The parliament in the Maldives has approved a 30-day extension of a state of emergency declared by President Abdulla Yameen earlier this month.<br /> The declaration was seen as Yameen's attempt to strengthen his power after the Supreme Court ordered the release of his imprisoned political opponents.<br />The regulations give wide powers to security forces to detain people and curtail freedom to protest.<br />The declaration had sparked global concerns about the impact on democracy. <br />Opposition lawmakers, who boycotted parliamentary proceedings, called Tuesday's vote "unconstitutional." <br />
