Maldives - Himal Southasian

Year in review: 2025 in cartoons

Cartoonist Gihan de Chickera’s top illustrations for 2025, from Himal’s Southasia Weekly newsletter

/ 31 Dec 2025

Cartoon of a Nepali student protester wearing a red headband planting a placard with a symbol of an upraised fist on Everest,

Ahmed Naish on Maldives’s controversial new media regulation law: State of Southasia #34

The journalist discusses how the government has pushed through a law with vague and broad language that can allow the persecution of critical media outlets

By Nayantara Narayanan

/ 16 Oct 2025

Ahmed Naish on Maldives’s controversial new media regulation law: State of Southasia #34

Nepal uprising on social media – Southasia Weekly #84

Two weeks ago, Nayantara and I were brainstorming ideas for season 2 of “Partitions of the Heart: Conversations with Harsh Mander” while we were in Kathmandu. We had already seen

By Raisa Wickrematunge

/ 22 Sep 2025

Southasia Weekly - 19 September 2025. We cover Southasia like no one else. Become a Patron. Support independent journalism.

JJ Robinson on how Mohamed Muizzu’s Maldives is “a free-for-all kleptocracy”: State of Southasia #25

The journalist says that, despite some development, the Maldives’ political culture under Muizzu is one of corporatised corruption, political intimidation and control through gangs.

By The Editors

/ 9 Jun 2025

Mohamed Muizzu stands behind a wooden podium with the Maldives behind him on the right at his oath-taking ceremony as preside

Maldives protests, the history of caste slavery and more – Southasia Weekly #64

This week in Himal We're thrilled to share that we already have 6 new Patrons signed up as part of our 38 Patrons for 38 years campaign! We&

By Raisa Wickrematunge

/ 5 May 2025

Young Maldivians have been protesting after a young woman's suspicious fall from an apartment. The protests have grown to bec

Youth protests take on the Maldives’s political culture after a woman’s fall

A woman’s unexplained fall from a Malé building has set off protests against “nepo-babies” and an alleged cover-up as a new generation confronts the Maldives’s political culture

By J J Robinson

/ 2 May 2025

Youth protests take on the Maldives’s political culture after a woman’s fall

Who is counting India's heat deaths? – Southasia Weekly #62

This week in Himal This week, Jeff Joseph writes that ineffective advisories and the undercounting of heat-related deaths leaves millions of Indians vulnerable to extreme heat and the climate crisis.

By Raisa Wickrematunge

/ 21 Apr 2025

State of Southasia #05: Laxmi Murthy on journalism in crisis across Southasia

Journalist and editor Laxmi Murthy examines the stark deterioration of media independence and freedom of expression in Southasia, and its implications for elections and democracies

By The Editors

/ 3 Jun 2024

State of Southasia #05: Laxmi Murthy on journalism in crisis across Southasia

Podcast: Cracks in the INDIA alliance, Pakistan accuses India of targeted assassinations, the detention of an Afghan poet and more

Your Southasia news roundup from 21 Jan - 2 Feb 2024

By The Editors

/ 3 Feb 2024

Podcast: Cracks in the INDIA alliance, Pakistan accuses India of targeted assassinations, the detention of an Afghan poet and more

Podcast: India out of Maldives, elections in Bangladesh and Bhutan, PTI loses election symbol and more

Your Southasia news roundup from 7 - 20 Jan 2024

By The Editors

/ 20 Jan 2024

Podcast: India out of Maldives, elections in Bangladesh and Bhutan, PTI loses election symbol and more

Podcast: INDIA Opposition MPs suspended, Imran Khan’s virtual rally, flooding in Tamil Nadu and more

Your Southasia news roundup from 1 - 23 Dec 2023

By The Editors

/ 25 Dec 2023

Podcast: INDIA Opposition MPs suspended, Imran Khan’s virtual rally, flooding in Tamil Nadu and more

Strains between Malé and the atolls in the Maldives

Forced migration, “development” pressures, political neglect and the climate crisis have assailed the Maldives’ less-populous atolls, eroding the country’s identity and driving thousands to the capital

By Daniel Bosley

/ 27 Sep 2023

Strains between Malé and the atolls in the Maldives