Male, April 18 (IANS) The Maldivian government Wednesday proposed a presidential election in July 2013, three months prior to the earlier schedule.

Male, March 19 (IANS) The Maldives President Mohamed Waheed addressed his country's parliament Monday amid street protests by opposition supporters, a media report said.

Male, March 6 (IANS) The Maldives' former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom returned to the country from Malaysia Tuesday for the first time after the new government was formed following a controversial power transfer.

Male, March 2 (IANS) The 54-member Commonwealth of Nations Friday appointed Donald McKinnon as its special envoy to the Maldives.

Male, Feb 20 (IANS) Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed has said the days of iron fist rule in the country had long gone and today one cannot seize control of a government simply by arresting or assassinating the leader.

Male, Feb 17 (IANS) The Maldivian opposition led by former president Mohamed Nasheed, who stepped down Feb 7, has hailed India's intervention in the ongoing political crisis.

Male, Feb 17 (IANS) The Maldivian government Thursday agreed to hold early presidential elections, a step towards ending the ongoing political crisis in the island nation.

Male, Feb 17 (IANS) The Maldivies' new President, Mohamed Waheed Hassan has reaffirmed to strengthen trade and cultural ties with China, saying that it is detrimental to the Asia's smallest country not to engage with the world's emerging powerful nation.

Male, Feb 16 (IANS) In a triumph of diplomacy, India Thursday succeeded in brokering a political deal in the Maldives, with all political parties agreeing to hold elections "as early as possible", paving the way for a political reconciliation in the island nation that plunged into turmoil after the resignation of president Mohamed Nasheed Feb 7.

Male, Feb 16 (IANS) The Maldives government has agreed to conduct "early" elections to resolve the political impasse following the dramatic regime change in the island nation, Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said Thursday.

Male, Feb 13 (IANS) The UN Monday ruled out launching any investigation into power transfer in the Maldives, suggesting the country should find internal solution to its imbroglio.

Male, Feb 12 (IANS) Thousands of supporters of ousted Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed rallied in protest in the capital Saturday night as the new President Mohamed Waheed Hassan was busy approaching parties to form a coalition government.

Male, Feb 12 (IANS) Ending a week of political turmoil, the Maldives Saturday invited tourists to its world's top luxury resort destinations assuring complete safety and protection.

Male, Feb 11 (IANS) A senior US diplomat said here Saturday that it was too early to conduct a snap poll in the Maldives and urged former president who claimed he was ousted in a coup to join the new coalition government.

Male, Feb 11 (IANS) Following an international demand for clarification on the power transfer from former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed to his vice president, the government Saturday announced that an independent inquiry would be conducted on the allegation of a coup in the country.

Male, Feb 11 (IANS) US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Robert Blake arrived in the Maldives Saturday to meet both ousted president Mohamed Nasheed and incumbent Mohamed Waheed Hassan.

Male, Feb 10 (IANS) The Maldives' ousted president Mohamed Nasheed said Friday that his party would hit the streets and demonstrate in the absence of international support but "we cannot join this government as we believe it is illegal".

Male, Feb 10 (IANS) Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed has called for the immediate release of around 500 supporters arrested for allegedly burning down police stations and court houses, a party spokesman said Friday.

Male, Feb 10 (IANS) A day after a court ordered the arrest of ousted Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed, UN special envoy Oscar Fernandez-Taranco Friday called for dialogue to resolve the political turmoil.

Male, Feb 9 (IANS) A day after he was ousted as the Malidivian president, Mohamed Nasheed has said what happened in the country should be traced to former dictator Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's network and a result of his own vice president's suspected role in planning the coup.

Male, Feb 8 (IANS) Maldives' new President Mohamed Waheed said he would form an all-party national unity government Wednesday, the day calm returned to the capital after weeks of protests that culminated in Mohamed Nasheed stepping down as head of state.

Male, Feb 8 (IANS) Newly-appointed Maldivian President Mohamed Waheed Wednesday announced he would form a coalition government with the participation of all political parties, including former president Mohamed Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Male, Feb 8 (IANS) The Republic Square in Male looked calm and quiet Wednesday morning with families walking around and chattering at the very location where weeks of protests to oust Mohamed Nasheed, the first democratically elected president in the archipelago, took place.

Maldives is located in the Laccadive Sea in the Indian Ocean, 400 km southwest of India's southern coast.

Male, Jan 28 (IANS) Maldives has learnt its "lessons from the Indian experience", said President Mohamed Nasheed as the Indian envoy here described the country as "perhaps one of India's closest partners".

Male, Jan 21 (IANS) The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has expressed concern over the recent escalation of hostile rhetoric towards media in the Maldives.

Male, Jan 21 (IANS) The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives Saturday expressed concern over the turmoil in the country and condemned the secret detention of Chief Judge of the Criminal Court and arrests of two opposition party members by police.

Addu (Maldives)/New Delhi, Nov 14 (IANS) With diaries and paper bags flaunting 'China-SAARC friendship!', Beijing unleashed a charm offensive for a greater role at the eight-nation summit in the Maldives last week and is now pitching for a 'SAARC-plus-one' summit.

On Board Air India One, Nov 12 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday said he had conveyed to Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa that the use of force in dealing with fishermen is unacceptable and pushed for a joint working group to resolve the issue.

Male, Nov 12 (IANS) In the first address by a foreign leader to the Maldivian parliament, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday

Male (Maldives), Nov 12 (IANS) Amid China's foray in this Indian Ocean island nation, India Saturday inked an umbrella agreement with the Maldives to intensify cooperation in diverse areas, including trade and counter-terrorism, and unveiled a fresh $100 million line of credit for the picture-pretty atoll nation.

Male (Maldives), Nov 12 (IANS) Amid China's increased foray in the Indian Ocean island, India Saturday inked an umbrella agreement with the Maldives to intensify cooperation in diverse areas, including trade and counter-terrorism, and unveiled a fresh $100 million line of credit for development of this picturesque atoll nation.

Addu (Maldives), Nov 11 (IANS) In the balmy backdrop of this Indian Ocean atoll, leaders of eight South Asian nations Friday decided to accelerate trade liberalisation, intensify their anti-terror cooperation and unveiled a host of initiatives, including setting up a Rapid Action Force to combat natural disasters.

Addu (Maldives), Nov 11 (IANS) In this idyllic Indian Ocean atoll, leaders of eight South Asian nations Friday decided to accelerate trade liberalisation, intensify anti-terror cooperation and unveiled key initiatives, including setting up a Rapid Action Force to combat natural disasters.

Addu (Maldives), Nov 11 (IANS) With South Asia's economic heft growing and more countries wishing to join SAARC, the eight-nation regional grouping Friday decided to review all matters relating to its engagement with observers, including the question of dialogue partnership.

Addu (Maldives), Nov 11 (IANS) Talks between the prime ministers of India and Pakistan has imparted a 'seriousness of purpose' to bilateral ties, with both sides deciding to carry the dialogue in a result-oriented manner and finalising a calender of meetings, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said Friday.

Addu (Maldives), Nov 11 (IANS) The curtain came down on the two-day SAARC summit here Friday with the South Asian grouping's leaders pushing for trade liberalisation and a host of initiatives that include setting up a Rapid Action Force to combat natural disasters.

Addu (Maldives), Nov 11 (IANS) The two-day SAARC summit ended in the balmy backdrop of this Indian Ocean atoll here Friday with South Asia's leaders pushing for trade liberalisation and a host of initiatives that include setting up a Rapid Action Force to combat natural disasters that frequently hit the region.

Addu (Maldives), Nov 11 (IANS) Nearly three weeks after they met in New Delhi, India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Nepali counterpart Baburam Bhattarai Friday held bilateral talks here and pushed for early signing of a double tax avoidance agreement.

Addu (Maldives), Nov 11 (IANS) Anything but summitry! As the sun caresses the coral-blue waters of the Indian Ocean encircling 1,190 islands of the Maldives, diplomacy and statecraft are the last things on your mind. But even as you slip into a reverie, an eight-nation summit is unfolding across the high seas, birthing what some are calling the 'Addu spirit'.

Addu (Maldives), Nov 11 (IANS) With frequent attacks on Indian fishermen a touchy issue arousing much concern in New Delhi, India and Sri Lanka Thursday agreed that the Joint Working Group (JWG) on fisheries should meet to ensure the Indian fishermen are not attacked by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Addu (Maldives), Nov 10 (IANS) Call it the magic of the Maldives, the picture-pretty Indian Ocean islands that seems to melt all differences. Or the feel of gross national happiness in Thimphu or the liberating Sharm el-Sheikh resort in Egypt.

Addu Atoll (Maldives), Nov 10 (IANS) India Thursday committed itself to building capacities of SAARC nations by announcing a slew of measures in educational and cultural fields, apart from calling for greater linkages between the eight nations in the connectivity, communication and information sectors.

Addu (Maldives), Nov 10 (IANS) Stressing that the global economy is 'under stress,' India Thursday announced trade concession for poorer SAARC countries and exhorted the grouping's members 'to put aside differences' and work towards the 'higher calling' of regional integration through more trade and all-round connectivity.

Addu Atoll (Maldives), Nov 10 (IANS) In a major trade liberalisation move, India Thursday announced the reduction of the 'sensitive list' for least developed countries under the South Asian Free Trade Area Agreement (SAFTA) from the existing 480 tariff lines to 25 tariff lines.

Addu (Maldives), Nov 10 (IANS) Soon after a successful meet with his Pakistani counterpart, India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday called for all South Asian nations to 'trust each other' and to 'put aside our differences', so that they can 'challenge ourselves to do even better'.

Addu (Maldives), Nov 10 (IANS) India and Pakistan Thursday talked about writing 'a new chapter' in their accident-prone ties, with Islamabad assuring New Delhi that the terrorists behind the Mumbai carnage, that virtually froze relations between the neighbours, will be brought to justice soon.

Addu (Maldives), Nov 10 (IANS) Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani Thursday thanked India for its supporting Pakistan's election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and for easing access to European markets.

Addu Atoll (Maldives), Nov 10 (IANS) Seeking to put past acrimony behind, India and Pakistan Thursday talked about writing 'a new chapter' in their tense ties, with Islamabad assuring New Delhi that the terrorists behind the Mumbai carnage will be brought to justice soon.

Addu (Maldives), Nov 10 (IANS) Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik Thursday sprang a surprise by saying Ajmal Amir Kasab, convicted by an Indian court for the 26/11 terror attack, should be hanged, but hedged on the release of Hafiz Saeed, the suspected mastermind of Mumbai terror, saying more legal evidence is required.