Maldives Update: May 30, 2007.

The Maldives government had proposed three women as judges or magistrates, as there are no women judges in the Maldives. The Justice Minister has nominated three women as judges last week. The Adhaalath Party has strongly opposed the proposal saying female judges are against the sharia and women cannot hold the position of judges.
Ajay Makan, Female Judges "Against Sharia" Warns Adhaalath, Minivan News, May 28, 2007.

The MDP has claimed that the government and police has been obstructing the party's upcoming Presidential election.

Meanwhile the Maldivian government has called for international help for people displaced in the worst flooding in the Maldives since the deadly 2004 tsunami. The Maldives government also made a formal appeal to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to help.
Maldives in need of help following severe flooding, Taipei Times, May 24, 2007.

The Maldivian President is to deliver regular monthly radio addresses to the people.

The Maldives is a Muslim country—exclusively so, since the practice of other religions is illegal—and has been so since 1153.
John Lancaster, Islamism Comes to Paradise, Slate, May 28, 2007.

Also See:

In Indian Ocean, only one fifth of the total trade is conducted amongst the countries of the Indian Ocean themselves, whereas 80 per cent of the trade is extra-regional. Isn’t it time for the ‘owners’ of the Indian Ocean to get together to protect their own interests?

Atul Dev, The Indian Ocean – Current Security Environment, Mauritius Times.