China donated US$ 85 million in grant aid to finance a new hospital in Villimalé, redevelop roads in Malé and Villimalé, and construct 50 council office buildings.
Former immigration controller Shamaan Waheed, who was detained in March for the duration of his bribery trial, was released from custody. The judge granted a conditional release with a travel ban upon request by prosecutors after the court completed hearing witness testimony. The risk of intimidation of witnesses has been "adequately lowered," the PG office said. Shamaan is accused of extorting MVR 500,000 (US$ 34,370) from a migrant worker.
Under revised rules gazetted by the National Social Protection Agency, the single-parent allowance was raised up to MVR 15,000 (US$ 970) a month with effect from January. This was previously capped at MVR 10,000. Single mothers or fathers with four children will now receive MVR 3,000 per child, up from MVR 1,000. Single parents with more than four children will receive MVR 1,000 for each additional child. Announcing the change in October to fulfil a campaign pledge, President Muizzu said there were 587 single parents eligible for the monthly financial assistance.
Former President Nasheed warned of significant damage caused to coral reefs from the "uncontrolled spread of sediment" due to dredging for the reclamation of Rasmalé. He urged contractors to comply with regulations "as well as the requirements set out in the Environmental Impact Assessment framework." Reclamation of the Fushidhiggaru lagoon south of Malé for the current administration's flagship eco-city project is underway with the Cristóbal Colón, one of the world’s largest trailer suction hopper dredgers.
The Media and Broadcasting Commission published revised rules for providing annual state funding to media outlets, changing the eligibility criteria from three years to one year since registration and taking the number of staff into consideration in scoring applications.
The Human Rights Commission condemned remarks made about Supreme Court Justice Aisha Shujune Mohamed by a participant of President Muizzu's town hall meeting in Henveiru on December 7. The man, identified as Abdul Latheef Umar, father of Sheikh Iyaz Abdul Latheef, had criticised Justice Shujune for not wearing the hijab, saying she should not be on the bench. The remarks undermined her honour and dignity, the commission said in a statement issued two weeks after the incident, appealing against defamatory statements and discrimination against women, which it said violated the country's obligations under international conventions. "The use of language with characteristics of sexual harassment targeted at learned and capable women such as Supreme Court Justice Al-Ustaza Aisha Shujoon Mohamed is an obstacle to advancing women's progress and ensuring their rights. Furthermore, such harassment will cause other women who wish to enter national service to hesitate and create fear in their hearts."
Schools closed at the end of the academic year as the annual month-long holiday fell in December for the first time in four years. The government had revised the academic calendar to revert the year-end holiday to December after the previous administration changed it to mid-year. The new academic year will begin on January 27. Schools will close on March 9 for the last 10 days of Ramadan.
A 17-year-old boy was found guilty over the murder of a 13-year-old boy in June 2021 and sentenced to 16 years in prison. The victim's body had been found stuffed into a suitcase in the lagoon of Hulhumalé Phase 2. As the defendant was a minor when the crime was committed, the juvenile court did not disclose his identity. The convict, who is now over 18 years of age, must serve 12 years after his detention period is deducted.
HDC's board decided to award a large-scale mixed luxury housing project near the Hulhumalé Phase 2 channel park to China's Nantong Xinhua Construction, Adhadhu reported, citing company sources who accused the board of directors of pre-selecting the Chinese developer at the government's behest with a seven-day bidding period. The decision was reportedly made less than 24 hours after proposals were submitted. A 125,387 square feet plot was designated for the residential buildings.
The homeland security ministry revised the police retirement regulations to suspend retirement benefits to former officers appointed to positions in the government or state-owned enterprises. President Muizzu announced the decision during his town hall meeting in Hulhumalé on Sunday. It comes with several retired police and military officers leading government companies, including MTCC, MPL, HDC, MIFCO and Fenaka.
The current administration issued MVR 349 million worth of loans to small businesses and provided MVR 595 million as financial assistance to businesses since taking office two years ago, Economic Development Minister Saeed told the press.
MTCC was enlisted to reclaim 18 hectares of land in Gaaf Dhaal Faresmaathoda for MVR 143 million. The infrastructure ministry contracted the Road Development Corporation to build roads in Gaaf Dhaal Fiyoree.
The Anti-Scam Centre investigated 1,663 cases, arrested 14 people, froze 754 accounts, confiscated 72 devices, conducted 18 search and seizure operations, deleted 54 scam-related links, blacklisted 727 devices, blocked 237 SIM cards, and recovered about MVR 8.5 million – 37 percent of the stolen amount – this year, according to statistics shared at a press briefing. The recovery rate was up significantly from just two percent in previous years, Inspector Adam Naveed stressed. Scams had spiked 200 percent post-Covid with more than 6,000 people losing a combined MVR 110 million from 2021 to March 2025. Changes made to the criminal procedures code in March authorised police to expeditiously freeze bank accounts. Cyber crimes were meanwhile up 90 percent from 2024 – including blackmail and intimidation with nude photos as well as defamation and cyber bullying – and police assisted 1,095 victims. Some 71 cases involving the hacking of mobile phones and social media accounts were reported, of which three accounts were seized, 19 were taken down, and investigations were underway in 30 cases.
