Bulgaria's Top Models Show Their Extreme Sport Skills

Top Model Bulgaria' competition will be lead on August 18 in ‘Evrika' hotel complex in Sunny Beach resort. This will be the 7th edition of the event, organized by model agency ‘J Models'.

16 girls from all around Bulgaria will take part in it. The girls were selected with castings among 800 female competitors.

They will compete in 4 tours - sport cloths, in bath suits, in official dresses of ‘Astella Atelier' and in wedding dresses ‘Cymbeline'.

The event will be accompanied with a photo session on the beach. The girls should demonstrate their skills of extreme sports like surfing, wind surfing, jet ski and others.

The winner will compete in the 'New Models International' at the end of October, 2007. The event will take place on the Maldives.

Source: Bulgaria News

Customs burden to be lifted for 18 Islamic countries

Turkey is preparing to gradual remove customs barriers with 18 Islamic countries by establishing a preferential trade system. It is set to remove high customs and non-tariff barriers with agreements to be signed next month with the following countries: the United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Morocco, Guinea, Iran, Cameroon, Qatar, Libya, Lebanon, the Maldives, Malaysia, Egypt, Pakistan, Senegal, Syria, Tunisia, Uganda and Jordan.

The “Preferential Trade System between Members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference” project will be implemented after the framework agreement is signed.

Source: Dunya Online

Maldives officials quit, say president blocks reform

Two top Maldivian government officials resigned from President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's cabinet on Sunday, accusing Asia's longest-serving ruler of stalling on democratising reforms.

Justice Minister Mohamed Jameel and Attorney General Dr. Hassan Saeed said reforms ranging from independence of the judiciary to freedom of assembly and a new constitution have been repeatedly blocked or delayed.

Gayoom pledged wide-ranging democratic reforms in late 2004 to revamp the power structure in the nation of 300,000 mostly Sunni Muslims in response to criticism of his government's rights record.

"Most of the reforms have not been passed," Saeed, a presidential appointee, told Reuters by telephone from the Maldivian capital of Male. "The constitution is not in place. None of the criminal justice-related laws have been passed."

"I don't believe in the current process," he added. "Gayoom has been in power for a long time ... and found promising reforms was a good way of getting support. But then the international pressure was gone, domestic pressure was gone and he thought he could take it easy."

Gayoom's critics accuse him of cracking down on dissenting views to stifle opponents and hold onto power and maintain control of tourism resorts, which rake in millions of tourist dollars each year.

Gayoom has been in power since 1978, and his autocratic rule has been likened by critics to a sultanate of old.

The Indian Ocean island cluster is due to a hold a public referendum on Aug. 18 on whether to adopt a Westminster-style parliamentary system or U.S.-style presidential system. [Read more on Reuters]

Source: COLOMBO (Reuters)

Jameel and Saeed resign from cabinet

Attorney General Dr Hassan Saeed and Justice Minister Mohamed Jameel have resigned from the government in a massive blow for the reformist credentials of President Gayoom.

The two ministers have been in charge of drafting and enforcing laws since Gayoom appointed them to the cabinet in 2005, as part of the “New Maldives” group of reformist ministers.

But both men today said the President had obstructed reformist legislation. And, in a direct attack on the President, Jameel told the press, “I entered government to serve the whole country, not just one person. My conscience does not allow me stay in the cabinet.”

Justice Not Served

The resignations were submitted at 2.30pm this afternoon, and Saeed and Jameel arrived at Daabaurgue for a hastily arranged press conference just after 3.30pm.

“I have resigned because the reform agenda, which I joined the government for, has failed, and it is not appropriate for me to stay in the cabinet,” said Dr Saeed, who is considered the architect of the reform agenda, alongside Foreign Minister, Dr Shaheed.

Former Justice Minister Jameel was even more blunt: “Justice is not served in this country. The system works to protect the rights of the few.” [Read More]

Source: Minivan News

Maldives President aims to retire in 2010-spokesman

Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Asia's longest-serving ruler, plans to stand for reelection at the island's first multi-party elections due next year and then aims to retire early in 2010, his spokesman said.

The Indian Ocean island cluster is due to a hold a public referendum on August 18 on whether to adopt a Westminster-style parliamentary system or U.S. style presidential system as part of a raft of democratising reforms.

Gayoom has been in power since 1978, and his autocratic rule has been likened by critics to a sultanate of old.

'He has announced that he will be running again for office, whether it is under a presidential or parliamentary system,' Chief Government Spokesman Mohamed Shareef told Reuters by telephone from the island capital of Male.

'He feels he needs a couple more years to finish what he started and then plans to retire,' he added. 'He is hoping by 2010 his job will be done.'

The Maldives only legalized the existence of opposition parties in 2005 in a land famed for its luxury resorts and world-class scuba diving. A new constitution for the chain of 1,200 mostly uninhabited islands 500 miles (800 km) off the toe of India is still being drafted.

Gayoom pledged wide-ranging democratic reforms in late 2004 to revamp the power structure in the nation of 300,000 mostly Sunni Muslims, responding to harsh criticism of his government's rights record.

Gayoom's critics accuse him of cracking down on dissenting views to stifle opposition parties and hold onto power and maintain control of lucrative tourism resorts, which rake in millions of tourist dollars each year.

Source: signonsandiego.com