sultan said no candidate had won a majority in the May 23-24 vote so the two with the highest votes, Mursi and Shafi, would enter a run off.
The result has exposed a deep rift within the nation, which now will have to choose between a conservative Islamist and a symbol of the hated Mubarak regime.
A senior military official told AFP that the army, which took charge after Mubarak's ouster, had plans to deal with any violence ahead of the decisive election. Police officials said their forces were on alert.
Sultan said Mursi had won with 24.77 percent of the votes, slightly ahead of Shafiq with 23.66 percent.
Leftist candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi came third with 20.71 percent, ahead of moderate Islamist Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh with 17.47 percent.
Former foreign minister Amr Mussa was fifth, trailing with 11.12 percent.
The commission put the official turnout in the vote -- the first since the 2011 uprising that ousted Mubarak -- at 46 percent of the 50 million Egyptians who were eligible to cast a ballot in the historic election.
Sultan said the commission had rejected seven appeals filed by candidates on May 26 and 27, citing electoral irregularities that "did not affect the outcome of the vote."
Both Mursi and Shafiq, who represent polar opposites in the country's fragmented politics after last year's uprising, are now trying to court the support of the losing candidates and their voters.
The Brotherhood, which alienated many other political parties after its domination of parliamentary elections last winter, has warned that the nation would be in danger if Shafiq wins and has pledged to become more inclusive.
Two of the losing candidates, Mussa and Abul Fotouh, declined to endorse either of the frontrunners, however.
The Brotherhood has gained the support of the ultra-conservative Salafist Al-Nur party, which had supported Abul Fotouh in the first round.
But a pending legal case could have serious implications for Shafiq's bid for the presidency.
Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court is expected to rule on June 11 in a key case examining the constitutionality of a law barring senior Mubarak-era officials from running for office, according to the state-owned Al-Akhbar.
On Saturday, Mursi called a meeting of candidates that was ignored by both Sabbahi and Abul Fotouh.
He promised at a news conference after the meeting that his party would be prepared to include aspects of other parties' programmes in its platform, but fell short of reassuring critics who say the group wants to monopolise power.
Shafiq also called on Saturday for broad support from former rivals, calling on his competitors by name to join him and promising there would be no return to the old regime.
Addressing the young people who spearheaded the 2011 revolt, he said: "Your revolution has been hijacked and I am committed to bringing (it) back."
The contest presents a difficult choice for activists who led the revolt. For them, choosing Shafiq would be to admit the revolution had failed, but a vote for Mursi could threaten the very freedoms they fought for.
The presidential poll has followed a tumultuous military-led transition from autocratic rule marked by political upheaval and bloodshed, but which also witnessed free parliamentary elections, which saw Egypt's two main Islamist parties clinch nearly three quarters of the 498 seats in the legislature.
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, in power since Mubarak's downfall, has pledged to restore Egypt to civilian rule by the end of June. Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
A police official said eight suspects were arrested near the headquarters, a villa in the middle class Dokki neighbourhood.
Some of the protesters returned to the iconic Tahrir Square and threw campaign leaflets taken from Shafiq's headquarters on to the street. Many appeared to be supporters of an unsuccessful leftwing candidate and opposed both Shafiq and Mursi.
There were no immediate reports of injuries at the headquarters and firefighters said the blaze was quickly put under control.
"We were inside when they attacked us," one member of Shafiq's campaign staff said, without identifying himself. "They set fire to the garage that had general Shafiq's campaign literature."
Earlier around 1,000 protesters had gathered in Tahrir Square to protest Shafiq's presence on the runoff ballot.
"Shafiq will be president when I'm dead," read one poster on a car parked in the square, the hub of the nationwide uprising that ousted president Hosni Mubarak in February 2011.
Announcing the results at an earlier press conference, election commission chief Faruq Sultan said no candidate had won a majority in the May 23-24 vote so the two with the highest votes, Mursi and Shafi, would enter a run off.
The result has exposed a deep rift within the nation, which now will have to choose between a conservative Islamist and a symbol of the hated Mubarak regime.
A senior military official told AFP that the army, which took charge after Mubarak's ouster, had plans to deal with any violence ahead of the decisive election. Police officials said their forces were on alert.
Sultan said Mursi had won with 24.77 percent of the votes, slightly ahead of Shafiq with 23.66 percent.
Leftist candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi came third with 20.71 percent, ahead of moderate Islamist Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh with 17.47 percent.
Former foreign minister Amr Mussa was fifth, trailing with 11.12 percent.
The commission put the official turnout in the vote -- the first since the 2011 uprising that ousted Mubarak -- at 46 percent of the 50 million Egyptians who were eligible to cast a ballot in the historic election.
Sultan said the commission had rejected seven appeals filed by candidates on May 26 and 27, citing electoral irregularities that "did not affect the outcome of the vote."
Both Mursi and Shafiq, who represent polar opposites in the country's fragmented politics after last year's uprising, are now trying to court the support of the losing candidates and their voters.
The Brotherhood, which alienated many other political parties after its domination of parliamentary elections last winter, has warned that the nation would be in danger if Shafiq wins and has pledged to become more inclusive.
Two of the losing candidates, Mussa and Abul Fotouh, declined to endorse either of the frontrunners, however.
The Brotherhood has gained the support of the ultra-conservative Salafist Al-Nur party, which had supported Abul Fotouh in the first round.
But a pending legal case could have serious implications for Shafiq's bid for the presidency.
Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court is expected to rule on June 11 in a key case examining the constitutionality of a law barring senior Mubarak-era officials from running for office, according to the state-owned Al-Akhbar.
On Saturday, Mursi called a meeting of candidates that was ignored by both Sabbahi and Abul Fotouh.
He promised at a news conference after the meeting that his party would be prepared to include aspects of other parties' programmes in its platform, but fell short of reassuring critics who say the group wants to monopolise power.
Shafiq also called on Saturday for broad support from former rivals, calling on his competitors by name to join him and promising there would be no return to the old regime.
Addressing the young people who spearheaded the 2011 revolt, he said: "Your revolution has been hijacked and I am committed to bringing (it) back."
The contest presents a difficult choice for activists who led the revolt. For them, choosing Shafiq would be to admit the revolution had failed, but a vote for Mursi could threaten the very freedoms they fought for.
The presidential poll has followed a tumultuous military-led transition from autocratic rule marked by political upheaval and bloodshed, but which also witnessed free parliamentary elections, which saw Egypt's two main Islamist parties clinch nearly three quarters of the 498 seats in the legislature.
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, in power since Mubarak's downfall, has pledged to restore Egypt to civilian rule by the end of June. Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Tuareg, Islamists unity bid in north Mali unravels: sources
Plans for Tuareg rebels and hardline Islamist group Ansar Dine to join forces and proclaim an Islamic state in northern Mali have been blocked by deep difference, the two sides said Tuesday. "We have refused to approve the final statement because it is different from the protocol agreement which we have signed," said local official Ibrahim Assaley, a member of the Tuareg rebel National Liberation Front of Azawad (FNLA).
Moussa Ag Asherif, close to Ansar Dine head Iyad Ag Ghaly, confirmed the impasse in talks.
In the controversial statement, Ansar Dine (Defenders of Faith) speak of applying "pure and hard" Islamic Sharia law and of banning non-Muslim humanitarian groups from Mali's restive north, Assaley said.
"It is as if they want us to dissolve into Ansar Dine," complained the representative from the secular Tuareg rebels.
"That is unacceptable," he added.
The original declaration of a separate Islamic state in Mali's vast desert north had come at the weekend.
Mali's embattled transitional government swiftly rejected the embryonic rebel alliance's declaration, which had plunged the nation closer to break-up two months after a coup.
"The government of Mali categorically rejects the idea of the creation of an Azawad state, even more so of an Islamic state," Hamadoun Toure, information minister in the transitional administration, told AFP on Sunday.
The West African bloc ECOWAS on Monday also rejected the rebel declaration of independence and repeated an earlier threat to take "all necessary measures" to keep the country intact.
Regional and Western leaders have long feared a breakaway state in Mali's remote desert north could become Al-Qaeda's main safe haven.
Mali's transitional leaders have stressed their wish to restore the country's territorial integrity but seem unable to guarantee their own safety, let alone mount a credible challenge against the north's new masters.
The uncertain security situation was highlighted by the recent assault on 70-year-old interim president Dioncounda Traore.
His entourage said tests had revealed nothing alarming and that Traore was expected back in Mali in the coming week following a trip to Paris to receive medical attention. Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Moussa Ag Asherif, close to Ansar Dine head Iyad Ag Ghaly, confirmed the impasse in talks.
In the controversial statement, Ansar Dine (Defenders of Faith) speak of applying "pure and hard" Islamic Sharia law and of banning non-Muslim humanitarian groups from Mali's restive north, Assaley said.
"It is as if they want us to dissolve into Ansar Dine," complained the representative from the secular Tuareg rebels.
"That is unacceptable," he added.
The original declaration of a separate Islamic state in Mali's vast desert north had come at the weekend.
Mali's embattled transitional government swiftly rejected the embryonic rebel alliance's declaration, which had plunged the nation closer to break-up two months after a coup.
"The government of Mali categorically rejects the idea of the creation of an Azawad state, even more so of an Islamic state," Hamadoun Toure, information minister in the transitional administration, told AFP on Sunday.
The West African bloc ECOWAS on Monday also rejected the rebel declaration of independence and repeated an earlier threat to take "all necessary measures" to keep the country intact.
Regional and Western leaders have long feared a breakaway state in Mali's remote desert north could become Al-Qaeda's main safe haven.
Mali's transitional leaders have stressed their wish to restore the country's territorial integrity but seem unable to guarantee their own safety, let alone mount a credible challenge against the north's new masters.
The uncertain security situation was highlighted by the recent assault on 70-year-old interim president Dioncounda Traore.
His entourage said tests had revealed nothing alarming and that Traore was expected back in Mali in the coming week following a trip to Paris to receive medical attention. Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
UN leader fears for Nepal after constitution failure
UN leader Ban Ki-moon raised fears about Nepal's stability after the country's divided parties failed to meet a Sunday deadline to write a new constitution. Ban "is disappointed that Nepal's Constituent Assembly has expired without the adoption of the long-awaited constitution," UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said Monday in a statement.
"Nepal has entered an uncertain constitutional and political period," the UN warned.
"The government and the political leaders, as well as leaders of various communities, need to demonstrate the courage and wisdom to come together to address the challenges the nation faces," added the statement.
Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai announced Sunday that the country's parliament, elected in 2008 to write a constitution after a decade of civil war, would be disbanded and new elections held in November.
"The United Nations, which has closely supported the peace-making and reform process in Nepal over many years, shares the deep regret felt by the Nepali people at this time," added the UN statement.
Ban's spokesman said "a political consensus on the way forward is essential to ensure stability and continuity. The work of constitution-making should resume without delay, building on what has so far been achieved, and the appropriate legitimate and representative mechanism for this should be found through consensus."
"These decisions will require flexibility, creativity, and above all the willingness to set aside lesser differences in the national interest," the statement added.
Ban called on "all political parties and stakeholders to reaffirm their commitment to the spirit of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and safeguard the achievements of the past several years."
An estimated 16,000 people died in the 1996-2006 civil war. Rival parties had since then been trying to create a new secular, democratic republic following the abolition of Nepal's centuries-old Hindu monarchy after Maoist rebels gave up arms and won the 2008 elections. Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
"Nepal has entered an uncertain constitutional and political period," the UN warned.
"The government and the political leaders, as well as leaders of various communities, need to demonstrate the courage and wisdom to come together to address the challenges the nation faces," added the statement.
Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai announced Sunday that the country's parliament, elected in 2008 to write a constitution after a decade of civil war, would be disbanded and new elections held in November.
"The United Nations, which has closely supported the peace-making and reform process in Nepal over many years, shares the deep regret felt by the Nepali people at this time," added the UN statement.
Ban's spokesman said "a political consensus on the way forward is essential to ensure stability and continuity. The work of constitution-making should resume without delay, building on what has so far been achieved, and the appropriate legitimate and representative mechanism for this should be found through consensus."
"These decisions will require flexibility, creativity, and above all the willingness to set aside lesser differences in the national interest," the statement added.
Ban called on "all political parties and stakeholders to reaffirm their commitment to the spirit of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and safeguard the achievements of the past several years."
An estimated 16,000 people died in the 1996-2006 civil war. Rival parties had since then been trying to create a new secular, democratic republic following the abolition of Nepal's centuries-old Hindu monarchy after Maoist rebels gave up arms and won the 2008 elections. Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
HRCM forwards Judge Abdulla's case to PG
Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) has forwarded the case of the unconstitutional detention of Criminal Court's Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed by the military during former President Mohamed Nasheed's administration to the Prosecutor General's office after completing its investigation. Haveeru has learned the HRCM had not pressed for any charges against a particular individual in its report.
HRCM President Mariyam Azra detailed that the report forwarded to the PG office had been based on a human rights perspective.
“The whole case has been assessed from a human rights viewpoint. The report has made highlights in the same regard,†Azra added.
The case of Judge Abdulla had been probed by the HRCM upon request by the PG office.
An official from the PG office revealed that the report had been received some time yesterday afternoon. Official added that HRCM today had been requested to forward the statements and evidence compiled in the case.
Official detailed that a decision pertaining to pressing any charges would be made after the evidence collected by HRCM in its investigation and relevant statements from the Police are received.
Former President Nasheed had given a statement to the HRCM in relation to the case but had refused a similar request by the Police for the investigation.
Following which, the Police had decided to move forward with their investigation without the statement of Nasheed.
HRCM had also summoned former Home Minister Hassan Afeef and former Defence Minister Tholhath Ibrahim Kaleyfaanu during its probe of Judge Abdulla’s case.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
HRCM President Mariyam Azra detailed that the report forwarded to the PG office had been based on a human rights perspective.
“The whole case has been assessed from a human rights viewpoint. The report has made highlights in the same regard,†Azra added.
The case of Judge Abdulla had been probed by the HRCM upon request by the PG office.
An official from the PG office revealed that the report had been received some time yesterday afternoon. Official added that HRCM today had been requested to forward the statements and evidence compiled in the case.
Official detailed that a decision pertaining to pressing any charges would be made after the evidence collected by HRCM in its investigation and relevant statements from the Police are received.
Former President Nasheed had given a statement to the HRCM in relation to the case but had refused a similar request by the Police for the investigation.
Following which, the Police had decided to move forward with their investigation without the statement of Nasheed.
HRCM had also summoned former Home Minister Hassan Afeef and former Defence Minister Tholhath Ibrahim Kaleyfaanu during its probe of Judge Abdulla’s case.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Another nomination proposed by Nasheed to Inquiry Commission
A new nominee of former President Mohamed Nasheed has been proposed for the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) established to probe the events leading up to and following the transfer of power on February 7. However, neither the government nor the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has revealed the identity of the nominee.
Nasheed’s new nomination to the CNI came after the government had rejected Lieutenant Colonel Zubair Ahmed Manik’s of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) nomination last Friday.
Government had claimed that Zubair had been rejected as he did not meet the education criteria as per the prior agreement with MDP.
As the deadline given to the former President to nominate a member to the CNI ends next Thursday, the government had rejected all nominations made by Nasheed thus far.
The former President’s nominees include Machchangoalhi-north constituency MP Mariya Ahmed Didi, former Housing Minister of the previous administration Mohamed Aslam, former Youth Minister Hassan Latheef, former Education Minister Shifa Mohamed, former member of the Judicial Service Commission Aishath Velezeenee and former board member of the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) Ibrahim Saleem.
In addition to holding a degree, the criteria specified by the government states that the person to be placed in the Commission by Nasheed must be a person who has been away from the political scene for a period of two years, must also be a person who has not taken a specific stand in relation to the regime change, must be unprejudiced and generally acceptable to the public.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 1 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment More Loading comments... Please wait
Nasheed’s new nomination to the CNI came after the government had rejected Lieutenant Colonel Zubair Ahmed Manik’s of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) nomination last Friday.
Government had claimed that Zubair had been rejected as he did not meet the education criteria as per the prior agreement with MDP.
As the deadline given to the former President to nominate a member to the CNI ends next Thursday, the government had rejected all nominations made by Nasheed thus far.
The former President’s nominees include Machchangoalhi-north constituency MP Mariya Ahmed Didi, former Housing Minister of the previous administration Mohamed Aslam, former Youth Minister Hassan Latheef, former Education Minister Shifa Mohamed, former member of the Judicial Service Commission Aishath Velezeenee and former board member of the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) Ibrahim Saleem.
In addition to holding a degree, the criteria specified by the government states that the person to be placed in the Commission by Nasheed must be a person who has been away from the political scene for a period of two years, must also be a person who has not taken a specific stand in relation to the regime change, must be unprejudiced and generally acceptable to the public.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 1 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment More Loading comments... Please wait
Real possibility of being seen in another party: Didi
Ousted President of opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Dr Ibrahim Didi has said that there was a real possibility that he would be seen in another party in the near future. Didi today said that the time has come for him to leave the party as he believes that the strife with prominent MDP officials would hinder his progress within the party.
“It is questionable if the issues can be resolved through democratic means. There is no guarantee whatsoever,†Dr Didi said in an interview with Haveeru.
He said that he has delayed leaving MDP in order to reveal the undemocratic and hidden agendas to its general members.
“Many people don’t know the reality of how the former two (MDP) Presidents were treated. They also quit on their own through frustration. Hence most general members are not aware of it. My aim is to reveal this truth to the public,†Dr. Didi said.
He further alleged foul play for the failure by the Elections Commission to decide whether he had been ousted from the MDP leadership in violation of the party’s basic regulation and pledged that he would take up the matter in court.
“I requested some documentation required for that from the party office. But haven’t received it even after 10 days†Didi said.
He said that he was in discussion with many people before the decision to leave MDP is made and that he would join a party that works in the best interest of the nation.
“We have to leave, when the time to leave the party comes. I believe that the time has come for me,†Didi said.
Didi had been ousted along with the Vice-President of MDP, Alhan Fahmy through a no confidence vote during the party’s National Congress meeting held on April 30.
Speaking to some media channels, Alhan had also indicated that he would leave MDP where rumors are rife that he would join pro-government Jumhooree Party before the Parliament convenes for its second sitting for the year early next month.
However, Haveeru was unable to contact Alhan for a comment.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 1 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment More Loading comments... Please wait
“It is questionable if the issues can be resolved through democratic means. There is no guarantee whatsoever,†Dr Didi said in an interview with Haveeru.
He said that he has delayed leaving MDP in order to reveal the undemocratic and hidden agendas to its general members.
“Many people don’t know the reality of how the former two (MDP) Presidents were treated. They also quit on their own through frustration. Hence most general members are not aware of it. My aim is to reveal this truth to the public,†Dr. Didi said.
He further alleged foul play for the failure by the Elections Commission to decide whether he had been ousted from the MDP leadership in violation of the party’s basic regulation and pledged that he would take up the matter in court.
“I requested some documentation required for that from the party office. But haven’t received it even after 10 days†Didi said.
He said that he was in discussion with many people before the decision to leave MDP is made and that he would join a party that works in the best interest of the nation.
“We have to leave, when the time to leave the party comes. I believe that the time has come for me,†Didi said.
Didi had been ousted along with the Vice-President of MDP, Alhan Fahmy through a no confidence vote during the party’s National Congress meeting held on April 30.
Speaking to some media channels, Alhan had also indicated that he would leave MDP where rumors are rife that he would join pro-government Jumhooree Party before the Parliament convenes for its second sitting for the year early next month.
However, Haveeru was unable to contact Alhan for a comment.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 1 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment More Loading comments... Please wait
Payable bills of Councils, National offices total over MVR26 million
Home Ministry claimed today that pending payments for expenses by the various Councils and National Offices during the tenure of the former President Mohamed Nasheed's administration total over MVR26 million. Speaking to Haveeru, an official of the Home Ministry revealed that the payable bills for the expenses of Councils amount to MVR23 million while the National Offices have over MVR3 million pending payments.
Furthermore, Home Ministry has found that most of the pending payments are for various services sought absent a formal agreement, according to the official.
“Most services had been sought with only a verbal agreement. The regulations specified in the Financial Act have not been met. Some of the services that required a bidding process had not been fulfilled. The bills have been brought after seeking services without any agreements,†official detailed.
Home Ministry is currently in discussions with regard to the matter as it would be difficult to settle bills where expenses had been incurred in violation of the Financial Act, official added.
“We cannot settle such bills. How can we pay any bills without an agreement and in violation of financial regulations? In addition the National Offices have also now been abolished,†official further said.
“A decision in relation to the matter is yet to be made, as we can only facilitate such things within the contours of the law.â€
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Furthermore, Home Ministry has found that most of the pending payments are for various services sought absent a formal agreement, according to the official.
“Most services had been sought with only a verbal agreement. The regulations specified in the Financial Act have not been met. Some of the services that required a bidding process had not been fulfilled. The bills have been brought after seeking services without any agreements,†official detailed.
Home Ministry is currently in discussions with regard to the matter as it would be difficult to settle bills where expenses had been incurred in violation of the Financial Act, official added.
“We cannot settle such bills. How can we pay any bills without an agreement and in violation of financial regulations? In addition the National Offices have also now been abolished,†official further said.
“A decision in relation to the matter is yet to be made, as we can only facilitate such things within the contours of the law.â€
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Need to investigate case of immigration employees: Spokesperson
Government spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza has said that the Civil Service Commission (CSC) needs to investigate the case of immigration employees who obstructed the work of Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) officials while investigating the case of the laptops given by the Malaysian Nexbiz company. In an interview with Haveeru, Abbas said that civil servants must not partake in any illegitimate activity even if they are encouraged by politicians. He said that the CSC must investigate the case of obstruction of the ACC officials work by civil servants at the immigration department even if there are no complaints filed.
“Civil service Act does not limit their investigations to only complaints filed. The government believes that the commission also has an obligation to launch investigations into cases which draws attention,†Spokesperson said.
ACC stated that some immigration employees had stymied their work and threatened them in different ways. ACC had decided to file a complaint at the police as some of the ACC officials had been locked up in the immigration with the fans and air conditioning turned off.
Government spokesperson said that civil servants must possess acceptable behavioral standards and that the CSC needs to ensure that the civil servants follow a code of conduct.
“The government does not want to leave this unattended as it will pave way to recurrence. Today it happened to the ACC, tomorrow it might happen to the Auditor General Office (AGO) or it could happen to the tax office the next day, it would be a serious issue. Hence we need to find a way to stop the repetition of such acts by civil servants,†Abbas said.
He said that the government has given special precedence against the intervention in the mandate of independent institutions and that a way for investigations in to allegations must always be paved. Hence he added that the government will not tolerate obstructions to such institutions.
“Independent institutions are what we call as parties which act as governance watchdogs, within the governing system. Obstructions to this system will destroy this system. Hence, the government condemns the acts against the ACC officials,†Spokesperson said.
Regarding the obstruction of the ACC officials work by civil servant at the immigration department, CSC President Mohamed Fahmy Hassan yesterday said that no complaints about such a case had been received.
He said that according to the hierarchy, civil servants must act upon orders by their permanent secretary or the responsible head of the office. He added that according to the constitution of Maldives, civil servants must not obey illegal orders issued on them.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
“Civil service Act does not limit their investigations to only complaints filed. The government believes that the commission also has an obligation to launch investigations into cases which draws attention,†Spokesperson said.
ACC stated that some immigration employees had stymied their work and threatened them in different ways. ACC had decided to file a complaint at the police as some of the ACC officials had been locked up in the immigration with the fans and air conditioning turned off.
Government spokesperson said that civil servants must possess acceptable behavioral standards and that the CSC needs to ensure that the civil servants follow a code of conduct.
“The government does not want to leave this unattended as it will pave way to recurrence. Today it happened to the ACC, tomorrow it might happen to the Auditor General Office (AGO) or it could happen to the tax office the next day, it would be a serious issue. Hence we need to find a way to stop the repetition of such acts by civil servants,†Abbas said.
He said that the government has given special precedence against the intervention in the mandate of independent institutions and that a way for investigations in to allegations must always be paved. Hence he added that the government will not tolerate obstructions to such institutions.
“Independent institutions are what we call as parties which act as governance watchdogs, within the governing system. Obstructions to this system will destroy this system. Hence, the government condemns the acts against the ACC officials,†Spokesperson said.
Regarding the obstruction of the ACC officials work by civil servant at the immigration department, CSC President Mohamed Fahmy Hassan yesterday said that no complaints about such a case had been received.
He said that according to the hierarchy, civil servants must act upon orders by their permanent secretary or the responsible head of the office. He added that according to the constitution of Maldives, civil servants must not obey illegal orders issued on them.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
All Party Talks retreat to be held in Bandos
The All Party Roadmap Talks is to commence its three day retreat in Bandos Island Resort and Spa beginning next Thursday. Speaking during a press conference today by the Political Party Talks Moderators Secretariat, Ahmed Mujthaba the moderator of the Talks revealed that as per the consensus of all political parties the retreat would be held from Thursday night till Saturday morning in Bandos.
Mujthaba further detailed that the decision to hold the retreat was to facilitate a more productive dialogue between the interlocutors to achieve a positive outcome. He noted that the meetings held in the capital Male are only afforded about a couple of hours at the most.
“The retreat is being held with the intention of facilitating prolonged discussions amongst the participants. The reason is not to change the venue but to assist in the creation of an environment suitable for contemplation,†he added.
Moderator said that the Talks had now surpassed the major obstacles facing the sit-down and expressed hope that the dialogue would now move forward at a fast pace.
The last meeting of the Roadmap Talks finally yielded a positive step forward as all political parties represented in the sit-down reached an agreement to the agenda following the decision by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to accede after three months of strife over its order.
To that end, the agenda comprised of six items including finding a way to resolve the ongoing political conflict in the Maldives, determining the present condition of the State budget, finding out the issues that needed to be reformed within independent institutions and posts, dialogue with regard to amendments and new laws that needed to be passed and discussions pertaining to the amendments needed to the constitution.
In addition, the agenda included discussions related to the date of holding presidential elections.
Mujthaba further hailed the consensus over the agenda as a symbol of improved sprit amongst the political parties.
The All Party Talks had been initiated in February, but had been stalled after the pro-government political parties had failed to come to a consensus with MDP over the ordering of the agenda.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 2 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment More Loading comments... Please wait
Mujthaba further detailed that the decision to hold the retreat was to facilitate a more productive dialogue between the interlocutors to achieve a positive outcome. He noted that the meetings held in the capital Male are only afforded about a couple of hours at the most.
“The retreat is being held with the intention of facilitating prolonged discussions amongst the participants. The reason is not to change the venue but to assist in the creation of an environment suitable for contemplation,†he added.
Moderator said that the Talks had now surpassed the major obstacles facing the sit-down and expressed hope that the dialogue would now move forward at a fast pace.
The last meeting of the Roadmap Talks finally yielded a positive step forward as all political parties represented in the sit-down reached an agreement to the agenda following the decision by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to accede after three months of strife over its order.
To that end, the agenda comprised of six items including finding a way to resolve the ongoing political conflict in the Maldives, determining the present condition of the State budget, finding out the issues that needed to be reformed within independent institutions and posts, dialogue with regard to amendments and new laws that needed to be passed and discussions pertaining to the amendments needed to the constitution.
In addition, the agenda included discussions related to the date of holding presidential elections.
Mujthaba further hailed the consensus over the agenda as a symbol of improved sprit amongst the political parties.
The All Party Talks had been initiated in February, but had been stalled after the pro-government political parties had failed to come to a consensus with MDP over the ordering of the agenda.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 2 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment More Loading comments... Please wait
Underage suspects to present defence in Muheeth's murder case
Juvenile Court yesterday allowed the opportunity for the three underage children accused in the murder of Abdul 'Bobby' Muheeth, 21 of G. Veyru, who was stabbed to death last February, to present their defence to the charges. As the media is not allowed in the Juvenile court during cases involving underage children as their identities are kept anonymous.
However, a court official revealed as one the suspects had not appointed a lawyer the court had given a 15 day period in which to do so.
The next hearing on the case would entail the detailed defence of all three suspects, official added.
The State has charged all three underage suspects with murder in the first degree.
Muhujath Ahmed Naasih of Abulagee Ge, Gaaf Dhaal Atoll Gahdhoo, Mohamed Maimoon of Zaithoonige, Lhaviyani Naifaru and Ali Mushahfau of Sultan Villa Seenu Atoll Maradhoo are also allegedly involved in the murder according to the police.
A Prosecutor General’s Office official stated that the case of these three men involved in Muheeth’s murder had also been sent to court, but their trial is yet to begin.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
However, a court official revealed as one the suspects had not appointed a lawyer the court had given a 15 day period in which to do so.
The next hearing on the case would entail the detailed defence of all three suspects, official added.
The State has charged all three underage suspects with murder in the first degree.
Muhujath Ahmed Naasih of Abulagee Ge, Gaaf Dhaal Atoll Gahdhoo, Mohamed Maimoon of Zaithoonige, Lhaviyani Naifaru and Ali Mushahfau of Sultan Villa Seenu Atoll Maradhoo are also allegedly involved in the murder according to the police.
A Prosecutor General’s Office official stated that the case of these three men involved in Muheeth’s murder had also been sent to court, but their trial is yet to begin.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Inflation in Maldives spikes over 15 percent
Statistics revealed by the Department of National Planning show that the overall inflation rate in the Maldives has risen over 15 percent. The inflation rate in the Maldives was at 15.99 percent by the end of March where food products, fish and transportation had been the major contributors to the hike.
In comparison with the same period last year, the overall inflation rate had spiked over 19.49 percent. The inflation hike during this period had been observed from fish, tobacco, cafes and restaurants.
The inflation rate in the capital Male was at 15.05 percent last month where prices had most increased in fish, chili, Milo, cooking oil, gas and chicken.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 1 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment More Loading comments... Please wait
In comparison with the same period last year, the overall inflation rate had spiked over 19.49 percent. The inflation hike during this period had been observed from fish, tobacco, cafes and restaurants.
The inflation rate in the capital Male was at 15.05 percent last month where prices had most increased in fish, chili, Milo, cooking oil, gas and chicken.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 1 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment More Loading comments... Please wait
ID cards to be modified as smart cards
Home Ministry yesterday stated that it has started work to modify the current national identity card to a smart card which would include finger print information and can be used for different purposes. Home State Minister, Ahmed Fayaz said that the project to upgrade the ID card is a major initiative undertaken in association with the Pension Administration Office and the National Planning Council. He said that discussions are underway to plan how the project can be carried out.
The Ministry detailed that the changes are being brought to the card to offer services such as drivers’ license and insurance from one single card instead of many. Home Ministry is also discussing on including fingerprint information from more than one finger.
The Ministry does not plan to renew all the cards at once, but to renew expired ID cards with the new smart ID cards. But it is yet undecided when the process will be initiated.
Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed said that the process of issuing ID cards had been a difficult when the new government assumed power. He added that the Department of National Registration had 23,000 cards to be issued at the time.
“But the number had since been decreased to a mere 3,000 in which 1,000 cards are in the normal queue without any issues, while 2,000 cards have had issues and the card owners have been informed to clarify and correct the issues related to it†Minister said.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
The Ministry detailed that the changes are being brought to the card to offer services such as drivers’ license and insurance from one single card instead of many. Home Ministry is also discussing on including fingerprint information from more than one finger.
The Ministry does not plan to renew all the cards at once, but to renew expired ID cards with the new smart ID cards. But it is yet undecided when the process will be initiated.
Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed said that the process of issuing ID cards had been a difficult when the new government assumed power. He added that the Department of National Registration had 23,000 cards to be issued at the time.
“But the number had since been decreased to a mere 3,000 in which 1,000 cards are in the normal queue without any issues, while 2,000 cards have had issues and the card owners have been informed to clarify and correct the issues related to it†Minister said.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
France struggle to beat Iceland in Euro warm-up
France battled back from two goals down at half-time to beat Iceland 3-2 and avoid a humiliating defeat in the first of three warm-ups for Euro 2012 here on Sunday. Iceland, ranked a lowly 131 in FIFA's world table, stunned their hosts when Birkir Bjarnason put them into a 28th minute lead, with Ajax striker Kolbeinn Sigthorsson doubling up five minutes later.
Whatever words of wisdom coach Laurent Blanc came up with at the interval evidently sank home as the second half was only seven minutes old when Lille defender Mathieu Debuchy reduced the deficit.
But France had then to wait until the 85th minute before Franck Ribery put them back on level terms with a lob for the Bayern Munich star's first goal for his country since April, 2009.
Valencia back Adil Rami bagged the winner three minutes from time, volleying home Olivier Giroud'd knockdown to extend France's unbeaten run to 19 matches.
France's next prep outing is against Serbia on Thursday in Reims, with their third and final warm-up scheduled for June 5 in Le Mans against Estonia.
Blanc's men are drawn in Group D at the European Championships and they begin their campaign in Donetsk against England on June 11 followed by co-hosts Ukraine and Sweden.
A lacklustre display by most of the French side, the one notable exception being Karim Benzema who had a good match, will give Blanc plenty to think about with only two weeks to go before battle commences in Ukraine-Poland.
He said: "We defended very badly in the first half. I changed lots of players in the second half who brought in a different style and with Iceland getting tired it enabled us to win in the end.
"We can be satisfied with certain aspects and less satisfied with others."
Blanc conceded a defeat would have dented his team's confidence.
"Confidence comes when you win so in that respect the result was a good thing. I've seen a lot of teams lose their first warm-up. We're not yet ready for June 11, physically we're not ready which explains our problems in defence."
Despite the scare Sochaux midfielder Marvin Martin put a positive spin on the performance.
He reflected: "It was difficult but it's fine, we saw a team that didn't let go. We continue our positive set of results. Friendly games are played at international level and defensively they (Iceland) weren't bad."
Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri added: "After eight days of training we all had heavy legs. That, with the heat, weighed against us. But after, we felt better and better. It was very important to win. We showed character and showed that we were ready physically because we made the difference at the end of the match."
"We're still in the preparation stage," said Benzema.
"We'll be ready as expected for June 11."
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Whatever words of wisdom coach Laurent Blanc came up with at the interval evidently sank home as the second half was only seven minutes old when Lille defender Mathieu Debuchy reduced the deficit.
But France had then to wait until the 85th minute before Franck Ribery put them back on level terms with a lob for the Bayern Munich star's first goal for his country since April, 2009.
Valencia back Adil Rami bagged the winner three minutes from time, volleying home Olivier Giroud'd knockdown to extend France's unbeaten run to 19 matches.
France's next prep outing is against Serbia on Thursday in Reims, with their third and final warm-up scheduled for June 5 in Le Mans against Estonia.
Blanc's men are drawn in Group D at the European Championships and they begin their campaign in Donetsk against England on June 11 followed by co-hosts Ukraine and Sweden.
A lacklustre display by most of the French side, the one notable exception being Karim Benzema who had a good match, will give Blanc plenty to think about with only two weeks to go before battle commences in Ukraine-Poland.
He said: "We defended very badly in the first half. I changed lots of players in the second half who brought in a different style and with Iceland getting tired it enabled us to win in the end.
"We can be satisfied with certain aspects and less satisfied with others."
Blanc conceded a defeat would have dented his team's confidence.
"Confidence comes when you win so in that respect the result was a good thing. I've seen a lot of teams lose their first warm-up. We're not yet ready for June 11, physically we're not ready which explains our problems in defence."
Despite the scare Sochaux midfielder Marvin Martin put a positive spin on the performance.
He reflected: "It was difficult but it's fine, we saw a team that didn't let go. We continue our positive set of results. Friendly games are played at international level and defensively they (Iceland) weren't bad."
Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri added: "After eight days of training we all had heavy legs. That, with the heat, weighed against us. But after, we felt better and better. It was very important to win. We showed character and showed that we were ready physically because we made the difference at the end of the match."
"We're still in the preparation stage," said Benzema.
"We'll be ready as expected for June 11."
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)