Ahmed Naish
Ahmed Naish joined the Maldives Independent (formerly Minivan News) as a rookie reporter in January 2009, covering the country's tumultuous transition to democracy, first multi-party elections and series of political crises. He later served as editor-in-chief until the Maldives Independent suspended operations in January 2020 and returned to the role for the relaunch in January 2025. Naish has also written for local and international publications such as Al Jazeera and The Diplomat.
"No data is shared." But Bank of Maldives and Immigration quietly rewrote the rules.
Two amendments, no notice, and a legal basis no one can produce.
07 May, 16:03
Q&A with Mohamed Nasheed, the former president running to lead the party he vowed to dismantle
On the 2023 split, the apology question, and the road to 2028.
06 May, 13:57
Where to turn: a guide to the Maldives' mental health support system and the plan to rebuild it
Where to call, what to expect and what's being built.
05 May, 15:29
The week the state moved: rebuilding a mental health system mid-crisis
1,300 on the waitlist and a hospital a year away.
30 Apr, 17:54
Ice ages, not volcanoes: how the Maldives really formed
Darwin's 1842 theory is elegant. Drill cores tell a different story.
14 Apr, 16:38
Referendum, record turnout, and a fractured opposition: key takeaways from the April 4 elections
69 percent said No. That was just the start.
07 Apr, 16:54
Referendum defeated, cities lost: voters deliver mid-term rebuke to Muizzu
Nearly seven in 10 voters said no. All five mayors are MDP.
05 Apr, 11:53
Election day: 43-degree heat, long queues and secrecy dispute mark triple-ballot vote
Scenes from a long, hot voting day in Malé.
04 Apr, 20:21
Election primer: three ballots, one voting day, and a wartime spending spree
Everything you need to know before April 4.
03 Apr, 17:00
War costs mount but austerity plan stays under wraps until after Saturday's vote
Uninterrupted supplies assured as government breaks ground on a dozen projects.
30 Mar, 16:58
Maldives condemns Iran at UN days after Muizzu called for strikes on Israel "day and night"
Public mood rejects sectarian framing and pushes president off-script.
26 Mar, 17:32
Maldives celebrates Eid under shadow of war
Missiles fly toward Diego Garcia and oil tops US$ 110 a barrel.
22 Mar, 15:59
Half a gas cylinder, double the diesel price: the oil shock hits Maldives
From the pump to the jetty, the war's cost arrives.
17 Mar, 17:25
Asia declares emergency. Maldives says it won't run out of oil.
The damage from the oil price shock is baked in.
11 Mar, 17:52
Younger than the pyramids: teaching students how the Maldives really formed
A new textbook replaces Darwin's theory with what drill cores actually show.
04 Mar, 14:24
A family for every child: the promises and risks of the foster care push
Applications are up. Safeguards haven't kept pace.
25 Feb, 17:19
What we brought home from the world's largest investigative journalism conference
A small Maldives newsroom goes global.
23 Feb, 11:44
Ramadan cheat sheet: schedules, services and prices
A guide to modified routines for the fasting month.
18 Feb, 12:37
RTI data reveals scale of student payment problems ministry says it cannot fully count
Over 100 complaints logged, but no figures on actual payment delays.
17 Feb, 16:03
The Chagos dispute explained: colonial borders, displaced people, and a small nation defying international law
Why is the Maldives sending the Coast Guard to disputed waters?
10 Feb, 17:26
