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EC rejects Yameen’s candidacy form

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Elections Commission (EC) has rejected the candidacy form submitted by the presidential candidate of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom to contest in this year’s presidential elections.

Yameen was sentenced to 11 years in prison for money laundering and bribery in connection to the sale of V. Aarah for resort development on December 25, 2022.

However, Yameen has signed his candidacy from behind bars, with assistance from Maldives Correctional Service.

The form was handed over to EC’s Chairman Fuad Thaufeeq by Yameen’s election agent, PPM’s Secretary General Mohamed Tholal on Tuesday morning during a small-scale ceremony held for the purpose at EC’s focal point for the presidential elections established at Dharubaaruge.

Tholal was accompanied by Yameen’s running mate Mohamed Jameel, who also serves as the head of his legal team, and members from the leadership of the opposition PPM-PNC coalition.

EC, moments earlier, decided against accepting Yameen’s form citing he was presently serving an 11-year prison sentence which makes him an ineligible presidential candidate under Article 109 (f) of the Maldivian constitution which bars individuals who have been sentenced to 12 months or more prison over a criminal offense from contesting the elections.

Yameen, however, by law, has the right to appeal EC’s decision.

Jameel, who spoke to the press after submitting Yameen’s candidacy form this morning, expressed all intent to appeal if EC rejects the form.

PPM, which released a statement shortly after EC’s decision, expressed concern while noting efforts were underway to file the Supreme Court appeal. They also expressed confidence in Yameen winning the appeal.

“We note that President Yameen’s legal team is undertaking all efforts to submit a Supreme Court appeal. We have no doubt Yameen’s eligibility will be proven at Supreme Court which thereby will nullify Elections Commission’s decision,” the statement read.

Yameen, in case his candidacy form gets rejected, has instructed the opposition coalition’s leadership to produce a PNC candidate for the elections. The leadership has decided to bestow Yameen the power to choose a candidate.

Source(s): sun.mv

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Technical Chinese team to assist in 5M tree planting programme

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The Ambassador of China to the Maldives Wang Lixin has affirmed that a technical team of China will visit the Maldives to conduct a soil analysis, prior to the commencement of the five million tree planting programme.

Addressing the media, Ambassador Lixin stated that the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy is engaged in collaborative efforts with the Chinese company, Fujian Forestry Administration regarding the programme. The ambassador further disclosed that the technical team will conduct a comprehensive study on the soil and will identify and elucidate the various types of plants which can be cultivated in the Maldives easily.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has announced the national initiative to plant five million trees across the country at the high-level segment of the Twenty-Eighth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai.

The programme will commence annually on June 5, commemorating World Environment Day. Trees will be planted in all residential islands and resorts under the programme. The administration previously revealed that neighbouring nations will be contributing trees to the initiative.

Source(s): PsmNews

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Israeli army continues attack on Gaza’s Jabalia camp

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The Israeli army on Saturday continued its attack on Jabalia in northern Gaza, urging residents in the area to evacuate their homes and head to shelters in western Gaza.

Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said in a statement on social media platform X that the army eliminated “a sabotage cell in Jabalia after clashes with its members inside buildings, where the saboteurs fled to the roof and opened fire on the army forces.”

Adraee said the troops surrounded the buildings and eliminated the group after an exchange of fire, noting that the army did not suffer any losses during the clashes.

The spokesperson did not provide further details about the identity of the “saboteurs.”

Earlier in the day, Palestinian medical sources said at least 28 people, including women and children, were killed in continuous Israeli raids on the Jabalia refugee camp.

Israeli warplanes targeted several residential houses and a shelter center for displaced people in the camp with missiles, according to Xinhua, citing Palestinian security sources.

The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 35,386, health authorities in the Palestinian enclave said in a press statement on Saturday.

The raids caused large explosions in the camp, which had been witnessing a military operation for several days.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have killed more than 130 militants in targeted operations in eastern Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, according to a statement issued on Saturday.

As part of the operations, the Givati infantry brigade killed more than 80 militants in the area and located dozens of rifles, grenades, and ammunition, according to the IDF statement.

Givati’s reconnaissance unit also uncovered significant underground tunnel infrastructure in the area, it said.

Simultaneously, the 401st armored brigade killed about 50 militants in raids on Hamas infrastructure and buildings from which gunfire was shot at IDF troops and located dozens of tunnel shafts and many anti-aircraft guns.

“So far, hundreds of terrorist infrastructure sites have been destroyed by the 401st brigade, including weapons production facilities and ready-to-use launch sites,” the IDF said.

New divisions emerge

New divisions have emerged among Israel’s leaders over post-war Gaza’s governance, with an unexpected Hamas fightback in parts of the Palestinian territory, piling pressure onto Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, AFP reports.

Netanyahu came under personal attack on Saturday from war cabinet minister Benny Gantz, who threatened to resign from the body unless the premier approved a post-war plan for the Gaza Strip.

Earlier in the week, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant slammed Netanyahu for failing to rule out an Israeli government in Gaza after the war.

The prime minister’s outright rejection of post-war Palestinian leadership in Gaza has broken wide open a rift among top politicians and also frustrated relations with top ally the United States, the AFP report said.

Experts say the lack of clarity only serves to benefit Hamas, whose leader has insisted no new authority can be established in the territory without its involvement.

Gantz said Saturday that the war cabinet needed to draft and approve a broad range of plans within three weeks, including the formation of an “American, European, Arab and Palestinian administration that will manage civilian affairs in the Gaza Strip,” according to the AFP report.

Washington had previously called for a “revitalized” form of the Palestinian Authority to govern Gaza after the war. But Netanyahu has rejected any role for the Palestinian Authority in post-war Gaza, saying on Thursday that it “supports terror, educates terror, finances terror.”

Instead, Netanyahu has clung to his steadfast aim of “eliminating” Hamas, asserting that “there’s no alternative to military victory.”

Source(s): CGTN

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Developmental projects of Maldives progressing substantially

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India’s Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar has affirmed that the developmental projects of the Maldives carried out with the assistance of India have been progressing considerably. The remarks were made by the minister during the Confederation of Indian Industry (CIIs) Annual Business Summit.

Speaking at the summit, Minister Jaishankar stated that some developmental projects were slightly politically influenced, hindering the progress. However, he assured that the progress of the projects have propelled at a notable rate.

Following the Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer’s official visit to India at the invitation of Minister Jaishankar, discussions were held highlighting the spectrum of initiatives across the nation has been kickstarted through loans and grants from the Government of India during the previous administration. He emphasised the current government’s commitment to prioritising the resumption and completion of these projects.

Meanwhile, the Government of India has reaffirmed its commitment to the development and prosperity of the Maldives by extending a budgetary support of USD 50 million to be repaid within a term of one year.

Source(s): PsmNews

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