Maldives

Maldives: Supreme Court judges arrested amid political crisis

Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and another judge, Ali Hameed, were arrested hours after the government declared a state of emergency.

No details were given about the investigation or any charges.

The turmoil began when President Abdulla Yameen refused to obey a court order to release political dissidents.

The opposition have called the government moves a "purge" and there has been international condemnation.

Maldives is a nation is made up of 26 coral atolls and 1,192 individual islands, and tourism is a vital part of its economy.

 

Clooney says lawyers will pursue sanctions against Maldives

They were taking that course of action because the Maldives government has failed to fulfill many of its promises made to ex-President Mohamed Nasheed, Clooney told reporters in Male, the capital of the Indian Ocean archipelago that is a high-end tourist destination.

"The next step will be to pursue targeted sanctions, travel bans and any other action we have recourse to until the matter is resolved," she said. "It is disappointing it has come to this."

Malaysia says most of the debris in Maldives not from plane

Last week, Malaysia said a wing fragment found on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion was confirmed to be from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The plane disappeared March 8, 2014, with 239 people aboard while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Media reports in Maldives indicated debris found in recent weeks was brought to authorities' attention following the discovery on Reunion.

Malaysia to verify if debris in Maldives came from plane

Last week, Malaysia said a wing fragment found on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion was confirmed to be from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The plane went missing March 8, 2014, with 239 people aboard while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said Monday that it was premature to speculate whether the debris found in the Maldives is connected to Flight 370.