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The Times of Addu •

The Soup on Sharks: Regulatory failure, Overfishing and Undersea Competition

Every couple of months, during the last five years at least, Maldives’ social media sphere has churned out quite the shark-induced frenzy, with heated discussions surfacing over whether the archipelago’s famous turquoise blues have indeed become what some are calling “infested waters”.

For the local scuba-diving community, and environmentalists everywhere, an incline in shark numbers is heralded as the best of news. Since implementing a complete ban on shark fishing in 2010, Maldives has receiv
The Edition •

The Green-thumbed Earth Spirit

Sweat trickles down our backs, as we brave the unforgiving afternoon sun, meandering through Goidhoo’s vegetable fields. From afar, the island doesn’t look quite so vast, nor does it seem difficult to navigate - but presently abandoned by our motorcycles, the abundance of green does impress.

In the five minutes next to forever, Abdul Bari Ali emerges between stalks and stems; looking very much like the quintessential island farmer complete with a jersey tee, faded jeans, ‘Clint Eastwood’ straw
The Edition •

Falling in love with Shaviyani's Farukolhu

Perhaps the most beautiful island in all of the Maldives...

Nearly a decade ago, whilst gazing out of a seaplane window one languid April morning, I happened upon an island which even at 3000ft above ground, was unlike anything I’d ever seen before.

While a ‘typical’ stretch of white and green on a cerulean canvas may not seem impressive on its own (to the average jaded Maldivian at least), the unusual topography of Farukolhu is only the beginning of what makes it special.

Presenting as a win
The Edition •

‘Garudhiya’, ‘Rihaakuru’ and ‘Thellimas’, served with a side of Plastic!

When delicacy becomes poison – and you’re the culprit

Time and again, the world has expressed its love for the ‘endless white’ beaches of Maldives, dubbing the islands ‘heaven on earth’ while ‘Insta’-ntly achieving #bliss.

To most Maldivians however, home brings to mind grandma’s ‘valhomas mashuni’, followed by dips in crystal clear lagoons laughing with friends and family as you dare each other to ‘rihaakuru’ infused ‘majaa’ bowls of literal fun.

Heading home to jasmine rice served lovingly
The Wire •

'I Was Sexually Harassed By a Senior Advisor to the Maldives President. This is My Story.'

Male (Maldives): As a journalist, the most disconcerting aspect of this sort of ‘endeavour’ to seek justice is having to see one’s own face on the news, day after day. We reporters are most comfortable behind the scene, secure in our mobility across the keyboard, shielded by our cameras, armed with the might of ink and microphones.

Nevertheless, when the highest office in the Maldives shirks its duty to protect the rights of citizens, it then becomes the duty of a journalist to call attention t
The Edition •

Why the end of any media in Maldives spells bad news for Democracy

As a cursory glance at any front page would doubtless confirm - for media outlets around the globe, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has certainly carved its place as THE story of the century.

For what it’s worth, ‘media’ has never been in greater demand. Readers parched for stimulus visit online sources multiple times a day, in search for anything and everything - from the latest news updates, progress and calamity reports to finding entertainment in days that have grown long and tedious with m
The Edition •

Sendi - From Accomplished Diver, Revered Teacher to Underwater Forester

“More marine scientists, thats what we need!” he grins, nearly jumping out of the beautifully carved wooden seat in his excitement - and his enthusiasm is infectious. Hussein Rasheed, better known to colleagues, students and fans alike simply as Sendi, needs no introduction in the world of diving and such oceanic pursuits.

Mid-heated debate, over the state of naturalized education and marine interest in Maldives, the cameras start rolling and we divert focus into what Sendi is up to now, and ho
The Edition •

Tragedy of the Maldives

People often describe the beauty of island life as being a ‘simple’ one. Not sure what that means? Humour us and take a moment to imagine cycling along sandy roads, under ‘ruhgandu’ canopies along ‘dhigga’ lined paths, all the while munching on ‘kunnaaru’ as a gentle sea breeze ruffles through your hair. Too idyllic a picture for some city folk maybe, but a calming thought, one must admit.

Yet this typical island-lifestyle is incredibly well-preserved on the island of Villingili, despite its cl
The Edition •

Summoning Kindness in Crisis; Compassion in the time of COVID-19

A call came through this morning, from a friend with whom I am regularly in touch. The conversation was unremarkable, save for that inescapable tinge of sadness colouring our every exchange.

“Hey, so, day four of social distancing - how are you?”

“A little down, I guess. In general.”

“Oh. [Pauses] I know what you mean, love. Me too."

These days, just hearing the word ‘positive’ takes the mind on a dark and anxious journey. Even for the proportionally unaffected, such as us islanders, there i
The Edition •

This is us; Fate, Fortitude and Familia

The quiet of dawn in the tropics is gentle but not entirely silent. Rustling palms sashaying in the breeze, twittering Kanbili and the occasional rude ‘Haa’ beckon the sun, just before the island is filled with the blessed sound of Fajr prayers.

Abdulla Rafeeq makes his way to the mosque, an every day routine, and after an hour or so of ‘Namad’ and religious meditation, he expertly works his way through the taro fields that lie not far from his house. Having worked up a decent sweat, it is now
The Edition •

The Election Question - Do you vote party, candidate or constituency?

The excitement of presidential elections and subsequent groundbreaking moments ushered 2019 in with appropriate bang and lustre. Maldives welcomed its first president from Lhaviyani Atoll, a true islander displaying a decidedly liberal spirit and moderate, calm temperament. Now, with the new year now fully underway, Maldivians face yet another, arguably more important, election.

The People’s Majlis, or the Parliament of Maldives, was first formed in 1932 during the reign of Sultan Mohamed Shams
The Edition •

Men and Masculinity in the Maldives

Amongst a great many topics that are, as I write, being fervently dissected over coffee tables around the world, it would not be incorrect to assume that very few address issues specific to men or analyze the (at times) very vague concept of masculinity. Truth is, at least in conversation, bloke-centric affairs pale in comparison to themes such as female empowerment, rights of differently-abled persons, climate change, economic disparity and so on. Presumably, because men hold most positions of
The Edition •

Tales from the 70's; A travelling musician from the South

Brought to readers by popular demand following Isle Be Visiting Fuvahmulah, is this short narrative on one of our most colourful interviewees - the man behind the haunting rendition of 'Fuvahmulah Raivaru'.

It is difficult to render which is more epic, Ibrahim Mohamed Manik’s melodic retelling of the Burunee Raivaru, the tale itself, or the man narrating the story.

Nearly 50 years after he learnt the story, the pure precision of his storytelling and the clarity with which he ‘sings’ the 'Raiva
The Edition •

Listen up queens, it's time to gather your tribe

The media hasn’t always been kind to women. Stories on silver screens are especially unkind in their depiction of sisterhood. For years and years, women have been reduced to sexual beings, objectified and minimized to a mere fraction of their existence, female friendships reduced to a mess of drama and spite.

Although the overall presentation of women has certainly begun to change, there is a long, long way to go before collective television, online or print, accurately represents what lasting
The Edition •

Why Maldives needs to declare a state of climate emergency - IMMEDIATELY (PT. I)

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), as of right now, 11 percent of the world’s population is vulnerable to droughts, floods, heat waves, extreme weather events and sea-level rise caused by climate change. As the state of the Earth worsens, in as little as 2-3 decades, 100 percent of Maldivians stand to lose their livelihoods, heritage and homelands… presumably in that order.

Most people are aware that Maldives, presenting little in the way of world-wide carbon emi
The Edition •

Toddy, Coconut Honey & Palm Trees: A Maldivian Love Story

It is a somber day in the Lily Night household located at the very heart of Gan, Laamu Atoll, as The Edition crew arrived to chat with its occupants. However, the busy lives of the bustling family, must find a way to go on. It is the very picture of strength, courage and resilience – a very proud and endearing Maldivian quality.

Two coconut trees stand tall in the backyard, affixed with rungs, which Ali Abdurrahman, reffered throughout the town by the moniker Ayyube, climbs daily with his Bandh
The Edition •

Journeying across Baa; the story of four ocean advocates that conquered an Atoll on SUPs

The Stand Up For Our Seas team returned to Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu, where it all began, on Thursday afternoon. Tired, elated faces were greeted by their friends at Coco Collection, the official sponsor for the event.

Minister of Environment Dr. Hussain Rasheed Hassan was also in attendance at their welcome-back ceremony, presenting the team with a wooden plaque for their courageous and inspiring efforts.

For the seas, across the seas

“Breathe with me. Take a deep breath in…and a big deep breath
The Edition •

Why Maldives needs to declare a state of climate emergency - IMMEDIATELY (PT. II)

Environmentalists, planetarians, ocean advocates, eco warriors - they’ve been singing this song for a long time now.

“It’s high time the Maldives declared a state of climate emergency and act accordingly'', stated Vice President of Maldivian Red Crescent and Sustainable Development Consultant Aisha Niyaz. Environment advocate Adam Ashraf echoes her sentiment, “I fully support this”.

Early September the warning bells extended to the Parliament, with Hoarafushi MP Ahmed Saleem presenting a resol
The Edition •

Edition Talks: Soneva Founder and CEO, Sonu Shivdasani

The constant motion driving cogs in the industrial machine often makes the journey of a hotelier a rather 'wander'-ous one. Since resorts first emerged in the Maldives nearly half a century ago, many notable personalities have graced the hospitality scene, left their mark and moved on from these turquoise horizons to greener pastures.

As such, in a sea of constantly emerging new additions and trends, only an elite few remain on their original pedestal. Impressively, a quarter of a century after
The Edition •

PositiviTea - Tiny Hearts of Maldives

Sometimes, it is out of utterly gut-wrenching tragedies that the most genuine, wonderful initiatives are born.

Arguably the most heartfelt of non-government organizations in the Maldives, and dealing directly with matters of the heart, is Tiny Hearts of Maldives, known fondly as Tiny Hearts.

The story of Tiny Hearts begins ten years ago, following the loss of a tiny little soul whose precious little heart was deemed too fragile for this world.

Keyaan opened his eyes to the world in 2008, in t
The Edition •

Here's to another year!

Despite its rather young existence, the content that The Edition has and continues to offer its readers, demonstrates a variety and depth of content far beyond its age.

The Edition has been a trustworthy source of news across two presidencies, provided live updates on a Presidential Election and a Parliamentary Election, crafted pieces on all manner of socio-economic issues, written stories about ordinary people from diverse backgrounds, interviewed leaders from within the country all the way t
The Edition •

Raging red, period!

It seems strange that a perfectly natural biological function faced by females post-puberty around the world, should provoke a negative reaction at all, particularly an opinion that originates from the unaffected opposite sex.

Yet it does, even today.

Many men are frequently “grossed out” by anything to do with the very same biological function that allows them to be born, ‘the menstrual cycle’. What is particularly surprising though, is that a number of women, usually for socially motivated o
The Edition •

Shot in Maldives, Hyderabad India's 'All About Michelle' gears up for release

As the entire world faces a brazen female reckoning, marking the rise of, according to some, an 'Age of Women' - certainly, this humble crew from India has a carved out a role of its own to play in the story.

But that’s not really the narrative they are looking to establish here.

“We are a group of creative professionals - that just happen to be female,” says Supervising Producer Prathyusha Sharma, with a bright but determined grin. There is an unswerving strength behind her cheerful expressio
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