Former Kendhoo MP Ali Hussain petitioned the Supreme Court to declare that the commercial terms agreement signed between the government and Eagle Hills for the Rasmalé waterfront and marina project is unconstitutional and void ab initio. He argued that there is no legal framework authorising the state to lease property to a foreign party by way of a single leasehold of 99 years. Provisions that grant Eagle Hills the right to create successive third party rights over the land is against the constitution's 99-year lease limit, he added. Ali Hussain said that an application seeking an interim order to suspend implementation of the agreement has also been filed to prevent the creation of third party rights and interests.
The Consumer Price Index dropped by 1.15 per cent in August compared to July, primarily driven by decreases in electricity prices and domestic air travel costs, which fell by 3.21 per cent and 2.80 per cent respectively. The price of tobacco products decreased by 25.45 per cent. Overall prices remain 0.76 per cent higher compared to August 2025 as the price of dairy, eggs, fruits, and vegetables rose. Food inflation remained high at six per cent on an annual basis.
Malé City Council held discussions with the Health Protection Agency to establish designated smoking kiosks in different areas of the capital.
Religious conservative NGO Jamiyyathul Salaf and the Adhaalath Party said they were reviewing the Rasmalé deal following concerns. The spokesman for Salaf said the group would be "meeting with government officials and clarifying information through other means". The Adhaalath Party spokesman said the party is also meeting with relevant government institutions to clarify information about the residency visa scheme, township programme and the Rasmalé project. The party would propose solutions to relevant institutions if the review raises concerns about the project, he added. Former Adhaalath Party president Sheikh Imran Abdulla said on X that "looking at the murky developments unfolding now, the time has come once again for Maldivians to set aside political ideologies and stand up" and warned President Muizzu of bitter consequences of "betraying the religion and the nation ".
Former President Yameen and former Vice President Mohamed Jameel claimed that the Rasmalé deal paves the way for Israeli and Jewish people to settle in the Maldives. Speaking at a meeting of Yameen's PNF, Jameel alleged that Eagle Hills and its owner Mohamed Alabbar have links to Israeli businesses. Dubai is a proxy used by Israel to pursue its interests and giving Maldivian land to such groups “even if they remain as Muslim in name” opens the door for Jewish people to settle in Maldives, he said. Yameen echoed his comments, describing the settlement of Jews in Maldives as "frightening". He said giving "even a grain of sand from the Maldives to people from a country with close ties to the Zionists" should not be considered.
Yameen warned Attorney General Usham and Infrastructure Minister Dr Muththalib that they will be held legally accountable once a future administration revokes the Rasmalé deal. Yameen argued that leasing land originally reclaimed for public housing to a foreign developer required prior parliamentary consultation and a national referendum.
A 24-year-old Nepali man was arrested for assaulting a female foreign worker in Raa Maduvvaree last Thursday. Police said the man had been remanded by the island's magistrate court for five days.
Customs seized 11.75 kilos of cannabis smuggled in two courier packages.
Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam floated exploring ways to boost revenue from fisheries by accepting tuna caught using purse seine nets near the Exclusive Economic Zone. Highlighting a decline in surface tuna catches from traditional pole-and-line fishing that led the government to consider reopening longline fishing, Shiyam suggested establishing a dedicated fish harbour in Addu to purchase and process tuna caught outside the EEZ, noting that foreign purse seine fleets currently harvest vast quantities of fish around the border to process and sell in overseas markets.
Authorities are currently investigating 24 drug networks across the country and have seized 1.3 tonnes of drugs valued at MVR1 billion (US$64.8 million) over the past three years, Home Minister Ali Ihusaan revealed at the Ahaa public forum. Cases involving three major networks with financial transactions ranging between MVR148,000 and MVR3.6 million are currently before the courts, while police have shut down 17 drug cafes nationwide – 12 in Malé, four in Addu City and one in Fuvammulah – with plans to close down all remaining establishments in the capital by November. The government gave gang members a choice to pursue productive jobs or run businesses and a lot of them took that path, he said.
Police have noticed an uptick in cases of people driving under the influence or while intoxicated, Home Minister Ihusaan said.
The redevelopment of Addu Link road was awarded to China’s Rotime Engineering and Technology for MVR446.1 million to be completed by September 2027 under contractor finance terms with payment to the company to be made over a period of three years, the infrastructure ministry told Adhadhu.
The defence ministry extended the deadline for obtaining permits to sell hazardous chemicals and register storage warehouses by one month.
Malé City Council fined owners of 12 vessels left docked in Villimalé lagoon against guidelines in a manner that disrupted other vessel movements. Each vessel was handed a fine of MVR500.
